Robert J. Oppenheimer, the pioneering American physicist, was born in New York City in 1904. He was educated at Harvard and received his PhD from the University of Göttingen in Germany. Oppenheimer was an exceptionally gifted scholar who contributed significantly to the development of modern physics.
His enduring legacy, however, lies in his pivotal role in the Manhattan Project, a secret American military program that produced the first nuclear weapons. As the director of the Los Alamos Laboratory, Oppenheimer oversaw the research and development of the atomic bomb during World War II.
Despite his monumental achievements, Oppenheimer grappled with the ethical implications of his work and became an outspoken critic of nuclear weapons in the post-war era. His views on the perils of nuclear arms placed him at odds with the United States government, and his security clearance was ultimately revoked amid accusations of disloyalty.
Robert J. Oppenheimer passed away in 1967, leaving behind a complex legacy as a scientific visionary, wartime hero, and a voice of conscience in the atomic age.
