Joshua Zou

Entry number 2609

Primary Sources
Groves, Leslie R. Now It Can Be Told; the Story of the Manhattan Project. New York:
Harper, 1962. Print.
This book is General Leslie Groves autobiographical account on the Manhattan Project. This
book was especially useful because it showed the Manhattan Project through Leslie Groves own
eyes. It also describes why Groves chose Oppenheimer to head the project and the precise
processes and organization of the project. I used the book to obtain a view of Groves and his way
of leading, as well as what he thought of Oppenheimer.
Mason, Katrina R. Children of Los Alamos: An Oral History of the Town Where the
Atomic Age Began. New York: Twayne, 1995. Print.
This book is about life as a child in wartime Los Alamos. It shows what life in the city was like
and what the children growing up there were like. I used the information from the book in order
to get a grasp of what the living conditions and lifestyle was like. It showed the city through
childrens eyes as well as the secrecy of the project, since none of the workers were allowed to
tell their families what they were really doing.
Weller, George. First into Nagasaki: The Censored Eyewitness Dispatches on Post-atomic
Japan and Its Prisoners of War. New York: Crown, 2006. Print.
This book was a collection of primary records censored by the government. It documents the
pain and suffering experienced by those who were victims of the Fat Man and Little Boy as well
as the treatment of prisoners of war. I used the information contained in the book to understand
the pain and suffering created by the bombs.

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Entry number 2609
Wilson, Jane, and Charlotte Serber. Standing by and Making Do: Women of Wartime Los
Alamos. Los Alamos, NM: Los Alamos Historical Society, 1988. Print.
This collection of eye-witness descriptions reveals Wartime Los Alamos in its true glory, a dusty
cave of a city. I used this book to understand what life and accommodations were like inside the
secret city. It truly revealed to me that all communications were cut off, a place completely a
secret. This book also contains Secret Cities by Ruth Marshak, which I quoted in my entry.
Bainbridge, Kenneth. The Trinity Test. Los Alamos, New Mexico: United States
Government, May 1976. PDF.
This report by Kenneth Bainbridge, the main leader for the trinity test, meticulously describes
every aspect of the test, from how many sensor rods were installed to the size of the bomb
fireball. I used the information contained to build my knowledge of the Trinity Test and
Bureau of Public Relations. War Department. Eye Witness Account Atomic Bomb Mission
Over Nagasaki. Washington, D.C. 1945. Print.
This was the report of an eye-witness onboard the Bockscar. He described the destruction he saw
as he flew over Nagasaki. I used his description to gain a higher understanding of the devastation
done by the atomic bombs.
Carr, Alan B. Trinity Documents. Los Alamos, New Mexico: U.S. Government, n.d. PDF.
These were original Trinity Test Documents compiled by Alan B. Carr. It documents the
happenings of the Trinity Test, and helped me to understand the Trinity Test, its procedures and
its results.

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Entry number 2609
Einstein, Albert, and Leo Szilard. "The Einstein-Szilard Letter." Letter to Franklin
Delanor Roosevelt. 2 Aug. 1939. MS. Peconic, Long Island, New York.
This was the original letter written from Albert Einstein and Leo Szilard to President Franklin
Delanor Roosevelt. It expresses concern over Germanys newfound discoveries, and calls for an
American Nuclear Program to be created. I used this to gain more knowledge on the reasons the
nuclear program was created.
Handy, Thomas T. "Official Bombing Order for Little Boy." Letter to General Carl Spaatz.
25 July 1945. MS. White House, Washington, D.C.
This was the official letter to unload the atomic bomb as soon as possible after August 3rd. It
shows the articulate instructions giving for the bombing, especially for the time. This letter
helped me because it showed me the correspondence between the government and the 509th
composite group.
Minutes of Third Bomb Committee Meeting, May 18, 1945. Los Alamos, New Mexico: U.S.
Government, 6 Feb. 1959. PDF.
This was the summary of the third bomb committee meeting. They discussed target finalization
and height of detonation. It taught me how the targets were chosen for bombing, and the amount
of effort and thought that went into choosing.

