In Christopher Nolan’s biographical epic, Oppenheimer, the last third of the film is dedicated to the backlash J. Robert Oppenheimer received once he began speaking out against the atomic bomb, and in particular, the intense private hearing he underwent with the AEC, which is now available to read online. Oppenheimer is a historical drama depicting the life of J. Robert Oppenheimer from his college years to the time after Oppenheimer’s atomic bomb destroyed Nagasaki and Hiroshima. But, overall, the film mainly focuses on his participation in building the atomic bomb. Due to Oppenheimer’s overwhelming success, many want to learn more about the real man, and can via online transcripts.
While much of Oppenheimer’s timeline is dedicated to exploring the scientist’s time at Los Alamos and his role in creating the atomic bomb, the end of Oppenheimer also delves into Oppenheimer’s politics as well. Namely, after the atomic bomb was used, Oppenheimer became an advocate for decreasing nuclear power, not only in America, but around the world. Ultimately, the American government disliked Oppenheimer’s opinions, and as a result, made attempts to strip him of his security clearance, and in turn, his reputation. The movie successfully depicts the stressful environment of this hearing, but there is also another way to experience Oppenheimer’s AEC hearing.
J. Robert Oppenheimer’s Real AEC Hearing Transcripts Can Be Read Online
For those interested in reading what really went down during J. Robert Oppenheimer’s AEC hearing, the real-life transcripts can be read online. In particular, the U.S. Department of Energy has a page dedicated to these transcripts, and all 19 volumes of them are available to read for free. Those who do read about the hearing will likely find various similarities to what is portrayed in Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer. The AEC, or the United States Atomic Energy Commission, interrogated Oppenheimer about his past communist ties and any controversies that occurred during his time at Los Alamos. Ultimately, Oppenheimer lost his security clearance after participating in this hearing.
What is especially interesting about the real-life transcripts of Oppenheimer’s AEC hearing is that there is so much more material there than there was in Oppenheimer. Though a portion of the movie is dedicated to this time in Oppenheimer’s life, many aspects of the hearing were cut. In this way, readers can get a fuller picture of the hearing, and make their own assumptions and judgments about what went down. Overall, this is a great historical resource that is important to have access to, especially after the release of Oppenheimer.
Why Oppenheimer Could Only Show A Fraction Of The AEC Hearing
Although it’s disappointing that Oppenheimer couldn’t include the whole AEC hearing, it is for the best. If the film had tried to use the entire thing, it likely would have changed the DNA of the movie. With more of the hearing, Oppenheimer would have been more of a courtroom drama rather than a historical thriller. This would have risked boring audiences, and the full scope of the hearing would have been too long for a film that is already three hours long. In the end, the hearing and the movie couldn’t be combined, but as two separate entities, they form a rather complete story of that time in Oppenheimer’s life.
