Whoever invented the atomic bomb, not even imagine the tragic consequences that can result is a wonderful invention of the XX century.Before this superweapon experienced residents of the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, it has been done a very long way.
A start in April 1903 in Paris France garden famous physicist Paul Langevin gathered his friends.The occasion was the defense of the thesis of a young and talented scientists Marie Curie.Among the distinguished guests attended the famous British physicist Sir Ernest Rutherford.In the midst of the fun it was extinguished light.Marie Curie announced all that now would be a surprise.Solemnly Pierre Curie made a small tube of radium salts, which glows green light, causing the extraordinary delight of the audience.Later, guests talk about the future is hot this phenomenon.All we agreed in opinion that due to radium dare acute shortage of energy.It all inspires new research and future prospects.If then they were told that the laboratory work with radioactive elements will initiate a terrible weapon of the XX century, it is unknown what would have been their reaction.It was then that began the history of the atomic bomb, which killed hundreds of thousands of Japanese civilians.
game ahead of the curve
December 17, 1938 the German scientist Otto Gunn was received irrefutable proof of the decay of uranium into smaller elementary particles.In fact, he managed to split the atom.In the scientific world it is regarded as a milestone in the history of mankind.Otto Hahn did not share the political views of the Third Reich.Therefore, in the same 1938, the scientist was forced to move to Stockholm, where, together with Friedrich Strassmann continued his scientific research.Fearing that Nazi Germany first get a terrible weapon, he wrote a letter to the president of America with a warning about it.The news of a possible forestall greatly alarmed the US government.Americans began to act quickly and decisively.
Who created the atomic bomb?The American project
Even before the Second World War, a group of American scientists, many of whom were refugees from the Nazi regime in Europe was entrusted with the development of nuclear weapons.Initial studies, it should be noted, held in Nazi Germany.In 1940, the government of the United States of America to begin funding its own program to develop nuclear weapons.For the implementation of the project has been allocated an incredible sum for those times in two and a half billion dollars.The implementation of this secret project were invited eminent physicists of the XX century, among them more than ten Nobel laureates.All in all, it involved about 130 thousand employees, among whom were not only military but also civilians.The development team headed by Colonel Leslie Richard Groves, supervisor was Robert Oppenheimer.It was he - the man who invented the atomic bomb.In the area of Manhattan it was built a special secret Corps of Engineers, which is known to us under the code name "Manhattan Project."Over the next few years, scientists have been working on a secret project with nuclear fission of uranium and plutonium.
non-peaceful atom Igor Kurchatov
Today, every student will be able to answer the question of who invented the atomic bomb in the Soviet Union.And then, in the early 30-ies of the last century, no one knew.
In 1932, Academician Igor Kurchatov one of the first in the world begins to study the atomic nucleus.By bringing like-minded people, Kurchatov in 1937 creates the first cyclotron in Europe.In the same year he and his like-minded people and create the first artificial nucleus.
In 1939 Kurchatov begin learning a new direction - nuclear physics.After several successes in the laboratory study of this phenomenon scientist receives at its disposal a secret research center, which was named "Laboratory № 2".Today this secret facility called "Arzamas-16".
target direction of the center was a serious research and development of nuclear weapons.Now it becomes clear who created the atomic bomb in the Soviet Union.His team was then only ten people.
-bomb be
By the end of 1945, Igor Kurchatov manage to assemble a serious team of scientists of more than a hundred people.The best minds of different scientific specializations come into the lab from all over the country to build nuclear weapons.After the Americans dropping the atomic bomb on Hiroshima Soviet scientists realized that this can be done with the Soviet Union."Laboratory № 2" received from the management of the country's sharp increase in funding and a large influx of skilled personnel.The person responsible for such an important project is assigned to Lavrentiy Beria.Huge works of Soviet scientists have borne fruit.
Semipalatinsk test site
Soviet atomic bomb was first tested at the test site in Semipalatinsk (Kazakhstan).August 29, 1949 a nuclear device capacity of 22 kilotons shook the Kazakh land.Nobel prize-winning physicist Hans Otto said: "This is good news.If Russia will have a nuclear weapon, there will be no war. "It is this nuclear bomb in the USSR, as the encrypted product number 501, or the RDS-1, the United States eliminated the monopoly on nuclear weapons.
atomic bomb.Year 1945 th
the early morning of July 16 "Manhattan Project" had its first successful test of an atomic device - a plutonium bomb - at the site of Alamogordo, New Mexico, USA.
money invested in the project were spent.The first in the history of mankind atomic explosion was made 5 hours and 30 minutes in the morning.
