PHYS P20- Physicists of the Nuclear Age

Assignment 1: Topic 2

February 9 2018

Shayne Rebello- 10135757

Word Count: 1088

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 The scientific advancements made during the nuclear age continue to impact the modern

world. Improvements in science, technology and healthcare can be attributed to the work of

many hardworking men and women in particular; Einstein, Bohr, Teller and Oppenheimer. As

each contributed towards the bomb and saw the weapon in use, each was forced to confront the

morality of their work and its impact on mankind. Although Einstein, Bohr and Oppenheimer

shared similar ideas that contrasted Teller, each scientist saw the reality of a nuclear world in a

uniquely different perspective. This paper will attempt to study the views and opinions of 4 of

the great nuclear physicists and predict how they would view and react to a 21st century nuclear

threat.

Although not directly involved in the Manhattan Project, Albert Einstein’s scientific

contributions and political urgings undoubtedly facilitated its creation. (Morris). Considering his

political affiliations and worldview, if Einstein were alive he would likely advocate for peaceful

disarmament of nuclear weapons and would advise nations to avoid war at all costs. Einstein was

a scientist focused on peace and he displayed this nature while appearing on an NBC broadcast

highlighting the ecological and existential risks posed by nuclear proliferation(Castel). On this

very public platform, he denounced the US national defence strategy based on nuclear

proliferation and called it a policy based on a “disastrous Illusion” (Greene). Unlike Teller, he

believed global peace could not be achieved though the consolidation of arms and he promoted

non-violence though his involvement in numerous anti-militaristic organizations. For one, he

was a part of War Resisters International whose charter states that “War is the greatest crime

against humanity.” (WRL) He was also involved in the creation of Russell-Einstein manifesto

during the height of the cold war which urged politicians to seek peaceful solutions to global

conflicts(Statement). His anti-war convictions made him a target, but his steadfastness and

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ability to gather support amongst his peers likely prevented further use of nuclear weapons. If a

conflict were to break out in modern times, Einstein would assume a pacifistic stance and urge

his fellow scientists and politicians to do the same. He would advise against any form of

stockpiling because he viewed war in general as a waste of resources and of human life(Albert).

Instead, he would argue that technology and science should be used exclusively to improve

society rather than employing it to create violence.

Niels Bohr was another important physicist during the nuclear age as his findings on

Uranium 235 allowed the bomb to be created. Similarly, to Einstein, Bohr was averse to violent

conflict and recognized the potential threat that nuclear proliferation posed to the continuation of

humanity (Niels). He fought against the monopolization of nuclear capabilities and instead

argued that this information should be shared internationally (Open). Bohr reasoned that national

governments should not poses the powers of a nuclear arsenal and argued for an international

authority to control all aspects of nuclear energy. This notion was presented in an open letter to

the United Nations in which he pleads, “Humanity will be confronted with dangers of

unprecedented character unless, measures to establish an international control of the manufacture

and use of the powerful materials.”( Bohr) In this 1950 address at the beginning of the cold war,

he hopes to deescalate increasing nuclear tensions by introducing a politically neutral

international agency. Considering his response to cold war nuclear conflicts, in the face of a

nuclear war today, Bohr would likely advocate that all nations surrender their nuclear

technologies, information and production capabilities to an unaffiliated, unbiased and

scientifically based organization like the International Atomic Energy Agency. In his view,

nuclear deterrence on a national level does not foster long term world peace and would therefore

argue against a strategy of M.A.D seemingly employed by the nuclear powers today.

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 Robert Oppenheimer was an incredibly charismatic and intelligent man often credited as

a main contributor to the nuclear bomb (J.Robert). Despite initially supporting of the bomb’s

development, Oppenheimer changed his views after his creation was deployed. The carnage

created in Japan by the bomb had smeared “blood on his hands” and drove him to adopt a

crusade against nuclear proliferation and further research into the Hydrogen bomb (Nuclear).

After bombing Nagasaki, he pleaded with President Truman to set up an international atomic

control council and was a crucial contributor to the influential Acheson-Lilienthal report. In this

report, Oppenheimer outlines views similar to Bohr and argues that international control of the

source of uranium (mines) was crucial to ensuring world peace (Acheson). With this view in

mind, in the event of a modern nuclear war, Oppenheimer would likely side with Einstein and

Bohr by promoting the idea of an international atomic control agency in order to reduce global

tensions. This agency would control all uranium mines and production facilities so that no

government could develop nuclear capabilities and encourage an arms race. The impact on Japan

changed his views on nuclear warfare and it is therefore unlikely that he would support national

nuclear proliferation or retaliation considering his guilty conscious and the cataclysmic powers

of the modern nuclear arsenal.

William Teller was a very politically savvy scientist who worked closely with Oppenheimer at

Los Alamos and is credited for the development of the hydrogen bomb and the military industrial

complex (Castel). Portrayed as ex Nazi mad scientist fascinated by the destructive forces of

nuclear warfare, Teller’s personality is likely exaggerated in Kubrick’s eerily satirical film.

However, there is truth in his war hungry attitude and apparent disregard for peaceful resolutions

as evidenced by Isador Rabi’s description of him as “an enemy of humanity.” (Goodchild) He

was perhaps the biggest proponent of nuclear weaponry and advocated in the public sphere for

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its development by highlighting the threat of soviet communism (Castel). He opposed all

propositions for peaceful disarmament or international control; insisting that the path to world

peace lied in nuclear deterrence and defense capabilities. (Goodchild). With these beliefs in

mind, in the event of a nuclear war Teller would likely disagree with the other great scientists

belief in nuclear de-escalation and international control. In his mind, developing nuclear

weapons was a strategy of deterrence that would prevent any nation from launching an attack.

Furthermore, he would probably advocate for investments in defense capabilities as evidenced

by his interests in the Strategic Air Command in response to the cold war nuclear threats. As

such, Teller would likely see a nuclear war as a chance to further the military industrial complex

and increase the power of the military.

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