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Brotherhood of the Bomb: The Tangled Lives and Loyalties of Robert Oppenheimer, Ernest Lawrence, and Edward Teller

Gregg Herken

3.88 · Rating details · 221 ratings · 24 reviews

The story of the twentieth century is largely the story of the power of science and technology. Within that story is the incredible tale of the human conflict between three men-Robert Oppenheimer, Ernest Lawrence, and Edward Teller-the scientists most responsible for the advent of weapons of mass destruction. How did science, enlisted in the service of the state during the ...more

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Paperback, 480 pages

Published September 1st 2003 by Holt McDougal (first published September 9th 2002)

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Start your review of Brotherhood of the Bomb: The Tangled Lives and Loyalties of Robert Oppenheimer, Ernest Lawrence, and Edward Teller

Sep 25, 2012 Brett rated it it was ok

Shelves: history

I saw the author discuss this book on a BookTV rerun. I anticipated a deeper exploration of the three main characters and their interaction as was discussed on the TV program. I was disappointed. Focus on government and university politics. The involvment of Hoover and cronies did not add anything.

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Feb 17, 2020 Kyle rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: history, biography, physics, science, science-general

This is a great book on the history of nuclear weapons and the scientists who made them possible. It follows three scientists from right before the Manhattan Project up until shortly after the successful development of thermonuclear weapons, and concludes briefly with the history since then.

This is a great companion for reading American Prometheus about Oppenheimer, as well. This book has a more scholarly and balanced approach (it is also shorter). While Herken does not hesitate to comment on th ...more

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Sep 15, 2015 Lukasz Pruski rated it liked it

"Physicists have known sin."
(J. Robert Oppenheimer)

Gregg Herken's "Brotherhood of the Bomb" (2002) is the story of three preeminent American physicists, Ernest Lawrence, J Robert Oppenheimer, and Edward Teller, whose work was crucial for the American nuclear program in the 1940s and 1950s, which led to the development of atomic and thermonuclear weapons. This extremely well researched and documented book is based on many thousands of pages of declassified U.S. government documents, including FBI "Physicists have known sin."
(J. Robert Oppenheimer)

Gregg Herken's "Brotherhood of the Bomb" (2002) is the story of three preeminent American physicists, Ernest Lawrence, J Robert Oppenheimer, and Edward Teller, whose work was crucial for the American nuclear program in the 1940s and 1950s, which led to the development of atomic and thermonuclear weapons. This extremely well researched and documented book is based on many thousands of pages of declassified U.S. government documents, including FBI's "dead files". Even some decrypted secret cables send by Soviet spies were used as sources.

We read about Lawrence's pioneering work with cyclotrons, and we learn about solving the difficult problem of uranium separation ("enrichment"). Then we follow the Manhattan Project, which culminates with the first man-made nuclear explosion on the Trinity site in July 1945 and the atomic bombs being dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Next, the author recounts the protracted and intense political struggle that surrounded the development of thermonuclear weapons, the struggle that cast Oppenheimer - who was opposed to these weapons on moral grounds - against Teller, who had been their steadfast proponent since the early 1940s.

Fascinating "side stories" offered by the author include the account of long-term harassment of Dr. Oppenheimer by many in the government and the military. The persecution, motivated by the physicist's left-wing leanings and contacts, eventually led to the infamous hearings that resulted in stripping Oppenheimer's security clearance. Another side story recounts tenacious, long-term, and skillful spying activities by Soviet agents, including the transmission of ultra-secret documents, which sped up the Soviet development of the bomb by many years. The book ends - somewhat optimistically - with an account of the nuclear test-ban negotiations in 1958.

The subtitle of the book, "The Tangled Lives and Loyalties of Robert Oppenheimer, Ernest Lawrence, and Edward Teller", succinctly conveys the author's intentions. Mr. Herken aims at showing some of the famed physicists' human side: Dr. Oppenheimer's moral struggles with the concepts of good and evil, the irrepressible enthusiasm of Dr. Lawrence, and Dr. Teller's unwavering persistence in trying to develop the ultimate superweapon - the thermonuclear bomb. While the documents reflect facts, it seems to me that the author tries to explain the motives of the characters through stereotyping of a kind: we see Oppenheimer as a serious thinker, Lawrence as an accomplished doer, and Teller - despite his undeniable greatness in physics - as a resentful man. How much of this is true, we have no way of telling, but the device makes quite a good story with Oppenheimer in the role of a hero and Teller as a villain driven by "Oppenheimer envy". Anyway, that's how the story reads to me, between the lines.

