Bomb history test
Why did his students think that Oppenheimer was crazy?
He gave 3 hour long answers to simple questions while rapidly chain smoking and scribbling down formulas.
What did Harry Gold do with the information he received from Fuchs?
He gave it to KGB agent Yatzkov, who went to the top floor of the KGB Office in Manhattan, coded the information, then sent it off to Moscow.
Why did Moe Berg make a good spy?
He had a dark complexion and could speak many languages, meaning he could pass as a number of nationalities.
What experience did Eifler have?
He had worked behind Japanese lines, organizing hit and run raids in Japan.
Where did Harry Gold live?
He lived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
How did Haukelid insure that the heavy water would be destroyed when the ferry sank?
He planned to sink the ship over the deepest part of the lake, 1,300 feet deep. The barrels would then sink down that far.
Why did Lt. Col. Boris Pash think Oppenheimer should be taken off the Manhattan Project?
He suspected Oppenheimer was a communist.
What did Oppenheimer tell his brother that showed how much he loved physics?
He told his brother that he needed physics more than friends.
How did George Kistiakowsky repair the air holes that were in the plastic explosives?
He used a dental drill to, drop by drop, fill the holes with a mix of a batch of explosives.
Why did Oppenheimer want to meet with President Truman?
He wanted to prevent an arms race
In what ironic position did Oppenheimer find himself at the end of the war?
He wanted to prevent an arms race by building the bomb, but ended up creating an even bigger one.
How did Klaus Fuchs, a German-born scientist in Britain, help the soviets?
He was a spy whose courier was Harry Gold, and he gave the Russians the bomb design.
Why do you think Szilard and Wednesday Wigner chose Albert Einstein to write the letter?
He was an honored physicist whose opinion mattered.
Where was Oppenheimer conducting his research?
He was conducting his research at his office in Berkeley
What was Harry Gold destroying?
He was destroying 17 years of evidence he was a spy for the Soviet Union.
How did Groves feel about his appointment as head of the Manhattan Project?
He was dissapointed when put in charge, after all of his hard work.
Why was President Truman anxious to have the bomb test before he left for Potsdam?
He was going there to meet Stalin, and he wanted to stun him with the new that America had successfully tested an atomic bomb.
In what way did Harry Gold's handler break KGB rules?
He was in two spy world's
What effect did spying have on Harry Gold's life?
He was sent to jail because of it
Why did the FBI open a file on Oppenheimer?
He was suspected and couldn't be trusted because of the Chevalier incident - when he want to Chevalier's house
Why didn't Moe Berg kill Werner Heisenberg?
He wasn't a threat because he claimed the war was already over.
What is heavy water?
Heavy water is when a hydrogen atom, inside a water molecule, gas one neutron instead of the normal zero neutrons. Heavy water is 10% heavier than normal water.
During World War ll, who was the leader of Japan?
Hirohito
What Japanese government official made the decision to surrender to the Allied Forces?
Hirohito
What two Japanese cities were destroyed by atomic bombs?
Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Why did Haukelid's telegraph message sound odd?
His fingers were frozen stiff.
What was Gold's job with the KGB when he was working with Sam?
His job was to steal files from a soap factory.
Why did Emperor Hirohito think surrender was the right decision?
His people were suffering due to the bombs, and he couldn't bear it any longer.
How did Haukelid plan to destroy the heavy water that was being shipped to Germany?
His plan was to blow up the boat 'Hydro', which was carrying the heavy water
During World War ll, who was the leader of Germany?
Hitler
Why did the teams dress as British soldiers?
If they were aught, Germany would retaliate against the allies instead of the Norwegian citizens.
How was the explosion described?
Incredibly bright, a flash of warmness like opening a hot oven, a giant ball of light, and it was very loud.
How much energy was the produced by Fermi's experiment?
It had generated enough power to power a small light bulb.
How did Haukelid's work as a radio operator help the resistance?
It helped the resistance because it was a cover
What was the significance of Enrico Fermi's experiment with the "Chicago Pile"?
It proved that it was possible to start a chain reaction in Uranium and humans could control it.
What was the significance of Einstein's letter to Roosevelt about the atomic bomb?
It showed Roosevelt how serious the atomic was and how terrible it would be if the Germans beat America in building the bomb
Why did Tibbets choose Wendover for the site of the project?
