Events

“Even though the purpose was grim and terrifying, it was one of the greatest physics experiments of all time.”-Emilio Segrè

As many of the scientists that moved to America continued their research efforts, President Roosevelt officially approved the formation of the Manhattan Project on December 28th, 1942. Facilities were set up all over the country and even in Canada to continue nuclear research.

"The effects could well be called unprecedented, magnificent, beautiful, stupendous and terrifying. No man-made phenomenon of such tremendous power had ever occurred before." -General Thomas Farrel

On July 16th, 1945 in Alamogordo New Mexico, the scientists at the Los Alamos lab detonated the first ever atomic bomb in the Trinity Test. A gigantic mushroom cloud tore up the sky at 40,000 feet across. It had a power equivalent of about 21,000 tons of TNT, obliterating the steel tower that held the bomb. The scientists realized just what an atomic bomb could do and were left in awe.

"Dropping those atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki was a war crime." -George Wald

On August 6th, 1945, "Little Boy", a 9,700 pound atomic bomb was detonated over Hiroshima, Japan, a city of about 350,000 people with no Americans in it. Around 80,000 people died instantly, with tens of thousands to follow. Three days later, another atomic bomb was detonated; this time over Nagasaki, Japan. About 75,000 people died, thus officially leading to the surrender of Japan and ending World War II.