Through another part?
Yes.
And we know who?
I think that would be a mistake.
I'll tell you for what reason.
Not to take this person to task in any way.
'Early summer, 1945.
'Fat Man, the implosion bomb,
'was being readied for the Trinity test
'As yet, however, there was no official decision
'...on how, or even whether, to use it.
'Germany had always been the target for the bomb
'but now they had surrendered.
'Instead, Japan had become the target.
'But many Project scientists opposed the bomb's use
'against a country without such a weapon of its own.
'Petitions had been sent to the new President Truman urging restraint
'on moral and political grounds.
'It was with a plea to represent these views that Oppenheimer
'along with Fermi and Lawrence, attended a meeting in Washington
'to decide the weapon's future.
'The meeting, held on May 31st,
'was chaired by Secretary of State for War, Henry Stimson.
Gentlemen.
It is our responsibility to recommend action
that may turn the course of civilisation.
In our hands we expect quite soon
to have a weapon
of wholly unprecendented destructive power.
Today's prime fact is still war.
Our task is to bring this war to a prompt and successful conclusion.
Now, um...
Before this meeting,
I had the pleasure of a conversation with Dr Lawrence.
He indicated that there was a certain amount of concern
within the scientific community
as to how this weapon should be employed.
Yes, well, I'm speaking primarily from what I know of the situation at Berkeley.
Yes.
Well, I...
It's certainly the case in Chicago.
I'm aware of that, Dr Fermi - every mail bag seems to bring a petition!
And would you say, Dr Oppenheimer, this was the case at Los Alamos?
Yes, sir.
Mr Secretary, I would say it's perfectly natural we feel a certain amount of concern.
Of course - OF COURSE!
This is something that will be taken under full consideration
by the proper authorities, but today I think we are looking for
is HARD information as to what possibilities are open to us.
During our conversation...
..Dr Lawrence made the interesting suggestion that,
before using the weapon in combat
we should give the Japanese
a practical demonstration of its power, we should...
I wonder if you could amplify that suggestion, Dr Lawrence.
Are we talking technically, Mr Secretary?
I would say so.
Sir, I don't think I'm the person to ask.
I think Dr Oppenheimer here has a far greater understanding
of the technical possibilities.
Dr Oppenheimer, can you help us?
While you collect your thoughts, Professor, perhaps we can have
a brief review of the military outlook,
leaving this weapon OUT of the picture.
Gentlemen, it's our belief that the Japanese will not quit this war
until they are forced to.
Which essentially means, not until their home islands
are not only invaded, but occupied.
Consequently, the joint Chiefs of Staff
have ordered preparations for just such an invasion.
May I?
May I have your attention over here? Map?
Now.
In the first phase we envisage a landing in the fall
at this little island of Kyushu,
to be followed up within four months by an invasion
...of the Japanese main island of Honshu. That chap.
Now we estimate the Japanese can still field an army
of around five million men to oppose us.
We could come up with equivalent numbers, although WE...
...would be backed up by a far greater air and sea support.
We also estimate that, if these assaults here take place,
we could anticipate casualties of up to, er, half-a-million men.
That seems high.
Well, now, I said "up to". Very high.
It's based on experience -
I'm talking about the landings at Luzon and Okinawa.
The Navy doesn't have practical, on-the-ground familiarity with Japanese resistance.
WE do.
In any event we are talking of
probably several hundred thousand American casualties? Mm, yes.
A heavy price.
Dr Oppenheimer, are you ready now?
It is not possible to demonstrate the uranium weapon
simply because, at this time, we only have uranium for ONE bomb.
As for plutonium,
we have plutonium for two, maybe three bombs.
We could mount a demonstration of Fat Man.
What are the possibilities?
We could invite Japanese observers to the test shot.
Fire it off in the desert like a fire-cracker.
Would that impress them very much?
Would they believe their eyes?
They might suspect a trick.
