Oppenheimer: Father of the Bomb

[Music] [Music] to bring you to this story We interrupt our program take you to Washington I have just returned from the White House where it has just been announced that the United States is now using an atomic bomb the most powerful explosive yet developed [Music] first atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima a military base we won the race of Discovery against the Germans we have used it in order to sharpen the agony of war in order to save the lives as thousands and thousands of Young Americans we shall continue to use it until we completely destroy Japan's power to make war [Music] Japanese say that 126 000 died as the result of the Damage Done by the single bomb that blasted the city [Music] there's reason to believe that the Japanese city of Hiroshima no longer exists now I am become death the destroyer of worlds [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] thank you [Music] [Applause] [Music] Dakota historian I have no doubt that the United States was on the side of the angels in World War II but they used the tools of the devil to win this is Hiroshima August 1945 the destruction you're seeing took nine seconds to complete at the time of the blast the city of Hiroshima was roughly the same size as Reno Nevada imagine even today a town like Reno being gone in nine seconds it's tough to fathom the bomb is the product of billions of dollars and over a hundred thousand employees their mission was simple make something theoretical into practical however the Clock Was ticking the goal was to get the bomb before the Nazis at 5 29 a.m on July 16 1945 the first atomic bomb was Unleashed on the New Mexico desert in what was code named the Trinity test the scientist who shoulders this rested on is J Robert Oppenheimer to some the devil to others the angel in this story thank you he was many things in life a son brother husband poet physicist a communist a patriot and the destroyer of worlds but who was this man in reality to those who knew him the closest stick around to find out we'll have a companion video later discussing the historical accuracy of Christopher Nolan's movie Oppenheimer take a moment and smash that subscribe button we have many videos like this or hit that like button it helps spread the word about us we appreciate your support now let's take a look at the life of J Robert Oppenheimer hahaha [Music] Jonas Robert Oppenheimer was born on April 22nd 1904 in New York City to a wealthy Jewish Family his father Julius was a wealthy textile importer and his mother Ella Friedman was an artist he also had a brother named Frank who would also become an important physicist he grew up in a cultured Jewish Family on Manhattan's upper west side it's important to note this because it becomes an important motivating factor later in life for making the bomb Oppenheimer was ethnically Jewish but not in the sense that he was Jewish religiously many Jewish immigrants moving to the United States around this time wanted to be assimilated and first and foremost an American his parents doted on him and his brother they drove his intellect and curiosity he didn't play much but he always had a book his parents were members of the Felix Adler's ethical culture movement which led to his enrollment at the ethical culture Society School in New York City the school was founded by Adler whose movement preached religious unity among all the religions in New York City as well as Charity friendship and creating a strong ethical culture in the city the school is still active today and is always welcome the underprivileged in society on scholarships these would include African Americans and immigrant children as a child Oppenheimer was fascinated by science particularly astronomy and chemistry his father encouraged his intellectual interest and provided him with A well-stocked Library however his love for learning came at a cost he didn't make many friends he spent more time studying and collecting books than he did with kids his own age his love for Geology led him to join the New York mineralogical Society he would even submit papers leading the club's leadership to believe he was a perfectly grown-up scientist at the age of 12 he was invited to speak at a society event to their shock a 12-year-old J Robert Oppenheimer showed up and gave a presentation with complete confidence Oppenheimer was an exceptional student and he went on to study at Harvard University where he earned his bachelor's degree in 1925 and his PhD in physics in 1929. he initially intended to study chemistry but became fascinated with physics particularly the emerging field of quantum mechanics Oppenheimer went to Cambridge University in England in 1925 he began studying theoretical physics under the guidance of renowned physicist J.J Thompson Oppenheimer spent several years in Europe conducting research at various institutions he worked with prominent physicists like Max Bourne in Germany and Paul Derrick in England his time abroad was not necessarily a happy time in his life he had few close friends but not many he also struggled with the opposite sex his depression manifested in Rage at one point he left a poison apple for Patrick blacklett to eat who somehow survived the attempt blacklett was brilliant in two regards for one he was a great physicist and his sharp looks and Charming personality made him appealing to women at some point Oppenheimer mentioned the Apple to his fellow student Jeffries Wyman he was said to have quoted Snow White and how he'd left an Apple for the fairest of them all it appears that somebody on the faculty had discovered the Apple the school would find out oppenheimer's father worked out a deal with the dean he would stay in school but he was to see a professional about his depression the psychiatrist diagnosed Oppenheimer with depression caused by sexual frustration but recommendation