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Entry number 2609
Notes on Initial Meeting of Target Committee. Los Alamos, New Mexico: The U.S.
Government, 10 Apr. 1975. PDF.
This was the summary for the first bomb committee meeting. Those present discussed the range
of the bomb and the need for visual bombing. This helped me because it showed me what the
bombing committee was looking for as a target.
Rotblat, Joseph. Leaving the Atomic Bomb Project. N.p.: Bulletin of Atomic Scientists,
Aug. 1985. PDF.
This was a firsthand account on leaving the Manhattan Project because of disagreements. Rotblat
disagreed on using the bomb on Japan, so he left. It shows some of the dissent that spread
through the scientists when it was announced the bomb would actually be used.
Summary of Bomb Meetings on May 10 and 11, 1945. Los Alamos, New Mexico: U.S.
Government, 4 June 1974. PDF.
This was the summary of the second bomb committee meeting, which took place over two days.
The committee decided on targets based on military use, psychological factors, and coordinated
air operations. This helped me understand the intense thought to detail in finding the best places
to drop the bombs.
Trinity Films 1-4. 1945. DVD.
The Trinity Films were documented audio-less films showing the whole trinity test, start to
finish. The Films helped me understand what the area looked like and how the Trinity test was
built. It showed how the test was conducted, as well as what the Trinity test truly looked like,

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Entry number 2609
which I used on The Trinity Test Page. It also gave me a picture of what Los Alamos looked
like, which I used on The Creation Of Los Alamos page.
"Los Alamos Early ID Badges." Los Alamos National Laboratory. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Feb.
2015. <http://www.lanl.gov/about/history-innovation/badges.php>.
The website contains many of those who worked in wartime Los Alamos. It helped me
understand what many people looked like, such as Oppenheimer and Groves. I used these
pictures on the background picture of the home page, Dangerous Discoveries, The EinsteinSzilard Letter, The Notable Faces of The Manhattan Project, The workings of The
Manhattan Project, The Manhattan Project, and Analysis.
Nichols, Kenneth D. The Road to Trinity. New York: Morrow, 1987. Print.
This firsthand account of the Manhattan Project leading up to the Trinity test gave a full
description of many people and places. It also helped show me what many people thought of
people such as Groves, and what Nichols himself thought of people.

Secondary Sources
"LANL's History." Los Alamos National Laboratory. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Feb. 2015.
<http://www.lanl.gov/about/history-innovation/index.php>.
This is a page containing the history of wartime Los Alamos, as well as the innovations of today
and tomorrow. This page gave me a perspective between the past wartime Los Alamos, and the
modern diversified Los Alamos.

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Entry number 2609
"Oppenheimer: Trinity Remarks." YouTube. YouTube, n.d. Web. 19 Feb. 2015.
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gz0haLU0pvA>.
These are Oppenheimers remarks when he witnesses the trinity test. They are dramatic and
poetic, taken from the Bhagavad Gita. It showed me a bit about what kind of person
Oppenheimer was, as well as the thoughts that went through those who witnessed the Trinity
Test.
"Scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer Speaks about Atomic Bombs at the Capitol Building in
Washington, DC." YouTube. YouTube, 3 Mar. 2012. Web. 22 Feb. 2015.
These are the comments Oppenheimer makes in a press conference about the atomic bomb. He
states that it is impossible for safety to exist anymore. It helped me understand Oppenheimer and
his thoughts on the atomic bomb.
"The History of the Manhattan Project." Atomicarchive.com: Exploring the History,
Science, and Consequences of the Atomic Bomb. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Feb. 2015.
<http://www.atomicarchive.com/index.shtml>.
The whole archive is based on the history of the splitting of the atom. It shows all aspects of the
project, from the final destruction of the bombs to every effort put into it. I gained valuable
information from the site because it has incredibly descriptive pages about the creation and use
of the atomic bomb. It helped me understand the work and sweat that was put into designing and
creating the first atomic bomb. I used pictures from the website on the background picture for
every page, The Manhattan Project, Analysis, and Dangerous Discoveries.

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Entry number 2609
"The Manhattan Project (and Before)." The Manhattan Project. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Feb.
2015. <http://nuclearweaponarchive.org/Usa/Med/Med.html>.
This website documents the entirety of the Manhattan Project, one event at a time. I learned
much from the entries especially concerning the roadblocks that the Manhattan Project
encountered as well as the enemies that were made between works (i.e. Leslie Groves and Leo
Szilard)
"The Manhattan Project." Manhattan Project Voices. N.p., n.d. Web. 18 Feb. 2015.
<http://manhattanprojectvoices.org/>.
This website is a collection of oral interviews with prominent historians and figures from the
Manhattan Project. The people recorded tell the vibrant history of the project in their own voices.
I learned much about the lives and work at Los Alamos and other Manhattan Project sites across
the country from the interviews on the site. I used one interview from the site on my website, the
David Kaiser Interview on the The Creation of Los Alamos page.
"The Manhattan Project: An Interactive History." The Manhattan Project: An Interactive
History. N.p., n.d. Web. 17 Feb. 2015. <https://www.osti.gov/manhattan-projecthistory/index.htm>.
This is an in-depth website on the use and creation of the atomic bomb, chronicling the work put
into the project. I used the site to create a picture for myself of Los Alamos and the Atomic
Bomb. I also took pictures from the site, which I used on the background picture of every page,
The Workings of the Project, Detonation in Japan, and Analysis.

