Oppenheimer and Einstein and Japan in English

Oppenheimer and Einstein are both scientists who worked in the field of atomic physics. Oppenheimer was the leader of the Manhattan Project, the American atomic bomb development program, and was involved in the production of the atomic bombs that were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Einstein is known as a genius physicist who proposed the theory of relativity, but he also influenced the atomic bomb development. He wrote a letter to President Roosevelt in 1939, expressing his concern that Germany might be researching nuclear fission and urging him to develop atomic bombs.

However, Oppenheimer and Einstein showed different attitudes towards the use of atomic bombs. Oppenheimer is said to have exclaimed, "I have become death, the destroyer of worlds," quoting a verse from the Bhagavad Gita, when he succeeded in completing the atomic bomb. He also had complex feelings about the dropping of atomic bombs on Japan. He thought it was necessary to end the war sooner, but at the same time he worried about the suffering of the victims and the effects of radiation. He also advocated for the control and limitation of nuclear weapons after the war.

On the other hand, Einstein is reported to have said, "This is a terrible thing," and shed tears when he learned that atomic bombs had been dropped on Japan. He regretted his involvement in the atomic bomb development and said, "If I could live again, I would rather be a watchmaker than a physicist." He also devoted himself to the abolition of nuclear weapons and peace movements after the war.

Oppenheimer and Einstein left their names in history as scientists who contributed to the development of atomic bombs, but on the other hand, from the perspective of Japanese survivors and victims, they might be seen as enemies or perpetrators. However, they themselves also recognized the horror and tragedy of atomic bombs and expressed their reflection and regret. Their relationship was a complex one that fluctuated between science and ethics, war and peace, humanity and inhumanity.

In Japan, there is no movie called "Oppenheimer", but this movie depicts Oppenheimer's life and feelings. However, it does not show the appearance of Hiroshima or Nagasaki survivors or victims. How do Japanese audiences and critics feel about this? When we think about the relationship between Oppenheimer and Einstein and Japan, what kind of perspective or attitude should we have? This blog cannot answer that question, but it can at least raise it. Please let me know your opinions and impressions.