Who are they bringing in? They hadn't said. STRAUSS: Mr. Chairman, if I may, I'm nominated for Commerce Secretary. 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 scientist testifying. I'd like the chance to cross-examine. This is not a court. STRAUSS: (grunts) Formality, huh? SENATE AIDE: No presidential Cabinet nominee has failed to be confirmed since 1925. This is just how the game is played. It's in the bag, Lewis. So play nice. They bring in a scientist, so what? You don't know scientists like I do, Counselor. They resent anyone who questions their judgment, especially if you're not one of them. I was chair of the AEC. I'm easy to blame for what happened to Robert. We can't have the Senate thinking the scientific community doesn't support you, sir. Or should we pivot? - SENATE AIDE: To what? - And embrace it. "I fought Oppenheimer, and the US won." I-I don't think we need to go there. Isn't there someone we can call who knows what really happened? - Teller. - He'll make an impression. Can you get the name of the scientist they've called? - Probably. - Find out if he was based in Chicago or Los Alamos during the war. Why does that matter? Well, if he was based in Chicago, then he worked under Szilard and Fermi, not the cult of Oppie at Los Alamos. Robert built that damn place. He was founder, mayor, sheriff, all rolled into one. (gripping music playing)
Oppenheimer
57.1s
(exhales sharply) Theory will take you only so far. - BETHE: Mm. - CHEVALIER: Hello! - BARBARA: Hello, you. - KITTY: Hi. BARBARA: We missed him. You want to adopt? - She's kidding. - (Kitty chuckles) We wanted to see you before we left. - For parts unknown. - (chuckles) CHEVALIER: You know who I ran into the other day? Eltenton. ROBERT: Oh. The chemist from Shell? The union guy? CHEVALIER: Yeah. He... The, uh, F.A.E.C.T. guy. He was moaning about how we're handling the war. ROBERT: How so? Lack of cooperation with our allies. Apparently our government's not sharing any research with the Russians. Well, he said, "Most scientists think the policy is stupid." (suspenseful music playing) - ROBERT: Oh, yeah? - CHEVALIER: Yeah. He mentioned that if anyone had anything they wanted to pass on, uh, going around official channels, that he could help.
Oppenheimer
18.8s
It has long been clear to me that I should have reported this incident at once. SENATOR McGEE: The Oppenheimer situation highlights the tension between scientists and the security apparatus. In hopes of learning how the nominee handled such issues during his time at the AEC, we'll have a scientist appearing before the committee.
Oppenheimer
9.3s
Experimental, Theoretical, Metallurgical, Ordnance. Who's running Theoretical? ROBERT: I am. RABI: That's what I was afraid of. You're spread too thin.
Oppenheimer
6.1s
Robert, you're the great improviser, but this... (sighs) you can't do in your head.
Oppenheimer
2.1s
ROBERT: Get them together with the architects.
Oppenheimer
2.2s
When's this place supposed to open?
Oppenheimer
1.8s
Four divisions.
Oppenheimer
2.9s
(baby crying)
Oppenheimer
5.9s
Robert. This is yours, not mine.
Oppenheimer
11.3s
And if the truth is catastrophic? Then you stop. And you share your findings with the Nazis. So neither side destroys the world.
Oppenheimer
21.6s
So here we are, hmm? Lost in your quantum world of probabilities and needing certainty. Can you run the calculations yourself? (chuckles) About the only thing you and I have in common is a disdain for mathematics. Who's working on this in-in Berkeley? Hans Bethe. Well, he'll get to the truth.
Oppenheimer
14.9s
What do you take it to mean? Neutrons smash into nucleus, releasing neutrons to smash into other nuclei. Criticality, a point of no return, massive explosive force. But this time, the chain reaction doesn't stop.