The Manhattan Project Now And Then
Imagine an explosion flowing over millions of heads;
friends, family, acquaintances, strangers. Watching them all
burn in agony from a bomb that had the power of 15,000 tons of
TNT. But also with a monumental mixture of heat and radiation
that could disintegrate the bodies until they were no more.
Imagine a song about a monumental topic that has been
debated about sense it started. Rush’s song “The Manhattan
Project” creates a sense of secrecy when it talks of the
government project that was made to help destroy the WWII wartorn country of Japan. A lyricist by the name of Neil Peart
researched and read ten books over the Manhattan project before
writing the song. This research gave him inspiration to write
about a weapon that would shape the world forever more. The
Manhattan project leads to creation and the using of the atomic
bomb in WWII. That would turn out to be a decision that would
lead to the end of WWII in Japan.
Imagine a song where the lyrics could sooth the savage
beast. “The big bang-- took and shook the world” the explosion
was a new leap towards new science discoveries. “Shot down the
rising sun”- tone; this makes a calming feeling because the war
would be done. “The end was begun—it would hit everyone” after
the bomb was dropped it was over. Everyone in surrounding
distance was destroyed. “When the chain reaction was done” Every
event leading up to this moment was ended by the explosion. “The
big shots--try to hold it back” Once the bomb was dropped there
was no holding back. “Fools try to wish it away” Foolish people
deny it ever happened.
“The hopeful depend on a world without
end” Many believed the world was going to end after the bomb
dropped. “Whatever the hopeless may say”- mood; More harm than
good was done.
“Imagine a place”- repetition; this is leading you into a
sense of the past and how it was at this time. “Where it all
began” the idea of the bomb was being played with. “They
gathered across the land to work in the secrecy of the desert
sand”- tone; about the secrecy and hush of the project. “All the
brightest boys”- diction; it was just a game to them. “To play
with the biggest toys”- metaphor; the toy is meaning weapons
everyone wanted a bigger, newer, stronger weapon. “More than
they bargained for…”- mood; the gut feeling- more harm than good
was done.
Imagine the United States in the war-torn years of WWII
under the control of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. Their goal
was to create the most powerful weapon known to man at that
time. Between 1932 and 1938, scientists learned a great deal
about atoms (“The Manhattan Project,” par. 2). The next step was
to get congress to support the research on the atom. In 1939
through 1942, the research about atoms was well supported by the
government (“The Manhattan Project,” par. 3). This was a major
step in creating the atomic bomb. President Franklin D Roosevelt
gave his final authorization to build the atomic weapon in
December of 1942 (“The Manhattan Project,” par. 5). The first
meeting of the advisory committee on uranium joined together in
Washington DC by direct orders from Roosevelt (“The Manhattan
Project and,” par.4). Most of the production and the research
were done at Oak Ridge, Tennessee; at Los Alamos, New Mexico,
and at Hanford, Washington. (“Manhattan Project Nuclear Files”
Par.5). The Manhattan Project had a code name was S-1 project.
(“The Manhattan Project and,” par.10). During February of 1940,
two United Kingdom physicists Otto Frisch and Rudolf Peierls
figured out a possible solution to fast fission (“The Manhattan
Project and,” par.6). “During March the first American
measurements of the U-235 fission cross section allow Peierls to
calculate the first experimentally supported estimate of a
critical mass for U-235 (18 lb as a bare sphere, 9-10 lb when
surrounded by a reflector)” (“The Manhattan Project and,”
par.8).
Now the next step was to use the atomic bomb. The
construction of the nuclear bomb was performed at Los Alamos,
New Mexico (“Manhattan Project Nuclear Files” Par.5). Then the
bomb was done and all that it had to do was to be used. The
dropping of the atomic bomb led to the surrender of Japan in
WWII (“THE MANHATTAN PROJECT AND THE,” Par.1). The 509th
Composite Group was created to plan and execute the deployment
of the first atomic bomb. Gen. Paul Tibbets headed that group
and flew a B-29 named The Enola Gay in August 1945 and completed
the mission that many feel brought a quick end to World War II.
