Edward Teller - The aftermath of the test and bombing Hiroshima (91/147)

To listen to more of Edward Teller’s stories, go to the playlist: • Edward Teller (Scientist)
Hungarian-American physicist, Edward Teller (1908-2003), helped to develop the atomic bomb and provided the theoretical framework for the hydrogen bomb. He remained a staunch advocate of nuclear power, calling for the development of advanced thermonuclear weapons. [Listener: John H. Nuckolls]
TRANSCRIPT: One remarkable reaction to that, that is well known, generally known, but I better quote it, came from Oppenheimer. He was with a group much closer to the explosion and when people from the media got to him, he made that- a very memorable statement. One of his remarkable properties was that he was familiar with world literature including the Hindu Bhagavad-Gita and in his response to the press he quoted the God Shiva- I have become Death - the destructor, the destruction of worlds. I would like to remind of that because that was the same Oppenheimer who weeks earlier, couple of weeks earlier, convinced me that we should not make an effort merely to demonstrate before using. All this happened in southern Me- New Mexico, a good couple of hours drive home. When I arrived at home, Mici, who was not supposed to know about any of this, received me with the news- I read in the newspaper that there was an explosion in one of the ammunition centers in Mexico, but nobody was hurt. I'm quite sure Mici knew something but I was not supposed to tell her more. I tried to go to sleep. I couldn't. By eleven o'clock I was at my desk and here comes a very wonderful young woman who worked with me in the small group, I brought her along from Washington, Maria Jacob- Mr Teller, Mr Teller - we were not allowed to use any titles, I was not Doctor - Mr Teller, have you ever seen such a thing in your life? What do I do, what do I tell her? I laughed and she did too. Did I see anything like that in my life? She was with a group of uninvited junior people who went to the top of the San- Sandia mountain, quite a few miles from the place where the bomb was to be detonated. They knew when it was to come. It didn't. They decided it was a failure and were coming down the mountain and then unexpectedly, there it went. All this you know, July 16. Three weeks later, the first actual bomb was used on Hiroshima. There was quite a stir, a lot of discussion, but not much after that. The 15th of August the Japanese surrendered and that was the time of people really getting excited, going from place to place, from party to party, very great happiness. The job is done.

[@runedharma22]

My father was on Okinawa and did not have to invade Japan.

[@ellisvener5337]

My father was on Guadalcanal in 1944-45.The Japanese military knew they’d lost the war by the end of the Solomon’s campaign in 1943. Every death on both sides, every casualty, every drop of blood shed in the Pacific war after that is entirely on the heads and hands of the Japanese militarists and The Emperor Hirohito

[@kurtvonfricken6829]

@@ellisvener5337
After Midway the Japanese knew the war was over. In reality it was over on Dec 7, 1941. The simply could not win.

[@ellisvener5337]

@@kurtvonfricken6829 I agree with you about Dec 7, but not about Midway. After the Battle of Midway Japan still had very powerful navy, armies, and air forces. It was the battles of the Solomons which ground those fighting units into mincemeat, especially the corps of experienced pilots, and destroyed the reserves of aircraft.
The big Japanese manpower losses to Japanese airpower at Midway weren’t pilots but the trained support crews: mechanics and armorers who went down with the four carriers. They were not able to replace those men.

[@socialtraffichq5067]

Say no to war

[@priyamagarwal7892]

Krishna not Shiva, Mr. Teller

[@Bergenfluff]

Neither, actually :D It's Vishnu that Oppenheimer quotes. However, Krishna is an avatar of Vishnu according to some sects of Hinduism, just as Krishna is seen as the creator god in others. The quote is in reality this: "Vishnu is trying to persuade the Prince that he should do his duty and, to impress him, takes on his multi-armed form and says, "Now I am become Death, the destroyer of worlds." I suppose we all thought that, one way or another."

[@priyamagarwal7892]

@@Bergenfluff buddy it's a quote from the Bhagavad Gita which is narrated by Krishna (avatar of Vishnu) to warrior Arjun. So in fact it's Krishna. Oppy says Vishnu coz they mean the same thing

[@Bergenfluff]

@@priyamagarwal7892 And my reply wasn't meant to say that it wasn't or that you weren't correct What I meant was that Oppy did say Vishnu, not Shiva or Krishna. But I meant no disrespect to either deity or anyones beliefs. Just pointing out the wording.

[@priyamagarwal7892]

@@Bergenfluff yes he did say Vishnu! I didn't realise you were quoting him verbatim. Peace ✌️
Nice handle name though - Bergebfluff, what does it mean?

[@Bergenfluff]

@@priyamagarwal7892 Om shanti. It's a combination of the city of my birth and a reference to the fact that I'm hairy/stocky and like that too, i.e. fluffy ;-)

[@thefakenewsnetwork8072]

Long live democratic socialism and edward teller s legacy

[@marioarguello6989]

Commie