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Nuclear Dawn: From the Manhattan Project to Bikini Atoll
When President Obama and others say they want to end America's dependence on foreign oil, the vision is usually presented in terms of "a new Manhattan Project." So what really was the Manhattan Project? According to James Delgado, at the start of the project in 1942, the element plutonium only existed in microscopic quantities. By June 16, 1945, the date of the world's first nuclear bomb test, America had a fully-operational plutonium industry capable of producing hundreds of pounds of the fissionable material. In just three short years, nuclear weapon technology had progressed from infancy to the world stage.
Delgado, the co-host of the National Geographic Television series "The Sea Hunters," tells the breathtaking story of the original Manhattan Project and its aftermath. While most previous authors have focused on either the scientific or the social history of the events, Delgado's is the first to spotlight the military and political phases of the atom bomb. In crisp prose, he covers the background of the bomb in the labs in Europe, Britain, and America, but the story picks up speed after the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the declaration of war by America.
While most people recognize Robert Oppenheimer as the father of the bomb, readers of Nuclear Dawn will be surprised to learn that gave birth more in the sense that Henry Ford gave birth to the auto industry. In Delgado's narrative, Oppenheimer's role as master organizer and astute business manager is emphasized. What's more, few before Delgado have understood how deeply involved the US Army was in the project. From the very beginning, the program was run by army officers, financed by secret wartime military funds--to the tune of billions of dollars, staffed by army engineers and scientists, and made possible by army bureaucracy. Delgado also shows that without the army's ordnance expertise at Los Alamos, Oppenheimer's team could not have turned nuclear technology into a workable bomb.
Several other unique aspects of Nuclear Dawn turn on the military's role in the project. For example, Delgado tells the full story of the army air force's 509th fighter battalion, which was headed by an iconoclastic colonel named Paul Tibbets. Tibbets' battalion consisted of over 1,200 pilots and crew dedicated to a singular task: delivering an atomic bomb to Japan. Delgado tells how as part of their training, the Utah-based crews would fly practice sorties to Cuba and back, over and over again.
Another little-known aspect of the Manhattan Project drawn out be Delgado is the post-war bickering that quickly arose between the army and navy over who would control the bomb. James Delgado's new book fills a very important gap in our understanding of the enormous changes that the United States military underwent during WWII.
Delgado, the co-host of the National Geographic Television series "The Sea Hunters," tells the breathtaking story of the original Manhattan Project and its aftermath. While most previous authors have focused on either the scientific or the social history of the events, Delgado's is the first to spotlight the military and political phases of the atom bomb. In crisp prose, he covers the background of the bomb in the labs in Europe, Britain, and America, but the story picks up speed after the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the declaration of war by America.
While most people recognize Robert Oppenheimer as the father of the bomb, readers of Nuclear Dawn will be surprised to learn that gave birth more in the sense that Henry Ford gave birth to the auto industry. In Delgado's narrative, Oppenheimer's role as master organizer and astute business manager is emphasized. What's more, few before Delgado have understood how deeply involved the US Army was in the project. From the very beginning, the program was run by army officers, financed by secret wartime military funds--to the tune of billions of dollars, staffed by army engineers and scientists, and made possible by army bureaucracy. Delgado also shows that without the army's ordnance expertise at Los Alamos, Oppenheimer's team could not have turned nuclear technology into a workable bomb.
Several other unique aspects of Nuclear Dawn turn on the military's role in the project. For example, Delgado tells the full story of the army air force's 509th fighter battalion, which was headed by an iconoclastic colonel named Paul Tibbets. Tibbets' battalion consisted of over 1,200 pilots and crew dedicated to a singular task: delivering an atomic bomb to Japan. Delgado tells how as part of their training, the Utah-based crews would fly practice sorties to Cuba and back, over and over again.
Another little-known aspect of the Manhattan Project drawn out be Delgado is the post-war bickering that quickly arose between the army and navy over who would control the bomb. James Delgado's new book fills a very important gap in our understanding of the enormous changes that the United States military underwent during WWII.
- GenresHistoryNonfictionScience
216 pages, Hardcover
First published September 22, 2009
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
April 8, 2024
Not quite finished yet, probably won't have a ton of notes.
