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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.
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Nazi Germany invades Poland, beginning WWII
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MAUD Committee (Military Application of Uranium Detonation) established by Henry Tizard (English chemist and inventor) to investigate feasibility of an atomic bomb
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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"
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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.
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The Japanese attack Pearl Harbour. America declares war on Japan and several days later, Germany declares war on America.
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The Manhattan Project is given permission to use the highest wartime priority rating by the War Production Board.
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Project W-47, which was later known as Project Alberta, is established. The purpose is to plan the delivery of the bomb.
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The 509th Composite group from the USAAF is constituted to deploy the nuclear weapons
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Germany formally surrenders to the Allied powers. This ends the war in Europe.
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"Little Boy" a gun-type atomic bomb, is deployed on Hiroshima (the primary target)
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"Fat Man", an implosion type nuclear weapon, is dropped on Nagasaki, the secondary target, as the primary, Kokura, was obscured by cloud cover
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Japan formally surrenders to Allied powers, ending WWII.
