This study will explore the shape and scope of the Manhattan Project scientists’ political movement

Thesis: The research for the first Atomic bomb was done in the United States, by a group of the best scientists; this research was given the name of "The Manhattan Project". On Monday July 16th, 1945, a countdown for the detonation of the first atomic bomb took place near Los Alamos, New Mexico. This atomic bomb testing would forever change the meaning of war. As the atomic bomb was detonated it sent shock-waves all over the world. There was endless research done on the bomb in the United States. The research was called "The Manhattan Engineer District Project" but it was more commonly known as "The Manhattan Project."1 The Manhattan Project was brought by fear of Germany and it's atomic

The beginnings of the Nuclear Age started when Albert Einstein wrote to President Franklin Roosevelt warning him of a dangerous weapon the Nazis had begun researching, known as the atomic bomb. (1) Though, when President Roosevelt first read this letter, he was too preoccupied with events in Europe to be bothered with such ideas. He at the time did not take the creation of such weapon to seriously, nor did he believe America had the resources for such a task. (2) Finally, on October 19, 1939 President Roosevelt wrote back to Einstein stating that the United States had begun to research the power of uranium. (2) With the help of the British, whom reluctantly gave the United States leadership on this project, in June of 1942 the Manhattan Project had begun, though most of the world had no idea that this was even happening, not even Vice President Truman. (2)

The Manhattan Project was created out of the fear of their current enemy, Germany of making the first atomic bomb and using it in the war. The current President of the United States was Franklin Roosevelt. It was seen that Germany was making great advances in the war which worried many. But the people who were very worried were three prestigious scientists. Leo Szilard, Eugene Wigner, and Edward Teller who were Hungarian scientists who immigrated to the United States during the war. Szilard and the other scientists wished to advocate for the start of a program that put all efforts into making an atomic bomb. But of course they were very intelligent on how to get their cause across seriously. “Though the three men, particularly Szilard, were well known

Even before the outbreak of War, the United States was concerned with a fascist regime in Europe researching in nuclear weapons. In retaliation, the United States began to fund an atomic weapon development program which became known as “The Manhattan Project” led by J. Robert Oppenheimer. Over the next several years, the Manhattan project started obtaining key materials such as Uranium-235 and Plutonium and testing prototypes until they reached a working model (Coroner).

On August 2, 1938, in the heat of World War II, Albert Einstein, a physicist born in Germany, sent a letter to Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the 32nd president of the United States. The letter suggested America to build an atomic bomb before the Nazi Germany does. However, it took more than two months for the letter to reach Roosevelt. On October 19, 1938, Roosevelt agreed, replying, “I found this data of such import that I have convened a Board … to thoroughly investigate the possibilities of your suggestion regarding the element of uranium” (“President Roosevelt's response to Dr. Einstein”). As a result, America held a secret program, code named Manhattan Project, and started to build new, destructive weapons in a laboratory in Los Alamos,

Although from an economic lens shows the positive impact of the atomic war and the technological advancements that came fourth due to further study of the atomic capabilities it fails to show how a political lens plays a role in this as well. If a historian were to read this article from a political perspective it would be known that “The US government had an obvious interest in perpetuating the bright atomic future narrative, and supplied the media with officially vetted images and information, but only to a certain point” The question here is that in actual the government wants to shield the media from the actual capabilities and the destructive power the atomic mechanics could withhold. In order to avoid conflicting perceptions a historian must analyze both primary and secondary sources to seek patterns, explanations, causes and effects to come to a

During World War II (WWII), President Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR) organized a committee to advise him “on questions of policy relating to the study of nuclear fission” (Stimson 1947). This committee was involved of all aspects of the atomic project from whether

The response of the panel to which the concern was sent was that the use of the bomb would be “an obvious means of saving American lives and shortening the war.” While these scientists did not agree on the issue of its use, all believed it was necessary to control this new technology through international cooperation.

As a person, sometimes, is hard to make decision that can change history, it is even harder for the president of the United States. When you are the president and there’s a war occurring you must understand that every decision you make impacts the country in every way. When another country attempts an attack on your country, as a president you need to make the best decision to overcome the attack and to protect every citizen of the country. These are the decisions that President Franklin D Roosevelt had to make it, however, when he passed away, Harry Truman had control power of the country and knew that he had to avenge Pearl Harbor. Before Truman can avenge Pearl Harbor, Albert Einstein endorsed a letter to President Roosevelt alerting him that there was an “extremely powerful bombs of a new type” and that the U.S. should begin a similar research. Eventually, this became the Manhattan Project, discovering nuclear fission as a weapon. In this essay we are going to speak about the decision that Truman made to drop the bomb, some arguments, and the interpretation.

