Big BO2 Breakthroughs. Dates, Locations. Manhattan Project

[Shooter]

Boy, what a crazy last couple days it's been. With BO2 finally here, we're seeing loads of information pour in, even with some notable members taking a clear break to soak up BO2 in all it's glory. While the gameplay side of things is getting mixed reviews (I'm undecided as of yet), the storyline is stronger than ever. Today I'll bring you another thread of many as we piece together the pieces of the past, and solve the mysteries of the storyline that lie in wait. Before I begin, I'd like to say that Tac was a huge part in writing this thread. Without him, I'm doubtful I would have made such a strong connection to The Manhattan Project. I've been talking with him through text the last day or two hashing it out, so you can thank him for this as well.

Now, let's start where we left off with Black Ops: Nuketown.

Nuketown has been confirmed in Black Ops II to be located in Nevada, and that's where we'll begin.

The Nevada Test Site

The Nevada Test Site was set up on 680 square mile plot established by President Harry Truman on December 18, 1950 as the main testing grounds for America's nuclear bomb testing. The site was ideal because of it's extreme isolation, made up of mainly desert and rocky terrain. Located 60 miles outside Las Vegas, it wasn't uncommon to see the mushroom cloud after a detonation from Sin City.

     Trinity was a test of an implosion-design plutonium device. The same design was used on the Atomic Bomb that was detonated over Nagasaki, Japan, on August 9, 1945 at the end of WWII. The Trinity detonation produced the explosive power of 20 kilotons of TNT. The Manhattan Project was a secret military project created in 1942 to produce the first US nuclear weapon. Stemming from fears that the Nazis would build and use a nuclear weapon during World War II, the US established the Manhattan Project, which was originally based in Manhattan, New York, but later moved to three different facilities: Oak Ridge, Tennessee; at Los Alamos, New Mexico; and at Hanford, Washington. The last location is of great importance to us, but we'll get into that later.

     Remember The Manhattan Project and the Trinity Test, we'll be coming back to that in a just a bit.

The events of Moon and Maxis' Bombing of Earth.

During your time at Nuketown, radios can be heard throughout the match. On these radios, the events of the Big Bang Theory Easter Egg can be heard unfolding at the same moment. Also, in the beginning of the match, the zombies eyes are yellow, indicating Samantha is still in charge. However at one point, their eyes will suddenly switch to blue, which indicates that the soul swap has happened and that Richtofen is now in control in the Aether. These simple connection shows that the events of Moon and the bombings, and Nuketown Zombies occur simultaneously.

At the end of your match at Nuketown, and you reach the game over screen, a rocket can be seen heading towards Nuketown. Maxis' rocket. Not sure that these two blast aren't one in the same? Well the game over screen tells it all.

In the picture, Maxis' rocket is clearly seen heading towards Earth. You will note the large crater outside the map is already there, and the buildings are already destroyed, even before the rocket hits. Need more convincing? Let's look at the map select screen.

We see one smaller crater about 250 feet out, and another massive crater just touching the edge of Nuketown. The smaller crater was another Nuclear Bomb being tested by the US Army earlier in the Nevada Test Site's history, while the big crater is courtesy of the bomb dropped on Nuketown during Operation Latchkey. Next, we'll get into why the crater of the new bomb was significantly larger.

Ultimately, I believe we can now conclude the timeline for Moon and the events that follow are:

July 1966 - June 1967

This time period would also fall directly into the current estimated timeline of No Man's Land: http://callofdutyzombies.com/forum/view ... 53&t=22997

Operation Paperclip, The Alsos Mission, and the American's use of Element 115

So where are we going with all of this? What's the significance of these two specific operations: Trinity And Latchkey? First, let's go back to 1945, to Operation Paperclip and the Alsos Mission.

Operation Paperclip was the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) program used to recruit the scientists of Nazi Germany for employment by the United States in the aftermath of World War II. Upon their arrival, they would be told to stay and work for the same government agencies that had captured them.