It was a remote area, surrounded by flats, so no secrets could potentially get out.
Why was Hiroshima chosen?
It was clear that morning, meaning it was very visible, making it easy to find the correct target for the bomb.
How does the author feel about the status of the atomic bomb today?
It's the story of genius and teamwork, but also the horror of mankind that's inevitable to escape.
Who led the two teams that blew up the heavy water plant at Vemork?
Knut Haukelid and Ronneberg
Who was chosen to be the military leader of the Manhattan Project?
Leslie Groves
Why was Oppenheimer's security clearance revoked?
Lewis Strauss claimed he was, again, a communist and even a soviet spy. Revoking his security clearance meant he could no longer have access to up to date atomic research, meaning he could no longer voice his opinion to the government and make it have any power
What site did Oppenheimer and Groves choose for the Manhattan Project in New Mexico?
Los Alamos Ranch School - imminent domain
What changes in their community made the people of Sante Fe curious about what was going on at Los Alamos?
Many men with European accents suddenly began to roam the streets and army trucks were driving up Los Alamos then coming back empty.
Why did Oppenheimer become politically active in 1936?
Oppenheimer had Jewish family and friends in Germany
What did Oppenheimer say after the explosion?
Oppenheimer said "It worked."
Who discovered fission (that an atom could he split and release energy)?
Otto Hahn
Why did Otto Hahn choose to use Uranium in his atomic experiment?
Otto Hahn chose uranium because it's unstable and easy to split.
What event caused Oppenheimer to concentrate on building a bomb that would defeat Hitler?
Pearl Harbor
The author recounts the impressions of the explosion as told by several of the participants. Which person's description did you find helpful in visualizing the explosion and why was it helpful to you?
Rabi's description helped me because when I imagine what he said, "An enormous ball of fire, which grew and grew and it rolled as it grew", putting an imagine of a firey mushroom cloud rising up, which is what the bomb looked like.
Who was the director of the Manhattan Project?
Robert Oppenheimer
During most of World War II, who was the leader of the United States?
Roosevelt
How did Oppenheimer know Robert Serber?
Serber was a former student of Oppenheimer's
Where did Lona Cohen hide the papers Ted Hall had given her?
She hid the papers in a box of tissues, the one thing the FBI didn't check.
How did Haukelid's mother react when the Nazi secret police, the Gestapo, entered her house?
She protected her son by staying quiet and lying about his whereabouts
During World War II, who was the leader of the Soviet Union?
Stalin
Role of Robert Bacher?
Supervisor of the assembly of the bomb's plutonium core
Who was the youngest scientist at Los Alamos?
Ted Hall, 18
Why did Hall think that the world would be safer if a second major country also had the atomic bomb?
That way, neither country would use it on another, knowing they'd get it used on them. A stalemate.
How was the arrival of the British scientists in America both good and bad for the United States?
The British scientists could bring more insight and work force, but it could also increase the chance of spies.
What important committee was Oppenheimer appointed to in 1941?
The Uranium Committee
Should Oppenheimer have reported to General Groves about his conversation with Chevalier? Why might Oppenheimer regret his decision?
Yes, and he regretted it because later in his life , it was used against him in court when he didn't tell anyone about it, rising suspicions that he could be a communist.
What was the name of the location where the plutonium bomb was tested?
Trinity, Alamo Gordo Air Base
At what University did Oppenheimer teach at in the 1930s?
UC Berkeley
What kind of bombs were the first two bombs dropped on Japan?
Uranium, then Plutonium.
Why were the Norwegians determined to destroy Vemork?
Vemork was producing a lot of heavy water, which was crucial to bomb building.
How did Paul Tibbets feel after the explosion?
A feeling of shock and horror, learning how terrible the human race could be to kill its own kind with a bomb.
What potential problems did Groves see in Oppenheimer?
He didn't seem like the type of leader who was into teamwork and was dedicated, and also he had to be cleared by the FBI.
What do you know about Oppenheimer's childhood?
As a child, Oppenheimer was very nerdy, loved physics, was bullied, bilingual, and was often sick.
Role of Donald Hornig?
Babysat the bomb until it was fired, making sure nothing went wrong before the scheduled time.
