All language subtitles for Oppenheimer.2023.2160p.UHD.BluRay.HEVC.HDR.HLG.10Bit.DTS-HD.MA.5.1-RandH

[rain pattering]

[rhythmic thudding]

[thudding intcnsifics]

-[thudding stops]
-[sighs]

[chairman] Dr. Oppenheimer.

Dr. Oppenheimcr.

As wc begin, I believe you have
a. statemcnt to read into the record .

Ycs, Your Honor.

[board membcr] Wc're not judges, Doctor.

No.

[quietly] Of coursc.

Members of the security board.

The so-called a.nd dorogatory information
in your indictment of mc

cannot be fairly understood ,

except in the context of my life
and my work.

[Senatc aide] How long did hc tostify?

Honestly, I forget.

The wholo hearing took a month.

An ordea.l.

l'vc only read the transcripts, but. . .
[clears throa.t]

Who'd want to justify their whole life?

-You weren't there?
-As chairman, I wasn't allowed to be.

Are they rea.Ily going to ask about it?

It was years ago.

-Four ycars ago. [chuckles]
-Five.

Oppenhcimer still divides America.

The committee is gonna want to know
where you stood.

Senator Thurmond asked me to say
not to feel that you're on trial .

Aw. Funny,
l didn't till you just said tha.t.

Really, Mr. Strauss--

It's Admiral.

Admiral Strauss. This is a formality.

President Eisenhower has asked you
to be in his cabinet.

Senate really has no choice
but to confirm you.

And if they bring up Oppenheimcr?

When they bring up Oppcnhoimer,
you answer honestly.

No senator can deny you did your duty.

It'll bo uncomfortable. [chuckles]

Who'd want to justify their whole life?

[loud chattering]

[shutter clicks]

[prosecutor]
Why did you leavo the United States?

I , uh, wanted to study the new physics.

[chairman] Was thcre nowhere hcre?

I thought Berkcley had the leading
theoretical physics departmcnt.

Yes. Once l had built it.

But first I had to go to Europe.

I went to Cambridgc
to study undcr Patrick Blackett.

Were you happier there than in America?

-Happier?
-Yes.

No.

No, I , uh ...

l was homesick, um,

emotionally immature,

troubled by visions of a hiddon universe.

[energy pulsing]

Uscless in the Iab.

[glass shattcring]

Christ, Oppenheimcr.

Have you had any sleep?

Start again .

I nccd to go to thc lecture, sir.

Why?

It's Niels Bohr.

I'd completely forgot.

All right. [clears throat] Let's go.

Oh , no, not you, Oppcnheimer.
You finish coating those plates.

[students chattering, laughing]

[cupboard door closes]

[Bohr]
Quantum physics is not a step forward.

It is a new way to understand reality.

Einstein's opened the door.

Now we are poering through,
seeing a world inside our world.

A world of energy and paradox
that not everyone can accopt.

[energy pulsing]

[bell tolling]

[students chattering]

-Yeah-- Are you all right?
-[breathing hea.vily]

Niels, meet J . Robert Oppenheimer.

What's tho J stand for?

Nothing , apparently.

You wcre at my locture.
You asked the only good question.

[Bla.ckctt] No one's denying his insight.

It's his laboratory work
that leaves a little to bc desired.

I hoard you give the same Iectu--

At Harvard , yes,
and you asked the same question.

Why ask again?

Hadn't likcd your answer.

Did you Iike it better yesterday?

A lot.

You can lift the stone without being ready
for the snake that's rcvealed.

Now it seems you'rc rcady.

But you don't enjoy the lab?

So get out of Cambridge
with its beakers and potions.

Go somewhere thcy'll lct you think.

[whispers] Wherc?

Góttingen.

-Born.
-Born.

Get to Germany. Study undcr Max Born .

Learn the ways of theory.

L'Il send word .

-Wormhole.
-[apple clatters]

How's your mathematics?

Not good onough
for the physicist he wants to be.

Algebra's like sheet music.

The important thing isn't
"can you rcad music?"

It's "can you hear it?"

Can you hear the music, Robcrt?

Ycs, I ca.n.

[no audible dialoguc]

[rumbling]

[rhythmic thudding]

The senator from Wyoming.

Admiral Stra.uss,

I'm intercsted in your relationship
with Dr. J . Robort Oppenheimer.

You met him in 1 947?

Correct.

You wero commissioner
of thc Atomic Energy Commission?

I was, but I actually met Robert
in my capa.city as board momber

of the Institute for Advanced Study
at Princeton,

because after the war
he wa.s world ronowncd

as thc groat man of physics,

and l was detcrmined
to get him to run the Institute.

Dr. Opponheimer. An honor.

Mr. Strauss.

It's pronounced "straws."

Oh-ppenheimer, Oppenheimer.

Whatever way you say it,
thcy know I'm Jewish.

[chuckles]

I'm prosidcnt of Temple Emanu-El
in Manha.tta.n .

"Straws" is just
the Southern pronunciation.

Anyway, welcomc to the l nstitute.

I think you could be very happy herc.

Yes, well , you'll lovc the commute.

The position comes with that house
for you and your wife,

a.nd your-- Is it two children?

Yes, two.

I'm a great admirer of your work.

And you're a physicist by training,
Mr. Strauss?

I'm sorry, common room , four o'clock tca.

No, I'm not trained in physics
or anything else.

I'm a self-made man.

-Ah. I ca.n relate to that.
-Really?

Yes, my father was one.

And this would be your office.

[birds chirping]

I'm told he's there most afternoons.

You know, I've always wondcred

why you didn't involve him
in the Manhattan Project.

Grcatest scientific mind of our time.

Of his time.

Einstein published
his Theory of Relativity

more than 4Ü years ago now.

But never embraced
tho quantum world it revealcd.

"God doesn't play dice."

Precisely.

You never thought of studying
physics formally, Mr. Strauss?

I had offers, but I chose to sell shoes.

Lewis Stra.uss was once
a. lowly shoe salesman.

No, just a shoe salesman .

[chuckles]

I'd love to introduce you.

No nccd.

I have known him for years.

Albert.

What was that?

What did you say to him?

Oh, he's fine.

Mr. Strauss, there a.rc things in my past
you ought to be aware of.

Wcll, as chairman of the AEC,
I have access to your security file.

I've read it.

-You're not worried?
-No.

Why would l be worried affer everything
you've donc for your country?

Well , times cha.nge, Mr. Strauss.

Well , the purpose of this institute

is to provide
a. haven for independent minds.

That's you .

You are the man for the job.

Well, then I'll consider it.

I'll sce you at thc AEC meeting tomorrow.

[scoffs]

This is one of thc most prestigious
appointmcnts in thc country.

Yes, with a great commute.

Tha.t's why l'm considering it.

[McGee] So, Dr. Oppenheimor brought
your attention to his past associations

before you appointcd him?

-Yes.
-And they didn't concern you?

Just thcn I wa.s entirely consumed
with what he must have said to Einstein

-to sour him on me.
-[gallery laughing]

But Iater?

Well , we all know what happened later.

[prosecutor]
Doctor, your time in Europe,

you seemed to meet with a wide ra.nge
of other countries' physicists.

Yes, that's right.

Any Russians?

None tha.t spring to mind.

If you'll just allow me
to continuc with my statement--

Mr. Robb, you'll havc ample opportunity
to cross-examine.

Affer Góttingcn,
I moved on to Leiden in Holland ,

whero l first mot isidor Habi.

[Rabi clears throat] Excusc me.

A Yank, lecturing on the new physics?

This I have to hear.

L'm an American myself.

How surprising.

Let mo know if you need any holp
with the English.

[students Iaughing]

[speaking Dutch]

Wa.it, what's he saying?

No, thank you .

It's a long wa.y to Zurich .

You get any skinnier, we're gonna
lose you betwecn the seat cushions.

I'm Rabi.

Oppenheimer.

I caught your lecture on moleculos.

Caught some of it.

Wo'rc a couplc of New York Jcws.
How do you know Dutch?

Well , l thought I'd better learn it
when I got here this semester.

You Iearned enough Dutch in six. weeks
to givo a lecture on quantum mechanics?

Wanted to challenge mysolf.

Ouantum physics wasn't challenging cnough.

-Schvitzer
-Schvitze

-Show-off.
-[chuckles]

Dutch in six wccks,
but you never learned Yiddish?

They don't speak it so much
my side of the park.

Screw you.

-You homesick?
-Oh , you know it.

Ever get thc feoling our kind
isn't entirely welcome here?

Physicists?

That's funny.

Not in the departmcnt.

They're all Jewish too.

Eat.

Therc's a German you havc to seek out.

-Heiscnberg .
-Right.

[Heiscnberg speaking German]

One might be led to the prosumption
tha.t behind the quantum world ,

therc still hides a real world
in which causality holds,

but such speculations seem to us,
to say it explicitly, fruitless.

Thank you . Have a great day.

-Worner. Wonderful.
-Thank you .

Dr. Oppenheimer.

Oppenheimer, yes.
l Iiked your papor on molccules.

Probably beca.use you inspired it.

If I inspire anything elsc, let me know.
We could publish together.

I have to get back to America.

Why?

There's no one thcre
taking qua.ntum mcchanics scriously.

Tha.t's exactly why.

He's pining for the canyons of Manhattan.

Canyons of New Mexico.

You'rc from New Mexico?

No. New York, but my brother and I
ha.ve a ranch outside Santa Fe.

Tha.t's the America I miss right now.

-Thcn it's best you get home, cowboys.
-[Oppenheimer, Rabi chuckle]

That's him.

No, me and horses? I don't think so.

Nice to meet you .

Did you ever encounter Heisenberg a.gain?

Not in person, no, but, uh ...

you might say our paths crosscd.

On returning to America.,

I acccpted positions at both Caltech
a.nd up at Berkeley.

[peoplc chattering]

[peoplc chattering]

[equipment cla.ttering]

[sighs]

Dr. Lawrencc, I presume?

-You must bo Oppenheimer.
-Yes.

I hear you want to start
a. school of quantum theory.

I am starting it. Next door.

They put you in thcre?

I asked for it. Wanted to bc close
to you experimentalists.

Theory will get you only so far, huh?

Wc're building a machino
to accclerate elcctrons.

Magnificent.

Would you like to help?

Build it? Oh, no. [chuckles]

No, no.

But I am working on theories
I'd Iike to test with it.

When do you start teaching?

I've got my first in an hour.

-Seminar?
-Pupil .

One student? That's it?

L'm tea.ching something
no one here has drea.mt of.

But once people start hearing
what you can do with it--

There's no going back.

[door opens]

-Oh. I must ha.ve missed thc--
-Mr. Lomanitz?

Nah--

Yeah.

Yes, this is it.

Please. Take a seat.

[clea.rs throat]

What do you know
a.bout quantum mecha.nics?

I ha.ve a grasp on the basics.

Then you're doing it wrong.

Is Iight made up of particles or waves?

Ouantum mechanics says it's both.
How could it be both?

-It can't.
-It can't.

But it is.

It's paradoxical, and yet, it works.

Now...

Thank you.

Mr. Lomanitz.

You're gonna be okay.

Mr. Snyder.

Now Iet's consider a star.

A star.

A vast furnace burning in outer spaco,

fire pushing outwards
against its own gravity.

Balanced .

But if that furnace cools

and gravity starts winning, it contracts.

Density increases.

Corrcct. l ncrcasing gravity.

-Increasing donsity.
-And?

It's a vicious cycle until . . .
Wha.t's the limit hcre?

[chuckles] l don't know.
See where the math takes us.

I guara.ntee it's somewhere
no one's been before.

Me?

Yes, you . Your math is better than mine.

[students Iaughing]

[Ba.rtlott] Dr. Opponhoimor's file

containod details
ofhis activitios in Borkeloy.

Why would they have startcd a. filc
on Dr. Oppenheimcr bofore the war?

Woll, you'd have to ask Mr. Hoover.

I'm asking you, Admiral Strauss.

Uh , my assumption is

that it was connected to his,
uh, left-wing political activities.

[door opcns]

You shouldn't let them bring up politics
in tho cla.ssroom, Oppie.

I wrote that.

Lawrenco,
you embra.ce the revolution in physics.

Can't you see it everywhere else?

Picasso, Stravinsky, Freud , Marx.

Woll, this is America, Oppic.
Wo had our revolution.

Seriously, keep it out of the lab.

Well, out of thc lab, my landlady
is having a discussion group tonight.

I ntcrested?

I havc samplcd
the Berkelcy political scene.

It's all just philosophy postgrads
and communists talking integration .

You don't care about integration?

I want to vote for it, not talk about it.

Especia.Ily on a Friday.

Como on . Let's ea.t.

I'm mccting my brother there.

[Bartlett] And how would thesc activities
have come to thc attention of the FBI?

Well , if I remember correctly,

the FBI was taking liccnse platcs
outside suspectod communist gatherings,

and his namo popped up.

-Jesus Christ.
-Sorry.

-Frank.
-Robert.

Uh, you remember Jackio.

Evening.

Let's go.

[peoplc chattering]

[student] Robert.

I want you to moet Chevalier.

Dr. Haakon Chevalier,
Dr. Robert Oppenheimer.

-PIea.sure.
-PIea.sure.

-This is my little brother, Frank.
-Hello.

-And this is--
-Still Jackie.

Hello, Still Jackie.

Chevalicr, you're in languages?

And your reputation precedes you .

What have you hcard?

Tha.t you're teaching
a. ra.dica.l new approach to physics

I have no chance of understanding,
but l hadn't heard you're a Pa.rty member.

-I'm not.
-Not yet.

Frank and l are thinking of joining .
Just thc othor day, I was--

I support a ra.nge of causes.

The Spanish Civil War?

A dcmocratic republic being overthrown
by fascist thugs, who wouldn't?

Our govcrnmont. They think that socialism
is a bigger threat than fa.scism.

Not for long . Look at wha.t the Na.zis
are doing to the Jews.

I scnd funds to colleagues in Germany
to emigrate.

I ha.ve to do something.

My own work is so abstract.

-Wha.t are you working on?
-Wha.t happens to stars when they die.

Do stars die?

Well , if thcy do,
they cool, then collapsc.

In fact, the bigger the star,
thc more violent its demise.

Their gravity gcts so concentratcd,
it swallows everything.

Everything, even light.

Can that really happen?

The math says it can.

If we ca.n get published , then pcrha.ps
one day an astronomer finds one.

But right now, all I havc is theory,
which can't impact poople's lives.

Well , if you're going
to send money to Spain ,

do it through the Communist Party.

They can get it to the front lines.

Mary scnt me with these.

I'm Jean.

Robcrt.

Haakon Chcvalier.

The union meoting at Serber's last month.

Right, right, yes.

Oh, thank you.

[Chevalier]
Robert here says he's not a communist.

Well , then hc doesn't
know enough about it.

I've read Das Kapitai all throe volumes.

Does that count?

It would ma.ke you better read
than most party members.

It's turgid stuff. Thcre's some thinking,
"Ownership is theft."

"Propcrty."

"Property"?

"Property," not "ownership."

I'm sorry,
I read it in the original German.

[chuckles]

-[Chevalicr] Wcll . . .
-[glasses clink]

It's not about the book.

It's about the ideas.

And you sound uncommitted.

L'm committed to thinking freely
about how to improve our world.

Why limit yourself to one dogma?

You're a physicist.
You pick and choose rules?

Or do you use the discipline
to channcl your energies into progress?

