The atomic age

The Atomic Age is the period of history following the detonation of the first nuclear ("atomic") bomb, Trinity, on July 16, 1945, during World War II. The United States was the only country with nuclear weaponry in the years immediately following World War II. The Soviets initially lacked the knowledge and raw materials to build nuclear warheads.

Within just a few years, however, the U.S.S.R. obtained—through a network of spies engaging in international espionage—blueprints of a fission-style bomb and discovered regional sources of uranium in Eastern Europe. On August 29, 1949, the Soviets tested their first nuclear bomb. The United States responded by launching a program in 1950 to develop more advanced thermonuclear weapons. The Cold War arms race had begun.
Use the following links to help you define and answer the following questions.
  1. What was the Manhattan Project? Where did it take place?
  2. What were the results of the Manhattan Project?
  3. What was the name of the plane that delivered the atomic bombs to Hiroshima and Nagasaki?
Define:
  1. atomic bomb
  2. Hiroshima (What happened and when)
  3. Nagasaki (What happened and when)
Resources

Manhattan Project                                             Hiroshima and Nagasaki Remembered                             Russia Gets the Bomb