The Untold Story of the Atomic Bomb

Sponsored by The Reader's Digest, Groueff, a Paris-Match reporter, has written a prodigious account of the multiple efforts that went into the creation of the first atomic bomb between 1942 and 1945. The book is primarily a history of the men involved, with Groves, the military commander, being the author's obvious hero. Reading like the account of a hurdle race, the book delves into a discussion of a problem and then "finds" and describes the man who overcame it. This includes the building of Oak Ridge, Fermi's atomic pile, the electromagnetic process, the crises over the barrier and the valves for the gaseous diffusion process, and the last-minute decisions concerning the implosion process with plutonium. Groueff effectively conveys a scene of fantastic activity, where different solutions to one problem were worked on simultaneously, where industrial equipment came before scientific results were known, and where the "impossible" was achieved in time. The material is fascinating, and the scientific information is well presented, providing an excellent overall view of a monumental project.

Groueff has, for the first time, given due recognition to some of the minor figures, particularly engineers and technicians, and has preserved in his pages much information that would otherwise perish with the participants or lie forever buried in the archives. The book covers the Manhattan Project from its beginning in 1942 to the bombing of Hiroshima, concentrating on the engineering and industrial effort that went into producing the first atomic weapons. The result is a popular but responsible account, episodic in structure, rich in detail and human interest, where, for the first time, a book aimed at the mass market gives engineers and industrialists their due. It is a great story of the almost incredibly complex task of translating theory into industrial and military reality.

The text of the narrative is so intriguing in fact and in style that, once begun, it cannot be put down until the end. In these pages, the names and roles of some of the world's greatest scientists and engineers unfold in thrilling parade, with Dr. Vannevar Bush as the leader. These men of vast knowledge and ability unite with the commercial managers and their companies mobilized by the hundreds for the construction and operation of the many facilities involved. The book maintains a high degree of exciting suspense and is a fascinating account of a stupendous effort.

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