The entire world felt the instant shake set off by the successful completion of the

Manhattan Project. The American public held confidence in their country because of
success brought upon by their science community, and the strong will of the government.
The United States possessed in their hands a weapon causing destruction beyond all
recognition. The war was over, and the world was left in shambles. The most catastrophic
war in human history was brought to an end with the destruction of an empire, along with
an enormous amount of civilian casualties. Mankind finally reached the potential of
ultimately destroying itself as an outcome of producing an atomic bomb. Though most
short-term impacts are concluded to be negative, many over time transformed into
positives that propelled civilization into its current state. The Manhattan Project created
extraordinary short-term impacts that drastically changed the world.
The most important and significant short-term impact the atomic bomb created
was the end of the Second World War. The war in Europe had ended on May 8th, 1945,
two months before the completion of the Manhattan Project. Though the Manhattan
District was well concerned with the atomic development for the axis powers, the bomb
was not needed to bring a victory for the allies in Europe. The United States had struggles
with the gruesome war tactics of the Empire of Japan, and saw no end in the near future if
direct combat continued. The Manhattan District leaders sought to come to a completion
of their project before more American soldiers had to die for their country. As a result of
the projects success, the United States received a formal surrender from the Empire of
Japan after two atomic bombs were dropped onto Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This day will
go down in history as V-J Day, Victory in Japan. As the main purpose of the Manhattan

Project and the atomic bomb was to end the war, it created many other short-term
conflicts regarding limitation and rivalry.
The responsibilities Mankind now had to face resulted from the short-term effects
of successfully creating an atom bomb. Limitation policies for research and use of
nuclear weapons had to be set in place immediately. The United States were first to step
in on this conflict with hopes restricting certain countries of furthering their development
for nuclear arms in exchange for giving up their nuclear arms. The Manhattan Project
transformed into a research facility, although all the assets and assignments previously
held within the Manhattan District was passed to the Atomic Energy Commission. The
United States proposed the Baruch Plan to the United Nations to formally limit a possible
arms race, and end the use of atomic weaponry.1 The Soviet Union however, felt this was
unfair because the United Nations consisted mainly of the United States and Western
Allies. They rejected this plan immediately and began their own development of nuclear
arms. This turn of events formed an immediate rivalry between the United States and
Soviet Union on a basis of creating a larger and more effective nuclear arms inventory. As
a result, the American Public started to fear a war with the Soviet Union immediately
after World War Two, and the possible destruction they could cause by creating their own
weapon of mass destruction. This short-term effect of the Manhattan Project spiraled into
a long-term conflict of these two superpowers and the rest of the world.

1 The Baruch Plan, Atomic Archive, http://www.atomicarchive.com/History/mp/p6s5.shtml, Web

Access: 12/9/15.