All language subtitles for Oppenheimer 105.en

— Through another party?
— Yes,

— Could we know who?
— I think that would be a mistake,

I'll tell you for what reason,

Not to take this person to task in any way...

Early summer, 7945.

Fat Man, the implosion bomb,

was being readied for the Trinity test.

As yet there was still no official decision

on how or even whether it should be used

Germany had always been the target
for the bomb, but now they had surrendered

Instead, japan had become the target.

But there were many project scientists
who opposed the bomb’s use

against a country
without such a weapon of its own,

Petitions had been sent to President 7'ruman

urging restraint on both moral
and political grounds.

And it was with a plea to represent these views

that Oppenheimer, with Fermi and lawrence,

attended a top—level meeting in Washington
to decide the new weapon’s future.

The meeting, held on May 57st,

was chaired by Secretary of State for War,
Henry Stimson.

Gentlemen, it is our responsibility
to recommend action

which may turn the course of civilization.

In our hands, we expect, quite soon,

to have a weapon
of wholly unprecedented destructive power.

Today's prime fact is still war.

Our great task is to bring this war
to a prompt and successful conclusion.

Now, erm...

Before this meeting, I had the pleasure
of a conversation with Dr. Lawrence.

He indicated that
there was a certain amount of concern

within the scientific community

as to how this weapon should be employed.

Yes, I'm speaking primarily
from what I know of the situation in Berkeley.

— Yes.
— It's certainly the case in Chicago.

I'm aware of that, Dr. Fermi.
Every mailbag seems to bring a new petition.

And would you say, Dr. Oppenheimer,
that this was the case too in Los Alamos?

Yes, sir.

Mr. Secretany, I would say it's perfectly natural
we feel a certain amount of concern.

Of course. And this is something
that will be taken under full consideration

and by the proper authorities.

But what I think we're looking for today

is hard information
as to what possibilities are open to us.

Now, during our conversation...

Dr. Lawrence made the interesting suggestion

that before using this weapon in combat,

we should give the Japanese
a practical demonstration of its power.

We should... I wonder if you could amplify
that suggestion, Dr. Lawrence.

— Are we talking technically, Mr. Secretany?
— I would say so.

Well, sir, I don't think I'm the person to ask.

I think Dr. Oppenheimer has a far greater
understanding of the technical possibilities.

Dr. Oppenheimer, can you help us?

While you're collecting your thoughts,
we could have a review of the military outlook,

leaving this weapon out of the picture.

It's been our belief for some time now

that the Japanese will not be persuaded
to quit this war until they are forced to,

which essentially means not until their
home islands are not only invaded but occupied.

Consequently the joint chiefs of staff have
ordered preparations for just such an invasion.

May I?

If I may have your attention over here. Map.

Now...

In the first phase,
we envisage a landing in the fall

on this little island right here of Kyushu,

to be followed up within four months
by an invasion

of the Japanese main island
of Honshu, right here.

Now we estimate
that the Japanese can still field an army

of approximately five million men
to oppose us.

We could come up with an equivalent number,

although we will be backed up
by far greater air and sea support.

We also estimate that
if these assaults here take place,

we could anticipate casualties
of up to a half a million men.

— That seems high.
— Very high. It's very high.

It's based on experience and I'm talking
about the landings at Luzon and Okinawa.

You see, the Navy Just doesn't have practical,

on—the—ground familiarity
with Japanese resistance. We do.

In any event we are talking of probably
several hundred thousand American casualties.

A heavy price.
Dr, Oppenheimer, are you ready now?

It would not be possible to have
a demonstration of the uranium weapon,

simply because we do not at this time
have enough uranium for more than one bomb.

As for plutonium, we have enough plutonium
for two, maybe three bombs.

We could mount a demonstration of Fat Man.

What are the possibilities?

We could invite Japanese obseryers
to the test shot,

firing it off in the desert like a firecracker.

Would that impress them very much?
Would they believe the evidence of their eyes?

They might suspect a trick.

