Released practically alongside the hit film, “To End All War: Oppenheimer & the Atomic Bomb” is a documentary that explores the life of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the physicist who led the Manhattan Project and developed the first atomic bomb. A great complement to the fiction film, the documentary investigates Oppenheimer’s personal life alongside his scientific achievements, focusing on his role in creating the atomic bomb and his political struggle after World War II, when he was left aside after not wanting to develop the hydrogen bomb and ended up publicly excoriated for his communist ties.
The documentary – superficially – examines the ethical issues surrounding the use of atomic weapons and their impact on society, showing some of the results of the bomb developed by Oppenheimer.
“To End All War: Oppenheimer & The Atomic Bomb” seeks an insightful look at the brilliance, arrogance and relentless drive of a man who changed the nature of war forever. The documentary is directed by Christopher Cassel and produced by NBC News Studios, featuring interviews with Christopher Nolan, director of the film Oppenheimer (2023), acquaintances of the scientist and experts, including a Japanese woman who survived the nuclear wrath of destruction in Hiroshima.
With a very distinct life, the film sheds a lot of light on the physicist’s personality, showing not only his qualities but also his defects – even though he sometimes seeks to justify them. An illustrious presence in the documentary is Albert Einstein, who worked at the same university as Oppenheimer after the War – in this sense the film could have addressed Einstein’s vision in the development of the atomic bomb, as the most famous scientist of the 20th century famously did not participate in the development in Los Álamos.
Overall, “To End All War: Oppenheimer & The Atomic Bomb” is a must-see for anyone interested in history, science, and the aftermath of World War II. Despite dealing with scientific issues, the documentary is engaging and thought-provoking, enabling a deeper understanding of one of the most significant events in the history of humanity.
It is worth noting that the title “To End All War” reflects the famous and narcissistic vision of Oppenheimer, who after developing his bomb that would serve to end wars, was against, as mentioned in this article, the advancement of science to develop the hydrogen bomb – a thousand times more powerful than the Oppenheimer bomb. Quite enlightening.
