Synopsis
Scientists relate the discovery of nuclear fission in the 1930s and the harnessing of this power to build weapons of mass destruction. A U.S. president and top military officials discuss the ultimate decision to use these new atomic bombs to end a long and costly world war.
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Reviews
Grade 8 Up-This collection of writings surveys the history of the atomic bomb, its use, and its destructive capability. As current events focus students' attentions on war and the use of weapons of mass destruction, the words of eyewitnesses who recorded their experiences from World War II can offer insight into understanding today's troubled world. The volume is divided into four chapters-"Discovery of Fission," "The Manhattan Project," "Using the Bomb," and "The Aftermath"-with several contemporary narratives and reminiscences in each. An introduction outlines the history of the atomic bomb. Scientists and military men offer recollections of their work at the University of Chicago; Oak Ridge, TN; Los Alamos; and Alamogordo. Documents that deal with the decision to drop the bomb, choosing targets, and then firsthand reports from individuals surviving the Hiroshima and Nagasaki blasts are powerful and thought-provoking.
Patricia Ann Owens, Wabash Valley College, Mt. Carmel, IL
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