A few days ago at Trinity we fired 100 tons
of TNT as a kind of preliminary experiment.

It was pretty impressive
but these were Just conventional explosives.

How do we convey the far greater
destructive power

that we may have achieved
with a fission weapon

without actually doing the destroying?

Also, our test will be at ground level.

It won't prove we can do the same thing

with a bomb dropped from an aircraft,
exploding high in the sky.

And what if the test shot is a dud?

It would make us look ridiculous.

It might even have the effect
of stiffening Japanese resistance.

I may be wrong.
I may have overlooked something.

Then it is your Judgment, Dr. Oppenheimer,

that this weapon should be used
in the first instance against an enemy target?

I'm simply stating some of the problems
that I see in relying on a demonstration.

If we use the bomb against a target,
I take it we mean a city?

If we are trying to demonstrate
the bomb's force,

it will have to be a target as large as a city.

Right. I wonder in that event if there's a case
for giving a warning to the Japs first.

Give them a chance to evacuate the civilians.

I think again there's the question
of what happens if the weapon is a dud.

In fact it might even be more serious.

If we announce a big bang
and nothing happens,

we could make ourselves a laughing stock
for the whole of Japan.

It would look bad over here too.
We'd all look like idiots.

If the loss of face is a serious matter,

even more serious may be
the loss of the shock effect,

the chance that the sudden use of this weapon
might break Japanese resistance at one stroke.

If a demonstration failed or failed to impress,
that chance would have been lost.

Also, given warning, the Japanese might attempt
to shoot down the attack plane,

or to move American prisoners of war
into the target area.

I think we're all sympathetic
to the idea of a warning.

I Just can't see my way past the obJections.

So what we seem to be moving toward

is a recommendation that this weapon
should be employed against an enemy city

without prior warning.

Mr. Oppenheimer,
I thought your contribution was excellent.

— Thank you, sir.
— Clear. Very clear.

And I want to say how keenly interested we are
in this forthcoming test of yours.

I'm speaking for the President when I say that.

In confidence, there are plans for Mr. Truman
to go to Germany in the near future,

where he'll be talking to Churchill and Stalin
about the problems of post—war Europe.

There's a certain amount of apprehension

about the Russian position
on quite a number of issues.

They're behaving like bastards.

It would be enormously encouraging
for our side

if you could give us a success
out there in New Mexico.

It's always handy when you're talking to a bear
to have a big stick.

Don't have to use it, of course, but...

I shouldn't be bothering you with these matters.

I Just want to wish you every good fortune.

How soon can you have your test?

General Groves indicated the fourth of July.
That would be...appropriate.

I don't know that we can make that date.

Well, I know you won't delay needlessly.

We'll be waiting patiently for the good news.

Oppie, we'd better get it right.

— Any problems?
— Huh? No.

— When's Kisti due?
— Noon.

Unless he hits a bump in the road.

— He must be neryous.
— He won't hit a bump.

No, in case this thing doesn't go.

He better be neryous.

They're testing a duplicate
explosive assembly tomorrow.

We'll have a better idea then.

Well, this is it, General.

This turns over ownership of the plutonium core
from our keeping to the army.

If you'd Just sign right there.
It's your baby now.

OK. I'd kind of like to see what I'm buying.

OK. Pass the boxes up here, John.

It's all in these.

In fact, we're Just about
to start assembling the core.

What then?

Well, Kistiakowsky is bringing the explosive
assembly over to the shot tower,

and when he's ready and we're ready,

we'll take the plug over to the tower,
fit it inside the assembly...

That'll be your bomb.

— Would you like to feel it?
— Yeah.

Uh. Just wait a minute.
You've got to have some gloves on.

Keep monitoring the air vent.
We're gonna open one up here.

Hey, it's warm.

Hey, look at this!

All right, let's get that canvas off,
let's get that hook on. Let's move.

All right, up, up. Pick it up there.

Gently now.

— Take that down there.
— Watch out now.

OK, it's gonna want to turn. Let it turn.

Turn right around. This is up.

All the way up.

That's good.

