Long and hard work of physician scientists. The beginning of the core division in the USSR can be considered the 1920s. Since the 1930s, nuclear physics becomes one of the main directions of domestic physical science, and in October 1940, for the first time in the USSR, a group of Soviet scientists was given to the use of atomic energy in weapons purposes, submitting an application to the Uranium's Use of the Red Army Explosive and poisoning substance. "

In April 1946, at Laboratory No. 2, the Design Bureau KB-11 was created (now the Russian Federal Nuclear Center - VNIIEF) is one of the most secret enterprises for the development of domestic nuclear weapons, whose chief designer was appointed Julius Khariton. The base for deploying KB-11 was chosen factory N 550 of the People's Commissariat of Ammunition, which produced the body of artillery shells.

The top secret object was located 75 kilometers from the city of Arzamas (Gorky region, now the Nizhny Novgorod region) on the territory of the former Sarov monastery.

Before KB-11, the task was set to create an atomic bomb in two versions. In the first of them, the working substance should be plutonium, in the second - uranium-235. In the middle of 1948, the work with uranium was discontinued due to the relatively low efficacy of it compared to the costs of nuclear materials.

The first domestic atomic bomb had the official designation of RDS-1. It was deciphered in different ways: "Russia does herself", "Motherland gives Stalin", etc. But in the official decree of the Council of Ministers of the USSR dated June 21, 1946, it was encrypted as a special engine ("C").

The creation of the first Soviet atomic bombs RDS-1 was taking into account the existing materials according to the scheme of the US plutonium bomb, tested in 1945. These materials were provided by Soviet foreign intelligence. An important source The information was Claus Fuchs - a German physicist, a participant in United Nuclear Programs of the United States and Great Britain.

Examined materials on the American plutonium charge for the atomic bomb made it possible to reduce the deadlines for the creation of the first Soviet charge, although many technical solutions The American prototype was not the best. Even at the initial stages, Soviet experts could offer best Solutions Both charges in general and its individual nodes. Therefore, the first Tested USSR charge for an atomic bomb was more primitive and less efficient than original option Charge proposed by Soviet scientists in early 1949. But in order to be guaranteed and in short time To show that the USSR also has atomic weapons, a decision was made on the first test to use a charge created by the American scheme.

The charge for the RDS-1 atomic bomb was made in the form of a multilayer structure, in which the translation of the active substance - plutonium into the supercritical state was carried out due to its compression by means of a converging spherical detonation wave in an explosive substance.

RDS-1 was an aerospace atomic bomb weighing 4.7 tons, a diameter of 1.5 meters and a length of 3.3 meters.

It was developed as applied to the Tu-4 aircraft, whose bombus allowed the placement of the "product" with a diameter of no more than 1.5 meters. Plutonium was used as a dividing material in the bomb.

Constructive Bomb RDS-1 consisted of a nuclear charge; Explosive device and systems of the charge undermining with protection systems; The ballistic corps of the air bible, in which there was a nuclear charge and the control of the undermining.

To produce a atomic charge of a bomb in the city of Chelyabinsk-40 in the South Urals, a plant was built under the conventional number 817 (now FSUE "Production Association" Mayak "). The plant consisted of the first Soviet industrial reactor for plutonium operations, a radiochemical plant for the release of plutonium from irradiated in Uranium reactor, and plants for producing metal plutonium products.

The 817 plant reactor was removed on the design capacity in June 1948, and a year later, the enterprise received required amount Plutonium for the manufacture of the first charge for the atomic bomb.

A place for the landfill, which was planned to test the charge, was chosen in the Priirtish steppe, about 170 kilometers of the west of Semipalatinsk in Kazakhstan. The polygon was reserved by plain with a diameter of about 20 kilometers, surrounded from the south, of the West and the North of the low mountains. In the east of this space there were small hills.

The construction of a polygon, called the training ground No. 2 of the USSR Ministry of the Armed Forces (subsequently the USSR Ministry of Defense), was started in 1947, and by July 1949, it was mainly completed.

For testing at the landfill, an experimental platform was prepared with a diameter of 10 kilometers, divided into sectors. It was equipped with special structures providing testing, observation and registration of physical research.

In the center of the experimental field mounted a metal lattice tower with a height of 37.5 meters, designed to set the charge of the RDS-1.

At the distance of one kilometer from the center, an underground building for equipment registering light, neutron and nuclear explosion gamma streams was constructed. To study the impact of a nuclear explosion on an experimental field, segments of the metro tunnels were built, fragments of the runways of airfields, placed samples of aircraft, tanks, artillery rocket plants, ship add-ons different types. To ensure the work of the physical sector, 44 facilities were built on the landfill and a cable network of 560 kilometers was laid.

On August 5, 1949, the Governmental Commission for Testing RDS-1 made a conclusion about the complete readiness of the landfill and suggested within 15 days to carry out a detailed development of the operations on the assembly and undermine the product. The test was determined for the last few of August. Igor Kurchatov was appointed scientific test manager.

In the period from August 10 to August 26, 10 rehearsals for the management of the test field and the equipment undermining the charge, as well as three training teachings with the launch of the entire equipment and four undermines of inventive explosives with an aluminum ball from the abyssation automation.

On August 21, a special train on the landfill was delivered to the plutonium charge and four neutron smelled, one of which was supposed to be used when undermining a combat product.

On August 24, Kurchatov arrived at the polygon. By August 26, all preparatory work at the landfill was completed.

Kurchatov gave an orders for testing RDS-1 August 29 at eight in the morning local time.

