What Was the Manhattan Project?

The U.S. Department of War began implementing a nuclear fission reaction to develop an atomic bomb in June 1942, also known as the Manhattan Project. The project brought together the best nuclear scientists in Western countries (except Nazi Germany) at that time, mobilizing more than 100,000 people to participate in the project, which lasted 3 years and cost $ 2 billion. The first nuclear explosion in the world, and two practical atomic bombs were produced as planned. The entire project was a complete success. During the execution of the project, the principals LR Groves and R. Oppenheimer applied the ideas and methods of systems engineering, which greatly reduced the time consumed by the project. The success of this project promoted the development of systems engineering after the Second World War.

The U.S. Department of War began implementing a nuclear fission reaction to develop an atomic bomb in June 1942, also known as the Manhattan Project. The project brought together the best nuclear scientists in Western countries (except Nazi Germany) at that time, mobilizing more than 100,000 people to participate in the project, which lasted 3 years and cost US $ 2 billion. The first nuclear explosion in the world, and two practical atomic bombs were produced as planned. The entire project was a complete success. During the execution of the project, the principals LR Groves and R. Oppenheimer applied the ideas and methods of systems engineering, which greatly reduced the time consumed by the project. The success of this project promoted the development of systems engineering after the Second World War.

Chinese name

Manhattan Project

Foreign name

Manhattan Project

Related celebrities

Einstein, Roosevelt, Oppenheimer, etc.

Plan background

During World War II

planning time

June 1942 to July 16, 1945

Planned results

Atomic Energy Act; Nuclear Industry; World War II

Manhattan plan background

By December 6, 1941, the United States officially formulated a top-secret plan code-named "Manhattan." President Roosevelt gave the plan "a special priority over all actions."

In February 1937, Nazi Germany began the "Uranium Project." After the Pearl Harbor incident in late 1941, the United States participated in World War II and declared war with Nazi Germany. Some American scientists have proposed that the atomic bomb be manufactured before Nazi Germany.

For example, Einstein's original letter to Roosevelt was as follows:

Albert Einstein

Old Grove Rd.

Nassau Point

Peconic, Long Island

August 2nd, 1939

FD Roosevelt

President of the United States

White House

Washington, DC

Sir:

Some recent work by E. Fermi and L. Szilard, which has been communicated to me in manuscript, leads me to expect that the element uranium may be turned into a new and important source of energy in the immediate future. Certain aspects of the situation which has arisen seem to call for watchfulness and, if necessary, quick action on the part of the Administration. I believe therefore that it is my duty to bring to your attention the following facts and recommendations:

In the course of the last four months it has been made probable through the work of Joliot in France as well as Fermi and Szilard in America that it may become possible to set up a nuclear chain reaction in a large mass of uranium by which vast amounts of power and large quantities of new radium-like elements would be generated. Now it appears almost certain that this could be achieved in the immediate future.

This new phenomenon would also lead to the construction of bombs, and it is conceivable though much less certain that extremely powerful bombs of a new type may thus be constructed. A single bomb of this type, carried by boat and exploded in a port , might very well destroy the whole port together with some of the surrounding territory. However, such bombs might very well prove to be too heavy for transportation by air.

The United States has only very poor ores of uranium in moderate quantities. There is some good ore in Canada and the former Czechoslovakia, while the most important source of uranium is Belgian Congo.

In view of the situation you may think it desirable to have more permanent contact maintained between the Administration and the group of physicists working on chain reactions in America. One possible way of achieving this might be for you to entrust with this task a person who has your confidence and who could perhaps serve in an inofficial capacity. His task might include the following:

a) to approach Government Departments, keep them informed of the further development, and put forward recommendations for Government action, giving particular attention to the problem of securing a supply of uranium ore for the United States;

b) to speed up the experimental work, which is at present being carried on within the limits of the budgets of University laboratories, by providing funds, if such funds be required, through his contacts with private persons who are willing to make contributions for this cause, and perhaps also by obtaining the co-operation of industrial laboratories which have the necessary equipment.

I understand that Germany has actually stopped the sale of uranium from the Czechoslovakian mines which she has taken over. That she should have taken such early action might perhaps be understood on the ground that the son of the German Under-Secretary of State, von Weizs ? cker, is attached to the Kaiser-Wilhelm-Institut in Berlin where some of the American work on uranium is now being repeated.

Yours very truly

Albert Einstein

The translation is as follows:

Albert Einstein

Old Grove Street

Conic, Long Island

August 2, 1939

FD Roosevelt

America president

White House

Washington DC

Mr President,

Through the exchange of research drafts with E. Fermi and I. Sillard, recent work has convinced me that in the near future, uranium will become a new type of important energy source. Many of the problems caused by this require us to be more alert, and if necessary, government departments should take prompt action. Therefore, I believe it is my responsibility to remind you to pay attention to the following facts and suggestions.

