New York Times, 8/6/1945

FirstAtomicBombDroppedonJapan;MissileIsEqualto20,000
TonsofTNT;TrumanWarnsFoeofa'RainofRuin'
NEWAGEUSHERED

DayofAtomicEnergyHailedbyPresident,RevealingWeapon

HIROSHIMAISTARGET'Impenetrable'CloudofDustHidesCityAfterSingleBombStrikes

BySIDNEYSHALETT
SpecialtoTHENEWYORKTIMES

Washington,Aug.6,1945TheWhiteHouseandWarDepartmentannouncedtodaythatanatomicbomb,possessingmore
powerthan20,000tonsofTNT,adestructiveforceequaltotheloadof2,000B29'sandmorethan2,000timestheblast
powerofwhatpreviouslywastheworld'smostdevastatingbomb,hadbeendroppedonJapan.
Theannouncement,firstgiventotheworldinutmostsolemnitybyPresidentTruman,madeitplainthatoneofthescientific
landmarksofthecenturyhadbeenpassed,andthatthe"ageofatomicenergy,"whichcanbeatremendousforceforthe
advancementofcivilizationaswellasfordestruction,wasathand.
At10:45o'clockthismorning,astatementbythePresidentwasissuedattheWhiteHousethatsixteenhoursearlierabout
thetimethatcitizensontheEasternseaboardweresittingdowntotheirSundaysuppersanAmericanplanehaddroppedthe
singleatomicbombontheJapanesecityofHiroshima,animportantarmycenter.
JapaneseSolemnlyWarned
WhathappenedatHiroshimaisnotyetknown.TheWarDepartmentsaidit"asyetwasunabletomakeanaccuratereport"
because"animpenetrablecloudofdustandsmoke"maskedthetargetareafromreconnaissanceplanes.TheSecretaryofWar
willreleasethestory"assoonasaccuratedetailsoftheresultsofthebombingbecomeavailable."
ButinastatementvividlydescribingtheresultsofthefirsttestoftheatomicbombinNewMexico,theWarDepartmenttold
howanimmensesteeltowerhadbeen"vaporized"bythetremendousexplosion,howa40,000footcloudrushedintothe
sky,andtwoobserverswereknockeddownatapoint10,000yardsaway.AndPresidentTrumansolemnlywarned:
"ItwastosparetheJapanesepeoplefromutterdestructionthattheultimatumofJuly26,wasissuedatPotsdam.Their
leaderspromptlyrejectedthatultimatum.Iftheydonotnowacceptourterms,theymayexpectarainofruinfromtheairthe
likeofwhichhasneverbeenseenonthisearth."
MostCloselyGuardedSecret
ThePresidentreferredtothejointstatementissuedbytheheadsoftheAmerican,BritishandChineseGovernmentsinwhich
termsofsurrenderwereoutlinedtotheJapaneseandwarninggiventhatrejectionwouldmeancompletedestructionof
Japan'spowertomakewar.
[Theatomicbombweighsabout400poundsandiscapableofutterlydestroyingatown,arepresentativeoftheBritish
MinistryofAircraftProductionsaidinLondon,theUnitedPressreported.]

