The Men of Manhattan: Creators of the Nuclear Era

“The Men of Manhattan” is a short history of the origins and development of the American atomic bomb program during World War II, focusing on the men and woman who made it possible. Beginning with the scientific developments of the pre-war years, the book details the role of scientific exploration in conducting a secret, nationwide enterprise that took science from the laboratory and into combat with an entirely new type of weapon. Throughout the book, short biographies of the men, and a women—Lise Meitner, Leona Woods Marshall Libby, and Chien-Shiung Wu—are provided where most pertinent. Although nuclear weapons still pose a threat to peace throughout the world, splitting the atom was a watermark point in nuclear science and quantum physics. Harnessed responsibly, the enormous power of an atomic chain reaction can serve humanity for good, e.g., atomic energy. Nuclear medicine and x-ray technology are examples of the benefits brought about by these pioneers—the Men of Manhattan.