TODAY. Forget Oppenheimer. The real nuclear hero is Joseph Rotblat

Christina Macpherson

Aug 3

If only other scientists had followed his example.

If only scientists could learn from Joseph Rotblat, and abandon their dogmatic belief that science is "neutral"

To the end of his life, he believed scientists have personal responsibility for their inventions.

Yeah - you've never heard of him, have you? That's because we have all been brainwashed, in the patriarchy, into believing that heroes are brave tough guys. Joseph Rotblat was brave, but, alas, not a tough guy. So - he don't qualify.

Robert Oppenheimer might have regretted it later, but he was in favor of using the atomic bomb, seeing it as a terror weapon, that would need to be used only once

Leo Szilard was a "wimp" who did not want the atomic bomb to be dropped on Hiroshima.

But Joseph Rotblat went further than Slizard. In 1943, when it was clear that Germany was not developing atomic weapons, Rotblat saw the danger of atomic warfare, and risk of a nuclear clash with Russia. Rotblat abandoned his role in the Manhattan Project, and left America. USA army intelligence tried hard to depict Rotblat as a Russian agent

After the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Rotblat was determined to prevent the development of future nuclear weapons. He devoted the rest of his life to protesting nuclear testing and weapons production.

During the post-war period, Joseph Rotblat did an enormous amount of work in the cause of peace, dialogue and disarmament through the Pugwash movement, with which he shared the Nobel Peace Prize in 1995.

Joseph Rotblat passed away on August 31, 2005. To the end of his life, he believed scientists have personal responsibility for their inventions. Rotblat implored: "Above all, remember your humanity."

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