     The use of Element 115 ceased after that test, and went to other uses at the Pentagon and Area 51. But there was still one last test with Element 115, during Operation Latchkey. This is the bomb denoted at Nuketown Zombies that we discussed earlier, and thus why the crater was such a massive size. It's clear a moderate amount of 115 was used in this blast. Extended radiation was bound to occur after the blast as well, bringing me to my next point.

The Outbreak at Area 51

So how did the outbreak at Area 51 begin? Just as the zombies in Nuketown are created from the blast, Area 51 is affected but the radiation occuring afterwards. Looking at a map of the two areas, it's not hard to see how the effects of Element 115 radiation could have reached Area 51.

Project Manhattan: The Hanford Site - TranZit's Location

Once again...

EJ! - viewtopic.php?f=100&t=24695#p237792

In case you have not made the connection by now, here it goes.

Hanford, Washington. A nuclear production complex is established in 1943 as part of the Manhattan Project in the town of Hanford in south-central Washington. Designated The Hanford Site, it was home to the B Reactor, the first full-scale plutonium production reactor in the world. Plutonium manufactured at the site was used in the first nuclear bomb, tested at the Trinity site. But that wasn't the only element being tested at the site. Element 115 was being tested there as part of the Manahattan Project as well.

[tab][/tab]On December 2-3 1949, The U.S. Government conducted an experiment release of radioactive fission products at the Hanford Site entitled "Green Run". Sounds familiar? The radiation from testing done at the Hanford Site remains in Hanford to this day and represents two-thrids of the US high-level radioactive waste.

This is what leads to the outbreak of Zombies in TranZit. The map select screen for Green Run matches this, showing the map taking place in the northwest corner of America.

We can conclude that Green Run is based in Hanford, Washington

Well done EJ.

Conclusion

Are we realizing all the connections here to the Manhattan Project? From the initial letters in Kino, to Nuketown and Tranzit. The Manhattan Project plays a crucial role in the foundation of BO2 Zombies' story. But should we be surprised, Jimmy hinted it to us months ago:

http://callofdutyzombies.com/forum/view ... 45#p227581

He wants us to know about the Manhattan Project and this why.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manhattan_Project

http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/top ... an-Project

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Paperclip

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Latchkey

http://www.scribd.com/doc/73626361/Unit ... ts-By-Date

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trinity_(nuclear_test)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_nu ... ted_States

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanford_Site

I will continue to add this to this as I go as there are still some more connections. I know a few people are anxiously awaiting this, So I'm putting this out now. Ignore and spelling errors. Let's get discussing!

Shooter

Ex

[Tac]

What a great thread, fantastically written and portrayed. You touched on how Oppenheimer had a Black Ops Terminal account, but it should also be noted that not only were they discussing business as usual, they even brought up Maxis and how he was a man ahead of his time.

Mail 3

TO: R. Oppen.

FROM: V. Bush

SUBJECT: Maxis Files

My friend,

I have managed to pull down and decypher a handful of the Servant files from the Der Riese Datenbediensteter project. Dr. Maxis was a man ahead of his time. He was also a man obsessed and bordering on insane.

I will forward to you what I have translated thus far. It is frightening material to say the least, but perhaps that is merely my mind making a subconscious association with today's date.

How go the recordings?

VB

This is a way they knew of Element 115 I feel, going through all of Maxis' files. Don't forget also that in Kino Der Toten, there are the marquee letters on the ground that spell out The Manhattan Project.

[PINNAZ]

Hahahah...

I can't believe we posted nearly the same thing at the same time!

I thought you were doing a breakdown of the Nuketown comic strip.... Not This!

We have different ideas on the Nuketown location, I came to my conclution based on the 'SEDAN' Picture in TranZit/Green Run & also that it is the biggest Crater in the US. Also because of the aerial photo that shows nearly identical image.

What Does 'SEDAN' mean?

