The Manhattan Project Essay, Research Paper

Whenever there is a new invention which could strengthen a country, but it is critical to keep it a secret, the government usually takes over. Sometimes, the information is brought to the government first. This was the case with the development of the atomic bomb. The promise and threat of the power of an atomic device were presented to President Roosevelt in a letter signed by Albert Einstein, and its importance was acknowledged by Roosevelt. The seed for the Manhattan Project, as the development of the atomic bomb became called (codenamed Manhattan Engineer District, or MED), was planted. However, knowledge of the United States new weapon was not to be widespread. The Manhattan Project was kept secret via the top secret designation, compartmentalization, and informing the least number of people.

General Leslie R. Groves headed the Manhattan Project almost from its inception in 1942 until 1947, when atomic energy affairs were turned over to the newly created civilian Atomic Energy Commission. He was in charge of all phases of it scientific, technical and process development, construction, production, security and military intelligence of enemy activities,and planning for the use of the bomb.

For about the first year, internal security in the MED was supervised by War Department Counter Intelligence. As far back as February 1942, they and J. Edgar Hoover of the FBI had agreed upon the various phases of security each organization would cover. The War Department s area of responsibility was to include all its civilian employees, as well as all civilians on military reservations or under military control.

It was not until much later in 1943 that a reorientation in the counterintelligence operations of the War Department made it impossible to rely any longer on the centralized organization. The next course of action for the MED was to set up a complete security staff. When it became necessary to move this activity into the MED a special counterintelligence group was formed, adding to the existing security force. Later a few additions were made to this, but in the main it was kept as it was originally formed. By the end of the war the MED s force of creeps, as they became known, numbered 485.

Throughout the entire history of the MED, both before this changeover and after, there was the fullest cooperation between the FBI and the MED security organization. This was vital, for the FBI had a great deal of background information that was of much value to the MED, and the MED was acquiring information that was of interest to the FBI. There were also persons with Russian connections entirely outside the MED s control who were attempting to procure information about the project. Since they were also trying to secure other military information, they were under the surveillance of the FBI. The closest cooperation was essential.

The basic security problem was to establish controls over the various members of the project that would minimize the potential of vital secrets falling into enemy hands. Dr. Vannevar Bush, Chairman of the Office of Scientific Research, had already expressed concern over the risks acquired through the free exchange of information among the various people in the project. This exchange had to be stopped, if the United States was to beat its opponents in the race for the first atomic bomb. To General Groves, compartmentalization of knowledge was the very heart of security. My rule was simple and not capable of misinterpretation each individual should know everything he needed to know to do his job and nothing else. Abidance to this rule not only provided a measure of security, but it greatly improved overall efficiency by making people mind their own business. It also made it clear to all concerned that the project existed to produce a specific end product not to enable individuals to satisfy their curiosity or increase their scientific knowledge.

No definite country was named to Groves to be the one at which the major security effort should be aimed. It only seemed logical to direct it toward the Axis Powers, with particular emphasis on Germany. Germany was the only enemy with the capacity to take advantage of any information it might gain from the United States.

Every effort was made to find out before employing anyone whether there was anything in their background that would make them a possible source of danger, paying particular attention to their vulnerability to blackmail, arising from some prior indiscretion. A new person was usually kept on nonsecret phases of the work until a hurried investigation could be completed. Since there was no assurance that secret information might not be disclosed during the original discussion of employment, the MED tried to be certain, even before approaching the person, that there was no likelihood that they would prove unqualified.

A number of foreign-born persons were employed throughout the project, although it was impossible to obtain any but the least bit of information regarding their past activities. Several of these people were refugees from countries with which the United States was now at war, or from other countries whose ideologies they had been unable to accept. Although it seemed highly probable that they could be entrusted to share secret information affecting the security of the United States, it was always possible that someone with disloyal intentions might slip through the screening procedures. Despite the fact that there was so much at stake, a number of critics within the project enjoyed talking about the Gestapo methods. However, it was deemed necessary to maintain reasonable security checks on those whose records of prior affiliations were not available to the United States or the British Government.

Early in 1946 an additional safeguard was adopted the lie detector. It was used chiefly on people who had access to the final product chemistry building, to make certain that no one had taken, or knew of anyone who had taken, material from the plant. The first tests were carried out under the supervision of the inventor of the instrument, and one of his assistants was retained to conduct tests whenever necessary.

There were several misfortunate security breaches, but none of them, so far as was ever discovered, attracted any particular interest. Except for the treachery of Klaus Fuchs, most were unintentional. Through restrictions on the exchange of information, compartmentalization, and confidential classification, the Manhattan Engineer District remained virtually unknown to all except those involved in it. General Groves supervised the Manhattan Project in its entirety. Groves designed the MED security system. His m.y.o.b. principle led to the increased efficiency and a clear statement of the Manhattan Project s goal. Groves was also adamant about the use of background checks to insure the safety of the MED s unknown quality. Through Groves and the actions of others, the Manhattan Project was a success for America.