Hey all, I hope you’re doing well.<br /><br />I have for all of you the audio adaptation of <a href="https://historyimpossible.substack.com/p/oppenheimer-and-the-nuclear-question" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">the essay I wrote last year</a> in response to my seeing the magisterial Oppenheimer, and given its newly Oscar-anointed status, I figured now would be the best time to get this out as a bonus as you all patiently await the return of the Muslim Nazis series (it’s still coming, worry not!). <br /><br />In this, we cover, mostly from my own memory (but supported by sources), the various reasons the United States might have dropped the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. To say this is a complicated question is an understatement. To say there is a consensus, even almost 80 years later, is impossible. So we’re going to get into the weeds with this question while also showing the love Christopher Nolan’s magnum opus deserves.<br /><br />And as always, History Impossible has been made possible by the following generous supporters on Patreon, Substack, and PayPal. Please consider <a href="https://www.patreon.com/historyimpossible" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">donating today</a> to help keep me free and this show alive:<br /><br />David Adamcik<br />Rajan Athul<br />Babeonbobby<br />Dave Baxter<br />Michael Beach<br />Benjamin<br />Elias Borota<br />Johannes Breitsameter<br />Charles C<br />Cliffydeuce<br />CR<br />daddygorgon<br />Paul DeCoster<br />Neil Dickens<br />Nathan Diehl<br />Bob Downing<br />Dramicas<br />Rob Duval<br />Gavin Edwards<br />Pierre Ghazarian<br />Jayson Griesmeyer<br />Nathan Grote<br />Benjamin Hamilton<br />Peter Hauck<br />Carey Hurst<br />Joe6245<br />Thomas Justesen<br />Mike Kalnins<br />Bryn Kaufman<br />Leah Kodner<br />Benjamin Lee<br />Constance Loucks<br />Maddy<br />Mounty of Madness<br />Jose Martinez<br />Mike Mayleben<br />Judy McCoid<br />Jim Miller<br />Kyle Mohney<br />Kostas Moros<br />Ryan Mortenson<br />Cameron Needham<br />Skip Pacheco<br />David Page<br />Molly Pan<br />Jeff Parrent<br />Jean Peters<br />John Pisano<br />Sr. Powell<br />Brian Pritzl<br />AnaR737<br />PJ Rader<br />Gleb Radutsky<br />Aleksandr Rakitin<br />Reptilycus<br />Phillip Rice<br />Chris Rowe<br />Jon Andre Saether<br />Alison Salo<br />Jake Scalia<br />Emily Schmidt<br />Julian Schmidt<br />Andrew Seeber<br />Joshua Simpson<br />Cameron Smith<br />Thomas Squeo<br />Brian Steggeman<br />Pier-Luc St-Pierre<br />Athal Krishna Sundarrajan<br />Jared Cole Temple<br />ChrisTX<br />Robert VS<br />Jonny Wilkie<br />Ricky Worthey<br />Michael Wroblewski<br />F. You

History Impossible

Alexander von Sternberg

Oppenheimer and the Nuclear Question

MAR 31, 202455 MIN
History Impossible

Oppenheimer and the Nuclear Question

MAR 31, 202455 MIN

Description

Hey all, I hope you’re doing well.<br /><br />I have for all of you the audio adaptation of <a href="https://historyimpossible.substack.com/p/oppenheimer-and-the-nuclear-question" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">the essay I wrote last year</a> in response to my seeing the magisterial Oppenheimer, and given its newly Oscar-anointed status, I figured now would be the best time to get this out as a bonus as you all patiently await the return of the Muslim Nazis series (it’s still coming, worry not!). <br /><br />In this, we cover, mostly from my own memory (but supported by sources), the various reasons the United States might have dropped the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. To say this is a complicated question is an understatement. To say there is a consensus, even almost 80 years later, is impossible. So we’re going to get into the weeds with this question while also showing the love Christopher Nolan’s magnum opus deserves.<br /><br />And as always, History Impossible has been made possible by the following generous supporters on Patreon, Substack, and PayPal. Please consider <a href="https://www.patreon.com/historyimpossible" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">donating today</a> to help keep me free and this show alive:<br /><br />David Adamcik<br />Rajan Athul<br />Babeonbobby<br />Dave Baxter<br />Michael Beach<br />Benjamin<br />Elias Borota<br />Johannes Breitsameter<br />Charles C<br />Cliffydeuce<br />CR<br />daddygorgon<br />Paul DeCoster<br />Neil Dickens<br />Nathan Diehl<br />Bob Downing<br />Dramicas<br />Rob Duval<br />Gavin Edwards<br />Pierre Ghazarian<br />Jayson Griesmeyer<br />Nathan Grote<br />Benjamin Hamilton<br />Peter Hauck<br />Carey Hurst<br />Joe6245<br />Thomas Justesen<br />Mike Kalnins<br />Bryn Kaufman<br />Leah Kodner<br />Benjamin Lee<br />Constance Loucks<br />Maddy<br />Mounty of Madness<br />Jose Martinez<br />Mike Mayleben<br />Judy McCoid<br />Jim Miller<br />Kyle Mohney<br />Kostas Moros<br />Ryan Mortenson<br />Cameron Needham<br />Skip Pacheco<br />David Page<br />Molly Pan<br />Jeff Parrent<br />Jean Peters<br />John Pisano<br />Sr. Powell<br />Brian Pritzl<br />AnaR737<br />PJ Rader<br />Gleb Radutsky<br />Aleksandr Rakitin<br />Reptilycus<br />Phillip Rice<br />Chris Rowe<br />Jon Andre Saether<br />Alison Salo<br />Jake Scalia<br />Emily Schmidt<br />Julian Schmidt<br />Andrew Seeber<br />Joshua Simpson<br />Cameron Smith<br />Thomas Squeo<br />Brian Steggeman<br />Pier-Luc St-Pierre<br />Athal Krishna Sundarrajan<br />Jared Cole Temple<br />ChrisTX<br />Robert VS<br />Jonny Wilkie<br />Ricky Worthey<br />Michael Wroblewski<br />F. You