Remembering The Manhattan Project: Perspectives on the Making of the Atomic Bomb and its Legacy

by Kelly, Cynthia C.

• ISBN13: 9789812560407
• ISBN10: 9812560408
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2005-04-01
• Publisher: WORLD SCIENTIFIC PUB CO INC

Summary

Remembering the Manhattan Project provides readers insight into the Manhattan Project, one of the most significant undertakings of the 20th century, its legacy and lessons for meeting today's challenges. Each of the papers from the Atomic Heritage Foundation's Symposium on the Manhattan Project in Part I provides a different perspective on what made the Manhattan Project succeed in doing in just 27 months what every other leading nation in World War II concluded was impossible.

Table of Contents

PART I: A REPORT ON THE PROCEEDINGS
CHAPTER 1: A HISTORY WORTH PRESERVING	3	(12)
Opening Remarks	5	(4)
Senator Jeff Bingaman, New Mexico
Opening Remarks	9	(4)
Dr. Everet H. Beckner
Preserving the History of the Manhattan Project	13	(2)
Cynthia C. Kelly
CHAPTER 2: THE MANHATTAN PROJECT - A MILLENNIAL TRANSFORMATION	15	(24)
The Atomic Bomb in the Second World War	17	(14)
Richard Rhodes
The Manhattan Project: An Extraordinary Achievement of the "American Way"	31	(8)
Stephane Groueff
CHAPTER 3: THE ALLIES AND THE ATOMIC BOMB	39	(22)
A Tale of Two Documents	41	(6)
Andrew Brown
A Footnote on Hiroshima and Atomic Morality: Conant, Niebuhr, and an "Emotional" Clergyman, 1945-46	47	(6)
James G. Hershberg
A Los Alamos Beginning	53	(8)
Kai Bird
Martin Sherwin
CHAPTER 4: THE MILITARY AND SCIENCE IN THE CRUCIBLE OF WAR	61	(18)
General Leslie R. Groves and the Scientists	63	(6)
Robert S. Norris
Science in the Service of the State: The Cautionary Tale of Robert Oppenheimer	69	(4)
Gregg Herken
Leo Szilard: Baiting Brass Hats	73	(6)
William Lanouette
CHAPTER 5: SPEAKING FROM EXPERIENCE	79	(22)
SEDs at Los Alamos: A Personal Memoir	81	(8)
Benjamin Bederson
Some Experiences at the Met. Lab and What Could Be Learned from a Highly Successful and Challenging Project	89	(4)
Jerome Karle
My First Professional Assignment	93	(4)
Isabella Karle
Triumph and Tragedy: The Odyssey of J.R. Oppenheimer - A Personal Perspective	97	(4)
Maurice M. Shapiro
CHAPTER 6: LESSONS OF THE MANHATTAN PROJECT FOR THE 21ST CENTURY	101	(20)
Then and Now	103	(4)
Maxine Singer
The Manhattan Project: Qualitative or Quantitative Change?	107	(4)
Stephen Younger
Expertise and Independence: The Role of the Science Advisor	111	(6)
Richard L. Garwin
The Future of Nuclear Deterrence	117	(4)
Richard Rhodes
CHAPTER 7: CLOSING REFLECTIONS	121	(10)
Reflections on the Manhattan Project: Consequences and Repercussions	123	(18)
Dr. James Schlesinger
APPENDIX A: PROGRAM	131	(4)
APPENDIX B: PARTICIPANTS	135	(6)
PART II: A PLAN FOR PRESERVING THE MANHATTAN PROJECT
PRESERVING AMERICA: A STRATEGY FOR THE MANHATTAN PROJECT	141	(7)
Evaluation of the Manhattan Project Properties	143	(4)
Basis for Recommendations	147	(1)
CROSS-CUTTING RECOMMENDATIONS	148	(2)
1. Special Resource Study for National Park Units	148	(1)
2. Oral Histories of Manhattan Project Veterans	149	(1)
3. Preservation and Storage of Equipment, Artifacts and Documents	149	(1)
PRESERVATION STRATEGIES FOR THE MANHATTAN PROJECT: TWO OPTIONS	150	(11)
The Essential Manhattan Project (Option A)	151	(5)
Oak Ridge: Isotope Separation and Reactor Operations	151	(2)
Hanford: Plutonium Production	153	(2)
Los Alamos: Designing, Building and Testing the Bomb	155	(1)
The Trinity Site	156	(1)
The Enriched Manhattan Project (Option B)	156	(5)
Oak Ridge	157	(1)
Hanford	157	(1)
Los Alamos	158	(1)
Trinity Site	158	(1)
University of Chicago	159	(1)
University of California, Berkeley	159	(1)
Columbia University	159	(2)
APPENDIX A: DESCRIPTION OF MANHATTAN PROJECT PROPERTIES	161	(14)
1. Oak Ridge, Tennessee	161	(3)
K-25 Footprint (Isotope Separation)	161	(1)
Roosevelt Cell (Isotope Separation)	162	(1)
K-29 as Described in the O.R. White Paper (Isotope Separation)	162	(1)
Beta 3 Electromagnetic Separation Racetracks at Y-12 (Isotope Separation)	162	(1)
Building 9731, Known as the Y-12 Pilot Plant (Isotope Separation and Research)	163	(1)
X-10 Graphite Reactor (Reactor Operations)	163	(1)
American Museum of Science and Energy	164	(1)
2. Hanford, Washington	164	(6)
B Reactor (Fuel Irradiation)	164	(2)
T Plant (Chemical Separation)	166	(1)
T Plant Exhaust Stack (Chemical Separation)	167	(1)
Process Control Laboratory (Chemical Separation)	167	(1)
Concentration Building (Chemical Separation)	167	(1)
Plutonium Isolation Building (Chemical Separation)	168	(1)
Test Pile/Hot Cell Verification Building (Research and Development)	168	(1)
Separations Laboratory (Research and Development)	168	(1)
Radiochemistry Laboratory (Research and Development)	168	(1)
Fresh Metal Storage Building (Fuel Manufacturing)	169	(1)
Metallurgical Engineering Laboratory (Fuel Manufacturing)	169	(1)
Metal Fuels Fabrication Facility (Fuel Manufacturing)	169	(1)
River Pump House (Fuel Irradiation)	169	(1)
Lag Storage Building (Fuel Irradiation)	170	(1)
Plutonium Vaults (Product Storage)	170	(1)
3. Los Alamos, New Mexico	170	(5)
"Gun Site" (Weapons Research and Development)	171	(1)
"V Site" (Weapons Research and Development)	171	(1)
Concrete Bowl (Weapons Research and Development)	172	(1)
Louis Slotin Accident Building (Biomedical/Health Physics)	172	(1)
Quonset Hut TA-22-1 (Weapons Research and Development)	172	(1)
East Guard Tower (Security)	173	(1)
Pond Cabin (Administrative and Social History)	173	(1)
Trinity Test Site (Weapons Research and Development)	173	(2)
FEATURE ARTICLE: THE FRISCH-PEIERLS MEMORANDUM	175	(6)
Memorandum on the Properties of a Radioactive Super-bomb	177	(4)
Otto R. Frisch
Rudolf Peierls
INDEX	181