The Trinity Test Atomic Bomb Detonation (1945)

 

The Trinity test was the first time a nuclear weapon was detonated. This was truly the beginning of the Atomic Age. Humankind had unleashed nuclear power and would grapple with the consequences of nuclear arms races. Manipulation nuclear fission and chain reactions created one of the most lethal weapons in the world. After the detonation, public health was negatively effected. When an atomic bomb is used nuclear fallout remains. The residents of New Mexico close to the radius of detonation found radioactive debris in crops, land, and water. There remains footage of the detonation, which provides a glimpse into the power of the explosion. When citizens realized the disturbance, the US government lied and said it was accident. No attempts were made for evacuation or warnings. The increase in radiation resulted in higher rates of cancer and infant deaths. Further damage to the environment came from uranium mining. As more nuclear tests were being done during the Cold War, fallout spread throughout Nevada. Even if a person was not vaporized by an atomic bomb survivors would fall victim to disease.