The Atom Ends the War

Research on Uranium began in 1941when Roosevelt received news that Germany had succeeded in splitting a Uranium atom and releasing an enormous amount of energy. In response, Roosevelt created the Office of Scientific Research and Development, which mobilized scientists to spur improvements in new technology, including research done by scientists on the Advisory Committee on Uranium.

Led by General Leslie Groves and directed by scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer, the building of the atom bomb was called the Manhattan Project because much early research was done at Columbia University, Manhattan. The intense plan was established in 1942, aiming to build an atomic bomb as quickly as possible. The Manhattan Project stands as the most ambitious war investment as well as the best kept secret of war in history.

After the first successful test in a desert near Alamogordo, New Mexico on July 16, 1945, Truman did not hesitate to use the new weapon of war against Japan. The biggest reason why the US dropped the bombs is that it was supposed to cost less lives than a land invasion. From the casualties from the taking of Okinawa, it was predicted that a land invasion of mainland Japan would result in massive loss of lives. As a result, Truman ordered the dropping of the atom bomb code-named Little Boy on Japanese military center Hiroshima on August 6, 1945; the explosion leveled the entire city. When Japan still hesitated to surrender, Truman proceeded to drop "Fat Man" on Nagasaki three days later, completely destroying half the city. Deaths from the blast and radiation numbered around 200,000, finally convincing Emperor Hirohito to surrender and end the war.

Steve Zhou and Shteve Zhou