I like a Iittle wiggle room.

Do you always toe the party line?

I Iike my wiggle room too.

[panting]

-What?
-[laughs]

Wait, wait, wait.

-Unexpected .
-What?

For a physicist.

You only have a shelf full of Frcud?

Well, actually, my background's more--

Jungia.n?

You know a.nalysis?

When I was a postgrad at Cambridgc,
I had a little trouble.

I'll bite.

I tried to poison my tutor.

Did you hatc him?

I liked him vcry much.

You just needed to get laid .

Took my analyst two years,

and I don't think they ever put it
that succinctly.

You have cvoryone convinced you're
more complica.ted than you actua.lly arc.

We're all simple souls, I guess.

L'm not.

What's this?

Sanskrit.

You can read this?

I'm lcarning.

Read this.

Well , in this part,
Vishnu reveals his multi-armed self--

No.

Read the words.

"And now I am become Death."

[thunder rumbling]

"The destroyer of worlds."

[wind whistling]

[Oppenheimer] This'll do.

[wind howling]

It'll break before dawn .

Air cools overnight.
Just bcfore dawn, it breaks.

Come on. Come on.

-[chuckles]
-[Lawrence sighs]

[grunts] So ...

I'm getting ma.rried.

-Frank. Congratulations.
-Thank you .

To Jackie?

-Yeah, to Jackie.
-[Oppenheimcr clears throat]

The wa.itress.

Oppic, you're right. It's Iettin' up.

I'm gonna go see if there's any stars.

All your talk about the common man,
but Jackie's not good enough for you, hmm?

We join the Party,
and you can't hide your disapproval, why?

Is that becausc that's supposod to be
your thing?

I haven't joined the Party, Frank.

And I don't think she should have
convinced you to eithcr.

Half of the faculty is communist.

Not that half.

I'm your brother, Frank,
a.nd I want you to bc cautious.

And l want to wring your neck.

I won't live my lifc
afra.id to make a mistakc.

You're happy, l'm happy.

So then I'm happy you're happy
that I'm happy.

I feel Iikc I could see one of those
dark stars tha.t you're working on.

You can't. That's the whole point.

Their gravity swallows light.

It's like a kind of hole in space.

Is Frank okay?

Yes. He just has a shitty brothcr.

It is special herc.

When I was a kid,

I thought if l could find a way

to combine physics and Ncw Mcxico,

my life would be porfect.

[chuckles]

-Littlc rcmote for that.
-Yes.

Lct's get some slccp.

That mesa we saw today,
onc of my fa.vorite places in the world .

Tomorrow we'll climb it.

[Lawrence] What's it ca.lled?

[Oppcnhcimer] Los Alamos.

I didn't expcct to see you toda.y.

Do I have to make an appointmcnt?

[store bell jingles]

-Hey! Hey, get back here!
-Alvarez?

[Alvarez] Oppie! Oppie!

[Oppenhcimer] What? What is it?

They've done it. They've done it.

Hahn and Strassmann in Germa.ny.
Thcy split the uranium nucleus.

[Lawrence] How?

Bombarded it with noutrons.

It's a nuclear fission.
They did it, they split the atom.

It's not possible.

I'm gonna try to reproduce it.

See? Can't be donc.

[Lawrence] Very elega.nt.

Ouite clear.

-There's just ono problem.
-Whcre?

Next door.

AIva.rcz did it.

But then look,

these fission pulses, they're massivc.

I've seen 3Ü of these
in the past ten minutes.

Theory will take you only so far.

During thc process,

extra neutrons boil off, which could
be used to split other uranium a.toms.

Chain reaction.
You're thinkin' what l'm thinkin'?

You, mc, and evcry other physicist
around the world who's seen the news.

What? What are we all thinking?

A bomb, Alvarez.

A bomb.

I told you, Robert,
no morc fucking flowers.

-I don't understa.nd what you want from me.
-I don't want anything from you .

-Well , you say that and then you call.
-Well , don't answer.

I'll always a.nswer.

Fine. Just no more flowers.

You're not coming?

[Chcvalier] You ha.ve to know
when you're beaten, Robert.

It's not that simple, Hoke.

-Chevalicr, good to see you.
-[students] F-A-E-C-T! F-A-E-C-T!

Barba.ra, good to soe you,
and the illustrious Dr. Oppenheimer.

-I'm Eltenton.
-Pleasure.

PIea.se, plea.se.

Might you say a word
a.bout organized Iabor on campuscs, yes?

Coming through! Coming through.

I work a.t Shell.

We've signed up chemists,
we signcd up enginccrs,

so why not scientists in academia?

[students chanting]
Oppie! Oppie! Oppie! Oppie! Oppie! Oppie!

[cheering, applauding]

Teachers are unionizcd.

-Why not professors?
-Don't you have somewhere to be?

Lawrence, academics have rights too.

Look, it's not that.
l've got a. group coming .

Oh. I'll sit in.

Not this one.

[door opens]

Richard. Dr. Bush .
What brings you two up north?

Richard , you tell Ruth
I'll be down to Pasa.dena. Thursday.

[sighs]

Your papcr on black holes is in !

Where's Hartland?

Get Hartland . Get Hartland.

September 1 st, 1 939.
The world's gonna rcmember this day.

[chuckles]

Oh, Hartland. Our paper, it's in print.

We've been upstagcd.

[Oppenheimcr]
During tho Battlo ofBritain,

l found mysclf
incroasingly out of sympathy

with the policy of neutrality
that communists advocated .

But after Hitler invaded Russia
a.nd wc became allics,

thesc communist sympathies,
did they return?

No.

I need to mako clear
that my changing views on Russia

did not mean a sharp break
from those who held differcnt vicws.

For a year or two,
and during a previous marriagc,

my wife Kitty had been
a Communist Party member.

[guests chattoring, laughing]

This way.
This is wherc I keep thc good stuff.

I thought this was the Tolmans' house.

I Iive with them whilc I'm a.t Ca.ltech.

-Do you two need anything?
-[Oppenheimcr] Wc're good , Ruthie.

So, you're a biologist.

Well , somehow
I have graduated to houscwifc.

Can you oxplain quantum mechanics to me?
Seems baffling.

Yes, it is.

Wcll, this glass, this drink,

this countertop, uh, our bodies,

a.ll of it.

It's mostly empty spa.ce.

Groupings of tiny energy waves
bound together.

By wha.t?

Forces of attra.ction strong enough
to convince us

that mattcr is solid ,
stop my body passing through yours.

[chattering]

You're married to Dr. Harrison.

Not vcry.

There is someone that I feel--

Does she feel the samc way?

Sometimes.

Not enough .

You know, I'm going to New Mexico.

To my ranch, with friends.
You should come.

I meant with your husband .

Yes, you did.

'Cause you know
it won't make a bit of differencc.

[Oppenhcimer]
Why did you marry him?

I was Iost and he was kind.

Lost?

Well, my prcvious husband ha.d died

and at 28
I wasn't really ready to be a widow.

Who was your first husba.nd?

Nobody. But my second husba.nd
wa.s Joe Dallet.

Hc was, um, from money, like mc,

but he was a union organizer
in Youngstown, Ohio.

Fell ha.rd.

[chuckles] How hard?

Hard enough to spond the next four years
living off bea.ns and pancakes,

handing out the Daily Worker
a.t factory gates.

By 36, l just told Joe
I couldn't take it anymorc.

Ouit the Party.
A ycar later, l wanted him back.

Him, not tho Daily Workor.

He said ,
"Swell, I'll meet you on my way to Spain ."

He went to fight for the Loyalists?

And then he went to the brigades
and I waited , a.nd ...

Joe got himsclf killed first timc
he popped his head outta the trench.

Ideology got Joc killed . For nothing.

Spa.nish Republic isn't nothing.

My husband offercd both our futures
to stop one fascist bullet

from embcdding itself in a mudbank.

That's the dcfinition of nothing.

-Seems a Iittle reductive.
-Pragmatic.

Now here I am.

Wherever thc hell this is.

I didn't want you to hcar it
from anyone clse.

Least you didn't bring me flowers.

[sniffles]

[chuckles]

Wo both know I'm not what you want, Jean.

Yea.h, but it's a door closing.

No.

Not as far as l'm concerned, no.

You knocked her up. Fast work.

-Can't keep a good man down .
-[chucklcs]

I meant hcr.

She knew what she wanted .
What about thc husband?

We talked .

They're getting a divorce

so we can get married
before she starts showing.

How civilized .

You idiot. This is your community.

You think the rules don't a.pply
to the golden boy?

Brilliance makes up for a. lot.

Don't alienatc tho only people
in the world that understa.nd what you do.

Onc da.y you might need them.

[students chanting] F-A-E-C-T! F-A-E-C-T!

[students chanting] F-A-E-C-T! F-A-E-C-T!

[Oppenheimer]
The Federation of Architects, Engineors,

Chemists and Tcchnicia.ns.

-Lomanitz, what do you get paid a month?
-That's not the point, Lawrcnce.

What do any of you have in common
with farm laborers and dock workers?

[Lomanitz] Plcnty.

Everybody out. Now!

Not you.

[footsteps dcparting]

[door closes]

What are you doing?

-It's a trade union.
-Fillcd with communists.

So? I haven't joined the Party.

They won't lct me bring you
onto thc project bccause of this shit.

Thcy won't cven Iet me tell you
what the projoct is.

-Oh, I know what tho project is.
-Oh, really?

We'vc all hea.rd about
Einstein and Szilard's letter to Roosevclt

warning him the Germans could makc a. bomb,

and I know what it means
for thc Nazis to have a bomb.

And l don't?

It's not your people
thcy'rc herding into camps.

It's mine.

You think that I tell them
about your politics.

The next time you'rc coming home
from a meeting,

why don't you tako a look
in the rearview mirror?

Listen to the sounds on your phone line
a.nd stop being so goddamn naive.

Why would they ca.rc what I do?

Because you'ro not just self-important,
you're actua.Ily important.

Okay.

-I get it.
-If you could just be a little morc--

Pragmatic.

I'll talk to Lomanitz,
I'll talk to the others.

You don't have to worry.
It's done, Lawrence.

Then welcome to the war.

I filled out
my first security questionnaire

and was informed that my involvement
with left-wing groups

would not prove a bar
to my working on the atomic program.

[Pastore]
Why wero his communist associations

not seen as a security risk
during the war?

Senator, l can't possibly answer
for security clcarance

granted years before I ever met the man.

Fine. What about aftor?

After the war,

Dr. Oppenheimer was the most respected
scientific voice in the world.

That's why I asked him
to run the Institute.

That's why he a.dvised
the Atomic Enorgy Commission.

Simple as that.

What are they accusing me of?

I think they just wanna know what happoned
bctween 1 947 a.nd 1 954

to changc your mind
on Oppenhcimer's sccurity clearanco.

I didn't.

I wa.s chair of the AEC,

but it wasn't me
tha.t brought the cha.rgos against Robert.

Who did?

Somc former staff member
of the Joint Congrcssional Committcc.

He was a. rabid anti-communist
named Borden.

He wrotc to the FBI
dema.nding they take action .

Thc FBI? Why not go to the AEC direct?

Why get caught holding the knife yourself?

What did Borden have against Oppenheimer?

This wa.s the McCarthy Era.

People hounded out of jobs
for any hint of red.

And then,
reading Oppenheimer's security file,

his communist brother,
sistor-in-law, fiancéo,

bost friond, wifo.

That's before we even get
to the Chovalier incidont.

But how would Borden have access
to Oppenheimer's security filc?

Bccause somebody gave it to him.

Somebody who wantcd Robert silenced .

-Who?
-[Strauss] Who knows?

Robert didn't take care not to upset
the powcr brokers in Washington.

His opinions on the atom bocamc definitive

and he wasn't always patient
with us merc mortals.

I camc in for plcnty of harsh treatment.

Thero wa.s an AEC vote

on the cxport of isotopes to Norway,

and they drafiod in Robert
to make me look liko a fool.

[congressman] But, Dr. Oppenheimer,
we've alrea.dy heard from Admiral Strauss

that thesc isotopcs
could bc useful to our enemics

in the production of atomic weapons.

Congressmon, you could use
a shovel in making atomic weapons.

In fact, you do.

You could use a bottle of beer
in making atomic wcapons.

In fact, you do.

I say isotopes are less useful
tha.n electronic components,

-but moro useful than a sandwich.
-[gallery laughs]

[Strauss]
Oenius is no guarantoo of wisdom.

How could this man
who saw so much be so blind?

-[crickets chirping]
-[baby crying]

Kitty?

[baby continuos crying]

Kitty?

Kitty, thc project--

I'm in . l'm in.

Let's celebra.tc.

Shouldn't you go to him?

I ha.ve been going to him all fucking day.

[baby continuos crying]

[engine turns off]

Okay.

-[ba.by continues crying]
-[knocks on door]

Herc.

Come hore, darling.

I don't know how to say this.

L-l'm ashamed to ask.

[Chevalier] Anything.

-Take Peter.
-Sure.

No, for a whilc, Hokc.

A while.

Does Kitty know you'rc here?

Yes, of course she knows.

Of course she knows.

We're awful pcople. Selfish , awful peoplc.

Forget l asked .

Selfish, awful poople,

they don't know they're selfish and awful.

Sit, sit, sit.

Robert, you see beyond the world
we live in.

There is a price to be paid for tha.t.

Of course we'll help you.

[Kitty] Everything's changing, Robert.

Having a child
was always going to change--

No, the world, it's pivoting
in some new direction .

It's rcforming.

This is your moment.

Wc're putting togethcr a group
to study feasibili--

"We" shouldn't be doing anything.
You should.

Lawrencc won't gct this donc.

Or Tolman, or Rabi. You will.

[chattoring]

[Oppenheimer] Who are thc uniforms?

I thought you might know.

-[door opens]
-[colonel] Dr. Oppenheimer.

I'm Colonel Groves.

This is Lieutenant Colonel Nichols.

Have that dry cleaned.

Wcll, if tha.t's how
you treat Lieutenant Colonel,

I'd hate to see how you treat
a. humble physicist.

If I ever meet one, l'Il let you know.

[chuckles] Ouch.

Theaters of combat all over thc world
but l havc to stay in Washington.

-Why?
-l built thc Pentagon.

The bra.ss likes it so much thcy made me
take ovcr the Manhattan Engineer District.

Which is?

Don't be a smart ass.

You know damn well wha.t it is.

You and half of cvery physics departmcnt
across the country.

That's problcm number onc.

I thought problem number one
would be securing enough uranium ore.

-1 ,2ÜÜ tons bought thc day I took charge.
-Processing?

Just broke ground a.t Oak Ridge, Tennesscc.

Now I'm looking for a project director.

And my name came up?

Nope.

Evon though you brought qua.ntum physics
to America.

Which made mc curious.

What've you found out?

You're a dilettante, a womanizer,
a suspected communist--

I'm a Ncw Doal Democra.t.

I sa.id "suspected."

Unstable, theatrical ,
egotistical , neurotic--

Nothing good , no?
Not even , "Hc's brilliant, but--"

Well, brilliance is taken for granted
in your circle, so no.

No, the only person who had anything good
to say wa.s Richard Tolman.

Tolman thinks you have integrity,

but he also strikes me as a guy
who knows more about science than peoplc.

Yct here you are.

You don't take much on trust.

I don't take anything on trust.

Why don't you havc a. Nobcl prize?

-Why arcn't you a gencral?
-They're ma.king me one for this.

