Only in Your State | New Mexico | by Juliet White | Revised by Jaymi Firestone
World War II was in the thick of battle, threatening our US borders. Japan had already bombed Pearl Harbor in 1941, sinking a U.S. Naval ship and killing many. Our country was facing fear-striking danger.
With an attack made on American soil, our military and government knew something needed to be done to protect the American people. That is when the Manhattan Project was born.
It was a research and development project during WWII, and the project’s entire research was done focusing on nuclear weapons, led by the United States, but in partnership with our allies Canada and the United Kingdom.
Scientists worked tirelessly to find a solution to the war that was threatening the world. Hundreds of hours were spent working on the first nuclear bomb called the “gadget.” The project began in 1942, and by 1945, scientists had created the very first nuclear weapon.
This is when New Mexico changed the history of the world. At 5:30 a.m. on July 16, 1945, the Trinity Test altered the world forever. The test was the detonation of the “gadget” over the Jornada del Muerto Desert, launching the Nuclear Age.
Observers’ greatest fear concerning the Trinity Test was that nothing would happen. After all, it was the first atomic bomb to ever be detonated.
The reality of what happened was far different…
The bomb unleashed four times as much energy as most of the scientists expected. It was the equivalent of setting off 20,000 tons of TNT.
A 40,000-foot wide mushroom cloud rose into the sky. As far as 120 miles away, windows shattered as a result of the blast. It was much more powerful than anyone could’ve ever expected.
This is an important part of New Mexico’s history.
Our state has always been a leader in aeronautics and military missions, because of the labs in Los Alamos, the desolate space of White Sands, the great climate and of course, our vast landscapes. These factors have aligned perfectly with many research projects for the US Military and other entities, making New Mexico the place of choice for all things top-secret!
Not to worry though, there are several places in NM that offer informative exhibits about the Trinity Test and the Nuclear Age.
The Bradley Science Museum in Los Alamos explores the scientific path to creating the atomic bomb and provides insight into what life was like for those working on the Manhattan Project. It also addresses the controversy over whether or not dropping the bomb was the only way to defeat Japan during WWII.
You can also find information at the National Museum of Nuclear Science and History in Albuquerque. It offers a comprehensive look at the Manhattan Project and deals with nuclear weapons and the Cold War.
On two days each year – one in April and one in October, you can even visit the Trinity Site at White Sands to see exactly where the world changed.
Click here for more information.
Resources:
On This Day In 1945, Events In New Mexico Forever Changed Our World
