Article written by Majd ADWAN, Naïs D’HAHAN, Paulina DZUIBEK, Eduardo LUTONDA and

Mateusz MAJCHRZAK.

The Impact of Uranium in World War II

Introduction

Uranium was discovered in 1789 by German scientist Martin Heinrich Klaproth in the
mineral pitchblende. It was isolated shortly after, but its radioactive properties were not
discovered until 1896 by Henri Becquerel. The discovery of uranium fission in 1938 led
several countries to begin research into the possibility of developing an atomic bomb. Today,
uranium is used as a fuel in nuclear reactors. It is a radioactive metal that can be used as a
source of concentrated energy. However, when the turmoil of the 1930s politically and
socially hit Europe, the European scientific community reached the level of advance
necessary to begin the concrete phase of the fission of the nucleus of the atom. The history of
uranium production in the world experienced a very strong growth after the bomb race during
World War II. Sixty percent of the uranium used to make the first three American atomic
bombs - the one tested in the desert of Alamogordo, New Mexico, on July1945, and the
bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in early August 1945 - came from the Belgian
Congo. These were the most important events during World War II that changed the system
of the world we live in today.
In this article, we will reveal what impact uranium production had on the world
during World War II. We will also show how this production changed the balance of power
during the war for the allied countries.

1. Nuclear bombs and their political role during World War II

There are two types of bombs, atomic bombs and hydrogen or thermonuclear bombs.
Atomic bombs were the first nuclear weapons to be developed at the end of World War II.
The heart of an atomic bomb contains a quantity of fissile material sufficient (more than 90%
of uranium or plutonium) for the development of an explosive chain reaction.
The most famous use of these atomic bombs were the last strategic bombings of the
United States in Japan, on the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki on August 6 and 9, 1945,
causing the death of approximately 130 000 to 220 000 people (depending on the sources)
either due to the explosion, the heat and the subsequent firestorm. Many people suffered of
side effects long after the bombing and others died from cancer. The main effects of an
Article written by Majd ADWAN, Naïs D’HAHAN, Paulina DZUIBEK, Eduardo LUTONDA and
Mateusz MAJCHRZAK.

atomic explosion are the blast effect, the heat, electromagnetic pulses, and ionizing radiation.
The particular aspects of this type of bomb, which distinguish it from traditional explosives
and make it a much greater threat, are its power, and the specific effects due to the use of
radioactive materials. A shock wave causes the surrounding air to move significantly and
rapidly, thereby exerting pressure on surrounding objects. The blast of the explosion destroys
all surrounding buildings and causes injuries and deafness to people near the explosion. Once
the shock wave has passed, strong winds created by the vacuum effect of the explosion,
similar to those of a tropical cyclone or a high intensity tornado, eventually demolish the
buildings that would still be standing. This phenomenon also has climatic consequences by
accelerating the climate change crisis we are currently witnessing.
As Japanese leaders had rejected the Potsdam conference ultimatum (organized by
three of the victorious Allied Powers of WWII to establish the fate of the enemy nations), the
United States wanted to impose on Japan unconditional surrender, and the adoption of a
democratic regime. The American government also wished, since these two new weapons
were now operational (one was with uranium, the other one with plutonium), to test them in
full scale and show other countries, in particular the USSR, the decisive fiery superiority they
offer America, making this bombing the inaugural act of the Cold War. These bombings,
which some consider to be one of the Allies' main war crimes, remain the only use of nuclear
weapons during conflict. Nuclear weapons are now mainly used as deterrent weapons.
Indeed, they aim at discouraging any attack against the vital interests of a nation through the
fear of the aggressor to suffer in return from massive destruction which would far exceed the
expected benefits.

2. Germany and its nuclear strategy fail

During World War II, Germany had a Uranverein, the Uranium Club. This was a
research program created to study nuclear technology, including weapons and nuclear
reactors. The world believed that the Germans had the best scientists, a strong industrial base,
and enough material. It can be said that they definitely led with the United States in the
"bomb race". It was believed at the time that whoever was first to develop the atomic bomb
would win the war.
However, Uranverein had fundamental flaws from the beginning. Many scientists left
the country because of anti-Semitism or in protest. A significant number of them joined the
American Manhattan Project. There was a lack of coordination between different departments
Article written by Majd ADWAN, Naïs D’HAHAN, Paulina DZUIBEK, Eduardo LUTONDA and
Mateusz MAJCHRZAK.

and a lack of involvement of physicists. Moreover, Hitler was more interested in the subject
of the long-range ballistic missile. The German government felt that given the uncertainties
surrounding the bomb project, it was not worth the risk. In 1942, it was decided to end
large-scale research.
One of the key mistakes made in the program is considered to be Heisenberg's
decision to use heavy water instead of graphite in the uranium fission process. This was
supposed to enable a slower and more controlled process. Heavy water proved to be less
effective, however, and also made the program dependent on the Norwegian power plant.
In 1943, the Allies raided the plant. The heavy section of the facility was destroyed,
causing the loss of 500 kg of raw material. The Germans tried to rebuild the plant, but it
remained a target for Allied bombing. Joachim Ronneberg, commander of a commando unit,
claimed after the war that had the operation failed, London might have looked like
Hiroshima.
Germany's nuclear program never came close to developing a bomb. However, the
apparent arms race contributed greatly to the development of the Manhattan Project.
Historians still quibble about what might have happened if the Germans had placed more
emphasis and invested more resources in Uranverein.