New York Times, 8/6/1945

Whatisthisterriblenewweapon,whichtheWarDepartmentalsocallsthe"CosmicBomb"?Itistheharnessingofthe
energyoftheatom,whichisthebasicpoweroftheuniverse.AsPresidentTrumansaid,"Theforcefromwhichthesundraws
itspowerhasbeenloosedagainstthosewhobroughtwartotheFarEast."
"Atomicfission"inotherwords,thescientists'longhelddreamofsplittingtheatomisthesecretoftheatomicbomb.
Uranium,arare,heavymetallicelement,whichisradioactiveandakintoradium,isthesourceessentialtoitsproduction.
SecretaryofWarHenryL.Stimson,inastatementcloselyfollowingthatofthePresident,promisedthat"stepshavebeen
taken,toassureusofadequatesuppliesofthismineral."
Theimaginationsweepingexperimentinharnessingthepoweroftheatomhasbeenthemostcloselyguardedsecretofthe
war.Americatodatehasspentnearly$2,000,000,000inadvancingitsresearch.Since1939,American,BritishandCanadian
scientistshaveworkedonit.TheexperimentshavebeenconductedintheUnitedStates,bothforreasonsofachieving
concentratedefficiencyandforsecurity;theconsequencesofhavingthematerialfallintothehandsoftheenemy,incase
GreatBritainshouldhavebeensuccessfullyinvaded,weretooawfulfortheAlliestorisk.
Allalong,ithasbeenaracewiththeenemy.Ironicallyenough,Germanystartedtheexperiments,butwefinishedthem.
Germanymadethemistakeofexpelling,becauseshewasa"nonAryan,"awomanscientistwhoheldoneofthekeystothe
mystery,andshemadeherknowledgeavailabletothosewhobroughtittotheUnitedStates.Germanyneverquitemastered
theriddle,andtheUnitedStates,SecretaryStimsondeclared,is"convincedthatJapanwillnotbeinapositiontousean
atomicbombinthiswar."
ASoberingAwarenessofPower
Nottheslightestspiritofbraggadocioisdiscernibleeitherinthewordingoftheofficialannouncementsorinthemienofthe
officialswhogaveoutthenews.Therewasanelementofelationintherealizationthatwehadperfectedthisdevastating
weaponforemploymentagainstanenemywhostartedthewarandhastoldusshewouldratherbedestroyedthansurrender,
butitwasgrimelation.Therewassoberingawarenessofthetremendousresponsibilityinvolved.
SecretaryStimsonsaidthatthisnewweapon"shouldproveatremendousaidintheshorteningofthewaragainstJapan,"and
therewereotherresponsibleofficialswhoprivatelythoughtthatthiswasanextremeunderstatement,andthatJapanmight
findherselfunabletostayinthewarunderthecomingrainofatombombs.
Itwasobviousthatofficialsatthehighestlevelsmadetheimportantdecisiontoreleasenewsoftheatomicbombbecauseof
thepsychologicaleffectitmayhaveinforcingJapantosurrender.However,therearesomeofficialswhofeelprivatelyit
mighthavebeenwelltokeepthiscompletelysecret.Theiropinioncanbesummedupinthecommentbyonespokesman:
"Whybotherwithpsychologicalwarfareagainstanenemythatlareadyisbeatenandhasnt'tsenseenoughtoquitandsave
herselffromutterdoom?"
ThefirstnewscamefromPresidentTruman'soffice.NewsmenweresummonedandthehistoricstatementfromtheChief
Executive,whostillisonthehighseas,wasgiventothem.
"Thatbomb,"Mr.Trumansaid,"hadmorepowerthan20,000tonsofTNT.Ithadmorethan2,000timestheblastpowerof
theBritish'GrandSlam,'whichisthelargestbomb(22,000pounds)everyetusedinthehistoryofwarfare."
ExplosiveChargeIsSmall
Nodetailsweregivenontheplanethatcarriedthebomb.Norwasitstatedwhetherthebombwaslargeorsmall.The
President,however,saidtheexplosivechargewas"exceedinglysmall."Itisknownthattremendousforceispackedintotiny
quantitiesoftheelementthatconstitutesthesebombs.Scientists,lookingtothepeacetimeusesofatomicpower,envisage
submarines,oceanlinersandplanestravelingaroundtheworldonafewpoundsoftheelement.Yet,forvariousreasons,the
bombusedagainstJapancouldhavebeenextremelylarge.