My rather serious complaint about "Brotherhood" is that the book is overly detailed: it bursts with minutiae. The author writes about too many actions of too many people and includes too many events. I commend the author for looking up all this extremely rich information, but higher selectivity would convey a more focused message and greatly improve the book. The author's obsession with detail is an obstacle in reading: in many places I had to let my eyes just glide over the page. Good book, but one that could be much better.

Three stars.
...more

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Jul 04, 2015 Eugene Miya rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: history-of-technology, science-history, wwii-history, declassified-military

Read this book when it came out. It's an above average history; and I can say that because of Badash's class before Richard Rhoades. I also met Gregg Herken when introduced to him by Ceruzzi when both were at the Natl. Air and Space Museum before he took his prof-ship at UC Merced.

I noted a interesting typo which Gregg pointed out could not be changed because it's merely part of the Presidential record: Eisenhower was having a discussion about whether to authorize a 100 MT bomb. His AEC Chair wa ...more

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Mar 11, 2012 Liam rated it really liked it

"Teller privately considered Bethe a 'brick maker' among physicists -- thorough, meticulous, but unimaginitive and even a bit pompous. In Oppenheimer, on the other hand, Edward recognized a kindred spirit -- a 'bricklayer,' or synthesizer, who understood the underlying structure." (85)

"In preparations to steal U.S. secrets, [Pavel] Fitin had given his enterprise a code name appropriate to the Manhattan Project: Enormous (Enormoz)." (87)

"Standing next to Lawrence, Teller unnerved onlookers by spe ...more

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Jan 17, 2008 Daniel rated it really liked it

This was a good book to read after finishing Richard Rhodes' "Making of the Atomic Bomb". Herken examines the lives of Ernst Lawrence, Edward Teller, and Robert Oppenheimer in detail, paying special attention to the relationships these men shared amongst themselves and with other individuals. The bomb project itself is mentioned only in context, so readers wanting a closer look at that part of history should look to Rhodes. ...more

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Jul 26, 2011 H Wesselius added it

fascinating topic but badly written. At times he attemted to cover too much and other times background information was left to the reader's imagination. His annoying habit of using first names and last names at different times became a major irritant especially when he also used some Soviet code names. The information is there but you need to get past the awful writing and in the end its not worth it. ...more

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May 19, 2008 Nick Black rated it liked it

Shelves: oppenheimania, read-multiple-times

The Lawrence profile was pretty solid, although I've read none of Ernest's several biographies. Nothing new here on Oppenheimer or Teller. ...more

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Aug 18, 2018 Roger Briggs rated it really liked it

It’s likely been 16 years since I purchased this book. At the time I worked for the Department of Energy at the Hanford Site, home to the plutonium that was dropped on Nagasaki to ostensibly end the war in the Pacific. I worked for the department for 18 years retiring in 2010. I was assigned to three different federal agencies all under the umbrella of the U.S. Department of Energy. My job as an industrial hygienist was oversight of worker health and safety for contractors doing work for the age It’s likely been 16 years since I purchased this book. At the time I worked for the Department of Energy at the Hanford Site, home to the plutonium that was dropped on Nagasaki to ostensibly end the war in the Pacific. I worked for the department for 18 years retiring in 2010. I was assigned to three different federal agencies all under the umbrella of the U.S. Department of Energy. My job as an industrial hygienist was oversight of worker health and safety for contractors doing work for the agency under contract to either the Richland Operations Office, the Office of River Protection (oversight of tank farm waste clean-up) or the Pacific Northwest Site Office (oversight of the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory).

Today I finished Harken’s book. The events and characters in this narrative were alive during my childhood. I was born in 1943 about the time of the events that drove the effort to build and employ the most destructive forces known to man, the Atomic and Hydrogen bombs. Here lies the story of the men (and some women) that designed and engineered these weapons of mass destruction, principally a story of the relationship among three of those men, Openheimer, Lawrence and Teller and what motivated them to act as they did.

Somewhat difficult to follow ,with so many other players in the author’s description of the “brotherhood”, names that would be easily recognized and remembered by contemporaries of the scientific community, it was still a compelling and remarkable read.

