Thread

1. sandworm101 · 1790964698 · focus · HN ↗

   The science is only half of the question. Another substantial issue was, even with equal knowledge to the US, did German and/or Japan have the industrial capacity to create a nuclear weapon?

   Fun fact also: For all the effort put into the Manhattan project, MORE time/resources were spent on its eventual delivery system (the B-29) than the bomb itself. So even if Germany/Japan had a nuclear bomb, could they have also developed a practical delivery method, something capable enough to trust with such a weapon?

   I had this discussion last week with someone who asked about whether Canada could build a bomb. Ya. Easy. Modern industrial capacities dwarf anything from the 1940s and Canada certainly has the brainpower and raw materials. But could Canada so easily develop a delivery platform, say an ICBM or stealth fighter? Likely not.

   1. comeonbro · 1790964940 · focus · HN ↗

      This reply was initially the common folk story:

          It's not comparing like with like, but the V-weapons programs probably cost about as much as the Manhattan Project.
      

      But looking further into it, that claim holds up badly enough to completely drop it pending significant further research.

      1. delichon · 1790965671 · focus · HN ↗

         The Manhattan Project employed around 130,000 people compared to something like 17,000 on the V-2 project (plus 60,000 concentration camp prisoners). Cost comparisons are in the neighborhood of $1.9B for the A bombs versus $800M for the V-2.

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