Physicist Who Developed Atomic Bombs: Robert Oppenheimer

There are some events that all humanity knows to be wrong, but they were made despite this, and they are the events that have been talked about for many years. Although it ended the World War II, the bloodiest years in the world, it is still the target of criticism arrows because it caused the death of thousands of people. Atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki Do you know who made it? In this article, a German-American physicist who was at the beginning of the development process of the deterrent weapon. We will get to know Robert Oppenheimer better.

The atomic bomb, one of the most heinous weapons invented by humanity, was developed before World War II, but was completed towards the end of World War II and ended the war. a deterrent weapon. The nuclear weapon, which Germany tried to develop but lost the war before it could end, was used for the first and last time during a war. It was used by the US to deter Japan.

Who is this Robert Oppenheimer?

Born April 22, 1904 in New York German-born American physicist Robert Oppenheimer Even today, he is a real person who studied physics in England and Germany after studying at Harvard University, one of the most prestigious universities in the world. Oppenheimer, who was put in charge of the Manhattan Project, which was created by the USA to develop a nuclear bomb during World War II, opposed the construction of the hydrogen bomb after the war and was accused by the USA of helping the Soviet Union for this reason. Oppenheimer’s life Manhattan Project We need to divide it into two as the atomic bombs developed together with the atomic bombs and the opposition to the atomic bombs after the feeling of guilt.

A fight against time and the deaths of thousands: The Manhattan Project

The main reason why the world heard the name Oppenheimer Manhattan Projectis . Thanks to this project, the first atomic bomb in the history of humanity was successfully produced, and as a result, World War II was brought to an end. continued between 1942 and 1945. At the head of this project was the genius physicist Robert Oppenheimer. Since it was known that the Germans had started a similar project in 1940, the USA had to act quickly at this point. If a weapon of this strength fell into Hitler’s hands, the whole course of the war could change.

In this process, the USA was trying to carry out several different processes at the same time. For the success of the project, a laboratory led by J. Robert Oppenheimer was established in an isolated area in New Mexico. In this laboratory, studies were carried out to create the raw material for the atomic bomb. Development of a nuclear-explosive head and it had to be detonated in a key area after being thrown from the plane. The aim was to make such a deterrent weapon viable early in the war.

The world’s first atomic bomb was detonated at the Trinity Test

Atomic bombs had to be tested before they could be used. Trinity Test The so-called test was detonated at 5:30 am on June 16, 1945, at Alamogordo airbase, 193 kilometers south of Albuquerque, New Mexico. Scientists and officials watched the explosion in a shelter located 9 kilometers away. This test revealed a mushroom cloud that expanded to 12,200 meters.

The first atomic bomb in history, producing a power equivalent to 15,000 – 20,000 tons of TNT explosive, was carried out in the desert where it was tested. It turned sand in a radius of 730 meters into glass. This historic test also ushered in the age of atomic bombs.

Although Germany lost, Japan continued to resist.

There was no need to use an atomic bomb to eliminate Germany, which had lost the atomic bomb race. However, Japan, an ally of Germany, continued to struggle, even though it was seen as certain that it would be defeated. A meeting was held in Potsdam, Germany, on July 26, 1945. At this meeting The United States gave an ultimatum to Japan to surrender. According to this ultimatum, Japan would withdraw from the war and a “democratic” government would be established. If these are not provided, it said, Japan will be “quickly and en masse destroyed”. Japan rejected this ultimatum.

One of the most controversial events in World War History: Dropping the atomic bombs

One of the key moments in a context where we talk about Oppenheimer is the detonation of atomic bombs. The USA, which decided to apply deterrent force to Japan, which rejected its ultimatum, Atomic bomb named Little Boy with uranium-235 of japan Hiroshima exploded 550 meters above the city. Dropped from the Enola Gay bomber on August 6, 1945 at 08:15 local time, Little Boy exploded after a 44.4-second free fall. According to the research, it was announced that 66,000 people died directly as a result of the explosion, and 69,000 people were injured at certain levels. With a power of 18 thousand tons of TNT, that is, 18 kilotons, Little Boy was the first atomic bomb used for offensive purposes in the history of the world.

On August 9, 1945, 3 days after the first bomb was dropped on 6 August, another atomic bomb was dropped on Japan by the USA. of japan The atomic bomb called Fat Man, dropped on the city of Nagasaki, It used an imploded plutonium core. Although he was stronger than Little Boy, the area he was thrown was less effective because it was a rough terrain.

Did these guns need to be detonated?

To bring the war to an end 2 Japanese cities; the United States, which destroyed infants, children, the old, the young and their animals, Even today, it is still criticized for this reason. 1 day after the atomic bomb dropped on Nagasaki; that is, Japan, which declared that it would give up on August 10, 1945, officially announced that it gave up on August 14, 1945. Although the USA says that it dropped these bombs to end the war, many historians say that Japan will give up anyway, and that the atomic bombs did not have a different effect on the decision to give up. The atomic bombs, which had an unprecedented impact in history, may have been dropped because the USA wanted to be a world leader by making a show of power.

A father who hates what he has created

Robert Oppenheimer, known as the father of the nuclear bomb, is a scientist who regrets what he has done. Oppenheimer, He expresses the following words about the scene he saw after the first nuclear bomb test:

“We knew the world would no longer be the same. Some of us laughed, some of us cried. Many of us were silent. A line from the Indian scriptures Bhadavad-Gita came to my mind. While trying to persuade the Prince to do his duty, Vishnu takes his multi-armed form to impress him and says: : ‘I am now Death, the destroyer of worlds.’ I guess one way or another we’ve all thought about it.”

Oppenheimer, who succeeded in developing the nuclear bomb with great efforts, He was afraid of what he saw before him. It is even known that he suffered a great remorse for the pain he caused and that he had a conflict with the then US President Truman, who ordered the dropping of the atomic bombs.

The man who produced the nuclear bomb began to oppose nuclear weapons

Those who think that they have a share in the deaths of thousands, maybe even indirectly, millions of people. Oppenheimer, It is much more powerful than the atomic bombs developed after the war, working with the fission system used during the war. opposed the construction of hydrogen bombs. Oppenheimer, who was accused of helping communist and Soviet Union agents in the USA after these objections, was cleared of these charges, but it was decided to keep military secrets from him.

This genius physicist, who may have given the United States one of the greatest powers in the entire world, was named by U.S. President Johnson in 1964. He was cleared of all charges by receiving the Enrico Fermi award. Oppenheimer retired in 1966 and died in 1967.

Physicist who thinks his hands are bleeding

Probably living with a guilty conscience until the last moment of his life. Oppenheimer is also known for his “bloody hands” phrase to US President Truman.. The then US President Truman said angrily.Don’t worry about it, that blood is on my hands‘ He says he doesn’t want to see Oppenheimer again.

According to some historians, Oppenheimer’s atomic bombs were dropped on Japan. that you are not very sorry, however, it is thought that he feared that the Earth would be destroyed by wars using atomic energy in the future.

Of course, it is not known what Oppenheimer was upset about, whether he felt any pangs of conscience, but thanks to the project he succeeded. He managed to make the USA an absolute power for a long time. Even today, the effect of nuclear weapons is behind the USA’s being such a deterrent power.

So what do you guys think about nuclear bombs and Oppenheimer? Was this content informative for you? Do not forget to share your thoughts with us in the comments section.