Since the movie was announced I have struggled with the story of Oppenheimer and the creation of the atomic bomb.

Right up front I need to mention that the bombs dropped by the United States on Hiroshima and Nagasaki were responsible for the deaths of approximately 200,000 people. I should also mention that consent was required ahead of the bombings from the United Kingdom as required by the Quebec Accords and this consent was given. Not many mention the culpability of the UK in this action but it is there – up close and personal.

Towards the end of the war plans were underway for a large scale invasion of Japan by the United States and allies which estimated deaths at approximately 25,000-46,000. Substantially lower than those of the Japanese as a result of the bombings. Other estimates brought the U.S. deaths to between 400,000-800,000 and Japanese deaths to between 5-10 million.

With these numbers in hand and intelligence suggesting that the Japanese had their own atomic bomb research underway it was deemed that the most “humanitarian” response would be to attack Hiroshima and Nagasaki first thus eliminating the prospects of a bombing on US soil leading to mass American casualities and preventing an invasion of Japan which intelligence suggested would lead to significant casualties as well.

Difficult choices obviouusly.

I struggle with the logic of “we must develop a doomsday machine first before X does.” We must become the monster first or else they will.

I also struggle with Oppenheimer’s quoting of the Bhagavad Gita as he recalls his feelings later in life while watching the first successful atomic bomb test:

“Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds“

Great. I am glad he feels guilty. But this quote gets trotted outto such an extent that it is as if it somehow absolves him of his responsibility in the deaths of 200,000 mostly civilian Japanese. I am tired of seeing the quote as if it somehow lessens Oppenheimer’s responsibility – all it does is confirm he knew exactly what he was doing and the consequences.

Further to this there was a suspician that the ingniting of the first atomic bomb could lead to the destruction of the atmosphere and all life on earth. Clearly this was a risk they felt worth taking (which is horrible all by itself). Einstein and Oppenheimer both felt the creation of nuclear weapons would ultimately lead to global nuclear annihilation – again a risk worth taking given the continued work on the bomb.

All in all the creation and detonation of the atomic bombs at Hiroshima and Nagasaki demonstrate the absolute worst of humanity – not the best.