J. Robert Oppenheimer
Oppenheimer was a Jew from a wealthy, New York family. He attended Harvard University, Cambridge University, and Göttigen University and while doing so, he "made his mark" in quantum theory. After publishing multiple articles, he had gained recognition as a theoretical physicist. Oppenheimer entered the Manhattan Project with the goal of creating the first atomic bomb, in 1941, and was later recruited by the officer in charge of the project, General Leslie Groves, to be the scientific director of the Project and is widely acknowledged as the "father of the atomic bomb".
"Few people laughed, few people cried, most people were silent. I remembered the line from the Hindu scripture 'Bhagavad-Gita' in which Vishnu is
trying to persuade the Prince that he should do his duty and to impress him takes on his multi-armed form and says: 'I am become death:
the destroyer of worlds.' I suppose we all thought that, one way
or another." - Oppenheimer on the Trinity Explosion
trying to persuade the Prince that he should do his duty and to impress him takes on his multi-armed form and says: 'I am become death:
the destroyer of worlds.' I suppose we all thought that, one way
or another." - Oppenheimer on the Trinity Explosion
This quote goes to show that the creation and utilization of the atomic bomb was not something taken lightly by anyone, not even it's own creators.
President Harry S. Truman
This is the letter written by President Truman to the Secretary of War, in which he is approving the Secretary's suggestion to drop the atomic bombs, but President Truman asks that it not be done before August 2.
As President, Truman decided to order the dropping of the atomic bombs, despite the high population of civilians in the cities, for "purely military" reasons. He did not see much difference between the atomic bombs and the previous fire bombings of World War II, and he also thought it was a way to save Japanese lives as well as the Americans that he was responsible for. In the mind of the current president, he made the decision to save lives, which he had the right to do.
"The atom bomb was no 'great decision.' It was merely another powerful weapon
in the arsenal of righteousness." - Harry S. Truman
As President, Truman decided to order the dropping of the atomic bombs, despite the high population of civilians in the cities, for "purely military" reasons. He did not see much difference between the atomic bombs and the previous fire bombings of World War II, and he also thought it was a way to save Japanese lives as well as the Americans that he was responsible for. In the mind of the current president, he made the decision to save lives, which he had the right to do.
"The atom bomb was no 'great decision.' It was merely another powerful weapon
in the arsenal of righteousness." - Harry S. Truman
Manhattan Project Scientists
On the Project along with Oppenheimer, there were many physicists, chemists, engineers, and even astronomers who helped make the atomic bombs possible.