Chapter 4 The Bomb Summary and Analysis

During World War II, in late 1943, J. Robert Oppenheimer invited von Neumann to join the Manhattan project, the secret US program to build an atomic bomb. The project was located in Los Alamos, New Mexico. Many of the of the greatest scientist of the day joined von Neumann on the project in a rush to create a bomb before Germany or Russia could. Von Neumann as instrumental to solving an important technical problem that allowed for the development of the "fat man" bomb that could be used as a basis for later nuclear devices.

During this time, von Neumann's friend, Merrill Flood, would use game theory to help the Allies improve bombing efficiency in Europe. Von Neumann also helped to develop the strategy of how to use the bomb to end the war in Japan. John thought...