oppenheimer's father would take him to see a lady of the night it would be nice to say that no more homicidal Tendencies were displayed by Oppenheimer however while on vacation from Cambridge to meet up with a friend Francis Ferguson in Paris he would be involved in another serious incident Ferguson noted that Oppenheimer was not well to help him distract from his depression Ferguson told Oppenheimer that he Ferguson was to marry his girlfriend Francis Keely Ferguson was hoping the news would cheer up Oppenheimer however Oppenheimer did not take the news well he jumped on Ferguson and tried to strangle him Oppenheimer had a strong attraction to Keeley even flirting with her openly at parties although Ferguson easily fended off the attack the episode convinced him of oppenheimer's deep psychological troubles and he would often speak about Oppenheimer in troubled terms [Music] when his brother Frank later asked him about the incident Oppenheimer was quoted as saying I need physics more than friends despite all the personal troubles he would receive his Doctorate under the supervision of Max born Oppenheimer would have a lot of job offers something that struck him was that the Americans didn't have much of a reputation abroad for physics this was on its mind as he would consider these job offers although he would go on to a career that was fruitful and he would make significant contributions to science his future was uncertain he would leave Europe young eager brilliant but looking for love validation and purpose [Music] [Music] foreign [Music] [Music] foreign [Laughter] [Music] come on out and meet all these nice people please all right we really can't blame you you see Burt is a very very careful fellow when there's danger this is the way he keeps from being hurt sometimes it even saves his life that's why these children are practicing to Duck and Cover just as you do in your school we all know the atomic bomb is very dangerous since it may be used against us we must get ready for it just as we are ready for many other dangers that are around us all the time no time to look around or wait be like Bert when there is a flash Duck and Cover and do it fast here are some older boys showing what to do if the flash comes when you are not in the classroom this is what to do if you should be in a corridor your duck can cover tight against the wall this way remember to keep your face in the back of your neck covered tightly try to Duck and Cover tight against the wall this way remember to keep your face in the back of your neck covered tightly try to fall away from Windows or doors with glass in them then if the glass breaks and flies through the air it won't cut you yes we must all get ready now so we know how to save ourselves if the atomic bomb ever explodes near us if you do not know just what to do ask your teacher when this film is over discuss what you could do in different places if a bomb explodes what are you supposed to do when you see the Flash J Robert Oppenheimer was offered a lot of jobs after his time in Europe was up including Harvard however he was offered the chance to split time between Caltech and Berkeley beginning in 1929 he would become associate professor which also gave him a chance to focus on things that were of interest to him including quantum physics as a professor Oppenheimer was known for his brilliant teaching style and his ability to simplify complex scientific Concepts he had a genuine passion for sharing knowledge and inspiring intellectual curiosity among his students oppenheimer's lectures were captivating and he had a talent for making intricate theories accessible to all however some students found him to be on another planet his lectures could often be confusing and all over the place where he excelled was one-on-one with young idealistic scientists he fostered an environment of open discussion and encouraged his students to question established theories and think critically his office hours were renowned for lively debates and collaborative problem-solving sessions where students had the opportunity to engage with Oppenheimer on a more personal level during his time at Berkeley Oppenheimer published several influential papers that advanced the field of theoretical physics his work demonstrated his deep understanding of quantum mechanics and its application to various scientific phenomenon some of his notable papers include on the quantum theory of molecular collisions 1930 theory of electron and positron's 1931 and on the nature of the chemical bond 1933 these Publications showcased oppenheimer's intellectual prowess and his ability to push the boundaries of scientific knowledge these papers also would have students names as co-authors something he appreciated as a student in Germany he wasn't just advancing physics he was advancing his students place in the scientific Community however some of his activities during this time would haunt him for the rest of his life beginning early in the 30s he would join the Communist Party in the local area another professor at Berkeley hakan Chevalier would become his close personal friend and ideological mate it would be right around the time when Oppenheimer was joining to Manhattan when Chevalier would tell Oppenheimer that if he were interested he could facilitate information being shared with the Soviet Union about Manhattan research later when asked about this by the FBI Oppenheimer would shrug it off which only made him more suspicious to the people who thought he was a security risk another person he met at these meeting was Gene tatlock Jean tatlock was a physicist and daughter of a prominent left-wing psychiatrist Harry tetluck Oppenheimer and tatlock had a romantic relationship in the 1930s tatlock had communist sympathies before during and after her relationship with Oppenheimer tatlock would suffer from extreme mental illness and depression it's important to to