Dated.
Starting in 1942, the U.S. government began quietly
acquiring more than 60,000 acres in Eastern Tennessee for the Manhattan
Project -- the secret World War II program that developed the atomic
bomb. The government needed land to build massive facilities to refine
and develop nuclear materials for these new weapons, without attracting
the attention of enemy spies. The result was a secret town named Oak
Ridge that housed tens of thousands of workers and their families.
The entire town and facility were fenced in, with armed guards posted at all entries. Workers were sworn to secrecy and only informed of the specific tasks they needed to perform. Most were unaware of the exact nature of their final product until the nuclear bombs were dropped on Japan in 1945. Photographer Ed Westcott (the only authorized photographer on the facility) took many photos of Oak Ridge during the war years and afterwards, capturing construction, scientific experiments, military maneuvers, and everyday life in a 1940s company town (where the company happens to be the U.S. government).
The entire town and facility were fenced in, with armed guards posted at all entries. Workers were sworn to secrecy and only informed of the specific tasks they needed to perform. Most were unaware of the exact nature of their final product until the nuclear bombs were dropped on Japan in 1945. Photographer Ed Westcott (the only authorized photographer on the facility) took many photos of Oak Ridge during the war years and afterwards, capturing construction, scientific experiments, military maneuvers, and everyday life in a 1940s company town (where the company happens to be the U.S. government).
More @ The Atlantic
Most impressive, if I may say so myself. A whole city materialized around the largest
ReplyDeletefacility in the world at that time. Is it a good thing; debatable.
:) Over and done with.
DeleteI often wonder when I see this facility on the news, how many people have come
ReplyDeletedown with cancer depending on which way the wind blew. That steam pouring out
of the smoke stacks isn't just steam. Haywood Cnty, NC had the highest breast
cancer rate than any county in the US per capita. There were three very toxic
manf. plants along with Champion which spewed out eleven carcinogens from its
'steam.' Champion tried to reassure everyone by the news it was just steam.
Come to find out, this was not the case.
Interesting. Thanks for the info.
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