The Manhatten Project....

Xracer · 10-30-2007, 09:12 AM

Why was the development of the U.S. Atom Bomb during WWII called The Manhatten Project?

Here's the answer!

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/30/science/30manh.html

Pistolenschutze · 10-30-2007, 10:28 AM

Interesting, X. I'm surprised the NYT would even publish something like that considering its lack of "political correctness."

Technically, the project was known officially as the MED, Manhattan Engineering District located, albeit briefly, at 90 Church Street in Manhattan. Only three bombs were actually produced by the project: "Trinity," the plutonium implosion bomb tested at Alamogordo, New Mexico July 16, 1945; "Little Boy," the enriched uranium bomb dropped over Hiroshima on August 6, 1945; and finally, "Fat Man," a second plutonium implosion bomb that was used to destroy Nagasaki on August 9, 1945. Robert Oppenheimer's words, borrowed from the Hindu sacred scripture the Bhagavad Gita, after he witnessed the explosion at Alamogordo, seem so very appropriate: "I have become death, the destroyer of worlds."

polishshooter · 10-30-2007, 03:51 PM

That is great, X. I didn't know any of that, everything I read about it pretty much starts at Oak Ridge. I always heard that it was named that only because "the first office" was there, but not about Columbia, or any of the other locations.

And yeah, PS, it was amazing, but not I guess surprising, how many New Yorkers reacted with the "How awful" response when asked or told about it in the story...

Pistolenschutze · 10-30-2007, 04:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by polishshooter

And yeah, PS, it was amazing, but not I guess surprising, how many New Yorkers reacted with the "How awful" response when asked or told about it in the story...

No doubt they did, Polish; there's no accounting for stupidity I suppose. How soon they forget that New York was right at the top of the Soviet target list during the Cold War. . . and still is at the top so far as the terrorists are concerned.

millwright · 11-03-2007, 05:03 PM

Look where they built the first reactor - in the heart of Chicago !!

Thankfully we did succeed in an acceptable time frame. Latter day poltroons decrying the use of the bomb show not only their lack of appreciation, but abysmal ignorance of the tactical and strategic as well as the Japanese ethno-political situations extant at the time. >MW

10-30-2007, 09:12 AM	#1
Xracer TFF Admin Staff Mediator Join Date: Feb 2001 Location: Minn-eeee-sota, ya, sure, you bet! Posts: 9,144	The Manhatten Project.... Why was the development of the U.S. Atom Bomb during WWII called The Manhatten Project? Here's the answer! http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/30/science/30manh.html -->

10-30-2007, 10:28 AM	#2
Pistolenschutze Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Colorado Posts: 13,094	Re: The Manhatten Project.... Interesting, X. I'm surprised the NYT would even publish something like that considering its lack of "political correctness." Technically, the project was known officially as the MED, Manhattan Engineering District located, albeit briefly, at 90 Church Street in Manhattan. Only three bombs were actually produced by the project: "Trinity," the plutonium implosion bomb tested at Alamogordo, New Mexico July 16, 1945; "Little Boy," the enriched uranium bomb dropped over Hiroshima on August 6, 1945; and finally, "Fat Man," a second plutonium implosion bomb that was used to destroy Nagasaki on August 9, 1945. Robert Oppenheimer's words, borrowed from the Hindu sacred scripture the Bhagavad Gita, after he witnessed the explosion at Alamogordo, seem so very appropriate: "I have become death, the destroyer of worlds." __________________ --Pistolenschutze (Pistol Shooter)

10-30-2007, 03:51 PM	#3
polishshooter Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2001 Location: Indiana Contributor Posts: 7,859	Re: The Manhatten Project.... That is great, X. I didn't know any of that, everything I read about it pretty much starts at Oak Ridge. I always heard that it was named that only because "the first office" was there, but not about Columbia, or any of the other locations. And yeah, PS, it was amazing, but not I guess surprising, how many New Yorkers reacted with the "How awful" response when asked or told about it in the story... __________________ The problems we face today are there because the people who work for a living are outnumbered by those who vote for a living.

11-03-2007, 05:03 PM	#5
millwright Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 1,435	Re: The Manhatten Project.... Look where they built the first reactor - in the heart of Chicago !! Thankfully we did succeed in an acceptable time frame. Latter day poltroons decrying the use of the bomb show not only their lack of appreciation, but abysmal ignorance of the tactical and strategic as well as the Japanese ethno-political situations extant at the time. >MW