Now slow.

Is this frame right? Little too far. Too far.

Whoa!

So far so good.

Now, we get rid of the truck, tie off the ropes
and get started on the tent.

— How did it go?
— Fine, fine, everything's fine.

— And the test for the explosive assembly?
— They're going to fire it tomorrow morning.

— Nothing to worry about.
— I hope you're right.

Right, now... Excuse me.
Everybody listen to what I'm saying.

It is most important
that we have a clear, clean...

Look, Oppie, it's going to take
some time to set up, OK?

All right.

— You know the way to the McDonald ranch?
— Yes, sir.

Let's go.

(Telephone)

Get it?

Kisti's on the phone for you.

OK.

— What's that?
— The initiator.

When the shot's fired, that gadget
will release a whole lot of neutrons.

— You know about neutrons?
— Sure. They're gonna make the big bang.

Or the big fizzle.
Haven't you heard the Implosion Blues?

— No.
— Goes like this.

"From this crude lab that spawned a dud,
their necks to Truman's axon curled

"Lo, the embattled scientists stood,

"and fired the flop heard round the world"

Hey, there's no doubt this thing will work.

OK. Kisti's ready. Let's go.

OK. Take it away.

John.

Easy.

OK?

— No...
— Yes, yes.

(Car horn)

(Geiger counter crackling)

— It's stuck.
— What?

It's stuck. The plug's stuck. It won't fit.

All right. Let's by and work it out.

Oppie, we'll Just be a moment.

Raise it up one.

How's it going?

— It doesn't fit.
— What?

The plug doesn't fit!

It's unbelievable. Two and a half years
and it doesn't even fit together.

— It can't be.
— Hey. I think we've got it.

Look, the core came down here
a day ahead of the explosive assembly.

We figure the desert heat
made the uranium expand.

So we're gonna leave them
resting against each other,

give them a chance
to even up the temperature between them.

Can I have one of those?

— You've got to keep calm, Bob.
— You know it.

— Grace under pressure.
— Absolutely.

— It's OK!
— It fits?

Yeah, like a glove. Sony, Oppie.

— Hi.
— Oppie around?

Yeah, he's in the tent.

I got bad news for him.
Weather report for the 16th. Thunder storms.

OK, hold it. Lend us a hand here.
Put some mattresses under.

— Mattresses?
— If the cable snaps, happy landings.

OK? Good.

OK, that's enough.

Go ahead.

— What's the problem?
— Cable's Jammed!

Come on down and have a look!

It looks OK.

Well. You had breakfast yet, Oppie?

Yeah. No. I haven't.

Come on! Kisti?

All right. Dennis?

All right? Right, take it up!

I've Just been inspecting the trench.
Everything seems to be in order.

— Did you get the bomb loaded?
— We got something up there.

— Maybe it's not a bomb.
— What?

Just got news from Los Alamos.
They did a test on a dummy explosive assembly.

It's a dud.

— What do you mean?
— I mean Kistiakowsky's blown it.

— Where's Oppenheimer?
— I left him in the mess hall.

Let's go.

Oppie. I've Just heard.

Now listen to me.
I don't believe this, all right?

I can't tell you how disgusted I am.
You've single—handed ruined this entire proJect!

— Not in here.
— Oppie, I Just don't understand this test.

— I swear it'll work.
— That's not what the test says.

— The test is wrong!
— The test is wrong how?

— I don't know how.
— This is all we need.

Oppie, I know it will work. I'm so confident!

I'll tell you what I'll do.
I'll bet you a month's salary to $10 it'll work.

You're on.

When I make my report to Washington...

How you got the goddamn nerye
to threaten me?

— When I make my report...
— You're Just looking for a scapegoat!

Well, I don't have to look very far, do I?

Hello, Oppie.

(Man coughing)

(Coughing continues)

(Jeep approaches and stops)

— (Knocking)
— Yeah, come in.

Sir. I was looking for Dr. Oppenheimer.

— Is it important?
— Call from Los Alamos.

— (Coughing continues)
— Just follow the cough.

