Inventors: Robert Oppenheimer

The atomic bomb was based on the idea of splitting an atom and using the resulting energy. Its creation was based on a number of scientist’s discoveries. The United States created the Manhattan project and brought as many scientists as possible. The scientific director was named J. Robert Oppenheimer. Using a “compartmentalization” of knowledge (meaning people only knew what they had to know), and acting in complete secrecy from the rest of the United States and the world, the Manhattan project produced the first atomic bombs. After a test on July 16, 1945, at the Trinity site, the United States dropped two atomic bombs on Japan to end World War II. This began the arms race between the United States and the Soviet Union.

Click here to listen to an audio clip from an atomic bomb test:
ATOMIC BOMB TEST

*Picture from http://www.trumanlibrary.org/photos/bombnag.jpg
**Audio from Microsoft® Encarta® Encyclopedia 2002

Sources:
"Atomic Bomb," Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2003
http://encarta.msn.com © 1997-2003 Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). American Experience: Truman. 12 October 2003. <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/truman/psources/ps_pressrelease.html> (primary)

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