The official report on the development of the atomic bomb under the auspices of the united states government, 19401945 slightly updated version of gpo edition. The 25th anniversary of the classic history by richard rhodes. Beginning with the scientific developments of the prewaryears, the monograph details the role of united states government in conducting a secret, nationwide enterprise that took science. Pdf the making of the atomic bomb book by richard rhodes. A uranium bomb nicknamed little boy despite weighing in at over four and a half tons was dropped on hiroshima august 6, 1945. I found it to be illuminating because i already knew bits and pieces, but now i feel like i have a better idea of the whole story. T his book is a major work of historical synthesis that brings to life the men and machines that gave us the nuclear era. On august 6, 1945, during world war ii 193945, an american b29 bomber dropped the worlds first deployed atomic bomb over the japanese city. It won the pulitzer prize for general nonfiction, the national book award for nonfiction, and a national book. The nodes above have discussed the implosion type rather throroughly, but nonetheless it operates on the principle that you propel a plutonium sphere into a berylliumpolonium core.
The making of the atomic bomb audiobook, by richard rhodes. The book was published in multiple languages including english, consists of 886 pages and is available in paperback format. Reading like a characterdriven suspense novel, the book introduces the players in this saga of physics, politics, and human psychologyfrom. Twentyfive years after its initial publication, the making of the atomic bomb remains the definitive history of nuclear weapons and the manhattan project. Free kindle book and epub digitized and proofread by project gutenberg. The making of the atomic bomb movies the new york times. Few great discoveries have evolved so swiftly or have been so misunderstood. The making of the atomic bomb the making of the nuclear. Beginning with the scientific developments of the prewar years, the monograph details the role of united states government in conducting a secret, nationwide enterprise that took science. The making of the atomic bomb has been compared in its sweep and importance to william l. The making of the atomic bomb is a richly detailed epic, a tableshaking beast of a book that frequently sent me on evening walks to ponder and process the last few chapters id read. Making the atomic bomb is a short history of the origins and development of the american atomic bomb program during world war h. The first edition of the novel was published in september 18th 1986, and was written by richard rhodes. The making of the atomic bomb 1st first edition by.
Project gutenberg offers 61,904 free ebooks to download. The definitive history of nuclear weapons and the manhattan project. The great danish physicist niels bohr, writes journalist and historian richard rhodes, liked to dream of great interrelationships. Both bombs caused widespread death, injury, and destruction, and there is still considerable debate about the need to have used them. The making of the atomic bomb by richard rhodes waterstones. The making of the atomic bomb by richard rhodes goodreads.
From the turnofthecentury discovery of nuclear energy to the dropping of the first bombs on japan, richard rhodess pulitzer prizewinning book details the science, the people, and the. Making of the atomic bomb by richard rhodes overdrive. This book unmasks the background of the atomic bomb, from the first steps of developing the technology for using nuclear energy for massive destruction to a bit about the last two tests by the us. This is more than just a book about hiroshima, oppenheimer, and the manhattan project. The narrative covers people and events from early 20th century discoveries leading to the. It won the pulitzer prize for general nonfiction, the national book award for nonfiction, and a national book critics circle award. In retrospect, it is apparent that the development of the atomic bomb was one of the great turning points in world history.
The making of the atomic bomb deals with the history of the united states. Making the atomic bomb is a short history of the origins and development of the american atomic bomb program during world war ii. The making of the atomic bomb, by richard rhodes, was first published in 1987. Georgi flerov december 1941 estimates that an atomic bomb with 2. Atomic bomb, also called atom bomb, weapon with great explosive power that results from the sudden release of energy upon the splitting, or fission, of the nuclei of a heavy element such as plutonium or uranium. A brief oral history was given about the development of atomic weapons.
The making of the atomic bomb book by richard rhodes. This sweeping account begins in the 19th century, with the. The making of the atomic bomb by richard rhodes librarything. The making of the atomic bomb by richard rhodes, 9781451677614, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. The making of the atomic bomb by rhodes, richard and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Making of the atomic bomb, pulitzer prize winner in 1988, was a wellresearched and comprehensive history exploring the making of the atomic bomb, beginning with world war i, the genesis of the manhattan project and continuing through the bombing of hiroshima and nagasaki, bringing an end to world war ii. The central irony of this book, which won a national book critics circle award, is that the greatest minds of the century contributed to the greatest destructive force in history. From the turnofthecentury discovery of nuclear energy to the dropping of the first bombs on japan, richard rhodess pulitzer prizewinning book details the science, the people, and the sociopolitical realities that led to the development of the atomic bomb.
The atomic bomb, first tested in new mexico on july 16, 1945, had just been used against a military target. Its 800 pages are dense, and require much of the reader. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. For this detailed documentation of the development of the most destructive war weapon ever to be created, rhodes received widespread recognition, winning the 1987 national book award, the 1988 pulitzer prize for general nonfiction, and the 1988 national book critics circle award for general nonfiction. From the turnofthecentury discovery of nuclear energy to the dropping of the first bombs on japan, richard rhodess pulitzer prizewinning book details the. As many know, the atomic bomb has been used only twice in warfare. From the theoretical discussions of nuclear energy to the. The two original nuclear bombs, the fat man and little boy operated on the basic principle of sending a radioactive projectile to a larger target mass. In the making of the atomic bomb, the winner of the national book award. From the turnofthecentury discovery of nuclear energy to the dropping of the first bombs on japan, richard rhodess pulitzer.
Robert oppenheimer charts the debate over deployment of the first abomb and the anxiety that suffused its first live test by kai bird and martin. Download the making of the atomic bomb pdf ebook free. This study guide consists of approximately 95 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of the making of the atomic bomb. Free download or read online the making of the atomic bomb pdf epub book.
The making of the atomic bomb is a contemporary history book written by the american journalist and historian richard rhodes, first published by simon. The book mainly deals with the people of the united states and the events that occurred in the united states as well. In scope and scale this is gibbons decline and fall of the roman empire, tolstoys war and peace, and david mcculloughs truman. They were an implosion type and gun type respectively. List of books and articles about atomic bomb online. Buy the making of the atomic bomb reissue by rhodes, richard isbn. Buy the making of the atomic bomb by richard rhodes from waterstones today. Here for the first time, in rich, human, political. Description of the book the making of the atomic bomb.
And how it gained the power of the atomic bomb and how it became the world number one in terms of the nuclear power. Mexico dawn, that first atomic bomb, we thought of alfred nobel, and his hope, his vain hope, that dynamite would put an end to wars rhodes 676. From the turnofthecentury discovery of nuclear energy to the dropping of the first bombs on japan, richard rhodes s pulitzer prizewinning book details the science, the people, and the sociopolitical realities that led to the development of the atomic bomb. For all we know of the horrors of nuclear weapons, the visual thats most often evoked is ethereal, if ominous. Richard rhodes has conducted a crusade to chronicle all things atomic bomb. But the return is a comprehensive account of the development of the atomic bomb. Here for the first time, in rich, human, political, and scientific detail, is the complete story of how the bomb was developed, from the turnofthecentury discovery of the vast energy locked inside the atom to the dropping of the first bombs on japan.
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