In the Matter of J. Robert Oppenheimer

1
In the Matter of J. Robert Oppenheimer
Cover of the first issue of Physics Today
2
Importance of the Oppenheimer Case

• Offers insight into different periods of US
  history
• Story relevant to historians of military policy,
  domestic security, and American Cold War culture.

3
Like a Greek tragedy, all the actors of the early
atomic age come back on stage, make their speech,
and play their part.

• J. Robert Oppenheimer now director of Institute
  of Advanced Study at Princeton
• Lewis Strauss AEC Commissioner
• Edward Teller
• Plus Bethe, Rabi, Alvarez, DuBridge, Bush,
  Conant, Fermi, Groves

4
Origins of the Case

• Oppenheimers past associations
• The Chevalier affair

5
Four of Oppenheimer's radical graduate students
in the 1930s.  This picture was taken by a
sidewalk photographer in front of Sather Gate on
the Berkeley campus. The negative was quickly
bought by an FBI agent watching nearby.
6
Haakon Chevalier, 1934. The radical Berkeley
professor of French literature was one of
Oppenheimer's best friends at Berkeley, but
became his biggest liability.
7

• November 7, 1953
• William L. Borden (former exec. director of Joint
  Congressional Committee on Atomic Energy) writes
  letter to FBI director J. Edgar Hoover
• Mixture of known information, dubious suspicions,
  and innuendo.
• Declares more probably than not J. Robert
  Oppenheimer is an agent of the Soviet Union.
• Goes over list of charges JRO knew
  Communists, had impeded the H-bomb, and had used
  his potent influence to oppose expansion of
  atomic bomb complex.

8

• Bordens letter political dynamite cant be
  ignored. Eisenhower erects a blank wall keeping
  Oppenheimer from secret material.
• Letter confirms for some earlier doubts about JRO
  and his associations.
• Oppenheimer under FBI surveillance and wiretaps
  since 1942. His FBI files was over ten feet long
  by 1953.

9

• Number of scientists interviewed in 1952 by FBI
  including Edward Teller.
• Teller describes JRO as shrewd and devious (but
  not disloyal) in his opposition to H-bomb and in
  his building opposition to it.
• Sen. Brien McMahon (Bordens boss) also wants
  Oppenheimer removed as do a number of Air Force
  leaders.

10

• Enter Admiral Lewis Strauss strong-willed and
  conservative chair of the AEC.
• Had personal reasons to dislike Oppenheimer.
• Strauss (and Eisenhower) also eager to head off
  investigation of Oppie by Sen. McCarthy.
• Strauss had planned to ease Oppenheimer out of
  AEC until Bordens letter surfaces.
• Strauss and Eisenhower also concerned about
  alienating science community.

11
Moving Toward the Hearing

• Strauss tells Oppenheimer about suspension of
  clearance JRO can avoid a hearing by resigning.
• Oppenheimer cant (wont) resign
• Believed he would be cleared he had gone
  through a similar vetting in 1947 with Strauss as
  an AEC commissioner
• Could not accept implication that he had erred or
  was a security risk

12
December 23 Letter from Nichols to Oppenheimer

• Lists the charges and suspicions of the AEC
• Meetings with Communists
• Dubious associations
• Meeting with Haakon Chevalier espionage?
• JROs position on the H-bomb raised questions
  about your veracity, conduct, and even your
  loyalty.
• Therefore not just JROs loyalty an issue
  but also his views on US policy.

13
Strauss Picks His Team

• Now AEC appoints a hearing board and JRO
  prepares his defense.
• Strauss keeps wiretaps and surveillance of JRO
  active.
• Goes outside AEC and hires Roger Robb as counsel
  opposing JRO. Wiretap info, etc. passed to Robb
  (but not to JROs counsel)

14

• The hanging jury
• Gordon Gray (lawyer and chair of AEC panel)
• Ward Evans (chemist)
• Thomas Morgan (industrialist from Sperry Corp.)
• Board comes to DC a week before the hearing
  given chance to meet with Robb, Strauss and look
  over the evidence. (violation of AEC policy)

15
The Hearing

• Robbs destruction of Oppenheimer implied
  misstatements and failures of memory were lies.
• I.I. Rabi (witness) It was a long dark roomMy
  chief feeling was tremendous indignationHe was a
  great man, who had done something great for his
  country. And to be hauled up before those
  pygmies

16
Focus of Robbs Attack

• JROs associations from over a decade ago
  scrutinized
• Chevalier affair I was an idiot
• Former lover Jean Tatlock insinuations of
  adultery
• Conflicting views and opposition to the H-bomb
• To be fair JRO did not present himself well.
• Time Magazine Oppenheimer was his own worst
  witness.
• Robb When I got home, I told myself I had seen
  a man destroy himself on the witness stand.

17
The Defense of Oppenheimer

• People selected by Oppies counsel attest to his
  character. - scientists, politicians, military.
• Rabi to panel If you dont want to consult the
  guy, dont consult himWe have an A-bomb and a
  whole series of it, and what more do you want,
  mermaids?
• Vannevar Bush indicts the AEC panel for
  pillorying Oppie for his opinions.
• People note that JROs indiscretions were years
  ago, before he became an atomic scientist.

18
Unfriendly Witnesses

• JROs opposition to the Super and emphasis on
  tactical nukes and continental defense (ex
  Project Vista) cited by several scientists
• policy views, not loyalty issue

19
Edward Teller Speaks

• By 1954 Teller had great authority (moral,
  political, scientific).
• Where Oppie had ambivalence about nuclear
  weapons, Teller had done.
• Tellers statement contradicted earlier
  statements made to FBI and Robb as to whether JRO
  was disloyal.

20

• Tellers damning testimony
• Robb Do you or do you not believe that Dr.
  Oppenheimer is a security risk?
• Teller In a great number of casesI understood
  that Dr. Oppenheimer acted in a way which for me
  was exceedingly hard to understand. I thoroughly
  disagreed with him in numerous issues and his
  actions frankly appeared to me confused and
  complicated. To this extent I feel that I would
  like to see the vital interests of this country
  in hands which I understand better, and therefore
  trust more.

21

• Teller to Oppenheimer after his testimony Im
  sorry.
• JRO After what youve said, I dont understand
  what you mean.

22
The Findings

• May 27 The Personnel Security Board (2-1) found
  Oppenheimer loyal but concluded he was a security
  risk and his clearance should not be reinstated.
  His candor left much to be desired.
• H-bomb was a major issue.
• In June, the AEC votes 4-1 (Strauss was one of
  the 4) to revoke Oppenheimers clearance saying
  he was a security risk and, to some, a loyalty
  risk.

23
(No Transcript)
24
All the evils of the times The Meaning of the
Oppenheimer Case

• General public support for the AEC decision
• Criticism from scientists and liberals who
  compare case to the Dreyfus affair.
• To critics, the case was triumph of McCarthyism
  and anti-intellectualism that held Oppenheimer at
  fault for differences in opinion.
• Caused rift between partnership of scientists and
  government.

25
Oppenheimer and Teller meet again, 1963,
JRO receiving Fermi award in 1963 from LBJ, four
years before his death.
26
In sleep, in delirium, in deep troubleThe good
deeds a man has done before defend him.J.
Robert Oppenheimer 1904-1967