A few days ago at Trinity we fired off 100 tonnes of TNT
as a kind of preliminary experiment.
It was pretty impressive,
but these were just conventional explosives.
How do we convey the far greater destructive power
that we may have achieved
with a fission weapon, without actually doing the destroying?
Also, our test will be at ground-level.
It won't prove we can do the same thing with a bomb
dropped from an aircraft, exploded high in the sky.
AND...
What if the test shot is a dud?
I can only think it would make us look ridiculous.
It might even stiffen Japanese resistance.
I may be wrong.
I may have overlooked something.
Then it is your judgement, Dr Oppenheimer,
that this weapon should be used in the first instance,
against an enemy target.
I'm simply stating some of the problems I see
in relying on a demonstration.
If we use the bomb against a target, I take it we mean a city.
If we're trying to demonstrate the bomb's force,
.the target must be as large as a city. Right!
I wonder in that event if there's a case for warning the Japs first?
Give 'em a chance to evacuate the civilian population.
Again there's the question of what happens if the weapon is a dud.
In fact it might be MORE serious.
If we announce a big bang and nothing happens,
we'd be a laughing-stock for all of Japan.
It would look bad over here too.
We'd look like idiots.
If the loss of face is a serious matter,
even more serious may be the loss of the shock effect.
The chance that the sudden use of this weapon
might break Japanese resistance at one stroke.
If the demonstration failed, or failed to impress,
that chance would have been lost.
Also, given warning, the Japanese might attempt to shoot down the attack plane, or...
...move American POWs into the target area.
I'm...
I think we're ALL sympathetic to the idea of a warning.
I just can't see my way past the objections.
So...
What we seem to be moving toward is a recommendation that
this weapon be employed
against an enemy city without prior warning.
Dr Oppenheimer, I thought your contribution was excellent.
Thank you, sir. Clear, VERY clear.
And I want to say how keenly interested we are
in this forthcoming test of yours.
I'm speaking for the President when I say that.
In confidence, there are plans for Mr Truman to go to Germany
soon for talks with Mr Churchill and Stalin about post-war Europe.
There is some apprehension about the Russian position
on quite a number of issues.
They're behaving like bastards.
It would be enormously encouraging to have your success in New Mexico.
A big stick's very handy when you're talking to the Bear.
You don't have to use it, of course, but...
I shouldn't bother you with these matters.
You've got your hands are full.
I just want to wish you every good fortune.
How soon can you have your test?
General Groves indicated July 4th
That would be, heh, appropriate.
I don't know that we can make that date.
Well, I know you won't delay needlessly.
We'll be waiting patiently for the good news.
Oppy, we'd better get it right.
Any problems? No.
When's Kisti due?
Noon.
Unless he hits a bump in the road.
He must be nervous.
He won't hit a bump. No.
In case this doesn't go.
He'd better be nervous!
They're testing a duplicate explosive assembly
at Los Alamos tomorrow. We'll have a better idea then.
Well, this is it, General.
This turns over ownership of the plutonium core to the Army.
Will you sign here?
It's your baby now!
Of course.
I'd kinda like to see what I'm buying.
OK. It's in these boxes up here.
It's all in these.
In fact we're just about to start assembling the core.
What then?
Kistiakowsky's bringing the explosive assembly over
to the shot tower. When he's ready and we're ready...
...we'll take the plug to the tower and fit it into the assembly
And that'll be your bomb!
Like to feel it?
Ah...ah...Wait a minute.
You must put gloves on.
It's...it's warm!
THEY CHUCKLE
All right! Let's get that clear! Let's move!
All right! Up...up....
Pick it up there.
Gently now.
All right! Take it down.
OK, now, let it turn. Let it turn.
Slide your hands. Push it up.
All the way up.
That's it, right.
Now, slow...
Just spin right. Keep it on her.
Keep it on her.
Hold back there, whoa.
CRASHING
Whoa!
Got that underside?
Whoa!
So far, so good.
