October 2020 Codebreaker: History’s Most Secret Project

The Manhattan Project was the topic of a presentation by Alan B. Carr, Senior Historian for Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), at the virtual CAES Codebreaker seminar on October 1. Considered the most secret project in history, the Manhattan Project was a research and development endeavor in World War II that led to the creation of the first nuclear weapons and the national laboratory system of which INL is a part. Over the course of the nearly $2B project, it employed more than half a million people and took place at sites nationwide. The actual atomic bombs were designed at Los Alamos, chosen largely for its remote location. Carr's presentation delved into the history of the Manhattan Project, including the Trinity Test and the atomic strikes that helped end the war. In addition to his role as Senior Historian, Carr serves as a program manager at LANL and has produced several publications/lectures pertaining to the Manhattan Project, nuclear testing history, and the historical evolution of our national labs.

The monthly CAES Codebreaker seminar provides a forum for students and researchers to address their work, communicate opportunities and challenges to a receptive audience, and increase dialogue among CAES affiliates leading to further interdisciplinary collaborations and new research. It takes place on the first Thursday of the month from 3:30-5 pm MT.

Go here to download the slides from Carr’s presentation.