At four o'clock in the afternoon on August 28, a plutonium charge and neutron socks for him were delivered to the Tower's workshop. About 12 nights in the assembly workshop on the site in the center of the field began final assembly Products - investing in it the main node, that is, the charge of plutonium and neutron smelled. In three nights on August 29, the installation was completed.

By the six o'clock in the morning, the charge was raised to the test tower, its equipment of fuses was completed and the connection to the subversive scheme was completed.

In connection with the deterioration of the weather, it was decided to transfer an explosion one hour earlier.

At 6.35 operators included the power of the automation system. At 6.48 minutes, the field machine was turned on. For 20 seconds before the explosion, the main connector was included (switch) connecting the RDS-1 product with the control automation system.

Exactly at seven o'clock in the morning on August 29, 1949, the whole terrain littered with a dazzling light, which marked that the USSR successfully completed the development and testing of its first charge for the atomic bomb.

After 20 minutes after the explosion, two tanks equipped with lead protection were sent to the center of the field, for radiation exploration and inspection of the field center. Intelligence It was found that all structures in the center of the field were demolished. At the site of the tower, the funnel, the soil in the center of the field melted, and solid slag crust formed. Civil buildings and industrial structures were completely or partially destroyed.

The equipment used in the experiment allowed optical observations and measurements heat flux, the parameters of the shock wave, the characteristics of neutron and gamma radiation, determine the level of radioactive pollution of the area in the explosion area and along the trace of the explosion clouds, study the impact of the striking factors of the nuclear explosion on biological objects.

The energy release of the explosion was 22 kilotons (in TNT equivalent).

For the successful development and testing of a charge for an atomic bomb by several closed decisions of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of October 29, 1949, a large group of leading researchers, designers, technologists were awarded with orders and medals of the USSR; Many people were awarded the title of laureates of the Stalinist Prize, and the direct developers of the nuclear charge received the title of the Hero of Socialist Labor.

As a result of the successful test of RDS-1, the USSR eliminated the American monopoly on the possession of atomic weapons, becoming the second nuclear power of the world.

Material prepared on the basis of RIA news and open sources

The Fathers of the Atomic Bomb officially recognized American Robert Oppenheimer and the Soviet scientist Igor Kurchatov. But in parallel, the deadly weapons were developed in other countries (Italy, Denmark, Hungary), so the opening on the right belongs to everyone.

The German physicists Fritz Strasman and Otto Gan, who, in December 1938, managed to paint the atomic uranium core for the first time in December 1938, were first. And six months later, at the Kummersdorf polygon under Berlin, the first reactor was already built and urgently purchased uranium ore in the Congo.

"Uranov project" - Germans begin and lose

In September 1939, the Uranov Project was classified. To participate in the program, 22 authoritative scientific centers were attracted, studied studies Minister of Arms Albert Speer. The construction of the installation for the separation of isotopes and the production of uranium to exhaust the isotope that supports the chain reaction was instructed by the "IG Farbenindusty" concern.

Two years, a group of masted scientist Heisenberg studied the possibility of creating a reactor with and heavy water. A potential explosive (uranium-235 isotope) could be solved from uranium ore.

But for an inhibitor, a slowing reaction, is graphite or heavy water. Choice last option Created an irresistible problem.

The only plant for the production of heavy water, which was located in Norway, after the occupation was disabled by fighters local resistance, and small reserves of valuable raw materials were taken to France.

The rapid realization of the nuclear program also prevented the explosion of an experimental nuclear reactor in Leipzig.

Hitler supported the uranium project until he was hoping to obtain heavy duty weapon, able to influence the outcome of the war unleashed by him. After a reduction in state financing of the work program, for some time continued.

In 1944, Heisenberg managed to create cast uranium plates, a special bunker was built under the reactor installation in Berlin.

It was planned to complete the experiment to achieve a chain reaction in January 1945, but a month later, the equipment urgently recalled to the Swiss border, where it was deployed only in a month. In the nuclear reactor there were 664 cubes of uranium weighing 1525 kg. It was surrounded by a graphite neutron reflector weighing 10 tons, the active zone additionally uploaded one and a half tons of heavy water.

On March 23, the reactor finally earned, but the report in Berlin was premature: the critical mark reactor did not reach, and the chain reaction did not occur. Additional calculations showed that the mass of uranium should be increased at least 750 kg, in proportion to the amount of heavy water.

But the stocks of strategic raw materials were at the limit, as well as the fate of the Third Reich. April 23 to the village of Hyherloch, where the tests were carried out, the Americans entered. The military dismantled the reactor and crossed it in the USA.

The first atomic bombs in the USA

A little later, the Germans took up the development of an atomic bomb in the United States and the UK. It all started with the letter of Albert Einstein and its co-authors, immigrants, directed by them in September 1939 by the President of the United States Franklin Roosevelt.

The appeal emphasized that Nazi Germany is close to creating an atomic bomb.

For the first time, Stalin found out of the nuclear weapons (both allies and opponents) for the first time in 1943. Immediately decided to create a similar project in the USSR. Instructions were issued not only by scientists, but also exploration for which the extraction of any information about nuclear secrets became super-inflated.

Incidental information on the development of American scientists, which was managed by Soviet intelligence, has significantly advanced the domestic nuclear project. She helped our scientists to avoid ineffective search paths and significantly speed up the deadlines for the final goal.