NUKETOWN!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Plowshare

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Storax

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sedan_(nuclear_test)

Storax Sedan was a shallow underground nuclear test conducted in Area 10 of Yucca Flat at the Nevada National Security Site on 6 July 1962 as part of Operation Plowshare, a program to investigate the use of nuclear weapons for mining, cratering, and other civilian purposes. The radioactive fallout from the test contaminated more US residents than any other nuclear test. The Sedan Crater is the largest man-made crater in the United States, and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

'SEDAN' Crater

'Nuketown' close up

Nuketown Start Screen

I have Nuketown but I haven't played it yet, so I didnt know about the street signs...

Also the Atomic Frontier Days picture, which is a booked based on the development of Hanford community (plus the Manhatten letters in Kino)

Hanford, Washington may very well be the location of TranZit/Green Run

Don't know if this is worthy of being added somewhere in your OP.

The Atomic Energy Commission had 28 of the GMC buses made in 1953 to its specifications for use at Hanford. Among its features is an extra seat, placed across the emergency exit, to bump up the total number available for Hanford workers to 53.

Hanford Site Commuter Bus up for sale.

http://www.thenewstribune.com/2012/09/24/2307973/hanford-commuter-bus-put-up-for.html

Another thing is Vannevar Bush....

Do you know what company holds the Patents for HAARP?

A Company called Raytheon

http://www.raytheon.com/ourcompany/history/

Raytheon History

The company’s founders were Vannevar Bush, who would become dean of MIT’s School of Engineering; Laurence Marshall, an engineer; and Charles G. Smith, a scientist who had done work on the electrical properties of gases.

I bet Electric Jesus is getting a big head with both of us giving him props in our posts!!!

Argh Man, Nice work mate

[Faust]

You glorious bastard! It is awesome to see people like you on the scene making threads like this, they are incredibly informative and an interesting read! Keep up the good work! :D

[MysteryMachineX]

Your basis on the time of Nuketown is two signs... That is pure conjecture. They could be pure references, nothing more. You choose to ignore the sophisticated weaponry and robot driver over two signs in effort to get a date. Sure, the Nazis had advanced technology, and the Soviets and Americans caught up. But there would not be a robotic bus driver released to the public in '60's, only the future. Your initial assumption is wrong, and all that follows.

[BlackOpsTiger]

Great Detailed Post Man. I believe that we are FINALLY getting the connections with the remaining mystery of Der Riese. The "towers", Tesla technology, "Trinity" all of it is coming together.

-

About 15 months ago before Moon came out I was able to link the Manhattan Project, Nuketown, the Dreamland Server info and much more together. I looked at the Nuketown Map from Black Ops, predicted that it would someday be the site of the next zombie invasion, and that the easter egg in moon would involve a nuclear explosion on earth. Predicted it on my one year anniversary of being a CoDz member

http://callofdutyzombies.com/forum/view ... 04#p139404

I'll see if I can dig up some of my other research I did concerning the Manhattan project and how it all connected, sorry it's been more than a year but i'm glad Treyarch didn't abandon the deep storyline for us fans that have been here since the beginning.

[Tac]

Your basis on the time of Nuketown is two signs... That is pure conjecture. They could be pure references, nothing more. You choose to ignore the sophisticated weaponry and robot driver over two signs in effort to get a date. Sure, the Nazis had advanced technology, and the Soviets and Americans caught up. But there would not be a robotic bus driver released to the public in '60's, only the future. Your initial assumption is wrong, and all that follows.

I don't know how many times you are going to try to argue that the weapons are canon to anything. So with that, you're basis is on the bus driver alone. You are no more right than anyone else, it's all a matter of opinion, stop acting like you know everything.

[MysteryMachineX]

Your basis on the time of Nuketown is two signs... That is pure conjecture. They could be pure references, nothing more. You choose to ignore the sophisticated weaponry and robot driver over two signs in effort to get a date. Sure, the Nazis had advanced technology, and the Soviets and Americans caught up. But there would not be a robotic bus driver released to the public in '60's, only the future. Your initial assumption is wrong, and all that follows.

