Masters Theses

Date of Award

12-2005

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Major

History

Major Professor

George White

Committee Members

G. Kurt Piehler, Bruce Wheeler

Abstract

The city of Oak Ridge was one of three major project sites built by the US Army during the Manhattan Project – the top-secret mission started in June 1942 in order to develop an atomic bomb within a three year period. The Oak Ridge site, chosen in September 1942, was responsible for the production of the uranium that armed the world’s first atomic bomb. Prior to the dropping of the atomic bomb, however, the real mission of Oak Ridge was known to only a few select individuals. Indeed, most of the residents and workers at the production plants in Oak Ridge knew only that their efforts were, in some way, contributing to the war effort.

The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of the Manhattan Project on the children of Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Children who were born in Oak Ridge during or shortly after the Manhattan Project, or who moved to Oak Ridge during or shortly after the Manhattan Project answered survey questions and were interviewed by the author. These findings supplemented the written record about Oak Ridge.

While the children of Oak Ridge grew up in a unique cultural environment because their city was dominated by the mission of the Manhattan Project, this study reveals that they were surrounded by an enriching community and educational atmosphere which caused many to develop a profound appreciation for the original mission of Oak Ridge and the environment in which they lived.

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