Richard Rhodes chronicles the scientific, technological, and human drama that led to the creation of the atomic bomb during the height of World War II. This book captures the vast scope of the Manhattan Project, which employed 130,000 people at its peak, and the challenge of driving a crash program involving scientists, engineers, and military leaders to produce a breakthrough weapon in four years. This effort had to advance the frontiers of science, particularly in producing the enriched uranium and plutonium for the core of the bombs, and to develop the intricate conventional explosive device used to initiate the nuclear chain reaction. It is an exemplar case of the U.S. government mobilizing massive resources to drive scientific and technological developments to achieve a major strategic outcome, victory in the Pacific theater of World War II.
Guiding Questions
- What were the conditions that allowed for the coordination of national resources, scientists, and military officials toward the goal of building the atomic bomb?
- Do you see a Manhattan Project-style initiative taking place in the immediate future? If so, towards what end?