The Man Who Shattered the World: Oppenheimer’s Nuclear Guilt

In the dim light of the early morning, precisely on July 16, 1945, Robert Oppenheimer stood poised within the confines of the control bunker. Eagerly, he awaited the impending instant that held the power to alter the course of history itself. About 10 kilometers away, in the dry expanse of New Mexico’s desert, something incredible happened.

This was a completely new test that would be a significant moment in human history: the first-ever explosion of the world’s inaugural atomic bomb called ‘Trinity.’

Oppenheimer was the picture of trouble. He was always in poor health. For three years he headed ‘Project Y’, the scientific branch of the Manhattan Engineer District, where the bomb was made. During that period, he tipped the scales at 52 kilograms, and standing tall at five feet and ten inches, he presented a slender appearance. Merely four hours of sleep embraced his nights.

He was kept awake by coughing due to severe anxiety and smoking. That day in 1945 was one of the defining moments of Oppenheimer’s life, detailed in the 2005 book American Prometheus by historians Kai Byrd and Martin J. Sherwin.

According to Bird and Sherwin’s report, a few minutes before the nuclear explosion, an army general observed Oppenheimer’s mood: ‘Dr. Oppenheimer. The last seconds became very serious. He was breathing very little.’

The light of this explosion was more than the sun. The force of 21 kilotons of TNT was the biggest explosion ever. Its shock wave was felt up to 160 kilometers away.

The resounding blast swept through the entire expanse, shrouding the area in billowing smoke as it ascended toward the heavens. At the same time, Oppenheimer’s face had an expression of ‘deep satisfaction’. A few minutes later, Oppenheimer’s friend and colleague Isidore Rabi observed him walking from afar, saying, ‘I’ll always remember the way he walked.’ I can never forget how they got out of the car. There was an element of success in their walk.’

Oppenheimer ‘Waved His Fist’ At The Bombing Of ‘Helpless’ Japanese

In the 1960s, during interviews, Oppenheimer expressed that these moments brought to mind a line from the Hindu scripture Bhagavad Gita: ‘Now I become death, the destroyer of worlds.’ In the following days, his friends found him mentally disturbed. One said: ‘Robert became very quiet and went into deep thought for two weeks.’ Because they knew what was going to happen next.

One morning he was heard boasting of the apparent fate of the Japanese: ‘Those poor people, those poor people.’ Then a few days later, he again became anxious.

In meetings with the military counterpart, he had forgotten about ‘those poor people’. According to Bird and Sherwin, they discussed the importance of dropping bombs under the right conditions. ‘Obviously, they should not drop it in rainy or foggy weather. Don’t let them blow it up high. The default data is correct. Don’t take it too high or it won’t hurt the target as much.’

About a month after the Trinity test, he announced the successful bombing of Hiroshima to his colleagues. Meanwhile, one man observed Oppenheimer ‘throw his fist in the air as if he had won in Dangal.’ Applause made the atmosphere warmer.

Oppenheimer was crucial to the success of the Manhattan Project, contributing greatly with both his emotions and intellect. Among all individuals involved, he was the one who truly brought the atomic bomb into existence. No one else could have done it, says Jeremy Bernstein, who worked with him after the war.

He wrote in his autobiography in 2004 that ‘If Oppenheimer had not been in charge at Los-Elmos, I think that World War II would have ended, for better or for worse. Without using nuclear weapons.’ Oppenheimer has made different comments on this nuclear explosion on several occasions. It is as if all the emotions of anxious fantasy, ambition, exaltation, and fear of doom are put into one person.

The film Oppenheimer was released in the US on July 21, 2023.

Byrd and Sherwin described Oppenheimer as an ‘enigma’: ‘He was a theoretical physicist who showed great leadership skills. A person who appreciates art that evokes ambiguity.’ A scientist friend of his called him ‘the best manipulator of the imagination’.

In the year 1904, his first cry graced the vibrant streets of New York City. His parents migrated from Germany, and they were Jewish. They found success in the textile business, becoming wealthy. His residence was a spacious house on the Upper West Side. The walls were adorned with European artwork, and he had three maids and a chauffeur.

Despite his opulent upbringing, Oppenheimer’s friends say he was humble, not spoiled. His school friend Jain Didesham recalls that he was ‘easily embarrassed’ and ‘very shy’. But he was very intelligent and everyone recognized him. He was different and better than his peers.’