-Perha.ps I'll have the same luck.
-A Nobel prize for making a bomb?

Alfred Nobel invented dyna.mite.

So how would you proceed?

You're ta.Iking about turning theory
into a pra.ctical weapons systcm

faster tha.n the Nazis.

Who have a 1 2-month head start.

-Eighteen .
-How could you possibly know that?

Our fast neutron research took six months.

The man thcy've undoubtcdly put in charge
will have made tha.t leap instantly.

-Who do you think they put in charge?
-Werner Heisenberg.

He has the most intuitive understanding
of atomic structure I have cver seen.

-You know his work?
-l know him .

Just Iikc I know Walther Bothe,
Von Woizsäcker, Diebner.

In a straight race, the Germans win.

We've got one hope.

Which is?

Anti-Semitism.

What?

Hitler called quantum physics
"Jcwish scionce."

Said it right to Einstein's face.

Our one hopc is tha.t Hitler
is so, so blinded by ha.te

that he's denied Heisenberg
proper resources,

becausc it'll ta.ke vast resourccs.

Our nation's best scientists,
working together.

Right now, they're scatterod.

Which gives us compartmentalization.

All minds have to see the whole ta.sk
to contributo efficiently.

Poor security may cost us the race.

I nefficicncy will .

The Germans know more than us anyway.

Thc Russians don't.

Remind me, who are we at war with?

Somebody with your past
doesn't wanna be seen downplaying

the importancc of security
from our communist allies.

Point ta.ken . But, no.

You don't get to say "no" to mc.

It's my job to sa.y
"no" to you when you'rc wrong.

So you ha.ve the job now?

Uh, I'm considering it.

L'm sta.rting to scc
wherc you got your reputation.

My favoritc response?

"Oppenheimer couldn't run
a hamburgor stand."

[chucklos] I couldn't.

But I can run thc Manhattan Project.

There's a way to balance these things.

Keep the Rad Lab here at Berkeley
under Lawrcnce.

Met Lab in Chicago under Szilard .

La.rge scale refining,
where did you sa.y? Tennessee.

-And Ha.nford .
-And Ha.nford .

All America's industrial might
and sciontific innovation,

connectcd by rail.

Focuscd on one goal.

Ono point in spacc a.nd timc.

And it comes together herc.

A socret laboratory.

In the middlo ofnowhero,
socure, solf-sufriciont,

equipmcnt, housing, the works.

Keep everyonc thore until it's done.

-I'll nccd the schools, stores, a church.
-Why?

If we don't lct scientists bring
their families, we'Il never get the bcst.

You want socurity,
build a. town, build it fa.st.

Wherc?

Welcome to Los AIamos.

Now, there's a boys' school
we'Il ha.ve to commandccr

and tho Iocal l ndians
come up here for burial rites.

But, apart from that, nothing.

Forty miles. Any direction .

Enough to find the perfoct spot.

-Wha.t for?
-Success.

Build him a town . Fast.

Let's go recruit some scicntists.

-Why would I leavo my family?
-l told you, you can bring your family.

L'm not a soldier, Oppic.

A soldier? He's a general.

I've got all the soldier l nccd.

What can l tell them?

Heisenberg , Diebner, Bothe, Bohr.

What do these men have in common?

The greatest minds on atomic theory.

-Yes, and?
-Uh ...

As much as you Iike ...

until you fcel my boot on your ba.Ils.

You know isotopes

a.nd you know explosives,
better than anyone in the world.

But you ca.n't tell us what you'rc doing.

-I don't know.
-Tho Na.zis have them.

-Niels Bohr's in Copenhagen .
-Under Nazi occupation.

Did thoy stop printing newspapers
in Princcton?

Why would we go to the middlc of nowherc
for who knows how long?

A yea.r or two. Or three.

General , could you give us a momcnt?

It's about unleashing the strong force

before thc Nazis do.

Oh, my God.

-Niels won't work for the Nazis.
-No, never.

But while they have him, we don't.

Tha.t's why l need you .

Why would you think I'd do that?

Why? Why?

How about because this is
the most important fucking thing

to ever happen in thc history
of the world .

How about tha.t? Fuck.

They are not gonna let me
onto this project.

And failing a security check is not gonna
be good for a career, cven after the war.

So you're a fellow traveler.

So what? This is a. nationa.l emergency.

I've got some skeletons,
they put me in charge.

Thcy need us.

Until they don't.

Is there any chance
of getting Bohr out of Dcnmark?

[Groves] Na.h, no dicc.

I checked with the British.

Until we get Allied boots
back onto the continent,

thcre's just no way.

Is he that important?

How many people do you know
who'vc proved Einstcin wrong?

You know, it really would be quickcr
to take a plane.

No, plane's too risky.

Country noeds us.

[construction cquipment whirring]

The Harva.rd guys, they say the building's
too sma.ll for the cyclotron.

Get them together with the architects.

When's this place supposed to open?

Two months.

Robert, you're the great improviser,
but this...

you can't do in your hcad.

Four divisions.

Expcrimental, Thooretical ,
Metallurgical, Ordnance.

Who's running Thcoretical?

I am.

That's what I was afraid of.
You're spread too thin .

So you takc Theorctical.

L'm not coming here, Robert.

Why not?

You drop a bomb
and it falls on the just, and the unjust.

I don't wish the culmination
of three centuries of physics

to bc a weapon of mass destruction .

Izzy.

I don't know if we can be trusted
with such a weapon.

But I know the Nazis can't.

Wc ha.ve no choicc.

Then ...

the second thing you'Il have to do
is appoint Hans Bethe

to run the theoretical division.

Wait, what was the first?

Take off that ridiculous uniform.
You'ro a scientist.

Grovcs is insisting wo join.

Tell Groves to go shit in his ha.t.

Thoy need us for who wc arc.

So be yourself. Only better.

-This is thc only koy.
-[keys jangle]

And Tellcr's a.lready herc.
Shall I just show him in?

-No, Iet's wait for the others.
-[door opens]

Let's get startcd.

Hello, Edwa.rd.

Yes.

Gentlcmen , so, we will work here

until the T-section at Los Alamos
is finished.

Edward, can I please--

It is more importa.nt.

When I calculated the chain reaction,
I found a rather troubling possibility.

No. This ca.n't be right.

Show me how you did your calculations.

[Edward] Yes.

-It's exponcntial.
-No. No, no, no. No.

This is fantasy.

Teller's ca.Iculations can't be right.

Do them yourself while l go to Princeton.

-What for?
-To talk to Einstein .

There's not much common ground
between you two.

That's why I should get his view.

-Albert.
-Mmm?

Ah , Dr. Oppenhcimer. [chuckles]

Well, ha.ve you met Dr. Gódel?
We walk hcre most days.

Trces are the most inspiring structures.

Albert, might I have a word?

Of course. Excuse mc, Kurt.

You know, somo days,
K.urt refuses to eat.

Even in Princeton.

Ho's convinced tha.t the Na.zis
ca.n poison his food .

Hmm?

Wha--

Whose-- Whose work is this?

Teller's.

What do you take it to mea.n?

Neutrons smash into nucleus,

rcleasing neutrons
to sma.sh into other nuclei.

Criticality, a point of no return,
massive explosive force.

But this time,
the chain rea.ction doesn't stop.

It would ignite the atmosphere.

When we dctonate an atomic dcvicc,

we might start a chain rcaction that...

destroys the world .

So here wo are, hmm?

Lost in your quantum world
of probabilities

a.nd needing certainty.

Can you run the calculations yourself?

About the only thing you and I have
in common is a. disdain for mathematics.

-Who's working on this in Berkeley?
-Hans Bethe.

Well , hc'll get to the truth.

And if the truth is ca.tastrophic?

Thcn you stop.

And you share your findings
with the Nazis.

So neither side dcstroys the world.

Robert.

This is yours, not mine.

[Bethe] Teller's wrong.

-He's wrong.
-Shh, shh , shh ...

[keys jangling]

[lock clicks]

[Iock clicks]

[Bcthe] When you know Tcller's
critical assumptions,

the roal picture emergcs.

Bottom line?

The chances of an uncontrolled
nuclea.r rcaction are ncar zero.

Near zero.

Oppic, this is good ncws.

Mmm.

-Can you run them again?
-No, you'll get the same answer.

Till they actually dctonate
one of these things,

the best assurance
you're going to get is this.

Near zero.

-[sighs] Thcory will take you only so far.
-Mmm.

-[Chevalier] Hello!
-Hello, you. We missed him.

-You wa.nt to adopt?
-Sho's kidding .

Wc wantcd to see you before we left.

For parts unknown.

You know who I ra.n into
the other da.y? Eltenton.

[Oppenhcimer] Huh .

The chemist from Shell? The union guy?

[Chevalicr] Yea.h. The FAECT guy.

He was moaning
about how we're handling the war.

How so?

Lack of coopera.tion with our allies.

Appa.rently our government's not sharing
any research with the Russians.

Well , hc said , "Most scientists
think the policy is stupid."

-Oh, yeah?
-Yeah .

He mcntioned tha.t if anyone
had anything they wanted to pass on,

going around official channels,
that he could help.

That would bc trea.son .

Yes, of course.

I just thought you should know.

The brat is down.
Where are the martinis?

Coming right up.

[Oppenheimer]
Tho convorsation ondod thero.

Nothing in our long-standing fricndship
would have led mc to believo

that Chevalier
was a.ctually seeking information,

and l am certain that he had no idea
of thc work in which l was engaged .

It has long been clear to mc

that I should have reported
this incident at once.

[McGee] Tho Oppenheimor situation
highlights the tonsion

between scientists
and the security appara.tus.

I n hopes of lea.rning how the nominee
handled such issues

during his time at the AEC,

we'll have a scientist
appearing before the committee.

-Who a.re they bringing in?
-They haven't said.

Mr. Cha.irman, if I may,

I'm nominated for commcrce secrctary.

Why seek the opinion of scientists?

This is a cabinet post, Admiral.

We seek a wide range of opinion.

Well , I'd like to know the name
of the scicntist tcstifying ,

I'd like the chance to cross-examinc.

This is not a court.

Formality, huh?

No presidential Cabinet nominee
has failed to be confirmed since 1 925.

This is just how the game is played .

It's in thc bag, Lewis. So pla.y nicc.

They bring in a scientist, so what?

You don't know scientists
like I do, Counselor.

They resent anyone
who questions their judgment,

espocially ifyou're not ono ofthem.

I wa.s chair of the AEC.

I'm easy to blame
for what happened to Robert.

Wc can't have the Scnate
thinking the scientific community

doesn't support you, sir.

-Or should we pivot?
-[Scnate aidc] To what?

And cmbrace it.

"I fought Oppcnheimer and the US won."

I-I don't think we need to go there.

Isn't there someone we can call
who knows wha.t rcally happened?

-Teller.
-Hc'll makc an impression.

Can you gct the name of the scientist
they've called?

Proba.bly.

Find out if he was bascd in Chicago
or Los Alamos during the war.

Why does that mattcr?

If he wa.s based in Chicago,
he worked under Szilard and Fermi,

not the cult of Oppie at Los Alamos.

Robert built that damn placc.

Hc was founder, mayor, sheriff,
all rolled into one.

-[officor chattering on Ioudspeaker]
-[Peter crying]

All it nccds is a saloon.

[Peter continues crying]

[murmurs]

Let's go and see.

Thcre's no kitchen .

Really? We'Il fix that.

Barbed wirc? Guns? Oppie.

[Oppenhcimer] We'ro at war, Hans.

Ha.Iifax, 1 91 7.

A cargo ship carrying munitions
explodes in the harbor.

A vast and sudden chemical reaction.

The biggest man-madc explosion in history.

Now Iet's calculato how much more
destructive it would have been

if it wero a nucloar,
a.nd not a chcmical, reaction.

Expressing power in tcrms of tons of TNT.

But it will bc thousands.

Wcll, thcn . . . kilotons.

-Using U-235, the bomb will need--
-Ah ...

Right, sorry.

Gadget will need a 33-pound sphcre
about this size.

Or using plutonium,
thc ten-pound spherc.

Here's the amount of uranium Oak Ridge
refined all of last month.

And thc Hanford plant
ma.de this much plutonium.

Now, if we can enrich thesc a.mounts,
we need a way to detonate them.

[paper rips]

Are we boring you , Edward?

A little bit, yes.

May l ask why?

We all entercd this room
knowing a fission bomb wa.s possiblc.

-How about we leave it with something new?
-Such as?

I nstead of uranium or plutonium ,
we use hydrogen .

[all murmuring]

Heavy hydrogcn.

Deutorium.

You see?

We compact the atoms together
under great pressure

to induce a fusion reaction.

Then we'll get not kilotons,

but megatons.

Okay, hang on, hang on.

So how do you generate enough force
to fuse hydrogen atoms?

A small fission bomb.

-Ah . . .
-There we a.rc!

[applause, Iaughtcr]

Wcll, since we're going
to need one anyway,

can wo get back to the business at hand?

[Ba.rtlett] The isotopes issuc

wasn't your most important policy
disagreement with Dr. Oppenheimer,

it was the hydrogon bomb, wasn't it?

As colleagucs, wc a.greed to disagree
on a. great many things, uh,

and , well , one of them was the need
for an H-bomb program, yes.

[sircn wailing]

[Strauss]
Thanks for convening on short notice.

I can't believe it.

Here we are.

Catch me up. What do we know?

One of our B-29s over the North Pacific
ha.s detected radiation .

Do we have the filter paper?

-Therc's no doubt what this is.
-White House says there's a doubt.

Wishful thinking, I'm afraid.

Are those the long-range detection
filter papcrs?

It's an atomic test.

The Russia.ns have a bomb.

We'ro supposed to be yea.rs ahead of them ,
but some--

What were you guys doing at Los Alamos?
Wasn't security tight?

-Of coursc it was. You weren't thore.
-[Nichols] Forgive mc, Doctor...

but I was there.

Wc can now consider
the actua.l mecha.nics of detonation.

[Oppenheimer] Any ideas?

[Serber] I call this "shooting ."

We fire a chunk of fissionable material
into a larger sphere

with enough force to achieve critica.lity.

What do we think? Anyone?

[Tolman]
I've been thinking about implosion.

Explosives around the sphere
blast inwards, crushing the ma.terial.

L'd like to invcstigatc that idea.

I'll talk to Ordnance,
get you blowing things up.

-[Groves] Progress?
-Nicc to see you too.

Mect the British contingent.

Dr. Oppenheimcr, Klaus Fuchs.

How Iong have you been British?

-Since Hitler told me l wa.sn't Gcrman.
-Aha.

Comc, welcome to Los AIamos.

School's up a.nd running.

Bar. . . alwa.ys running .

And l thought of a way
to reduce support staff.

-Is that--
-[Oppenheimer] Mrs. Serbcr, yes.

I've offered jobs to all the wives.
Admin , Iibrarians, computation .

Wc cut down on staff,
keep families together.

Arc these women qualified?

Don't be a.bsurd. These are somc
of the brightest minds in our community.

And they're already security clea.rod.

I've informcd General Groves

you've been holding cross-divisional,
open discussions on a nightly basis.

Shut thcm down.

Compartmentalization is the key
to maintaining security--

[Condon] It's only the top mcn.

Who presumably communicate
with subordinates.

These men aren't stupid .
They can be discreet.

I don't like it.

You don't like a.nything enough
for tha.t to be a fa.ir test.