It was the most destructive weapon of its time. Nuclear physics
was a monumental role in making the atomic bomb along with
chemistry and a bunch of discoveries were found (“THE MANHATTAN
PROJECT AND THE,” Par.4). “Without the leadership of Leslie
Groves and Robert Oppenheimer, as well as that of Crawford
Greenewalt of DuPont and other contractors, the revolutionary
breakthroughs in nuclear science achieved by Enrico Fermi, Niels
Bohr, Ernest Lawrence, and their colleagues would not have
produced the atomic bomb during World War II. Also around 130000
people were hired for this project”(“THE MANHATTAN PROJECT AND
THE,” Par.5).
Imagine a place where war is a main concern around the
world and everything is controlled by the government. Pre
through Post WWII was a time where you had to have the biggest
and the most destructive weapon of all. The Manhattan Project
was constructed to beat the Nazis in the race to make an atomic
bomb (“THE MANHATTAN PROJECT AND THE” Par.2). In 1942 the United
States was taking a huge military death rate from the Japanese
attacks in the pacific and led to a need for a better stronger
weapon (“The Manhattan Project” par. 4). The detonation of the
bomb in world war two was used to save many Americans lives and
to prevent the USSR from sharing the glory of defeating Japan
(“Manhattan Project Nuclear Files” Par.5).
Imagine a place where fear is struck into the world every
day and where every day technology can get better for the worst.
Where every day you could get killed by something that came from
the other side of the world. The Manhattan project in WWII
started this overwhelming power. This research led to new
weapons that are still being used today and threw the world into
the cold war (“The Manhattan Project,” par. 8). This is the
modern day usage of the atomic bomb. This year there was a
threat from North Korea. They got stopped but what if they did
not. There are more powerful weapons now and every day they just
keep on getting stronger and stronger. Each and every day there
are more threats of the usage of those powerful weapons. Finally
there is no stop to the creation and usage of the newer weapons.
This was the tale of the Manhattan project a huge part of our
history and a great rock song.
“Manhattan Project” Lyrics Freak 2009 Lyrics Freak 27 Apr. 2009
<http://www.lyricsfreak.com/r/rush/manhattan+project_20119888.html>.
“Manhattan Project.” Nuclear Files .org. 2009. Nuclear Age Peace Foundation 6 Apr. 2009
<http://www.nuclearfiles.org/menu/key-issues/nuclear-weapons/history/pre-coldwar/manhattan-project/>.
“The Manhattan Project.” The Manhattan Project: An Interactive History. 11 Jan. 2007. U.S
Department of Energy. 6 Apr. 2009 <http://www.cfo.doe.gov/me70/manhattan/events.htm>.
“Manhattan Project.” Nuclear Files .org. 2009. Nuclear Age Peace Foundation 6 Apr. 2009
<http://www.nuclearfiles.org/menu/key-issues/nuclear-weapons/history/pre-coldwar/manhattan-project/>.
“Manhattan Project” Yahoo. 2009 Yahoo Inc. 27 Apr. 2009
<http://new.music.yahoo.com/videos/Rush/Manhattan-Project--41179686>.
The Manhattan Project: An Interactive History. 11 Jan. 2007. U.S Department of Energy. 6 Apr.
2009 < http://www.cfo.doe.gov/me70/manhattan/events.htm>.
“THE MANHATTAN PROJECT AND THE SECOND WORLD WAR.” The Manhattan Project: An
Interactive History. 11 Jan. 2007. U.S Department of Energy. 6 Apr. 2009 <
http://www.cfo.doe.gov/me70/manhattan/events.htm>.
“U.N Nuclear Inspectors Leave N Korea” 16 Apr., 2009 Time 6 Apr.2009
<www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1637191,00.html>.