Dayton’s Classified Nuclear Past

“The work in Dayton was so essential to the success of the bomb project and so deeply hidden within the already-secure Manhattan Project…” (60).

The Book

When most people hear about the development of the atomic bomb, their first thought is not Dayton, Ohio. Author Linda Carrick Thomas sets out to change that in Polonium in the Playhouse: The Manhattan Project’s Secret Chemistry Work in Dayton, Ohio. That secret work, to produce refined polonium for the nuclear bomb trigger mechanism, still remains the most classified aspect of the Manhattan Project today.

The first atomic bomb was dropped on August 6, 1945. Only seven years earlier evidence of nuclear fission was found in uranium, making atomic weapons possible; and, four years earlier British scientists announced that an atomic bomb could be ready in two years. These two events accelerated the work of US scientists and military personnel in atomic weapons. The Manhattan Project was created in the summer of 1942 and housed in the Army, to ensure total secrecy. There were several locations throughout the country that were compartmentalized to help protect the work from any leaks.

Dayton was home to several locations, beginning in the spring of 1943. The Dayton Project operated in the Monsanto laboratory, leased space from the Dayton Board of Education, and converted the Talbott family’s private hall. The latter two were located in the heart of neighborhoods. Twenty-four-hour guards kept an eye on the work, as trucks with radioactive material drove in and out of the facilities. The chemists in Dayton purified polonium for the plutonium implosion bomb, with the first shipment for purification arriving in April 1945. Three months later, there was enough purified to test the first atomic bomb in New Mexico. Just two weeks after that, the parts for the plutonium bomb (Fat Man) arrived in the Pacific and it was dropped on Nagasaki August 9. It isn’t until then that the Dayton Project workers finally learned what they had been working on.

After World War II, nuclear research transitioned to universities and national laboratories. A new facility was built in Miamisburg, Ohio to continue the polonium work until it was decommissioned in 1993. Parts of the Dayton Project were declassified in 1983 and the late 1990s. As of the writing of this book, 2017, some is still classified.

Polonium in the Playhouse is a compact book that introduces the reader to many different parts of the story: the Manhattan Project, the Dayton Project, chemistry and nuclear research, and key individuals. For the most part, the chapters move quickly and the science is easy to follow. Thomas situates the Dayton Project within the greater Manhattan Project, explains the methods for recovering polonium from lead dioxide, and describes the polonium purification process. I found it helpful to read the first appendix, a science primer, before the narrative dives into the development of the bomb (in between chapters two and three). Black and white photos, charts, and drawings—directly related to the surrounding text—help readers visualize the people and science.

The Place

The Mound Cold War Discovery Center could be easily missed. It’s 20 minutes south of Dayton and in an unassuming office building. Across the street is the Miamisburg Mound, a prehistoric burial site that commands your attention more than the Discovery Center. However, once inside, visitors quickly learn how significant this site was to the ending of World War II. When I went with my dad—a former chemist and employee for a nuclear energy company—we spent quite a bit of time there. The accessible hands-on exhibits and artifacts helped to tell the story that began with racing to develop an atomic bomb and ended with satellite communications. I particularly enjoyed the Geiger counter that demonstrates how radiation protection works.

The Discovery Center is open Wednesday-Saturday from 10am to 4pm; admission and parking are free. It is self-guided, but group tours can be arranged. Depending on your interest level, you could spend less than an hour or over an hour there. The Mound Cold War Discovery Center is worth the drive, for it is just another reminder about the role Dayton has played in historic events throughout the years.

V-J Day

"At 7:30am, the Japanese boarded the destroyer, which headed out into the enormous bay for the sixteen-mile run to the Missouri. On every side they could see the truly awesome might of the American Navy, which had converged from all parts of the Pacific and now crowded Tokyo Bay” (258).

The Book

What would have happened if the United States hadn’t dropped the atomic bomb? What if the Japanese military had succeeded in overthrowing the government and resisting surrender? We will never know the answers to these questions, but The Fall of Japan by William Craig does explore the final year of the war in the Pacific (fall 1944-fall 1945). In a sense, it can help the reader understand what could have happened.

In fall 1944, as the US began to take back the Pacific, the Imperial Army and Navy grew desperate in military strategy, a forewarning to what an invasion of Japan could bring. New Japanese leadership opened up back-channel diplomacy in secret, wary of the fanatical and extremist members of the military. At the same time, the US developed the atomic bomb and bomber crews began secret training. 

