World War II
was a time when secrecy was often a necessary part of security. The secrecy surrounding the
development to of the atomic bomb was particularly thick. Since that veil was
lifted, Las Alamos, Nevada, has become strongly associated with
the bomb, as it should be. However, there were other locations critical to the
project. Denis Kiernan discusses one of them, Oak Ridge, Tennessee, in her book The Girls of Atomic City.
The Clinton Engineer Works was part of the Manhattan Project. Its purpose was the enrichment of
uranium to supply the research, development and construction of an atomic
weapon. When it was built, the Army took over thousands of acres of farmland in Tennessee,
displacing the residents. Oak Ridge did not exist before the project.
As the title suggests,
Kiernan focuses on the role of women at the Clinton Engineer Works, as the area
was known when it was a military reservation. The book draws on her
interviews with women who worked at the site; the
experiences of nine particular women serve as guideposts for the story. These
women served in a variety of roles: statistician, chemist, inspector, equipment operator,
nurse, secretary, and janitor. Some became wives and mothers as well during the war years. It was
an interesting time when there was space for women in science, technology and manufacturing, but not a lot.
Kiernan reaches outside
of Oak Ridge to mention other notable women who played a part. German physicist Lise Meitner coined the term nuclear fission; she
had Jewish ancestors and fled to Sweden as the Nazis came to power in her homeland.
Earlier, Ida Noddack was the first to suggest that the
atomic nucleus could split, an idea that was initially rejected by many
scientists studying radioactivity and the inner workings of the atom.
The growth of families
in a place designed solely for one purpose suggested a result that had not been
considered when the Army started to build the Clinton Engineer Works. Oak Ridge
was becoming a community and it eventually became an incorporated city (in 1958 by a vote of the residents after federal and state laws opened the opportunity). Though the population dropped
dramatically from its war-time peak, Oak Ridge remained a center for research
in nuclear energy and the peace-time use of radioactive
materials as it transitioned to civilian control. Today the Oak Ridge National Laboratory continues research in energy and
computing. The city of Oak Ridge continues as well, still connected to its past
as a unique factory town, but in many way a city like any other.
If you’re interested in
this book, you may also be interested in
Kiernan, Denise. The Girls of Atomic City: The Untold Story
of the Women Who Helped Win World War II. 2013. New York Touchstone: 2014.