I don't know how many times you are going to try to argue that the weapons are canon to anything. So with that, you're basis is on the bus driver alone. You are no more right than anyone else, it's all a matter of opinion, stop acting like you know everything.

Excuse me? I'm not the one making a thread stating that it IS in the 1960's and that everyone else who says otherwise is an idiot. That's you and Shooter. Stop being so arrogant and close-minded. If everyone has their opinion, that at least carry yourself in a more humble fashion rather than re-posting this thread everywhere you can.

EDIT: I obviously support the idea that this map takes place in the future, where the tag team of you and Shooter think otherwise. Your rebuttle is just insulting that the evidence I have simply does not count, whereas I could say the same that yours does not. This is not debating. This is backslapping. I don't want everyone to unanimously agree that this map takes place in the future. I support the future side as a possibility in every sense of the word. I honestly believe that until we have NON-controversial evidence, unlike a sign, which could be as much an allusion as the so-called new "Nacht der Untoten", or weapons, which have been a bit finicky canon-wise, that the date is actually UNKNOWN, since there are BOTH elements of the future and past. Retrofuturism. Honestly the game reminds me of Fallout. It may be a parallel universe for all we know. But the fact is WE DO NOT. And to say that it is without a doubt in the 1960's, I find slanderous upon CoDz, the community, Zombies, Call of Duty, and Treyarch.

[Zaptn.]

Great post btw! I have a question though (Probably a stupid one but i haven't much knowledge on nuclear bombs)

If you say Nuketown zombies is set around the time of Operation Latchkey and that the nuclear bomb used contained 115, why where there human bodys/humans in or near the explosive radius during or shortly after the test for them to be turned into a zombie through the 115?

Im no expert but i've always thought nuclear test sites are out of bounds for humans for a while after nuclear explosions? And you can clearly see the mushroom cloud so its time could be just hours after the latchkey explosion if not minutes. And why have these characters been sent here right after a nuclear explosion when there would be nuclear radiation everywhere?

Again, probably a stupid question but its just come to my head

[Tac]

Your basis on the time of Nuketown is two signs... That is pure conjecture. They could be pure references, nothing more. You choose to ignore the sophisticated weaponry and robot driver over two signs in effort to get a date. Sure, the Nazis had advanced technology, and the Soviets and Americans caught up. But there would not be a robotic bus driver released to the public in '60's, only the future. Your initial assumption is wrong, and all that follows.

I don't know how many times you are going to try to argue that the weapons are canon to anything. So with that, you're basis is on the bus driver alone. You are no more right than anyone else, it's all a matter of opinion, stop acting like you know everything.

Excuse me? I'm not the one making a thread stating that it IS in the 1960's and that everyone else who says otherwise is an idiot. That's you and Shooter. Stop being so arrogant and close-minded. If everyone has their opinion, that at least carry yourself in a more humble fashion rather than re-posting this thread everywhere you can.

EDIT: I obviously support the idea that this map takes place in the future, where the tag team of you and Shooter think otherwise. Your rebuttle is just insulting that the evidence I have simply does not count, whereas I could say the same that yours does not. This is not debating. This is backslapping. I don't want everyone to unanimously agree that this map takes place in the future. I support the future side as a possibility in every sense of the word. I honestly believe that until we have NON-controversial evidence, unlike a sign, which could be as much an allusion as the so-called new "Nacht der Untoten", or weapons, which have been a bit finicky canon-wise, that the date is actually UNKNOWN, since there are BOTH elements of the future and past. Retrofuturism. Honestly the game reminds me of Fallout. It may be a parallel universe for all we know. But the fact is WE DO NOT. And to say that it is without a doubt in the 1960's, I find slanderous upon CoDz, the community, Zombies, Call of Duty, and Treyarch.

I completely agree that both options are plausible and nothing is confirmed. I cannot speak for Shooter, but I feel it's fine to say that we aren't saying it's 1960's definitely, it's just a theory. I believe that saying "I believe" or "I think" is just redundant and dumb. Everyone knows by now that because this is a forum, we don't mean things like fact. I feel like you are the one who is making it seem like everyone is an idiot and that we are DEFINITELY wrong, like you said here, "Your initial assumption is wrong, and all that follows."

