In what U.S. state was the first atomic bomb tested?

The first test of the atomic bomb was at the Trinity bomb site in central New Mexico. On July 16, 1945 the first atomic bomb was detonated in the Jornada del Muerto desert about 35 miles southeast of Socorro, New Mexico near the Los Alamos research facility. Dr. J. Robert Oppenheimer, director of the project, watched the mushroom cloud rise into the New Mexico sky. “Now I am become death, destroyer of worlds,” he uttered, reciting a passage from an ancient Hindu text. News of the successful test was relayed to President Harry S. Truman, who was meeting with Soviet leader Joseph Stalin in Potsdam to discuss the postwar world.

The U.S. hoped that possession of the atomic bomb would be America’s trump card in dealing with the Soviets after the war. Use of the weapon against the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945 demonstrated the destructive force of the atomic bomb. America's monopoly in having the bomb did not last long. By 1949, the Soviet Union had developed their own atomic bomb, which was the start of the nuclear arms race between the U.S. and Soviet Union.

More Info: en.wikipedia.org

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39 Comments

Robert Nielsen

Stormi Chavez, The Nevada test site didn't become operational unti 1951...New Mexico was the state where the Trinity bomb exploded on July 16, 1945.

Joe Cilia

This was a great and quick history lesson for our younger generations.

stlmark

On the way to the test, J. Robert Oppenheimer, the head of the project, was told by a colleague, "You know, Bob, that we could have a two-billion dollar dud on our hands." It wasn't until it exploded that they knew for certain they had succeeded.

stlmark

cbireland, Sorry, but they were guilty as charged, as recently released documents demonstrate. However, Anthony is also incorrect in exclusively blaming them. Other culprits, especially Klaus Fuchs, gave the Soviets most of the material they used to create their own nuclear bombs.

Ruth Cost

Terrific, eventually it would have been made, but should we just because we can seems to always b the right question.

wordster

laurabushar, Indeed. In fact, we seem to have declined to the point where we now have a pseudo-government headed by people with no character at all. It is not nuclear weapons that will destroy us; it is stupidity, short-sighted greed, ignorance and incompetence.

laurabushar

Truman was the last of his kind. We could use more of his character in government today.

marleyventures

I'm astonished that we are still under the threat of these weapons that if used, will end civilization. Let's hope the people of the world come together and destroy them all.

Don Racette

Debi Duncan I'm DOGgone sorry to hear that.

Cathy Severns

It was at White Sands.

Debi Duncan

I didn’t have any idea, hmm

joneal

No president had a more difficult decision to make than Harry Truman when he give the order to "drop the atomic bomb" on Japanese cities. From historical prospectus, Mr. Truman could not be "bought" although some have suggested he had the most corrupt administration. I have not completed enough research to form an educated opinion about the truth of that statement. I do know he and Bessie drove home to Missouri without escort or assistance after Dwight Eisenhower was sworn into office. Finally, once Congress discovered his annual salary was less than $15K, they passed a bill to raise his annual salary to $25k.

Steve Schofro

Not known much but Germany developed their own bomb technology but lacked the fissionable material. Russia got most of the German technology and many of those scientists. Both sides US and Russia shared most of the V2 Rockets and many of the scientist. We got Werner Von Braun who handled our space program.

patrhea

Got it! I was five weeks old when this happened. Of course I knew nothing about it then, but clearly recall my family talking about it and how fearful of destroying our world.