secret high level group created united_states secretary war urging leaders manhattan_project approval president advise matters pertaining nuclear energy composed prominent political scientific industrial figures broad terms reference included advising president wartime controls release information making recommendations post war controls policies related nuclear energy including legislation duty advise manner nuclear weapons employed japan later advised legislation control regulation nuclear energy named interim anticipation permanent body later replace war development nuclear technology placed firmly civilian control enacted serve function composition chairman members senator soon secretary state president personal representative secretary navy assistant secretary state director president chief president chairman president harvard_university assistant president harrison chaired committee absent president personal representative probably influential member held meeting began outlining broad terms reference included advising president wartime controls release information making recommendations post war controls policies related nuclear energy including legislation specifically charged making recommendations military use nuclear weapons composition committee close relationship wartime use nuclear weapons post war policies inevitably led involvement decision use atomic bombs immediate committee tasks focus subsequent controversy recommendations concerning use atomic bomb japan committee consensus arrived meeting held june described follows meeting log recommended committee agreed secretary war advised recognizing final selection target essentially military decision present view committee bomb japan soon possible war plant surrounded workers homes prior warning member later decision memorandum laid case warning japan bomb arriving conclusion committee advised scientific panel manhattan_project university_of_chicago directed bomb assembly program reinforcing decision arrived june scientists wrote formal report june opinions scientific colleagues initial use weapons unanimous range proposal purely technical demonstration military application best designed induce surrender advocate purely technical demonstration wish outlaw use atomic weapons feared use weapons position future negotiations emphasize opportunity saving american lives immediate military use believe use improve international prospects concerned prevention war elimination specific weapon find closer views propose technical demonstration likely bring end war acceptable alternative direct military use committee recommendation addressed went directly june meeting brief reportedly concurred committee opinion reviewing report june committee reaffirmed position weapon japan earliest opportunity warning dual target military installation war plant surrounded adjacent homes buildings susceptible damage press releases given responsibility preparation separate prepared statements president secretary war released nuclear weapons job drafting given submitted review turn passed meeting july considered adopted set british suggestions final draft president speech handed conference august following dropping atomic bomb japanese city hiroshima august read press release declared bomb added new revolutionary increase destruction supplement growing power armed forces present form bombs production powerful forms development atomic bomb basic power universe force sun draws power brought war far_east post war legislation july formed bush produced proposal legislation control nuclear energy submitted proposals meeting july harrison brought experienced lawyers job drafting legislation draft bill created man commission consisting civilian military members granted commission broad powers acquire property operate facilities conduct research regulate forms nuclear energy bill reviewed july meeting revised line suggestions bill president august met september discuss legislative strategy bill introduced united_states congress chairman ranking member senator october known johnson bill johnson bill soon ran difficulties discharged november met time december discuss amendments johnson bill december senator introduced alternative senate bill atomic energy quickly known mcmahon bill initially liberal bill control scientific research broadly supported scientists mcmahon framed controversy question military versus civilian control atomic energy johnson bill provided civilian control atomic energy major revisions mcmahon bill order conservative elements senate resulting bill passed senate house major modifications august signed mcmahon bill law atomic energy act
Interim Committee