Now, we get rid of the truck, tie up the ropes,
and get started on the tech.
How did it go? Fine, fine. Everything's fine.
And the other explosive test? I set it up for firing tomorrow.
We've nothing to worry about. Hope you're right.
Right now - excuse me - everybody listen to what I'm saying.
It is most important that we have a clear, clean floor.
Look, Oppy,
it's going to take some time to set up, OK?
All right.
You know the way to the McDonald ranch? Yes, sir. Let's go!
TELEPHONE RINGS
Kisti on the phone for you, Bob.
What's that?
The initiator.
When the shot's fired that gadget releases lots of neutrons at once.
You know about neutrons? Sure!
They'll make the big bang.
Or the big fizzle!
Haven't you heard the 'Implosion Blues'?
No. It goes like this.
'From this lab that spawned a dud, Necks to Truman's axe uncurled
'Lo, the embattled scientists stood
'And fired the flop heard round the world.
There's no doubt this thing'll work?
OK, Kisti's ready! Let's go!
All right? Yes, yes.
HORN BLOWING
VEHICLES APPROACH
It's stuck.
What?!
It's stuck, the plug's stuck. It won't fit.
All right, let's try and work it out.
Oppy, we'll just be a moment.
How's it going?
It doesn't fit.
WHAT?!
The plug doesn't fit!
Unbelievable! over two years and it doesn't fit together.
It can't be.
Hey! I think we got it!
The core came down here a day ahead of the explosive assembly.
We figure the desert heat made the uranium expand.
So we're going to leave them together for a while
and give them a chance to even off the temperature.
Can I have one of those?
You've got to keep calm, Bob.
You know it!
Grace under pressure.
Absolutely.
It's OK.
It's fitting? Yeah, like a glove! Sorry, Oppy.
Hi! Oppy around? In the tent. I got bad news for him.
Weather report for the 16th.
Thunderstorms.
Let's put some mattresses under.
Mattresses?!
If a cable snaps - happy landings! OK?
OK, that's enough.
Go ahead.
METALWORK CLANGS AND ECHOES
What's the problem? The cable's jammed.
Come on down and have a look.
It looks OK.
Well, had breakfast yet, Oppy?
Yes. No, I haven't!
Come on! Kisti?
All right, close it.
All right! Take it up!
Dr Bacher! General!
I've just inspected the trench - everything seems in order.
Got the bomb loaded?
We got something loaded, all right, maybe it's not a bomb.
What?
News from Los Alamos.
They did a test on the dummy explosive assembly.
It's a dud.
What do you mean? I mean Kistiakowsky's blown it.
Where's Oppenheimer?
I left him in the Mess Hall.
Let's go!
Oppy, I've just heard.
I don't believe it, I just don't believe it.
Kistiakowsky, I can't tell you how disgusted I am.
You single-handed ruined this entire project!
Not in here.
Oppy, I just don't understand this test. I swear it'll work.
That's not what the test says. Then the TEST is wrong.
The test is wrong - HOW? I don't know how.
This is all we need. Look, Oppy, I KNOW it'll work.
I'm SO confident - I'll bet you a month's salary to $10 it'll work.
You're on.
I tell you, Kistiakowsky, when I report to Washington...
How've you got the god-damned nerve to threaten me?
When I make my report... You're just looking for a scapegoat!
I don't have far to look, do I?!
Hello, Oppy!
COUGHING
KNOCK AT DOOR
Yeah? Come in.
Sir, I'm looking for Dr Oppenheimer.
Is it important?
Call from Los Alamos.
COUGHING
Just follow the cough.
COUGHING
Los Alamos on the line, sir.
Yes? Hello, I want to speak to Dr Oppenheimer Yes, Oppenheimer.
'Oh, Oppy! It's Hans Bethe here. Oppy?'
Yes? 'Oppy, Hans here.' Yes, Hans, go ahead!
'We've found a failure in the control mechanism.
Are you sure? Absolutely.