(Coughs)

— Los Alamos on the line for you, sir.
— Right.

— Yes?
— (Man) I want to speak to Oppenheimer.

— Yes, it's Oppenheimer.
— OppieI it’s Hans Bethe here.

— Yes?
— Han Bethe here.

— Yes, Hans, go ahead.
— We found the failure in the mechanism.

— 7'here’s...
— Are you sure?

7'here’s no reason why it shouldn’t work.
Absolutely no reason.

— That's wonderful!
— Hey, Oppie...

Hans, thank...

— Good morning, Tom.
— Morning.

I hear you got some good news!

— What?
— You got a call, didn't you?

Oh, that? Hans Bethe? Yeah, that's OK.

Well, what happened exactly?

The test they ran on the explosive assembly
was Just a lousy test.

What do you mean?

According to Bethe,

with the test they set up, they couldn't have got
better results than they did.

It was Just a bad test.

There isn't any reason to believe he won't go.

Fine. Fine!

I guess we'll have to apologize to Kisti.
If I can find him.

Never apologize. Does a subordinate good
to get a chewing out.

Of course it's kind of tough if he doesn't
deserye it. Still, the good effect remains.

It reminds me of when I was constructing a dam
outside of Savannah, Georgia back in '36.

Maybe '35.
I don't know if I ever told you about it.

Many, many times.

Well, I'll be damned.

Isidor Rabi! I heard a rumor
you were around here. I didn't believe it.

So far from Hoboken.

— You know my brother.
— Sure.

— Good to see you.
— How are you, Frank?

So, er...what do you do for kicks around here?

Oh...we gamble.

Yeah? At what?

On the yield from that.

We've got a pot going. Dollar a guess.

— All right.
— OK.

Most of the numbers are taken already.

18,000 tons of TNT is still open, so is zero.

— Nothing in between.
— What are you betting on?

200 tons.

That's a dud.

What can I have?

— 18,000 or nothing.
— Well, I'll take 18,000.

— Thanks.
— Don't thank me.

It's a sure thing.

It's kinda quiet around here.
I thought things would be humming.

— The calm before the storm.
— The calm before something.

No, Sunday is a day of rest.
Bainbridge even has it on his schedule.

Sunday we look for rabbit's feet,
four—leaf clovers.

Here.

That faded fast.

Kitty gave it to me before we left home.

Well, I'm going to work.
I'm going to build some Japanese houses.

See over here?

I'm going to spread these things around.

See what the impact is.

See ya.

So how's things?

Nothing much else we can do.

They're putting on the detonators now.

Any worries?

The weather.

Storm blowing up.

Some desert.

Still set for 4:00am?

God willing.

(Thunder)

— Testing.
— (Man) I hear you.

— Testing.
— I hear you. I hear you.

— (Music on radio)
— Oh, get off.

(Thunder)

(Jeep approaches)

Harly? I'm gonna have one last look.

— Hi.
— Hi.

— How's it going?
— OK.

I keep thinking, what if the lightning hits?

That's it.

— I'll see you down below.
— See you.

— How's it looking?
— Pretty.

— This weather's a disgrace.
— What's the latest?

Storm headed this way.
Should hit early morning.

Do you want to delay the shot?
We got better predictions for the day after.

Be hard to get everybody up for it again.

And I don't know what will happen to
the electrical circuits if we leave it for 24 hours.

Oppie, I want a guard on this tower.

— Against what?
— Japs.

Parachutists. Hell, I don't know.
I want a guard.

— We got MPs all over the place.
— They can be infiltrated.

I want our own people. I want scientists.

I'll talk to you later.

— Are you sure you can handle that thing?
— Certainly. I was in Russian army.

White Russian.

Good God.

What the heck use are these?
"Maybe." "Could be." "On the other hand."

Why don't they get off their butts
and give us some good news?

Weathermen don't make the weather.

This is Just passing the buck. Nothing firm.

— I say we go.
— We can't go on those reports.

You're risking radioactive fallout
on a populated area.

