General Leslie Groves (1896-1970)

It was groves who was in charge of building the Pentagon. After he was able to have it built ahead of schedule and under budget, he was a natural choice to lead the Manhattan Project.

The building of the atomic bomb was a massive process, requiring incredible organizational skills. His first steps were to insist he be promoted to General from Colonel and to hire Robert Oppenheimer.

Groves was pure military and difficult to work with. This made for clashes between his orders and the civilian scientists involved.

Books:

• Racing for the Bomb: General Leslie R. Groves, the Manhattan Project's Indispensable Man, by Robert S. Norris
• Now it Can Be Told, The Story of the Manhattan Project, by Leslie Groves