Manhattan Project Research Papers

rly in 1939 it was discovered that German Scientists had found out how to split uranium. Splitting a uranium atom can be very dangerous, the reaction that occurs is tremendous. There was a fear throughout the entire world that they would be able to create a bomb that can cause mass destruction. Albert Einstein and Enrico Fermie both lived in Germany but fled, they decided to inform the president of the power they have. In 1941 the president agreed to build an atomic bomb, it got its code name “Manhattan Project”. Colombia University, Chicago University and University of California were the first universities involved in the research. They made a breakthrough of the first controlled nuclear chain reaction. After this the plan advanced in great speed. The plan had built plants around the United States. Neither the Germans or the Japanese could find out about their project, so it was kept a secret. In June 1942 the Corps of Engineers Manhattan District was initially assigned the management of the construction work and in …show more content…
Many places that were a part of the Manhattan Project were affected environmentally too. One of which is Oak Ridge, Tennessee which was a town that was made to specifically help out with the project. Although none of the residents knew they were making a bomb during it. The town has much evidence of radioactive contamination. In 1987 tests showed that heavy metals and radioactive material was all found in the ground water. The workers had a minimum set of standards and had to wear radiation meters, when the doses got too high they had to take time off. The Yakimas and Nex Perce were two indigenous tribes that were affected mostly by the project. They depended on the Colombia River for its natural resources and fish. There were reports from the tribes that the fish were glowing at