Almost uncanny is reading it in the presence of today’s events centered around Russian spying and their attacks on our country and most recently Mr. Trump’s revocation and threats of revocation of security clearances. Harken’s narrative takes us through the years of FBI surveillance of Openheimer for alleged association with Communists up to the point of his security clearance not being renewed by the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC), echoes of today’s headlines. Trump never bothered with due process and bypassed his own intelligence agencies telling them nothing before unilaterally removing security clearances from ex-CIA chief John Brennan and threatening removal of clearances from others in other federal agencies.

In Openheimer’s case, his security clearance was not renewed by the AEC’s Personal Security Board by a vote of 2-1. The majority’s opinion stated in its summary, “Loyalty to one’s friends is one of the noblest of qualities. Being loyal to one’s friends above reasonable obligations to the country and to the security system, however, is not clearly consistent with the interests of security.” How interesting now we have a President who perverts that understanding by punishing those who disagree with him in spite of “the interests of security” and his obligations to protect and defend the Constitution and its people.

There is another conundrum, the zeal of science to discover and create and profit without regard to human consequences. The science that unleashed the power of the atom knew no bounds. It ran apace the egos of the scientists who created it. Cities obliterated, death in numbers unimaginable, a war that ran only 3 hours like an extended movie with no intermission were not the problem to be solved but rather their the creation, their legacy, their work.

I have walked within an arm’s length of the Enola Gay while it was undergoing restoration at the Smithsonian’s Air and Space Museum. I was present at the Pasco High School, Washington, when Frank Tibbetts, pilot of the plane that obliterated Hiroshima, said he had no regrets about what he did. In December 1966, Robert Openheimer was asked whether he felt any regret over the bombing of Hiroshima. He responded, “My own feelings about responsibility and guilt have always had to do with the present, and so far in this life that has been more than enough to occupy me.”

These are difficult things to resolve. Some can’t be. Age has a way of covering up responsibility and truth. But if only the journey of one’s life could see the consequences of that which we pursued more clearly, the cold face of regret might be avoided and confronted more truthfully.

It is impossible to compromise with sin. Openheimer, Lawrence, and Teller have known power…and they have known sin. ...more

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Aug 24, 2021 Bob Lundquist rated it it was amazing

As with much of history, most people are unaware of how atomic weapons were developed. Once Einstein showed how matter and energy are equivalent, it was only a matter of time before matter would be turned into energy with atomic bombs. The concept of atomic fission was defined in the 1930s and the discovery of neutrons showed a path to fission development before and during World War II. Fission, the splitting of atomic nuclei, was made possible with neutrons. That simple idea was built to a high As with much of history, most people are unaware of how atomic weapons were developed. Once Einstein showed how matter and energy are equivalent, it was only a matter of time before matter would be turned into energy with atomic bombs. The concept of atomic fission was defined in the 1930s and the discovery of neutrons showed a path to fission development before and during World War II. Fission, the splitting of atomic nuclei, was made possible with neutrons. That simple idea was built to a high level of sophistication and its application to thermonuclear weapons by Ernest Lawrence, Robert Oppenheimer, and Edward Teller. Lawrence, a tinkerer extraordinaire, was first with his invention of the cyclotron that greatly increased the speed of atomic particles in a circle rather than a straight line that would take up a lot of real estate. The great physics theorist Oppenheimer put it all together by leading the technical effort to build atomic weapons to be used on Japan during World War II. Teller, another theorist, pursued the opposite of fission: fusion. Rather than splitting large atoms, he saw that fusing together small atoms releases much more energy.
This main storyline of the book is how Oppenheimer became a target of hunters of Communists that led to him losing his security clearance in 1954, only one day before it was scheduled to expire anyway. This shows how the FBI and other government agencies illegally listened to those suspected of disloyalty during and after World War II and perhaps even to the present day. Lawrence begged off testifying at the hearing due to illness while Teller was only too glad to testify against Oppenheimer. Along the way are the stories of test bans, international control of atomic energy, the military-industrial complex, the self-recrimination of the scientific elite, and personal condemnation. This is a good introduction to the issues involved and hopefully readers will want to dig deeper into the many inter-related problems of the United States becoming a leader of the world.
...more

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Apr 01, 2018 Ian Lee rated it it was amazing

Very well documented and researched accounting of the progress made in American and world nuclear research from ~1935 - 1960. Particularly detailed with respect to the interplay of the major (and minor characters during that time).

