Primary Sources: (11)

"The Conference." The Conference. Atomic Archive, n.d. Web. 05 Dec. 2015.
This source is divided into four sections, each written by a different author. The first
section; the Outline of Present Knowledge, by J. Robert Oppenheimer, a scientist who
worked on the Manhattan project, talks about the quantity of different elements used in
each bomb. Oppenheimer also writes about the energy release and denotations of the
bombs. The second section, Experiment Results and Description of Available
Equipment, written by John Manley, a physicist who worked with Oppenheimer at the
University of California, Berkeley before becoming a group leader during the Manhattan
Project, writes about where the equipment obtained for the project had come from as
well as how it would be used. The third section, The Chain-Reacting Pile, written by
Enrico Fermi, an Italian physicist who created the worlds first nuclear reactor, writes
about what was in the first chain reacting pile and how the present chain reacting pile
was built as well as how it should be used. The fourth and final section, Expected
Damage of the Gadget, written by Hans Bethe, a German-American nuclear physicist
who was head of the Theoretical Division at the Los Alamos Laboratory, writes about the
differences between the atomic bombs and TNT, as well as other damage that will be
caused by the bombs including how neutrons that are emitted will diffuse through the air,
and the intensity will be sufficient enough to kill a person. I used this source
"Einstein's Second Letter to President Roosevelt - 1945." Einstein's Second Letter to President
Roosevelt. Atomic Archive, n.d. Web. 05 Dec. 2015.
This letter was written to President Roosevelt from Albert Einstein on March 25, 1945
explaining how Dr. Leo Szilard was greatly concerned about the lack of adequate
contract between scientists within the Manhattan Project. In the letter, Einstein mentions
that Szilard is working under terms of secrecy that would not allow him to share
information about his work. I used this source to further prove how important secrecy
was and how serious the scientists took it.
"Edward Teller's Reply to Szilard's Request." Edward Teller's Reply to Szilard's Request. Atomic
Archive, n.d. Web. 05 Dec. 2015.
This letter was written to Albert Szilard from Edward Teller on July 4, 1945 with
Teller saying he has decided to do nothing about Szilards objections to an
immediate use of the atomic bombs due to the fact that he is not convinced the
objections are valid. Teller states that he does not feel that there is any chance to
outlaw any one weapon and their chance of survival lies in the possibility to get rid of
wars. The main point of this letter was to make it clear that how the bomb is used is not
something they [Teller and Szilard] are responsible for, but rather the people as a whole
which can only be done once the facts of the bombs are made public. I used this source
to help prove how opinions differed on how information should be kept a secret as
opposed to how providing the public with more information was a good thing.
"J. Robert Oppenheimer's Interview." Interview by J. Robert Oppenheimer and Stephane
Groueff. Voices of the Manhattan Project. N.p., n.d. Web. 29 Dec. 2015.
This source is an interview conducted by Stephane Groueff, a writer, journalist, and
political refugee, with J. Robert Oppenheimer, a theoretical physicist who was at the
head of the Manhattan Project. In this interview, Oppenheimer discusses some of the
scientists he recruited during the early stages of the project, the chronology of the
project, as well as the challenges that were faced over the course of the Manhattan

