Who Was J. Robert Oppenheimer?

My graphic novel class is currently exploring Fallout: J. Robert Oppenheimer, Leo Szilard, and The Political Science of the Atomic Bomb, which depicts the events of J. Robert Oppenheimer and Leo Szilard involved in the conception of the atomic bomb that would end World War II by destroying the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

When folks think of Julius Robert Oppenheimer, the first thoughts come as "...destroyer of worlds," "the man who built the atomic bomb" and "died of lung cancer." Oppenheimer was more than these labels, possessing a facination and knowledge of foreign languages such as French, Greek and even Sanskrit. Oppenheimer continued learning about languages and eastern philsophy for most of his life.

Oppenheimer's early education started at the Ethical Culture School in New York. He took math and science classes as well as becoming versed in the classics. Oppenheimer earned his Ph.D in Germany after studying in Harvard in 1925. Described as an "intense person, tall, thin, contemplative, and probing," Oppenheimer even intimidated an instructor during the oral exam! The instructor's words? "Phew, I'm glad that's over. He was on the point of questioning me."

Oppenheimer returned to the States in 1929, teaching in Berkeley and Cal Tech. He proved to be efficient in teaching and was a skilled theoretician, with analyses resulting in neutron stars, neutrons, positrons and mesotrons.

In 1942, Oppenheimer was appointed director of the Manhattan Project, a project conceived by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to construct an atomic bomb before the Nazis constructed their version in Germany. Oppenheimer set up his base at Los Alamos, New Mexico. Oppenheimer witnessed the first explosive go off in July 16, 1943. He was claimed to have uttered "I am become death, destroyer of worlds," fully realizing his creation has changed the consciousness of the world forever.

After World War II, Oppenheimer became a member of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission where he opposed development of the hydrogen bomb. President Harry S. Truman gave the order to create the bomb and Oppenheimer was under suspicion of being associated with Communists. He was associated with Communists but only because they had antifascist views. Oppenheimer's hatred of fascism, especially of what horrors the Nazis were conducting in Germany, motivated him to become involved with the Manhattan Project. Oppeheimer's cause could not save him from having his security clearance revoked.

Oppenheimer helped create a legacy that is depicted in Fallout, with intellectuals at odds against the military not heeding the morals of science. His legacy ended a war but would create a new conflict. This conflict brought the fear of the apocalypse, and almost all countries in the world with its nuclear programs have the potential to bring a human-made armageddon on Earth.

- Kristopher