The Atomic Energy Act of 1946, also known as the McMahon Act, marked a pivotal shift in America's nuclear program by transferring control of atomic energy from military to civilian hands. Signed into law by President Harry Truman on August 1, 1946, the Act established the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) to oversee all aspects of nuclear research, development, and production in peacetime. The legislation reflected growing concerns about military control over atomic technology and established strict regulations on nuclear information sharing, even with allies who had collaborated on the Manhattan Project.
The Act gave the AEC extraordinary powers over nuclear intellectual property and created a virtual government monopoly on atomic research, while also establishing a Congressional oversight committee - the Joint Committee on Atomic Energy. When the AEC officially began operations on January 1, 1947, it inherited the vast network of laboratories, production facilities, and contracts developed under the Manhattan Project, fundamentally reshaping how America would manage its nuclear capabilities in the atomic age.
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