Project. After reading this source, I learned that the decision to use the atomic bomb
before the Japanese attacked the U.S. navy base, Pearl Harbor.
Manhattan District Scientists. "Preliminary Statement of the Association of Manhattan District
Scientists." 1945. MS. New York, New York. The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History.
Web. 5 Dec. 2015.
The authors of this source are the scientists who created the atomic bombs that the
United States used on Japan in 1945 during World War II. From this source I learned
that the scientists felt a special responsibility to the people of America due to the roles
they had played within the Manhattan Project. I used this source to clarify that the
scientists had no say in how the bombs were used, as that was all up to the government.
The scientists wrote this preliminary statement to clarify what the potential dangers of
atomic weapons could hold for the future of civilization.
"The MAUD Report, 1941." The MAUD Report, 1941. Atomic Archive, n.d. Web. 05 Dec. 2015.
The authors of this report, Chairman; Sir George Paget Thomson, Marcus Oliphant,
Patrick Blackett, James Chadwick, Philip Moon, and John Cockcroft emphasize that they
entered the Manhattan Project with more skepticism than belief, but felt that it was a
matter that had to be investigated. As the project went on, they became more confident
that the release of atomic energy on a large scale was more possible and that conditions
can be chosen which would make it a very powerful weapon of war. They discuss the
creation of this weapon of mass destruction is possible due to the resources they
possess. The method of dropping the bomb, the probable effect, preparation of material
and cost, are also discussed in this report. I used this source to gain more insight on
how the scientists looked at the Manhattan Project and what their original plans and
intentions were. I used this information to help develop my argument for the Creation of
the Bombs page on my website.
"Memo for General Carl Spaatz." Memo for General Carl Spaatz. Atomic Archive, n.d. Web. 05
Dec. 2015.
The author of this source, Sargent Thos. T. Handy, Acting Chief of Staff, wrote this memo
to inform General Carl Spaatz that the first atomic bomb would be dropped on either
Hiroshima, Kokura, Niigata, or Nagasaki depending on the weather. It was also stated
that additional bombs would be dropped on the other targets previously listed. It was
made apparent that no one else, including Commanders in the field would be allowed to
release any information without specific prior authority. I used this source to further prove
that secrecy was very important in order to have this operation go well. It was also
mentioned that General Spaatz was to hand deliver a copy of the memo to Admiral
Nimitz and General MacArthur.
"Petition Request from Szilard to Edward Teller." Petition Request from Szilard to Edward Teller.
Atomic Archive, n.d. Web. 05 Dec. 2015.
This letter was written by Leo Szilard, a physicist, to Edward Teller, a physicist, also
known as the father of the hydrogen bomb, on July 4, 1945. In the letter, Szilard states
that the petition to not use the atomic bombs (for moral reasons only) would be
submitted to Teddy Roosevelt, the President of the United States. Szilard gives his
personal opinion that a large portion of the scientists who worked on the bombs come
forward on record to give their reasoning for not using the bombs during that point in the
war. I used the information in this source to help prove that there was a large group of

people within the Manhattan Project who believed the bombs should not have been used
during the war.
"Report of the Committee on Political and Social Problems." Report of the Committee on
Political and Social Problems. Atomic Archive, n.d. Web. 05 Dec. 2015.
The authors of this source, James Franck (Chairman), Donald J. Hughes, J.J. Nickson,
Eugene Rabinowitch, Glenn T. Seaborg, J.C. Stearns, and Leo Szilard make it a point
that political problems lead to the sudden destruction in war. The authors make a
statement saying All present plans for the organization of research, scientific and
industrial development, and publication in the field of nucleonics are conditioned by the
political and military climate in which one expects those plans to be carried out; making
suggestions for the postwar organization of nucleonics, a discussion of political problems
cannot be avoided. Since the military is so focused on the present and how to protect
the U.S. by leading the nuclear arms race, there is not much planning for the world postwar, which causes some concern for some of the scientists. The prospectives of
armaments race, prospectives of agreement, methods of international control were also
discussed in the report. I used this information to gain even more insight on the thoughts
of the Manhattan Project scientists.
"Science Panel's Report to the Interim Committee." Science Panel's Report to the Interim
Committee. Atomic Archive, n.d. Web. 05 Dec. 2015.
The authors of this source, A.H. Compton, E.O. Lawrence, J.R. Oppenheimer and E.
Fermi were all scientists who helped create the atomic bombs the U.S. used on Japan.
Written on June 16, 1945, the scientists state their collective opinion on the initial use of
the weapon; that they promote a satisfactory adjustment of the U.S. international
relations. There are three main points the panel made in the report. The scientists ask
that Britain, Russia, France, and China all be notified that significant progress has been
made with the bombs and they will be used in the present war (WWII) if necessary. As
their second statement, the scientists make it clear that the opinion of how the bombs
are used remain unanimous ranging from the desire to outlaw the use of the atomic
weapons due to the belief that the pure demonstration of the weapons would prejudice
future negotiations to the opportunity of American lives by immediate military use being
emphasized. As their third statement, it is said that the scientists have no proprietary
rights as to how the bombs are used and therefor do not want any claim to special
competence in solving the political, social, and military issues that are presented by the
creation of atomic power. I used this source to strengthen my argument by giving more
background information of the scientists perspectives on the Manhattan Project.
Weller, George. First into Nagasaki: The Censored Eyewitness Dispatches on Post-atomic
Japan and Its Prisoners of War. New York: Crown, 2006. Print.
The author of this source, George Weller, is a legendary pulitzer prize-winning reporter.
Weller has first hand experience in Nagasaki, Japan after the first atomic bomb Little
Boy was dropped. From this source alone I learned a lot about how significant the
damage was from the two bombs. I used this information to support my argument by
explaining both the long term and short term effects of the two bombs. Over 140,000
people were killed between the physical bombs themselves combined with the radiation
given off afterwards.
Secondary Sources: (17)

