The Pulitzer Prize-winning story of the father of the atomic bomb. Read before watching the movie “Oppenheimer” [FRAGMENT]

General Groves agreed with Lieutenant Colonel Lansdale’s proposals. He intended to leave Oppenheimer as the project’s scientific director, but Lansdale was about to draw him into its counterintelligence network.

Not surprisingly, Pash strongly objected to this subtle game, but on July 20, 1943, Groves ordered the Manhattan Project’s counterintelligence security division to issue a security clearance to Oppenheimer. This was to happen “regardless of the information we have about Mr. Oppenheimer. He is absolutely central to the project.” Pash wasn’t the only officer whose blood boiled over this decision. Groves’ aide, Lieutenant Colonel Kenneth Nichols, informing Oppenheimer that he had been issued a security clearance, did not fail to warn him: “In the future, I advise you to avoid seeing your controversial friends, and remember that as soon as you leave Los Alamos, we will follow you.” Nichols was very wary of Oppenheimer because he believed that by employing “insecure” people at Los Alamos, he posed a threat to the protection of the secret. The more Nichols met Oppie, the more he despised him. The fact that Groves not only did not share these feelings, but also trusted the physicist, irritated him and further strengthened his reluctance.

The atomic bomb, which was the result of the activities of the ‘Manhattan’ project, was dropped on Nagasaki on August 9, 1945 (photo: Shutterstock) The atomic bomb, which was the result of the activities of the ‘Manhattan’ project, was dropped on Nagasaki on August 9, 1945 (photo: Shutterstock)

Oppie was impossible to get rid of, but others – like his protégé Rossi Lomanitz – were more vulnerable. On July 27, 1943, the twenty-one-year-old physicist was summoned to Ernest Lawrence’s office, where he was told that he was to take over as head of the laboratory at the Radiation Laboratory. However, three days later, as a result of Pasha’s report, Lomanitz received a registered letter from the draft board ordering him to appear the next day for a medical examination. He immediately called Oppenheimer at Los Alamos and told him what had happened. That same afternoon, Oppie sent a telegram to the Pentagon: “A big mistake has been made. Lomanitz is currently the only person in Berkeley eligible for the position.” Despite this intervention, Rossi was soon drafted into the army. A few days later, Lansdale dropped by Oppenheimer’s Los Alamos office for a lengthy chat. The colonel warned the physicist not to try to help Lomanitz again, stated that he was guilty of “a misconduct that cannot be forgotten or forgiven”, and that even after taking a job at the Radiation Laboratory, he continued to be politically active. “I’m going to hell,” Oppenheimer said, explaining that Lomanitz had promised him that if he was brought into the bomb program, he would abstain from politics.

When the two discussed the Communist Party a few days later, Lansdale stated that as an intelligence officer, he was not interested in anyone’s political views, only in preventing classified information from leaking to unauthorized persons. He was surprised when Oppenheimer disagreed, vividly stating that he did not wish to work with someone who was still a member of the Communist Party. According to Lansdale’s report of the conversation, Oppenheimer explained that “then there will always be a problem of loyalty” and that the Communist Party has “a very rigid discipline which does not allow full loyalty to the program.” Oppie explained that he only meant current party members. Former members are a completely different matter. Robert knew that several former party members worked at Los Alamos.

Oppenheimer book. The Triumph and Tragedy of the Father of the Atomic Bomb Matt. promotional publishing house Replika

But before Lansdale could ask him for their names, the conversation was cut short as someone entered the room. The colonel then had the strange impression that his interlocutor “wanted to imply that he was once a member of the party, but he broke with it for good when he got involved in this work.” Lansdale believed that Oppenheimer “shows every sign of sincerity”. He used “extremely subtle allusions” but tried to make his point clear. In the months that followed, the two men clashed from time to time over matters of secrecy, but Lansdale always regarded Oppenheimer as a loyal and devoted American.

However, Oppie was apprehensive after this conversation, because despite his intervention, Lomanitz had to leave the Rad Lab. Not knowing what “mistakes” could be involved, he assumed that it was a trade union organized on behalf of FAECT. He recalled that George Eltenton, the Shell engineer who had encouraged Chevalier to tell the Russians about the project, was also a member of FAECT. Oppie suddenly realized the importance of the conversation about Eltenton’s proposal six months ago in the kitchen with Chevalier. The meeting with Lansdale prompted him to make a fateful decision. He decided that Eltenton’s activities should be reported to the authorities.

General Groves and Robert Oppenheimer. The military and scientific head of the Manhattan Program photo. public domain

General Groves later told the FBI that Oppenheimer first spoke to him about Eltenton in early or mid-August. However, it didn’t end there. On August 25, during a project visit to Berkeley, Robert went to the office of Lieutenant Lyall Johnson, a Rad Lab counterintelligence officer, and after a brief discussion about Lomanitz, told Johnson that a man named Eltenton, who worked for the Shell Development Corporation, was actively works in FAECT and that it should be tracked. He hinted that Eltenton might be trying to get information about the Rad Lab’s work. With that he finished and left. Lieutenant Johnson immediately called his superior, Colonel Pasha, who had Oppenheimer brought in for questioning the next day. Overnight, a microphone was installed in the base of a telephone on Johnson’s desk, linked to a tape recorder in the next room.

The next day, Oppenheimer showed up for an interrogation, the consequences of which turned out to be very serious. He was stunned when Johnson’s office introduced him to a Pasha whom he did not know but whose fame had already dawned on him. As the three men sat down, it became clear that Pash would lead the interrogation.

He began with evident humility: “It is a great pleasure for me […]. General Groves has given me some responsibility. It’s like having a child you can’t see from a distance. I’m not going to take up too much of your time.”

“It’s no problem,” replied Oppenheimer. “I’m available.”

When Pash questioned him about his conversation with Lieutenant Johnson yesterday, Oppenheimer interrupted him and started talking about what he thought was going to be the topic of conversation, which was Rossi Lomanitz. He explained that he didn’t know if he should talk to Rossi, but wanted to point out that he was talking too much. Pash interrupted him, saying that he had a more serious matter. Were “other groups” interested in the Radiation Laboratory?

“Yes, I think so,” replied Oppenheimer, “but I have no first-hand information on that.” But later he said, “I am guessing that a man whose name I have never heard has made it clear to those involved in the project through intermediaries that he can pass on the information provided to him without threat of disclosure or scandal or whatever.”

Excerpt from “Oppenheimer: The Triumph and Tragedy of the Father of the Atomic Bomb” by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin, trans. Janusz Błaszczyk, Replica 2022.