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Mar 28, 2015 Pierre Lauzon rated it liked it

The subtitle of the book describes it well – “The Tangled Lives and Loyalties of Robert Oppenheimer, Ernest Lawrence, and Edward Teller.” The book discusses at length these individuals at the dawn of the atomic age, their discoveries, and their work to build the first atomic bomb as part of the Manhattan Project.

The book also goes into depth on the competition between these individuals, the backbiting, and outright slander that was directed at the loyalty of Robert Oppenheimer. The book discusse ...more

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Aug 26, 2013 Graham Velasco rated it really liked it

Brotherhood of the Bomb, written by Gregg Herken, is a fascinating culmination of dogged research regarding the intertwined lives of infamous scientists J Robert Oppenheimer, Ernest Lawrence, and Edward Teller. It offers rare glimpses into the often-volatile personalities of these three men and their followers, citing recently unclassified documents and information to support the author's claims. I was surprised to learn of Oppenheimer's early ties to Communism, Lawrence's insatiable thirst for ...more

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Sep 16, 2011 Sam rated it liked it

A decent atomic bomb history book. Not the best i've read but, worth reading. This book tried to give some insight into the men behind the bomb rather than the overall picture of the politics or science facts about it. I think it's ambitious and at time I'm sure the author had to fill in some of the blanks as there is only so much documentation in personal diaries and other tertiary sources. Not my favorite books but I've read many books about this subject as it's my strong personal interest in ...more

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Nov 15, 2015 Rena rated it really liked it

Shelves: own

I found this book incredibly interesting. I'm not much for history, but I absolutely love science. This biography about the major scientists responsible for the development of the atomic and Hydrogen bombs was way up my alley. Scientists are very interesting people. They tend to be quirky and very work driven.

Being a developing scientist myself, those were some important key features I enjoyed about this book. Not everything about this era is as black and white as people think it is. Whether or ...more

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Mar 31, 2015 dejah_thoris rated it it was ok

Shelves: history, non-fiction

Closer to a 3 star review if you know the history of the atomic bomb but rather confusing nonetheless. Herken likes to focus on the connections between individuals on the project and not the science itself, so you'd better be prepared to not have that described in detail. His switching between first and last names within paragraphs also can be quite confusing as is the extensive cast of characters that he barely introduces before moving onto another development. Lots of FBI and Soviet espionage ...more

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Mar 16, 2014 Kristy rated it really liked it

Shelves: history, non-fiction

I learned so much from reading this book, especially regarding the personal side of the people involved and how/why each lab came to exist. I definitely recommend this one!

Unfortunately I am horrible at keeping a multitude of characters straight in my mind. To do it again I would make a map of the major players and their affiliations right from the start. I think I would get more out of it that way.

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Jul 14, 2013 Stormy rated it really liked it

A fascinating look at the physicists' relationships -- like brothers they grew up together, collaborated, competed, hated and respected each other. This book gives an excellent summary of events leading to the A bomb, the paranoia of the times and how the Livermore lab became a competitor to Los Alamos.. ...more

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Nov 16, 2015 Will rated it liked it

Brotherhood of the Bomb is well-researched but isn't exactly what I was expecting when I started reading. The book focuses mostly on the politics surrounding the development of the atomic bomb which can be tedious at times but the author does a good job of bringing the subjects of the book to life as real people, especial Ernest Lawrence. ...more

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Dec 14, 2016 Tyler Hochstetler rated it really liked it

Perhaps the most controversial decision of all time - to build a nuclear bomb and use it. This books follows the three key men that shaped the Manhattan Project. Their lives are inspiring, perplexing and life changing. The weight some men have carried on their shoulders makes me question myself; what am I doing to contribute to the world today?

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Sep 08, 2019 Catherine Fitzpatrick rated it really liked it

Very detailed work and possibly the only comprehensive book you'll need, but after reading Joseph Alsop, and with everything I know, I do want some second opinions. This author seemed to dislike Alsop and does nothing to explain why anti-communism exists -- you know, because of Soviet mass crimes against humanity -- that I don't know if he is trustworthy on this topic. ...more

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Aug 28, 2011 William rated it liked it

Interesting, but written in too academic a manner. It was very difficult to follow because often people are referred to only by their full name once, then by only surnames. This can be very confusing with so many important players, an alphabet soup of organizations, and a 30-year timeline.

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Nov 15, 2007 Larry rated it really liked it

For anyone who wants to understand how we got in the nuclear mess we are in, this is the book. Science, egos, politics, and the MILITARY INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX, is a REALLY bad mixture.

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