Leslie Groves – Manhattan Project Records & Files

Description

Leslie Groves and the Manhattan Project Timeline

Timeline of Main Events

• June 1916 – February 1948: Leslie R. Groves served in the United States Army Corps of Engineers, with his efficiency/fitness reports covering this period.
• November 1918 – July 1970: Leslie R. Groves’ military service documents span this timeframe.
• January 1920 – April 1970: Leslie R. Groves’ medical records are maintained for this period.
• April 1924 – August 1948: Leslie R. Groves received various awards, decorations, and commendations during this time.
• 1940 – 1962: American newspapers extensively covered news about Leslie Groves.
• September 1942: President Roosevelt ordered the War Department to assign the task of overseeing the building of the atomic bomb to Leslie Groves. Groves was selected to head the Manhattan Project and organize the work of scientists.
• 1942 – 1946: The “Manhattan District History – Nonscientific Aspects of Los Alamos Project Y” covers this period, specifically focusing on the Los Alamos Project.
• 1948: A photograph of Leslie Groves was taken and included in his personnel file.
• 1994: The “Acquisition Systems Protection Planning the Manhattan Project – A Case Study” was published.
• 1996: “Truman’s Atomic Bomb Decision – An Attack on Japan’s Center of Gravity” was published.
• 2010: “The Role of Congress in the Strategic Posture of the United States, 1942-1960 – Manhattan Project to the New Look” was published.
• 2014: “Atomic Army – The Roles of the U.S. Army in America’s Nuclear Endeavors” was published.

Cast of Characters

• Lieutenant General Leslie Richard Groves Jr. (1896 – 1970): A United States Army Corps of Engineers officer. He is noted for overseeing the construction of the Pentagon and, most significantly, directing the top-secret Manhattan Project during World War II, which developed the atomic bomb. He was selected by President Roosevelt in September 1942 to lead this monumental effort and organize the scientific work. Robert Norris credits Groves’ “vision, drive, and administrative ability” as crucial for the timely completion of the atomic bomb.
• President Roosevelt: The U.S. President who, in September 1942, ordered the War Department to task Leslie Groves with overseeing the atomic bomb’s development, thus initiating Groves’ leadership of the Manhattan Project.
• Robert Norris: Author of “Racing for the Bomb,” a book in which he highly praises Leslie Groves’ leadership, stating that “Without Groves’ vision, drive, and administrative ability, it is highly unlikely that the atomic bomb would have been completed when it was.”