Manhattan Project: A research & development program that produced the first atomic bomb. Atomic Bomb: An explosive device deriving its destructive force from nuclear reactors. Trinity Site: Code name for the first detonation of a nuclear device. Uranium: Silvery metallic chemical element

In 1943, developments of the A-bomb are exposed for the first time. A scientist by the name of, Enrico Fermi, creates the world’s first nuclear chain reaction needed to construct an atomic bomb.

In 1944, the first arrangements for the bomb to be tested were made. They transported the first bomb aka “The Gadget” to Las Alamos which was later recognized as Project “Y”.

This container was used to hold the plutonium core incase the bomb did not detonate properly. “Jumbo” was 28ft long and had 16 inch thick steel walls.

“The Gadget” was hoisted up a 100-ft tower in the middle of ground zero.

Below is a link to a video of the blast from 10,000 yards away!

The worlds first full scale nuclear reactor, built in 13 months to produce an atomic bomb during WWII, is now a national historic landmark. Las Alamos produced four weapons two of which were used against Japan in 1945.

US physicist Robert Oppenheimer served as director of the project, who recruited some of the best US scientists, engineers and mathematicians from around the world.

On August 6, 1945 The U.S plane Enola Gay dropped Little Boy approximately 1,800 feet over Hiroshima.

“Little Boy” was a gun type uranium weapon, 10 feet in length, 28 inches wide and weighed 8,900 pounds! It was the first atomic bomb used ever in combat dropping with a force equal to 13,000 tons of TNT.

Hiroshima, a city in southern Japan, and a site of a Large Army Base were the main targets. Statistics put the death toll between 70,000 to 130,000 with an additional 200,000 wounded from radiation.

August 9, the third bomb explodes over Nagasaki.

This was the name of the United States Army Air Force B-29 Bomber that dropped the “Fat Man” over Nagasaki on August 9, Flown by Charles W. Sweeney.

“Fat Man” was the worlds third atomic bomb. A plutonium explosive device that was 60 inches wide, 128 inches long and weighed in over 10,000 pounds! It was constructed to drop with a force equal to 44,000 pounds of dynamite.

The primary target for the bomb to explode over was the city of Kokura, but due to the cloudy skies that day, changes were made to the alternative target, Nagasaki. Some 35,000 to 40,000 die immediately from the blast!

Scientists at Las Alamos Labs eventually produced four bombs the first three exploding but one was left unused.

A number of scientists were involved by the end of Some 2,500 people, mostly Army and civilian personnel.

The Manhattan Project officially ended when President Harry S. Truman signs the Atomic Energy Act of 1946 terminating the Manhattan Project and establishing the United States Atomic Energy Commission.

On September 2 Japan officially surrenders in the wake of Nagasaki being destroyed.

Total cost for making all four weapons was $24.4 billion! Over 90% of the amount was for building plants and producing the fissionable materials. Making the average cost per bomb at $500 million a piece!

This was used in the making of the Little Boy atomic bomb. It was basically the fuel for the reactors.

What was the Manhattan Project? A research and development program that produced the first atomic bomb. What is the Trinity Site? The Trinity Site was the code name given for the first atomic bomb test. Also called “Project Y”. Located in Los Alamos, New Mexico. How did the Manhattan Project affect New Mexico? The Manhattan Project affected New Mexico by creating two of the four atomic bombs at Los Alamos labs.