Los Alamos - Oppenheimer's Secret City

P.O. Box 1663 "I have now become death, the destroyer of worlds,", a seemingly innocuous address in Santa Fe, New Mexico, held a clandestine secret in 1943. Over the next few years, approximately 300 newborns had their birthplace listed as this mysterious location on their birth certificates. The truth was that the real location was kept under wraps, shrouded in secrecy. All correspondence sent to this P.O. box was redirected to a site 33 miles away from Santa Fe, known by various names such as P.O. Box 180, Project Y, and Los Alamos, New Mexico. A covert city had been erected there, housing a community of scientists from different nations. These were the very scientists who had created the first nuclear bomb, a couple of hundred miles away from the site where their invention would be tested - the New Mexico desert, Trinity.

J. Robert Oppenheimer, the brilliant laboratory director, found himself embarking on an unexpected journey - one that would lead him to construct a town and test the world's first nuclear bomb. It all began with a letter from the renowned physicist, Albert Einstein, addressed to President Franklin Delano Roosevelt on August 2nd, 1939. Einstein, inspired by the work of physicists Enrico Fermi and Leo Szilard, warned of the potential for a nuclear chain reaction in a large mass of uranium. He spoke of the splitting of the uranium atom, which could result in the creation of a new type of bomb - one that could be developed and used by either side. After years of research and the United States' entry into World War II, the Army Chief of Staff established a temporary headquarters at 270 Broadway in New York City in June of 1942. This marked the beginning of the Manhattan Project, a top-secret initiative aimed at developing the world's first nuclear weapon. The project was named the "Manhattan District" for the Army Corps of Engineers, and its boundaries were carefully mapped out as administrative areas.

The Manhattan District was a vast expanse of covert operations, encompassing smaller districts with a singular purpose: to construct an atomic weapon. Among the lesser-known sites were a nuclear reactor buried beneath a University of Chicago football field and the Alabama Ordnance Works, which produced heavy water. However, the years 1942 and 1943 saw the establishment of three major locations that would change the course of history. The first was Oak Ridge, Tennessee, also known as Y-12, a sprawling complex nestled between mountains that housed 75,000 workers in absolute secrecy. The second was the Hanford Engineer Works in Washington state, responsible for the bulk of plutonium production. The third and most crucial site was Los Alamos, where the army would create the bomb. Technical Sergeant Ralph Gates immortalized life in Los Alamos with his poignant poem, the Los Alamos Lament, which begins with the haunting words, "I'm just a PO number." Oppenheimer, the mastermind behind the project, believed that a central lab was essential, but Oak Ridge and Chicago were not remote enough. A location near LA was too exposed, and one closer to Reno was prone to heavy snowfall. Thus, Los Alamos became the epicenter of the Manhattan Project, a place where the only sign of wildlife was GI wolves at bay, and the top of the water tower read, "Silence means security."

The mastermind behind the project was none other than General Leslie Groves Jr. of the Army Corps of Engineers. He and Oppenheimer were in complete agreement that New Mexico was the perfect location for their top-secret mission. The state's remote location provided the utmost security, while Oppenheimer's familiarity with the area only added to their confidence. After much scouting, they finally found the ideal spot nestled on the Pajarito Plateau. This location was not only isolated, but also shielded by its high altitude and natural surroundings. Although Jemez Springs was initially considered, it proved to be too challenging for their needs.

The acquisition of the land proved to be a challenging task due to its difficult nature and rugged terrain. However, the nearby location of Los Alamos, situated on a table land between mesas, facilitated the control of entry and any potential accidents. Moreover, a significant portion of the land was already federally-owned. The sole existing structure on the land was a small school that had commenced operations in 1935, which was subsequently sold. The Secretary of War corresponded with the Secretary of Agriculture regarding the military necessity of acquiring the remaining federally-owned lands. The request was granted for a demolition range spanning 54,000 acres. Consequently, Los Alamos was activated on April 1st, 1943. The transformation of P.O. Box 1663 from an outdoorsy ranch school with buildings into a community conducting the most advanced research in the world was remarkable. Although roads were rapidly developed, the town remained isolated.

The population of Los Alamos grew from a mere 1500 to a staggering 5700 by the year 1945. Such a rapid growth spurt necessitated the construction of humble hutments, which dotted the landscape alongside towering apartment buildings. Amidst this bustling hub of activity, one could find the facilities for graphite fabrication, as well as the cyclotron and Van de Graaff machines. It was here that the world's most brilliant researchers congregated, including the likes of Dorothy McKibbin, who was in charge of receiving new personnel. Oppenheimer himself could be seen chatting amiably with physicist Victor Weisskopf, while Enrico Fermi took a leisurely hike through the picturesque surroundings. Edward Teller, who would later be hailed as the father of the hydrogen bomb, proudly displayed his ID badge. However, the Medical Corps colonel was quick to point out that this intellectual group posed unique challenges for a military operation. "The large percentage of intellectuals... will require and seek more medical care than the average person,” he wrote to Leslie Groves. And as if that weren't enough, one-fifth of the married women in Los Alamos found themselves with child, making maternity wards an absolute necessity.

The past and the atomic future collided in a curious intersection. In those days, ice was harvested from nearby ponds and stored in ice houses, for the elusive electric fridges were a luxury few could afford. Meanwhile, the Bendix washer was causing a stir in the laundry world, revolutionizing the way we washed our clothes. In 1943, a classified ad in the Santa Fe New Mexican was seeking one of these marvels to be shipped to P.O. Box 1663 for wartime work. But amidst all these cultural phenomena, there was one singular purpose: to build a bomb. And they needed a place to test it.

Enter the Trinity site, a hastily erected base camp in the Jornada del Muerto Valley, chosen for its flat terrain and isolation from civilization. The desert training center in Rice, California was a close runner-up, but it lacked the necessary proximity to Los Alamos. The winning site had to meet the most extreme version of the Los Alamos criteria: isolated yet close enough to the lab, good weather, and nearby highways like US-85 and 380. And so, the Trinity site became the birthplace of the first atomic bomb, a testament to the ingenuity and determination of those who built it.

Over two hundred souls found their home in the camp, nestled in the heart of the New Mexico desert. The air was thick with anticipation as the scientists prepared for the ultimate experiment. A 100 ton explosion in May 1945 was just the beginning. The Gadget, a nuclear device, was meticulously crafted in the following weeks. And then, on July 16th, 1945, the moment of truth arrived. The first test of this new cosmic force was about to take place. The Los Alamos Lament was penned in the aftermath of that fateful day, before the world was forever changed by the August bombing of Japan.

In the end, the Manhattan Project was a success and it would go on to change the course of history forever. Oppenheimer's role in this historic achievement would be forever remembered, as would the sacrifices made by all those involved in the Manhattan Project.