note that even with the attendance at the meetings personal and romantic relationship with known Communists Oppenheimer was not a communist at least not in the way it would be perceived today for one his beliefs were mostly left-leaning and his interest in politics and government came out of support of FDR in the 30s so what Oppenheimer believed to be his beliefs of Communism were aligned with New Deal principles he was also highly supportive of civil rights for African Americans this was a central issue at his meetings but at the end of the day he was deeply patriotic pro-american and had no tithes or interest with anything relating to the Soviet Union no evidence has ever been brought to bear that says his politics were subversive to the United States if you're still wondering where his loyalty was he was the scientific leader of the world's most secretive costly scientific and Military research project he completed it with complete passion and purpose handing the weapon to the United states without a single leak of information in his security clearance meeting in 1954 when asked of his involvement in the Communist Party Oppenheimer referred to himself as a fellow traveler on August 2nd 1939 just a little over a year before Nazi Germany invaded Poland a lot of notable physicists of the day and Albert Einstein signed a letter to President Roosevelt urging him to look into nuclear fission as a result of the letter the U.S government established the advisory committee on uranium which eventually led to the formation of the uranium committee and the office of scientific research and development osrd in 1941 the osrd took control of research efforts related to atomic energy including the Manhattan engineer District Med which was responsible for overseeing the Project's scientific and Engineering aspects during these two years word traveled around among scientists either involved in these communities since many were either being recruited or consulted as it turns out a group of Highly Educated scientists were terrible at secrecy ingrained and a scientist is the inherent need to share information and ideas great for research bad for security the United States feared the idea of the Nazis led by Werner Heisenberg would get the bomb they would be unstoppable the war would be lost the race was on to see who could engineer this miracle first world would not be the same [Music] there can be no peace in the world until the military power of Japan is destroyed with the same completeness as was the power of the European dictators do that we are now engaged in the process of deploying millions of our Armed Forces against Japan in a mass movement of troops and supplies and weapons over fourteen thousand miles a military and Naval feat unequaled in all history substantial portions of Japan's key industrial centers have been leveled to the ground in a series a record incendiary raids what has already happened to Tokyo will happen to every Japanese City whose Industries feed the Japanese War Machine if the Japanese insist on continuing resistance beyond the point of reason their country will suffer the same destruction as Germany our blows will destroy their whole modern industrial plant and organization which they have built up during the past Century and which they are now devoting to our hopeless cause we have no desire or intention to destroy or enslave the Japanese people but only surrender can prevent the kind of ruin which they have seen come to Germany as a result of continued useless resistance as 1940 came around Oppenheimer himself became something of a project his professional personal and political life were all evolving that year he met Catherine Kitty pooning who was already married to another scientist she met Robert at a friend's Mutual party it was not uncommon for Opie to approach or date a married woman Kitty would become pregnant within weeks of meeting Opie and once the divorce was granted the two married the next day kitty once remarked that she got married the old-fashioned way by getting pregnant Kitty was highly educated in the field of Botany and her work as a research fellow brought her to California she was originally from Germany and born to Prussian parents all throughout her life she said she was related to Queen Victoria this was untrue Kitty is an interesting character in the story of oppenheimer's life she could drink a lot rub people the wrong way and be a pain to him personally she was not a polished Homemaker by any means but nevertheless he loved her throughout the Manhattan Project he would fly Ai and rare flowers from all over the world for her to cultivate in a greenhouse on Los Alamos even as the couple settled in New Jersey for Opie to take a different job after the war he would see to it that she had a greenhouse built near the property line so she could grow her plants Oppenheimer was not the most gifted physicist of his generation in fact he was prone to making mathematical errors something we sympathize with he was not a natural administrator the leader of men or even likable he had never run anything besides graduate seminars so his Ascension to becoming the scientific director to the largest joint military and scientific Endeavor ever attempted in mankind was well like Oppenheimer bizarre he was brilliant eccentric and complex what would be his motivation to joining the Manhattan Project since Oppenheimer grew up the son of Jewish immigrants in him was a deep desire to prove he was a loyal American his upbringing into the Felix Adler's ethical culture movement contributed to this he was of Jewish ancestry and above all else an American Oppenheimer wanted to do something that mattered and helped win the war leading up to the Manhattan Project before heading to New Mexico Oppenheimer would be given the chance to pass secrets on to the Soviets from Chevalier his response was candid no that would be treason