There's no reason why it shouldn't work.
'Absolutely no reason.' That's wonderful. 'And Oppy...'
Hans? Thank...
Good morning! Good morning.
I hear you got some good news.
What? You got a call, didn't you?
Oh yeah! From Hans Bethe. That's OK.
Well, what happened exactly?
The test they ran on the dummy explosive assembly
was just a lousy test.
What do you mean?
Well, according to Bethe,
with the test they set up, they couldn't have got better results.
It was just a bad test.
There's no reason to believe he won't go.
Fine!
We'll have to apologise to Kisti,
if we can find him.
Never apologise.
It does a subordinate good to get chewed out.
Of course it's tough if he doesn't deserve it.
Still, the good effect remains.
Huh! Reminds me of when I was constructing a dam
outside of Savannah, Georgia, back in,
oh, '36, maybe '35.
I don't know if I ever told you about it.
Many, many times.
Well, I'll be damned!
Isidor Rabi!
I heard rumours you were around here. Didn't believe them.
So far from Hoboken!
Do you know my brother? Sure! Good to see you. How are you, Frank?
Well, uh, what do you do for kicks here?
We gamble!
Yeah? On what?
On the yield from that.
We've a pot going. A dollar a guess.
All right.
OK.
Most of the numbers are taken already.
18,000 tonnes of TNT is still open. So is zero!
Nothing in between.
What are you betting on?
200 tonnes.
That's a dud.
What can I have?
18,000 or nothing.
Well, I'll take 18,000.
Thanks! Don't thank me!
It's a sure thing.
It's kinda quiet here, isn't it?
I thought things'd be humming. The calm before the storm.
Calm before something.
No, Sunday is a day of rest.
Bainbridge has it on his schedule.
Sunday, we look for rabbits' feet
and four-leaved clovers!
That faded fast.
Kitty gave it to me before we left home.
Well, I'm going to work.
Going to build some Japanese houses.
See you over here.
'I'm going to spread these things around.
See what the impact is.
See you.
So, how's things?
Nothing much else we can do.
They're placing the detonators now.
Any worries?
The weather.
Storm blowing up.
Some desert.
Still set for 4am?
God willing.
CLAP OF THUNDER
THUNDER ROLLS
Testing. 'I hear you.'
Testing. 'I hear you, I hear you.'
RADIO SWITCHES TO MUSIC Oh, get off!
THUNDER RUMBLES
APPROACHING JEEP
OK?
I'm going to have one last look.
THUNDER RUMBLES
How's it going? OK.
I keep thinking, if the lighting hits...
That's it!
I'll see you down below.
How's it looking?
Pretty.
This weather's a disgrace.
What's the latest? Storm heading this way.
Should hit early morning.
Want to delay it? They're better predictions for the day after.
It'll be hard to get everyone up for it again.
And I don't know what'd happen to the circuits if left for 24 hours.
Oppy, I want a guard on the tower.
Against what?
Japs, Parachutists... Hell, I don't know!
I want a guard.
We've got MPs all over the place.
They can be infiltrated.
I want our own people.
I want scientists.
I'll talk to you later.
RAIN AND THUNDER
Kistiakowsky... Can you handle that? Certainly!
I was in the Russian Army!
THUNDER BOOMS
White Russian!
Good God!
What the heck use are these?
"Maybe," "Could be," "On the other hand..."
Might get off their butts and give us some good news!
Weathermen don't make the weather.
Aah, this is just passing the buck. Nothing firm.
I say we go.
We can't go on those reports.
It risks radioactive fallout on a densely-populated area.
All right, I said I'd take the responsibility for... I heard that!
Well?
Have you any idea what the effect of radiation fallout could be?
No, I don't - do you?
Nobody does. All right, it's a risk, but...
It's an unacceptable risk! Right!
All right, unacceptable, but we still... Stop!
They'll get another report to Bainbridge in 15 minutes.
Let's wait.
Oppy, in the end, it's an Army decision.
