Christopher Nolan takes us back in time with Oppenheimer, to witness an event that marked the history of humanity: the creation of the atomic bomb and the devastation of war. Robert Oppenheimer’s participation in the development of this powerful weapon makes him both a hero and a criminal.
On the one hand, some still applaud his contribution as a physicist and his brilliant mind to put an end to a horrible war, but on the other hand, others see him as a murderer, having ended the lives of more than 200,000 people, most of them innocent.
This July 21, the long-awaited film about the ‘father of the atomic bomb’ will finally hit theaters, but if you want to arrive well prepared for the movie, understand the context, and sound like an expert, we recommend you to take a look at the historical facts parallel to this event.
Historical Facts You Should Know Before Watching Oppenheimer
War Communism
More than a fact, this is a concept that is repeated several times in the film. This term is the result of an economic and social policy implemented during the Russian Civil War (1918-1922). This system is understood as an authoritarian control of the military and ruling powers over Soviet regions.
But why was the United States against the communists? The United States declared itself to be a capitalist nation, upholding the principles of liberal democracy and private property, while communism is based on the abolition of private property and a belief in economic equality. These ideological differences led to a deep distrust and antagonism between the two systems, especially after the war in what is known as the Cold War.
World War II
World War II was a conflict that occurred between 1939 and 1945, involving the most powerful countries in the countries of the world and their colonies. There were two main military alliances: the Axis Powers, led by Germany, Italy, and Japan; and the Allies, led by the United States, the Soviet Union, the United Kingdom, and China.
So far, it is considered the most extensive event in history, as it encompassed clashes in Europe, Africa, Asia, and the Pacific Ocean. The war was triggered by the aggression of Germany and its allies, who sought to expand their territory and spread a racist ideology imposed by Hitler. As we know, the Allies won the war.
The Manhattan Project
During World War II, the Manhattan Project was a U.S.-led research and development effort aimed at building the first atomic bomb. Led by Robert Oppenheimer and a team of extremely brilliant scientists, operations started in 1939 and were successfully completed in 1945.
Hitler’s Death
Hitler died on April 30, 1945, in his bunker in Berlin, Germany. Faced with the imminent defeat of his ‘Third Reich’ and the arrival of Soviet forces in the city, Hitler decided to take his own life rather than be captured by his enemies.
There are several versions of his death, but the best known is the one that assures that he shot himself in the head while ingesting cyanide (poison) right next to his newly-bride Eva Braun. His followers burned his body so there could be no trace for the Soviets to ridicule his remains. Hitler’s death marked the end of the conflict in European regions; thus it was a significant event for the end of World War II.
The Trinity Test
On July 16, 1945, months after Hitler’s death, the first successful nuclear test was conducted in Alamogordo, New Mexico, called the Trinity Test. It demonstrated the feasibility of controlled nuclear fission.
The Atomic Bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki
On August 6, 1945, the United States dropped the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima, followed by the bombing of Nagasaki on August 9 of the same year. These bombings caused massive devastation, the loss of more than 200,000 lives, and the suffering of millions of people, but at the same time, played a decisive role in Japan’s surrender to end World War II.
The Cold War
The Cold War was a period of political tension and ideological rivalry during the late World War II and early 1990s. It was a non-violent but intense conflict involving the United States, the Soviet Union, and their respective blocs of allies. It was characterized by a nuclear weapon race, espionage, propaganda, and indirect confrontations in different parts of the world, such as the space race, the Cuban missile crisis, and the Korean War.
The Cold War was based on ideological, economic, and political differences, with capitalism and liberal democracy on one side, and communism and socialism on the other. It came to an end with the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, and the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991; a new world order was born.
Now you are ready to enjoy Oppenheimer to the fullest!
This story was written in Spanish by Nayeli Párraga in Cultura Colectiva
Here are the stories of the characters you’ll see in the movie:
The True Story of Lewis Strauss and His Conflicting Relationship with Oppenheimer
Mistress or Muse? The Story of Jean Tatlock, Florence Pugh’s Character in ‘Oppenheimer’
Richard Feynman: The Tragic Love Story of the Brilliant Manhattan Project Scientist
