Oppenheimer and the H-Bomb: A Historic Lecture with Nicholas Lewis

The story of J. Robert Oppenheimer did not end with the atomic bomb. In the years after World War II, the famed scientific director of Los Alamos faced his greatest political and moral challenge: the hydrogen bomb. Known as the “Super,” this weapon was exponentially more destructive than the bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

As chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission’s General Advisory Committee, Oppenheimer strongly opposed the development of the H-bomb. He argued not only that the science was uncertain, but also that creating such a weapon would plunge the world into an arms race with catastrophic consequences. His stance put him at odds with political leaders and fellow scientists, most notably Edward Teller. In the tense climate of the Cold War, Oppenheimer’s resistance to the H-bomb became a central reason his security clearance was revoked in 1954, ending his influence on U.S. nuclear policy.

This Thursday, join Nicholas Lewis, historian at Los Alamos National Laboratory, for a powerful lecture exploring this pivotal moment in Oppenheimer’s legacy. Lewis will guide audiences through the political, ethical, and scientific debates surrounding the H-bomb—how Oppenheimer’s opposition shaped U.S. history and contributed to his fall from grace.

Part of the Oppenheimer Festival, this talk offers rare insight into the difficult choices that defined the nuclear age and continue to shape our understanding of science, power, and responsibility.