Essay On The Manhattan Project

The Manhattan Project was a research and development project on August 13th, 1942. The Manhattan Project was responsible for the creation of the first nuclear weapons. President Truman announced this project on March 25th, 1942, he appointed five scientists to lead the project (Reuter 4).  A nuclear bomb is a weapon that derives its destructive power from the rapid release of nuclear energy by fission of heavy atomic nuclei. The Manhattan Project has global implications. This is because the project brought something that was unseen before and that was a bomb that could decimate large cities and populations. The Manhattan Project is significant because of the introduction of the atomic bomb, research into nuclear physics, and the end of WWII.

The Manhattan Project’s objective in WWII was to develop more sophisticated weaponry. This would provide The United States with stronger weapons than the other countries during the war. This led to other countries developing similar bombs such as Germany, and Russia. During this time uranium was never used as a weapon and they had the struggle to figure out how to incorporate it into a bomb. The introduction of the atomic bomb came about because of the “Einstein Letter” which was a letter from Albert Einstein and Leo Szilard. This letter warned that Nazi scientists were developing atomic weaponry. In response to this letter, President Roosevelt commissioned a team of scientists to study uranium and how it could be implicated in a weapon. Theoretical scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer oversaw the operation which took place in Los Alamos New Mexico. They were able to create two different atomic bombs, one named Little Boy which was a uranium-based bomb, and another named Fat Man which was a Plutionium-based bomb. They described the power of these bombs when they fell on Hiroshima and Nagasaki one account of the bomb that dropped on Hiroshima said “an impenetrable cloud of dust and smoke had covered the target area after the atom bomb had been dropped at Hiroshima.” (Times Newspapers 4). For Nagasaki, they stated that “the bomb all but obliterated Nagasaki.” (Reuter 4).

WWII was a devastating war that ruined millions of people's lives. WWII lasted from 1939 to 1945 and they described it as “Six Bloody Years''. This war included more than 50 nations. Started WWII and also brought many great inventions that were used in the war. Such as the jet engine, synthetic rubber, the radar, microwave oven, and of course the atomic bombs. Research in nuclear technology skyrocketed during the war. During the Manhattan Project the first nuclear reactor was made with these we were able to harness nuclear power into energy. The Manhattan Project was a precursor to what we have today with nuclear power which provides a better alternative than fossil fuels. Other than destruction and energy from nuclear research, because of the Manhattan Project nuclear medicine became possible. Nuclear medicine is vital for the development of new drugs and to accelerate research into future treatments of disorders. That was all possible due to the Manhattan Project.

The United States initially was a neutral ally during WWII. They supplied both the Allies and the Axis powers. The United States remained neutral for the majority of the war until The Zimmerman telegram. Which was an intercepted message that stated the Germans would aid Mexico into taking their land back. This with the previous sinking of American vessels The United States had no choice but to join the war. Without the Zimmerman telegram the United States would have never joined the war. After they joined the war in 1941 The United States finished it with the atomic bombs they made. The war officially ended 1945 with the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. After the bombing of hiroshima and Nagasaki. The Japanese were forced to surrender. The Japanese officially signed the papers aboard the U.S.S Missouri.

The Manhattan Project was a vital part of WWII and for the future. Without the Manhattan Project there wouldn’t be any atomic bombs developed by the Allies, no further reaseach into nuclear science which means no harnessing the energy nor any nuclear medicince such as radiology. The Manhattan Project was the start to the end of WWII due to the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki which forced the Japanese to surrender officially ending the war. The importance of the Manhattan Project even though short lived is greater than just the involvement of WWII.