"Arthur H. Compton - Biographical." Arthur H. Compton - Biographical. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Jan.
2016.
The authors of this source are not listed, but since it is a biography it is considered a
secondary source. I used this source to help write the biography for Arthur Compton on
the Scientists page of my website.
"Atomic Bomb Is Dropped on Hiroshima." History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 13
Sept. 2015.
The authors of this source are not listed, but it is a secondary source. The main point of
the article is what physical damage to Hiroshima came from the bombs. This was not the
most useful source I found since the majority of the information in it was repetitive from
past articles I analyzed. I do not believe that there was any bias or reason to distort
information in this article.
"Avalon Project - The Atomic Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki."Avalon Project - The
Atomic Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Sept. 2015.
The author of this source is not given, however it was used by the Yale Law School as a
part of their Lillian Goldman Law Library. Given that no author was listed this should be
considered a secondary source. Information from this source gave me a better
perspective of the timeline of both bombs as well as some context for what Hiroshima
and Nagasaki were like post-bombs. The state of these two islands were devastating;
buildings were destroyed, fires spread like crazy, and a cloud of dust and smoke spread
through the cities. Radiation poisoning was also a very major issue for weeks after the
bombs were dropped.
"Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki." History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 13
Sept. 2015.
The authors of this source are not listed so I am considering it to be a secondary source.
The main point that is made in this article is the significance that the two atomic bombs
had on Japan. No photos or graphs are shown but I feel that this source will be very
helpful since it explains the devastation in major detail. I do not believe that there was
any bias or reason to distort the information that was given in the article considering
there were no opinions and it was just a timeline of events.
"Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament." The Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. N.p., n.d.
Web. 20 Sept. 2015.
The author of this source is not given but the website is from an organization that
focuses on the disarmament of nuclear weapons which gives it some credibility. This
website offers insight on why the U.S. decided to use the atomic weapons on the
Japanese islands. This information will help form my argument on how the US justified
their use of the atomic weapons. Along with why this tragic event occurred this website
also provides information on the effects of the bombs on both islands. I plan to use this
information to support my point of how Japan was affected long term and short term by
the use of the atomic bombs.
"Enrico Fermi - Biographical." Enrico Fermi - Biographical. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Jan. 2016.
This is a secondary source because it is a biography written about physicist Enrico
Fermi. I used this source to help me write my biography for Fermi to use on the
Scientists page on my website.

"Ernest O. Lawrence (1901 - 1958)." Ernest O. Lawrence. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Jan. 2016.
This is a secondary source because it is a biography written about Ernest O. Lawrence. I
used this source to write my biography for Lawrence to use on the Scientists page on my
website.
Gonzales, Doreen. "Timeline." The Manhattan Project and the Atomic Bomb in American
History. Berkeley Heights, NJ: Enslow, 2000. 117-19. Print.
This book is a secondary source considering the author, Doreen Gonzales did not
personally experience anything she wrote about. I am using this book specifically for its
timeline of events starting from December of 1941 when the US and Great Britain
declared war on Japan up until 1991 when the Cold War came to an end. This timeline
will help me put my exhibit together in chronological order in an effort to help viewers
understand the causes and effects leading up to the two bombings.
Ham, Paul. Hiroshima, Nagasaki: The Real Story of the Atomic Bombings and Their Aftermath.
New York: St. Martin's, 2011. Print.
The author of this source, Paul Ham, is a historian who specializes in the 20th century
history of war, politics and diplomacy. His books have received critical acclaim in Britain
and Australia. Since Ham has no personal experience with Hiroshima or Nagasaki, this
book is a secondary source. I have outlined the book and plan to read six sections
(President; which speaks on how Truman announces the defeat of Germany, Atom;
which talks about how Einstein explains the process of the creation of the bombs to
Roosevelt, The Manhattan Project; which explains the first official document to describes
the scientific conviction the means of making an atomic bomb and its effects, Potsdam;
which gives information about the Potsdam Proclamation, Hiroshima 6, August 1945;
which gives information on the immediate effects of the atomic bomb Little Boy which
was dropped on Hiroshima, and Nagasaki, 9 August 1945; which explains the immediate
effects of the atomic bomb Fat Man which was dropped on Nagasaki. I used the
information I find in this book to help further my argument development on the creation
of the atomic bombs as well as short and long term effects of the two bombs.
"J. Robert Oppenheimer (1904 - 1967)." J. Robert Oppenheimer. N.p., n.d. Web. 09 Jan. 2016.
This biography on J. Robert Oppenheimer is a secondary source. I used the information
I learned after reading this source to write up my own biography on Oppenheimer for the
Scientists page on my website.
Kelly, Cynthia C. The Manhattan Project: The Birth of the Atomic Bomb in the Words of Its
Creators, Eyewitnesses, and Historians. New York: Black Dog & Leventhal, 2007. Print.
This source was written by Cynthia Kelly who wrote this book using other primary/
secondary sources with no personal experience meaning its a secondary source. I
outlined three sections: The Trinity Test, Dropping the Bombs, and Reflections on the
Bomb. The insight I gained from these three sections will help me talk about how the
bombs were tested and what the scientists learned before dropping them on Japan as
well as how they were dropped and what the aftermath was.
"The Manhattan Project." American Museum of Natural History. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Sept. 2015.
This article was published by the American Museum of Natural History. Specific
historians were not credited with the work, so I am considering it to be a secondary