— I said I'd take responsibility...
— Yeah, I heard that.

Well?

Do you have any idea
what the effect of radiation fallout could be?

No, I don't. Do you?

— Nobody does.
— All right. It's a risk but...

— It's an unacceptable risk.
— All right, unacceptable but...

Stop. Look...

They'll be getting another report to Bainbridge
in 15 minutes.

Let's wait.

Oppie, in the end it's an army decision.

Right?

Long way from Berkeley.

— Any news?
— Not a thing.

— Still bad out there, huh?
— It might be clearing up a bit but not much.

(Sighs) Quarter to five.

I'd kill for a cup of hot coffee.

— There you go.
— Hey, terrific.

I've been busy
helping the guys out at the tower.

— How are they doing?
— Restless.

Kisty's mad at Groves.

He asked what happens if the shot goes ahead
and the Jeep breaks down.

Groves says, "It'll take at least half an hour.

"I reckon you can walk quite a way
in half an hour."

(Telephone)

Yeah?

What?

When?

Yeah. OK. thank you.

Yes, well, thank you very much!

Oppie? Yes.

Kisti? Kisti, it's Frank.
Now don't talk. Just keep quiet.

The winds are moving
at eleven miles per hour now.

— They're moving in a north—easterly direction.
— Just a minute!

The overcast is breaking, yes.

— It'll last for about two hours.
— Kisti, keep quiet!

Right. OK. 5:30.

Kisti? Kisti, we go...

5:30. It's go!

My God, you've been in the best place.
Do you know that?

Damn Groves. Who does he think
we're guarding it against anyway?

Where the hell is it? How far away is the shot?

About 20 miles.

— Do you think we'll see anything?
— I got it.

Zero minus nine minutes.

You know, at zero minus ten seconds
I'm going to panic and say, "This can't go on."

Pull this.

— Fermi!
— Hi.

My God!

Five minutes.

You’re listening to Voice Of America.

A small experiment.

— Are you sure we're going to need this?
— Yes.

— What's this?
— Suntan lotion.

There will be strong ultra violet rays.

It's very thoughtful of you, Edward.

Very good. Yeah, very thoughtful indeed.

I'll get this all over my glasses now.

Zero minus one minute.

59 seconds.

58...57...

56...55...

..46...45...

Muir}...

41.41...

40.59...

One last look at creation.

..23...22...

21...20...

19...18...

17...16...

15...14...

13...12...

11...10...

9...8...7...

6...5...4...

3...2...1...

Zero.

— (All laugh, cheer and shout)
— We did it!

That was huge!

(Excited shouting)

That was it? It's come 20 miles!

(All cheering)

Oh, my God!

(Oppenheimer) I am become death,

the destroyer of worlds.

(Men laugh and cheer)

Oppie, you owe me $10!

I've got something to tell Stimson.

— I wonder how much blast we got.
— 20,000 tons TNT equivalent.

How do you know?

Distance these were blown.
It's a simple equation.

20,000 tons?

I have got something to tell Stimson!

Good Job, Ken.

Now we're all sons of bitches.

(Narrator) In the weeks following 7'rinity,

both Fat Man and the uranium bomb
were sent out to the Pacific island of 7'inia,

ready for the final drop on japan.

But in Washington, even at this late stage,

the protests, petitions and polls

still kept arriving
from scientists all over the project

Congratulations, General. Excellent. Excellent.

How was it? Really.

It was... It was something.

I'll bet. I wish I could have been there.

When we got the news in Potsdam we were
thrilled. The President Just seemed to grow.

How did, uh... How did Stalin take the news?

Ah. Strange. Didn't bat an eyelid.
Wished us luck.

Of course the President told him
pretty informally

and Uncle Joe may have been bluffing.

Anyway, we were delighted.

Sir, the whole building seems to know about it.

Hm? Not in any detail, I hope.

I hope not. I'd hate there to have been any leak
before we can hit the Japs.

Yeah. Well.

We must press on.
What's the present status of the mission?