despite communist sympathies he would help the United States to get the bomb first he had students who were from Europe and listening to their stories formed his opinion on the ideas of freedom and Free Will the Soviet Union forming a pact with Nazi Germany made many Americans and himself look at communism more critically the impression many of his friends at Berkeley head of Oppenheimer joining the war effort was he was out to make a name for himself an equal part of the Oppenheimer story is Brigadier General Leslie Groves Leslie Richard Groves Jr was born in 1896 to a presbyterian Minister and his father would eventually become an army chaplain at 18 he would enroll at West Point and upon graduation he would end up with the Army Corps of Engineers Groves made a name for himself by spearheading the building of the Pentagon just a few months before the start of the war the project came in on time and under budget Groves initially wanted nothing to do with the scientific laboratory he was a soldier that wanted to be leading soldiers overseas making a difference but the promotion to General was a fair compromise there were a lot of great reasons to promote Groves to General the top of the list was so that scientists would respect the man in charge a star on a collar always commands respect even to those with giant egos at least that was the hope Groves was a man who took charge on his first day leading to project he brought over 1200 tons of uranium from Belgium the next day he convinced the Secretary of War to give the project a triple A rating in the military budget this would make sure he would not have to compete with funds with other projects after lunch on the same day he commandeered 50 000 acres of land in Tennessee which would become the Oak Ridge lab that would be the location where they enriched the newly purchased uranium the project was funded to the tune of two billion dollars almost 20 billion in today's money Groves first met Oppenheimer at a launch in Berkeley in October of 1942. groves would ask leading scientists what they thought of the bomb problems they saw and how it's being made the theoretical science behind it all of them would either speak to him as if he wouldn't understand or not have any vision for the process however it was Oppenheimer that suggested something that probably spoke to Groves as a military man he said suggested the laboratory should be centralized where scientists could speak freely easily and in privacy of any problems they had which would also make security much easier what Groves likely heard was a place that he could control and consolidate his resources it's possible that Grove said better scientists more qualified than Opie to direct a lab in mind he had no experience that would make him a good fit he'd never let anything when asked later in his life why Groves chose him Oppenheimer Forever The Arrogant brilliant man he was responded Groves had a weakness for Good Men it's really tough to pin down the exact reason Groves picked a 38 year old possible communist it could be as simple as he was arrogant enough to think he could do it it could be because he spoke to the new general with bluntness when Groves appointed Oppenheimer to the role as scientific leader for the Manhattan Project their names and Legacies would forever be tied together there were two things that did make Groves nervous about Oppenheimer the intelligence supplied to him by the background check madapi a security risk the other is that he didn't have a Nobel Peace Prize Groves valued the peer review process like in the military your peers dictated your career foreign at the request of Oppenheimer New Mexico would be the perfect place Grove spearheaded the building of a small City in Los Alamos where scientists could work and their families could live all in complete isolation from the outside world although there was a school on the site that predicated the military takeover of the area the infrastructure had to be built from scratch the need for tough Security Los Alamos was a key factor for Groves which is why the desert in New Mexico was ideal the area was far away from prying eyes you couldn't even get mail sent directly to Los Alamos many of the scientists had to get mail sent to a local University where it would be believable employment many scientists were even living under fake names if you had a baby the birth certificate would say your baby was born at an address that was listed as a PO Box kids were even given security badges which meant if parents wanted to keep them close and on base they would just have to take their graduate under no circumstances could a child or person leave without showing their ID Security in the first months was amateurish at first they just stuck construction workers who didn't speak English at the gates they couldn't understand many of the orders and directives they were given then the Army put Army MPS who were former NYPD cops and had them Patrol the grounds with horses they didn't know how to ride horses it's believed that some of the horses that rode off from the MPS lived the rest of their lives in the desert on their own by 1943 American intelligence had gathered that the Soviets were attempting to infiltrate Los Alamos Oppenheimer himself was seen as a security risk in the early days they investigated him and put so many resources to watching him that other security matters slipped through the cracks he admitted to Lieutenant Colonel Boris T pasch the military intelligence officer assigned to Los Alamos that he was approached by Chevalier to pass on information in a moment in which Oppenheimer was trying to be honest and forthcoming it only made things worse for him it was only General Groves that helped Oppenheimer to get the security clearance he needed he nearly had to commission him an officer to get that clearance the FBI watched every move Opie made they listened to his