Resurfaced Oppenheimer Interview Reveals His True Feelings About Atomic Bombs Being Used In WWII (2024)

In a newly-resurfaced interview, J. Robert Oppenheimer reveals his true feelings about the creation and usage of the atomic bomb as seen in Oppenheimer. Christopher Nolan's latest film assembles a star-studded ensemble led by Cillian Murphy as Oppenheimer's titular character. The epic film based on the biography American Prometheus by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin tackles Oppenheimer's involvement in the infamous Manhattan Project.

Reviews for Oppenheimer have been glowing, with critics praising the film's storytelling, Nolan's direction, and the cast's stellar performance. That being said, it's far from a feel-good movie; it leaves viewers uneasy and even afraid in light of Oppenheimer's conflicted feelings about creating the atomic bombs. Years removed from World War II, Oppenheimer sat down with CBS News to reveal his true feelings about the matter. Read his full quote below:

“I believe that the view, which I learned from many, but above all from General Marshall and form Colonel Stimson, the Secretary of War, the view that they had that we would have to fight our way to the main islands, and that it would involve a slaughter of Americans and Japanese on a massive scale was arrived at by them in good faith, with regret and on the best evidence that they then had to that alternative, I think the bomb was an enormous relief. The war started in ’39, that seen the deaths of tens of millions, that seen brutality and degradation, which had no place in the middle of the 20th century. The ending of the war by this means, certainly cruel, was not undertaken lightly. But I am not, as of today, confident that a better course was then open. I have not a very good answer to this question."

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It was clear that Oppenheimer was very careful with the way he answered the question. Until the very end, however, he still seemed unsure about the issue.

What Happened To Oppenheimer After Nolan’s Movie

At the end of Oppenheimer, it leaves the titular character in a state of personal crisis as he continues to struggle with his involvement in the creation of atomic bombs. In the interview above, the renowned physicist made it clear that he believed that the bombs were used accordingly based on the data that they were provided back then. This means that he subscribed to the idea that they did what was right according to what they knew. Still, it didn't fully erase the guilt he felt for helping introduce weapons of mass destruction to the world.

After he finished his initial project in Los Alamos, he left it despite an offer to extend, and returned to Caltech, but soon realized that he had lost his interest in teaching. He eventually accepted Lewis Strauss' invitation to spearhead the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey, where he reconnected with fellow genius, Albert Einstein. A peek at their relationship is included in Nolan's film. Despite working on the atomic bomb, Oppenheimer strongly opposed the creation of the hydrogen bomb.

Related: What Happened To Lewis Strauss After Oppenheimer

Following being stripped of his security clearance, which was a focal point in Oppenheimer, he opted to stay away from the limelight, choosing to live a more private life. He spent months in Saint John in the U.S. Virgin Islands, only re-emerging for carefully-chosen public appearances that were mostly related to science. Because he was no longer involved with the government, he devoted his time to focus on lecturing, writing, and studying physics. In 1967, just two years after the aforementioned interview was conducted, he died of throat cancer at the age of 62.

Source: CBS News