We have the personnel for the Little Boy
strike force assembled on Tinian Island.

We should be ready to go July 31st,

weather permitting, Hiroshima.

— A week from now.
— Yes, sir.

Fat Man, he'll be ready to go
maybe ten days after that.

Excellent. Excellent.

Now, Groves, what are we going to do
about these scientists?

I figured you had to see that, sir.

But what do you want me to do?

It's too late for this kind of thing.

Let me explain.

Arthur Compton indicated to me
that the situation in Chicago was still serious.

I was worried that
some scientists might go public.

— That would be treason.
— Yes, but that's how it was.

So I suggested they all get together.
Talk it over.

Get the whole metallurgy lab take a vote.
Send me the results.

This?

I thought it would keep them busy at least.

— I can't show this to the President.
— No.

He likes clear, straightforward recommendations,
not votes.

It would be inappropriate, Mr. Secretaly.

I can't Just sit on it either.

After the war it mightn't look too good.
For either of us.

— Let me handle this, sir.
— What are you going to do?

I thought I'd send it to Oppenheimer.
Get his whole panel to look it over.

— Is that a good idea?
— I think so.

I think Oppie has a very mature attitude
to this business.

I hope so.
My guess it'll show we didn't Just ignore it.

You leave it to me, Mr. Secretaly.

It's essential that this attack takes place.

Don't worny, sir.
The Japs are in for a big surprise.

This has less and less to do with Japan.

Sit down, General.

— In great confidence...
— Yes, sir.

There exists a secret agreement
with the Russians

to come into the fight against Japan
in early August.

My God.

The Red Army will move against Japanese forces
on the Asian mainland —

Manchuria, Mongolia...

God knows where they'll stop.

This war has got to end double quick.

I get reports from the State Department
Japan's about ready to quit.

Matter of weeks.

I wish I could give them the time.

We're asked,
"What's the quickest way to end the war?"

What else can we answer?

I wish to God I was in Chicago writing petitions
instead of in here.

Ernest, the problem is the war, not the bomb.

The bomb will stop the war.

You could always write
a minority recommendation.

No, no, I'm convinced it's the right thing,
it's the only thing.

OK, I'm convinced!

At least I'm in good company.

— Let's drink to that.
— No, I think I'll Just take a walk.

Get a little fresh air.

— We should draft a reply to Groves.
— Why don't you do it, Oppie?

You always know what to say.

Good night.

— Poor Ernest.
— Enrico.

Thanks.

How do you feel, Oppie?

I don't know.

Excited.

— (Bell ringing)
— Here it comes!

Oh, boy.

— Oh, boy! Come on, come on!
— Beautiful!

— Beautiful!
— That's it!

— Woo—hoo!
— We did it!

Get Oppie on the phone.

— "In all respects successful."
— Get me Dr. Oppenheimer's house.

Hello, Oppie? Fantastic news.

"In all respects successful."

— "Exceeded Trinity test. Invisible effects."
— Exceeded Trinity test. Invisible effects.

— "One third bigger radius than Trinity test."
— One third greater radius.

Yes, it's coming in right now in the teletype.

(Cheering)

(Man) We're at 30,000 feet here.

When it wobbles there, that's when
the shockwaves hit the obseryer plane.

Hiroshima several days later.

Not much left.

Look at that. One bomb.

Ours.

There's some interesting side—effects.

The obJects disintegrate
but their shadows are left imprinted.

There we have some leaves.

A wheel.

A man was sitting there.

Nagasaki.

(Groves) Right on the button!

On the ground, that was the Mitsubishi factony,

900 yards from blast center.

Penitentiany, 300 yards from blast.

They had 140 prisoners there.

— Any suryivors?
— No, they died in the cells.

A school, 550 yards from the blast.

They included some shots
of the first—aid centers.

That's it.

Hm.

How about that?

What's wrong?

Oppie, wait.

Did that bother you?

Oppie, we had to do it.

There wasn't any option.

— I believe that.
— Well?

I feel we've got blood on our hands.

It's Just a feeling.