Once a week. Top men only.

-L'd like to bring my brother hero.
-No.

Nichols ...

l still havon't heard that
my security clearance has been approvcd.

-It hasn't.
-We're going to Chicago tomorrow.

Well , you should wa.it.

You are aware tha.t the Na.zis
have a two-ycar hcad start?

Dr. Oppenheimcr,
the fact that your security clearance

is proving difficult to obtain
is not my fault.

It's yours.

May not be your fault,
but it's your problcm.

Because I'm going.

[Strauss]
And how many people wcre in thesc, uh,

open discussions?

Too many. Compa.rtmentalization
was supposed to be the protocol.

Wc were in a race aga.inst thc Nazis.

-And now thc race is against the Soviets.
-Not unloss we start it.

Robert, they just fired a starting gun.

What's the nature of thc device
they detona.tcd?

The da.ta indicates it may have been
a plutonium implosion device.

Like the one you built at Los Alamos.

The Russians havc a bomb,
Truman needs to know wha.t's next.

What's next? Arms ta.Iks.

-Arms talks.
-Obviously.

What a.bout the Super?

Does Truman evcn know about it?
Did we bricf him on that?

Not spccifically.

Wc still don't know if a hydrogen bomb's
technically feasible.

My understanding
is that Teller proposed it?

-[Oppenheimer] Ycs.
-At Los Alamos?

Tellcr's designs have
always boen wildly impractical.

You'd have to dcliver by ox cart.

-Not airplanc.
-[Lawrence] Oppie.

L'm sorry, Dr. Lawrcnce.
Do you want to comment?

No.

Bccause if it can put us ahead again,

the President of thc United States
nccds to know about it.

[scoffs]

And if thc Russians know a.bout it already
from a spy at Los Alamos,

thcn we'vc gotta get going.

There's no proof
there was a spy at Los Alamos.

Robert.

They put it under the football stadium?

The field's not in use anymore.

Just a.s well.

-Oppie.
-Dr. Fermi.

Come stai? Va bone?

-I hear you got a little town .
-Yes. Come and see.

[Szila.rd chuckles]

Who could think straight
in a place like that? Huh?

Everybody will go crazy.

Thank you for the vote of confidencc,
Szilard .

Do we rcally--
Do we rcally nccd that in thc notes?

When are you going to try it out?

Wc did.

[Formi] Thc first self-sustaining
nuclea.r chain reaction .

Didn't Groves tell you?

-[Geiger counter humming]
-No.

[soldier] Onc a.t a timc, pleasc.
One at a time.

Dr. Oppenheimcr?

I tried Personnel.
They asked if l could type.

Can you?

Harvard forgot to teach that
on the graduate chemistry courso.

Condon, put Mrs. Hornig hcre
on the plutonium tea.m.

What the holl were you doing in Chicago?

Visiting thc Met?

Why?

-Why?
-Because wc have every right--

You have just the rights that l give you .
No morc, no Iess.

We are adults
trying to run a project herc.

This is ridiculous.

Tcll him.

Compartmentalization
is thc protocol we agreed to.

Enough of this madhousc.

Nobody can work under thcse conditions.

You know what, Generalissimo?

I quit.

Tha.nks for nothing.

[Groves] Better off without him.

[door slams]

Aren't you more concerned
about his discretion out thcre?

Wc'll have him killed.

I was just kidding. [chuckles]

No, he hates mc, not America.

You know, General,
not everyone has Ievers to pull Iike minc.

I don't think l undcrstand.

You didn't hire me
despite my left-wing past,

you hircd me because of it.

So you could control mc.

Well , I'm not that subtle.

I'm just a humble soldier.

You're neithor humble, nor just a soldier.

-You studied engineering at M IT.
-Guilty as charged .

Well, now we understand each other,

pcrhaps you can get me
my security clearance

so l can perform this miracle for you.

[attorney] Gonoral Grovos,
wore you awaro ofDr. Opponhoimor's

lofi-wing associations
whon you appointod him?

[Groves] l was aware
that thcre were suspicions about him.

I was aware he ha.d
a vory extreme, liberal background.

In your opinion, would he cver
consciously commit a disloyal act?

I would be ama.zed if ho did .

[attorney] So you had
complcte confidence in his integrity?

At Los Alamos, yes,
which is where I really kncw him.

General , did your security officers
on the project

advise you against the clearance
of Dr. Oppenheimer?

Thcy could not and would not clear him
until I insisted .

And it's safe to say that you
had a pretty good knowledge

of Dr. Oppenheimcr's security filc.

I did .

Thcre's only rea.lly one question
l neod answered here today.

In Iight of the current AEC guidelines,
would you clear Dr. Oppenheimer today?

Do you have the guidelincs?

[Robb] Undcr current AEC guidclines,
would you clear Dr. Oppenheimer today?

-[rooster crows]
-[car approaching]

[car door opens, closes]

Physics and New Mexico, huh?

[chuckles]

My God.

What a trek.

That's why you need a liaison.

I'm appointing Lomanitz.

You're gonna bo okay.

This way, gcntlemen.

[beakers clinking]

[gas hissing]

-Dr. Lawrence.
-Leslie.

L'd like to remind you what
we talked about in Berkcley.

Compartmentalization.
I understand complctely.

[chattering]

Thank you.

[all chccring]

[Lawrence] Grootings from Borkoley.

I am here to update you on our progress
and solicit your input.

To do so,
I am going to havo to share a fow things

that General Groves told mc not to.

Sorry, General , l said I understood ,
not that I agreed.

-[a.ll chuckling]
-[Lawrencc] Okay.

Gentlemen, to business.

There werc rumors of espionage
a.t Los Alamos.

Unsubstantiatcd.

[Strauss] I'm told that there
were communists on the project.

We didn't knowingly employ
any communists.

Wcre any of them involved
in discussions of the Super?

I seem to rcmember you demanding
your brother come to Los Alamos.

My brother had Ieff the Party by thcn.

What about Lomanitz?

Lomanitz was never employed at Los Alamos.
He was a Iiaison.

Our security wa.s tight,
as former Colonel Nichols well knows.

Our sccurity was as tight as it could bc
givcn the persona.litics involved ,

but attempts were made.

-What is that supposed to mean?
-Wc've all rea.d his file here.

Do we need to ta.Ik about Jean Tatlock?

Or the Chevalier incident?

Excuse me.

-[phone ringing]
-[secretary] That's Lomanitz, on line onc.

Hello, Rossi .

What? Okay, just calm down.

There's been another screw-up.

Lomanitz just got drafted .

-We are at war, Doctor.
-Don't be an a.sshole, Nichols.

We need this kid. Fix it, will you?

It wasn't a. mistake.

Your friond Lomanitz has boen trying
to unionize the Radiation Lab.

He promised to quit all tha.t.

Well , he ha.sn't.

Security officer at Berkoley's
concernod about communist infiltration

through that union, the FA--

FAECT.

Well, I'm there next wcck, I'll ...

drop in to see him.

Your O clearance camc through .

It's important you not maintain or ronew
any qucstionable associations.

[Robb]
Doctor, didyou think social contacts

between a pcrson engaged on secret
war work and communists was dangcrous?

My awareness of tho danger
would bc grcater today.

I mean , it's fa.ir to say
that during the war years,

you felt that such contacts
wore potontially dangorous?

[elevator bell dings]

[Oppenheimer]
Wore conceivably dangorous, yos.

[Robb] l moan, roally? Known communists ?

[Oppcnheimer] Look...

l'vc had a Iot of secrets in my head
for a. long time.

Doesn't matter who l associate with.
I don't ta.lk about those secrets.

[Robb] You said in your statcment

that you had

to sce Jean Tatlock in 1 943.

You left.

Not a. word.

What did you think tha.t would do to me?

I wrote.

Pages of nothing.

Where did you go?

-I ca.n't tell you .
-Why not?

Because you'ro a communist.

Why did you have to soe her?

Because shc had indica.ted a great dcsire
to soe me bcforc we left.

At that time, l couldn't,
but I fclt that she had to see me.

She was undergoing psychiatric treatment.

Shc was cxtremely unhappy.

Did you find out why she had to see you?

Because she was still in Iove with me.

Spent the night togother, didn't you?

[Oppenheimer] Yes.

You drop in a.nd out of my Iife

and you don't ha.ve to tcll me why.

Now, that's power.

Not that I enjoy.

L'd rather be here for you as you need.

But you have other priorities now.

I have a wife and child .

That's not what either of us
is talking about.

Jean.

You asked me to come.

And I'm glad I did.

But I can't see you aga.in.

But wha.t if I need you?

You said you would always answer.

Not a word .

[Robb] Did you think that consistcnt
with good security?

-[rhythmic thudding]
-As a matter of fact, it was. Not a word .

[thudding intcnsifics]

[Robb] When did you scc her after that?

[thudding stops]

I never saw her again.

I can make the last train
ba.ck to Princeton.

Kitty, l didn't say anything
that l hadn't already told you.

-Today you said it to history, didn't you?
-This is a closcd hea.ring .

If they don't rclease thc transcript,
I'm sure you will .

I wa.s under oa.th.

Wcll, you were under an oath to me
when you went to sec Jean .

You know, you ...

you sit there,

day aftor day,

lotting thcm pick our Iives to pieces.

Why won't you fight?

[attorncy]
Robert, l'm not putting her up therc.

Dr. Oppenheimer, it's an honor.
Please, take a sea.t.

No nccd, I just wanted to check

whether I should talk to Lomanitz
while I'm herc, givcn your concerns.

Well, I'd say that's roally up to you,
Professor, but I'd be ca.utious.

Uh-huh. Understood.

Oh, and , um . . . [clears throa.t]
. . . as regards to thc union,

I wanted to give you a hoads-up
on a man named EItenton.

-A heads-up?
-Ycs.

Just that he might merit watching , is all.

I'd Iove to get more dcta.ils.

Wcll, I ha.ve an appointment now,
a.nd I leavo early tomorrow.

Well, come back as early as you likc.
Since you ha.ven't timc now.

You went ba.ck the next morning.

I did . l had to, rea.Ily.

This time thero was anothor man.

He said his name was Pash .

Pash . You met Colonel Pa.sh?

[Pobb] Colonel Pash, could you plcase read
from your memo dated June 29, 1 943?

[Pash] "Results of surveillance
conducted on subject

indica.te further possiblc
Communist Party connections.

Subject met with,
and spent considerablc time with ,

one Jean Tatlock, communist,

the record of whom is attached ."

-The subject being Dr. Oppenhcimer?
-[Pash] Yes.

[Robb] Whom you ha.d not mct?

[Pash] Not then, but soon after.

He's the head of sccurity for the project.
Shouldn't I know him?

No, he should know you.
I would nevcr put you in a room with Pash.

Why not?

When Pash first heard about Lomanitz,

he told the FBl hc was gonna kidnap him,

take him out on a boat,

a.nd interrogatc him in tho Russia.n manner.

General Groves has placed in mo
a. certain rcsponsibility,

a.nd it's like ha.ving a child
who l can't see.

By remote control.

So to actually meet you is ...

-I won't take up too much of your timc.
-No, not at all.

Whatever time you choosc.

Mr. Johnson told mo of a conversation
you had yosterday

in which l'm very intercsted .

It's had mc worried a.ll day.

Yes, wcll, I didn't want to talk
to Lomanitz without authorization.

That's not thc pa.rticular interest
that I have.

It's somcthing a little bit more...

in my opinion , more serious.

Now, when the FBI pointcd out
that such informa.tion

wouldn't be admissible in court,

Pash made it clear hc had no intcntion
of leaving any witness left to prosecute.

Now, the FBI talkcd him down,
but that's the man you're dancing with .

I ga.ther you'vc hea.rd
thcre are other parties

intercsted in thc work
of thc Radiation Lab?

A ma.n attached to the Soviet Consul
indicated through intcrmediate pcople

to people on this project that hc was
in a position to tra.nsmit information.

Why would a.nyone on the project
wanna do that?

Frankly, I can see
that thcre might be an a.rgument

for the commander-in-chief
informing the Russians.

They're our allics after all.

But l don't like thc idea
of it going out the back door.

It might not hurt
to be on the lookout for it.

And you said that to Pash?

I was trying to put it in the context
of "Russia's not Germany."

Boris Pa.sh is the son
of a Russian Orthodox bishop.

Born herc, but in 1 91 8,

he wcnt back to Russia
to fight the Bolsheviks.

This is a man who has killed communists
with his own hands.

I'm not the judgo of who should
or should not have information.

It's my business to stop it
from going through illegally.

Would you be a little more specific?

There's a man whose name
was mentioned to me a couple of times.

Eltenton.

Uh, I believc he's a chemist
who works at Shell.

He talked to a friend of his

who's an acquaintanco
of someone on the project.

And you thought Pa.sh
would be sa.tisfiod with that?

I was attempting to give them EItcnton
without opening a can of worms.

I told them a cock-and-bull story.

Did you lie to Gcnera.I Grovos too?

No. I admitted to him
that I'd lied to Pash.

[attorney]
Do you recall this conversation

a.bout the Chevalier incident?

[scoffs] l'vc seen so many versions of it,

l wasn't confused before
but l'm ccrtainly gotting thcre now.

[attorney]
What was your conclusion?

That he was under the influence of
the typical American schoolboy attitude

that therc's somcthing wicked
about tclling on a friend .

Well , now...

Might wc know through whom
the contact was made?

That would involve people
who are not to be involved in this.

Is that someone
a. member of tho project?

A momber of the faculty, yes,
but not in tho project, no.

Ah.

So EItenton made his approach through
a member of thc faculty here at Berkeley?

As far a.s I know-- As far as I know, ycs.

But. . . [stammers] . . .thcre ma.y have been ...

more than one person involvcd.

Gentlemen , if I-- If l seem uncooperative,
I think you can understand

it's because of my insistence

in not getting innocent people
into trouble.

You're trying to protect your friend .
Who's protecting you?

-Well, you could.
-If you gavc me the name.

If you order me to, I'll do it.

Tha.t is a mistake, Robert.
You neod to volunteer this name.

-[Robb] And did he givo you tho namo?
-[Groves] He did.

-[Robb] But not then, did he?
-No.

No. In fact,
it was some months later, wasn't it?

It was.

-You see mc a.s persistent.
-Well, you are--

You are persistent, but that is your job.

And-And my job is to protect the people
that work for me.

Instead of us going on certain steps,
which may come to your attention ...

a.nd be disturbing to you,

I would Iiko to discuss those
with you first.

I'm not formulating a plan.
I'll just have to digest the whole thing.

I n the months in betwecn your intcrview
with Dr. Oppenheimor

and his eventual na.ming of Chevalier,

did you cxpend resources trying to find
the name of thc intermedia.ry?

Considerablc rcsources, yes.

Without the namc,
our job was extremoly difficult.

And whcn did you rcceivc the name?

I was gone by the time Oppenheimor
finally offered it up.

Gone?

They fclt my time
would be better spent in Europe

dotermining the sta.tus
of the Nazi bomb project.

Who did?

General Groves.

Hc tra.nsferred me to London.

[marbles cla.ttering]

[Scrber]
lt's a littlo early for a Christmas party.

Something's up.
Tolman's bccn awa.y.

Wherc?

Ruth won't tell .

[chattoring]

Hey!

Come on, Ruthie.
Can't tell me, who can you tell?

Compartmentalization, Oppie.

What makes you think
l know where he is anyway?

