Was Nuclear Reactors first invented to generate electricity?

No, nuclear reactors were not initially invented to generate electricity. The first nuclear reactor, known as Chicago Pile-1, was built in 1942 primarily for research purposes and to demonstrate the feasibility of a controlled nuclear chain reaction. It was part of the Manhattan Project, aimed at developing nuclear weapons during World War II. Electricity generation from nuclear reactors became a focus later, particularly in the 1950s, as the potential for using nuclear fission for power generation was recognized.