The Manhattan Project: An Overview

August 2017 will mark the 75th anniversary of the establishment of the United States Army's Manhattan Engineer District, which oversaw the development and deployment of the first generation of nuclear weapons during World War II. In this talk I give an overview of the Manhattan Project, touching on its historical context, genesis, organization, facilities, accomplishments, challenges encountered, and legacies. I will also comment briefly on some of its lesser-known aspects and the persistent popular mythologies that still surround it.