livingatlosalamos-Radiochemistry.pdfVIP

l i v i n g a t l o s a l a m o s The fate of the Pajarito Plateau was sealed on On January 1, 1943 the University of California November 25, 1942 in an Army memo to the Com- was selected to operate the new Laboratory and a manding General of Services of Supply. formal nonprofit contract was soon drawn with the “There is a military necessity for the acquisition Manhattan Engineer District of the Army. By early of this land” at Los Alamos, New Mexico, the memo spring, major pieces of borrowed equipment were said, for use as a “demolition range.” The site in- being installed and a group of some of the finest cluded “approximately 54,000 acres” of which all scientific minds in the world were beginning to but 8900 acres was public land supervised by the assemble on the Hill. Forest Service. The Army estimated the cost of Thc first members of the staff were those who acquisition would be approximately $440,000. already had been working on related problcms at Ranch School property included 27 houses, dormi- the University of California under J. Robert Op- tories and other living quarters and 27 miscel- penheimcr. Others came from laboratories all over laneous buildings valued by the Army at $246,000. the country and the world, People like Enrico By the time the school had been notified nearly