The Manhattan Project at Hanford Site

Images of America: Washington

by Elizabeth Toomey

The Manhattan Project at Hanford Site describes the top-secret effort undertaken during World War II to develop a weapon never imagined at "Site W" or "Hanford Engineer Works," one of three sites selected in the United States (plus Los Alamos and Oak Ridge) to research and produce weapons that were ultimately used to bomb Hiroshima and Nagasaki and end World War II. It was a research and engineering feat of unimaginable proportion, and the total project cost for all three sites was $2.1 billion--an unthinkable amount for a country that was coming out of the Great Depression. It is a story of gumption, resolve, tenacity, patriotism, pride, and selflessness for the thousands of people who worked multiple shifts, seven days a week, in a hot, dry, and desolate desert, never knowing what they were working on. It is a tribute to American resolve in the face of overwhelming adversity.

Genres: Nonfiction, History, Photography

131 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 21, 2015

Reviews

[Annie Fyfe · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a good informative book about Hanford's role in the Manhattan project with lots of great historical pictures. I wish it followed a bit more of the timeline since at times it seemed to jump around and sometimes got repetitive. This is a must read for any locals or anyone who wants a bit of history of the background of the atomic bomb. I do wish we got more than one side of the story however. Being a local all everyone talks about is what a great accomplishment the atomic bomb was, which it was quite a piece of science and engineering. However, it did create a terrible thing that killed many many people and I'm not sure if everyone would be ok with that once they found out what it was. I would really like to read that side of the story, but this book doesn't have that.

[Paul Lunger · Rating 5 out of 5]

From 2015 out of the "Images of America: Washington" series comes Elizabeth Toomey's entry on "The Manhattan Project at Hanford Site". This interesting book tells an abbreviated story of what this site in Washington was doing to help with the Manhattan Project which the workers who were there had no idea about. What helps this story out as well is that Toomey actually references some of the other sites that were tied into this project which adds to the overall effect.

[MIKE · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hanford Reality

Tells the real story of the Hanford contribution to the bomb
Most history neglects this crucial aspect that ended WW2

[Katelyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

While an interesting story, it felt very disjointed at times.

[Emily Wissmiller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Vert interesting concerning this historical event.

[Victor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lots of interesting pictures and interesting history inside.