The Manhattan Project

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Nuclear energy can be released through two ways: Fission and fusion. Fission: When an atom is split into two smaller atoms Fusion: When two atoms’ nuclei bond together to form 1 atom

These both release a similar amount of energy. However, an important difference is that fission causes a chain reaction in other atoms. This means that the more atoms that split, the more energy is released. This energy is known as nuclear energy.

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The shift in the overall scope of technology in WWII compared to previous wars was immense. With the inventions of machine guns, radar, and many more weapons and tools, wars could wipe out so much more with fewer weapons. Nuclear weaponry, however, is on a scale unlike any weapon seen before.

Nuclear energy is highly effective, but it causes something called radiation. Radiation is a dangerous and harmful form of energy that is given off when nuclear reactions happen. Radiation can cause serious damage to cells and cause cancer.

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A Photo of the Trinity Test Explosion

One of the most significant events of the Manhattan project was the Trinity Test. This was the first large-scale test of a nuclear bomb. It happened on July 16th, 1945, in the New Mexico desert. This was the first atomic detonation in the world. This explosion worked better than expected, and had the explosive power of over 20,000 tons of TNT. Considering that the bomb itself was roughly the size of a table, this makes this a highly impressive statistic. The explosion created a fireball and a mushroom cloud extending about 40,000 ft. The explosion could be see for miles, but citizens in the surrounding areas didn’t know what it was.

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Video credits courtesy of YouTube Channels: SimplyExplained The Telegraph AtomicHeritage

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The Effects of the Manhattan Project In...

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New Mexico played a key part in the development and testing of the nuclear bomb. Los Alamos, New Mexico, was one of the three main research sites of the Manhattan Project. One of the most significant events of Los Alamos was the Trinity Test site. This was the first large-scale test of a nuclear bomb in history. This test was conducted on July 16th, 1945 in the New Mexico Desert.

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The nuclear bomb was a huge step up for the USA in WWII. The impact of this weapon changed the view of America’s military forces. This weapon was so much more powerful than any weaponry before it. These atom bombs have gone down in history as the first and only nuclear bombs that have ever been detonated. Having this weapon in the US’s hands helps deter attacks on the US.

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Although Canada isn’t talked about as a vital part in the Manhattan project, it still had quite a vital impact. There were a couple of project sites in Canada, and there were a couple of reasons for that. First, uranium and plutonium needed for the bombs was found in mines in the Northwest Territories. Second, testing of progressive fission ideas started in Ontario in 1942.

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Having this weapon meant that the US had a huge advantage over Japan.  Japan had been a central enemy in the war since the bombing of Pearl Harbor, HI aim 1941. This was the reason that America joined the allied forces in WWII. The atom bomb was was a way to force Japan to surrender. The goal of this was to stop Japan from any more destruction they may have caused. On July 25th, 1945, US President Truman warned Japan to surrender to the allied forces, or they would attack. The Japanese did not surrender.

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The bomb was used twice. First, the smaller of the two bombs was dropped on the Japanese town of Hiroshima on August 6th, 1945. This bomb, called the “little boy” bomb, was a warning of what the US could do. After Japan still didn’t surrender, a second bomb was dropped 3 days later on August 9th. This bomb was made of plutonium, and the first bomb was made of uranium. This second bomb, “fat man”, was dropped on the city of Nagasaki. These bombs wiped out entire cities and cost both Japanese and American forces and civilians hundreds of thousands of lives.

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Archival Footage of the Hiroshima Bombing

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The atom bomb was arguably the most prominent technological advancement of WWII. The detonations of these bombs represent the beginning of the atomic age, a new chapter in scientific advancements. The splitting of atoms was a new form of technology that, in basic terms, showed power. Anyone with this technology would have the power to destroy anything they wanted to. This science completely changed the way the world perceives weaponry.

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To the left is an example of a political cartoon from the time of the Japanese attacks. This shows the ways that serious subjects are discussed and spread throughout the world. This cartoon shows these events from the point of view of the USA, and wouldn’t be representative of the way other countries view this war.

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With the detonation of the nuclear bombs on Japan, the Manhattan Project was no longer a secret. The effects of this caused permanent and lasting impact for the entire world. The bombs caused severe damages such as death, economy collapse, and demolition of entire cities for Japan. On the other side of that, hundreds of thousands of American soldiers died, but the allied forces were able to win the war efforts against Japan. This technology allowed deterrence of the the US from being attacked furthermore. However, this released fear into American citizens that other countries may have access to nuclear technology and could detonate on the states at anytime. Overall, this bomb, along with the storming of Normandy beach in France, ultimately led to the end of World War II.

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How the Nuclear Attack on Japan Affected Citizens In the States

This audio is of Karen Neumeister, who was a child when the war was happening, explaining how the nuclear bombs affected her.

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The logo of the Manhattan Project

This technology was developed by around 600,000 people, yet nearly all of them were unaware of what their work was for. There were nearly 20 sites in North America that were part of the Manhattan project, but there were three that were the most significant. Oak ridge, TN, Hanford, WA, and Los Alamos, NM, were the places where the most vital research and development was put in place.

The science of nuclear weaponry all happens at an atomic level. In 1939, German scientists successfully split an atom apart for the first

The Manhattan project all started in 1941. That was the code name of the USA’s top secret research into creating the worlds first nuclear weapon: an atom bomb.

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A newspaper headline about the atom bomb from the 1940s

time. This means that a single atoms’s nucleus was split in two. This creates a release of energy. Very few elements are unstable enough to be split this way, and even the ones that are are not reactive enough to cause damage, however, certain isotopes of an already unstable element, such as uranium U-235, are so unstable that their splitting causes a chain reaction.

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