Robert Oppenheimer's thoughts after first atomic explosion

submitted by T-man
1 decade 7 years 6 months 4 weeks ago
Oppenheimer discusses the Hindu verse that entered his thoughts when he witnessed the first atomic explosion.

60 Comments

klotzsays...

"We knew the world would not be the same. A few people laughed, a few people cried, most people were silent. I remembered the line from the Hindu scripture, the Bhagavad-Gita. 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, "Now, I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds." I suppose we all thought that one way or another."

source:
http://www.atomicarchive.com/Movies/Movie8.shtml

slintsays...

Incredible piece. Being able to see his face is what solidifies it for me.

It's always intrigued me the different levels of the warmongers wanting the be-all/end-all weapon, and the scientists being driven by the technology, and following that path, not concerning themselves with what the consequences of the end product might be.

couplandsays...

slint, I think that's a gross oversimplification and perpetuating a pretty silly stereotype. A lot of very brilliant people helped develop the atomic bomb, all from different backgrounds and probably all with different reasons. I suspect they devoted a great deal of time thinking about what they were doing and wrestling with tough ethical problems. No doubt many of them thought it would be used as a deterrent, others thought it would save lives that would otherwise be lost in a long drawn-out war, and likely none of them could have predicted that even while toasting their own victory they'd be marching down the road towards 40+ years of political and psychological warfare with the very nations who stood with them as allies. The whole Pandora stereotype makes for great movie fodder but I don't think reality is quite so simple.

quantumushroomsays...

Too bad The Bomb wasn't perfected by 1940: no Hitler, no Mussolini, no Japanese Emperor, no WW2.

Vishnu doesn't give a damn about death...the "duty" he wanted the Prince to fulfill was the slaughter of his former teachers, friends and family members who opposed the Will of the Great One.


siftbotsays...

Tags for this video have been changed from 'oppenheimer, atomic, bomb, hindu' to 'oppenheimer, atomic, bomb, nuclear, weapon, hindu, vishnu, death' - edited by calvados

guessandchecksays...

This video is strangely moving. You can tell that Oppenheimer's mind was probably never at ease again. There's something so painful in his expression that I've decided to make a new playlist: The Human Condition

Also, for a little more insight, although possibly slightly fictionalized:

Fat Man and Little Boy - Interesting movie about the scientists from Los Alamos. Starring Paul Newman, John Cussak, and Laura Dern

choggiesays...

yep, his faces tells the hideous motherfucking tale innit!!! Am I the only one who imagines Nosferatu's undead Theatre when his skeletacious face appears???

rebuildersays...

On the subject, Richard Feynman's writings on of how he ended up deciding to take part in the nuclear bomb project and how their success affected him are worth reading. He apologizes for nothing, but neither does he say his mind is at ease with what they created.

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