every phone call the FBI considered detaining Oppenheimer in the event of an emergency even his mail was read but so was everybody else's his just went to the top of the stack his personal escort was an undercover FBI agent the United States would learn in the 1950s that the Soviet Union did get someone inside Los Alamos many would try but one would make history Kloss Fuchs was sent to Los Alamos on behalf of Great Britain MI5 vouched for his usefulness and commitment to the war effort not knowing he was a plant from the Soviets whose assignment was to send information back to Moscow his Soviet code name was rest and at one point he met up with his Soviet contact on a local bridge brought out his briefcase and handed over the plans to Fat Man the Soviets would gain possession of information that would reshape the world order you can make the argument that the Cold War started in a lot of places at the Yalta Conference the day the Third Reich fell in Berlin even the dropping of the first bomb on Japan when Fuchs handed the documents over to his contact he contributed to the cold Wars escalation other spies did arrive at Los Alamos none of which did anything close to the damage that Fuchs did some of the security incidents came from scientists who were not used to living under military rule of law here is Richard Feynman on him thumbing his nose at security there was a little annoyances from censorship and so forth but and checking in at Gates and all kinds of things but there was it was understandable that such a thing had to go in fact most of the complaints was that the security was rather LAX in places there would be big holes in the outside fence the demand could walk through standing up and I used to enjoy going out through the gate coming in through the fence Hall and going out through the gate again and then through the fence Hall until the poor sizes at the gate would gradually realize that this guy's come out of the place four times without going in once and in kind of a recipe sort of Eisenhower was briefed on the project they also needed him to be the lookout for Intelligence on the Germans Atomic project there were a few hurdles to cross to make the bomb all of the elements had to come together like a puzzle in order for the project to be a success the first was nuclear fission and Chain Reaction the project aimed to harness the power of nuclear fission by splitting the atom nucleus of certain heavy elements such as uranium and plutonium scientists including Enrico Fermi and Leo slazard conducted extensive research on nuclear reactions and chain reactions which are essential for sustaining a self-sustaining nuclear reaction the next was the process of producing nuclear fuel the United States didn't want to pick the wrong horse so they were going to enrich both uranium and plutonium uranium enrichment was a crucial aspect of the project as it involved increasing the concentration of uranium-235 5. the fissile isotope in natural uranium scientists develop multiple methods for Uranium enrichment including gaseous diffusion electromagnetic separation and thermal diffusion these techniques allowed for the production of the highly enriched uranium required for the atomic bomb Earnest Orlando Lawrence was in charge of this process uranium was enriched at the Oak Ridge lab in Tennessee the amount of energy needed at this facility was staggering at the time the Oak Ridge lab was using almost 10 percent of all electricity in the United States plutonium-239 was another fissile material used in the atomic bomb the project focused on producing plutonium by irradiating uranium-238 in nuclear reactors Glenn seaborg and his team at the University of Chicago developed methods to extract plutonium from the irradiated uranium and purified for weapons use theoretical physicist including Hans Beth and Edward Teller worked extensively on developing the physics behind the atomic bomb and its design they tackle complex problems related to implosion techniques critical mass calculations and the Dynamics of nuclear reactions their theoretical insights were crucial in designing efficient and reliable atomic bombs the Manhattan Project involved significant engineering efforts to design and construct the necessary facilities for bomb assembly these included the construction of massive reactors such as the B reactored at Hanford to produce plutonium and the building of the Los Alamos laboratory in New Mexico where bomb components were assembled and tested Engineers played a vital role in designing and fabricating the intricate mechanisms required for the detonation of the bond once all these elements came together and they had enriched enough plutonium or uranium then a test can be conducted in the months leading up to the test scientists and engineers at the Los Alamos Laboratory work tirelessly to assemble the intricate components of the atomic bomb the core of the bomb contained a subcritical mass of plutonium-239 which would be compressed to achieve a supercritical state during the detonation on the morning of the test the bomb was lifted to the top of a 100-foot steel Tower and armed it's really hard to relate just how much the world changed the moment of detonation two days before the Trinity test in his private writing Oppenheimer expressed his hopes and fears in a quotation from a Hindu text that translates as the 300 poems [Music] in battle in the forest at the precipice in the mountains on the dark great sea in the midst of javelins and arrows in sleep and confusion in the depths of Shame The Good Deeds a man has done before defend him the primary purpose of the Trinity test was to verify the feasibility of the implosion type atomic bomb design and to assess its destructive power the test aimed to confirm that the bomb would function as intended and to gather data on the bomb's explosion characteristics the site for the test was carefully selected