American History Hit The Atomic Bomb & the Secret City
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Sep 22, 2022 Historian Ray Smith joins Don Wildman to explore the creation of Oak Ridge, a secret city in response to a warning about the Nazis' nuclear weapons. They discuss the beginning of the Manhattan Project, the process of making an atomic bomb, and the production of U-235 at Oak Ridge. Insights from former residents shed light on the secretive community's history.
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Sudden Displacement
- Government representatives told residents they had to leave their homes by Thanksgiving.
- This happened in 1942, displacing many from their community.
Relocation to Oak Ridge
- June Adamson arrived in Oak Ridge in 1943, having left Salt Lake City.
- While not thrilled about the relocation, she welcomed the change.
Manhattan Project Origins
- The Manhattan Project began with Einstein's letter to Roosevelt, warning of potential German nuclear weapons development.
- Driven by this urgency, the US initiated the Manhattan Project, with Oak Ridge as a key site.