Oppenheimer at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton
The Biden administration undid the deprivation of Robert years ago. Oppenheimer's security clearance penalty was officially rehabilitated for Oppenheimer. Oppenheimer (Chinese also translated as Oppenheim) played a crucial role in the Manhattan Project, which determined the course of World War II history, and is known as the father of the atomic bomb.
Results of the Manhattan Project
U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm said the decision made by the Atomic Energy Commission in 1954 was not only a procedural error, but also violated the agency's own rules and regulations. As time went on, more evidence became available to the public, Oppenheimer's prejudice and unfair treatment became more visible, and his loyalty and love for his country became more visible.
Oppenheimer (1904-1967) was a leading figure in the Manhattan Project. The results of this project, the dropping of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, greatly accelerated the course of World War II. But the theoretical physicist was later stigmatized as "sympathetic to hostile forces," and after four weeks of closed-door hearings, he was stripped of security clearance, which means that he is not considered one by the government.
Results of the Manhattan Project
In the process of stripping Oppenheimer's security clearance, the Atomic Energy Commission did not mention whether he misused or leaked classified information, nor did it question his loyalty to the state. The only basis for the penalty was that the Commission found that Oppenheimer's character was materially flawed.
Years later, an atomic energy commission lawyer reviewed the case file and concluded that the punishment decision was wrong and unfair treatment of a loyal patriot.
The U.S. government now believes that the penalty decision was a politically motivated repression and smear by the then leadership of the Atomic Energy Commission in response to Oppenheimer's comments on some of the nuclear weapons policy made to the public.
"This political motivation should not have surfaced in the personnel safety audit process at all."
Senator Patrick Leahy welcomed the rehabilitative decision, arguing that the 1954 hearing that imposed the punishment was unjust, immoral and should be reprehensible. The decision shows that any government institution's scientific worker, whether a prominent person like Oppenheimer or a dedicated front-line technician, has the right to express his views on national security policy. Their views can only be tested with practice, not political motives and personal grudges.
This rehabilitation will also allow the public to have a deeper understanding of the scientist when enjoying the movie "Oppenheimer", which will be released in July 2023. Directed by Christopher Nolan, the film is based on Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin's award-winning biography Prometheus America: The Triumph and Tragedy of Robert Oppenheimer, starring Killian Murphy.