The new movie “Oppenheimer,” which gives a compelling portrait of the man who oversaw the creation of the first atomic weapon, is soon to be released. The Manhattan Project had an irrevocable impact on the lives of the people of Los Alamos and the people of nearby New Mexico, and the film has brought back conflicting memories for them. Under the direction of physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, the US government started working on the first atomic weapon in New Mexico.
Watch the trailer here: OPPENHEIMER – New Hindi Trailer (Universal Pictures) – HD
The research culminated with the Trinity Test, the first atomic bomb explosion ever, which happened 200 miles away from the Los Alamos secret city in the southern New Mexico desert.
What actually happened?
The Trinity Test Site was chosen by government officials because it was far away, flat, and had consistent winds. Residents in the vicinity were not informed because the project was secret. A rural populace that farmed, tended to gardens and raised cattle called the Tularosa Basin home. They fetched water from holding ponds and cisterns. They were unaware that the first atomic blast in history was the source of the fine ash that covered everything in the days after the detonation. In an effort to cover it up, the government initially claimed that an explosion at a munitions dump was to blame for the loud noise and blinding light, which could be seen from more than 257 kilometres away.
What’s going on right now?
The Tularosa Basin Downwinders Consortium has been putting forth a lot of effort to raise awareness about how the Manhattan Project affected the citizens of New Mexico. According to the group, the US government “poisoned its own people” by creating and testing nuclear weapons without informing the local populace of the dangers. In spite of the controversy surrounding the movie, Los Alamos officials are getting ready for the spotlight. An Oppenheimer Festival is being held in the city, which is home to one of the best national laboratories in the country, and it will last through the end of July. In order to inform attendees about the science underlying the Manhattan Project and its social ramifications, the festival will feature forums, documentaries, art installations, and exhibits.