Wilhelms way : the inspiring story of the Iowa chemist who saved the Manhattan Project In February 1942 leaders of the Manhattan Project had a problem: to prove a controlled nuclear chain reaction was possible they needed pure uranium tons of it and in less than ten months. With only a few grams in existence there was little hope anyone could achieve such a feat. Harley Wilhelm a chemistry professor at Iowa State College rose to the challenge. A sharecroppers son and former college basketball coach Wilhelm was an unlikely character to impact the course of world history. Nevertheless he and his small dedicated team of scientists and technicians surpassed everyones wildest expectations. Wilhelms Way reveals the life and times of this unsung hero who helped America win the race to build the atomic bomb and end World War II. Back cover