Manhattan Project

The Manhattan Project was a research and development project that produced the first atomic bombs during World War II.

Background

The first major test took place on July 16, 1945 when Trinity was detonated.

Return to Danger

In 1939, Albert Einstein signed a letter to President Franklin D. Roosevelt noting German advances in physics and warned of the real possibility of the Nazis developing a uranium bomb. This lead to a race between Americans and Germans to be the first to create the bomb. B.J. would attempt to stop some of this research (on plutonium bombs) at a secret research base in Scandinavia.

Wolfenstein (Wolf2)

The Allies were straining to win the war, even as late as 1945 (possibly 1947), they haven't even invaded Europe at Normandy. The Manhattan Project was one of their last ditch plans. The US already had Nuclear technology by 1945 (and upwards to 1947) , but the atom bomb may still not in state of perfection to be used (or perhaps allied air force was in shambles to be able to use it).

Stefan Kriege knew about it, and knew the Americans were desperate to use it for success.

In the historical timeline the project ran from 1942 to 1946. Stefan is likely referring to the later half of the research between 1944-1945. Wolfenstein takes place between in 1945 or later ( after the events of Wolfenstein 3D Classic) most likely.

Note: Wolf2 takes place chronologically in 1945 or later, in an alternate universe where WW2 ended with Hitler's death in 1945, but events of Normandy never occurred on June 1944. The Germans were left in disarray but are starting to refocus (as the strengthened Third Reich/New Recih/Fourth Reich). They had recently recaptured Isenstadt, and made attempted counter attacks on London. London had no air apparent air defenses at the time leaving B.J. to have to stop the attack single-handedly. They were apparently working on their own nuclear bombs combined with the power of the Veil energy.

MachineGames

In the MachineGames timeline (which takes place in an alternate universe where America lost at Normandy, B.J. failed to kill Hitler at castle wolfenstein) it's not clear if US nuclear technology progressed as it did in actual history.

The Nazis didn't start using nuclear weapons until 1948. The only detail mentioned in the Trailer concerning US atomic bomb making is that the "They beat us to the bomb, no one knows how..."

In October 1948, the Albuquerque Murders occurred when nine of the professors connected to the Manhattan Project were murdered showing that the Nazi did manage to prevent the US from developing the atom bomb perfectly using an assassin posed as a military student. (However, this is already off the historical timeline, since US had useable nukes since around 1945)

Behind the scenes

Manhattan Project on Wikipedia