Oral Histories

This program was recorded at the 25th anniversary of the construction of the B Reactor, the world’s first full-scale nuclear reactor, in Hanford, WA. Leading Manhattan Project scientists, including Glenn Seaborg, John Wheeler, Lombard Squires, and Norman Hilberry, as well as its military leaders, General Leslie R. Groves and Colonel Franklin Matthias, participated in the ceremony. They discussed the start of the Manhattan Project, how the reactor’s site was chosen, the challenges of building the reactor and the chemical separations plant, and the different processes that were considered to separate plutonium. They also recalled the relationship between the military and civilian scientists and why they became involved in the Manhattan Project to help win World War II. They philosophized on the significance of nuclear power and its potential for future projects, from agriculture to space exploration.

James R. Chapman worked on the Manhattan Project for Stone and Webster, which helped build the Y-12 Electromagnetic Separation Plant. He talks about his work at Oak Ridge, and especially the time pressure that the project faced and the speed with which he and his fellow engineers worked. He also discusses the day-to-day lives of scientists working at Oak Ridge.