Atomic Bomb
...uranium research while the Hanford site concentrated on plutonium. Both sites forwarded their elements to the Los Alamos facility. First Atomic Explosion On July 16, 1945, at the White Sands Missile Range near Alamogordo, New Mexico, the worlds first atomic bomb was detonated (Truman Library). The explosion, which began with a tremendous burst of light, an explosive glow and continued with a gigantic mushroom cloud that rose 40,000 within minutes, was more powerful than 20,000 tons of TNT and was visible for more than 200 miles (Encarta). The blast vaporized a steel tower, ripped large chunks out of the earth and shattered glass windows 125 miles away. In areas where the fire from the explosion touched the sand, it fused it into a dark green gray glass, later called trinitite. All living things were incinerated. The war in Europe had ended in May 1945, but the war with Japan was still on going. The war in the Pacific would receive the full attention of the United States Military. The bombing of Pearl Harbor by the Japanese was still in the forefront of the American mind. President Truman has several options for ending the war, including invading Japan, demonstrate the power of the bomb, bomb the islands, and wait for the Soviets to join, or attempt peace talks. Peace was the obvious first choice. In late July 1945, at Potsdam, the Allies declared that the Japanese must surrender, unconditionally. Japanese leaders rejected the Potsdam Declaration and President Truman authorized the use of the atomic bomb anytime after August 3, 1945 (Truman Library). The Manhattan project produced four atomic bombs. One was used at the test site in New Mexico, two were dropped on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and a fourth was ready for use at the end of August but the Japanese had already surrendered and ended the war. There were two bombs dropped over Japan they were called Little boy and Fat Man. Little boy was dropped over Hiroshima on August 6 1945 and it was the first Atomic Bomb ever dropped in an act of war. The following are the pertinent statistics: Weight: 9,700 lbs Length: 10 ft.; Diameter: 28 in. Fuel: Highly enriched uranium; "Oralloy" Uranium Fuel: approx. 140 lbs; target - 85 lbs and projectile - 55 lbs Target case, barrel, uranium projectile, and other main parts ferried to Tinian Island via USS Indianapolis Uranium target component ferried to Tinian via C-54 aircraft of the 509th Composite Group Efficiency of weapon: poor Approx. 1.38% of the uranium fuel actually fissioned Explosive force: 15,000 tons of TNT equivalent Use: Dropped on Japanese city of Hiroshima; August 6, 1945 Delivery: B-29 Enola Gay piloted by Col. Paul Tibbets Hiroshima Although the bomb Little Boy was ready for use on August 2, 1945, bad weather delayed dropping it over Japan. At 8:15 on the morning of August 6, 1945, a large portion of the city of Hiroshima was destroyed when Little Boy was dropped. Of a population of 256,000, approximately 70,000 people died immediately. Approximately half of the city had been leveled. Fat Boy was the second bomb dropped over Japan and it was destined for Nagasaki, It was dropped on dropped on the Japanese city of Nagasaki on August 9, 1945, it was the second nuclear weapon used in a war. Following are some approximate statistics for Fat Man: Weight: 10,800 lbs Length: 10 ft 8 in.; Diameter: 60 in. Fuel: Highly enriched plutonium 239 Plutonium Fuel: approx. 13.6 lbs; approx. size of a softball Plutonium core surrounded by 5,300 lbs of high explosives; plutonium core reduced to size of tennis ball Bomb Initiator: Beryllium - Polonium All components of Fat Man ferried to Tinian Island aboard B-29's of the 509th CG Efficiency of weapon: 10 times that of Little Boy Approx 1.176 Kilograms of plutonium converted to energy Explosive force: 21,000 tons of TNT equivalent Use: Dropped on Japanese city of Nagasaki; August 9, 1945 Nuclear Weaponeer: Cdr. Frederick Ashworth Delivery: B-29 Bockscar ...