Sasha Z.

Oppenheimer

J. Robert Oppenheimer is known as the “Father of the atomic bomb,” and was one of the most influential scientists of the 20th century. He played a large role in the development of the atomic bomb during World War II and later reflected on its consequences as he grew older. His opinions and actions in accordance with the atomic bomb make him a complex and fascinating part of American history. He was born on April 22, 1904, in New York City, to a well-off Jewish family. This allowed him access to a high-quality education. He excelled in science and literature throughout his junior academic years.

Oppenheimer was born to Julius Oppenheimer, a wealthy textile merchant, and Ella Friedman a painter. (McCluskey) He was raised in an environment that valued the art of his mother, and the science background of his father. By the time he attended the Ethical Culture School in New York, he was known as brilliant but often quiet. (McCluskey) His teachers knew his talent, even if he was slow to interact with his peers. His teachers encouraged him to pursue science, where his love for the topics started. (The Life of J. Robert Oppenheimer: Life Before the Manhattan Project (U.S. National Park Service) After graduating High School he attended Harvard where he intended to major in chemistry but switched to physics. He later traveled to the University of Cambridge in England in 1925 to study under J.J. Thomson. However, he struggled in lab work and felt theoretical physics was where he could shine. He transferred to the University of Gottingen to complete his Ph.D under Max Born. (“J. Robert Oppenheimer: Life, Work, and Legacy”)

In the 1930s, Oppenheimer started work at the University of California, Berkeley, and the California Institute of Technology. He was known as an “unconventional” professor. He had an intense focus, a wide range of interests, and a unique personality. With time, he became a leader in American physics. (“Oppenheimer the Teacher - Nuclear Museum”) His research covered a large range of topics, from quantum mechanics to astrophysics. During this time, he brought back his fascination with literature and philosophy. This philosophical research would later play a role in his reflections on his work. (Sahni)

Oppenheimer’s reputation as a leading physicist was grown by his contributions to the understanding of atomic theory. His work on electron theory and neutron stars was the first of its kind. (Los Alamos National Laboratory) However, he was soon to leave research behind to take a role that would change the world.

When World War II began, the United States was concerned that Nazi Germany was developing an atomic bomb. (The Manhattan Project | Historical Documents) In 1942, Oppenheimer was appointed the director of the Manhattan Project, a secret government project to build the atomic bomb before Germany. The project brought the greatest scientific minds together, including Enrico Fermi, Richard Feynman, and Hans Bethe. They operated out of Los Alamos, New Mexico. (The Manhattan Project | Historical Documents)

Under Oppenheimer, the team made progress. He was known to communicate ideas quickly. Despite the pressure and stakes of the project, he appeared focused and determined. Surely enough, on July 16th, 1945, in the New Mexico desert, the United States conducted the first test of an atomic bomb. (Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center) The explosion was both exciting and scary. While watching the mushroom cloud, Oppenheimer said “Now I become Death, the destroyer of worlds” (Temperton) This was a culmination of years of work, but was a dark turn in Oppenheimer's relationship with his creation.

After the atomic bomb was used on civilians in the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945, Oppenheimer became a national figure. (A Tragic Life: Oppenheimer and the Bomb | Arms Control Association) He had succeeded in developing the bomb, but he was concerned by the human cost of its use. He advocated for international control of atomic energy and opposed the development of more powerful bombs, like the hydrogen bomb. (A Tragic Life: Oppenheimer and the Bomb | Arms Control Association) Oppenheimer believed that the atomic bomb should be a deterrent, not a physical tool.

This stance on the atomic bomb put him in direct conflict with world leaders who wished to create a strong nuclear arsenal. (Hiltzik) The Red Scare of the 1950s, and rising anti-communism ideas in the US put Oppenheimer under scrutiny. His” left” ideals from the 1930s were later used against him in the media. (Atomic Energy and Nuclear History Learning Curriculum - Special Collections & Archives Research Center)

In 1954, Oppenheimer faced a public hearing before the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) that questioned his loyalty to the United States. (Indiana State Library) There was no concrete evidence against him, but the trial reflected the paranoia of communism at the time. The AEC revoked his security clearance at the end of the trial, marking the end of his government service. (Indiana State Library) Many scientists were outraged by the treatment of Oppenheimer and viewed it as a betrayal of one of America's best. According to Isidor Rabi, a famous physicist, the decision was “a black mark on the escutcheon of the country” (1986, Rabi)

Despite these setbacks, Oppenheimer continued to lecture and work on theoretical physics. He spent the later years of his life at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton. (“What Happened to J. Robert Oppenheimer After the Events of ‘Oppenheimer’?”) He continued to influence science and policy in this position. He also reflected on the ethical responsibilities of scientists and became an advocate for controlling nuclear arsenals.