[MysteryMachineX]

I completely agree that both options are plausible and nothing is confirmed. I cannot speak for Shooter, but I feel it's fine to say that we aren't saying it's 1960's definitely, it's just a theory. I believe that saying "I believe" or "I think" is just redundant and dumb. Everyone knows by now that because this is a forum, we don't mean things like fact. I feel like you are the one who is making it seem like everyone is an idiot and that we are DEFINITELY wrong, like you said here, "Your initial assumption is wrong, and all that follows."

How would I know? There's hardly been a cogent discussion on the matter in the stead of spotty discussions on several different threads. I was probably too forward in that statement.

[MixMasterNut]

My feeling is that Nuketown in the game encompasses the nuclear tests of the era. There were over a thousand nuclear test done in the Nevada test sites. I don't think the Nuketown map can be pinpointed down to a single test such as Operation Latchkey.

Here's some examples of nuclear tests on houses I think helped influence the Nuketown map.

THE REAL NUKETOWN

05Z5lq4ci2o

[0] The Main St and Elm St signs in front of the Apple II house resembles the Latchkey Rd and Trinity Ave signs at Nuketown

The two homes were actually a mile apart from each other.

This house was part of a 1955 detonation of a 29-kiloton weapon called Apple II

OPERATION DOORSTEP (1953) & OPERATION CUE (1955)

G2-8f-V5sFY

HOUSE IN THE MIDDLE

pGJcwaUWNZg

As a side-note I want to share, my yard produces a lot of leaves. Now after watching this film, every time clean up my yard, a part of me is doing it to help ensure my home survives an inevitable nuclear attack. Ugh... Stupid cold war propaganda brainwashed me.

For more propaganda issued by the Department of Civil Defense, check out my Fallout Brochure thread here: viewtopic.php?f=41&t=21229

- Mix

[MixMasterNut]

Here's another Nuketown related video, from the public archives, that was just uploaded today.

SURVIVAL TOWN U.S.A.

nqRFBDRYZF4

I think it's funny (in an F'd up way) how the narrator talks so briefly and nonchalant in this film about the troops that were stationed a mile away from the blast. These nuclear tests were to help determine who would survive in a nuclear attack. So as part of the tests, they carted some soldiers out into the desert and placed them as close as within 1.4 miles of ground zero. Once they got there, the soldiers were then told what the test was, and their role in it. They were not given any radiation suits. They were told to put their back against the wall of the trench, and wait for all the shock and explosions to finish. I can't even imagine how terrifying it must have been for those young soldiers huddling in those small trenchs not knowing if they would survive the outcome of a nuclear blasts at close range or not. Even though they survived, they all walked away with a healthy does of radiation poisoning that would negatively affect their health later in life. The Atomic Energy Commission denied any responsibility for their proceeding health issues.

More info about soldiers involved in Atomic Testing can be found here:

http://home.comcast.net/~glenncheney/testing.htm

Also look up Operation Buster-Jangle

Researching Nuketown is kinda my thing right now

- Mix

[Tac]

I think it's funny (in an F'd up way) how the narrator talks so briefly and nonchalant in this film about the troops that were stationed a mile away from the blast. These nuclear tests were to help determine who would survive in a nuclear attack. So as part of the tests, they carted some soldiers out into the desert and placed them as close as within 1.4 miles of ground zero. Once they got there, the soldiers were then told what the test was, and their role in it. They were not given any radiation suits. They were told to put their back against the wall of the trench, and wait for all the shock and explosions to finish. I can't even imagine how terrifying it must have been for those young soldiers huddling in those small trenchs not knowing if they would survive the outcome of a nuclear blasts at close range or not. Even though they survived, they all walked away with a healthy does of radiation poisoning that would negatively affect their health later in life. The Atomic Energy Commission denied any responsibility for their proceeding health issues.

