Transcript La Bombe Atomique

The Atomic Bomb
Einstein’s Letter:
“ It may become possible to set up a nuclear chain
reaction in a large mass of Uranium by which
vast amounts of power, and large quantities of
radium elements would be generated. It seems
almost certain that this could be achieved in the
near future”
“A single bomb of this type carried by boat and
exploded in port might very well destroy the
whole port…and some of the surrounding
territory”
- August 2 1939
• August 2nd 1939, Albert Einstein writes a letter to
President Roosevelt, explaining new scientific
discoveries which could lead to atomic bombs.
• Roosevelt agrees.
• June 1942, the U.S begins: The
Manhattan Project
• Mid July 1945: Trinity Test – the trial run
for the bomb in New Mexico.
• The bomb is ready!
“We waited until the blast had passed. Walked out of the
shelter and then it was extremely solemn. We knew the
world would not be the same. A few people laughed, a few
people cried. But mostly we were silent”
- J R Oppenheimer (physicist)
The Manhattan Project
• Development of the
atomic bomb
• Scientists from
Europe, US, GB, &
Canada
• 1941
• Los Alamos, New
Mexico
Little Boy
• Uranium type
• Dropped August 6,
1945
• Hiroshima
• More destructive then
Fat Man
Fat Man
• Plutonium type
• Dropped August 9th,
Nagasaki
• More powerful then
Little Boy
Damages
• Kills 95% of the people
in a radius of 1KM
• 90% of the buildings are
destroyed
• Majority of deaths are
civilians
The effects of the bombs on
humans
• If you are not killed instantly:
- Gamma rays will destroy your cells
- Burns will heal into tumors
- 10-15 days after = fever, loss of hair
- 23-30 days = loss of resistance to infections,
blood disorder, gums bleed
• Natural protection starts: men become sterile,
women have miscarriages, menstruation stops
• Die of complications
Repercussions
Decision to drop the bomb
•
•
•
•
Japan refuses ultimatum
Predict one more year of war
Prevent a loss of 2.5- 5 million lives
Japan had almost develop their own
atomic bomb
• Put the USSR in 2nd place