Over the past four months, through the work of Joliot in France and the work of Fermi and Sirard in the United States, a large amount of uranium has been used to build a nuclear chain reactor, which has generated huge amounts of energy and a large amount of New radium-like elements have become possible. It is now almost certain that this will happen in the near future.

This new phenomenon will guide the construction of the bomb, and it is possible-although not so sure-that a very powerful bomb will likely be made. Such a single bomb, carried by a ship and exploding in a port, could destroy the entire port and the surrounding environment. However, such bombs may appear too heavy for air transport.

The United States has only a small amount of suitable uranium ore. There are some good ore in Canada and Czechoslovakia, but the best uranium resource is still in the Congo.

Based on this situation, you may think that it is necessary to maintain a permanent relationship between the physicist and the administrative department that builds a chain reactor in the United States. The possible way for you to do this is to delegate this task to someone you trust, and he will work in an unofficial capacity. His tasks may include the following:

1. Get close to government agencies, be familiar with future developments, and make recommendations for government work, with a particular focus on obtaining uranium supply for the United States.

2. Accelerate experimental activities by providing funding to address issues currently being performed by university laboratories with limited budgets. If funding is already available, either by contacting individuals who are willing to contribute to the cause, or by working with company laboratories with the necessary equipment.

I understand that Germany has effectively stopped and taken over uranium trading in Czechoslovak mines. It is understandable that it has taken such an early action, according to Weizzek, the son of the German Deputy Secretary of State, at the Kaiser-Williams Institute in Berlin, where U.S. activities on uranium have been repeated.

You are sincere,

Albert Einstein

In early 1942, although American scientists had a rough idea of the atomic bomb mechanism, the direction they should work on, and even the cost and time, the huge project of nuclear research has exceeded the capabilities of scientific research institutions. At that time, the American economy had turned to war, and no industrial company could complete the construction of production facilities in a short period of time. One of the heads of US nuclear research, Bush believes that only the military with the highest priority can produce nuclear materials before the war ends. On March 9, 1942, in his report to President Roosevelt, he emphasized the bright prospects of the atomic bomb and proposed to transfer all development and production management to the army. On June 17, Bush prepared a detailed report for Roosevelt to give the entire nuclear program to the leadership of the army for implementation. At this point in the White House office, Roosevelt had already studied Einstein's letter and had been indecisive. After receiving Bush's suggestion, Roosevelt immediately approved the Bush report.

Manhattan Project Top Secret Project

President Roosevelt gave the plan "a special priority over all actions." The "Manhattan" program is surprisingly large. Since it was not known at the time which of the three methods of splitting uranium 235 was the best, only three methods had to be used to perform fission work simultaneously. This complex project has become a melting pot of American science. In the "Manhattan" project management area, a large number of scientists from all over the world, led by Oppenheimer, have been brought together. The sheer number of scientists is unimaginable. In some departments, there are even more PhDs than average staff, and there are nobel prize winners among them. The "Manhattan" project used 539,000 people at its peak and cost a total of $ 2.5 billion. This is incomparable to any previous weapon experiment.

Manhattan plan military support

With the support of Marshall, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the U.S. military agreed to start construction of four uranium isotope separation plants and other research and development, Production base. The military named the entire plan the "Alternative Materials Development Lab" and assigned Colonel Marshall of the US Department of Military Engineering to take charge of all operations.

Colonel Marshall's compliance with the scientific advisors delayed the upgrade of research plan priorities and the selection of a gas separation plant address for two months. In September, senior government wartime offices and military leaders decided that Colonel Groves, who led the construction of the Pentagon of the United States Department of Defense, would succeed Colonel Marshall. Groves was promoted to Brigadier General before leaving office.

Manhattan Plan Priorities

Groves successfully raised the priority of the plan to the highest level in less than 48 hours after taking office, and selected Oak Ridge, Tennessee, as the base for the uranium isotope separation plant. Because Colonel Marshall's main office will initially be located in New York City, they decided to name the new district "Manhattan." Thus, the "Manhattan Engineering District (or simply the MAN District)" was born. The entire nuclear research program in the United States was soon called the "Manhattan Project."

The ultimate goal of the Manhattan plan

The ultimate goal of the Manhattan Project is to create an atomic bomb before the war ends. Although before the plan, the S-1 Executive Committee affirmed its feasibility, but to realize this new explosion, there are still a lot of theoretical and engineering problems to be solved. On the recommendation of Lawrence, Compton and others, Groves asked Oppenheimer to take charge of this work. In order to enable the successful completion of the atomic bomb research plan, based on Oppenheimer's proposal, the military authorities decided to establish a new fast neutron reaction and atomic bomb structure research base, which was later known as the Los Alamos Laboratory. Oppenheimer was named director of the Los Alamos laboratory based on his talents and wisdom and his deep insight into the atomic bomb. It was because of such a vital appointment that he won the title of "Father of the Atomic Bomb" in the United States in the future.

