Robert+Oppenheimer+-+Letters+and+Recollections


 * =__Robert Oppenheimer: Letters and Rocollections__= || ==by J. Robert Oppenheimer== ||
 * [[image:http://osulibrary.oregonstate.edu/specialcollections/coll/pauling/bond/pictures/portrait-oppenheimer.jpg]] || ==Biographical Information==

J. Robert Oppenheimer was born in New York City on April 22, 1904. His father Julius hailed from Germany but came to the U.S. in 1871. Julius married an artist named Ella Friedman from Baltimore whose ancestors were German. The "J" in Robert's name had a questionable origin. He himself said that it didn't stand for anything. His brother Frank said it was symbolic. The parents wanting the eldest son to bear his father's name but at the same time not be a "junior." Frank was eight years younger than Robert.

Robert took an interest in the sciences very early in life. He never attended much schooling before he learned to read. Reading soon became a great love of his life. He continued this love for knowledge all the way through high school, making three real friends: minerals, chemicals, and a boy named Francis Ferguson. Francis and Robert remained life-long friends.

Robert received his A.B. summa cum laude in chemistry from Harvard College in 1926, and his Ph.D. in physics from the University of Göttingen in Germany in 1927. He stayed in Europe for a while before coming back to the states. He taught at different colleges before getting a job in the government. He was appointed coordinator of the fast neutron research in the S-1 project, a project designed to develop the nuclear bomb. He moved his work with this project in Los Alamos, New Mexico, where the project received its name as a cover-up in 1943. After the bomb was dropped, Oppenheimer was appointed a member of the Scientific Panel of the U.S. War Department's Interim Committee on postwar atomic policy 1945, and soon after resigned from his laboratory in Los Alamos.

Robert married Katherine Puening Harrison in 1940. They had a son, Peter, and a daughter, Katherine. He died in 1967. ||
 * "I think that the world in which we shall live these next thirty years will be a pretty restless and tormented place; I do not think there will be much of a compromise possible between being of it, and being not of it." (143)

A letter to his brother Frank April 10, 1931

This quote is something Robert said in a casual letter to his brother. He said this before the government ever invited him to lead their program on the nuclear bomb. His prediction was obviously quite accurate, and ironic considering he helped design the most tormenting tool to ever be used. || ||
 * [[image:http://www.thousandsunsmotorsports.com/images/oppie.jpg width="297" height="385"]] || "What I am writing about is to suggest some minor organizational steps which I hope will help to assure the two things that we need most: reliability and speed. I think that probably some trouble has arisen in the past because too much work has gone on without detailed consultation. It would seem to me that all directors if projects in this field should recognize the importance of communicating at once either with Dr. Manley, or with me, or with other authorized persons, if they run into a problem which worries them or which promises to delay their work." (225)

A letter addressing some issues with some scientists under Oppenheimer June 10, 1942

From this letter we can clearly see how important Oppenheimer was for the entire project. He never gave any slack to any men under him. He sees how important his job is and sets high standards. ||
 * "I think if I believed with you that this project was "the culmination of three centuries of physics," I should take a different stand. To me it is primarily the development in time of war of a military weapon of some consequence. I do not think that the Nazis allow us the option of [not] carrying out that development." (250)

A letter explaining his views on the project February 26, 1943

Here Oppenheimer is explaining his views on the need for his project and a US weapon superiority in order to end the war and to stay ahead of the competition, in this case, the enemy. || ||
 * [[image:http://www.richard-seaman.com/Travel/Japan/Hiroshima/AtomicBombMuseum/IndividualArtifacts/BoyWithBurnedBack.jpg width="403" height="223"]] || "I have given some thought to the question of a story about the Los Alamos Project which, if disseminated in the proper way, might serve somewhat to reduce the curiosity of the local population, and at least to delay the dissemination of the truth. We propose that it be let known that the Los Alamos Project is working on a new type of rocket and that the detail be added that this is a largely electrical device. We feel that the story will have a certain credibility; that the loud noises which we will soon be making here will fit in with the subject; and that the fact, unfortunately not kept completely secret, that we are installing a good deal of electrical equipment, and the further fact that we have a large group of civilian specialists would fit in quite well." (256)

A letter to cover up the project April 30, 1943

Once the public got wind of the missile project, they became increasingly suspicious. Oppenheimer had to eventually take action to make sure the program remained top secret. ||
 * "Thank you for your generous letter of June 29th. You would be glad to know how greatly your good words of reassurance were appreciated by us. There will be many times in the months ahead when we shall remember them.

It is perhaps appropriate that I should in turn transmit to you the assurance that we as a group and as individual Americans are profoundly aware of our responsibility for the security of our project as well as for its rapid and effective completion. It is a great source of encouragement to us that we have in this your support and understanding." (260)

A letter to president Roosevelt July 9, 1943

Even the president of the United States wrote to Oppenheimer. This project was so important, Roosevelt wrote to Robert personally to let him know that he had the support of his nation. || ||
 * [[image:http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/03/JROppenheimer-LosAlamos.jpg/436px-JROppenheimer-LosAlamos.jpg width="287" height="390"]] || "We have, I believe, from the first recognized the essentially political character of this problem, and regarded the development of the atomic bomb as of incidental, but perhaps decisive, importance in two respects:

1) Focusing more sharply the attention of the public on the dangers of international anarchy (and in particular on the dangers of competitive armament between two all-powerful nations).

2) Providing a new and specific point of discussion where agreement might be less difficult to achieve." (310)

A letter to Albert Einstein discussing the shared and opposing views between that of Einstein, the author Mr. Reves, and himself October 10, 1945

This is just a discussion between Oppenheimer and Albert Einstein. It isn't very significant, but I thought it was interesting to see his opinions on the project, along with how they compare to such an important man of the era like Einstein. ||
 * These letters and other notes on Robert Oppenheimer were an important insight into the mind of an important man in history. His opinions were very interesting to learn and his letters to his brother show a personal side of him that you couldn't find anywhere else. I learned a lot about the Los Alamos project and the fight to end WWII. He was an incredible hero for America, building a huge wall of fear between us and our enemies. ||
 * ==Works Cited==

Oppenheimer, J. Robert. __Robert Oppenheimer: Letters and Recollections__. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1980.

"Portrait of Robert Oppenheimer" 

"Robert Oppenheimer 1941" 

"Oppie" 

"J. Oppenheimer" 

"Boy with Burnt Back" 

"Nagasaki Blast" 

"J. R. Oppenheimer - Los Alamos"  ||