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Montreal and the Bomb
With war raging in Europe, the Allies worried about advances being made by Germans scientists. The British wanted to get a jump ahead of Hitler and the physicists working for the Third Reich. England was too close to the enemy, so they decided to secretly establish a nuclear research laboratory in Montreal. The best scientists moved to Montreal with two goals in mind: develop an ultra-powerful bomb and find a new source of energy. What started as cooperation with the Americans instead became a race to harness the energy of the atom when Washington launched the Manhattan project.
Montreal and the Bomb breathes new life into the exhilarating saga of European scientists secretly developing a strategic nuclear laboratory in the halls of the Université de Montréal. It?s a story peopled by leading figures of modern physics, bold chemists, and scientists accused of spying. The one idea driving them is to master the atom, whatever the result may be.
Montreal and the Bomb breathes new life into the exhilarating saga of European scientists secretly developing a strategic nuclear laboratory in the halls of the Université de Montréal. It?s a story peopled by leading figures of modern physics, bold chemists, and scientists accused of spying. The one idea driving them is to master the atom, whatever the result may be.
- GenresCanada
200 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2020
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32 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
November 12, 2021
For the English version see: Montreal and the Bomb
Comme un détective, l’auteur a déterré des faits, des événements autour du développement de l’industrie nucléaire au Canada. Le laboratoire de Montréal installé dans les locaux spacieux de l’UdeM a contribué indirectement à la recherche reliée au développement d’engins nucléaires mais surtout a donné naissance à l’industrie nucléaire. Cette dernière a pris son envol dans les installations de Chalk River près d’Ottawa. Plusieurs des réalisations importantes: les réacteurs CANDU et tout le volet santé de la médecine nucléaire qui a sauvé la vie à de nombreux patients atteints du cancer.
Le livre fait le lien avec toutes les questions d’espionnage qui ont permis à des nations de s’emparer des secrets de fabrication. Il y a eu des fuites parfois rocambolesques lorsqu’une personne a fourni de l’information au journal Montréal Matin. Ce dernier a titré en première page que 60 scientifiques étrangers travaillaient dans un laboratoire secret en ville...en pleine guerre en 1942. On peut imaginer la crise d’apoplexie qu’a fait le général Grove directeur du projet Manhattan lorsqu’il a pris connaissance de cette bourde monumentale.
Un livre bourré d’information intéressante et parsemé d’anecdotes captivantes.
Comme un détective, l’auteur a déterré des faits, des événements autour du développement de l’industrie nucléaire au Canada. Le laboratoire de Montréal installé dans les locaux spacieux de l’UdeM a contribué indirectement à la recherche reliée au développement d’engins nucléaires mais surtout a donné naissance à l’industrie nucléaire. Cette dernière a pris son envol dans les installations de Chalk River près d’Ottawa. Plusieurs des réalisations importantes: les réacteurs CANDU et tout le volet santé de la médecine nucléaire qui a sauvé la vie à de nombreux patients atteints du cancer.
Le livre fait le lien avec toutes les questions d’espionnage qui ont permis à des nations de s’emparer des secrets de fabrication. Il y a eu des fuites parfois rocambolesques lorsqu’une personne a fourni de l’information au journal Montréal Matin. Ce dernier a titré en première page que 60 scientifiques étrangers travaillaient dans un laboratoire secret en ville...en pleine guerre en 1942. On peut imaginer la crise d’apoplexie qu’a fait le général Grove directeur du projet Manhattan lorsqu’il a pris connaissance de cette bourde monumentale.
Un livre bourré d’information intéressante et parsemé d’anecdotes captivantes.
October 3, 2023
In the past few months, I have watched both the films "Oppenheimer" and "Catcher Was a Spy" - both about the race to develop an atomic bomb before the Germans in World War II. {IF you havent seen either, I would recommend them both. "Oppenheimer" is a film have to commit to - it's 3 hours long - but 'Catcher Was a Spy" is much shorter, and has Paul Rudd).
So, to hold onto that Pre-Cold War atomic age feeling, and to help celebrate Montreal Day, I sat and read "Montreal and the Bomb". (I picked up the book, on an impulse, during my trip to Montreal last fall. Almost everything about the book appealed to me.
