Countdown to Atomgeddon: The Race to Build the First Atomic Bomb
- 212 páginas
- 8 horas de lectura
The development and first test of the atomic bomb is a complex tale of human endeavor shrouded in secrecy. As World War II progressed, concerns grew that German scientists were working on a similar weapon. Many scientists fled Germany, including Dr. Werner Heisenberg, who was involved in the bomb's development for the Third Reich. After the war, speculation arose that Heisenberg may have intentionally delayed Germany's progress, fearing Hitler's potential for global domination. Despite strict security, information about bomb development leaked through spies on both sides, including Russian informants working alongside American scientists in Los Alamos. Ultimately, Germany failed to complete its weapon, focusing instead on rockets and jet engines, while Russia tested its bomb in 1949, igniting the nuclear arms race. This narrative aims to illuminate the human aspects of the race to create the atomic bomb, blending fictional characters with factual summaries from various sources. While there may not have been a conspiracy to hinder the American bomb's development, evidence suggests at least one existed. General Groves' leadership of the Manhattan Project was pivotal; without his intervention, the world might have been very different. The ruse surrounding the test bomb, Jumbo, effectively diverted attention from the actual bomb at Trinity Site.