Could this be a possible reason for the zombies in Nuketown having normal soldiers uniforms on? Maybe over the 900 blasts at the Nevada Test Site, Treyarch says some died and there we have it?

EDIT: Here's an image from Exercise Desert Rock I basically showing what you're saying above.

[MysteryMachineX]

Question: Do you think that the Nuke that hit Nuketown, before the missiles hit, contained 115?

[Tac]

Question: Do you think that the Nuke that hit Nuketown, before the missiles hit, contained 115?

I believe so. Monopoly Mac said once that the fact the perk machines fall from it makes it slightly implied, which I agree with. Shooter pointed out to me that the ashes that fall from the sky are green and red, kind of like the Ray Gun bullets or the liquid in Dwr Riese. On top of that, it can explain the breakout.

Sorry if this question was directed at Shooter :oops:

[Monopoly Mac]

If you look closely, Shooter answers this in the original post.

Still not sure? While playing on Nuketown Zombies, Perk machines seem to appear out of nowhere. But they can actually be traced back to the head of the mushroom cloud, as they plummet back towards Earth. Perks-a-cola is formed from Element 115, and this could just be another nod to the fact that 115 was in the nuke.

[MysteryMachineX]

Thanks Monopoly Mac. Yes, Tac, it kinda was. But it's fine. Your opinion is important as well. Thank you.

[MixMasterNut]

I believe I've tracked down the real reference to Nuketown

Indian Jones And the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull

WATCH THIS!!!

Arib8uWMWsM

Somehow things always seems to go back to Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.

I found this reference here: http://gameological.com/2013/01/call-of ... -nuketown/

Enjoy

- Mix

[PINNAZ]

We all knew 3arc took a lot of inspiration from Indiana Jones, this pretty much confirms it.

Nuketown

http://community.activision.com/community/call_of_duty_xp_blog/blog/2011/09/03/treyarch-reveals-the-black-ops-multiplayer-you-never-saw

Nuketown wasn’t built in a day.

Actually, it was built in two. Nuketown was a happy accident and was never officially planned. According to Dan Bunting, Vahn saw Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull one night and came in the next day saying “We need to do a map like this!” So the team looked at old nuclear test footage -- “we watched movies of towers been blown to smithereens and it was really inspiring.”

[zombo187]

We all knew 3arc took a lot of inspiration from Indiana Jones, this pretty much confirms it.

Nuketown

http://community.activision.com/community/call_of_duty_xp_blog/blog/2011/09/03/treyarch-reveals-the-black-ops-multiplayer-you-never-saw

Nuketown wasn’t built in a day.

Actually, it was built in two. Nuketown was a happy accident and was never officially planned. According to Dan Bunting, Vahn saw Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull one night and came in the next day saying “We need to do a map like this!” So the team looked at old nuclear test footage -- “we watched movies of towers been blown to smithereens and it was really inspiring.”

Although the new MoTD map seems to borrow from various gangster and prison movies such as shawshank redemption, The blue crystal skulls that are featured were also a part of the audience raping indiana jones movie. Just throwin that out there. The theory seems pretty valid. Good work PINNAZ you always amaze me.

[MixMasterNut]

We all knew 3arc took a lot of inspiration from Indiana Jones, this pretty much confirms it.

Nuketown

http://community.activision.com/community/call_of_duty_xp_blog/blog/2011/09/03/treyarch-reveals-the-black-ops-multiplayer-you-never-saw

Nuketown wasn’t built in a day.

Actually, it was built in two. Nuketown was a happy accident and was never officially planned. According to Dan Bunting, Vahn saw Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull one night and came in the next day saying “We need to do a map like this!” So the team looked at old nuclear test footage -- “we watched movies of towers been blown to smithereens and it was really inspiring.”

Ugh, such a bitter sweet find!

Wish I had seen this article back in late 2011. That would have saved me a ton of research that eventually led me to the same conclusion

- Mix