History - Manhattan Project
Overview of the Manhattan Project
Other Background Items
Highlights From The Manhattan Projct
The Manhattan Project developed three methods of nuclear fission. The first method was to burn 235U directly (Little Boy- Hiroshima). The second method was to take 238U and turn it into 239Pu and burn the 239Pu (Fat Man - Nagasaki). The third method was to take 232Th and turn it into 233U. This method was found to be unusable in a bomb due to the creation of a small amount of 232U so the method was put on the side till after the war. The second part the Manhattan Project was to drop a bomb a week on Japan until they surrendered and the B-29base was geared up to assembling a Fat Man Type bomb per week. This requirement lead to a large set of knowledge and reactors geared toward the manufacture of 239Pu.