What did Black expect in return from Gold?
Black expected secrets on the processes to produce certain chemicals
What did Tom Black do to help Harry Gold?
Black got Gold a job at a soap factory
During World War ll, who was the leader of Great Britain?
Churchill
When did the Japanese attack Pearl Harbor?
December 7, 1941 - because of 1. US cut off oil to Japan 2. US sent tiger pilots to train Chinese 3. Annoying pop up cruises in and out of Japanese territory 4. US's fleets were out in the open
What kind of documents interested Gold?
Documents such as plans and formulas for making industrial chemicals interested Gold.
What three things did General Groves request that Oppenheimer not do?
Firstly, it was requested that he shouldn't fly in airplanes of any description. Secondly, that he wasn t to drive over a few miles without protection on a lonely road and thirdly, when driving in town, especially at night, a guard was needed.
What two problems confronted the scientists designing the Gadget?
Firstly, the Gadget had to have a very fast reaction, much faster than in the experiment, to produce a sufficient amount of energy and secondly, it had to be light enough to travel by plane.
What did Gold do to prove his identity to David Greenglass?
Gold said the phrase "I come from Julius", and also the jello box slivers fit perfectly.
Why did Harry Gold trade secrets to Tom Black?
Gold was in debt to Black because Black gave him a job at a soap factory
What good qualities did Groves see in Oppenheimer?
Groves saw he was truly a genius and was also American-born, lessening his chances of being a spy.
How did Hall suggest that Kurnakov could prove that he had given Kurnakov accurate information about the bomb?
Hall suggested to Kurnakov that he should show it to any physicist and they could prove it.
Role of George Kistiakowsky?
He built the molded explosives for the Plutonium bomb / Trinity test
Role of Philip Morrison?
He carried the core of the first atomic bomb
How was the atomic bomb being transported to Japan?
Train, ship (USS Indianapolis), then airplane
Which type of bombs developed in the Manhattan Project - uranium, plutonium, or hydrogen - was the most powerful?
The hydrogen bomb
Who called this mission "dirty work" and wanted to know nothing about it?
The man who called the mission "dirty work" was Army Chief of Staff, George Marshall
What were the requirements for the site of the atomic bomb lab?
The site had to be isolated for secrecy, close to railroad lines, and also to ideally have buildings already built.
Why did Harry Gold confess?
There was too much evidence of his spy life, and was also scared of how people would view him if they found out
How did the papers that Hall and Fuchs turn over give the Soviets and advantage over the Americans?
There would be no trial and error in building the bomb, they would know how to execute it the first try.
Why did the Soviets try to get information about the experiments as Los Alamos from two different informants (Hall and Fuchs)?
They didn't trust Hall was really a random double-agent out of nowhere who wanted to share explicit secrets, he could possibly just be feeding them false information to waste their time. So they added Fuchs to the equation to confirm his truthfulness.
How did the British intelligence officers make sure that Knut Haukelid was the one sending them the coded message?
They had made prearranged security questions.
Why did the workers at Los Alamos have feelings of 'pride and horror' after the atomic bomb was dropped?
They killed many and unleashed the power to wipe all of humans off the earth using something they loved.
Why did the group parachuting into the Hardanger Plateau have so much trouble finding Poulsson's group?
They landed in the bushes instead of the lake, their target, so they were lost.
What did workers at Los Alamos do on Sundays?
They took a rest by fishing, climbing, or horseback riding. Some even discussed physics while looking at the sunset.
Why were the Soviets interested in building an atomic bomb?
They wanted to build one to beat Hitler because if he got one, then the Soviet Union would end.
Why were the Americans so quick to remove the German scientists from Germany?
They wanted to keep atomic research and the intelligent scientists from the Soviets.
Why were the United States and Soviet Union allies?
They were allies because of their common enemy and cold, common sense.
Why was this a dangerous time for the development of an atomic weapon?
This was a dangerous time to build an atomic bomb because if America knew about it, then other countries could potentially know about it, too.
Why did Oppenheimer send Richard Feynman to Oak Ridge?
To educate them about safety and how to handle Uranium
Why did Klaus Fuchs meet with Harry Gold?
To trade information for the soviets
Why did the Germans need heavy water?
To work as a catalyst when Uranium would separate in the bomb.