The first war of physics : the secret history of the atom bomb : 1939-1949

An epic story of science and technology at the very limits of human understanding: the monumental race to build the first atomic weapons.Rich in personality, action, confrontation, and deception, The First War of Physics is the first fully realized popular account of the race to build humankind's most destructive weapon. The book draws on declassified material, such as MI6's Farm Hall transcripts, coded soviet messages cracked by American cryptographers in the Venona project, and interpretations by Russian scholars of documents from the soviet archives. Jim Baggott weaves these threads into a dramatic narrative that spans ten historic years, from the discovery of nuclear fission in 1939 to the aftermath of 'Joe-1,’ August 1949's first Soviet atomic bomb test. Why did physicists persist in developing the atomic bomb, despite the devastation that it could bring? Why, despite having a clear head start, did Hitler's physicists fail? Could the soviets have developed the bomb without spies like Klaus Fuchs or Donald Maclean? Did the allies really plot to assassinate a key member of the German bomb program? Did the physicists knowingly inspire the arms race? The First War of Physics is a grand and frightening story of scientific ambition, intrigue, and genius: a tale barely believable as fiction, which just happens to be historical fact. 24 pages of black-and-white photographs

An epic story of science and technology at the very limits of human understanding: the monumental race to build the first atomic weapons.

Rich in personality, action, confrontation, and deception, The First War of Physics is the first fully realized popular account of the race to build humankind's most destructive weapon. The book draws on declassified material, such as MI6's Farm Hall transcripts, coded soviet messages cracked by American cryptographers in the Venona project, and interpretations by Russian scholars of documents from the soviet archives.

Jim Baggott weaves these threads into a dramatic narrative that spans ten historic years, from the discovery of nuclear fission in 1939 to the aftermath of 'Joe-1,’ August 1949's first Soviet atomic bomb test.
Why did physicists persist in developing the atomic bomb, despite the devastation that it could bring?
Why, despite having a clear head start, did Hitler's physicists fail? Could the soviets have developed the bomb without spies like Klaus Fuchs or Donald Maclean? Did the allies really plot to assassinate a key member of the German bomb program? Did the physicists knowingly inspire the arms race?
The First War of Physics is a grand and frightening story of scientific ambition, intrigue, and genius: a tale barely believable as fiction, which just happens to be historical fact.

An epic story of science and technology at the very limits of human understanding: the monumental race to build the first atomic weapons Rich in personality, action, confrontation, and deception, The First War of Physics is the first fully realized popular account of the race to build humankind's most destructive weapon. A grand and frightening story of scientific ambition, intrigue, and genius, this tale is barely believable as fiction, but just happens to be historical fact. pt. 1. Mobilisation The uranverein Element 94 Critical mass A visit to Copenhagen Tube alloys pt. 2. Weapon A modest request The Italian navigator Los Alamos Ranch School [ENORMOZ] Escape from Copenhagen pt. 3. War Uncle Nick Mortal crimes Alsos and AZUSA The final push Trinity Hypocentre Operation Epsilon pt. 4. Proliferation [Dognat i peregnat] Iron Curtain Crossroads Arzamas-16 Joe-1. Drawing on declassified material, the author offers a dramatic narrative of the 10-year race to build the world's most destructive weapon, from the discovery of nuclear fission to the aftermath of the first Soviet atomic bomb test, with an equal focus on both science and politics