Student Article
"Oppenheimer: The Mind Behind the Atomic Bomb and the Moral Fallout That Followed "
Manhattan Project (noun): A secret U.S. military project during World War II to develop atomic bombs.
Nuclear (adjective): Relating to the energy released by splitting atoms.
Scripture (noun): A sacred or religious text, such as the Bhagavad Gita in Hinduism.
Regret (noun): A feeling of sadness or guilt about something that has happened or been done.
J. Robert Oppenheimer was a brilliant American scientist known as the “father of the atomic bomb.” He led the Manhattan Project, a secret U.S. program during World War II that developed the first nuclear weapons. Born in 1904, Oppenheimer was chosen in 1942 to lead the laboratory at Los Alamos, New Mexico. There, he and other top scientists created a powerful weapon unlike anything the world had seen.
Oppenheimer’s interests beyond science
Oppenheimer had many interests beyond science. He loved poetry, horseback riding, and even studied Hindu scriptures like the Bhagavad Gita (he taught himself Sanskrit to read it in the original language). He was known for being both brilliant and complex. Some people found him charming, while others thought he was difficult to work with.
The first successful atomic bomb test
The bomb they built was tested in July 1945 in New Mexico. Oppenheimer later remembered thinking of a line from Hindu scripture: “I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds.” A few weeks later, the U.S. dropped two atomic bombs on Japan — first on Hiroshima, then on Nagasaki — causing massive destruction and many deaths.
Oppenheimer’s regret and life after the war
Even though the bombs helped end the war, Oppenheimer felt deep regret. He worried about how many innocent people were killed. After the war, he never worked on weapons again.
Oppenheimer’s political ties and the FBI investigation
His earlier ties to people who had been in the Communist Party also brought him trouble, and he was watched closely by the FBI.
The moral conflict of scientific discovery
Oppenheimer’s story is about more than science — it’s also about the heavy choices that come with powerful discoveries.
© Elinor Evans / www.historyextra.com
Manhattan Project (noun): A secret U.S. military project during World War II to develop atomic bombs.
Nuclear (adjective): Relating to the energy released by splitting atoms.
Scripture (noun): A sacred or religious text, such as the Bhagavad Gita in Hinduism.
Regret (noun): A feeling of sadness or guilt about something that has happened or been done.