'Causc you do a prctty good job of knowing

whero Mr. Tolman is when it counts.

Like now?

[Groves] Attention!

[chattering stops]

[Groves]
Early Christmas presont for you all .

[scattered laughter]

[cheering]

[Bohr] Tho British pilots
put me in tho bomb bay.

Showed me the-the oxygen,
you know, but I messed it up.

[scattered laughter]

Whon they opcnod me up in Scotland,
I wa.s unconscious.

-But I pretended l'd been napping.
-[Iaughing]

[Bohr] Pleasc enjoy your party.

Is it big cnough?

To end the war?

To end all war.

-Hcisenberg sought me out in Copenhagen.
-[marbles clattering]

It was chilling,
my old student working for the Na.zis.

He told me some things to draw me out.

Sustained fission reactions in uranium.

That sounds more Iike a reactor
than a bomb.

Did he mention gascous diffusion?

He seemed more focuscd on heavy water.

As a moderator?

Yes, instead of graphite.

[Bcthe laughs]

What?

He took a. wrong turn. We're ahcad.

And with you here to help us, Niels ...

Sorry, could you-- could you
give us a moment, gentlemen?

[glasses clinking]

I am not hcre to help, Robert.

I knew you could do this without me.

-Then why did you come?
-To talk about affer.

The powcr you'ro about to reveal
will forevcr outlivc the Nazis.

And the world is not prepared.

"You could lift the stone without being
ready for the snake that's revcaled ."

Wc ha.ve to make
the politicians understand,

this isn't a ncw weapon.

It's a ncw world.

I'll be out therc doing what l can,
but you ...

You are an American Promotheus.

Thc man who gave them the power
to dostroy themselves,

and they'Il rcspect that.

Then your work really begins.

L'm sorry, Oppie,
but therc's a call.

From San Francisco.

Robert?

Robert?

Robert. Robcrt.

Oh, my God. Wha.t's the mattcr?

What happened?

[both breathing heavily]

Her father callcd.

They found her yesterday in the bath .

Who?

She'd ta.ken pills.

Left a noto, not signod.

She took barbituratos, but thcre
was chloral hydrate in her blood .

[gasping]

There was a note.

Jean Tatlock?

We were together.

She said she needed me. I ...

I told her I . . . [breathing shakily]
. . . l wouldn't--

I told her I couldn't--

No, it was-- it was mc--

[breathing heavily]
You don't get to commit the sin

and then have us all feel sorry for you
that it ha.d consequences.

You pull yourself togcther.

You know, people hcre dcpond on you .

[Serber] Donald, would you Iike
to contribute hcre, please?

[Donald] You're on your own, pa.I.

Bob, I'm not quitting my job
beca.use plutonium is radioactive.

We just don't know what it might do
to the fcmale reproductive systcm--

Your rcproductive system is
more exposed than mine, presumably.

Ca.n wc please?
The implosion device is nowherc.

You can't rush evorything.
Oppic, pleasc.

Wcll, there's rushing and therc's
getting on with it, so, pick onc.

Wait. Neddcrmoyer's doing his job.

Teller's not helping. You're not helping.

I've been asking for calculations
on the implosion Ienses for weeks.

-The British can do it. Fuchs.
-Absolutely.

-It's your job, Teller.
-l'm engaged in research.

On a. hydrogen bomb
wc're not even building.

[scattered laughter]

I won't work for that man.

[jeering]

Let him go. He's a prima. donna.

[Serber] I agree.
Hc should lea.ve Los Alamos.

Okay.

Kisty, you rcplace Neddermeyer.
Seth , l'm putting you on plutonium.

Lilli, you go work for Kisty,
beca.use he nceds you.

Fuchs, you take Tcller's rolc.

I'm putting you exclusively
on the implosion device.

And no one is Ieaving Los Alamos.

[vehicle engine starting]

[chattering on loudspeaker]

Thcy won't let me Ieave.

No. l won't let you Ieave.

Forget Ha.ns. Forget fission.

Stay herc, research what you wa.nt.

Fusion , the hydrogen bomb, whatever.

We'll meet to discuss.

You don't have time to meet.
You're a politician now, Robert.

You've Ieft physics behind
many, many ycars ago.

Once a week.

One hour, you and me.

Now raise this fucking barrier.

[Robb] So tho Super was under developmont
on your watch at Los Alamos?

Yes.

And yet, after the war,
you tried to deny it was viablc.

No, no, no. I-I pointed out
technical difficulties with it.

Didn't you try to kill it
at the AEC meeting

-after thc Russian bomb test?
-No.

[Robb] But that wa.s the recommendation
of the AEC, was it not?

Aftcr hours of discussion
about the best rosponse.

An H-bomb is 1 ,00Ü times the power
of an A-bomb.

Its only intcnded target
would be the largest cities.

It's a weapon of mass genocide.

Izzy, draw somc circles on this side
of thc map where they would ta.rgct us.

Starting with New York.

-[Rabi] That's fair.
-[Strauss] DC.

It's a weapon of attack
with no defensive value.

-Deterrence.
-[Bush] "Deterrence"?

Do we really need more deterrencc
than our currcnt arsenal of atomic bombs?

Y-You drown in tcn feet of water
or 1 0,ÜÜÜ, what's the difference?

We can already drown Russia. They know it.

-Now they can drown us.
-[Rabi] Wc're just escalating.

-[feet stamping]
-[Strauss, distant] Robert? Robert.

-[stamping stops]
-[teaspoon clinks]

As I said ,

Tcller's designs are still as impractical
as they were during tho wa.r.

A hydrogen bomb can bc made to work,
Oppie, you know tha.t.

I don't belicve we should commit
all our resources to that chance.

Then how would you have Truman
reassurc the America.n poople?

Simply by limiting the spread
of atomic weapons

through international control
on nuclear energy.

By which you mean world government.

The United Nations, as Roosevclt intendcd.

Well, I a.sked
wha.t Truman should do, right?

The world's changed.

It's not fascism but communism
tha.t now threatens our survival .

Lewis, do you understand,

if wc build a. hydrogen bomb,

the Russians will havc no choice
but to build their own?

Could they be working on onc already,

based on information gathered
from a spy at Los Alamos?

No spy at Los Alamos.

-Gentlemen. Let's not got sidctracked .
-Thero wa.sn't?

I say wc use this moment
to gain concessions from the Russians

by committing that we will not build
a hydrogen bomb.

Thereby revealing its existencc.

Which you seem convinced
thcy already know.

[clears throat] All right. At this point,
I'd like the committee members

to meet in privacy
to finalize our recommendations.

I'm just not sure
you wanna go down this road.

Lewis, with respect,

we are the advisory committee,
we will givc them our advice.

Dr. Oppenheimcr?

Hi.

William Borden.
Joint Committee on Atomic Energy?

Oh, yes, ycs.

During the war, I was a pilot.

One night, flying back from a raid,

I saw an amazing sight,

like a metoor.

A V-2 rocket hoadod to England.

I can't help but imagine what it will be
for such an enemy rocket

to carry an a.tomic warhea.d .

[feet stamping]

[rocket rumbling]

[stamping intensifies, stops]

Wcll, lct's make sure wc're not the ones
to make tha.t possible.

Oppic, I don't think
you wanna go up against Strauss.

If we both speak, thcy Iisten to mc.

When you speak, they hear a prophet.

When Strauss speaks, they hear thcmselves.

Thcy'll listen to a prophot.

A prophet can't be wrong.

Not once.

[McGee] Didn 'tyou accuse Opponhoimer of
sabotaging tho devolopmont oftho Super?

I was never one of those to bandy around
terms like "sa.botage."

[McGee] But Mr. Borden wa.s?

As I understand it, possibly.

How was Mr. Borden ablo to put together
such a detailcd indictment?

Hc was no Ionger a government employcc,

yet he appears to havc had
unlimited access

to Dr. Oppenheimer's file.

Might Mr. Hichois
havo given him access to tho filo?

Or someone else at the AEC?

That's a very serious accusation, Sena.tor.

Is it your intention to suggest

that Dr. Oppenheimor
is disloyal to the United States?

I've always assumed, and still assumc,

that hc's loyal to the United States.

I believe this.

And I shall believe it until I see
vcry conclusive proof to thc oppositc.

[Robb] Do you, or do you not, bolieve
that Dr. Opponhoimor is a socurity risk?

[Hornig] And if I may, when Hitlcr
blcw his brains out in tha.t bunker,

it is my humble opinion that
there is no need for that bomb to be seen

anywhere cxcept for that test site.

[scattered applause]

[Lilli] We at lea.st
have to take a moment to think about

whother the means
justify the ends any longer, becausc--

Germany is about to surrender.

[members cheering , applauding]

It's no Ionger thc enemy
who are thc grcatest threat to mankind .

It's our work.

Hitler is dead, it's true.

But the Japanese fight on.

Their dofeat sccms assured.

Not if you'rc a. G l prepa.ring to invade.

Wc can end this wa.r.

But how do we justify using this weapon
on human beings?

[scattered applause]

We'rc theorists, yes?

We imagine a future,
and our imaginings horrify us.

But thcy won't fear it
until they understand it,

and they won't understand it
until they've used it.

When thc world learns the terrible secret
of Los Alamos,

our work here will ensure a. pcace
ma.nkind has never seon.

A peacc based
on the kind of international coopcration

that Roosevelt always envisaged.

-[Oppenheimer] Progress?
-Two years and a billion dollars' worth?

Well, ha.rd to put a price on it.

Not rcally. Just add up the bills.

"Rural free deliveries."
Eighty babies delivered thc first year.

This year we've had ten a month .

Birth control is a. littlc out
of my jurisdiction, General.

-Clearly.
-[Kitty] General .

Kiddo.

Head down, every-- Fuchs. Hcad down.

Tha.t's the one. [grunts]

Two viable bombs. l nccd a date.

Septcmber.

July.

That's the sweet spot, gentlcmen .

August.

July.

Tcst in July. But I need my brother.

Frank knows the desert,
he's Ieff politics behind,

he's been working with Lawrence
for two years now.

What do we call the test?

"Battcr my heart,
three person'd God ."

What?

Trinity.

[Robb] You insisted on bringing
on your brother Frank,

a known communist.

Former communist.

You brought a known formor communist

onto America.'s most secret
and importa.nt defense project.

I knew my brother could be trusted.
Absolutely.

And you felt your judgment was sound
on who on the team could be trusted.

Fuchs, head down.
Okay, everybody ready.

I hope you learned something.

Yea.h, we lea.rned
we're gonna need to be a lot further away.

Well, figure it out. Fast.

We lcave for Washington in the morning.
We're gonna give them a date.

[clevator bell dings]

[chattoring]

[phone ringing]

[servicc bell dinging]

You're a long way from Chicago, Leo.

If we don't a.ct now, they're going
to use this thing aga.inst Japan .

Wc booked a meeting with Truman,
but somebody killed it.

You'rc meeting the secreta.ry of war.

Just bccause we're building it

doesn't mcan
we gct to decidc how it's used .

History will judge us, Robcrt.

In Chicago,
wo put togethcr a petition.

I'm not getting into that.

[clipboa.rd clatters]

Just tell mc your concerns
a.nd I'll relay them.

My concerns?

Germany's defeated .
Japan's not going to hold out alonc.

How could you know that?
You got us into this.

You and Einstein with your Ietter
to Roosevelt saying wc could build a bomb.

Against Germany.

Tha.t's not how weapons manufacture
works, Szilard.

[Szilard] Oppie, you have to help.

Fermi's in tho meeting.
Lawrenco is in the mccting.

They're not you .
You're the great salesman of sciencc.

You can convincc a.nyone of anything.

Evcn yourself.

Excuse me.

The firestorm in Tokyo
killed 1 ÜÜ,ÜÜÜ people.

Mostly civilians.

I worry a.bout an America where we
do these things and no one protests.

Pcarl Ha.rbor and three yea.rs
of brutal conflict in the Pacific

bought us a lot of latitude
with the American public.

[Stimson]
Enough to unleash the atomic bomb?

[Formi] Thc A-bomb might not causc
a.s much damage as the Tokyo bombings.

What are we estimating?

In a. medium-sized city,
20,ÜÜÜ or 3Ü,ÜÜÜ dcad.

Ycs, but don't undcrestima.tc

the psychological impact
of an a.tomic oxplosion.

A pilla.r of fire 1 Ü,ÜÜÜ feet tall.

Deadly neutron cffects for a mile.
I n all directions.

From one single device.

Dropped from a. barely noticed B-29,

the atomic bomb will be
a terrible revelation of divine power.

If that's true, it would be definitivc.

World War I I would be over.

Our boys would come home.

Military targets?

Uh . . . There aren't any big enough.

Perhaps a vita.I wa.r plant

with workers houscd nearby?

And we could issue a warning
to reducc civilian casualties.

Thcy'd send cverything they havo
up a.gainst us,

and I'd bc up in that plane.

But if we announce it
and it fails to go off,

wc'd scupper any chance
of a Japanose surrcnder.

Is there no way to demonstrate
a. bomb to Japan to provoke surrcndcr?

We intend to demonstrate it
in the most unambiguous terms. Twice.

Once, to show the woapon's power,

and a sccond to show that we can
keep doing this until they surrender.

We have a list of 1 2 cities
to choose from--

Sorry, 11 .

L've takcn Kyoto off thc list

due to its cultural significance
to the Ja.panesc people.

Also, my wife and I honeymooned there.

It's a magnificent city.

Let me make this simplc for you,
gentlemen.

According to my intclligcnce,
which l cannot share with you,

tho Japancse people will not surrender,
under any circumstances,

short of a successful
and total invasion of thc home islands.

Many lives will be Iost,
Amcrican and Japanesc.

The use of the atomic bomb
on Japanese cities will save Iives.

If wc rctain moral advantagc.

How so?

Well , if we usc this weapon
without informing our a.Ilies,

they'll see it as a threat,
and we'll be in a.n arms race.

How open can we be
with the Soviets?

Secrecy won't stop tho Soviets
from becoming part of tho atomic world.

Wc've been told
thoy havc no uranium.

You'vc been misinformcd.
A Russian bomb is a mattor of timc.

The program needs to continue
at full pace after the war.

Secretary Stimson, if l ma.y,

not all sciontists
on the projoct are in a.groement.

In fact, this might be a moment
to consider other opinions. lf you talk--

The Manhattan Project
ha.s been plagued from the start

by certain scientists
of doubtful discretion

and uncertain Ioya.Ity.

Onc of them just tricd to meet
with the president.

Now, we need thcse men,
but as soon as it's practical,

we should sover any such scicntists
from the progra.m.

Wouldn't you agree, Doctor?

[Marshall]
If a Russian bomb is inevitable,

perhaps we should invite
their top scientists to Trinity?

President Truman has no intention
of raising expcctations

that Sta.Iin be included
in the atomic project.

I nforming him of our breakthrough

and prosenting it
as a means to win the war

necd not make unkeepable promises.

But the Potsdam pcace conference in July

will bc President Truman's last chance
to have that conversation.

Can you givc us a working bomb by thcn?

Absolutcly. We will test fire
before thc conferencc.

Ground Zcro, observation posts
at 1 Ü,ÜÜÜ yards north, south and west.

Where do we trigger from?

South, 1 Ü,ÜÜÜ.

And Base Camp is ten miles south here.

And thcre's a. further obscrvation post
on-- on that hill 2Ü miles away.

What's that, Frank?
Trigger lines already went in.

The Air Forcc requcsted
a Iine of Iights for their B-29.

