Friday, November 14, 2014

File this post under: links to random stuff I find interesting.  The made for TV movie Day One (1989) (W), which tells the story of the Manhattan Project.

 Although it is not a masterpiece by any means  (it's a made for TV drama with a made for TV budget) it does do a very good job of presenting the story of the Manhattan Project, including all the various political obstacles and rivalries.
This is something I saw years ago when I rented it from a video rental store in Japan. I found it very fascinating at the time, and learned a ton from it.  Although a docu-drama, and not straight history, I've never since found another documentary that provides all the essential history of the Manhattan Project in such an easy to understand way.
In the years since, I've tried to track down this docu-drama again, but have never seen it around.   But now these days, it's easier and easier to find everything on youtube.
Recently, my students were asking me about the history of the atomic bomb, and why America would create such a bomb when they knew what it would do.  I found myself remembering how clearly all of those issues were laid out in this movie, and I tried to track down a copy of it again.

And having found it, I thought I'd post it on my blog, for any fellow history/politico geeks out there, who like a good historical docu-drama to unwind with.
Link Here.
It's got Spanish subtitles (sorry) but this is the only copy I could find on youtube.

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