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Entry number 2609
"The Trinity Test Exclusive Videos & Features." History.com. A&E Television Networks,
n.d. Web. 19 Feb. 2015. <http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-ii/trinity-test/videos>.
This video documented the pain and suffering that happened because of the bomb, showing the
symptoms and pain the people suffered from radiation poisoning. This helped me envision the
destruction and death that the bomb caused on Japan.
Albright, Joseph, and Marcia Kunstel. Bombshell: The Secret Story of America's Unknown
Atomic Spy Conspiracy. New York: Times, 1997. Print.
This book follows Ted Hall, a nave teenage prodigy who was recruited into the Manhattan
Project and passed atomic secrets on to Russia. It shows that through Halls and other spies help,
Russia gained a nearly completed schematic for an atomic bomb. It also shows Halls thought
process to arrive at his conclusion. The book taught me much about the spy conspiracies in the
Manhattan Project.
Bird, Kai, and Martin J. Sherwin. American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J.
Robert Oppenheimer. New York: A.A. Knopf, 2005. Print.
This book is the biography of Oppenheimer, of his life and of his times. It speaks about his youth
and his time as head of the Los Alamos National Laboratory. It helped me to understand who
Oppenheimer was, and how did he become both the father of the atomic bomb and the
government martyr of the ages.
Blackett, Patrick M. S. Fear, War, and the Bomb: Military and Political Consequences of
Atomic Energy. New York: Whittlesey House, 1949. Print

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Entry number 2609
This is a book about how the dropping of the bomb was not only a military victory over Japan,
but also a diplomatic victory over the Soviet Union. It helped me to understand the true
consequences of the atomic bomb, from leading to the cold war, to creating nuclear energy.
Carr, Alan B. "Interview with Alan B. Carr." E-mail interview. 10 Dec. 2014.
Alan B. Carr is the Historian for Los Alamos National Laboratory. He described Los Alamos in
the early days and the state of the workers as well as the whole project. This interview was
important because it gave me context to the Manhattan Project, setting up the place and time for
the project. He also provided me with documents and resources such as the two below and the
Trinity films 1-4.
Carr, Alan B. "National History Day on the Manhattan Project." National History Day on
the Manhattan Project. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Feb. 2015.
<http://www.losalamoshistory.org/national_history_day.htm>.
This was a webpage written about Los Alamos by Alan B. Carr from the above section. It gives
answers to the most frequently asked questions about the Manhattan Project and also connects it
to this years theme. It helped me gain valuable basic details of the Manhattan Project.
Carr, Alan B. The Role of Los Alamos in World War 2. Los Alamos, New Mexico: U.S.
Government, n.d. PPT.
This was a powerpoint created by Alan Carr about Los Alamoss part in ending the war. It helped
me learn the broad ideas of the Manhattan Project, as well as some of its legacies.

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Entry number 2609
Frank, Richard B. Downfall: The End of the Imperial Japanese Empire. New York:
Random House, 1999. Print
This book is about the last few months in World War 2. It vividly describes the death of
innocents from the bomb and proves that Japan had not been about to surrender when the bombs
fell. It showed me the suffering of innocents from the bomb, as well as reasons why the bomb
had to be used.
Griffith, Chris. "Interview with Chris Griffith." E-mail interview. 11 Feb. 2015.
Chris Griffith is the Producer, Technical Leader, and content expert of the Atomic Archive. My
interview with him revealed how scientists were invited to work at the Manhattan Project,
Conditions in Wartime Los Alamos, and how security was maintained. This gave me more in
depth information to create my entry with.
Groueff, Stephane. Manhattan Project: The Untold Story of the Making of the Atomic
Bomb. Boston: Little, Brown, 1967. Print.
This book was about the trials and triumphs of the Manhattan Project. It painted a portrait of the
main players of the Project, as well as what they did to ensure success. This book helped me
understand what it took to make the atomic bomb, leaders and luminaries.
Hasegawa, Tsuyoshi. Racing the Enemy: Stalin, Truman, and the Surrender of Japan.
Cambridge, MA: Belknap of Harvard UP, 2005. Print.
This book put into perspective the three key players of the war, the United States, the Soviet
Union, and Japan. It shows the real story of the war, the fight between the U.S. the USSR to
force Japan into surrender. This book helped me gain a perspective of what the atomic bomb did