Oppenheimer’s legacy is complex. He is remembered as a brilliant scientist and a thoughtful man who struggled with his creation. Additionally, his legacy was the base for the creation of a three-hour-long, Oscar-winning film titled Oppenheimer. In 1963, President Lyndon B. Johnson awarded him the Enrico Fermi Award, official recognition of his contributions to America and science. This did not erase the strain of the 1954 security hearing. Oppenheimer’s story reminds us of the power and perils of scientific discovery. In 1967, Oppenheimer passed away from throat cancer, (J. Robert Oppenheimer, Atom Bomb Pioneer, Dies)  leaving behind a famous legacy that still applies to us today. 

Works Cited 

"Atomic Espionage and the Oppenheimer Hearings: The Rise of McCarthyism - Oppenheimer Attacked." Atomic Energy and Nuclear History Learning Curriculum Special Collections & Archives Research Center.

Hiltzik, Michael. “Hiltzik: What ‘Oppenheimer’ Gets Right and Gets Wrong - Los Angeles Times.” Los Angeles Times, 7 Aug. 2023.

“How ‘Oppenheimer’ Re-created Nuclear Detonation Without CGI.” TODAY.com, 21 July 2023.

“‘In The Matter of J. Robert Oppenheimer;’ the Saga of a Government Publication.” Indiana State Library, 11 Aug. 2023.

"J. Robert Oppenheimer, Atom Bomb Pioneer, Dies." The New York Times, 19 Feb. 1967.

“J. Robert Oppenheimer: Life, Work, and Legacy.” Institute for Advanced Study, 19 Apr. 2024.

Kanon, Joseph. Los Alamos. 1997.

Kaplan, Anna. "What happened to J. Robert Oppenheimer after the events of 'Oppenheimer'?" TODAY.com, 21 July 2023.

Kuznick, Peter J. "A Tragic Life: Oppenheimer and the Bomb." Arms Control Today. Arms Control Association. July 2005.

"The Manhattan Project | Historical Documents." Atomic Archive. 2024.

McCluskey, Megan. “Here’s How Faithfully Oppenheimer Captures Its Subject’s Real Life.” TIME, 4 Aug. 2023.

“Oppenheimer’s Scientific Contributions." National Security Science Magazine. Los Alamos National Laboratory. 19 July 2023.

“Oppenheimer the Teacher.” National Museum of Nuclear Science & History. Atomic Heritage Foundation. 

"The Life of J. Robert Oppenheimer: Life Before the Manhattan Project." U.S. National Park Service. 21 Jul. 2023.

Sahni, Manmeet. “The Philosophical Odyssey of J. Robert Oppenheimer.” Religion Unplugged, 25 Aug. 2023.

Temperton, James. “‘Now I Am Become Death, the Destroyer of Worlds.’ the Story of Oppenheimer’s Infamous Quote.” Wired, 21 July 2023.

“Trinity: World’s First Nuclear Test.” Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center.

“What Happened to J. Robert Oppenheimer After the Events of ‘Oppenheimer’?” Today, July 2023. Accessed 7 Nov. 2024.

Artist's Statement

Oppenheimer was brought into everyone’s lives when Christopher Nolan’s film was released. I was immediately fascinated by the history of such a prominent figure that almost nobody knew about before the movie. I wanted to dramatize this conversation because of how influential a bomb is. It will kill millions of people and scientists need to be at peace with making something that powerful. How did the scientists react? There are many possibilities to explore making this a unique project and script to compile. I’ll never forget the research going into the project, I tried to project the demeanors of the scientists into the script. This was also my biggest challenge, writing an accurate script is hard. Oppenheimer was asked to create something that caused lots of death, that was a difficult task and something unique to explore and dramatize.