Background:
Early in
1939, the world's scientific community discovered that German physicists had
learned the secrets of splitting a uranium atom. Fears soon spread over the
possibility of Nazi scientists utilizing that energy to produce a bomb capable
of unspeakable destruction. In
1940, the U.S. government began funding its own atomic weapons development
program, which came under the joint responsibility of the Office of Scientific
Research and Development and the War Department after the U.S. entry into World
War II. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers was tasked with organizing the
construction of the vast facilities necessary for the top-secret program. Late 1941, the American effort to design
and construct an ATOMIC BOMB
received its code name — the MANHATTAN
PROJECT.
Early in
1939, the world's scientific community discovered that German physicists had
learned the secrets of splitting a uranium atom. Fears soon spread over the
possibility of Nazi scientists utilizing that energy to produce a bomb capable
of unspeakable destruction. In
1940, the U.S. government began funding its own atomic weapons development
program, which came under the joint responsibility of the Office of Scientific
Research and Development and the War Department after the U.S. entry into World
War II. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers was tasked with organizing the
construction of the vast facilities necessary for the top-secret program. Late 1941, the American effort to design
and construct an ATOMIC BOMB
received its code name — the MANHATTAN
PROJECT.
Over the
next several years, the program's scientists worked on producing the key
materials for nuclear fission--uranium-235 and plutonium (Pu-239). They sent
them to Los Alamos, New Mexico, where a team led by J. Robert Oppenheimer
worked to turn these materials into an effective atomic bomb. Early on the
morning of July 16, 1945, the Manhattan Project held its first successful test
of an atomic device-a plutonium bomb-at the Trinity test site at Alamogordo,
New Mexico. Overall, nearly
$2 billion had been spent on research and development of the atomic bomb. The
Manhattan Project employed over 120,000 Americans.
By the time
of the Trinity test, the Allied powers had already defeated Germany in Europe.
Japan, however, vowed to fight to the bitter end in the Pacific, despite clear
indications that they had little chance of winning. In fact, between mid-April
1945 (when President Harry Truman took office) and mid-July, Japanese forces
inflicted Allied casualties totaling nearly half those suffered in three full
years of war in the Pacific, proving that Japan had become even more deadly
when faced with defeat.
The First Bomb:
The first bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. Once the choice was made, the decision of when and where the bomb was to be dropped shifted to General Carl Spaatz. A committee chose to drop the bomb on Hiroshima based on three main factors: Hiroshima was a very industrial city, had a military base, and had not yet been bombed, making it a good target to display the destructive power of the United State's new super bomb. The bomb was dropped at 8:15 am on August 6, 1945 from a B-29 bomber. The bomb fell from the Enola Gay (the name of the bomber) with a parachute and the bomb exploded several hundred feet above the ground.
The bomb destroyed houses and buildings within a 1.5 mile radius. It was actually the winds created by the bomb which caused the most damage. The true damage, however, would not be realized for years to come. The long term effects of the bomb were discovered to be genetic problems, malformed babies, retardations, radiation sickness, and mental trauma. The total death toll of "Little Boy" was about 200,000. After the bomb was dropped Truman once again warned Japan of the devastation which was to come if they did not surrender.
The Second Bomb:
Japan failed to comply, however, and the plan was put in motion to drop a second bomb. The second bomb was called "Fat Man" and was to be dropped on the city of Kokura. Because Kokura had heavy cloud cover, the second choice city was Nagasaki. The "Fat Man" was much larger and had the destructive capabilities of 22 kilotons of TNT. The bomb was dropped at 11:02 am on August 9, 1945. It killed 150,000 people as well as causing the same long term effects as "Little Boy." By four o'clock on August fourteenth Japan had accepted unconditional surrender thus ending the war.
*"Little Boy" and "Fat Man" atomic Bombs that were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
The First Bomb:
The first bomb was dropped on Hiroshima. Once the choice was made, the decision of when and where the bomb was to be dropped shifted to General Carl Spaatz. A committee chose to drop the bomb on Hiroshima based on three main factors: Hiroshima was a very industrial city, had a military base, and had not yet been bombed, making it a good target to display the destructive power of the United State's new super bomb. The bomb was dropped at 8:15 am on August 6, 1945 from a B-29 bomber. The bomb fell from the Enola Gay (the name of the bomber) with a parachute and the bomb exploded several hundred feet above the ground.
The bomb destroyed houses and buildings within a 1.5 mile radius. It was actually the winds created by the bomb which caused the most damage. The true damage, however, would not be realized for years to come. The long term effects of the bomb were discovered to be genetic problems, malformed babies, retardations, radiation sickness, and mental trauma. The total death toll of "Little Boy" was about 200,000. After the bomb was dropped Truman once again warned Japan of the devastation which was to come if they did not surrender.
The Second Bomb:
Japan failed to comply, however, and the plan was put in motion to drop a second bomb. The second bomb was called "Fat Man" and was to be dropped on the city of Kokura. Because Kokura had heavy cloud cover, the second choice city was Nagasaki. The "Fat Man" was much larger and had the destructive capabilities of 22 kilotons of TNT. The bomb was dropped at 11:02 am on August 9, 1945. It killed 150,000 people as well as causing the same long term effects as "Little Boy." By four o'clock on August fourteenth Japan had accepted unconditional surrender thus ending the war.
Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomic_bombings_of_Hiroshima_and_Nagasaki
http://inventors.about.com/od/astartinventions/a/atomic_bomb.htm
http://history.howstuffworks.com/world-war-ii/the-atomic-bomb-and-the-surrender-of-japan.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atomic_bombings_of_Hiroshima_and_Nagasaki
http://inventors.about.com/od/astartinventions/a/atomic_bomb.htm
http://history.howstuffworks.com/world-war-ii/the-atomic-bomb-and-the-surrender-of-japan.htm