The Manhattan Project
Manhattan Project Pin
In short, the Manhattan Project was the plan to develop a nuclear weapon to obliterate any hopes of German or Japanese victory during WWII. This project was prompted by Albert Einstein's letter to President Roosevelt after gaining knowledge about the Germans' plans to purify Uranium to make such atomic bombs. The Manhattan Project was the American counterpart of the German plan.
At first the plan was only carried out at a few colleges, such as University of Chicago, University of California, Berkeley and Columbia University. A breakthrough occurred under the supervision of Enrico Fermi and his colleagues. They had produce the first nuclear chain reaction. The first engineered atomic bomb was dropped in Alamogordo, New Mexico. No one was expecting a blinding light or a ginormous fireball that level everything within its radius. As good news reached President Truman's ears, the world had already entered into a new nuclear age.
At first the plan was only carried out at a few colleges, such as University of Chicago, University of California, Berkeley and Columbia University. A breakthrough occurred under the supervision of Enrico Fermi and his colleagues. They had produce the first nuclear chain reaction. The first engineered atomic bomb was dropped in Alamogordo, New Mexico. No one was expecting a blinding light or a ginormous fireball that level everything within its radius. As good news reached President Truman's ears, the world had already entered into a new nuclear age.
The Importance of the Manhattan Project
A sign outside the testing area
The Manhattan Project was very important for the American success in WWII. Because of this plan, Japan was obliterated and Germany was threatened into submission. On a broader note, the development of the atomic bombs open the world to a new nuclear age that would cause trouble beyond anyone's imagination. The development of nuclear and ballistic weapons was the key to the Cold War between Russia and the U.S. during the post-war era.