In the late 1930s, development of an atomic bomb suddenly became an urgent national priority in the U.S. after concerned American scientists noted that the Nazis were trying to build one. A letter from Nazi refugee Albert Einstein to President Roosevelt quickly led to the formation of the secret atomic Manhattan Project. Filmmakers Rushmore Denooyer and Kirk Wolfinger's PBS-aired documentary provides an entertaining and informative history of the bomb, with an emphasis on the early days in Los Alamos, NM, where scientists worked under the direction of autocratic leader General Leslie Groves, enduring primitive living conditions in utmost secrecy. In spite of security efforts, German scientist and Communist spy Klaus Fuchs was forwarding classified information on the bomb to the Soviets, America's then-partner and future rival. Although Harry Truman was kept in the dark about the project until after he became president, he accepted the fateful decision to drop bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, horrific acts that helped end the war. America's singular position proved to be short-lived, however, after the Soviets tested a nuclear weapon, opening a Cold War arms race (which lasted for much of the second half of the 20th century). A storm of recriminations would follow, much of it leveled at tormented chief scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer, who was suspected of having Communist sympathies. The Bomb looks at the Bikini Atoll tests, as well as near misses in potential nuclear showdowns in Korea and Cuba, which finally led to talks, treaties, and test bans. Along the way, the film effectively conveys the sheer insanity of the "new reality" of the nuclear age, including the infamous "duck and cover" drills, fallout shelters, and idea that having a clean yard and well-maintained house increased the odds for survival. The doctrine of "massive retaliation" (satirized in the black comedy classic Dr. Strangelove) finally brought home the futility of nuclear weapons, although concerns remain about bombs falling into the wrong hands. A solid primer on the subject, this is recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (S. Rees)
The Bomb
(2015) 120 min. DVD: $24.99 ($54.99 w/PPR). PBS Video. SDH captioned. ISBN: 978-1-62789-452-4. Volume 31, Issue 2
The Bomb
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