What B-29? Our bomb's on the towor.

They wanna usc tho test
to confirm a safc operating distance.

-That's risky.
-Not a.s risky as dropping one over Japan

and hoping that we were right
about the blast radius.

Don't lct them slow us down.
We're firing on the 1 5th.

-The 1 5th? That's not--
-[Groves] The 1 5th .

The 1 5th .

[Opponheimer] So I'll be here
at South Observa.tion point

with Frank and Kistiakowsky.

You'Il all be assigncd
to Base Camp, West Observation,

or Far Observation.

Whoa, whoa, whoa!
Careful with the knife. There, carcfully.

-Are thosc safe distances?
-They're based on your calculations.

Timc to stand bchind your science, Ha.ns.
Litcra.lly.

Yea.h.

What about the radiation cloud?

Without high winds, it should settle
within two to thrcc miles.

Evacuation measures are in placc.
[inhales]

But wc need good weather for visibility,
so it has to be fine.

Everybody out.

We go on the night of the 1 5th.

It's a hard deadline,
so if anyone has a.nything, speak now.

Little, little morc. Okay, stop, stop.

Everybody, mattresses.
Put the mattress underneath.

Could use a final implosion test.

-It couldn't hurt.
-Do it.

Is thcre anything clse that might stop us?

[thunderclap]

[shcets flapping]

It's ha.ppening, isn't it?

L'Il send a message.

If it's gone our way...

take in the sheets.

Robcrt.

Brea.k a Ieg.

Okay.

[Fcrmi] Oppie's takcn
a. very modest three kilotons.

-Teller's in with 45.
-[Rabi] Twenty.

20,ÜÜÜ tons of TNT.

And does anyone want the side action
on atmospheric ignition?

[laughter]

-Are you saying we'Il have to delay?
-I'm saying it would be prudent.

This weather,
ha.s it reached the site?

[phone ringing]

Bethe is calling to tell you
the implosion test failed.

Hello, Hans. Yes, he's here.

Yes.

[handset settles in cradlc]

-Is hc wrong?
-No.

-No?
-No.

-So we're about to firc a dud?
-No.

-Explain.
-Well , l can't. I just-- I just know.

I know the implosion Ienses will work.

If we fire these detonators
and they don't trigger a reaction ,

two ycars' worth of plutonium
will bo scattored across White Sands.

A month of my salary
a.gainst ten bucks says it lights.

Jesus.

[weatherman] The wind's picking up
at Zero, not the rain.

Lightning circling.

You think it might be timc
to tell your men

to get away from the stccl tower
with the atomic bomb?

[laughter]

-Let's get to South Observation.
-Pull 'em out.

[Oppenheimer]
We can ma.ke our determination thcre.

[thunderclap]

[Oppenheimer]
Tho team ha.sn't slept in two nights.

If we stand down, make the bomb safc,
wo won't bc ba.ck herc for wecks.

Then we'll miss Potsda.m.
I gotta gct word to Truman by 7:ÜÜ.

Our window's closing.
What is this doing?

Raining, blowing, lightning.

-For how long, damn it?
-It's holdin' strong.

-It'Il brcak before dawn.
-How could you know that?

I know this dcsert.
Storm cools overnight.

Just before dawn , the storm breaks.

He could be right,
but schedule as late as possible.

5:3Ü.

Sign your forecast.
If you're wrong, I'll hang you .

-Fra.nk, tell them all, 5:3Ü.
-5:30.

-5:3Ü.
-5:3Ü.

Three years,

4,000 peoplc,

two billion dollars.

Well, if it doesn't go off,

we're both finishcd.

[thunder rumbling]

I'm betting on three kilotons.

Anything lcss,
they won't get what it is.

What did Fermi mean
by "atmosphcric ignition"?

Wcll, we had a moment

whcre it Iooked like the chain reaction
from an atomic device might never stop.

Setting fire to the atmospherc.

Why is Fermi still taking sidc bets on it?

Call it ga.llows humor.

Wait, are we saying there's a. chance
that when we push that button ,

we destroy the world?

Nothing in our research over three years
supports that conclusion.

Exccpt as the most remote possibility.

-How remote?
-Chances are noar zero.

Near zero.

What do you want from theory alone?

[scoffs]

Zero would be nicc.

In exa.ctly one hour, 53 minutes,
wc'll know.

It's Ietting up.

The arming party's left Zero,
they're hcading this way.

Throwing the switches.

Turn the cars.
Ready for emergency evacuation.

[wind howling]

[soldicr] Ta.ke your weldcr's glass.

Everybody, take your places.

Everybody take a welder's glass!

Everybody take a welder's glass.

[timer ticking]

Twcnty minutes.

[Formi] Twenty minutes.

[Feynma.n] That's 2Ü.

On the lcg, pleasc.

-Feynman.
-No.

-For your eyes, sir.
-The glass stops thc UV.

And what stops thc glass?

I'm gonna head to Base Ca.mp.
Best of Iuck.

Robert...

try not to blow up the world.

Watch that needle.

If the detona.tors don't charge,
or the volta.ge drops below one volt,

you hit that button, you abort.

Understood?

Undorstood .

[soldier on loudspea.ker]
Two minutes to detonation.

Everybody down.

Do not turn around until you soe Iight
rcflectcd on the hills.

Then look a.t the explosion
only through your welder's glass.

[on loudspea.ker]
Ninety soconds to dotonation.

[sta.tic on radio]

[on radio]
Eighty seconds to detonation.

Is it rubbed in?

Yeah.

[on radio]
Sixty seconds to detonation.

These things are hard on your heart.

[on loudspcaker] Thirty soconds.

[light buzzes]

Detonator's cha.rgcd.

[on loudspeakor] ! !6, !5...

!4, !J, !2, ! !...

Ton...

[detonator hums]

...nine,

eight...

seven...

six...

five...

four...

three...

two...

one.

[Oppenheimcr breathing deeply]

[gasps]

[gasps]

[grunts]

[exhales]

[breathing deeply]

[deep breathing continues]

[brea.thing hea.vily]

[Oppenheimer] 'And now l am bocomo Death."

"Tho destroyor of worlds."

[shock wave thunders]

[shock wave thunders]

[shock wave thunders]

[objects rattling]

It workcd.

[scattered laughter]

[cheers, laughs]

[cheering, applauding]

[applauding, cheering]

[Kistiakowsky cheers]

-You owe me ten dolla.rs!
-Oh!

[both laughing]

Come on!

I-- I'm good for it, Kisty. [la.ughs]

You arc. [Iaughs]

Ycs, you are! [laughs]

[cheering, applauding]

[cheering, applauding]

[chattoring]

We did it! Well done.

[Groves] Get me Potsda.m right away.

-Get a. messagc to Kitty.
-Wo can't sa.y anything .

Tcll her to take in the sheets.

-[baby screaming]
-[phonc ringing]

Shh .

-Hello?
-[Charlotte] Hi. Kitty?

What-- What? Charlotte.
Charlotte, go ahead, go ahead.

Oh, um, well, l don 't know, hejust said
to tollyou to "bring in the shoots."

Kitty?

Kitty? Kitty, aro you still thore?

If they detonate it too high in the air,
the blast won't be as powerful.

With respect, Dr. Oppenheimor,

we'Il take it from hero.

Did Truman brief Stalin at Potsdam?

A brief would be an overstatemcnt.

He refcrred to a. powcrful new weapon.

Stalin hoped we'd use it
a.gainst Japan.

That's it?

Robert, we've given them a.n ace,

it's for thcm to play the hand .

You're aiming for the 6th?

Wcll, it's up to the CO
in the Pacific.

Should I come with you
to Washington?

What for?

Wcll, you'll keep mo informcd.

Of course.

As best I can.

-[truck engine starts]
-[pcople applauding]

[chains rattling]

Would the Ja.panese surrender
if they knew what was coming?

I don't know.

[Tellcr] Have you sccn Szilard's petition?

What the hell does Szilard know
about the Japanese?

You're not signing it, are you?

Many people have. A Iot of people have.

Edward,

the fact that wc built this bomb

does not give us any more right
or responsibility

to dccide how it's used than anyone else.

But we'rc the only pcople
who know about it.

I've told Stimson the various opinions
of thc community.

But what's your opinion?

Once it's used ...

nuclea.r war, perhaps all war...

becomes unthinka.ble.

Until somebody builds a bigger bomb.

I thought they would call .

It's only the 5th.

In Japan, it's the 6th.

Charlotte.

Try Groves.

Anything?

Charlotte?

[Cha.rlotte] Truman's on the radio.

[Truman on ra.dio] Sixtoon hours ago,

an American airplano
droppod one bomb on Hiroshima...

[fcedback squealing]

[on loudspeaker] . . . and dostroyod
its usofulnoss to tho enemy.

[soldiers cheering]

The bomb had moro power
than 2ú, 000 tons of THT

lt is an atomic bomb.

-[truck horns honking]
-[soldiers cheering]

It is a harnossing
oftho basic powor ofthe univorse.

[Cha.rlotte] Groves on ono.

[Truman] Wo aro nowpreparod to destroy,

moro rapidly and completoly,
the Japanese--

[clears throat] General?

[Groves] l'm veryproud ofyou
and all ofyourpoople.

It went all right?

Apparently,
it went with a tromendous bang.

Well , cvoryone herc
is fccling reasonably good about it.

It's becn a long road.

I think ono ofthe wisest things
l over did

was whon l solected the diroctor
ofLos Alamos.

-[horn honking]
-[cheering]

[Truman] We havo spont
more than two billion dollars

on the greatost scientific gamblo
in history,

and wo havo won.

[cheering]

[a.ll] Oppie! Oppie! Oppie! Oppie!

Oppie! Oppie! Oppie! Oppie!

Oppie! Oppie! Oppie! Oppie!

Oppie! Oppie! Oppie! Oppie!

Oppie! Oppie! Oppie! Oppie!

Oppie! Oppie! Oppie! Oppie!

[cheering, applauding]

[feet stamping]

[stamping intensifies]

[cheering, whistling]

[whooping]

The world ...

will rcmember this day.

[cheering]

[rumbling]

It's too soon to--

It's too soon to determine
what the results of the bombing are.

But I'll bet the Japanese didn't like it.

[cheering]

[person scrcaming]

[no audible dialoguc]

[no audible dialoguc]

I'm so proud.

So proud of what you havc a.ccomplished.

[no audible dialoguc]

I just wish we had it in timc
to use against the Gcrmans.

[no audible dialoguc]

-[Ia.ughing, distorted]
-[crowd chcering]

[Ia.ughing]

[sobbing]

[scream, distortcd]

[sobbing]

[laughter]

[distorted wailing continues]

[footsteps approaching]

Dr. Oppenheimcr?

Dr. Oppenheimcr?

[chuckles]

Nice picture.

President Truman will scc you now.

Dr. Oppenheimcr. It's an honor.

-Mr. Prcsident.
-Please.

Thank you.

Secretary Byrnes.

How's it feel to bo the most famous man
in the world?

You helped save a Iot of American lives.

-What we did at Hiroshima wa.s a--
-And Nagasaki .

Well , obviously.

Your invention
let us bring our boys home.

Well, it was hardly...

my invention.

It was you on the cover of Time.

[Truman , Byrnes laughing]

Jim tclls me you're concerned
a.bout an arms race with the Soviets.

Oh, yes, uh ...

Well, um ...

It's that, uh,

now is our chance to secure...

intcrna.tional cooperation on . . .
[clears throat] . . .atomic energy

a-a-and I'm concerned--

Do you know when the Soviets
a.re gonna have the bomb?

I don't think l could givc a. precise--

Never.

Never.

Mr. Presidont,
the Russians have good physicists

-a-a-and abunda.nt resources.
-Abundant?

-[Truman chuckles]
-Yes.

-I don't think so.
-[chuckles]

Well , they'll put everything they havc in ...

I hea.r you're leaving Los AIa.mos.
[sniffles]

What should we do with it?

Give it ba.ck to thc Indians.

Um, Dr. Oppenheimer,

if what you say about the Soviots is true,

wc ha.ve to build up Los Alamos,
not shut it down.

Mr. President...

Um ...

I fccl that l have blood on my hands.

You think anyone in Hiroshima or Na.gasaki

gives a shit who built the bomb?

They care who dropped it.

I did .

Hiroshima isn't about you .

Dr. Oppenheimer.

[clea.rs throat]

Don't let tha.t crybaby
back in hcre.

[Strauss] Hobort saw that hand-wringing
got him nowhore.

By the timo l mot him,

he'd fully ombraced
his "fathor oftho bomb"reputation.

And he uscd his profile
to influencc policy.

[chattoring]

[camera shuttor clicks]

[Robb]
Doctor, in tho yoars following the war,

would you say
that you exerted a groat influence

on the atomic policies of the USA?

[Oppenhcimer]
l think 'roat" would bo an overstatemont.

[Robb] Really?
If we look a.t the issue of isotopes,

werc you not personally responsible for
destroying all opposition to their export?

-You could use a bottlc of beer. . .
-[gallcry laughing]

...when ma.king atomic weapons.

In fact, you do.

I was thc spokcsman ,

but thc opinion among scientists
was unanimous.

AIl a.long with McCarthy on the rise,
hc knew ho wa.s vulncrable.

His brothcr was blacklisted
by every university in the country.

Lomanitz wound up working
the railroad, laying track.

And Chevalior wcnt into exile.

But none of that stopped Robert
from pushing the GAC

to rccommend arms control
instead of the H-bomb.

He was devastated whon Truman
rejected their recommendation.

I miss Richard morc than I can bear.

I know, Ruth, I know.

Part of me's glad he didn't live to see
where this is all going .

Here comes the birthday boy.

To gloat.

Have fun.

Robert, uh, my son and his fiancéo

a.re desperatc to meet
the father of the atomic bomb, and so...

Wcll . . . good day.

Is this a bad time?

What do you think, Lcwis?

Well, I think it must have been
a blow for you .

For the world .

The world? What does Fuchs mean
to the rest of the world?

Fuchs?

Klaus Fuchs?

Oh, dear. You havcn't heard.

Klaus Fuchs, the British scientist

that you put onto the implosion team
at Los Alamos ...

turns out he was spying for the Soviets
the whole time.

I'm sorry.

[Strauss]
Afier tho truth about Euchs camo out,

the FBI stepped up surveillance on him.

Hc knew his phone was tapped ,

he was followed everywhere,

his trash pickcd through .

-But never stopped speaking his mind .
-A ma.n of conviction .

And maybe hc thought fame
could actually protect him.

When Eisenhower took officc,
he saw one morc chancc.

He took it.

America and Russia may be likened
to two scorpions in a bottle,

each ca.pable of killing the othcr,
but only at the risk of his own lifc.

Now, there a.ro various aspccts
of this policy--

[Strauss] Lot ofscientists blame mo,
but how was l supposod to protoct him?

...aro too sccret for discussion,
ca.ndor is the only remedy.

Officials in Washington need to start
leveling with thc American pcople.

[murmuring]

That was the last straw
for Robert's enemios.

So he had to lose his security clearance?

-And with it, his credibility.
-[knocks on window]

But how could they do it?

He was a. war hcro.
He'd a.lrea.dy told everyonc a.bout his past.

Borden dredged it all up.

How could Borden get access
to Oppcnheimer's FBl file?

-Could it have been Nichols?
-No, l can't imagine he'd do that.