On July 26, 1945, the Potsdam Declaration requested immediate surrender from the Japanese or a promise of complete destruction. As the Japanese leaders deliberated, two atomic bombs were dropped in Japan and the leaders faced a new incentive to surrender. The Emperor broke the stalemate and directed leaders to accept the surrender terms. This decision ignited a coup among military leaders. While it didn’t last long, soldiers did take control of the palace and attacked several government members. The fanatical individuals still harbored ideas of a coup well into the discussions regarding US occupation of Japan. The US occupying force arrived in Japan on August 28 and the surrender documents were signed on September 2. The Fall of Japan closes with the crew of Bock’s Car (the plane that dropped the atomic bomb on Nagasaki) walking through Nagasaki and observing the damage to people and places. 

There is so much packed into this book and it is difficult to summarize all the threads. Brief side stories provide helpful context and an understanding for how history unfolded after the end of World War II. Craig pivots the narrative between Japanese and US perspectives, allowing the reader to feel like they are experiencing the moments: the mission to drop the atomic bombs, the aftermath of bomb in Nagasaki, the attempted coups by the Japanese military, the discussion of occupation, and the surrender on the USS Missouri. These pivots are interspersed with brief biographies of key players and a better sense of Japanese military culture. Quite a bit of time is dedicated to unpacking the struggle between those who wanted to surrender and those who didn’t. While I am not sure how accurate the dialogue is, it does help place the reader in the moment. Overall, the book is easy to read and includes many details and descriptions that were new to me.

The Place

When most people visit Hawaii, Pearl Harbor is at the top of their list. What most people (including myself) don’t realize is that, in the same harbor, rests a memorial to the start of America’s involvement in World War II and the ship that witnessed the end of World War II. The Battleship Missouri saw action in the Pacific Theater and witnessed the signing of the Japanese surrender documents. After World War II, the USS Missouri was used during the Korean War and Gulf War before becoming a history museum in Hawaii. 

When I visited, my family spent the morning touring the USS Arizona Memorial and exhibits dedicated to the attack on Pearl Harbor. In the afternoon, we drove over to Ford Island to tour the USS Missouri. This was a great way to experience the significance of these two attractions. We took the general tour that focused on the role of the USS Missouri in World War II. The tours conclusion is at the exact spot where the Japanese officially surrendered to the Allied forces. The location isn’t lost on visitors and one is reminded of the sacrifice made by thousands of men to get to that point. Following the tour, we took our time wandering throughout the decks, seeing what life was like on the “Mighty Mo” and learning more from permanent and temporary exhibits.

Due to COVID, hours are reduced and face coverings are required indoors/recommended outdoors. Tickets can be purchased online and the general tour is included. If a trip to Hawaii isn’t in your near future, virtual tours are available.

The Enemy Below

“…since 1954 [U-505] has rested high and dry among the trees in Jackson Park alongside the Museum [of Science and Industry] near the shore of Lake Michigan” (1).

The Book

Rear Admiral Daniel V. Gallery, USN presents the reader with a unique memoir: the capture of a Nazi submarine, the U-505. But it is more than a recounting of one moment at sea, Twenty Million Tons Under the Sea packs in the Battle of the Atlantic, U-boat details, a biography of the U-505, and editorializing from a seasoned sailor.

The majority of the book focuses on the story of the U-505. Work on the U-505 was completed in 1941; it was first stationed off the coast of Africa and then in the Caribbean. Under its first captain, the U-505 was successful in her quest to sink many ships. However, when the captain changed, the crew encountered “bad luck.” Most likely that luck can be traced to French workers sabotaging the U-boats when they came back to port. Intermittently, Gallery will interject the U-505 narrative with an explanation of where he was stationed or naval tactics. The book moves towards its climactic moment: a play by play of the June 1944 capture of U-505. In the final pages of the book, Gallery details how the U-505 ended up in the Museum of Science and Industry and shares his thoughts on war and what we should learn and remember.

Like most memoirs, Twenty Million Tons Under the Sea, reads like a conversation. Gallery writes what happened, provides his own opinions, and creates dialogue for the U-505 crew. Some of the information in the book comes from the captured records on the U-505 as well as correspondence with the crew after World War II. The best part about this book is the focus on a part of World War II that is not prominent in education. Gallery seems aware that his reader lacks detailed knowledge of submarines and the Battle of the Atlantic, taking the time to explain and clarify.

Today, the U-505 is beached in a museum, but it is much more than a popular exhibit: on September 25, 1954 it was “dedicated as a memorial to the 55,000 Americans who have lost their lives at sea” (325).

