Everything Everywhere Daily: History, Science, Geography, & More The Decision to Drop the Atomic Bomb
Mar 29, 2026
A concise tour of how the Manhattan Project produced a weapon that reshaped warfare and geopolitics. Tension between a demonstration and direct use is explored. The selection of Hiroshima and the switch to Nagasaki are described. The timeline from Trinity to Japan’s surrender and the launch of the nuclear age are outlined.
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Manhattan Project Origin And Leadership
- The Manhattan Project began after 1939 warnings that Nazi Germany might build atomic weapons.
- Physicists like Einstein and Szilard prompted U.S. leadership to start a secret program led by Oppenheimer and General Groves.
Japan's Resistance After Germany's Surrender
- By mid-1945 Germany had surrendered, leaving the U.S. with a new weapon but a continuing war with Japan.
- Japan's military culture and willingness for suicidal defense made surrender unlikely despite devastation from bombing.
High Casualty Expectation From Island Campaigns
- U.S. island-by-island advances proved costly, exemplified by Okinawa's three-month battle with over 100,000 casualties.
- Military planners expected even fiercer resistance on the Japanese mainland, informing invasion plans.