to be a remote area known as the jornada Del marito which translates to the fitting journey of the dead man located on the alamogorda bombing and Gunnery Range after years of hard work it was time to turn Theory into practice [Music] [Music] thank you foreign strikes a plutonium-239 atom something awesome happens the single plutonium atom absorbs the neutron and bursts into two new atoms releasing both energy and more neutrons if there is more plutonium around this can set off a chain reaction of atom splitting or what scientists call fission this process is what was harnessed to create the plutonium implosion atomic bomb detonated at the Trinity test site however you cannot just slap some plutonium into a hunk of metal and fire some neutrons into it to make an atomic bomb these devices require complicated components and immense Precision the plutonium core must be a near perfect sphere containing exactly the right type and amount of plutonium too much plutonium could cause the bomb to go off prematurely too little plutonium would fail to detonate and if the core was not perfectly spherical it would only partially detonate or fizzle [Music] the corps was surrounded by a layer of normal non-radioactive explosives all set to go off simultaneously to trigger the core's implosion if any one device was out of sync the core would not compress properly and a lot of money would be wasted on a very small or non-existent explosion if everything went to plan and each of the surrounding explosions happened at the exact same time the sphere of plutonium would be compressed this forces the atoms closer together ensuring that when fission starts the Chain Reaction will continue each fissured atom spits out a neutron or three which each strike other atoms repeating the process exponentially and releasing a tremendous amount of energy foreign detonated as part of the Trinity project everything went to plan the device was suspended 100 feet in the air on a steel Tower when the triggering explosives fired they fired in sync this created perfectly symmetrical pressure all around the core smooshing its atoms together bumping neutrons into atoms and setting off that Chain Reaction all in less than a millionth of a second less than two hundredths of a second after the reaction began a fireball around 300 yards wide engulfed the area the steel Tower was vaporized a new material a mildly radioactive glass known as trinitite coated the crater beneath where the bomb was detonated as pavement and sand melted and within a few more fractions of a second blinding white light filled the sky and a towering cloud-speed radioactivity and debris High into the air the power of the bomb estimated to be a little over 18 kilotons made this display visible for miles oh the Trinity test had a profound impact both visually and scientifically the brilliant flash of light from the explosion was seen over 100 miles away and the shock wave was felt even farther the mushroom cloud that formed after the explosion Rose to a height of more than seven miles in what has been what most people associate with his legacy ever the dynamic Storyteller Oppenheimer had this to say in a TV interview king of the world would not be the same two people laughed two people cried those people were silent [Music] they remembered the line from the Hindu scripture the bhagavad-gita Vishnu just trying to persuade the prince that he should do his duty and to impress him takes on his multi-armed form and says now I am become death the destroyer of worlds that's perfect one way or another [Music] [Music] scientists and military personnel carefully monitored and recorded the various aspects of the explosion including the blastway the amount of energy released and the radioactivity generated the data collected from the test helped confirm the bomb's design parameters and provided valuable insights into the behavior of nuclear explosions the scientists at Los Alamos hoped the bomb would end Wars there was some debate as to whether they should demonstrate the bomb to the Japanese so they understood the catastrophic destruction it could cause forcing them to surrender other concerns that some scientists had as if they dropped the bomb on Japan what would the International Community think about the United States but nothing could ever replace the idea and the main driving Point behind making the bomb in the first place the bomb could end the war in an instant from a military and political perception the plan that won out was the idea that they need to shock the Japanese they needed for them to see it witness it and suffer from it the decision on where and when would not be up to those at Los Alamos the most input they were able to sway was that it should be a military Target not civilians Hiroshima was a key Target because of the surrounding Hills would contain the blast energy making a more proficient explosion although in the end Hiroshima wasn't much of a military Target the city had not suffered from the Allied bombing raids throughout the war the city's buildings and infrastructure were intact including some factories and shipping ports that supported the war effort it's an interesting thought to think of some scientists not military men or a government discussing how and where to destroy a single City it was noted by one historian that these conversations were done calmly and without much hesitation it was war after all [Music] the decision was ultimately made by President Harry Truman a philosophical debate also being had around this time was how many bombs how big they can get and what different sources of nuclear fission could be used in the future Oppenheimer was opposed to furthering the capabilities and the scope of these bonds as scientific director he was opposed to the development of the hydrogen bomb a bomb that would be far deadlier and our planet wouldn't be able to survive a lot of testing of