The first atomic bomb was successfully tested on July 16, 1945, during the Manhattan Project. This test, known as "Trinity," took place in the New Mexico desert at the White Sands Proving Ground. The bomb was a pivotal moment in history, marking the first demonstration of nuclear energy for destructive purposes. The Trinity test demonstrated the immense power of nuclear weapons, ultimately leading to their use in World War II against Japan in Hiroshima and Nagasaki later that year. The successful detonation raised ethical concerns and initiated an arms race during the Cold War.