A research and development program used to produce the first nuclear weapon during the Second World War is explained on Facts about Manhattan Project. United States was the leader of the program supported by Canada and UK. Major General Leslie Groves directed the project in 1942 until 1946. The actual bombs were designed by J. Robert Oppenheimer. This nuclear physicist was the director for Los Alamos Laboratory. Let us find out the details about Manhattan Project below:
Facts about Manhattan Project 1: the beginning
The beginning of Manhattan Project took place in 1939. The expense for this project reached US $2 billion. It also employed at least 130,000 people.
Facts about Manhattan Project 2: the allocated budget
Only 10 percent of the allocated budget was used for developing and producing the bombs. Almost 90 percent of it was employed for producing the fissile material and building the factories.
Manhattan Project Facts
Facts about Manhattan Project 3: the sites
It needed at least 30 sites located in Canada, US, and UK for the research and production of the weapons.
Facts about Manhattan Project 4: the types of atomic bombs
When we talk about Manhattan Project, we deal with atomic bombs. Two types of bombs were created during the Second World War. The complex one was the implosion-type nuclear weapon. The simple one was a gun-type fission weapon.
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Facts about Manhattan Project 5: Little Boy
Little Boy was a term to call a simple gun-type nuclear weapon which contained uranium-235.
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Facts about Manhattan Project 6: uranium enrichment
The thermal, gaseous, and electromagnetic methods were performed to increase the content of uranium.
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Facts about Manhattan Project 7: Fat Man
The implosion-type nuclear weapon is called Fat Man. Los Alamos Laboratory was the site for developing this bomb.
Facts about Manhattan Project 8: secrecy
Manhattan Project was secret project. However, the Soviet spies were still capable to gather information about the project.
Manhattan Project
Facts about Manhattan Project 9: the uses of nuclear bombs
On 16 July 1945, an implosion-type bomb was detonated at Alamogordo Bombing and Gunnery Range in New Mexico. In the following month, Hiroshima and Nagasaki were bombed by Little Boy and Fat Man.
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Facts about Manhattan Project 10: postwar years
After the Second World War ended, the weapon testing was employed by Manhattan Project at Bikini Atoll. The American atomic research and production was controlled by the project. It ended in 1947 after United States established US Atomic Energy Commission.
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