Serov Ivan Aleksandrovich - Head of the Operations for the creation of a bomb

Of course, the Soviet government could not disregard the successes of German nuclear physicists. After the war in Germany, a group of Soviet physicists - future academics in the form of colonels of the Soviet Army was sent.

The head of the operation was appointed Ivan Serov - the first departure of the internal affairs, this allowed scientists to open any doors.

In addition to German colleagues, they found the reserves of metal uranium. This, according to Kurchatov, reduced the development time soviet bombs No less than a year. Not one ton of uranium and leading nuclear specialists were taken out of Germany and the US military.

In the USSR, not only chemists and physicists were sent, but also a qualified labor force - mechanics, electric zeles, glass windows. Part of the staff found in camps for prisoners of war. In total, about 1000 German specialists worked on the Soviet atomic project.

German scientists and laboratories in the USSR in the postwar years

From Berlin transported a uranium centrifuge and other equipment, as well as documents and laboratory reactants von Ardenne and the Kaiser Institute of Physics. Within the framework of the program, the laboratory "A", "B", "B", "G", which were headed by German scientists.

The head of the laboratory "A" was Baron Manfred von Ardenne, who developed a method of gas-diffusion purification and separation of uranium isotopes in a centrifuge.

For the creation of such a centrifuge (only on an industrial scale) in 1947, he received the Stalin Prize. At that time, the laboratory was located in Moscow, on the site of the famous Kurchatov Institute. In the team of each German scientist there were 5-6 Soviet specialists.

Later, the laboratory "A" was taken out in Sukhumi, where the physico-technical institution was created at its base. In 1953, Baron von Ardenne became the Stalin Laureate for the second time.

Laboratory "B", conducted experiments in the field of radiation chemistry in the Urals, headed Nicolaus Rile - a key figure of the project. There, in Snezhinsk, the talented Russian Genetic Timofeev-Resovsky, with whom they were friends in Germany, worked with him. The successful test of the atomic bomb brought Rile a star of the Hero of Socialist Labor and the Stalinist Prize.

Research by the laboratory "B" in Obninsk was led by Professor Rudolph Pose - Pioneer in the field nuclear tests. His team managed to create reactors on fast neutrons, first in the USSR NPP, projects of reactors for submarines.

On the basis of the laboratory, the AI \u200b\u200bPhysico-Energy Institute was created later. Leipunk. Until 1957, Professor worked in Sukhumi, then in Dubna, in the Joint Institute of Nuclear Technologies.

The laboratory "G", located in the Sukhumian sanatorium "Agudzer", headed Gustav Hertz. The nephew of the famous Scientific XIX century received fame after a series of experiments confirmed by the ideas of quantum mechanics and the theory of Niels Bora.

The results of his productive work in Sukhumi were used in the creation of an industrial installation in Novouralsk, where in 1949 they made a filling of the first Soviet bomb of RDS-1.

The uranium bomb, which Americans dropped on Hiroshima, was a cannon. When creating RDS-1, domestic nuclear physicists focused on Fat Boy - the Nagasaki Bomb made from Plutonium on an implosive principle.

In 1951, the Stalinist Prize was awarded for the fruitful activities of Hertz.

German engineers and scientists lived in comfortable homes, from Germany they transported their families, furniture, paintings, they were provided with decent salary and special specialization. Have they had the status of prisoners? According to Academician A.P. Alexandrov, an active member of the project, prisoners in such conditions they were all.

Having received permission to return home, German specialists gave a subscription to non-disclosure of their participation in the Soviet Atomic project for 25 years. In the GDR, they continued to work in the specialty. Baron von Ardenne was twice the laureate of the German National Prize.

The professor headed the physical institution in Dresden, which was created under the auspices of the Scientific Council on the peaceful use of atomic energy. He led the Scientific Council Gustav Hertz, who received the National GDR Award for his three-volume textbook on atomic physics. Here, in Dresden, in the Technical University, worked and Professor Rudolph Posa.

Participation in the Soviet atomic project of German specialists, as well as the achievements of Soviet intelligence, do not reduce the merits of Soviet scientists, which their heroic work has created domestic atomic weapons. And yet without deposit of each project, the creation of the nuclear industry and nuclear bombs It would be stretched to uncertain

The one who invented the atomic bomb did not even imagine to which tragic consequences could cause this miracle invention of the XX century. Before this super authorities experienced residents of Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, was done a very long way.

A start

In April 1903, his friends gathered in the Parisian garden of France. The reason was the defended thesis of the young and talented scientist Mary Curi. Among the famous guests were attended by the famous English physicist Sir Ernest Rutherford. In the midst of the fun, the light was extended. Announced everyone that there will be a surprise. With a solemn view, Pierre Curie made a small tube with radium salts, which shone green, causing extraordinary delight among those present. In the future, the guests were hot argued about the future of this phenomenon. Everyone construed in the opinion that due to the radium will solve the sharp problem of the lack of energy. It was all inspired by new research and further prospects. If then they were told that laboratory works With radioactive elements, it is unknown with the radioactive elements of the 20th century, it is not known what their reaction would be. It was then that the history of the atomic bomb began, the hundreds of thousands of Japanese civilians began.

Play on ahead

On December 17, 1938, the German scientist Otto Gunn was obtained irrefutable proof of uranium collapse into smaller elementary particles. In essence, he managed to split an atom. In the scientific world, this was regarded as a new milestone in the history of mankind. Otto Gunn did not share the political views of the Third Reich. Therefore, in the same, 1938, the scientist was forced to move to Stockholm, where with Friedrich Starsmann continued his scientific research. Fearing that fascist Germany will get a terrible weapon, he writes a letter with a warning about it. The news about the possible advance strongly alarmed government of the United States. Americans began to act quickly and decisively.

Who created an atomic bomb? American project

Even before the group, many of whom were refugees from the German-fascist regime in Europe, the development of nuclear weapons was entrusted. Initial research, it is worth noting, conducted in Nazi Germany. In 1940, the Government of the United States of America began financing its own program for the development of atomic weapons. For the implementation of the project, an incredible amount of two and a half billion dollars was allocated. Outstanding physics of the 20th century were invited to the implementation of this secret project, among which were more than ten Nobel laureates. In total, about 130 thousand employees were involved, among which were not only military, but also civilians. The developer team was headed by Colonel Leslie Richard Groves, Robert Oppenheimer became the supervisor. It was he - that person who invented an atomic bomb. In the area of \u200b\u200bManhattan, a special secret engineering building was built, which is known for us under the code name "Manhattan Project". Over the next few years, the secret project scientists have worked on the problem of uranium nuclear cleavage and plutonium.

Nevirny atom Igor Kurchatov

Today, every schoolboy will be able to answer the question about who invented an atomic bomb in the Soviet Union. And then, at the beginning of the 30s of the last century, no one knew this.

In 1932, Academician Igor Vasilyevich Kurchatov One of the first in the world begins to study atomic nucleus. Having collected like-minded people around himself, Igor Vasilyevich in 1937 creates the first cyclotron in Europe. In the same year, he creates the first artificial nuclei with his like-minded people.

In 1939, I. V. Kurchatov begins to study the new direction - nuclear physics. After several laboratory successes in the study of this phenomenon, the scientist is at his disposal a secret research center, which was called "Laboratory No. 2". Nowadays, this classified object is called "Arzamas-16".

The target direction of this center was a serious study and the creation of nuclear weapons. Now it becomes obvious who created an atomic bomb in the Soviet Union. In his team, then there were only ten people.

Atomic bomb to be

By the end of 1945, Igor Vasilyevich Kurchatov was able to collect a serious team of scientists with a more than one hundred people. The best minds of different scientific specializations came to the laboratory from all over the country to create atomic weapons. After discharging by the Americans at the nuclear bomb on Hiroshima, Soviet scientists understood that this could be done with the Soviet Union. "Laboratory No. 2" receives a sharp increase in financing and a large influx of qualified personnel from the country's leadership. Responsible for such an important project is appointed by Lavrenty Pavlovich Beria. The huge works of Soviet scientists gave their fruits.

Semipalatinsky polygon

The atomic bomb in the USSR was first tested at the landfill in Semipalatinsk (Kazakhstan). On August 29, 1949, a nuclear device with a capacity of 22 kilotons shook the Kazakh land. Nobel laureate, Physicist Otto Hans, said: "These are good news. If Russia has atomic weapons, then there will be no war. " It is this atomic bomb in the USSR that is encrypted as a product No. 501, or RDS-1, eliminated the US monopoly on nuclear weapons.

Atomic bomb. Year 1945

Early in the morning of July 16, the Manhattan Project held its first successful test of the atomic device - a plutonium bomb - at the Alamogordo Polygon State of New Mexico USA.

The money invested in the project was not in vain. The first in the history of mankind was produced at 5 hours 30 minutes.

"We have done the work of the devil," will say later - the one who invented the atomic bomb in the United States, named afterwards the "father of the atomic bomb."

Japan does not capitulate

By the time the final and successful testing of the atomic bomb soviet troops And the allies finally defeated fascist Germany. However, one state remained, which promised to fight until the end of the domination in the Pacific Ocean. From mid-April to mid-July 1945, the Japanese army has repeatedly carried out aviation strikes on allied troops, thereby applying large losses of the US Army. At the end of July 1945, the Military Government of Japan rejected the demand of allies to surrender according to the Potsdam Declaration. In it, in particular, it was said that in the case of disobedience, the Japanese army is waiting for rapid and complete destruction.

The President agrees

The US government kept his word and the beginning of a targeted bombardment of Japanese military positions. Aviation strikes did not bring the desired result, and US President Harry Truman decides on the invasion of American troops into the territory of Japan. However, the military command discusses its president from such a decision, motivating this by the fact that the invasion of Americans will entail a large number of Victims.

At the suggestion of Henry Lewis Stimson and Dwight David Eisenhawer, it was decided to apply more effective method End of war. The big supporter of the atomic bomb, the Secretary of the US President James Francis Burns, believed that the bombing of Japanese territories would finally stop the war and put the United States to the dominant position, which would have a positive effect on the course of the events of the post-war world. Thus, US President Harry Truman convinced that this is the only correct option.

Atomic bomb. Hiroshima

As the first target, a small Japanese city of Hiroshima was chosen with a population of just over 350 thousand people who are in five hundred miles from the capital of Japan Tokyo. After arriving at the US naval base on the island of Tinian a modified bomber in-29 "Enola Gay", an atomic bomb was installed on board the aircraft. Hiroshima should have experienced the action of 9 thousand pounds of uranium-235.

This unprecedented weapon was intended for civilians of a small Japanese town. The commander of the bombard was a colonel Paul Warfield Tibbets Jr.. The US Atomic Bomb wore a cynical name "Kid". On the morning of August 6, 1945, about 8 hours and 15 minutes, the American "baby" was reset to Japanese Hiroshima. About 15 thousand tons of Tttila destroyed everything alive within a radius of five square miles. One hundred and forty thousand inhabitants died in seconds. The survivors of the Japanese died with a painful death from radiation sickness.

They destroyed the American atomic "kid". However, the devastation of Hiroshima did not cause immediately the surrender of Japan, as everyone expected. Then it was decided to another bombardment of the Japanese territory.

Nagasaki. Heaven in fire

The American atomic bomb "Tolstik" was installed on board the aircraft in August 9, 1945, everything is in the same place, at the US Naval Base in Tinian. This time the aircraft commander was Major Charles Susini. Initially strategic target was the city of Kokura.

However, weather conditions were not allowed to make a conceived, a lot of clouds prevented. Charles Suini came to the second round. At 11 o'clock 02 minutes, the American atomic "fat man" swallowed Nagasaki. It was a more powerful destroying aviation strike, which in its strength, which several times exceeded the bombardment in Hiroshima. Nagasaki experienced atomic weapons weighing about 10 thousand pounds and 22 kilotons trotyl.

The geographical location of the Japanese city reduced the expected effect. The thing is that the city is located in a narrow valley between the mountains. Therefore, the destruction of 2.6 square miles did not reveal the entire possible potential of American weapons. The test of the atomic bomb in Nagasaki is considered a failed "Manhattan Project".

Japan surrendered

At noon, on August 15, 1945, the Emperor Hirokhito announced the surrender of his country in the informant to the residents of Japan. This news quickly scattered around the world. In the United States of America, celebrations began on the occasion of victory over Japan. The people have shook.

On September 2, 1945, on board the American Linkar "Missouri", anchored in the Tokyo Gulf, a formal agreement was signed on the termination of war. Thus, the most cruel and bloody war in the history of mankind ended.

For many years, the world community went to this significant date - from September 1, 1939, when the first shots of Nazi Germany were sounded in Poland.

Mirny atom

In total, 124 nuclear explosions were held in the Soviet Union. Characteristic is that they were all implemented for the benefit national economy. Only three of them were accidents that caused the leakage of radioactive elements. Programs on the use of a peaceful atom were implemented only in two countries - the United States and the Soviet Union. Atomic peaceful energy knows the example of the global catastrophe, when the reactor explosion occurred on the fourth power unit of the Chernobyl NPP.

The nuclear (or atomic) weapon is the weapon of explosive action, which is based on an uncontrollable chain reaction of the division of heavy nuclei and the reaction of thermonuclear synthesis. Even URAN-235, or Plutonium-239, or, in some cases, URAN-233, are used to implement the division chain reaction. Refers to weapons of mass lesion along with biological and chemical. The power of the nuclear charge is measured in a TNT equivalent, it is usually expressed in kilotons and megatons.

The nuclear weapon was first tested on July 16, 1945 in the United States at the Trinity Polygon at the city of Alamogordo (New Mexico). In the same year, the United States applied him to Japan in the bombardment of Hiroshima cities on August 6 and Nagasaki on August 9.

In the USSR, the first test of the atomic bomb - the RDS-1 product was held on August 29, 1949 at the Semipalatinsky landfill in Kazakhstan. RDS-1 was an aerospace atomic bomb of the "drop-shaped" form, weighing 4.6 tons, with a diameter of 1.5 m and a length of 3.7 m. Plutonium was used as a dividing material. The bomb was undermined at 7.00 local time (4.00 MSK) on the mounted metal lattice tower with a height of 37.5 m, placed in the center of the experimental field with a diameter of about 20 km. The power of the explosion was 20 kilotons in TNT equivalent.

The product of the RDS-1 (the documents indicated the "reactive engine" C ") was created in the Design Bureau No. 11 (now the Russian Federal Nuclear Center - All-Russian Research Institute of Experimental Physics, RFNC-VNIIEF, Sarov City), which was organized for The creation of an atomic bomb in April 1946. Works on the creation of a bomb led Igor Kurchatov (scientific director of the atomic problem since 1943; organizer of the bomb test) and Julius Khariton ( chief designer KB-11 in 1946-1959).

Atomic energy studies were conducted in Russia (subsequently the USSR) back in 1920-1930. In 1932, a group of kernel was formed in the Leningrad Physico-Technical Institute, headed by the director of the Institute Abram Ioffe with the participation of Igor Kurchatov (deputy head of the group). In 1940, a Uranium Commission was created at the USSR Academy of Sciences, which in September of the same year approved the work program on the first Soviet uranium project. However, with the beginning of the Great Patriotic War Most studies on the use of atomic energy in the USSR were minimized or terminated.

Studies on the use of atomic energy in 1942 resumed after receiving intelligence on the deployment of works on the creation of an atomic bomb ("Manhattan Project"): September 28, the disposal of the State Defense Committee (GKO) "On the organization of work on uranium".

On November 8, 1944, GKO made a decision on the establishment of a large uranium mining enterprise in Central Asia on the basis of Tajikistan deposits, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. In May 1945, the first in the USSR began to work in the USSR, the enterprise for the extraction and processing of uranium ores - Combine No. 6 (later Leninabad Mining and Metallurgical Combine).

After the explosions of American atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the GKO Resolution dated August 20, 1945 was created by the Special Committee at the GKO led by Lavrenting Beria for the "Guidelines by all the work on the use of uranium intraate energy", including the production of an atomic bomb.

In accordance with the Decree of the Council of Ministers of the USSR dated June 21, 1946, Khariton was prepared by the "Tactical Type of Atomic Bomb", which marked the beginning of full-scale work on the first domestic atomic charge.

In 1947, 170 km of the west of Semipalatinsk was created "Object-905" for testing nuclear charges (in 1948, transformed into a training ground No. 2 of the USSR Ministry of Defense, later became referred to as Semipalatinsky; in August 1991, it was closed). The construction of the landfill was completed by August 1949 to the test of the bomb.

The first test of the Soviet atomic bomb destroyed the US nuclear monopoly. Soviet Union became the second nuclear power of the world.

The message about testing nuclear weapons in the USSR was published by TASS on September 25, 1949. And on October 29, a closed decree of the USSR Council of Ministers "On Awarding and Awards for Outstanding Scientific Opening and Technical Achievements on the Use of Atomic Energy" was published. For the development and testing of the first Soviet atomic bomb, six employees of KB-11 were awarded the title Hero of Socialist Labor: Pavel Zernov (director of the KB), Julius Khariton, Kirill Schelkin, Yakov Zeldovich, Vladimir Alferov, Georgy Fleers. The deputy chief designer Nikolai Spirit received the second gold star of the Hero of Socialist Labor. 29 Bureau employees were awarded the Order of Lenin, 15 - the Order of the Labor Red Banner, 28 became the winners of the Stalinist Prize.

Today the layout of the bomb (its building, the charge of the RDS-1 and the remote control, with which the charge was undermined) is stored in the Museum of the Nuclear Weapon of RFTC-VNIIEF.

In 2009, the UN General Assembly announced on August 29, the International Day of Action against Nuclear Tests.

In total, there are 2062 nuclear weapons tests that have eight states. The US share accounts for 1032 explosions (1945-1992). The United States of America is the only country that applied this weapon. The USSR conducted 715 tests (1949-1990). The last explosion took place on October 24, 1990 at the Test Polygon "New Earth". In addition to the USA and the USSR, nuclear ammunition were created and tested in the UK - 45 (1952-1991), France - 210 (1960-1996), China - 45 (1964-1996), India - 6 (1974, 1998), Pakistan - 6 (1998) and the DPRK - 3 (2006, 2009, 2013).

In 1970, an agreement on non-proliferation of nuclear weapons (NPT) came into force. Currently, its participants are 188 countries of the world. The document was not signed by India (in 1998 he introduced a one-sided moratorium on nuclear tests and agreed to put his nuclear facilities under the control of the IAEA) and Pakistan (in 1998 introduced a one-sided moratorium on nuclear testing). North Korea, signing an agreement in 1985, in 2003 came out of it.

In 1996, universal termination of nuclear tests was enshrined in the framework of the International Treaty on Comprehensive Banning Nuclear Tests (CTBT). After that, nuclear explosions conducted only three countries - India, Pakistan and DPRK.

Work until 1941

In 1930-1941, work was actively carried out in the nuclear field.

In this decade, fundamental radiochemical studies were also conducted, without which any understanding of these problems, their development, and, especially - implementation.

An authority in this area was considered academician V. G. Krestov. Also, a serious contribution was made, among many others, employees of the Radium Institute: G. Gamov, I. V. Kurchatov and L. V. Mesovsky (the creators of the first in Europe of the Cyclotron), F. F. Lange (created the first Soviet project atomic bombs -), as well as the founder of N. N. Semenov. Soviet project supervised the chairman of the USSR SCC V. M. Molotov

Work in 1941-1943

Information of external intelligence

From September 1941, in the USSR, reconnaissance information on the conduct of secret intensive research works in the UK and the United States, aimed at developing atomic energy uses for military purposes and the creation of atomic bombs of a huge devastating force. One of the most important, received in 1941 by Soviet intelligence, documents is the report of the British "Maud Committee". From the materials of this report received by the foreign intelligence channels of the NKVD of the USSR from Donald McLea, it was necessary that the creation of an atomic bomb is real, which is likely it can be created before the end of the war and, therefore, may affect its course.

Intelligence information on the work on the problem of atomic energy abroad, which was available in the USSR by the time of decisions on the resumption of work on uranium, was obtained both through the NKVD exploration channels and on the main intelligence management channels of the General Staff (GRU) of the Red Army.

In May 1942, GRU management informed the USSR Academy of Sciences on the presence of reports on the work abroad on the issue of use of atomic energy for military purposes and requested to report whether this problem has a real practical basis. The answer to the specified query in June 1942 gave V. G. Krestolov, who noted that last year In scientific literature, work related to the solution of the problem of using atomic energy is almost completely not published.

The official letter of the head of the NKVD L. P. Beria to I. V. Stalin with information on the use of atomic energy for military purposes abroad, suggestions for organizing these works in the USSR and secret acquaintance with the materials of the NKVD of prominent Soviet specialists, whose options were Prepared by NKVD staff at the end of 1941 - early 1942, I. V. Stalin was sent in October 1942, after the adoption of the GCO's order to resume work on uranium work in the USSR.

Soviet intelligence had a detailed information on the work on the creation of an atomic bomb in the United States, which came from specialists who understood the danger of nuclear monopoly or sympathetic to the USSR, in particular, Claus Fuchs, Theodore Hall, George Koval and David Gringlas. but crucialAs some believed, the letter of Soviet physics of the city of Fleroov, who managed to explain the essence of the problem in the beginning of 1943, who managed to clarify the essence of the problem popularly. On the other hand, there are reason to assume that the work of G. N. Fleroov over the letter Stalin was not completed and it was not sent.

Running the atomic project

Resolution of GKO No. 2352ss "On the organization of work on uranium".

