America created the atomic bomb—or parts of it, at least—at the
Y-12, X-10, and K-25 plants in this city northwest of Knoxville.
Today, Oak Ridge and its plants are still an important component
in the national defense industry. Oak Ridge did not exist before
1942. When nuclear fission was discovered in the late 1930s,
American scientists warned that this technology could be used to
create a weapon more powerful than any known to man. As World
War II escalated, and the United States joined the conflict in
1941, the U.S. military decided to exploit this technology.
Sites in New Mexico, Washington state, and East Tennessee were
chosen for the work. The isolated hills in Tennessee were chosen
because they were close to roads and rail lines, had ample
supply of electricity, and because they would be hard for spies
and curiosity-seekers to discover. Before the land was taken
over by the government, about 3,000 people lived in homes that
were scattered around the hills and valleys. Each homeowner
received a letter s