It's very readable for a historical book. Like your 6th grader could easily understand it, and also not get bored. Also, the author is able to bring new facts and new details of things I was not aware of, so this book educated me well.
Things like the Canadian role in making the first bombs. Also, the role of popular media and how the public perceived the nuclear age as it came into being.
It was also fun learning about the Atomic Polka (since adapted into a line dance) “Atomic Ear Rings” and other fun elements of pop culture most other writers omit.
Mr. Delgado does an astute job of making technical details easily understood.
Lots of good research. Paul Tibbets (B-29 Pilot of the Enola Gay) was a friend of a co workers father. One of my College friends was briefly involved with the restoration of the Enola Gay. Have met other folks involved with the nuclear program. This book really brought up fond memories of talking with those folks, and also memories of places I have visited.
Oak Ridge Tennessee is worth your time if you like history related to this book.
Really want to visit the Trinity site. I might this fall, it's open exactly two days a year. Not sure how many folks will try this year due to Oppenheimer.
My 3rd Grade teacher Mrs. Goodwin was a Japanese woman who had married an American GI in 1966 or so. She had been born on August 8 in Hiroshima, the day the bomb fell. the train carrying her mother into Hiroshima broke down, and she was born on the train. One of many true life incidents that have made me interested in Atomic Warfare.
I have also visited Hiroshima. One of the most interesting places I visited in japan. Visited in 1986, when several survivors of the blast still were alive. Very sobering experience.
This ranks as one of the better Historical books I have read. Why The Allies Won by Richard Overy and The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich by William Shirer would be two other books of interest that are well written like this and put a lot of clarity into the second world war.
Would strongly recommend this to anyone wanting to understand the development of the atomic bomb. I plan on reading the authors book "Ghost Fleet" and previously enjoyed "Adventures of a Sea Hunter" by the same author.
It's very readable for a historical book. Like your 6th grader could easily understand it, and also not get bored. Also, the author is able to bring new facts and new details of things I was not aware of, so this book educated me well.
Things like the Canadian role in making the first bombs. Also, the role of popular media and how the public perceived the nuclear age as it came into being.
It was also fun learning about the Atomic Polka (since adapted into a line dance) “Atomic Ear Rings” and other fun elements of pop culture most other writers omit.
Mr. Delgado does an astute job of making technical details easily understood.
Lots of good research. Paul Tibbets (B-29 Pilot of the Enola Gay) was a friend of a co workers father. One of my College friends was briefly involved with the restoration of the Enola Gay. Have met other folks involved with the nuclear program. This book really brought up fond memories of talking with those folks, and also memories of places I have visited.
Oak Ridge Tennessee is worth your time if you like history related to this book.
Really want to visit the Trinity site. I might this fall, it's open exactly two days a year. Not sure how many folks will try this year due to Oppenheimer.
My 3rd Grade teacher Mrs. Goodwin was a Japanese woman who had married an American GI in 1966 or so. She had been born on August 8 in Hiroshima, the day the bomb fell. the train carrying her mother into Hiroshima broke down, and she was born on the train. One of many true life incidents that have made me interested in Atomic Warfare.
I have also visited Hiroshima. One of the most interesting places I visited in japan. Visited in 1986, when several survivors of the blast still were alive. Very sobering experience.
This ranks as one of the better Historical books I have read. Why The Allies Won by Richard Overy and The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich by William Shirer would be two other books of interest that are well written like this and put a lot of clarity into the second world war.
Would strongly recommend this to anyone wanting to understand the development of the atomic bomb. I plan on reading the authors book "Ghost Fleet" and previously enjoyed "Adventures of a Sea Hunter" by the same author.
July 26, 2023
A fascinating look at the development of and the moral and ethical decisions to drop the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Detailed pictures and interviews from those involved. A great read!
April 28, 2012
A concise and high-level review of the path of the Manhattan project - from its inception through the end of World War II and some of the follow-on developments around nuclear technology after the war. The strength of the book, though, is it description of the process through which the bomb was initially developed - including review of some of the 'technical' issues that had to be worked through as well as the political issues (both with our allies and enemies) and the cultural impact created by the development of this new power.
Overall, a good read for those with interest in WWII or nuclear technology history.
Overall, a good read for those with interest in WWII or nuclear technology history.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews