Running head: THE MANHATTAN PROJECT

The Manhattan Project: Behind the Bomb

Jason M. Heikes
Riley County High School

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The Manhattan Project

Abstract
The Manhattan Project was an operation that was solely focused on creating the atom
bomb. Scientist and civilians alike were pulled into this landmark in history watching it fulfill its
destructive purpose. What could have been used for good and a sufficient energy source was
turned malefic and harnessed for a more sinister purpose that would create a new category of
war. Production of the bomb started as a tedious experiment based on a concept but with
thousands of scientist and engineers inspired by World War 2(WWII),they believed they could
change the world.

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The Manhattan Project: Beyond the Bomb

A Spark Of Fission
In December 1939, the radiochemists Otto Hahn and Fritz Strassmann made an
accidental discovery that when a nuclei of most elements changes when it is bombarded and in
turn would release enormous amounts of energy; sparked a new wave of science, Fission. News
of Hahn and Strassmann's discovery spread quickly. Soon being shared with America; American
scientist sought to further Hahn and Strassmann's experiments to find a better and more efficient
way to perform fission, thus creating the atomic bomb.
Science of a Different Nature. The science behind an atomic bomb is fission. Fission the is
splitting of an element's nuclei creating energy. In WWII there were two types of elements used
Uranium and Plutonium. Uranium 235 was the first element to be used making only about .7% of
natural uranium it was rarer than its counterpart Uranium 238; making it difficult to construct.
Later it was discovered that uranium could be bombarded with neutrons creating plutonium,
which significantly sped up the process of manufacturing atomic bombs. To make an atomic
bomb explode, both elements in the bomb uranium's and plutonium's nucleus collide when
separated with fission; resulting in a devastating chain reaction.
Fuel Behind the Fire. On December 8, 1941 hundreds of Japanese fighter planes
attacked an American naval base killing more than 2000 soldiers and wounding 1000. The day of
the assault President Franklin D. Roosevelt declared war on Japan, with congresses full approval
behind him. Three days later Japan's allies, Italy and Germany, declared war on the U.S thus

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involving the states in World War II. In the time of war America was more motivated than ever to
be the supreme power. Motivating scientist to perform and think even harder to protect their
country.
Governmental Influence. The total estimated cost of what the government paid to
execute the Manhattan project is $21,570,821,000 covering all research and facilities. Even
though the Manhattan Project was such a large construct the government didnt let anyone who
wasnt working on it and even some of the people who were working there what their actual
agenda was. The reason behind this was the element of surprise, they couldn't risk have Germany
and Japan finding out about their secret escapades and have them sabotage their newly aquired
tools of war.
The Mind of the Bomb. There were many people involved in the creation of the atomic
bomb but some played bigger roles that others. Robert J. Oppenheimer was the director of the
Los Alamos laboratory in New Mexico and he was responsible for the design and research of the
Atomic Bomb often he is referred to as "Father of the Atomic Bomb". Enrico Fermi was also a
big part of the Manhattan project help discover and utilize nuclear fission he is often referred to
as "The Architect of the Atomic Bomb". Marie and Pierre Curie were an important duo that
helped isolate an important element required for the atomic bomb, Radium. Without this element
the atomic bomb would have failed.
Now I am become death. Japan was bombed locations in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. one
of the "Prototype" atomic bombs "Little Boy" was dropped on August 6, 1945 and the other "Fat
Man" was dropped three days later.People close to the core of the bomb were vaporized and

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other outward were burned harshly with radiation and many births afterward come to many
deformities. Over 93% of doctors and 90% of nurses were killed in Hiroshima being near the
metropolitan area, resulting in even more catastrophic events.//(Interview Questions)//. In an
interview Robert J. Oppenheimer quotes what the scientist felt that day "I am become death, the
destroyer of worlds.The optimist thinks this is the best of all possible worlds. The pessimist fears
it is true.No man should escape our universities without knowing how little he knows.". and "In
some sort of crude sense, which no vulgarity, no humor, no overstatement can quite extinguish,
the physicists have known sin; and this is a knowledge which they cannot lose".
The Nuclear Chase. It all started with a spark of discovery by the Germans the created a
sought after weapon of mass destruction, a weapon that could fend off enemies, a weapon that
could protect a nation. This weapon could one day destroy the world and I think that the scientist
knew that. They knew that what they had created was a tool for destruction and an chase for
ultimate power that would never stop because humankind will destroy its rival until we destroy
ourselves.

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References
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cb2143f9a82b64feb04b
Milken,M.(n.d.).ManhattanProject.JunkBonds,106107.
Smith,B.R.,Jr.(2015,January).ManhattanProject.RetrievedFebruary12,2016,from
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64feb04b1e96@sessionmgr113&vid=2&hid=123&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhwbC1s
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