The Origin of Nuclear Weapons

The First Atomic Bomb

Albert Eintein's equation,E=mc square paved the way for the creatin of the first atomic bomb. Through the studies of scientists around the orld about radioactivity, the possibility of creating a weapon of unimaginable explosive power became imminent.
As early as 1934, a group of American scientists was already discussing the possibility of of creating nuclear weapon. European scientists were also on the way to discovering the powerful effects of the nuclear bomb.


five years later, four scientists found the key to nuclear energy-Otto, Lisa Meitner, Fritz Strassman, and Otto Frisch. They discovered that a neutron,when placed into a uranium nucleus through radioactive bombardment, can split the nucleus into nuclei,barium and krypton, with a massive outburst of energy.
But the war in Europe forced these brilliant scientists to sail to the USA.
There they joined other groups of American scientists. On December 6, 1941 the day before the bombing of Pearl Harbor, American President Franklin D. Roosevelt approved the plan for all-out effort in atomic research.
It was Enrico Fermi who completed and experiment on how nuclear fission could be started, sustained and stopped. Together with Robert Oppenheimer and other notable figures, they carried out the Manhattan Project. They worked in an atmosphere urgency, excitement and secrecy.
In july 16, 1945, the first plutonium bomb was tested at Alamogordo Airbase in New Mexico. The test proved that the possibility of a nuclear war was at hand. The result of the succesful test were sent to the president who was in the meeting in Potsdam, negotiating the occupation of germany.
On the 26 of july of the same year, President Roosevelt sent a memorandum to the Hapanese to surrender or else face harsh consequences. But because of pride and determination, the Japanese rejected the ultimatum.
By the first week of August, the two bombs, "The little Boy" (Hiroshima Bomb) and "The Fat Man" (nagasaki bomb) were ready to be drop.