Disruptor | Robert Oppenheimer | Second World War
75 years ago on 6th and 9th August 1945, America dropped atomic bombs on the Japanese cities Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Robert Oppenheimer, the father of atomic bomb, which killed many thousands and triggered the end of the second World War in the Pacific had to quote from Hindu scripture of Bhagavad Gita.
The second world war ended in Europe in the May of 1945, but it didn't in the Pacific. To end the war, and prevent further destruction, something inhuman and catastrophic had to be done. United States dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima on 6th August 1945 and Nagasaki on 9th August 1945. Thus, the war ended.
In any wars, no particular nation can be absolutely held accountable for annihilation. The cause is invariably mutually inclusive. It is what happened in the second world war as well.
Image credit: TIME (Moments after atomic bomb was dropped on Nagasaki)
'Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds.' Robert Oppenheimer, the father of the atomic bomb, who existed between April 22, 1904 – February 18, 1967, quoted this sacred Hindu text from Bhagavad Gita, on witnessing the test results of the first atomic bomb he created.
Within days after the test, Hiroshima was bombed with an atomic bomb, thus ending the second world war. While he transformed to a pacifist, what he meant by referring to Bhagavad Gita was he had to create an atomic bomb as it was a call of duty.
In the pursuit of understanding events after world wars - the era of cold war, I stumbled upon this article about metamorphosis of Robert Oppenheimer - the father of atomic bomb - his transformation from the inventor of the most devastating weapon ever created by humans to a pacifist.
Disclaimer: This post is apolitical and doesn't endore politics and shared only for historical purposes.
Well, it sounds like a self propaganda, but I can't resist saying, because it has to be said. People in ordinary circumstances can't recognise what I'm talking about. But, the extraordinary in exceptional circumstances can. Incidentally, auteur Christopher Nolan's interests intersect with my quest for knowledge. Our thoughts are not only metaphysical, but emotional - be it multiverse, time and affection, we think alike. Since I started introspecting second world war, I have been studying physicist Robert Oppenheimer, the maker of the atomic bomb, which ended the second world war in the Pacific. I posted about "Now, I'm become death", in 2018 and talked about the speech's historical significance. Now, it is being speculated that Chris Nolan is in discussion with the studios on a possible feature of Robert Oppenheimer and the atomic bomb.
I'm no ordinary cinema viewer, but an unusual. When auteur Christopher Nolan begins research on his films, I simultaneously try to study the subjects he is working on. Therefore, to further my understanding of theoretical physicist Robert Oppenheimer and the events leading to the construction of the atomic bomb, which ended the second world war in the Pacific, and the fact that my livelihood demands me to be out irrespective of the geopolitical and environmental realities, I can't watch but listen to. I have resumed listening to the interviews and podcasts of Robert Oppenheimer. This is the kind of research I do before I watch films in the theatres especially for Chris Nolan's.
Well, it sounds like a self propaganda, but I can't resist saying, because it has to be said. People in ordinary circumstances can't recognise what I'm talking about. But, the extraordinary in exceptional circumstances can. Incidentally, auteur Christopher Nolan's interests intersect with my quest for knowledge. Our thoughts are not only metaphysical, but emotional - be it multiverse, time and affection, we think alike. Since I started introspecting second world war, I have been studying physicist Robert Oppenheimer, the maker of the atomic bomb, which ended the second world war in the Pacific. I posted about "Now, I'm become death", in 2018 and talked about the speech's historical significance. Now, it is affirmative that Chris Nolan is in the process of making a feature on Robert Oppenheimer and the atomic bomb.
I'm no ordinary cinema viewer, but an unusual. When auteur Christopher Nolan begins research on his films, I simultaneously try to study the subjects he is working on. Therefore, to further my understanding of theoretical physicist Robert Oppenheimer and the events leading to the construction of the atomic bomb, which ended the second world war in the Pacific, and the fact that my livelihood demands me to be out irrespective of the geopolitical and environmental realities, I can't watch but listen to. I have resumed listening to the interviews and podcasts of Robert Oppenheimer. This is the kind of research I do before I watch films in the theatres especially for Chris Nolan's. Moreover, I have acquired the soft copy of "American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer",book by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin and have begun studying.
Disclaimer: This post is apolitical and doesn't endore politics and shared only for historical purposes.
An energy is released, when an atom (Paramanu) is made to split. The energy thus released becomes enormous, when the process becomes continual. This process is called fission.
It's the neutron, which induces the fission process in a Uranium. When a Uranium splits, it releases one or more neutrons. Consequently, these neutrons again induce fission in the Uranium. Thus, the process becomes a cycle or chain reaction. In a simplified term a nuclear bomb.
Image: India's Nuclear Might
Know Oppenheimer from Sivan:
He studied Sanskrit to comprehend what he considers the most philosophical book ever, in its truest sense - a Hindu scripture "Bhagavad Gita".
The father of the atomic bomb is intrigued by the abstract and complex problems of Physics but not the fundamentals. Consequently, he leaped basics and went on to solve the world's problems - brought a complete end to world war II. However, deep inside he was always insecure about his knowledge.
The father of the atomic bomb is intrigued by the abstract and complex problems of Physics but not the fundamentals. Consequently, he leaped basics and went on to solve the world's problems - brought a complete end to world war II. However, deep inside he was always insecure about his knowledge.
