Important Faces of the Manhattan Project

Secret History

General Leslie Groves

A graduate of West Point, General Leslie Groves was an integral point person during the Manhattan Project. After supervising the building of the Pentagon in Washington, D.C., Groves was promoted to the rank of temporary Brigadier General and placed in charge of the Manhattan Engineer Project. Under his direction, the basic research behind the development of the atomic bomb was carried out. Coming on board in September 1942, Groves’ job was multi-faceted. Each phase of the project was under his direction, from scientific research to production, from security to planning for the use of the world’s first atomic weapon. Groves was in charge of the plants that were constructed at Oak Ridge, Hanford and Los Alamos.

In addition to the construction of each project, Groves played a prominent role in making significant decisions and prioritizing the various methods of isotope separation, acquiring the raw materials the scientists and engineers needed, and in creating the army air force bomber unit which would deliver the finished bombs to their targets. Groves was involved in gathering intelligence on Germany’s atomic research program. Additionally, he helped decide which Japanese cities would be chosen as targets.

After the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki ended the war with Japan, Groves was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal.

In 1944, Groves was promoted to temporary Major General and continued to direct the Atomic Energy Commission until January 1947.

For more information on General Groves, visit en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leslie_Groves