3. The impact of uranium for the USA and Canada (Manhattan

Project)

The Manhattan Project was a top-secret nuclear weapons project of the United States
in cooperation with Great Britain. Research on the nature of uranium had begun several years
earlier, but construction of a nuclear weapon began in 1942. The U.S. entered the atomic race
with the intention of surpassing Germany in the construction of a deadly bomb. Currently, the
Manhattan Project is considered as one of the most important projects of the 20th century, not
only for historical reasons but also because of the great breakthrough carried out in physics
(Wellerstein, 2019).
Before the outbreak of the war, the cumulative worldwide production of uranium was
only 4.5 kg, in total. The isotope was not an object of interest and was mainly considered as a
waste in the production of radium. The big boom came with the idea of nuclear weapons
(Reed B. C., 2019). In the U.S., more than 1,200 Mg of uranium was eventually extracted for
bomb production using tailings from the radium reprocessing process. The slurry containing
vanadium and uranium particles was subjected to further enrichment. The Army Corps of
Article written by Majd ADWAN, Naïs D’HAHAN, Paulina DZUIBEK, Eduardo LUTONDA and
Mateusz MAJCHRZAK.

Engineers was responsible for the use and exploration of uranium. Domestic reserves were
mined on the Colorado Plateau and in neighboring Utah. The demand for the radioactive
element was very high and eventually exploitation went beyond the borders of the United
States (Chenoweth, 1997).
As already mentioned in this article, much of the uranium was imported from Africa,
specifically from the Democratic Republic of Congo. It should be noted that these ores were
highly rich in uranium oxide. The content of this oxide in African ore was as much as 260
times higher in comparison to the American one. During the war, uranium was transported by
boat.
Another country associated with nuclear weapons was Canada. Although Canada's
uranium resources were not as rich as Africa's, much of the element came from a place called
Great Bear Lake (Reed, 2019). Canada's contribution was not limited to supplying the U.S.
with ore, but it also handled the supply chain for the element from other countries.
Additionally, a nuclear research laboratory was established in Montreal. It played a very
important research role on the subject of heavy water and the fission of uranium and
polonium, also used in the production of atomic weapons. Canadian scientists also brought a
great deal of knowledge and experience to the project (Andrews, Andrews i Mason, 2021).
Their familiarity with the subject stemmed from their earlier collaboration with England on
nuclear research. Canada joined the Manhattan Project in 1943 by combining British and U.S.
research (Noakes, 2020).
Hundreds of thousands of people worked on the entire structure of the project
ultimately. Only a handful of them were implemented in the real purpose of the whole
project, the rest of workers had no idea what they were working on. The Manhattan Project
had cost nearly $2 billion by 1945 (Reed B. C., 2014).

Conclusion

According to NEA's report (2020), Globally, Australia continues to lead with 28% of
the resources identified in the world category with more than 64%; Canada, Kazakhstan,
China, USA, Niger and Namibia.

In this research it was observed that some countries of dententors of large world-class
deposits do not have financial capacity, strong institutions or political influence capable of
controlling the production of uranium in their territory, such as Niger. In view of the extratgic
Article written by Majd ADWAN, Naïs D’HAHAN, Paulina DZUIBEK, Eduardo LUTONDA and
Mateusz MAJCHRZAK.

importance in terms of security, it is believed that many countries that dententors of uranium
deposits do not disclose information of the total reserves so that the data from the rapporteurs
may present a certain incompatibility.
Nuclear capacity is expected to increase in the foreseeable future as global energy
demand is projected to increase and due to the growing need for a clean energy transition.
Reactor-related uranium requirements vary considerably from region to region, reflecting
projected nuclear capacity increases and possible inventory building.
Nuclear capacity in third countries on the European continent is also designed to
increase considerably, with 66 GWe capacity projected by 2040 in the high case (increases of
about 50% compared to 2018 capacity). The European Commission (EC) is seeking greater
diversification and modernization of the electricity market. Recently released proposals call
for a transition to a low-carbon society
In North America, projections see nuclear production capacity decrease by 2040 in
both low and high cases, largely depending on future electricity demand, lifetime extension
of existing reactors and government policies regarding greenhouse gas emissions.
.
Article written by Majd ADWAN, Naïs D’HAHAN, Paulina DZUIBEK, Eduardo LUTONDA and
Mateusz MAJCHRZAK.

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