source. I used this source to gain more knowledge about how Little Boy and Fat Man
were physically created as well as the thought process of creating them. This source
connects to my theme by helping me learn more about how the process of the creating
of the nuclear weapons.
McKain, Mark. Making and Using the Atomic Bomb. San Diego, CA: Greenhaven, 2003. Print.
This book was written as a part of Greenhaven Presss History Firsthands series and
edited by Mark McKain. McKain is a published author and editor for childrens books but
has no personal experience with the events relating to my topic so this book is a
secondary source. I used this source to learn about how the bombs were created, how
they were tested, how the Secretary of War came to the decision to use this deadly
weapon, insight on President Trumans role in the process, as well as what the damage
was to Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
"A Photo-Essay on the Bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki." A Photo-Essay on the Bombing of
Hiroshima and Nagasaki. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Sept. 2015.
The author of the written information of this website is cited as Committee on Damage
by Atomic Bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Hiroshima and Nagasaki: The Physical,
Medical, and Social Effects of the Atomic Bombings (London, 1981). Though the written
information explaining how the bombs were dropped will be useful for my project, the
best use of this source will be from the photos attached to it. The photos this source
provides are considered a primary source since they were taken by the US army after
the bombs were dropped, none of these photos were recreated.
"Pearl Harbor." History.com. A&E Television Networks, n.d. Web. 13 Sept. 2015.
The authors of this source are not listed so I am considering it to be a secondary source.
The main point that this article makes is that Japan was unsuccessful in their attempt to
destroy the Pacific Fleet. The events leading up to the attack are also described in great
detail and the significance is explained. Although no photos or graphs are shown this
source will be very helpful in explaining why the attacks on Pearl Harbor happened. I do
not believe that there was any bias or reason to distort the information given in the article
considering there was no opinions stated.
"Student Activity Harry Truman and the Potsdam Conference." Harry S Truman Library and
Museum. Harry S. Truman Library and Museum, n.d. Web. 27 Sept. 2015.
I found this source specifically after I was given advice to look into the Potsdam
Conference to get more insight on the mastercard when President Truman met with
Stalin about the atomic bomb. This source is credible since it came from the Truman
Library however, it is a secondary source. I plan to use this source to gain more insight
on the USSR and the USs relationship with each other. This directly connects to the
theme because it explains the encounter between Truman and Stalin in 1945.
Wheeler, Keith. The Fall of Japan. Alexandria, VA: Time-Life, 1983. Print.
Keith Wheeler, a South Dakota newspaperman and a writer for Life, covered the War
against Japan as a correspondent for the Chicago Daily Times and wrote about his
experiences in The Pacific Is My Beat as well as We Are the Wounded. This book is
considered to be credible considering Wheelers experiences, however it is a secondary
source. I have outlined this book and plan to look into multiple sections including: A Race
to Harness the Atom, The Presidents Ultimatum, Target: Hiroshima, Some Who

Survived, Bearing the Unbearable. I plan to use this information to help me learn more
about the creation of the atomic bombs, how the decision was made by Roosevelt to
drop the two bombs, including the effects, both short and long term, on the residents of
Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
"70 Years after the Atomic Bombs - The Boston Globe." BostonGlobe.com. N.p., n.d. Web.
10 Oct. 2015.
This article was posted on the Boston Globe website for the seventieth anniversary of
the atomic bombs on the Japanese islands of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This source was
not one that gave me any new information, however it shows photos from the day that
the first bomb was dropped on Hiroshima as well as what the city looks like after it was
rebuilt.