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Einstein–Szilárd letter
Einstein composes a letter to President Roosevelt, urging him to fund research for atomic weapons, as Nazi Germany may be looking into the same thing. -
Invasion of Poland
Nazi Germany invades Poland, beginning WWII -
MAUD developed
MAUD Committee (Military Application of Uranium Detonation) established by Henry Tizard (English chemist and inventor) to investigate feasibility of an atomic bomb -
Realization of nuclear bomb
Franz Simon (physical chemist) reports to MAUD that uranium-235 can be separated using gaseous diffusion. Gives cost estimates and technical specifications. James Chadwick (physicist) realizes "a nuclear bomb...is inevitable" -
Final Report
The MAUD Committee issues final detailed technical report on design and costs to develop a bomb. Advance copy sent to Vannevar Bush (American engineer) who decides to wait for official version before taking any action. -
Pearl Harbour
The Japanese attack Pearl Harbour. America declares war on Japan and several days later, Germany declares war on America. -
Urgent
The Manhattan Project is given permission to use the highest wartime priority rating by the War Production Board. -
Project W-47
Project W-47, which was later known as Project Alberta, is established. The purpose is to plan the delivery of the bomb. -
509th USAAF
The 509th Composite group from the USAAF is constituted to deploy the nuclear weapons -
Germany Surrenders
Germany formally surrenders to the Allied powers. This ends the war in Europe. -
Hiroshima bombed
"Little Boy" a gun-type atomic bomb, is deployed on Hiroshima (the primary target) -
Nagasaki bombed
"Fat Man", an implosion type nuclear weapon, is dropped on Nagasaki, the secondary target, as the primary, Kokura, was obscured by cloud cover -
Surrender of Japan
Japan formally surrenders to Allied powers, ending WWII.