He found solace in physics than humans. From the beginning, he withdrew himself from the society and didn't like authority. Solitude was his forte. Allegedly, he left an apple poisoned on the table of his tutor, which was considered to be an attempt of murder.
It's fate or coincidence, the broad interests of Christopher Nolan align with the interests of mine, which are the notion of the cosmos, military history, particularly second world war and filmmaking. Consequently, at any given point of time, I'm pursuing events related to the above. Chris chose to make a feature of Robert Oppenheimer, I had been studying him since 2009. Now it has to be an extensive study. Furthermore, the deadline to complete this study is 21st July 2023.
Having witnessed the devastating effects of his discovery -atomic bomb, which brought to the mankind, he advocated withdrawal. While he turned a pacifist, his complicated relationships of the past made him investigated for betrayal.
Despite his family's alleged links with the communists, he was chosen to lead perhaps the decisive effort in bringing the second world war to an end not because of his scientific pedigree but obsessiveness.
Ironically, the father of atomic bomb needed for the elimination of nuclear weapons. After witnessing the catastrophe it had brought to humankind, he was not only advocating withdrawal of the use of nuclear energy as weapons but harnessing the nuclear fission and fusion for the betterment of mankind. Hence, the title "American Prometheus".
He didn't realize that his discovery is irrevocable. Having first hand witnessing the benefits and the harm nuclear weapons can cause. Further, on encountering the devastating effects of the atomic bomb on an indefensible enemy, Japan, he concluded nuclear arms will annihilate humankind.
Between the first and the second world wars, there was sort of a unity amongst scientists in deriving controlled and sustainable energy from the atom. This knowledge was ubiquitous. The period before the beginning of the second world war, Jews fearing persecution left Europe, Albert Einstein immigrated to the United States. He was aware of some Nazi Germany's scientist's plans of furthering their efforts in creating an "Atomic Bomb". Therefore, he wrote to the President Franklin Roosevelt asking Americans to advance their research on nuclear bombs. This directly led to the creation of the "Manhattan Project" and Robert Oppenheimer being the head. Thus, it's argued that Albert Einstein is the real father of the atomic bomb and he reportedly felt accountable having seen the catastrophe it brought to the humankind.
I can say with a certain sense of humility that having studied the second world war for twenty plus years now especially after watching auteur Steven Spielberg's "Saving Private Ryan" (1999), and having read numerous real life accounts; Watching documentaries, feature films and reading some books and more importantly in the process of introspecting Robert J Oppenheimer through the book "American Prometheus", I was comparatively in a better position to appreciate the nuances of his film "Oppenheimer", than any average viewer.
This is what Chris and I share in common. We are invariably in the process of examining what interests us the most. It could possibly a coincidence or a fate that we are both interested in the cosmos, military history and filmmaking.
I made this observation a year earlier when the production of the film went public, but people seldom noticed or ignored it as usual.
What began with Pearl Harbour ended with the nuclear bombing of Japan!
Pearl Harbour to Nuclear Bombing:
The ethical question of United States nuclear bombing Japan (Hiroshima and Nagasaki) continues to remain debatable until now, even though 78 years have passed since the human catastrophe on 6th and 9th August 1945. According to historical accounts, the pressure on the Americans to make this decision was multifold.
The perception of super power between US and USSR was already raging with the latter declaring part of the captured Nazi Germany as East and Americans' as West Germany. The "Cold War" had already begun. Furthermore, Russians need to capture Japan and make the world known that they have put an end to the Second World War. Thus, becoming the world's super power.
Japan was virtually defeated by allies and still persevering by preparing every man, woman and child left to fight the allies till the last man standing even with sticks and stones. A guerrilla warfare was anticipated with very high casualties on both sides.
Americans were planning on carrying out an amphibious invasion of Japan in a way similar to how Nazi occupied Europe was captured and liberated.
Americans after realising the ambush created by Japan needed to end the war immediately by making Japan surrender unconditionally. By doing so, Russians would realise that the United States were more competent than Russia. Most importantly, Americans didn't want another territory to be shared with Russians for their contribution in the war.
President Harry Truman, after the demise of President Roosevelt had to make not only one of the toughest but arguably morally wrong decisions ever made by a US President. The decision was made out of necessity.
It was a go. What happened next is history.
76 years ago today, on December 7, 1941, Japan, which was reportedly agitated by American involvement in trade, assaulted Pearl Harbor. 20 American naval vessels and more than 300 airplanes were destroyed, about 2400 died and 1000 wounded. Consequently, with Adolf Hitler's third Reich declaring war on the United States, America officially entered into the world war II, fighting Germans in the Europe and Japanese in the Pacific.
https://www.trumanlibrary.gov/education/presidential-inquiries/decision-drop-atomic-bomb
http://mindofbt.blogspot.com/2020/10/brotherhood-in-war-second-world-war.html
For further study:
https://www.osti.gov/opennet/manhattan-project-history/Events/1939-1942/einstein_letter.htm
https://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/einstein/peace-and-war/the-manhattan-project#:~:text=A%20Letter%20to%20the%20President,powerful%20weapon%3A%20an%20atomic%20bomb.
Authored by Balaji Thangapandian aka #BT - a spacefarer, who is also curious about film-making, connectivity technologies and military history.
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