Book Details

Title:

American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer

Categories:

History and Social Sciences

Languages:

English

Description:

Julius Robert Oppenheimer, 1904–1967, was a theoretical physicist. He led the Manhattan Project as the head of the Los Alamos National Laboratory and was called “The father of atomic bombs.” This book is not a mere biography but a social history of the development and use of atomic bombs during and after World War II. In this book, Oppenheimer is compared to Prometheus in a Greek myth. He introduced atomic bomb fire to people. In his case, however, when he tried to make people aware that it was too dangerous for them to use it, a Greek god, Zeus, got angry and punished him. After the war, he suggested the international supervision of nuclear weapons and promoted lobbying. He was also against nuclear weapons, including hydrogen bombs. His security was on the verge of crisis during the cold war era when McCarthyism, what is called “Red Scare,” was sweeping in the United States.