Part 8/10:
As the project advanced, the manufacturing of the specially designed explosive lenses proved intricate, with strict quality control ensuring that only a fraction of produced lenses met stringent standards. Throughout this grueling 18-month process, the iterative numerical approaches proposed by von Neumann facilitated simulations of the complex dynamics at play in the implosion design.
The Moment of Truth
By mid-1945, scientists at Los Alamos had developed a design that showed promise for achieving the required compression. Testing of the full device was scheduled to coincide with the Potsdam Conference, where President Truman sought leverage in negotiations with Allied leaders.