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The Manhattan Project and its effects on the World

One of the most significant breakthroughs in science, some of the deadliest weapons ever made. Weapons that would forever change the world, and the weight of war. The Manhattan project, the United States of Americas push to the development of nuclear weapons. It"s terrible effects on the world then and now with issues of North Korea. The scientists regret and worry about the creation of weapons of mass destruction. As well as the urgency in fear of Germany creating Nuclear Weapons first during WWII. The effects of the Manhattan Project had terrible implications on the world then, and still to this day.

During World War II in the summer of 1939 of August, Albert Einstein wrote to the current president, Rosevelt detailing the possibilities of using nuclear fusion the create a weapon of massive destruction. He included the chance of Germany developing said weapons and the urgency of it. The weight of Albert Einstein's reputation helped heighten the seriousness of his letter and furthered the current president's actions.1

President Rosevelt, taking Einstein's letter very seriously, founded the Advisory Committee on Uranium to research the use of uranium (and Nuclear materials) as weapons. The Committee was renamed to the National Defence Research Committee in 1940 and finally settling on the Office of Scientific Research and Development (OSRD) in 1941. Finally on December 28th, of 1942 the OSRD formed the "Manhattan Project" under the authorization of President Rosevelt, setting up research facilities across the United States and Canada. J. Robert Oppenheimer, often referred to as "the Father of the Atomic Bomb"2, was already researching nuclear fusion when he was appointed as the director of Los Alamos Laboratory on January 1st, 1943.

The development of the first nuclear bomb was finally finished, but without a test, there would be doubt in the use of the atomic bomb. On July 12th of 1945, the nuclear core was taken to the test site in the empty desert of Alamogordo, New Mexico. The rest of the device arrived a day later on Friday the 13th and was then raised on top of a 100ft firing tower. The codename for the test was the Trinity Test, and the time of the trial had been set for 4:00 am on the Monday of the 16th. Due to weather, the test would be further delayed to 5:30 am on the same morning. To break the tension during the wait between the scientists. Fermi offered a wager on "Weather or not the bomb would ignite the atmosphere, and if so whether it would merely destroy New Mexico or destroy the world." showing just how fearful the scientists were developing the bomb actually where. Finally nearing the pre-arranged time of the test, a countdown was started. Nearing the end of the countdown, many of the physicist laid with their feet towards the blast and "At precisely 5:30 am on Monday, July 16, 1945, the nuclear age began."3

J. Robert Oppenheimer along with many other scientists of Los Alamos Laboratory developed two nuclear bombs. The "Little Boy" was created using uranium-235 and designed so that a sub-critical uranium projectile is fired through a gun barrel at the uranium payload causing the chain reaction to begin. "Little Boy" was roughly 3 meters in length with a diameter of about 0.71 meters and has the explosive force equivalent to fifteen-thousand tons of TNT. The "Fat Man" was a plutonium-based atomic bomb that used smaller bombs to impose the nuclear payload on itself triggering the reaction. "Fat Man" was roughly 3.25 meters in length, but also approximately 2 meters in diameter with an explosive force of about twenty-one thousand tons of TNT.4 Both nuclear weapons would be used in the war against the allies enemies.

With Germany closing to surrender along with the United States wishes to come to an end to the war, the military decided to use the nuclear weapons to force Japan to surrender. On July 26, 1945, The United States demanded that Japan surrender and create a government of peace and democracy or face "prompt and utter destruction."5 6 Due to the requested government that Japan form, the current emperor would have no power and as such did not wish to accept the request of the United States government. With Japan not desiring to surrender and the United States patience thining, the United States began to plan the use of the Atomic Bomb.

The Military planning the use of the atomic bombs decided that Hiroshima would be an ideal target because of the size as well as there were no known United States Army prisoners of war. Still with no surrender, on August 6th, 1945 the United States sent a bomber plane armed with "Little Boy" overtop Hiroshima, dropping the nuclear bomb, destroying and killing everyone and thing within an 8-kilometre square radius around the blast zone. Japan three days later, still with no surrender on August 9th, 1945 another bomber plan carrying "Fat Man" dropped the payload overtop Nagasaki destroying more than 4.8 square kilometres of the town, straight to the dirt. The total deaths of the bomb where roughly one-hundred thousand fatalities and destroyed two cities. Japan informed the United States of America of its plans to surrender on the 10th of August and formally surrendered on August 14th, 1945.7 All through the war was won, many scientists both involved with and bystander to the nuclear weapon displayed much disinterest in the continued use of atomic weapons.