But whoever did unleashed a. firestorm

that burned a path from the Whitc House
back to my desk at the AEC.

You see him in there, right?

L've worked my whole Iife to get here,

Cabinet of the United States of Amcrica,

and now, in front of the entire country,
they're gonna put me back in my place.

A Iowly shoe sa.Iesman.

Lewis, we can win this thing.

I-I think we ca.n get the Senatc
to grasp that you did your duty,

painful though it was.

-Now, will Hill's testimony back us up?
-Hill will bc fine.

I don't really know him,

but he wa.s one of Szilard's boys
in Chicago,

a.nd they never forgavc Robert

for not supporting thc petition
against bombing Japan.

[projector clicks]

[Morrison] This was taken
31 days after the bombing .

Virtua.lly everyone in the street
for nearly a. mile a.round,

was instantly and seriously burned .

[audience gasping]

[Morrison] The Ja.panesc spoke of people
who wore striped clothing

upon whom, the skin was burned in stripcs.

There were many
who thought themselvcs Iucky,

who climbed out of the ruins
of their homes, only slightly injured.

But they died a.nywa.y.

They died da.ys or weeks later
from the radium-like rays

cmitted in great numbers
at the moment of the explosion .

Did you rea.d
this crap in the papers?

A British physicist is saying

the atomic bombings
were not the last act of World War l I ,

but the first act of this cold war
with Russia.

Which physicist?

I think you knew him.
Patrick BIackett.

[scoffs]

He may not be wrong.

Stimson is now telling me

we bombed an encmy
that was essontially defcated .

Pobert, you'vc a.Il thc influence now.

Pleasc.

Urge them to continue my research
on the Super.

I neither can nor will , Edward.

Why not?

It's not tho right use of our resources.

Is that what you rcally bclieve?

J . Robert Oppenheimor.
Sphinx-likc guru of the atom.

Nobody knows what you believc.

Do you? Hmm?

[Groves] One final timo,
ourprogram diroctor,

Dr. J. Robert Opponhoimor.

[Oppenhcimer]
I hope that, in years to comc,

you will look back on your work
hero with pride.

But today that pride must be tempcred
with a profound concern.

If atomic weapons arc to be added
to the arsenals of a wa.rring world ,

then the day will come whon people
will curse the namc of Los Alamos.

Sorry, Admira.I. Stopped off to get this.

It seems pretty favorable.

There's Oppcnhcimer. What's the caption?

Uh, "J . Robert Oppenheimer,
Stra.uss fought...

and the US won."

That'll work.

Those were your words from the other day.

We needed to pivot.

But how would you know what
Timo magazine's gonna write?

Henry Luce is a friend .

You sat here
a.nd let me tell you how it's done,

but you've been fa.r ahea.d all along .

Survival in Washington

is about knowing how to get things donc.

Right.

What was it you said about Borden?

"Why gct caught
holding tho knifc yourself?"

I'm beginning to think Borden
was holding the knifo for you .

It's gonna comc down to how much influence
Borden's been a.ble to excrt on Teller.

[Kitty laughing]

[attorney]
Did I say something funny?

Just "Borden , Borden, Borden"
when we a.ll know that it's Strauss.

Lewis brought me to Princeton, Kitty.

And then you humiliated him
in front of Congress.

-But morc useful than a sandwich.
-[gallery la.ughing]

How'd I do?

Maybe a little too wcll, Pobert.

That was six years ago.

You know the truly vindictivc,
pa.tient as saints.

Strauss has been perfectly clear
that hc is neutral .

-[glass shatters]
-Wake up! It is Strauss!

It's always beon Strauss, and you know it.

Why won't you fight him?

Christ's sakc.

It wasn't Nichols, or Hoover,
or one of Truman's guys.

It was you. You gavc the file to Borden .

You sct him on Oppenheimer.
You convincod him to--

Borden didn't take any convincing.

Tako your time, usc the entire file.

Writo up your conclusions,
send them to the FBI .

Thc material is obviously extensive,
but there's nothing new here.

[Strauss] Your conclusions will bc.

And they'll have to be a.nswercd.

Hoover passes them to McCarthy?

Oppenheimer's too slippery
for that self-promoting clown .

I'vo talkcd it over with Hoover,
he'll hold McCarthy at bay

while you do this with the AEC.

A tria.l.

No. No trial.

You can't give Oppenhcimer a pla.tform.

You can't ma.rtyr him.

We need a systematic destruction
of Oppenheimer's credibility

so he can nevcr again speak
on mattcrs of nationa.l security.

Then what?

A shabby Iittle room,
far from the limelight.

[chattering]

[Strauss]
A simplo, bureaucratic procoduro.

His O clearancc is up for renewal.

You send your accusations to the FBl ...

Hoover sends them to the AEC,
you're forced to act.

You write up an indictment.

You tell Opponhoimer his socurity
cloaranco is not boing renowed.

But ofror him the chance to appoal.

As you can sec, Robert,
it's not yet signed.

-May I keep this?
-No.

If you do decide to appeal,
they'Il have to send you a copy.

When he appeals, and trust me, he will ,

-I appoint a board.
-[chattering]

They will , of course, have counsel.

-[Nichols] Prosecutor?
-l n all but name.

-Who?
-Rogcr Robb.

Ouch .

Robb will have security clearance
to examine Oppenheimcr's file.

As will the Gray board.

Defenso counsel will not.

A closed hearing.

"The so-callcd a.nd derogatory information
in your indictment of me. . ."

No audiencc.
No reporters. No burden of proof.

No burdon of proof?

We're not convicting.

We're just denying.

Wha.t is it you sa.id?

"This is just how the game is played ."

Well , forgive my naivete.

Amateurs seek the sun . . . get eaten.

Power stays in the shadows.

But, sir, you're out of the sha.dows now.

Yeah , tha.t's why this has to work.

Wcll ...

Toller's testifying this morning.
That'll hclp.

And then ...

Hill is in the aftcrnoon .

Hill is gonna help us too.

[Strauss] As you ca.n see, Robert,
it's not yet signed .

-May I keep this?
-[Nichols] No.

If you do decide to appeal ,
then they'Il have to send you a copy.

Take my car and driver. l insist.

I'll have to consult my lawycrs, Lewis.

Of course. But don't take too long.

I can't keep Nichols at bay.

I'm sorry it's come to this, Robert.

I think it's wrong.

[Oppenheimer] Hichols wants me to fight
so ho can get it all on the record.

Strauss wants me to wa.Ik away.

Strauss knows that you can't do that.
You'd be accepting the charges.

You'll losc your job.

You will losc your reputation.
Wc'll losc our house.

Robert, we have to fight.

As AEC counsel,
l can't rcpresent you.

I'll call LIoyd Garrison .

-He's good .
-The best, but...

l have to warn you ...

this won't bc a fair fight.

During your interview
with Boris Pash in 1 943,

did you rcfer to microfilm?

-No.
-Tab 11 , page one, pa.ragra.ph three.

You never said , "Ma.n of the consula.tc

ex.pert in the use of microfilm."

-[Garrison] l'm sorry.
-No.

I would Iikc to know what documcnt
Mr. Robb is quoting from

and if we might be furnishcd with a copy.

The documcnt is classified , Mr. Garrison.

I think wc should got back
to firsthand information.

-This is firsthand.
-How so, Roger?

There was a recording of the interview.

[Garrison] You lct my client sit here
and potcntially perjure himself

and all this time, you had a recording?

Nobody told your client
to misrepresent his former answers.

Misrepres--
lt was 1 2 years ago.

Can wc hea.r this rccording?

You don't have the clearance,
Mr. Garrison .

-But you're reading it into the record .
-Plcase, plcase.

Is this proceeding interested
in entrapmcnt or in truth?

If it's truth , wherc's the disclosure?
Where's the witness list?

Mr. Garrison, this isn't a trial,
as you're well aware.

Evidentiary rules do not apply.
We are dcaling with national sccurity.

Yes, sir, with all due respcct,

l fail to see how na.tional security
prevents the prosecution

-from providing us a list of witnesses.
-Perhaps we are in need of a brief recess.

[Oppenhcimer]
Gentlemen, you have my words.

If you say they're from a transcript,
then l'Il a.cccpt it.

L've alrea.dy explained
l made up a. cock-and-bull story.

But why would a.nyone
ma.ke up such an elaborate story?

Because l wa.s an idiot.

Why lie?

Well , clearly with the intention
of not revcaling who the intermediary was.

Your friend, Haakon Cheva.Iier,
the communist?

Is he still your friend?

Yes.

[Garrison] Dr. Rabi , tha.nk you for coming.

Do you know who else
the prosecution has called?

Teller, obviously.

-They've asked Lawrence.
-Wha.t did hc say?

-He wasn't going to help them, but. . .
-But?

Strauss told him that you and Ruth Tolman
have beon having an affair for years.

The whole time you livcd with them
in Pasadena.

He convinced Lawrence
that Richard dicd of a broken hea.rt.

-That's a.bsurd.
-What pa.rt?

The broken heart.

Richard never found out.

Is Lawrence gonna testify?

I don't know.

[Garrison] Dr. Rabi, what governmental
positions do you currently hold?

I am the chairman of
the General Advisory Committee to the AEC,

succccding Dr. Oppenheimer.

And how long havc you known
Dr. Oppenheimcr?

Since 1 928. I ...

I know him quite well.

Well enough to speak to thc bearing
of his Ioya.Ity a.nd character?

Dr. Opponheimer is a man
of upstanding character.

And he is loyal to the United States,
to his friends,

to thc institutions of which he is part.

Eat.

-[door opens]
-[footsteps approaching]

-[Oppenheimer] What was that?
-Nothing to worry about.

[Robb] Afier tho Hussian A-bomb tost,

did Dr. Lawrenco come to see you
about the hydrogon bomb?

You'd be better off asking him.

Well, I fully intcnd to.

Would you say that Dr. Oppenhcimer
wa.s unalterably opposed to thc H-bomb?

No, hc thought that a fusion progra.m

would comc a.t the expense
of our awfully good fission program.

-But tha.t proved not to be the caso.
-l n the event, both could be done.

Suppose that this board
did not feel satisfied that,

in his testimony herc,
Dr. Oppenheimer had been wholly truthful.

What would you say whethor or not
he should be cleared?

Why go through all this aga.inst a man

who has accomplished
wha.t Dr. Oppenheimor has?

Look at his record.

We have an A-bomb
and a whole series of it.

We havc a whole series of Super bombs.

What more do you want? Mermaids?

[Teller] But l've known Secrotary Strauss
for manyyoars,

and I fcel it a necessity
to cxpress thc warm support

for scionce and scientists
Lewis has shown.

Wc'll break now,
unless there's any immcdiate business.

[Strauss]
Senator, I'd like to once again request

that we'rc furnished
with a Iist of witnesses.

And I will remind the nominee

that we don't alwa.ys have
that informa.tion in advancc.

We do know tha.t Dr. Hill
will bc hero after Iunch .

Mr. Chairman,
our next scheduled witness, Dr. Lawrence,

has appa.rcntly come down with colitis.

So we'Il proceed
with William Borden instead .

Mr. Borden, welcome. PIease take a. seat.

Mr. Borden, during your invcstigation
into Dr. Oppenheimer,

-did you reach certain conclusions?
-I did.

And did thero come a time
when you expressed thosc conclusions

in a letter to Mr. J . Edgar Hoover
of thc Federal Bureau of Invostigation?

-That is corrcct.
-Prior to thc writing of the letter,

did you discuss thc writing of the lcttor
with anybody attached

to thc Atomic Energy Commission?

-I did not.
-[Robb] Do you have a copy of the Ietter?

I have one in front of me.

Would you please be so kind
as to read it, sir?

"Dea.r Mr. Hoover,
tho purpose of this letter is to state"--

[Garrison]
l'm sorry, I'm sorry, if I could have a.--

Wha.t is the purpose of the delay?
He's simply gonna read the Ietter.

[chuckles] Mr. Chairman , this is
the first I've seen of this lotter,

and I see statemcnts here, at least onc,

of a kind that I don't think anyonc
would likc to see go into the record.

These are accusa.tions
that havo not previously been madc.

That are not pa.rt of the indictmcnt
from Nichols.

Accusations of a kind
that I don't think bclong here.

The witness wrote this lcttcr
on his own initiative,

laying out evidence
that has alroady bccn before the board.

His conclusions are valid testimony,

just like the positive conclusions
of friends of Dr. Oppenhcimer.

It cuts both wa.ys.

How Iong has counsol
been in possession of this lcttcr?

I don't think I should be subjcct
to cross-oxamina.tion by you, Mr. Garrison.

[Gray] Mr. Garrison, givcn that we
on the board ha.ve all read the lettcr,

wouldn't it be better
to have it in the record?

Let's procecd.

[Borden] "Dear Mr. Hoover,

the purpose of this lctter
is to state my opinion

ba.sed upon years of study
of the available classified evidencc,

that more probably than not

J . Robert Oppenhcimer
is an agent of the Soviet Union.

The following conclusions are justificd.

One, betwccn 1 929 and 1 942,
more probably than not,

J . Robert Oppenheimor
was a sufficiently hardened communist,

that he volunteered information
to the Soviots.

Two, more probably than not,

hc ha.s since been functioning
as an espionage agent.

Three, more probably tha.n not,

he has since acted
under a Soviet dircctive

in influcncing
United States military policy" ...

-I'm sorry, Robert.
-. . ."atomic energy, intelligence"...

Is anyone ever going to tell the truth
about what's happcning here?

[chairman]
We will now hcar from Dr. David Hill.

[shutters clicking]

[shutter clicks]

Dr. Hill , would you care
to make a statement?

Thank you.

I've been asked to tcstify
about Lewis Strauss.

A ma.n who ha.s givcn years of service
in high positions of govcrnment

and who is known to bc earncst,
hardworking and intclligent.

Thc views l have to express are my own ,

but I believc that much I have to say
will help to indicate

why most of the scientists in this country

would prcfer to see Mr. Strauss
completely out of government.

[gallery murmuring]

You're referring to the hostility
of certain scicntists

directed towa.rd Mr. Stra.uss
because of his commitment to security,

as demonstrated in the Oppenheimer affair?

No.

Because of the porsonal vindictivcness
hc demonstrated against Dr. Oppenheimor.

[murmuring intensifies]

-[chairman] Order.
-[ga.vel rapping]

Order.

It appears to most scientists
around this country

that Robert Oppenheimer
is now being pilloried

and put through an ordoal
becausc he expressed his honest opinions.

Dr. Bush, I thought I was performing
a servicc to my country

when hcaring this casc.

No board in this country
should sit in judgment of a man

because he cx.pressed strong opinions.

If you wanna try tha.t casc,
you should try me.

Excuse me, gentlemen, if I become stirrcd.

But l am.

Dr. Hill , we'vc already heard that
Mr. Strauss did not bring tho charges,

or participate in thc hearings
a.gainst Dr. Oppenheimcr.

Thc Oppenheimer matter
was initiated and carried through

Iargely through the animus
of Lewis Strauss.

[gallery murmuring]

Oppenheimer made mincemcat
out of Stra.uss's position

on thc shipmcnt of isotopes to Norwa.y,

and Strauss never forgave him
this public humiliation.

Another controversy between them centered
around thoir differcnces in judgment

on how the H-bomb
would contribute to national security.

Strauss turned
to the pcrsonnel security system

in order to destroy
Oppenheimer's effectiveness.

