At 5:30 A.M., during a lull in a storm in the predawn darkness of July 16, 1945 near Alamogordo, New Mexico, the world's first atomic bomb was detonated. About 14 pounds of plutonium exploded with a force of 20,000 tons of TNT. The resulting fireball, 10,000 times hotter than the sun, lit up the sky. People saw the light or felt the blast for hundreds of miles. I am not writing to elaborate about the bomb but rather to address what the nuclear age will offer us in the future.
We are entering into a new age. Shortly, we will have naval vessels that will be able to travel long distances and be years at sea without having to refuel something we could previously only read about in a Jules Verne novel. There is even talk about future aircraft being powered by the atom. Some of our electricity will be generated by nuclear power. I am excited to join with my colleagues in this prediction.
We envision the development of equipment to heat our homes and power the family car within this time frame. Homes, factories, and schools will all have their heating and lighting needs fulfilled by nuclear power. I further see a time when we will dome our cities. There will be no more snow to shovel during the winter or sweating in a tropical heat wave during the summer. Our cities will be a constant temperature day and night. We will grow our food in large greenhouses using production methods without the need for soils. There is no limit to which nuclear power will be used in the coming years.
Yet another area that is showing great promise is the field of medicine. Many researchers are predicting that we will treat a large number of today's diseases with radiation either directly or through making medicine from radioisotopes. The brightest promise is the treatment of cancer. Many feel that nuclear power is the magic ingredient scientists have been seeking for so many years in the treatment of horrible diseases.
In conclusion, Mr. President, we feel that nuclear energy will provide the citizens of the United States with a great future. Nuclear power has the potential to become an abundant, clean and cheap source of energy for everyone. Therefore, we need your continuing support for further development of nuclear power as a vital part of the American economy.
Sincerely,
General Leslie Graves
Director Manhattan Project (Retired)