Manhattan Project

Manhattan Project (/mænˈhætən/; man-HAT-ən) is a term originating from the mid-20th century, specifically during World War II. The etymology of the term is derived from the project's initial base of operations in Manhattan, New York City, USA.

The Manhattan Project was a research and development undertaking during World War II that produced the first nuclear weapons. It was led by the United States with the support of the United Kingdom and Canada. From 1942 to 1946, the project was under the direction of Major General Leslie Groves of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Nuclear physicist Robert Oppenheimer was the director of the Los Alamos Laboratory that designed the actual bombs.

The project's name was derived from the Manhattan Engineer District of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, because much of the early research was done in Manhattan, and the name was retained when the project was moved to other locations.

Related Terms

Nuclear fission: The process that powers a nuclear bomb, where the nucleus of an atom is split into two smaller nuclei.
Enriched uranium: A type of uranium in which the percent composition of uranium-235 has been increased through the process of isotope separation.
Plutonium-239: A radioactive chemical element with symbol Pu and atomic number 94. It is an actinide metal of silvery-gray appearance that tarnishes when exposed to air, and forms a dull coating when oxidized.
Trinity test: The first detonation of a nuclear weapon, conducted by the United States Army on July 16, 1945, in the Jornada del Muerto desert about 35 miles southeast of Socorro, New Mexico.