ShreyaGuzzling Energy
Oak Ridge, Tennessee just a few years after its mysterious establishment was bustling with energy which was not just metaphoric. This place which did not even exist on the map went on to become the 5th largest city in the state! Not only that, this place which was supposed to be non-existent in Appalachia was consuming 1/7th of the electric power available in the entire country! What on earth was going on here?
What Were They Doing?
The population of Oak Ridge was nothing compared to that of the biggest cities in the country so the question was- why a place with moderate population need 1/7th of the entire country’s energy!? One would think that it was only the people kept out of bounds of Oak Ridge were in the dark but even the people inside were not aware of the magnitude of the secret.
Secrets Inside
Majority of the people inside, even the workers were not aware of the entire picture. They were just there, they knew they were a part of something big, bigger than what has probably ever happened in their country but what was its true nature they could only guess. They did not ask any questions, they knew it was not the wise thing to do.
Sinister Steps
The workers were only told what they needed to know on a short-term basis. How or to what their steps were contributing to they were largely unaware. They did not know the outcome of their work. All they were told was that they are contributing to ending the war. To keep the residents under check the government got its message across via some sinister steps.
Cautionary Signs
Warning signs such as this were placed all around the town just to keep the residents in check and subtly tell them that whatever they were doing was not meant to be discussed with ANYONE. The project was top secret and they needed to take precautions to keep their mouths shut especially if they were leaving town.
Other Signs
These were what some other signs read:
“Loose talks helps our enemy so, let’s keep our trap shut.”
“Who me? Yes, you… Keep mum about this job.”
The residents thought it prudent to keep quiet among themselves too.