Nuclear Fission Discovery to World-Altering Bomb: The Story of the Manhattan Project

In 1938, the discovery of nuclear fission was credited to two German chemists, Otto Hahn and Fritz Strassmann. Nuclear fission involves the process in which an atom’s nucleus divides into two or more smaller nuclei, resulting in the release of an immense amount of energy.

The potential to harness this energy for destructive purposes was immediately recognized by physicists; it had the capability to create a bomb of unprecedented power, capable of leveling entire cities.

Almost immediately after this discovery, German scientists embarked on an atomic bomb project. Supported by a robust German industrial base and military interest, this initiative, known as the Uranverein (uranium club), assembled some of the most renowned nuclear experts from around the world.

Despite the project’s classified nature, news of it spread through scientists fleeing Nazi Germany due to persecution. One of these individuals was Albert Einstein, who conveyed a warning to US President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1939.

Global apprehensions about the potential development of a hidden Nazi weapon reverberated widely.

In response, the United States initiated the Manhattan Project. Led by J. Robert Oppenheimer, this program commenced in the summer of 1942, dedicated to researching methods to construct a fission bomb utilizing uranium and plutonium.

The fear of a potential rival Nazi project spurred the US government into action. With substantial financial backing, Oppenheimer and his team successfully conducted their first nuclear weapon test within a mere three years. The first operational nuclear weapon was subsequently deployed on Hiroshima three weeks later.