Customer Reviews

The General and the Bomb: A Biography of General Leslie R. Groves, Director of the Manhattan Project

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I've read two other seminal books on the Manhattan Project and General Leslie Groves: "Now It Can Be Told : The Story of the Manhattan Project" by Leslie R. Groves and the Pulitzer Prize winner "The Making of the Atomic Bomb" by Richard Rhodes.

William Lawren's biography is a personal and intimate look at General Groves in ways lacking in these other two fine books. Groves is a master at sizing up people and situations, deciding on change, and finding the right people to put in charge. While Robert Oppenheimer may have been Groves' most conspicuous choice during the Manhattan Project, he made dozens of other quality people and organizational decisions and adjustments along the way. Groves' people moved at Internet speed before there was such a thing. He practiced high touch before there was email or cell phones. He anticipated cultural clashes especially between the command and control military and collegiate scientists, and dealt with it. Consequently, Groves' staff understood his expectation that the scientists' care and well being were their highest priority even though the scientists disdained their military sponsors.

Groves was not easily intimidated or bamboozled by title or genius. In fact, he seemed to have the greatest respect for non-scientist engineers who got things done quickly, competently and with a practical efficiency. If the scientists had their way...and I respect them...nothing would have been built of any consequences. Groves recognized the need to bring in engineering talent early, even before the scientific solutions were determined. And he convinced DuPont and other engineering firms to take on this project despite the risks and unknowns.

I found this to be a great story of leadership and practical management. In fact Groves didn't even want the job and initially thought it had little chance for success. I came away enormously impressed by Groves' energy, determination and focus. Too bad this book is no longer in print...it beats 99% of the management books out there today.

I bought it used through Amazon.