these h-bombs oppenheimer's lack of support for this would put him at odds with Scientists who knew him personally although it would not be known for a fact until after the war the Nazis were not close to getting a bomb from a military perspective it was useless when Manhattan scientist Niels Bohr got a look at the Nazi program after the war he actually equipped that the most they would be able to do is drop a reactor on London Heisenberg seemed to be focused on energy rather than the bomb making boar who was a world-renowned scientist his biggest contribution to the Manhattan Project was actually running around the Los Alamos lap talking crap about Hitler and how they could be the ones to stop him this had an effect on the urgency and morale that what they were doing was important for the war by the time he arrived at Los Alamos he was far behind in terms of atomic science Oppenheimer credits bore with being a key figure in solving that modulated Neutron initiated procedure which can best be described as a Kickstarter in the bomb the Trinity test represented a watershed moment in human history it demonstrated the successful culmination of years of scientific research and Engineering efforts in the Manhattan Project the test not only confirmed the feasibility of the atomic bomb design but also ushered in the atomic age forever altering the geopolitical the modern world was born in a baptism of Fire [Music] [Music] [Music] [Music] thank you [Music] as oppenheimer's days in Los Alamos came to a close he would make a lot of enemies in the upper echelons of American power he gave a speech at Los Alamos to many of the staff that the making of the bomb was a scientific achievement the United States would drop the first bomb on Hiroshima the 6th of August 1945. foreign [Music] to everybody at Los alamos's shock on Nagasaki on August 9th despite the fact that deep down he had doubts about the future out of respect he was granted an audience with President Harry Truman the meeting would not go the way Opie wanted it to he expressed anger for what he thought was unnecessary in dropping the bomb on Nagasaki saying to the president that he felt he had blood on his hands Truman would tell a member of his staff he never wanted to see that son of a again he would however award him the medal of Merit in 1946 the atomic energy commission came into being in 1947 as a civilian agency in control of nuclear research and weapons issues and Oppenheimer was appointed as the chairman of its General advisory committee from this position he advised on a number of nuclear-related issues including Project funding laboratory construction and even International policy in 1949 thanks to security leaks and spies the Soviets were able to test their own atom bomb the United States response was to Bill an even bigger bomb with hydrogen these bombs would eventually be made and tested as part of operation Crossroads at bikiniato many sailors and Marines were mostly guinea pigs to military nuclear experiments the bombs were detonated near Sailors and Marines on top of defunct warships the tests are proof that the early nuclear age was a mess politically and morally the United States and now the Soviets along with the rest of the world had to wrestle with complex problems that could destroy us as a people from the moment the Soviets were able to construct the bomb the world has been ticking towards midnight on the Doomsday Clock many thought the answer would either be more bombs or bigger bombs Oppenheimer was very conflicted on this he opposed a hydrogen bomb because of this he made enemies they say you can tell what a man is about based on his enemies this isn't true for Oppenheimer his friends and colleagues turned on him and tried to oust him as a communist to get his security clearance canceled the hearing was held to investigate his ties to Communism in 1953 Oppenheimer was called to testify before the House Un-American Activities Committee he was questioned about his alleged communist sympathies while he denied any involvement with the Communist Party his past associations with left-leaning individuals and organizations raised red flags with government officials the Oppenheimer hearing was a pivotal moment in American history that had far-reaching consequences for both the man involved and the nation as a whole the hearing took place in 1954 and was held to determine whether or not Oppenheimer the leading scientist of the Manhattan Project should be granted or denied as security clearance by the United States government the hearing was controversial and polarizing with oppenheimer's fate hanging on the outcome of the proceedings the meetings were something of a political hit job by his rival oppenheimer's political views views on Banning Atomic weapons and associations with left-wing activists Drew scrutiny his hearing was part of the Red Scare in the country one aspect that was brought up a few times in these meetings was his relationship with Gene tatlot when asked about a night he had an affair with her around the time he joined the Manhattan Project Oppenheimer simply said she loved me his visit with her was watched by Army Security in the FBI whatever happened that night died with those two many believe that she confessed to Robert that she was gay or bisexual when Oppenheimer left the next day after spending the night with her it would be the last time they would see each other she killed herself just six months later at the hearings Oppenheimer was represented by several high-profile lawyers including Lloyd Garrison and David littleenthal the government's case against him was led by Roger Robb a former law partner of Attorney General Herbert Brownell the hearing was held in secret with no media coverage allowed over the course of several weeks to panel her testimony from numerous Witnesses including government officials Military Officers and scientists who'd