Right?
Long way from Berkeley.
Any news? Not a thing.
Still bad out there?
It might be clearing up a bit, but not much.
RADIO PLAYS BIG BAND MUSIC
Quarter to five.
I'd kill for some hot coffee.
There you go. Heyyy! Terrific.
I was visiting the guys in the tower.
How are they doing? Restless.
OK! Kisti's mad at Groves. Yeah?
He asked, 'What happens if, after the shot,
the Jeep breaks down while we're getting away, and Groves says,
"Ha-ha! You got at least half-an-hour.
"I reckon you can walk quite a way in half-an-hour."
THEY LAUGH
TELEPHONE
Yeah?
What?
When?
Yeah, OK, thank you.
Thank you very much!
Oppy?
Kisti? Oppy, it's Gregory. Kisti, it's Frank.
Now, don't talk, just keep quiet.
The winds are moving at 11mph now.
Well, they're moving in a north-easterly direction.
Just a minute, Kisti!
The overcast is breaking, yes.
I don't know, I think it'll last.. Kisti, keep quiet! ..about two hours.
Right! OK! 5.30.
Kisti! Kisti! We go...
5.30!
IT'S GO!
My God! You've given me the best place, do you know that?
Damn Groves! Who does he think's guarding the test anyway?
FIELD TELEPHONE RINGS
Where the Hell is it? How far away?
About 20 miles.
Do you think we'll see anything?
I got it.
Zero minus 9 minutes.
You know at zero minus 10 seconds
I'm going to panic and say, "Gentlemen, this can't go on,"
and pull this.
Dr Fermi! How's it going, General? Fine, Fine!
Dr Connant! Dr Bush!
Five minutes!
RADIO: 'You're listening to Voice of America.'
A small experiment.
Are you sure we'll need this?
Yes.
What's this? Sun-tan lotion.
There'll be strong ultra-violet rays.
This is very thoughtful, Edvard.
Very good, very thoughtful indeed.
I'll get it all over my glasses.
Zero minus one minute.
59 seconds.
58,
57,
56,
55,
RAIN WATER DRIPPING
..46,
45,
44,
43,
42,
41,
40,
39...
One last look at Creation.
..23,
22,
21,
20,
19,
18,
17,
16,
15,
14,
13,
12,
11,
10,
9,
8,
7,
6,
5,
4,
3,
2,
1,
zero...
ROAR OF THE EXPLOSION
EERY RUMBLING
WHISTLING OF WIND
Hurray! Look at it! We've done it!
SOUNDS OF JUBILATION
It's huge!
It's come 20 miles!
I am become death.
The destroyer of worlds.
JUBILANT EXCITED CHEERS
Oppy! You owe me $10!
I've something to tell Stimson.
Wonder how much blast we got?
20,000 tonnes of TNT.
How do you know?
The distance these were blown.
A simple equation.
20,000 TONNES!
Boy, I have got something to tell Stimson!
Good job, Ken!
Now we're all sons-of-bitches.
RUMBLING CONTINUES
'In the weeks following Trinity,
'both Fat Man and the uranium bomb
'were sent to the Pacific island of Tinian
'ready for the final drop on Japan.
'But in Washington, even at this late stage,
'protests, petitions and polls
'still kept arriving from scientists all over the project.
Congratulations, General!
Excellent!
How was it? Really?
It was...
It was something. I'll bet!
Wish I'd been there.
When the news came in Potsdam, we were thrilled.
The President just seemed to grow!
How did...er...
How did Stalin take the news? Ah! Strange.
Didn't bat an eyelid. Wished us luck.
Of course the President told him pretty informally and...
...Uncle Joe may have been bluffing.
Anyway, we were delighted.
Sir, the whole building seems to know about it.
Mm?
Not in any detail, I hope.
I hope not - I'd hate there to be a leak before we hit the Japs.
Yes, well...
We must press on. What is the present status of the mission?