Oppenheimer initially underestimated the difficulty and thought that only six physicists and more than 100 engineering technicians would be sufficient. But by 1945, the laboratory had grown to have more than 2,000 civilian researchers and more than 3,000 military personnel, including more than 1,000 scientists.

Given that most scientists are opposed to the militarization of laboratories, Groves agreed that the University of California became the nominal management unit and contract guarantee unit of Los Alamos, and the base's army was responsible for laboratory construction, logistics supply and security. This guarantees free academic discussion within the laboratory. Oppenheimer encourages scientists to boldly discuss the scientific aspects of the atomic bomb, and put forward that even the opinions of the gatekeepers will help the success of the atomic bomb. Oppenheimer listened to anyone's opinions and mastered the entire experimental process. Some physicists involved in nuclear research later recalled that they were not even as clear about the details and progress of their work as Oppenheimer himself. On many issues, breakthroughs were made because of Oppenheimer's decision, which ensured the implementation of the atomic bomb development schedule. Oppenheimer's prestige is growing among scientists, ordinary workers, and government officials. Los Alamos is known as the "Nobel Laureate Concentration Camp", and people call Oppenheimer the "camp commander" of the camp. Oppenheimer has not won the Nobel Prize, but has such a high degree of personal prestige that his organization and personality charm can be seen.

Of the 150,000 people working in the Manhattan Engineering District, only 12 knew the overall plan. In fact, very few of the staff knew that they were working on the atomic bomb. For example, the Los Alamos Computing Center performs complex calculations for a long time, but most staff do not understand the practical significance of these tasks. Since they do not know the purpose of the job, it is impossible to make them truly interested in the job. Later, a young man explained what kind of work they were doing. Since then, the work here has reached a climax, and many staff have volunteered to stay and work overtime. Through the hard work of all personnel, many technical and engineering problems of the atomic bomb were resolved.

Manhattan plans to make success

On December 2, 1942, under the guidance of Enrique Fermi, the University of Chicago built the world's first experimental atomic reactor and successfully carried out a controlled chain reaction.

In the spring of 1943 Oppenheimer led the production of the atomic bomb in Los Alamos' laboratory.

In March 1944, the Oak Ridge plant produced the first batch of enriched uranium 235.

On July 12, 1945, an experimental atomic bomb began final assembly.

At 5.30 am on July 15, 1945, the world's first atomic bomb exploded in a desert area in Alamogordo, New Mexico (due to the name of the test site, also known as the Trinity Explosion.) The test was successfully conducted on July 25, at The atomic bomb test of Bikini Atoll in the Pacific Ocean was successful. On August 6 and 9, the United States dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan. With the Soviet troops sending troops to the northeast of China, the Japanese Emperor announced unconditional surrender on the 15th, and World War II was over.

The Manhattan project not only created the atomic bomb, but also left $ 1.4 billion in property, including a 9,000-person Los Alamos nuclear weapons laboratory; a 36,000-person, $ 900 million Oak Ridge uranium material production plant and incidental A laboratories; a Hanford Ford material production plant with 17,000 people and a value of more than $ 300 million, and laboratories in Berkeley and Chicago.

Manhattan Plan Atomic Energy Act

In July 1946, on the first anniversary of the successful development of the atomic bomb, the US Senate and the House of Representatives passed a fierce debate and passed a motion proposed by Senator McMahon. Truman signed an order on August 1, and the proposal came into effect, which was the Atomic Energy Act 1946. It marks the end of the US wartime nuclear program and the beginning of a new transition period, and it has also become the guiding program for the development of American atomic energy in peacetime.

After the Atomic Energy Act 1946 came into effect, Groves-led Manhattan Project continued to support the entire nuclear program with the consent of Congress and the government. When the new American Atomic Energy Commission was formed, Truman decided to transfer all the property and power of the original Manhattan Project to the Atomic Energy Commission at 12 pm on the last day of 1946, thus officially starting a new transition period. The Atomic Energy Commission has four departments: the Research Department, which controls all research related to atomic energy; the Production Department, which owns and controls all facilities for the production of fissile materials and atomic energy, and organizes the production of nuclear fission materials; the Engineering Department, which directs all and Equipment and engineering related to atomic energy development; the Department of Military Applications, which deals with atomic energy matters related to armaments. The Atomic Energy Commission headquarters also moved from Oak Ridge to Washington.

Later, the US government decided to establish national laboratories, the most famous of which are the Argonne National Laboratory near Chicago and the Brook Haven National Laboratory (BNL) on Long Island, New York. These two laboratories contributed to the development of high-energy physics, especially Professor Ding Zhaozhong, who discovered the J particle by using the accelerator AGS of Brookhaven Laboratory in 1974, and won the Nobel Prize in Physics.