The Place
The U-505 exhibit immerses visitors into the story of the “first enemy war ship captured [by the United States Navy] in battle on the high seas since 1815” (315). The walk to the submarine explains the Battle of the Atlantic from the toll U-boats took on shipping to the capture of U-505. Then, you turn a corner and are confronted with the massive U-boat; looking down on it, as the American sailors would have in 1944. Visitors to the museum can pay extra for a tour of the submarine; this is well worth the cost. The tour is popular, so it would be wise to buy tickets beforehand.

While the U-505 exhibit is impressive, it is not the only exhibit at the Museum of Science and Industry. Visitors can ride through a replica coal mine, explore genetics and watch baby chicks hatch, and view the changes in transportation (among other exhibits). There is something for everyone: young and old, science geeks and history nerds. There is an entrance fee, with some exhibits requiring an extra cost (with a timed ticket), and an underground parking garage (also with a fee).

“A Day that Will Live in Infamy”

“The location of the memorial, the design of the structure, the etching of the names, the wording on the plaques, they all help tell the story of what happened in that harbor so many years ago” (234).

The Book

All the Gallant Men: The First Memoir by a USS Arizona Survivor provides the reader a rare glimpse into the story of Peral Harbor: the lead-up, attack, and aftermath. Authors Donald Stratton and Ken Gire begin the book with the reason for writing: so the memories of Stratton would not be forgotten.

The book divides up into five sections that focus on Stratton’s life: early life, entering the Navy, the attack, the aftermath, and the remainder of World War II. Stratton enlisted in the Navy, in 1940, in order to obtain a job; the Great Depression was still impacting his small community in Nebraska. After basic training, Stratton was assigned to the USS Arizona in 1940. In the sections on the attack, the reader encounters a minute by minute account that parallels the Japanese with Stratton’s day. Stratton helps the reader visualize, smell, and hear the attack on December 7, 1941.

Stratton was severely burned during the attack and spent several months recovering in California. After a medical discharge in September 1942, Stratton returned to Nebraska. But, he felt the need to rejoin the fight and re-enlisted in February 1944. He was assigned to the USS Stack and joined the Third Fleet in the Pacific Theater.

All the Gallant Men is a well-written and easy to read flow that is accessible for all types of readers. The authors provide enough detail that answers the reader’s questions but doesn’t go down too many rabbit trails. By reading a memoir, the reader is able to reflect on the sacrifice of so many men (and families) and the impact. Stratton ends his memoirs with two important chapters: one on why he thought the attack happened and lessons we should learn and one on the importance of remembering.

The Place

Pearl Harbor. Those two words engulf so much history and emotion for Americans. It is seventy-seven years later and the impact of the memorial is just as strong as if the attack happened yesterday. My family began our visit with the boat ride to the USS Arizona Memorial. Because it floats above the final resting place for seamen, there is an atmosphere of respect on the Memorial. You can look down and see parts of the ship, then look to the sky and imagine incoming Japanese planes. Afterwards, we spent quite a bit of time exploring the grounds (which provided information regarding the attack) and the museums.

The Pearl Harbor Visitor Center at the WWIIValor in the Pacific National Monument is a part of Hawaii that you do not want to miss. As a part of the National Park Service, there is no fee for admission. However, timed tickets are required for a trip to the USS Arizona Memorial and a tour of the USS Bowfin submarine. Tickets can be reserved online or obtained the day of your visit. I would recommend reserving tickets ahead of time, the line for day of tickets is long, even before the center opens. Visitors can easily spend a whole day exploring the museums that explain what life was like prior to the attack and the attack itself, walking along the harbor, and paying respect to the lives lost. 

Go Army! Beat Navy!

“On, brave old Army team; On to the fray: Fight on to victory, For that’s the fearless Army way” (35-36).

The Book

A Team for America: The Army-Navy Game that Rallied a Nation at War, by Randy Roberts, is a look at America and college football during World War II. While the main focus is one specific game, the book spends most of its pages helping the reader understand why this game was so important.

In the 1930s, the football team at the United States Military Academy (USMA/Army) was struggling. It couldn’t beat its major rivals (including Notre Dame and the United States Naval Academy) and the size of the team was small. In January 1941, the Superintendent of USMA recruited Earl Blaik to turn the team around. In three short years, Blaik introduced the T-formation, recruited standout players, and pushed towards national recognition. The reader learns about Blaik’s coaching style, the changes going on in college football, and key players on the Army team. Always present in the narrative is the reality of World War II and the impact it had on teams, fans, and travel.

During the 1944 season, the national press began to compare the success of Army’s football team to the success of the Army across Europe. Suddenly, there was an even brighter national spotlight on the team. Roberts says, “The 1944 Army-Navy game was widely described as the most important game of football ever played in America” (213). Most Americans had a family member either deployed, in the military, or working on the Homefront. Americans were also war-weary and ready for a return to life before the war. The game was a battle, but Army won 23-7.