We have the personnel for the Little Boy strike force
assembled on Tinian Island.
We should be ready to go July 31st,
weather permitting, Hiroshima.
A week from now.
Yes, sir. And Fat Man'll be ready to go maybe ten days after.
Excellent. Excellent!
Now, Groves, what are we going to do about these scientists?
I figured you had to see that, sir.
But what do you want me to do?
It's too late for this kind of thing.
Let me explain.
Arthur Compton indicated to me
that the situation in Chicago was still serious.
I was frankly worried that some scientists might go public.
That'd be treason.
Yes, but that's how it was.
So I suggested they get all together and talk it over.
Get the Metallurgy Lab take a vote.
Send me the results. This?
I thought it would keep them busy at least.
What am I to do with it? I can't show it to the President. No.
He likes clear, straight-forward recommendations, not votes.
It would be inappropriate, Mr Secretary.
I can't just sit on it either.
After the war, it might not look too good
for either of us.
Let me handle this, sir.
What are you going to do?
I thought I'd send it to Oppenheimer.
Get his panel to look it over. Is that a good idea? I think so.
I think that Oppy has a very mature attitude to this business.
I hope so.
I guess it'll show we didn't just ignore it. You leave it to me, sir.
It's essential this attack takes place. Don't worry, sir.
The Japs are in for a BIG surprise!
This has less and less to do with Japan.
Sit down, General.
In great confidence...
Yes, sir?
There exists a secret agreement with the Russians
to come into the fight against Japan in early August.
My God!
The Red Army will move against Japanese forces
on the Asian mainland -
Manchuria, Mongolia.
God knows where they'll stop.
This war must end double-quick.
I get reports from the State Department
that Japan's about ready to quit.
A matter of weeks.
I wish I could give them more time.
They ask for the quickest way to end the war.
What else can we answer?
HE SIGHS HEAVILY
I wish to God I was in Chicago writing petitions, instead of here.
Ernest, the problem is the war, not the bomb.
The bomb will stop the war.
You could always write a minority recommendation.
No, no, no. I'm convinced it's the right thing. It's the only thing.
OK, OK, I'm convinced.
At least I'm in good company.
Let's drink to that.
No, thanks, I think I'll just take a walk and get some fresh air.
We should draft a reply to Groves.
Why don't you do it, Oppy? You always know what to say.
Good night.
Poor Ernest.
Enrico? Please.
How do you feel, Oppy?
I don't know.
Excited.
TELETYPE BELL RINGS
Here it comes.
Oh, boy!
Oh, boy! Come on, come on!
Beautiful! That's it! Yoohoo!
Get Oppy on the phone!
"In all respects successful."
Get me Dr Oppenheimer's house.
Hello, Oppy? Fantastic news!
"In all respects successful."
Exceeded Trinity tests in visible effects.
It exceeded the Trinity test in visible effects!
One-third bigger radius than Trinity.
One-third bigger radius.
Yes, yes, it's coming on the Teletype now.
Ha-ha! Yes!
JUBILANT LAUGHING AND CHEERING
We're at 30,000 feet here, and when it wobbles - there -
that's when the shock waves hit the observer plane.
Hiroshima,
several days later.
Not much left.
Look at that! One bomb!
Ours!
Some interesting side-effects.
The objects disintegrate but their shadows are left imprinted
Here we have some leaves...
..a wheel.
A man was sitting there.
Nagasaki.
Right on the button!
On the ground, that was the Mitsubishi factory.
900 yards from the blast centre.
Penitentiary - 300 yards from blast.
That had 140 prisoners in there.
Any survivors?
No, they died in the cells.
A school,
550 yards from the blast.
Oh, they included some shots of the first-aid centres.
That's it.
Hmm!
How about that?
What's wrong?
Oppy?
Wait!
Did that bother you?
Oppy, we HAD to do it.
There wasn't any option.
I believe that.
Well?
I feel we've got blood on our hands.
It's just a feeling.