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The brilliant theoretical physicist, J. Robert Oppenheimer is now known primarily for his work on the development of the atomic bomb from 1942-45 at Los Alamos in New Mexico. Though fascinated by the processes that created the bomb, he was horrified by its impact and the devastation wrought on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
Chris McNab looks at the body of prior work that led to Oppenheimer's recruitment to the Manhattan Project as well as the development of the bomb itself. It also reflects on how his political views subsequently put him in opposition to the US government and military factions and ultimately ended his career as a nuclear physicist, despite his talents.
ABOUT THE SERIES: The Sirius Biographies series brings together entertaining biographies of leading figures within scientific world and beyond, tracing their lives, legacy and the pioneering ideas that made them world-famous.
Chris McNab
Dr Chris McNab is an author and historian, his principal subject areas being military history and military technology. He has written more than 100 non-fiction titles, including many Casemate pocket manuals relating to World War I, World War II, and the Vietnam War. Chris has appeared in several TV documentaries as an expert commentator, and he also works as an educational consultant, specializing in the development of textbooks and teaching materials.
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