Roberts writes in a way that draws the reader into the excitement and crescendos in the last couple of chapters focused on the 1944 game. It is easy to read and would appeal to fans of history, football, or the Army. In a way, the reader encounters a unique perspective: World War II through the lens of football. 

The Place
The Army-Navy Football Game is the last game of the regular season and is typically played in Philadelphia (about equidistant from the two academies). It is truly an incredible experience. My family was able to attend twice during the time my brother was a Cadet at the United States Military Academy. When you attend the Army-Navy Game, you are in for more than college football. Both academies take turns marching onto the field and spectators cheer for the future Army and Navy leaders. Army helicopters and Navy jets fly over the field and the Army Black Knight parachutes to the sidelines. While much as changed since the 1944 Army-Navy Game, the patriotic excitement is still felt at present day games.

The only downside to attending the game is the time of year it is played: the first or second week of December. It is often cold and the day can bring rain, snow, and/or sleet. I would recommend wearing numerous layers. Tickets are required, there is ample parking (for a fee) at the stadium, and the Philadelphia area provides a variety of hotels, restaurants, and things to see. 

Struggle for the Upper Hand

“Mr. President, what’s this about Japan?” asked Churchill. 

“It’s quite true,” the President confirmed. “They have attacked us at Pearl Harbor. We are all in the same boat now” (60).

The Book

The Mantle of Command: FDR at War, 1941-1942 by Nigel Hamilton focuses on a very specific era of FDR’s presidency-a few months prior to Pearl Harbor through the success of Allied forces in North Africa. While it is a specific era, it is not short of anecdotes and intriguing information regarding the early days of America’s involvement in World War II.

Hamilton begins by telling of FDR’s August 1941 meeting with Winston Churchill. The goals of these two men couldn’t have been more different for this meeting: FDR wanted to listen, provide supplies and weapons, and discuss a future peace agreement; Churchill wanted to develop a strategy to win the war with America’s help. The main takeaway from the meeting was a future peace agreement: the Atlantic Charter (later to become “A Declaration by the United Nations”). Hamilton then provides the reader with the following events: Pearl Harbor, loss of the Philippines, failures of British forces in the East, and the Allied invasion of North Africa. 

One of the most interesting parts of this biography are the two struggles FDR encounters. First, is the struggle between FDR and his military generals. It appears that the two had different ideas for the majority of this time period. The generals wanted a preemptive strike on Japan, FDR demurred because it was not typical of American action and many Americans were still isolationists. Once America entered World War II, the generals wanted a cross-Channel invasion of France (precursor to D-Day). However, FDR recognized the difficulty of such a move and pushed for an invasion of North Africa. The second struggle was between FDR and the rising American power, and Churchill and the fading British empire. Both had different views about how and where to strike, in addition to the preservation of the British empire.

The Mantle of Command is a well-written and insightful account of these two years. Hamilton attempts to tell FDR’s side of the story and relies heavily on first-person accounts and letters. To truly understand the global nature of this story, the backgrounds of key players and occurrences are included. 1941-1942 involved much more than America’s preparation to enter World War II and avenge the attack at Pearl Harbor. The book does go into military and political detail, which could be difficult for some readers. In the first half of the book, Hamilton often editorializes in the nature of an italicized question directed at the reader. It feels more like an astonished aside that can jar the reader out of the narrative. But, overall, The Mantel of Command presents a new insight into a significant era of American and world history.

The Place

The Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial is located by 
the Tidal Basin in Washington, DC. It is a memorial unlike the others on the National Mall because it focuses on storytelling. The Memorial is split into four rooms that depict each of FDR’s four terms in office. Each room includes quotes, statutes depicting specific events, and a water feature.

As a part of the National Park Service, entrance is free. If you enjoy reading and spending time in the memorials, plan your schedule accordingly. Due to its size, there is a lot of walking to move through each outdoor room. The first time I visited, it was pouring; the bulk of my time was spent in a small Visitor Center. Before visiting, make sure to check the weather forecast. 

Amphibious Invasion

“If the soldiers of the Big Red One and their partners in the 29^th Division had failed, the Allied position in Normandy would have been severely hindered” (297).

The Book

The Dead and Those About to Die: D-Day: The Big Red One at Omaha Beach, by John C. McManus, tells the story of the United States Army 1^st Infantry Division’s (Big Red One) part in the D-Day invasion. D-Day took place on June 6, 1944 and the majority of the book chronicles the events of that day. The first chapter introduces the reader to the Big Red One and the last chapter focuses on the aftermath of “the longest day.”

