This article focuses on the events leading up to the beginning of the atomic age, sparked by the decision to proceed with the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Provided is the chronological course of events that concluded with the decision to drop the atomic bomb. The author explains the how and why behind the decision. He claims that the initial stages behind the development of the atomic bomb and the establishment of the Manhattan Project began with the recognition of scientific possibilities involving atomic energy, as well as potential for the Germans to succeed first in creating an atomic weapon. The role of the Interim Committee in the decision to use the atomic bomb, as well as military, scientific, political, and diplomatic consequences are considered in the article. The article is outdated because documents with relevant new information became available after its publication in 1957; however, it is of historical interest, reflecting thought at the time.