«We did the devil's work," - says Robert Oppenheimer later - the one who invented the atomic bomb in the United States, later called the "father of the atomic bomb."
Japan did not surrender
the time of the final and successful test of the atomic bomb, Soviet troops and the allies finally defeated the fascist Germany.However, there was one state, which has pledged to fight for supremacy in the Pacific.From mid-April to mid-July 1945, the Japanese army was repeatedly carried out air strikes by allied forces, thus causing great losses of the US Army.At the end of July 1945 militaristic Japanese government rejected the demand of the Allied surrender in accordance with the Potsdam Declaration.In it, in particular, it said that in case of disobedience, the Japanese army is waiting for a rapid and complete destruction.
President agrees
US government has kept his word and the beginning of the bombing targeted the Japanese military positions.Air strikes did not bring the desired result, and US President Harry Truman decides the invasion of US troops in Japan.However, the military command of its president advises against such decision, arguing that the American invasion would entail a large number of victims.
At the suggestion of Henry Lewis Stimson and Dwight David Eisenhower was decided to apply a more effective way to end the war.A big supporter of the atomic bomb, the US secretary of President James Francis Byrnes, believed that the bombing of the Japanese territory finally end the war and put the United States in a dominant position, which will positively affect the future course of events in the post-war world.Thus, US President Harry Truman convinced that this is the only correct option.
atomic bomb.
Hiroshima as the first target has been selected the small Japanese city of Hiroshima with a population of just over 350 thousand people, located five hundred miles from the capital of Japan, Tokyo.After arriving at a naval base on the island of Tinian US modified B-29 bomber "Enola Gay" on board the aircraft was established atomic bomb.Hiroshima had to experience the action of 9 thousand pounds of uranium-235.
This hitherto unknown weapon was intended for civilians in a small Japanese town.The commander of the bomber was a Colonel Paul Warfield Tibbets Jr.The atomic bomb the United States bore the cynical title "The Kid."On the morning of August 6th, 1945, about 8 hours and 15 minutes, the American "Little Boy" was dropped on the Japanese Hiroshima.About 15 thousand tons of TNT destroy all life within a radius of five square miles.One hundred and forty thousand inhabitants were killed in seconds.Survivors of Japanese died an agonizing death from radiation sickness.
They destroyed an American nuclear "The Kid."However, the devastation of Hiroshima did not cause the immediate surrender of Japan, like that, all expected.Then it was decided another bombardment of Japanese territory.
Nagasaki.The sky is on fire
US atomic bomb "Fat Man" was installed on board the aircraft B-29 9 August 1945 all there, on the naval base in the United States in Tinian.At this time, the aircraft commander was Major Charles Sweeney.Initially, the strategic target was the city of Kokura.
However, the weather conditions did not allow to realize our plans, prevented large cloudy.Charles Sweeney went to the second round.At 11 o'clock 02 minutes American nuclear "Fat Man" swallowed Nagasaki.It was more powerful destructive air strike which by its strength is several times higher than the bombing of Hiroshima.Nagasaki experienced the atomic weapon, weighing about 10 thousand pounds and 22 kilotons of TNT.
geographical location of the Japanese city reduced the expected effect.The thing is that the city is located in a narrow valley between the mountains.Therefore, the destruction of 2.6 square miles did not disclose all possible potential of American weapons.The test of the atomic bomb in Nagasaki considered failed "Manhattan Project."
Japan surrendered
At noon August 15 1945 Emperor Hirohito announced his country's surrender in a radio address to the people of Japan.The news quickly spread through the world.In the United States began the celebration of the victory over Japan.The people rejoiced.
September 2, 1945 aboard the US battleship "Missouri", anchored in Tokyo Bay, a formal agreement was signed to end the war.Thus ended the most brutal and bloodiest war in human history.
six long years, the international community went to this significant date - from 1 September 1939, when the first shots were fired by Nazi Germany in Poland.
Peaceful Atom
total, the Soviet Union conducted 124 nuclear explosions.The characteristic is that they were carried out for the benefit of the national economy.Only three of them were accidents that resulted in the leakage of radioactive elements.Programs for use of peaceful nuclear energy implemented only in two countries - the United States and the Soviet Union.Atomic Energy knows peace and an example of a global catastrophe, when on 26 April 1986 the fourth unit of the Chernobyl nuclear reactor explosion occurred.
