American History Tellers The Manhattan Project | Secret Cities | 2
Jan 17, 2024
Scientists rush to create an atomic bomb during World War II. The challenges of maintaining secrecy and preventing enemy interference. Arrival of Neil's Boar and concerns about a nuclear arms race. The process of uranium production and operations at Oak Ridge. Debate over testing the atomic bomb and uncovering Soviet espionage. Tensions between the US and USSR during the countdown to the Trinity atomic bomb test.
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Scientists' Remote Start at Los Alamos
- Scientists moved to a remote New Mexico location in 1943 to work in extreme secrecy on an atomic bomb.
- They lived in an old ranch school and faced isolation but were motivated by the war effort and scientific breakthrough.
Two Atomic Bomb Designs
- The Manhattan Project used two methods to build the atomic bomb: the gun method and the implosion method.
- The implosion method was more complex but needed for plutonium, requiring precise symmetrical compression.
Tension Between Security and Science
- Security leaders compartmentalized information to prevent leaks in the Manhattan Project.
- Oppenheimer countered this by holding weekly meetings to maintain open scientific collaboration.