And Strauss wa.s able
to find a few ambitious men

who also disagreed
with Oppenheimcr's positions

a.nd envicd him
his prestige in government circlcs.

I've alwa.ys assumed , a.nd still assume,
that he's loyal to the United Statcs.

I believe this.

And I shall believe it until l soe
very conclusive proof to the opposite.

Do you, or do you not, believe that
Dr. Oppenheimcr is a security risk?

In a. great number of cascs,

I have seen Dr. Oppenheimer
act in a way which was, to mc,

exceedingly hard to understand .

I thoroughly disagreed with him
in numerous issucs,

and his actions, frankly,
appeared to me confuscd a.nd complica.tcd.

To this extent, I feel,

I want to see the vital interests
of this country

in ha.nds which I understand better,

and thercforo trust morc.

-Thank you , Doctor.
-[Robb] Thank you.

I'm sorry.

[Kitty] You shook his fucking hand?

Oh, I would have spit in his face.

Not suro the board
would have apprcciated that.

Is it not gentlemanly enough for you?

I think you're all bcing
too goddamn gentlemanly.

Gray must see what Robb is doing.

Why doesn't he just shut him down?

And you shaking Teller's hand .

You neod to stop playing the martyr.

Under the current AEC guidelincs,
would you clear Dr. Oppenheimer today?

Under my interprcta.tion
of the Atomic Energy Act,

which did not exist
when l hircd Dr. Oppenheimcr in 1 942,

I would not clear him today
if I were on the commission.

[Robb]
Good, thank you , General , that is all.

But l don't think
l'd clear any of those guys.

That's a.ll .

[Garrison]
Dr. Oppenheimcr had no responsibility

in the selection or the clearance
of K.Iaus Fuchs, did he?

No. None at all.

And you wouldn't want to Ieave this board
with any suggcstion toda.y

that you're hore questioning
his basic Ioyalty to the United Sta.tes

and thc operation of Los Alamos.

By no mea.ns.

I hope I didn't load anyonc
to belicve otherwise for an insta.nt.

[Gray] Thank you, Gcnora.I.

[door opens]

Okay. We shouldn't keep them waiting.

She'll be herc.

Do you even want her herc?

Only a fool or an adolcscent

presumes to know
someone else's relationship,

and you'rc neither, Lloyd.

-[door opens]
-[footsteps approaching]

Kitty and l , we're grown-ups.

We'vo walked through firo togethor.

She'll do fine.

[Ga.rrison] Would you describe your views
on communism as pro, a.nti , neutral?

[Kitty] Very strongly a.gainst.

I've had nothing to do with communism
since 1 936, since ...

since before I met Robcrt.

That's a.ll .

[Hill]
Tho rocord domonstrates that Oppenhoimor

was not intorrogated
by impartial and disinterosted counsel

for tho Gray board.

He was intorrogated by a prosocutor

who usod all tho tricks
ofa rathor ingonious logal background.

You are charging now that
the Gray board pcrmitted a prosecution.

If I wcre on tho Gray board,

I would have protestcd against tho tactics
of thc man who servcd, in fact,

as the prosccuting counsel.

A ma.n appointed , not by the board ...

but by Lewis Strauss.

[gallery murmuring]

Who was this?

L'm sorry?

[McGee] Who was this?

Uh, Roger Robb.

Mrs. Oppenhcimer.

Did you have
a. Communist Party membcrship card?

I'm--

L'm not sure.

Not suro?

Well--

Wcll?

I mean, presumably,
the act of joining the Pa.rty

rcquired scnding somo money
a.nd receiving a card, no?

Yea.h.

[sighs]

Sorry.

[Robb] Ycah.

It's just it was all so very Iong ago,
Mr. Robb, wa.sn't it?

-Not really.
-Long cnough to havc forgotten .

-Did you return the card or rip it up?
-Thc card whose existcnce l've forgotten?

-Your Communist Party mcmbership card.
-Haven't thc slightest idea..

Can a distinction be made between
Soviet communism and communism?

I n the days whcn I was a membcr,
I thought they wcre dcfinitely two things.

I thought that thc Communist Party
of the United States

was concerned with our domcstic problems.

I now no Ionger belicve this.

I believe thc thing's Iinked together
and spread all over the world,

and I ha.ve believed this
since I loft the Party, 1 6 years ago.

-But--
-1 7 ycars ago. My mista.ke.

-But you sa.i--
-Sorry, 1 8.

1 8 ycars ago.

Are you familiar with the fa.ct
your husband wa.s making contributions

to the Spanish Civil War as Iate as 1 942?

I knew tha.t Robert
ga.ve money from time to timc.

Did you know this money
was going into Communist Party channcls?

-Don't you mean "through"?
-Pardon?

I think you mean "through
Communist Party channels," don't you?

-Yes!
-Yes?

-Yes!
-Yes.

Thcn would it be fair to say
tha.t this mcant that by 1 942,

your husband had not stopped having
a.nything to do with the Communist Party?

You don't ha.ve to a.nswer that yes or no.
You can answer that a.ny way you wish.

I know that, thank you .

It's your question .

It's not propcrly phrased .

-Do you undcrstand what l'm getting at?
-l do.

-Thcn why don't you answer it tha.t wa.y?
-'Cause l don't like your phrase.

"Having anything to do
with the Communist Party."

Beca.use Robort never had anything to do
with the Communist Party a.s such .

I know he ga.ve money to Spanish refugees.

I know he took a.n intellectua.l interest
in communist ideas--

Are thcre two types of communists?

Intellcctual communists
a.nd your plain , old , regular commie?

[Iaughs]

Well, I couldn't answer that one.

[Evans chuckles] l couldn't either.

Good evening.

Robert, you can't win this thing.

It's a kangaroo court
with a predetermincd outcomc.

-Why put yourself through more of it?
-I have my reasons.

All right.

Good night.

[car door closes]

He has a point.

L'm not sure you undcrstand, Albert.

No?

I Ieft my country never to rcturn.

You served your country well.

If this is the reward
she offers you, then ...

perhaps you should turn your back on her.

Damn it, I happen to love this country.

Then tell them to go to hell.

I nterestingly enough,

this is no longcr a confirmation hearing,

it's now a trial about a trial!

It's not good hc's telling everyone
you initiated thc hearings.

He ca.n't prove a goddamn thing.

He certainly can't prove
that I gave the filc to Bordcn.

Wc're not in court, sir.
Therc's no burden of proof.

Right. They're not convicting ...

just denying .

But why would Hill come herc
to tcar me down? What's his angle?

Do peoplc need a reason
to do the right thing?

As he sccs it.

I told you , Oppenheimer poisoned
the scientists against me,

right from that first meoting.

I don 't know what Oppenheimor
said to him that day,

but Einstein wouldn't even mcct my eye.

[no audible dialoguc]

[Strauss] Oppenheimor knows
how to manipulato his own.

And at Los Alamos,
he preyed on the naivete of scientists

who thought they'd gct a say
in how we used their work.

Don't ever think
he was tha.t naive himself.

[Robb] Doctor.

During your work on the hydrogen bomb,
were you deterred by any moral qualms?

Yes, of course.

But you still got on with your work,
didn't you?

Yes, because this was work of exploration.
lt was not the preparation of a weapon.

You mea.n it was more of
an academic excursion?

No, it is not a.n academic thing
whethcr you can build a hydrogen bomb.

It's a matter of lifc a.nd death.

By 1 942,

you werc actively pushing the development
of the hydrogen bomb, weren't you?

Pushing's not the right word.
Supporting it and working on it, yes.

So when did those moral qualms
become so strong

that you actively opposcd the development
of thc hydrogen bomb?

When it was suggested
that it be the policy of the United Statcs

to make these things at all cost,
without rogard to the ba.lance

between these weapons
a.nd atomic wea.pons as part of our arsena.l.

What do moral qualms have to do with that?

-What do moral qua.lms have to do with it?
-Yes.

Oppenheimcr wanted to own thc atomic bomb.

He wanted to bo the man
who moved thc Ea.rth.

Hc talks about putting
the nucloar genie back in the bottle.

Well , l'm here to tell you
tha.t l know J . Robert Oppenheimer,

and if he could do it all over,
he'd do it all thc same.

You know ho's never once said
that he regrets Hiroshima?

He'd do it a.ll over. Why?

Because it ma.de him
thc most important ma.n who ever Iivod.

[stammcring]
Well, we've freely used the a.tomic bomb--

[Robb] In fact, Doctor,
you a.ssisted in selecting the ta.rgct

to drop the atomic bomb on Japan ,
didn't you?

-Yes.
-[Robb] Then you knew, did you not,

that by dropping that atomic bomb
on the target you selccted ,

that thousands of civilians would be
killed or injurcd, is that correct?

-Ycs, not as many as turned out--
-[feet stamping]

Oh. Well, how many
were killed or injured?

70,ÜÜÜ.

7Ü,ÜÜÜ a.t both Hiroshima and--

11 Ü,Ü00 at both .

[Robb] On the day of each bombing?

-Yes.
-And in the weeks and years that followed?

It has been put at somcwhcre
bctween 5Ü,000 and 1 ÜÜ,000.

-220,ÜÜÜ dead, at least.
-[Oppenhcimer] Yes.

Any moral scruplcs about that?

Terriblc ones.

Yet you testified in here that the bombing
of Hiroshima wa.s very succcssful .

-Technica.Ily succossful .
-Oh! Technically, it was very succcssful.

And it is also alleged
to have holped end the war.

Would you have been supportive of the
dropping of a. hydrogen bomb on Hiroshima?

-That would make no sense at a.ll .
-Why?

[stammering] The target is too small .

Well, supposing there had becn
a target in Japan big onough

for a thermonuclear weapon ,

would you havc been opposed
to the dropping of it?

This was not a problem
with which I was confronted--

I'm confronting you with it now, sir.

It was all part of his pla.n .

He wanted the glorious, insincere guilt
of the self-important

to wear like a fucking crown.

Say, "No, wc cannot go down this road ,"
cven as he knew we'd ha.ve to.

Would you have been opposed
to tho dropping

of a thermonuclear weapon on Japan
beca.use of mora.l scruples?

-Yes, I believe I would , sir.
-[fcet stamping]

Did you oppose the dropping

of a.n atomic bomb on Hiroshima
beca.use of mora.l scruples?

-We sct forth our arg--
-No, you.

-I'm asking you. You!
-I set--

I set forth our arguments
against dropping it,

-but I did not cndorse them.
-[stamping intensifies]

You mea.n after working night and da.y
for threo years building the bomb,

you thcn argued against the use of it.
[laughs]

I was a.sked by the secrotary of war
what the views of scientists were.

I gave him the views aga.inst
and the views for.

You supportcd the dropping
of thc a.tom bomb on Japan.

-What do you moan, "support"?
-[Robb] You supported it.

-You helped pick the target, didn't you?
-I did my job.

I was not in a policy-making position
at Los Ala.mos.

I would have done anything
I was asked to do.

Then you would havc built
the H-bomb too, wouldn't you?

-I couldn't.
-I didn't ask you that, Doctor.

And the GAC report,

which you co-a.uthored
aftcr the Soviet atomic tcst,

-said a Super bomb should ncver be built.
-[sta.mping intensifies]

What wc meant-- What l meant was--

-What you? Who? Who?
-What l mea.nt--

And wouldn't the Russians
do anything to increase their strength?

-[sta.mping stops]
-If we did it, they would have to do it.

Our efforts would only fuel thcir efforts,
just a.s it had with the atomic bomb.

"Just as it had with the atomic bomb,"
exactly!

No moral scruples in 1 945, plenty in 1 949.

[Gray] Dr. Oppenheimcr...

when did
your strong moral convictions develop

with respect to the hydrogen bomb?

When it became clcar to me...

that wc would tend
to use any wcapon we had.

[Strauss]
J. Hobert Oppenhoimor the Martyr.

I gave him exactly wha.t he wanted .

To be remembered for Trinity,
not Hiroshima.

Not Nagasaki.

He should be thanking me.

Wcll, he's not.

Do we still have enough votes,

or is the crowning momcnt of my caroer

about to become
the most public humiliation of my life?

Full Senate's a.bout to vote.
You'll scrapc through .

Great, then ga.ther the fucking press.

[Gray] Dr. J . Robert Oppenheimer.

This board ,
ha.ving hcard testimony from you

and many of your current
and former colleagucs,

has come to the unanimous conclusion
tha.t you are a loyal citizcn.

However, in tho Iight
of your continuing associations

and disregard for thc security apparatus
of this country,

togcther with your somewhat
disturbing conduct

on the hydrogen bomb program,

and the regrettable lack of candor

in ccrtain of your responses
to this boa.rd,

we havc voted two-to-one

to deny thc rcnewal
of your sccurity clearance.

A full writtcn opinion,
with a dissent from Mr. Evans,

will be issued to the AEC
in the coming days.

Tha.t is all.

Gordon.

[indistinct]

[Kitty on phone] Hobort.

Hobort.

Don't, uh ...

Don't take in the sheets.

[reportcrs clamoring]

-[reportcr] Sir.
-[Senatc aide] Two minutes. Two minutcs.

You'll get your shot.

[clamoring continues]

[Strauss] Is it official?

[Scnate aide] Well , there were a couple
of unexpccted holdouts.

I'm denied. Yeah?

-I'm afraid so, sir.
-All right.

Who were the holdouts?

Um . . . Therc were three,

Ied by the junior senator
from Massachusetts.

Young guy trying to make
a name for himself,

didn't Iike what you did to Oppenheimer.

Wha.t's his na.mo?

Uh, Kcnnedy. John F. Kennedy.

Kitty?

Did you think that if you lct them
tar and feathcr you,

that the world would forgive you?

It won't.

We'll see.

Goddamn it.

[muttering]

You told me l'd be okay.

Yea.h, well ,
I didn't havc a.Il thc facts, did I?

Herc's a fact.

President Eisenhower
pinned the Mcdal of Freedom

on my chest last year,

'cause l'vc a.lways donc
what's right for this country.

Thoy don't want me in the Ca.binet room?

Oh, that's-- That's fine.

Maybe thcy should just invite
Oppenhcimer instea.d .

Maybe they will.

I told you, he turned thc scientists
against me one by one,

starting with Einstein.

I told you about Einstein.
I saw him by thc pond .

You did, but you know, sir,

since nobody really knows
what they said to cach other that day,

is it possible
they didn't talk about you at all?

Is it possible they spoke about somcthing ...

more important?

-[rcportor] Mr. Strauss!
-[a.ll clamoring]

[camcra. shutters clicking]

Oh! [chuckles]

Thank you. [chuckles]

Albort.

-Ah . . .
-[clears throat]

The man of the moment.

You oncc held a reccption for mc.

-I n Berkeley. You gave me an award , mmm?
-Yes.

You all thought
that I had lost the ability to understa.nd

what l'd startcd.

So, the award really wasn't for mc.

It was for all of you, hmm?

Now it's your turn

to deal with tho consequences
of your achievcment.

And one day,

when they've punished you enough ...

they'Il serve you salmon and potato salad.

Make spccches...

[no audible dialoguc]

...give you a modal.

Hello, Frank.

You're happy, I'm happy.

[Einstein] Patyou on the back,
tellyou all is forgivon.

Just remombor...

it won 't bo foryou.

It'll bo for them.

Albert.

When l came to you
with those calculations,

we thought we might start
a chain reaction that would

destroy the entire world?

Mmm. I rcmember it well. What of it?

I believe we did .

[feet stamping]

[stamping continues]