The President and the Atomic Bomb: Who Approved the Trinity Nuclear Test

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Previously, it had been testified to congress multiple times that President Roosevelt had signed off on the Trinity nuclear test, the first test of an atomic bomb. However, during a congressional meeting in 1988, it came to attention that President Roosevelt was already dead at the time of the test. A quick search through secondary documents could not reveal who approved the Trinity test. That is when the author of this document, Roger Anders, was asked to find who approved this historic test. 

This task would require a search through primary sources involved in the Manhattan project, however all of these documents, when laid out, amassed to more than 12,000 linear feet, so it was difficult to find a starting point. This starting point was found in General Leslie R. Groves. The Manhattan project began in 1939, but production did not get serious until 1942 when the Army was brought in to build the necessary plants. General Groves was in charge of leading the Army’s effort. 

General Groves was a strong and determined leader. Two committees, one for top policy and one for military policy, made most key decisions from 1941-1943. However, it was Groves who provided the “driving force” to turn these decisions into action. As time went on Groves took control of more and more decision making, and eventually stopped reporting to the committee and instead went straight to Generals Marshall and Stimson, who would in turn report straight to the President. It was this chain of command that allowed Anders to conclude that a document with the President’s approval of the Trinity test would most likely be found in Groves’ office files. 

Through reading secondary literature the specific file containing the desired documents in Groves’ collection was found. In this file, several documents revealed that both Roosevelt and Truman approved the Trinity test. In his memorandums documenting presidential meetings, Groves noted that Roosevelt knew about and approved of the test. After his passing, Truman was also briefed and he subsequently approved of the test as well. The reason it was so difficult to confirm this information was because the confirmation of the Trinity test was a very low priority for both presidents as they were dealing with fighting and ending World War II. In fact, Truman’s role was not as active, but rather characterized as “one of noninterference.” 

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Document entry started by Jordan Cory on August 28, 2020. Entry last updated by Jordan Cory on August 28, 2020.