Overview

It was not Robert Oppenheimer who built the bomb--it was engineers, chemists and young physicists in their twenties, many not yet having earned a degree. The first atomic bomb was originally conceived as a backup device, a weapon not then currently achievable. The remote Trinity Site--the birthplace of the bomb--was used as a test range for U.S. bombers before the first nuclear device was secretly detonated. After the blast, locals speculated that the flash and rumble were caused by colliding B-29s, while Manhattan Project officials nervously measured high levels of offsite radiation. Drawing on original documents, many recently declassified, the author sheds new light on a pivotal moment in history--now approaching its 75th anniversary--told from the point of view of the men who inaugurated the Atomic Age in the New Mexico desert.

Full Product Details

Author:   William S. Loring
Publisher:   McFarland & Co Inc
Imprint:   McFarland & Co Inc
Dimensions:   Width: 17.80cm , Height: 2.30cm , Length: 25.40cm
Weight:   0.776kg
ISBN:  

9781476675510

ISBN 10:   1476675511
Pages:   445
Publication Date:   08 March 2019
Recommended Age:   From 18 years
Audience:   Professional and scholarly ,  Professional & Vocational
Format:   Paperback
Publisher's Status:   Active
Availability:   Available To Order  
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Table of Contents

Table of Contents Acknowledgments Preface Introduction Prologue: Desert  1. 1939–1943  2. January to June 1944  3. ­Mid-June to ­Mid-August 1944  4. Late August to Early November 1944  5. Early November through December 1944  6. January to ­Mid-February 1945  7. Late February to ­Mid-March 1945  8. Late March 1945  9. Early April to ­Mid-April 1945 10. Late April 1945 11. Early May 1945, Part I 12. Early May 1945, Part II 13. ­Mid-May 1945 14. Late May to Early June 1945 15. Mid to Late June 1945 16. July 1945, Week 1 17. July 1945, Week 2 18. ­Mid-July 1945 19. July 15, 1945 20. July 16, 1945 21. Late July through August 1945 22. Remainder of 1945 23. 1946 24. 1947–1948 25. 1949–1951 26. 1952–1964 27. 1965 to the Present Appendices: deleteA.  General Groves, General Patton and the ­California-Arizona Maneuver Area deleteB.  Silverplate and the B-29 deleteC.  Final Instructions for Town Monitors deleteD.  Post-Blast Press Releases deleteE.  Ratliff Family delete F.  Firing Circuit and Arming of the Gadget deleteG.  Jumbo deleteH.  Evacuation Force: A Question of Numbers delete I.  What Happened to Anderson’s Sherman Tanks? Chapter Notes Bibliography Index

Reviews

Loring tells [an] incredible story... This detailed history of the New Mexico desert outpost that became the site of the world's first nuclear test will keep readers in suspense... Loring brings to life the scientists, engineers, and military officers who worked under wartime pressure to produce this terrifying success... This precise chronicle covers every contingency the leaders planned for, from building a huge steel containment vessel to recover the plutonium to outfitting Sherman tanks for examining a radioactive environment. This uniquely thorough and richly informative analysis of the Trinity test site illuminates the complex efforts involved in building the bomb and preparing the site, covering nearly everything readers and researchers might want to know. --Booklist; Much has been written about the development of atomic weapons, but no previous book quite matches Birthplace of the Atomic Bomb. Along with his detailed text, Loring includes many fascinating photographs with informative captions. His abilities to identify so many obscure aspects of the photos, and deduce so much data from them, testify to his deep knowledge of the subject. This book stands as the ultimate account of the successful detonation of the Gadget --Stone & Stone.

Much has been written about the development of atomic weapons, but no previous book quite matches Birthplace of the Atomic Bomb. Along with his detailed text, Loring includes many fascinating photographs with informative captions. His abilities to identify so many obscure aspects of the photos, and deduce so much data from them, testify to his deep knowledge of the subject. This book stands as the ultimate account of the successful detonation of the Gadget --Stone & Stone.

Author Information

William S. Loring worked as a helicopter crew chief and an academic instructor at the Army Aviation School and holds an Airframe and Powerplant license. He lives in Dallas, Texas.

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