When he reached the tender age of nine, he delved into the captivating realms of Greek and Latin philosophy, while simultaneously fostering a profound fascination with the enchanting world of minerals.

He would walk through Central Park and write letters to the New York Mineralogical Club telling them what he had discovered. His letters were so good that the club thought he was a grown man and invited him to give a presentation.

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They were not interested in conforming to gender expectations. Neither was he interested in participating in sports. According to one of his cousins, he was not keen on being brave. According to Oppenheimer, ‘Parents trusted me, and in return, I developed an unpleasant ego.’ A friend said of him ‘It’s no good turning the pages of a book and saying yes, yes, I know.’

Oppenheimer Tried To Feed His Teacher A Poisoned Apple

He went to Harvard University to study chemistry, where his weak personality was exposed and his ego and sensitivity did not serve him well.

In a letter written in the year 1923, he said that ‘I work very hard to write many notes, poems, stories, and rubbish. I spread the smell in three separate laboratories. I give tea to the forgotten wanderers and talk to them. On weekdays off I turn low energy into giddiness and exhaustion.

His teacher would ask him to work in the laboratory, which was Oppenheimer’s weakness. He wrote in 1925 that ‘I am having a very bad time. Working in a lab leads to boredom. I find myself lacking in the necessary skills to learn from this experience.’

Later that year, Oppenheimer deliberately left a poisoned apple on his teacher’s desk with laboratory chemicals. His friends believed he did it because of jealousy and feeling inferior.

The teacher did not eat that apple, but Oppenheimer faced difficulties in Cambridge. The psychiatrist diagnosed him with psychosis (a mental disorder in which the connection with reality is broken) but said that treatment would not help.Recalling this phase, Oppenheimer said that he thought about committing suicide during the Christmas holidays.

Last year, while on a trip to Paris, Francis Ferguson, one of his friends, told him that he proposed to his girlfriend. In response, Oppenheimer attempted to strangle him, jumping from behind and using a belt, as Ferguson remembers. I managed to get out of it and he fell on the ground and started crying.’

But literature helped Oppenheimer suffering from psychological problems. According to Bird and Sherwin, he began to read Massiel Proust’s book in France, which reflected his ideas, and thus began to recognize himself. He recalled from the book: ‘Indifference to one’s oppressors is a terrible and persistent form of oppression.’

Attitudes toward cruelty remained among Oppenheimer’s interests and played a role in shaping his identity in the world. He told a friend, ‘I admire a person who is capable of many things but still has tear stains on his face.’ His spirits were high on his return to England and he felt ‘well-to-do with a good heart’.

In 1926, he encountered the director of a German Institute of Theoretical Physics. The director admired Oppenheimer’s skills as a theoretical physicist and invited him to study there. 1926 was the year in which he ‘entered the world of physics’ and this proved to be the turning point.

He became involved with the leading research community in the field and met scientists who became lifelong friends. Several of them were with him at Los Elomas.

The Passion And Desire To Build An Atomic Bomb In Patriotism

Upon returning to the United States, Oppenheimer briefly sojourned at Harvard before embarking on his Californian career journey. A humble tone began to appear in his letters. In his letter to his younger brother, he talked about romantic style and art.

Collaborating with researchers at the prestigious University of California, Berkeley, he embarked on a scientific venture delving into the realms of cosmic rays and the fascinating phenomena of nuclear disintegration. He proudly claimed to be the sole person who fully comprehended it all.

According to him, his department came into being when he was explaining his favorite theory to others. He considered himself a ‘difficult’ teacher, but this role gave Oppenheimer the motivation he needed during Project Y. A colleague wrote of his students that ‘he considered them the best, copying their movements. Oppenheimer influenced their lives.’

In the early 1930s, he strengthened his literary career. During this period, he obtained Hindu scriptures and studied Sanskrit to read the original Bhagavad Gita. It was not just his literary passion but his way of finding lessons for himself in the sacred texts.

The battle between two arms of an aristocratic family in the Bhagavad Gita informed Oppenheimer of the philosophy he encountered in the form of the moral imperatives associated with Project Y. He learned the lesson that one should consider one’s work and destiny regardless of the consequences, and fear of consequences should not stop an action.

