The Manhattan Project, the first electronic computer and the Monte Carlo method (Q254497)

The motivation and development of a stochastic theory called ``Monte Carlo'' is presented among historical events. Los Alamos research in neutron diffusion required a new approach to computing and was crucial for producing the atomic weapons (known as Manhattan Project), designing the first fixed program computer ENIAC and the first residence-based program computer EDVAC. The article contains pictures of scientists involved in the research, the cover page of the classified report of Ulam's and von Neumann's work, and the first page of the article published by \textit{N. Metropolis} and \textit{S. Ulam} [J. Am. Stat. Assoc. 44, 335--341 (1949; Zbl 0033.28807)] about the Monte Carlo method.