Julius Robert Oppenheimer is credited as being the founder of the American school of theoretical physics, and father of the atomic bomb. Born in New York city in 1904, Oppenheimer graduated from Harvard, obtained a PhD from the University of Gottingen in Germany, did post-doctoral work at CalTech, and became a professor of theoretical physics at U.C. Berkely. Oppenheimer was a gifted scholar and philosopher who spoke many other languages, and was noted for having read the Bhagavad Gita (the Hindu Bible) and Marx's Das Kapital in their original languages. During the Great Depression, Oppenheimer became associated with left wing political causes such as Soviet communism and the spanish civil war.By the late 1930s, advances in the field of nuclear physics had reached a point where many scientists realized that the creation of an atomic bomb was feasible, prompting Albert Einstein to petition President Franklin Roosevelt to undertake research on the atomic bomb. Fearing that Nazi Germany would realize the bomb first, Oppenheimer and many other scientists reluctantly got involved in the bomb research project. Progress was slow, however, until the scientists were placed under the organizational umbrella of the Manhattan Project, under the command of the newly promoted Brigadier General Leslie Groves.While touring research facilities across the country, Groves was introduced to Oppenheimer, and was immediately impressed by Oppenheimer's clarity of thought, and determination to beat the Germans in the race for the bomb. Groves overruled objections from Washington and his own intelligence officers about Oppenheimer's previous associations with communists, and put Oppenheimer in charge of the bomb construction unit of the Manhattan Project in Los Alamos New Mexico.The Los Alamos group was nearing completion of the bomb in 1945 when allied forces overran the atomic bomb research facilities in Germany, only to discover that the Germans were not as close to building a bomb as the allies had thought. The lack of progress was partly due to Hitler's diversion of resources to other weapons programs, and partly due to the reluctance of the German physicists to cooperate. This discovery placed Oppenheimer and the other scientists at Los Alamos in a moral dilemma, since most of them had only joined the bomb project out of fear that the Nazis would obtain an atomic weapon first. With the removal of the German bomb threat, their reason for creating an American bomb was also removed. While many of the scientists attempted to halt bomb development after the surrender of Germany, Oppenheimer and Groves pushed for its completion, although this caused a great deal of emotional conflict in Oppenheimer. As the first bomb is tested, Oppenheimer watches the mushroom cloud rise over the New Mexico desert and laments his role in creating it, quoting from the Bhagavad Gita: Now I am become death, the shatterer of worlds. While Oppenheimer was convinced that the use of the bomb was justified, it remained a source of emotional turmoil for him, and he sank into a state of depression following the bomb's use on Japan.After the war, Oppenheimer was made chairman of the newly created Atomic Energy Commission, charged with the further development of atomic technology, including bomb research. In 1949 the Soviets tested their first atomic bomb, years sooner than American intelligence agencies had predicted. It was correctly concluded that one or more of the scientists at Los Alamos had leaked secrets to the Soviets, allowing them to accelerate their bomb research. This sent the United States into both a state of panic over the arms race with the Soviets, and a state of paranoia over communist spies. The McCarthy era was born, and America began turning of her own citizens. Many in the government believed that, rather than accept atomic parity with the Soviets, the United States should immediately embark on development of the hydrogen bomb proposed by physicist Edward Teller. Teller was both a friend, and an intense rival to Oppenheimer.While Teller, and many members of the U.S. government urged development of the hydrogen bomb, Oppenheimer advised against it, saying it would only force the Soviets to develop one also. (A prediction which came true.) This lead the hawks who favored development of the new super bomb to raise Oppenheimers pre-war associations with communists, and question his patriotism and motives for opposing the new bomb development project. Oppenheimer was eventually investigated by the House Committee on Un-American Activities. The House investigation culminates with a Judas like testimonial from Teller, stating that he does not trust Oppenheimer's judgement on security matters. Oppenheimer is designated a security risk, and his security clearance is revoked, causing him to lose his position as chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission, and any influence he once had over American weapons policy. Feeling betrayed by his country and some of his former associates, Oppenheimer again sinks into a deep depression, and eventually dies a broken man in 1967.Oppenheimer was a complicated and tragic, Faustian character, having used his genius and command of nature to destroy human life, and ultimately advance right wing political philosophies to which he was opposed. He was also a great humanitarian, forced by history into the business of killing. And after having sold his soul to the atomic bomb, he was ultimately cast aside by the country he loved.Oppenheimer has been portrayed as a tragic hero in many movies and TV mini-series', including Oppenheimer (1980-played by Sam Waterston), Day One (1989-played by David Strathairn), and Fat Man and Little Boy (1989-played by Dwight Schultz). Oppenheimer himself is the protagonist of the Oppenheimer mini-series, while General Groves (portrayed by Brian Dennehy) is the protagonist of the Day One production. Groves's hard driving, single minded personality is contrasted to Oppenheimer's deep and complicated personality in the movie Fat Man and Little Boy, where Groves is portrayed by Paul Newman. Show less «