Science - Check.
History - Check.
Montreal - Check!)
The book explores how Canada - and the city of Montreal- was involved in the race to study, understand, and use atomic power. Some of the stuff I had a vague knowledge of (when I was in High School Chem, when we were studying the atomic structure and radio decay, there was all kinds of references to Montreal and McGill in my book. I pretty sure I annoyed my teacher when I kept on uttering "Been to the building named after him.... walked down that one's street - I had a steamy outside where that one use to work"). But it was interesting to further examine the history of atomic research.
While the Americans - and Germans- were racing to possibly build a super-bomb, Canada was also researching how to use the atom to power their cities and how to use it in life saving medicines. (Leave it to the Canucks - "you two go fight and bicker - we're going to power our cities, and keep them warm during the Canadian winters. And keep our citizens alive longer...."). Some of their work had some influence on the Manhattan Project - they provided some materials that be used by others. And their knowledge and discovers were important to the continued study of how the atomic works and how splitting it can alter our world.
And of course, how the work was being shared (by spies) with our competitors, which resulted in a defection that some say started the Cold War. (Just because they are allies in war, doesnt make them our allies in peace).
I would highly recommend this book to any one wanting to explore more of the atomic race, or who were fascinated by "Oppenheimer" and want to see the inside story.
So, to hold onto that Pre-Cold War atomic age feeling, and to help celebrate Montreal Day, I sat and read "Montreal and the Bomb". (I picked up the book, on an impulse, during my trip to Montreal last fall. Almost everything about the book appealed to me.
Science - Check.
History - Check.
Montreal - Check!)
The book explores how Canada - and the city of Montreal- was involved in the race to study, understand, and use atomic power. Some of the stuff I had a vague knowledge of (when I was in High School Chem, when we were studying the atomic structure and radio decay, there was all kinds of references to Montreal and McGill in my book. I pretty sure I annoyed my teacher when I kept on uttering "Been to the building named after him.... walked down that one's street - I had a steamy outside where that one use to work"). But it was interesting to further examine the history of atomic research.
While the Americans - and Germans- were racing to possibly build a super-bomb, Canada was also researching how to use the atom to power their cities and how to use it in life saving medicines. (Leave it to the Canucks - "you two go fight and bicker - we're going to power our cities, and keep them warm during the Canadian winters. And keep our citizens alive longer...."). Some of their work had some influence on the Manhattan Project - they provided some materials that be used by others. And their knowledge and discovers were important to the continued study of how the atomic works and how splitting it can alter our world.
And of course, how the work was being shared (by spies) with our competitors, which resulted in a defection that some say started the Cold War. (Just because they are allies in war, doesnt make them our allies in peace).
I would highly recommend this book to any one wanting to explore more of the atomic race, or who were fascinated by "Oppenheimer" and want to see the inside story.
May 1, 2021
Des scientifiques d'envergure internationale, des espions à la solde des soviétiques, des matières radioactives qui circulent sous le manteau.
Comme dirait Charles T. : fascinant !!!
Comme dirait Charles T. : fascinant !!!
July 22, 2023
Incroyable histoire du développement d’une bombe atomique anglaise à Montréal. Le travail de recherche derrière ceci est assez impressionnant. L’auteur à pris 15 ans pour tout rassembler, en interviewant principalement les enfants des “personnages”. Il y aussi une revue documentaire impressionante. Le livre est écrit par un ingénieur nucléaire, donc c’est intéressant d’avoir la perspective historique d’un expert et non d’un auteur de profession.
Il y aussi une bonne partie du livre qui est dédié aux espions russes de ces années et qui étaient impliqués dans le projet de Montréal. Intéressant de lire sur le “début de la guerre froide” quand on ne s’y attend pas d’un livre qui parle d’événements dans les années 1940.
Il y aussi une bonne partie du livre qui est dédié aux espions russes de ces années et qui étaient impliqués dans le projet de Montréal. Intéressant de lire sur le “début de la guerre froide” quand on ne s’y attend pas d’un livre qui parle d’événements dans les années 1940.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews