The Manhattan Project | Scientific Achievement vs Ethical Responsibility (Republish)

The Manhattan Project | Scientific Achievement vs Ethical Responsibility (Republish)

During the summer break, the 15-Minute History podcast team are republishing some of their favorite episodes. This episode originally aired on May 5, 2025.

Season 9 begins Monday, October 7!

___

It was still dark. The group of men felt the breeze getting warmer as the eastern horizon began to show signs of light. One of the men, tall with no expression, watched as final preparations were made to a large object in front of the group.

The others saw the anxiety in his face in a way that only those had had been around him could discern. The man walked forward, spoke with some of the technicians, and watched them haul it away. It was going to a tower, visible in the distance. Conversations around him continued, but only because it seemed like they had to. Somehow, the silence would have been louder.

Not long after, notifications came from the tower; an all clear was given. At 5:29 a.m., a flash of light that was so brilliant it could be seen from 200 miles away blossomed in the desert. The mushroom cloud rose 40,000 feet into the air, and the shock wave was felt 100 miles from ground zero. The man who all that morning had worn no expression, would later recall remembering a Hindu scripture in that moment: "Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds."

Another man who witnessed the test described the overwhelming impression it left: "A new thing had just been born; a new control; a new understanding of man, which man had acquired over nature." Another observer said, "The lighting effects beggared description. The whole country was lighted by a searing light with the intensity many times that of the midday sun."

Humanity had crossed a threshold.

___

Join us as we show you the Manhattan Project, the reason behind the development of nuclear weapons, and the ethical implications of such an invention.

Jaksot(416)

McCarthyism | A Discussion on the Threat of Cultural Evil

McCarthyism | A Discussion on the Threat of Cultural Evil

In this, our last episode of Season 7, join us as we discuss Joseph McCarthy, McCarthyism, and the threat of cultural evils. Thank you for a fantastic season! We look forward to speaking with you again this Fall.

3 Kesä 202440min

Pop Quiz | Narratives

Pop Quiz | Narratives

Welcome to the Pop Quiz! Every other Thursday, Joe asks the other a topical question about history, and Jon has to answer it without any help or resources - other than his legendary memory and knowledge of history. These episodes are unedited and a fun way for the team to interact more with you, our outstanding audience. Have an idea for a topic? Want to try and stump Jon? Send it to us at 15minutehistory@gmail.com or submit it to our website at https://www.15minutehistorypodcast.org. We promise not to give him any hints.

30 Touko 20244min

“The Message” | The Threat of Cultural Evil (Part 2)

“The Message” | The Threat of Cultural Evil (Part 2)

Last week, we discussed the political and legal framework of McCarthyism, but far more important is how it impacted ordinary citizens who were not Soviet agents. McCarthy and HUAC regularly labeled Americans as threats simply for their political beliefs, which were often countercultural at the time. Whether or not their views were correct, they did not deserve the loss of reputation, income, and even personal safety that accompanied a subversive accusation. Hundreds of people lost their jobs, had to move, and even faced legal sanctions for dissenting viewpoints. Some later repaired their reputations as the “Red Scare” faded and its moral panic subsided, but many felt McCarthyism’s lingering effects for the rest of their lives. This week, we cover part two of our series on McCarthyism.

27 Touko 202417min

Pop Quiz | East India Trading Company

Pop Quiz | East India Trading Company

Welcome to the Pop Quiz! Every other Thursday, Joe asks the other a topical question about history, and Jon has to answer it without any help or resources - other than his legendary memory and knowledge of history. These episodes are unedited and a fun way for the team to interact more with you, our outstanding audience. Have an idea for a topic? Want to try and stump Jon? Send it to us at 15minutehistory@gmail.com or submit it to our website at https://www.15minutehistorypodcast.org. We promise not to give him any hints.

23 Touko 20246min

McCarthyism | The Threat of Cultural Evil (Part 1)

McCarthyism | The Threat of Cultural Evil (Part 1)

A sense of moral panic had gripped the country that everyone in the room at the Republican Women’s Club could feel. The audience fell silent as the senator walked to his podium and organized his notes. He had been in the upper house for only three years, and few outside his home state of Wisconsin knew of his service as a tail gunner on bombers in the Second World War. His fingers brushed across his main prop, a long list of names, while he took a breath and raised his hands for silence. As he prepared to deliver what became a career-defining address, Joseph McCarthy could not have known that his name would soon be among the most reviled in modern American history. Join us as we teach you about Joseph McCarthy, McCarthyism, and the threat of cultural evils.

20 Touko 202412min

Pop Quiz | Story

Pop Quiz | Story

Welcome to the Pop Quiz! Every other Thursday, Joe or Jon asks the other a topical question about history, and Jon has to answer it without any help or resources - other than his legendary memory and knowledge of history. These episodes are unedited and a fun way for the team to interact more with you, our outstanding audience. Have an idea for a topic? Want to try and stump Jon? Send it to us at 15minutehistory@gmail.com or submit it to our website at https://www.15minutehistorypodcast.org. We promise not to give him any hints.

16 Touko 20243min

Teaching Evil | A Discussion on Signposts and Outcomes

Teaching Evil | A Discussion on Signposts and Outcomes

Join us as we discuss the episode, Teaching Evil, the trends seen in history, and their outcomes.

13 Touko 202444min

Pop Quiz | Ancient Ideas

Pop Quiz | Ancient Ideas

Welcome to the Pop Quiz! Every other Thursday, Joe asks a topical question about history, and Jon has to answer it without any help or resources - other than his legendary memory and knowledge of history. These episodes are unedited and a fun way for the team to interact more with you, our outstanding audience. Have an idea for a topic? Want to try and stump Jon? Send it to us at 15minutehistory@gmail.com or submit it to our website at https://www.15minutehistorypodcast.org. We promise not to give him any hints.

9 Touko 20245min

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