Oppenheimer: The Movie and the Man - Episode 2

In this special season of World War II On Topic, The National WWII Museum will explore J. Robert Oppenheimer, the Manhattan Project, and the history and ramifications of the atomic bomb.
In this episode, Jason Dawsey, PhD & John Curatola, PhD, historians with the Museum’s Jenny Craig Institute for the Study of War and Democracy, discuss the film Oppenheimer, released July 21, 2023.
Directed by Christopher Nolan, Oppenheimer was adapted from the biography American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin. Jason and John explore the history behind the movie, its accuracy, and its influence.
To read more visit our Manhattan Project topics page: www.nationalww2museum.org/war/topics/manhattan-project
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[@paulfreeborn1493]

I think that there were considerations that may have been on Truman's mind at that time that would not necessarily have occurred to Oppenheimer. Whereas Oppenheimer and Truman can debate as to where the responsibility for the deaths that resulted from the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Truman had to consider the additional weight of American sailors, soldiers, and Marines who were fighting in the Pacific as well as the Japanese and Okinawans as well. Truman also had to weight the lives lost in the atomic bombings against the potential casualties of that may have resulted from Operation Downfall. The debate as to whether or not more civilians would have died from the invasion than in the historical bombings is something that many people pursue as a matter of academic debate on a regular basis. For Truman, it wasn't an "academic issue" but an actual reality--and that decision (either to use the bomb or not) will always be associated with him. My point is not to diminish whatever guilt Oppenheimer may or may not have felt--I don't know enough about him to have any sense of how he may have felt about it (outside of the recent movie). However, I think this may (at least in part) explain why Oppenheimer and Truman ended up with such different perspectives regarding responsibility for the bombings.

[@dianenorkus9906]

Question: Would Oppenheimer and the others have concerns over the use of the bomb if it was to be used on German?

[@merlindorfman6570]

I very much enjoyed this episode--thanks. A couple of comments:
- I have some memory of the 1950s and I'm quite sure that "Admiral" Strauss pronounced his name to rhyme with "laws," not "louse." I believe he had a grudge against Oppenheimer because Oppenheimer had casually insulted him during and earlier encounter, and Strauss was definitely out to get Oppenheimer on a personal basis.
- I have not seen the movie, but apparently there is great emphasis on the Calutrons for separating U-235 from U-238, but there was also gaseous diffusion, and it was my understanding that gaseous diffusion was used first and the slightly enriched uranium was then sent to the Calutrons for enrichment to weapons grade.

[@timburr4453]

very fascinating. Thank you for this.

[@wwiimuseum]

Thanks for listening

[@irasaposnik6511]

I did too McGowan

[@johnschuh8616]

However, after the Soviets got the bomb in 1949, why would Oppenheimer have been so opposed to the H-Bomb, since the fission bomb was the necessary trigger for the Fusion bomb? Did they think that Stalin would not give the Go-ahead for it in order to overawe the USA?

[@stormythelowcountrykitty7147]

For the algorithm

[@irasaposnik6511]

The movie stunk it was bunk hunk and punk