Two recently published books provide unique perspectives on Manhattan Project. General George C. Marshall and the Bomb by Frank A. Settle, Jr. chronicles General Marshall’s influence during the Manhattan Project and the Cold War on the nuclear weapons program. As Chief of Staff for the Army during World War II and Secretary of State after the war, Marshall’s role in the project has often been overshadowed by his other important work. Settle, professor emeritus of chemistry at Washington and Lee University and director of the ALSOS Digital Library on Nuclear Issues, has taught and written extensively on nuclear history. This book is the first full-length exploration of General Marshall’s impact on the Manhattan Project and postwar nuclear policy.
Keep Your Ducks in a Row! by C. E. Anderson is the story of Hester Moore, who helped supervise the communication department at Hanford, WA during the Manhattan Project, overseeing the telephone system for DuPont. Anderson is Moore’s niece and wrote the book based on the extensive journals and notes her aunt had saved from her time on the project. The book follows Moore as she overcomes challenges at work and enjoys social life at Hanford, including Kay Kyser’s performance in 1944. Thanks to Herb Depke – who grew up in Hanford and is a friend of Anderson’s – for bringing this book to AHF’s attention.