worked with Oppenheimer the government presented evidence that Oppenheimer had associated with known Communists and had made statements that were critical of U.S nuclear policy they also argued he'd shown poor judgment in his personal and professional life including his decision to marry a woman with communist sympathies oppenheimer's defense team argued that his political beliefs were irrelevant to his work on the Manhattan Project and his past associations did not constitute evidence of loyalty they also pointed out that Oppenheimer had been a vocal opponent of the development of the hydrogen bomb a position that put him at odds with many military and government officials after hearing all the testimony and evidence the panel issued its decision in June of 1954. they concluded that oppenheimer's security clearance should be revoked citing concerns about his loyalty to the United States and his judgment the decision was a major blow to oppenheimer's reputation and career and he was ostracized by many of his former colleagues in the scientific Community his security clearance was restored posthumously in 2022 by the department of energy calling the 1954 revocation the result of a flawed process the process accused him of being the one thing he held dear in his public life he was an American one in which he felt was a loyal one that contributed to the war effort it's important to remember at this time there was no separation in believing in communism and the overt subversion Act of treason he was now an outcast in the scientific Community he would spend the rest of his career and life guests lecturing around the world including Japan but mostly teaching at Princeton he would never receive the Nobel Peace Prize or receive thanks for his efforts for the war in many ways he sacrificed his name in the pursuit of the bomb he did receive a little recognition a little over a week after the Kennedy assassination new president LBJ presented Oppenheimer with the Enrico Fermi award for contributions to theoretical physic as a teacher and originator of ideas and for leadership of the Los Alamos laboratory and the atomic energy program during critical years Fermi was a close friend and scientist under him during the Manhattan Project Oppenheimer was a chain smoker who was diagnosed with throat cancer in the late 1965. after inconclusive surgery he underwent unsuccessful radiation treatment and chemotherapy late in 1966. he fell into a coma February 5th 1967 and died at his home in Princeton New Jersey on February 18 862. a memorial service was held a week later at Alexander Hall on the campus of Princeton University the service was attended by 600 of his scientific political and Military Associates that included bath Groves Keenan lilenthal rabby Smith and wigner his brother Frank and the rest of the family were also there foreign Kitty passed away in 1972 from a pulmonary embolism at the ranch that Oppenheimer bought in New Mexico their daughter Tony Oppenheimer Silber was refused as security clearance for a job as a United Nations translator after the FBI brought up the old charges against her father in January 1977 three months after the end of her second marriage she committed suicide age 32 their oldest son Peter is still alive today and works as a carpenter living a quiet life in New Mexico general Groves would retire from military life in 1948. he was promoted to a lieutenant general on January 24 1948 just before his retirement in recognition of his leadership of the Manhattan Project by a special act of Congress his date of rank was backdated to July 16 1945 the date of the Trinity nuclear test he passed away in 1970 and is buried at Arlington National Cemetery [Music] for many of the scientists involved in the Manhattan Project they would go on to distinguish careers filled with many of the 20th Century's notable physics discoveries including Nobel Peace prizes championships grants and public recognition it's a strange Legacy to be known as the father of the bomb first and foremost it's not only a scientific achievement but it's something of a modern miracle that it even worked sadly that bomb represents the ability for a man to destroy themselves in a way that is unimaginable his legacy could best be represented in the clips of the United States celebrations in New York City as thousands flooded the streets and threw a ticker tape parade there were even more people in Japan gone suffering radiation Burns and left with nothing [Music] oppenheimer's Legacy Echoes Through the Ages forever bound to the double-edged sword of his creation like Prometheus he brought forth the transformative fire of atomic energy bestowing upon Humanity a source of extraordinary power but this gift carried a heavy burden a Pandora's box of Destruction and ethical quandaries oppenheimer's name became synonymous with the Faustian bargain of scientific achievement a reminder that even the noblest of intentions can unleash cataclysmic forces the bomb was certainly a sin something that's only made in the fog of War however it's hard to wrap your mind around the fact that dropping it was probably the right choice it ended a brutal War but had no end in sight being the father of the atomic bomb has proven to be a double-edged sword [Music] [Music] [Music] thank you [Music] foreign [Music] [Music]

Channel: History City

Views: 177,285

Keywords: Oppenheimer, Oppenheimer movie, Nolan, Cilliam, Cillian Murphy, CHristopher Nolan, Matt Damon, Groves, Emily Blunt, Oppenheimermovie, Robert Downey Jr, Imax movies, new movies, documentary, historical documentary, history channel, Josh Hartnett, father of the bomb, Los Alamos, Manhatten Project, Cold War, Lewis Strauss, Rami Malek, WWII History, fox news, Oppenheimer Trailer, Oppenheimer Review, Oppenheimer Story, american prometheus, robert oppenheimer

Id: M1Ptr7ypSZU

Length: 58min 54sec (3534 seconds)

Published: Thu Jul 06 2023