uranium would work but feared that an implosion bomb using plutonium
might fizzle.
“Therefore,
they conducted the world's first muclear
weapon test at Alamagordo, New Mexico in July 1945,
The Trinity shot
was a dramatic success and the implosion bomb, called "Fat Man" was used
on Nagasaki on August 9, 1945, three days after the "gun" bomb, called
"Little Boy" was used on Hiroshima.
The atomic barbs leveled both
cities and ended the war in the Pacific,?
America now debated how to manage the awesame power of atomic
energy.
The
debate centered on congressional efforts to create an
agency to direct nuclear research and development.
Me of the most
controversial igsues was whether to entrust the atom to a civilian or to
a military agency.
Deciding to entrust the atom to civilians, Congress
passed the Atomic Fnergy Act which President Truman signed on August 1,
1946.
The Act established a five member commission and assigned to the
Commission all atomic energy facilities and programs.
The Atomic Energy
Act admonished the Cammission to manage the atom "subject at all times
to
the
paramount
security. nd
objective
of
assuring
the
canon
defense
and
The congressional mandate meant that developing and testing
nuclear weapons would be the first priority of the Atamic Fnergy Camis-
sion.
To assure that the Commission factored military needs into
weapon programs,
the Act created a military liaison committee which
reported both to the Camission and the Secretary of Defense.
To
provide Congressional checks and balances over the atomic energy pro-
gram, the Act also created a Joint Congressional Committee on Atomic
Energy.
Before the Cammission assumed control of the atom, the Navy wentec
The Manhatz2n
\A
to know what the ateomic bomb would do to a mdern fleet.