After the war ended, J. Robert Oppenheimer became an advisor of the Atomic Energy Commission, trying to increase and create international arms control. Due to his stances against the use of nuclear warfare and the creation of the Hydrogen-Bomb, he developed enemies, and his security clearance was revoked, angering the scientific community for his mistreatment. He also along with Albert Einstein, Bertran Russell, and Joseph Rotblat the World Academy of Art and Science, and in 1960 was awarded the Enrico Award by President John F. Kennedy. Oppenheimer was not the only one worried about the use of nuclear weapons as Einstein and Russel sent a message to the world.

In the Russell-Einstein Manifesto, their message to the world, they plead to the government, citizens, and humankind as a whole to not use nuclear weapons, nor any weapons of mass destruction. They continued to state "We have to learn to ask ourself, not what steps can be taken to give military victory," but rather "what steps can be taken to prevent a military contest of which issue must be disastrous to all parties?". The document outlined the dangers of nuclear weapons and highlighted the lack of knowledge that the general public, as well as the government, have. It displays the capabilities of modern weapons, and how much more powerful they are from the ones in World War II. It also talks about nuclear fallout as "deadly dust or rain," and that for most "a slow touch of disease and disintegration."7 The Russel-Einstein Manifesto offers a resolution to the dangers of atomic warfare asking Congress and another scientist to urge all governments that their purposes cannot lead to another world war. The manuscript was signed by 11 professors across six different nations, United States, Poland, France, London, Germany, and Japan. The document was also notable the last thing Professor Albert Einstein signed before his death. Though these scientists plead was heard in the short term, there is still those today who do not understand the dangers and effects of nuclear war.

North Korea is one of the most notable modern day nuclear threats to the world. Having withdrawn from the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons in January of 2003, as well as having conducted multiple nuclear tests, clearly states their stance on nuclear warfare. Heavy sanctions have been placed on North Korea by the international community, but they have not affected North Koreas nuclear program.8 Although North Korea may be a clear modern-day demonstration of defying the scientist's warnings, there also stands the United States and Russes Nuclear arsenal.

The United States of America had at once 31255 nuclear warheads and Russa 45000 warheads at their peak. The United States current nuclear arsenal consists of 4717 last being discussed in 2015. Both the United States of America and Russia under the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) of 1991, Strategic Offensive Reductions Treaty (SORT) of 2002, and the new START Treaty, they will both be limited to 1550 nuclear warheads.9 10 As such both countries will still possess large nuclear arsenals for use in warfare, and the dangers of Nuclear War will still be a threat to humanity.

The Manhattan project was created by the United States of America, after rumours of Germany starting a similar program. Their primary goal was the construction of nuclear bombs for use in the current world war. After the war, many scientists involved in the program went on to spread awareness of the dangers of nuclear warfare. A famous document called the Russel-Einstein Manifesto urged the world of the risks, and to avoid all use of nuclear bombs, notably the last thing Albert Einstein signed. Now even in modern day times, the use of nuclear weapons and total nuclear war is still always a threat. Not only is North Korea testing and developing more bombs than ever, the United States and Russia has some of the most prominent nuclear arsenals in the world. The Manhattan Project, although at the time seemed the best action in self-defence from Germany, the project still has had a disastrous effect on modern day society.

“German Atomic Bomb Project.” Atomic Heritage Foundation, 18 Oct. 2016, www.atomicheritage.org/history/german-atomic-bomb-project. ↩︎

“J. Robert Oppenheimer.” Atomic Heritage Foundation, www.atomicheritage.org/profile/j-robert-oppenheimer. ↩︎

“The Trinity Test.” Manhattan Project: The Trinity Test, July 16, 1945, www.osti.gov/opennet/manhattan-project-history/Events/1945/trinity.htm. ↩︎

“Little Boy and Fat Man.” Atomic Heritage Foundation, 23 July 2014, www.atomicheritage.org/history/little-boy-and-fat-man. ↩︎

History.com Staff. “Manhattan Project.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, 2017, www.history.com/topics/the-manhattan-project. ↩︎

“The Manhattan Project - Its Story.” The Manhattan Project - Its Story, www.osti.gov/accomplishments/manhattan_story.html. ↩︎

Einstein, Albert, and Bertrand Russell. Russell-Einstein Manifesto. 1955. ↩︎ ↩︎

“North Korea.” The Nuclear Threat Initiative, www.nti.org/learn/countries/north-korea/. ↩︎

“Russia.” The Nuclear Threat Initiative, www.nti.org/learn/countries/russia/. ↩︎

“United States.” The Nuclear Threat Initiative, www.nti.org/learn/countries/united-states/. ↩︎

#manhattan project #nuke #history

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