Who Was Oppenheimer, Lead in Christopher Nolan's Latest Film, And How Did He Die?

With the cinematic expertise of Christopher Nolan, Oppenheimer brings forward the nerve-wracking paradox of a physicist who tries to save the world by risking the development of a catastrophic weapon. The movie stars Cillian Murphy in the titular role, with Emily Blunt, Robert Downey Jr, and Matt Damon joining the ensemble cast. Christopher Nolan’s maiden biographical thriller is based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer penned by Kai Bird. Oppenheimer is all set to hit the big screens on July 21. Ahead of its release, here’s everything that you need to know about the real-life central character of the film.

Who was Oppenheimer?

Dubbed “father of the atomic bomb”, Julius Robert Oppenheimer was a physicist whose extensive research led to the development of the first nuclear bomb ever known to humanity. Born on April 22, 1904, he took on the responsibility of the director of the Los Alamos Laboratory during the second world war. His grooming was done at the top universities in the world including Harvard. Oppenheimer was recruited in the Manhattan Project to create the deadliest weapon as sanctioned by then-US President Franklin Roosevelt. He was quickly promoted to lead a secret weapons laboratory.

How did he create the atomic bombs?

At the secret laboratory based in New Mexico, the physicist led his team to create a nuclear reaction that can cause extensive damage at a set target at the initial step. The next step was to leave lasting damage from dangerous radiation leading to illness and death over time. The usage of nuclear weapons was done in 1945 to force Japan’s surrender as they posed a great threat to the US and its allies. America deployed two atomic bombs, hitting the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The deadly strikes were scheduled three days apart from each other.

Was Oppenheimer in favour of the usage of nuclear weapons?

Julius Robert Oppenheimer became a great advocate against the usage of nuclear weapons. He is suggested to not have been in favour of America’s decision to drop atomic bombs on the Japanese cities. After the attack, the physicist notably quotes a saying from the Hindu scripture Bhagavad Gita, in an interview. “I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds,” he said.

Who was Oppenheimer married to?

Katherine Oppenheimer was a biologist and botanist. She was married thrice before meeting the physicist at a garden party in San Francisco. The duo welcomed two children, Peter and Toni into their lives after getting hitched. It is suggested that Katherine constantly struggled with loneliness and addiction.

How did Oppenheimer die?

The renowned physicist was worried about the potential threat that scientific inventions could pose to mankind. Through his public speeches and writings, he always emphasized the difficulty of managing the power of knowledge. He was diagnosed with throat cancer in late 1965 and underwent an inconclusive surgery. He was referred to radiation and chemotherapy for treatment in 1966. Julius Robert Oppenheimer fell into a coma on February 15, 1967, and died at his New Jersey home three days later.