September 28, 1942, after a month and a half after the start of the Manhattan project, a resolution of GKO No. 2352ss "On the organization of work on uranium" was adopted. It prescribed:

Consider the Academy of Sciences of the USSR (Acad. Ioffe) to resume work on studying the feasibility of using atomic energy by splitting uranium kernel and submit State Committee. Defense by April 1, 1943 report on the possibility of creating a uranium bomb or uranium fuel ...

The order provided for the organization for this purpose at the Academy of Sciences of the USSR of the Special Laboratory of the Atomic Nucleus, the creation of laboratory facilities for the separation of uranium isotopes and carrying out a complex of experimental work. The order obliges the SNK of the Tatar ASSR to provide the Academy of Sciences of the USSR in Kazan with an area of \u200b\u200b500 m² to accommodate the laboratory of the atomic nucleus and the living area for 10 researchers.

Work on the creation of an atomic bomb

First priorities were an organization industrial production Plutonium-239 and uranium-235. To solve the first task, it was necessary to create an experienced, and then industrial nuclear reactors, the construction of radiochemical and special metallurgical workshops. To solve the second task, the construction of a plant for the separation of uranium isotopes by the diffusion method was unfolded.

The solution of these tasks was possible as a result of the creation of industrial technologies, the organization of production and operations of the necessary large quantities Pure metallic uranium, uranium oxide, uranium hexafluoride, other uranium compounds, high purity graphite and a number of other special materials, creating a complex of new industrial aggregates and instruments. The insufficient amount of the extraction of uranium ore and the production of uranium concentrates in the USSR during this period was compensated by the trophy raw materials and products of uranium enterprises of Eastern European countries, with which the USSR concluded the relevant agreements.

In 1945, the Government of the USSR adopted the following major solutions:

• on the creation on the basis of the Kirov plant (Leningrad) of two special experimental design bureaus intended for the development of equipment producing a gas diffusion enriched in a gas diffusion
• on the start of construction in the Middle Urals (near the village of Verkh-neuvinsky) diffusion plant for obtaining enriched uranium-235;
• about the organization of the laboratory for work on the creation of heavy water reactors in natural uranium;
• on the choice of the site and the beginning of construction in the Southern Urals of the First Plutonium-239 enterprises in the country.

The company in the Southern Urals should include:

• uranium-graphite reactor on natural (natural) uranium (plant "A");
• radiochemical production for the release of plutonium-239 of irradiated in a natural (natural) uranium reactor (B ");
• chemical and metallurgical production to obtain a particularly pure metal plutonium (plant "B").

The participation of German specialists in the atomic project

In 1945, hundreds of German scientists who had attracted to a nuclear issue were delivered from Germany in the USSR in voluntarily enforced procedure. Most of them (about 300 people) were brought to Sukhumi and secretly posted in the former estates of the Grand Duke Alexander Mikhailovich and a millionaire Svoksky (Sannia "Sinop" and "Agudzer"). Equipment from the German Institute of Chemistry and Metallurgy, the Physical Institute of Kaiser Wilhelm, Siemens Electrotechnical Labs, the Physical Institute of the Ministry of Email of Germany, was taken to the USSR. Three of the four German cyclothons, powerful magnets, electronic microscopes, oscilloscopes, high voltage transformers, ultra-absorption devices were brought to the USSR. In November 1945, the NKVD of the USSR was created by the Office of Special Institutions (9th Office of the NKVD of the USSR) for managing work on the use of German specialists.

The Sanatorium "Sinop" was called the "object" A "- they were led by Baron Manfred von Ardenne. "Agudzers" became the "object" G "" - he was headed by Gustav Hertz. Outstanding scientists - Nikolaus Rile, Max Volmer, who built the first installation of heavy water production in the USSR, was the first in the USSR, the nickel filter constructor for the gas-diffusion enrichment of uranium isotopes, Max Stteybeck, the author of the method of separating isotopes with Use the gas centrifuge and winner of the first Western patent on the Guernot Cippe centrifuge. The Sukhumi Physico-Technical Institute was later created on the basis of objects "A" and "G".

Some leading German specialists for this work were awarded government awards of the USSR, including the Stalinist Prize.

In the period 1954 - 1959, German specialists in different times moved to the GDR (Guernot Cipper - to Austria).

Construction Chelyabinsk-40

For the construction of the first in the USSR, the enterprise on the development of plutonium for military purposes was chosen the platform in the Southern Urals in the area of \u200b\u200bthe location of the ancient Ural cities by Kyshtym and Casli. Exquisites for the selection of the site were held in the summer of 1945, in October 1945, the Government Commission recognized the placement of the first industrial reactor on the southern shore of Lake Kyzyl-Tash, and under the residential array of the Peninsula on the southern shore of Lake Irtash.

At the site of the selected construction site, a whole complex was erected over time. industrial enterprises, buildings and structures connected by the network of automotive and railways, heat energy supply, industrial water supply and sewage system. At different times, the secret city was called differently, but the most famous name is "Society" or Chelyabinsk-40. Currently, the industrial complex, originally called Combine No. 817, is called the Mayak Production Association, and the city on the shore of Lake Intash, in which employees of the "Lighthouse" and their families have been named Ozersk.

In November 1945, the selected platform began to begin geological surveys, and since the beginning of December, the first builders began to arrive.