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Entry number 2609
in terms of World War 2, and that ultimately, the bomb was still just a piece in the chess match of
World War 2.
Kelly, Cynthia C. The Manhattan Project: The Birth of the Atomic Bomb in the Words of
Its Creators, Eyewitnesses, and Historians. New York: Black Dog & Leventhal, 2007. Print.
This book was a conglomerate of accounts about the Manhattan Project. Containing the most
crucial sections from the greatest books and reports of the Manhattan Project, it comes together
to form the whole picture. This book gave me a broad overview of the whole project, giving me
the leisure to dive into different sections of the Project.
McClenahan, Heather. "Interview with Heather McClenahan." E-mail interview. 5 Jan.
2015.
Heather McClenahan is the Executive Director of the Los Alamos Historical Society. My
interview of her revealed the spies, rebels, and leaders of Los Alamos; it also lists why
Oppenheimer was chosen to be leader. This gave me a solid back story for the most important
stories of the Manhattan Project.
Norris, Robert S. Racing for the Bomb: General Leslie R. Groves, the Manhattan Project's
Indispensable Man. South Royalton, VT: Steerforth, 2002. Print.
This book describes General Leslie Groves in vigorous detail; as not only a ferocious leader, but
also a sharp innovator, whose contributions guaranteed the success of the Manhattan Project.
Pagano, Owen. "Interview with Owen Pagano." E-mail interview. 11 Feb. 2015.
Owen Pagano is a research assistant who works with the Atomic Heritage Foundation. My
interview with him revealed that the legacy of the Manhattan Project had two sides, the need for

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General Leslie Groves, and the safety measures in place to keep weapons of Mass destruction out
of the wrong hands. This elaborated on the sections that I was most interested, and contributed
to the writing of my entry.
Rhodes, Richard. The Making of the Atomic Bomb. New York: Simon & Schuster, 1986.
Print.
This book shows how a simple idea from Leo Szilard would eventually become reality and
conceive the Manhattan Project, eventually leading to the mass destruction of Hiroshima and
Nagasaki. This book taught me that the true history of the Manhattan Project started long before
the idea for a nuclear program was even sparked.
Walker, J. Samuel. Prompt and Utter Destruction: Truman and the Use of Atomic Bombs
against Japan. Chapel Hill: U of North Carolina, 1997. Print.
This is an account that describes exactly what events led to the use of the Atomic bomb, and
looks at politics to do so. This book showed the nuances behind one of the most controversial
decisions in history and visits both sides of the argument. This helped me to understand what
took place to have the atomic bomb used, and revealed that despite the concise writing of J.
Samuel Walker, both sides are still plausible.
Walker, Stephen. Shockwave: Countdown to Hiroshima. New York, NY: HarperCollins,
2005. Print.
This book is a moment by moment description of the atomic bomb and the havoc it wreaked on
the citizens of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. I learned from this book the extreme suffering caused
by the first two atomic bombs, and the reason they havent been used to this day.

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Entry number 2609
Wellerstein, Alex. "Interview with Alex Wellerstein." E-mail interview. 4 Feb. 2015.
Alex Wellerstein is an assistant professor at the Stevens Institute of Technology. Our interview
covered lasting impacts of the Manhattan Project and the role of Leo Szilard and Britain in the
Manhattan Project. I learned from this interview that it is because of the Manhattan Project that
we have our modern security state and that Leo Szilard was the one to first think of nuclear
fission.
Wellerstein, Alex. "Restricted Data." Restricted Data RSS. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 Feb. 2015.
<http://blog.nuclearsecrecy.com/>.
This Blog is made by Alex Wellerstein, and contains many documents that are hard to come by,
such as the manuscript for J. Robert Oppenheimers Trial and the recorded deaths at Los Alamos.
This blog helped me because it contains many resources that can be used to envision Los
Alamos.