Leo Szilard
Leo Szilard
Leo Szilard was a Jewish scientist who had came up with the idea about how a very powerful bomb could be made from the element uranium. After a while, Leo decided to take his idea into action and went to Albert Einstein for help. Albert Einstein was also a Jewish scientist like Leo. Leo had not known President Franklin D. Roosevelt so he couldn't really just ask him for permission. Whilst Albert had, the two had came together to decide whether or not that this was a good idea.
Albert Einstein
Albert Einstein
In 1939, Einstein wrote to President Franklin D. Roosevelt warning him that this scientific knowledge could lead to Germany's developing an atomic bomb. He suggested that the United States prepare for its own atomic bomb research. Thus creating the Manhattan Project. This was Albert's only role in the whole process.
The Manhattan Project
This a picture of the site scientists had worked at.
The Manhattan Project had began because of Albert Einstein's suggestion letter to FDR to begin their own atomic bomb research. (link to read Albert Einstein's letter is at the bottom of this page) This was a research and development program by the United States with the United Kingdom and Canada. Most of the work had happened in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The atomic bomb had two reasons why scientists had built it: a quick end of World War 2 and possession by the US would allow control of foreign policy.
Two Types
After a lot of hard work, it had paid off in which the first two atomic bombs were developed in 1945 by the Manhattan Project. The two types of atomic bombs were A simple gun-type fission weapon was made using uranium-235 (first picture is an example) , and an isotope that makes up only 0.7 percent of natural uranium (second picture is an example).
Success!
This is a picture the first tested explosion of the atomic bomb.
After a lot of hard work, it had paid off in which the first two atomic bombs were developed in 1945 by the Manhattan Project. The first tested explosion happened in 1945. They had tested it in Alamogordo, New Mexico. It was a success, but scientist soon discovered its true power. The explosion pierced the early morning skies with such intensity that residents from a faraway neighboring community would swear that the sun came up twice that day. Some scientists feared that they had just created a weapon that could ultimately destroy all humanity.