Despite America’s foothold, many scientists in other nations were familiar with the entire process. American efforts to veil the Manhattan Project were immense, however, it was only a matter of time before other nations would start mass-producing atomic weapons. As addressed by Stimson (1947), “It is extremely probable that the future will make it possible for atomic bombs to be constructed by smaller nations or even groups, or at least by a larger nation in a much shorter time” (p. 3). Stimson was concerned about the future use of atomic energy, and recognized the global dangers posed in developing the bomb – America could spark the beginning of global annihilation. However, even if America decided to cease development, another country would ultimately produce atomic energy regardless if America continued or not. Stimson also realized, since America was the only nation capable of mastering atomic energy, it was their responsibility the schematic blue prints did not end up in a terroristic nation. The systems to regulate atomic weapons at a global scale would “involve such thoroughgoing rights of inspection and internal controls as we have never heretofore contemplated,” (Stimson, 1947 p. 3) which only strengthened the argument of not developing the atomic bomb. As a result, the consideration of using such a weapon at the expense of condemning a

When the United States created the atomic bombs during World War II, American officials questioned when and where the bombs would be used. A select group of people comprised of, “government officials, military advisors, and scientists” were brought together in order to decide how the United States should proceed with the new

In the year 1945 the global theater saw the Second World War come to an end. Germany surrendered in May, and the Allies began to focus on laying siege to Japan. By June the Untied States army forced them back to their native island, yet the Japanese kept fighting despite their hopeless situation. On August 6 an American atom bomb codenamed “Little Boy” was dropped on Hiroshima, and three days later “Fat Man” was dropped on Nagasaki. The official purpose of these bombs was to minimize casualties, yet there is more to the Manhattan Project that implies other motives.

World War II is often seen as one of the great wars of the modern era. The allies and axis powers both accomplished major scientific advancements and brought about projects of great engineering marvel. Both sides place enormous efforts into the research of new and improved war machines, firearms, and weapons of mass destruction. Nazi Germany jump-started their nuclear project in the mid-1939, a whole three years in advance of the British and the Americans joint effort. Despite Germany’s head start, the Americans still managed to surpass them and eventually dropped two atomic bombs on Japan. Consequently, the Japanese surrendered and it effectively ended the war in the Pacific. Why did the Germans fail in spite of their head start? Questions are often raised about the confidence of German scientists more specifically regarding the well-respected physicist Werner Heisenberg. The play Copenhagen by Michael Frayn acts out two conversations Heisenberg has with another respected physicist Niels Bohr. It brings to light the different possible reasons for Germany’s failure in developing a nuclear weapon.

Nuclear fallout shelters designed in almost every house in America due to the fact that people didn’t want to perish a horrible, fiery death- a theme seen throughout all of humanity, self preservation. However, because of the mass amounts of exchanges of treaties throughout the world to stop a nuclear holocaust, it is Throughout the war effort in World War Two, Robert Oppenheimer 's work on the Manhattan project beginning in 1939 happened in secret, providing for future exploration in the field of nuclear fission, designs for future weapons, and grounds for future scientific exploration in reactors, with substantiation from the X-10 graphite reactor. Throughout all the vastly important discoveries of Manhattan project, it provided a few heart wrenching lasting encounters on the world in the form of further foreign conflict and disputes; examples including the current Iran deal, the Cold War, and the North Korean crisis.

In a letter from Albert Einstein to President Franklin Roosevelt, it addresses how a group of physicists met to discuss their fears of Germany developing a uranium-based weapon, in which they decided to immediately inform President Roosevelt of their concerns. Here is an example of when scientists knowledge should be involved in politics. For the benefit of our country they are concerned that Germany is developing this bomb and so informing the government about this is helping our country develop new tactics on how to approach this situation. Not only did they inform the president about the bomb they even stated where we would be able to obtain these resources that would later on develop into an atomic bomb. Stating that they know the United States has only a limited source of uranium and that if they want to obtain uranium then could find it in either Canada, the former Czechoslovakia, and the Belgian congo. Their knowledge of where uranium could be obtain is a huge factor that had helped the government. This displays their efforts into how they could be a huge factor in politics. Overall their knowledge and ideas are able to help advance politics for the common