McManus begins with an immediate background of the Big Red One: their success in the Mediterranean, arrival in England, and intense training for D-Day. The reader gets to know the type of men and their mindset through first person accounts. The soldiers went through land and sea training so often that they could complete their duties in the dark. Once a brief summary of the attack plan is covered, the book quickly flows into a word picture of the assault. Nothing went according to plan on Omaha Beach: pre-invasion assault did little to the Nazi defenses, the beach was littered with obstacles and mines, the enemy fire was relentless, the tide was coming in, and the beach was getting crowded. Yet, the Big Red One pressed on. By the end of June 6^th, the Nazi defenses were breached and the soldiers made their way inland.

Omaha Beach was one of five beaches invaded by the Allies on D-Day. As I was reading this book, I had to keep reminding myself that the Big Red One was only on two sections of one beach. The Dead and Those About to Die gave me a newfound appreciation for the sacrifices made on D-Day. The infantry fought hard to overcome the Nazi fortifications, the engineers worked amid enemy fire to dismantle obstacles, and the medics stayed in the crosshairs to treat the wounded. Readers will come away grateful for the courageous men of the Big Red One.

The Place

Nestled in the quite suburban park of Cantigny, the First Division Museum is dedicated to preserving the memory of the Big Red One. The land around the museum is populated by tanks and artillery pieces from World War I through Desert Shield. Visitors are invited to touch and climb on the tanks. This is a great feature for kids and even adults. History comes alive when you are able to touch or climb.

Inside the museum, visitors will find an impressive interactive display. The Main Exhibit Hall enables you to walk through the trenches of World War I, land on the beaches of Normandy in World War II, and explore the jungle of Vietnam. This is a truly immersive experience and you actually feel like you are fighting alongside the Big Red One. I have visited this museum numerous times and am always awed by the depth of the displays. The First Division Museum has spring/summer hours and fall/winter hours, so double check before you plan a visit. Admission to the museum is free; however there is a $5 per car charge to enter Cantigny Park.

The World's Largest Office Building

“In the Pentagon, the War Department now had a headquarters that was four times the size of the British War Office at Whitehall, the German Kriegsministerium in Berlin, and the Japanese General Staff headquarters building in Tokyo-combined” (296).

The Book

The Pentagon: A History by Steve Vogel provides an in-depth history of the five-sided building that has become an American icon. I recommend all the books I write about in my blog, but this one is one of the best I have read. Vogel takes the reader through each step of the process and introduces a colorful cast of characters.

Prior to 1941, the War Department was scattered in numerous buildings throughout the Washington, DC area. In peacetime, this was a minor issue. As the war clouds loomed in Europe and Asia, this was becoming a crisis. Brigadier General Brehon Somervell was picked to lead the construction of a new, temporary, War Department building. The pentagon shape was conceived over a weekend to follow the height restriction and space requirements. Somervell promised the first workers would move in one year after construction began. The groundbreaking was September 11, 1941 and the first workers moved into their offices on May 1, 1942. 

The final chapters of the book focus on the terrorist attack on September 11, 2001 and the reconstruction of the damaged Pentagon. For anyone who watched the terrorist attacks on television or in person, these chapters bring back many emotions. Instantly you remember where you were and the thoughts you had. The construction crews were committed to rebuild the Pentagon quickly and the first workers moved back in on August 15, 2002. I think Vogel’s final paragraph sums it all up well, “The Pentagon had been conceived over a long weekend. Its design had been one step ahead-and sometimes one step behind-its construction. The pentagonal shape, like so many aspects of the building, was essentially an accident, born of the speed in which the project was pursued. The construction had been slapdash; columns were missing, concrete pours uneven, drawings wrong or missing altogether. Yet somehow the Pentagon was designed wisely and constructed well. Somervell’s building had proven itself one for the ages” (500). 

The Place

The Pentagon is a fascinating place to visit. Tours are provided and you must make reservations in advance. A member of the Armed Forces guides you throughout the halls of the Pentagon explaining each area. There are restrictions when visiting-no photography allowed in the Pentagon and cell phones must be turned off. However, the tour gives visitors a look at the inside of the War Department and the chance to walk where many American heroes have walked.

Included in the tour is the Memorial Chapel for those who died in the September 11^th attacks. This is a solemn location that reminds visitors of the ultimate sacrifice so many people made that day. Outside of the Pentagon is the National 9/11 Pentagon Memorial. Each bench represents one of the people who perished and the benches are placed in age order, from the youngest to the oldest. Both Memorials are moving and give visitors a chance to reflect on the events of September 11, 2001.