The first head of construction (1946-1947) was Ya. D. Rappoport, subsequently, he was replaced by Major General M. M. Tsarevsky. The main construction engineer was V. A. Saprykin, the first director of the future enterprise - P. T. Bystrov (from April 17, 1946), which E. P. Slavsky changed (from July 10, 1947), and then B. G . Muzurukov (from December 1, 1947). The scientific leader of the plant was appointed I. V. Kurchatov

Construction Arzamasa-16

Tactical and technical tasks on the designs of the RDS-1 and RDS-2 were to be developed by July 1, 1946, and the designs of their main nodes - by July 1, 1947, the fully made BDS-1 bomb should be presented to government tests. For an explosion when installing on Earth by January 1, 1948, in aviation execution - by March 1, 1948, and the Bomb of RDS-2 - respectively by June 1, 1948 and by January 1, 1949, the work on the creation of structures were It is carried out in parallel with the organization in the KB-11 of special laboratories and deploying the works of these laboratories. Such a short time and the organization of parallel works were also possible thanks to the admission of some intelligence data on American atomic bombs in the USSR.

Research laboratories and design units KB-11 began to deploy their activities directly in Arzamas-16 in the spring of 1947. In parallel, the first production workshops of experienced factories No. 1 and No. 2 were created.

Atomic reactors

The first in the USSR experienced nuclear reactor F-1, the construction of which was carried out in Laboratory No. 2 of the USSR Academy of Sciences, was successfully launched on December 25, 1946.

On November 6, 1947, the USSR Foreign Minister V. M. Molotov made a statement on the secret of the atomic bomb, saying that "this secret has long been no longer exists." This statement meant that the Soviet Union had already opened the secret of atomic weapons, and he had at his disposal this weapon. The US scientific circles regarded this statement by V. M. Molotova as a bluff, believing that the Russians can master atomic weapons not earlier than 1952.

In less than two years, the building of the first atomic industrial reactor "A" of the plant No. 817 was ready, and work was started on the installation of the reactor itself. The physical launch of the reactor "A" took place at 00:30 on June 18, 1948, and on June 19, the reactor was derived to the design capacity.

On December 22, 1948, the first products from the atomic reactor were received on the Radiochemical Plant "B". At the factory "b", the plutonium accumulated in the reactor was separated from uranium and radioactive division products. All radiochemical processes for the factory "B" were developed in the radium institute under the leadership of Academician V. G. Khlopin. The general designer and chief engineer of the project of the factory "B" was A. Z. Rothschild, and the main technologist - Ya. I. Zilberman. The scientific leader of the start of the plant "B" was a corresponding member of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR B. A. Nikitin.

The first batch of finished products (Plutonium concentrate, which consisted mainly of plutonium and lanthanum fluorides) in the affinated department of the factory "B" was obtained in February 1949.

Obtaining weapon plutonium

Plutonium concentream was transferred to the plant "B", which was intended to obtain high-purity metal plutonium and products from it.

The main contribution to the development of technology and the design of the plant "B" was made by: A. A. Bochar, I. I. Chernyaev, A. S. Zamovsky, A. N. Volsky, A. D. Gelman, V. D. Nikolsky, N . P. Aleksakhin, P. Ya. Belyaev, L. R. Dulin, A. L. Tarakanov, etc.

In August 1949, at the factory "B" were made of high-purity metal plutonium for the first atomic bomb.

Test

Successful testing of the first Soviet atomic bomb was held on August 29, 1949 at the constructed polygon in the Semipalatinsk region of Kazakhstan. It was held in secret.

On September 3, 1949, the plane of a special meteorological intelligence service of the United States took air samples in the district of Kamchatka, and then American experts discovered isotopes in them, which pointed out that a nuclear explosion was produced in the USSR.

... We have the data that in the recent weeks in the Soviet Union, an atomic explosion occurred. Since atomic energy has been released by a person, it should expect the relevant development of this new force by other nations. This probability has always been taken into account. Almost four years ago, I pointed out that scientists actually unanimously believed that significantly important theoretical information on which the discovery is based, are already widely known.

On September 25, 1949, the newspaper "Pravda" published the address of TASS "In connection with the statement by US President Truman on the holding of an atomic explosion in the USSR":

In the Soviet Union, as you know, construction work is underway. large scales - construction of hydrostations, mines, canals, roads that cause large explosive work with the application of the latest technical means.<…> It is possible that it could attract attention outside the Soviet Union.

see also

• Creating a Soviet hydrogen bomb

Notes

Links

• Chronology of the main events of the history of the Nuclear Industry of the USSR and Russia
• Vladimir Gubarev "White Archipelago. Unknown Pages "Atomic Project of the USSR" "
• Vladimir Vasilyev "Abkhazia - the forge of nuclear weapons. Over half a century ago in Sukhumi, the German Nuclear Specialists were held in Sukhumi
• Norilsk in the solution of an atomic question or the fate of Norilsk "Makaronki"
• Transfer of radio station "Freedom" "1949: American reaction to the Soviet atomic explosion"
• Atomic project of the USSR. By the 60th anniversary of the creation of a nuclear shield of Russia. July 24 - September 20, 2009. Description of the exhibition. Ministry of Culture of the Russian Federation, Federal Archival Agency, State Corporation for Atomic Energy "Rosatom", State Archive of the Russian Federation (2009). Archived from primary source March 2, 2012. Checked October 23, 2011.
• I. A, Andryushin A. K. Chernyshev Yu. A. Yudin Taming the kernel. Pages of the history of nuclear weapons and the nuclear infrastructure of the USSR. - Sarov: Red October, 2003. - 481 p. - ISBN 5-7439-0621-6
• R. Jung Brighter thousands of sun. - m., 1961.