New York Times, 8/6/1945

Hiroshima,firstcityonearthtobethetargetofthe"CosmicBomb,"isacityof318,000,whichisorwasamajor
quartermasterdepotandportofembarkationfortheJapanese.Inadditiontolargemilitarysupplydepots,itmanufactured
ordinance,mainlylargegunsandtanks,andmachinetools,andaircraftordinanceparts.
PresidentTrumangrimlytoldtheJapanesethat"theendisnotyet."
"Intheirpresentformthesebombsarenowinproduction,"hesaid,"andevenmorepowerfulformsareindevelopment."
HesketchedthestoryofhowthelatePresidentRooseveltandPrimeMinisterChurchillagreedthatitwaswisetoconcentrate
researchinAmerica,andhowgreatsecretcitiessprangupinthiscountry,where,atonetime,125,000menandwomen
laboredtoharnesstheatom.Eventodaymorethan65,000workersareemployed.
"Whathasbeendone,"hesaid,"isthegreatestachievementoforganizedscienceinhistory.
"WearenowpreparedtoobliteratemorerapidlyandcompletelyeveryproductiveandenterprisetheJapanesehaveabove
groundinanycity.WeshalldestroyJapan'spowertomakewar."
ThePresidentemphasizedthattheatomicdiscoveriesweresoimportant,bothforthewarandforthepeace,thathewould
recommendtoCongressthatitconsiderpromptlyestablishing"anappropriatecommissiontocontroltheproductionanduse
ofatomicpowerwithintheUnitedStates."
"IshallgivefurtherconsiderationandmakefurtherrecommendationstotheCongressastohowatomicpowercanbecomea
powerfulandforcefulinfluencetowardthemaintenanceofworldpeace,"hesaid.
SecretaryStimsoncalledtheatomicbomb"theculminationofyearsofherculeaneffortonthepartofscienceandindustry,
workingincooperationwiththemilitaryauthorities."Hepromisedthat"improvementswillbeforthcomingshortlywhich
willincreasebyseveralfoldthepresenteffectiveness."
"Butmoreimportantforthelongrangeimplicationsofthisnewweapn,"hesaid,"isthepossiblitythatanotherscaleof
magnitudewillbedevelopedafterconsiderableresearchanddevelopment.Thescientistsareconfidentthatoveraperiodof
manyyearsatomicbombsmaywellbedevelopedwhichwillbeverymuchmorepowerfulthantheatomicbombsnowat
hand."
InvestigationStartedin1939
Itwaslatein1939thatPresidentRooseveltappointedacommissiontoinvestigateuseofatomicenergyformilitary
purposes.UntilthenonlysmallscaleresearachwithNavyfundshadtakenplace.Theprogramwentintohighgear.
Bytheendof1941theprojectwasputunderdirectionofagroupofeminentAmericanscientistsintheOfficeofScientific
ResearchandDevelopment,underDr.VaneverBush,whoreporteddirectlytoMr.Roosevelt.ThePresidentalsoappointeda
GeneralPolicyGroup,consistingofformerVicePresidentHenryA.Wallace,SecretaryStimson,Gen.GeorgeC.Marshall,
Dr.JamesB.Conant,presidentofHarvard,andDr.Bush.InJune1942,thisgrouprecommendedvastexpansionofthework
transferofthemajorpartoftheprogramtotheWarDepartment.
Maj.Gen.LeslieR.Groves,anativeofAlbany,N.Y.,anda48yearoldgraduateofthe1918classatWestPoint,was
appointedbyMr.Stimsontotakecompleteexecutivechargeoftheprogram.GeneralGroves,anengineer,holdingthe
permanentArmyrankoflieutenantcolonel,receivedthehighestpraisefromtheWarDepartmentforthewayhe"fitted
togetherthemultifariouspiecesofthevast,countrywidejigsaw,"and,atthesametime,organizedthevirtuallyairtight
securitysystemthatkepttheprojectasecret.

