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.

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