Oppenheimer married biologist Catherine ‘Katie’ Harrison in 1940. Katie was also with him in Project Y where she was researching the dangers of radiation.

In 1939, scientists were more concerned about the nuclear threat than politicians. Albert Einstein also wrote letters to senior leaders of the US government.His reaction was slow, but the concern in scientific circles continued to grow, after which the President took action.

In September 1942, Oppenheimer’s team played a crucial role in revealing the possibility of creating the atomic bomb, and they started making definite plans to construct it.

According to Byrd and Sherwin, when Oppenheimer learned that he would be the head of the project, he began preparations. He told a friend at the time, ‘I am cutting off contact with anyone who is a communist. Should I choose not to proceed, cooperation with the government shall prove arduous. I will not let anything interfere with my ambitions for the nation.’

Einstein later said that ‘Oppenheimer’s problem is that what he loves does not love him back – the American government.’

His patriotism and ambition played a key role in recruiting Oppenheimer for the project. In the pursuit of the atomic bomb project, General Leslie Groves, the esteemed leader of the Manhattan Engineer District, undertook the critical task of discovering the preeminent scientist to spearhead this groundbreaking endeavor.

According to a 2002 book on him called ‘Racing for the Bomb’, Groves suggested that Oppenheimer head the project, but was met with opposition.

Oppenheimer’s ‘very liberal background’ was a concern. Groves recognized the value of his knowledge in the world of science but was troubled by his strong desire for the atomic bomb. The head of security for the Manhattan Project observed that he firmly believed in the loyalty and dedication of the person in question.

He was confident that this individual would overcome any obstacles to ensure the project’s success and secure his prominent position in the history of science. Oppenheimer’s friend Isidore Rabi, in his 1988 book titled The Making of the Atomic Bomb, mentions that Oppenheimer himself considered himself an unlikely choice for the role. It was an example of the genius of General Groves.

In Science, We Learn Through Making Mistakes

In Los-Elmos, too, Oppenheimer displayed his personality contradictions well. In a 1979 biography, Otto Frisch notes that Oppenheimer recruited not only scientists but also ‘hunters, philosophers, and people where they didn’t belong. He thought that without these people a civilized society cannot be built.’ The war brought about a profound transformation in Oppenheimer’s demeanor.

He called nuclear weapons symbols of ‘aggression, terror and surprise’. According to him, the arms industry is the ‘work of the devil’.

In October 1945, Oppenheimer and President Truman had a meeting. Oppenheimer apologized for the lives lost because of him. Truman acknowledged feeling guilty about the loss of lives but stated he would handle it.

While involved in developing the bomb, Oppenheimer used to reassure his colleagues that as scientists, they were not accountable for deciding its use; they were merely fulfilling their professional duties.He believed that the politicians would be the ones accountable for the consequences and bloodshed.

However, this certainty in Oppenheimer’s stance appears to have been shaken at a later time.According to Byrd and Sherwin, while serving on the Atomic Energy Commission after the war, they opposed the development of more weapons, especially the hydrogen bomb, which was now possible thanks to their services.

In 1954, the US government began investigating Oppenheimer and revoked his security clearance, barring him from involvement in policy decisions. The literary community defended him.

In 1955, Bertrand Russell, the philosopher, stated that research has revealed a significant mistake, particularly concerning security. But here there is no evidence of breaking loyalty and it cannot be called treason. Scientists were faced with a sad tragedy.’ In 1963, the US government rehabilitated him politically by awarding him the Enrico Fermi Award.

In 2022, 55 years after his death, the US government reversed its decision to revoke his security clearance, making it clear that Oppenheimer had always been loyal to him.

In his last years, Oppenheimer had conflicting feelings about the atomic bomb. While he took pride in its technological achievement, he also felt sadness over its consequences. Many people reminded him that creating the bomb was unavoidable.

Over two decades preceding his demise, he assumed the prestigious role of director at the Institute of Advanced Studies located at Princeton University. In this role, he collaborated with Einstein and various other scientists.

According to Bird and Sherwin, at Los Elmos, they also advocated that science needed human thought to better understand its effects. That is why he recruited non-scientific staff like philosophers, psychologists, and poets.

Later, he saw the problem with atomic energy that undermined the values ​​of its time. In the words of President Truman, ‘This new force is so revolutionary that it does not take into account the old ideas.’