New York Times, 8/6/1945

Amilitarypolicycommitteealsowasappointed,consistingofDr.Bush,chairman;Dr.Conant,Lieut.Gen.WilhelmD.Styer
andRearAdmiralWilliamR.Purnell.
InDecember,1942,thedecisionwasmadetoproceedwithconstructionoflargescaleplants.TwoaresituatedattheClinton
EngineerWorksinTennesseeandathirdattheHanafordEngineerWorksintheStateofWashington.
Theseplantswereamazingphenomenainthemselves.Theygrewintolarge,selfsustainingcities,employingthousandsupon
thousandsofworkers.Yet,soclosewasthesecrecythatnotonlywerethecitizensoftheareakeptindarknessaboutthe
natureoftheproject,buttheworkersthemselveshadonlythesketchiestideasifanyastowhattheyweredoing.Thiswas
accomplishedMr.Stimsonsaid,by"compartmentalizing"theworkso"thatnoonehasbeengivenmoreinformationthan
wasabsolutelynecessarytohisparticularjob."
TheTennesseereservationconsistsof59,000acres,eighteenmileswestofKnoxville,itisknownasOakRidgeandhas
becomeamodernsmallcityof78,000,fifthlargestinTennessee.
IntheStateofWashingtontheGovernmenthas430,000acresinanisolatedarea,fifteenmilesnorthwestofPasco.The
settlementthere,whichnowhasapopulationof17,000,consistingofplantoperatorsandtheirimmediatefamilies,isknown
asRichmond.
AspeciallaboratoryalsohasbeensetupnearSantaFe,N.M.,underdirectionofDr.J.RobertOppenheimerofthe
UniversityofCalifornia,Dr.OppenheimeralsosupervisedthefirsttestoftheatomicbombonJuly16,1945.Thistookplace
inaremotesectionoftheNewMexicodesertlands,withagroupofeminentscientistsgathered,franklyfearfultowitnessthe
resultsoftheinvention,whichmightturnouttobeeitherthesalvationortheFrankenstein'smonsteroftheworld.
Mr.StimsonalsogavefullcredittothemanyindustrialcorporationsandeducationalinstitutionswhichworkedwiththeWar
Departmentinbringingthistitanicundertakingtofruition.
InAugust,1943,acombinedpolicycommitteewasappointed,consistingofSecretaryStimson,Drs.BushandConantforthe
UnitedStates;thelateFieldMarshallSirJohnDill(nowreplacedbyFieldMarshalSirHenryMaitlandWilson)andCol.J.J.
Llewellin(sincereplacedbySirRonaldCampbell),fortheUnitedKingdom,andC.D.HoweforCanada.
"Atomicfissionholdsgreatpromiseforsweepingdevelopementsbywhichourcivilizationmaybeenrichedwhenpeace
comes,buttheoverridingnecessitiesofwarhaveprecludedthefullexplorationofpeacetimeapplicationsofthisnew
knowledge,"Mr.Stimsonsaid."However,itappearsinevitablethatmanyusefulcontributionstothewellbeingofmankind
willultimatelyflowfromthesediscoverieswhentheworldsituationmakesitposssibleforscienceandindustryto
concentrateontheseaspects."
Althoughwarningthatmanyeconomicfactorswillhavetobeconsidered"beforewecansaytowhatextentatomicenergy
willsupplementcoal;oilandwaterasfundamentalsourcesofpower,"Mr.Stimsonacknowledgedthat"weareatthe
thresholdofanewindustrialartwhichwilltakemanyyearsandmuchexpendituresofmoneytodevelop."
TheSecretaryofWardisclosedthathehadappointedaninterimcommitteetostudypostwarcontrolanddevelopmentof
atomicenergy.Mr.Stimsonisservingaschairman,andothermembersincludeJamesF.Byrnes,SecretaryofState;RalphA.
Bard,formerUnderSecretaryoftheNavy;WilliamL.Clayton,AssistantSecreatryofState;Dr.Bush,Dr.Conant,Dr.Carl
T.Compton,chiefoftheOfficeofFieldServiceinOSRDandpresidentofMassachusettsInstituteofTechnology,and
GeorgeL.Harrison,specialconsultanttotheSecretaryofWarandpresidentoftheNewYorkLifeInsuranceCompany.Mr.
Harrisonisalternatechairmanofthecommittee.
Thecommitteealsohastheassistanceofanadvisorygroupofsomeofthecountry'sleadingphysicistsincludingDr.
Oppenheimer,Dr.E.O.Lawrence,Dr.A.H.ComptonandDr.EnricoFermi.

New York Times, 8/6/1945

TheWarDepartmentgavethissupplementarybackgroundonthedevelopmentoftheatomicbomb.
"Theseriesofdiscoverieswhichledtodevelopemntoftheatomicbombstartedattheturnofthecenturywhenradioactivity
becameknowntoscience.Priorto1939thescientificworkinthisfieldwasworldwide,butmoreparticularlysointhe
UnitedStates,theUnitedKingdom,Germany,France,ItalyandDenmark.OneofDenmark'sgreatscientists,Dr.NeilsBohr,
aNobelPrizewinner,waswhiskedfromthegraspoftheNazisinhisoccupiedhomelandandlaterassistedindevelopingthe
atomicbomb.
"ItisknownthatGermanyworkeddesperatelytosolvetheproblemofcontrollingatomicenergy."