Answer:
The process that gave birth to the nuclear bomb began in the early 1930’s, when scientists first learned how to split atoms and harness the massive amounts of energy they released. At first, this energy was used to create nuclear reactors and generate electricity. However, when the United States entered World War II in 1941, the military’s interest in nuclear energy shifted to the creation of a powerful weapon of mass destruction.
The Manhattan Project was formed in 1942 with the task of constructing a nuclear weapon. This project was led by Robert Oppenheimer, an American physicist. It was an extremely secretive project as the team worked to develop the technology needed to build such a weapon. The project consisted of teams of scientists from the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada, who worked together to develop the technology and materials needed for a successful atomic bomb.
The first successful test of the atomic bomb was conducted in New Mexico on July 16, 1945. Later that month, the United States issued a demand to Japan to surrender or face “prompt and utter destruction”. Japan refused, and the United States dropped an atomic bomb over Hiroshima on August 6, 1945. Three days later, the United States dropped a second atomic bomb over Nagasaki.