Discussion Question #1
Why do you think Harry Gold provided sensitive information to the Russians? Could there be spies in Crawford County collecting sensitive information for another country's benefit?
Why do you think Harry Gold provided sensitive information to the Russians? Could there be spies in Crawford County collecting sensitive information for another country's benefit?
Discussion Question #2
The chapter, “Quiet Fellow,” ends with the following statement: “It was a decision that would haunt him for the rest of his life.” What is the meaning of the word haunt as it is used in the previous sentence? Why do you think Sheinkin used this statement at this point in the book? What could he be telling his audience?
Discussion Question #3
On page 113, we learn that twenty-six Norwegian civilians were killed when Knut Haukelid and his commandos sank the ferry carrying the German heavy water. What are your thoughts and feelings about loss of innocent lives during any war?
Discussion Question #4
Why is it important that you understand the different perspectives regarding the use of weapons of mass destruction?
Blog #1 Group #13
ReplyDeleteHaley, Bryce and I want to thank you for blogging with us. We are a nervous wreck working with our principal!
Question #1
Harry Gold provided sensitive information to the Russians because he did not have a job and needed money. Gold was so desperate he must have thought Tom Black was his only hope. In the book, Bomb: The Race to Build-and Steal-the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon, Steve Sheinkin explicitly stated on page twenty-three, “It all began one snowy night in February 1933, in the depths of the Great Depression. Like millions of Americans, Gold had been laid off from his job. His family was way behind on rent and facing eviction from their apartment.” Sheinkin also states on page twenty-five, “He was grateful to Tom Black, he wanted to help him.” Both pieces of evidence prove why Gold continued to work for the Russians but worked against his own country. Haley, Bryce, and I can infer that during The Great Depression, people were laid off from work and because of that bills were not paid and food was scarce. It is somewhat similar to what has happened in the past month here in the United States. There was a government shutdown and some people had trouble paying their bills. This causes stress and sometimes people make choices they normally do not do. This may be somewhat similar to what Gold did, but his choice of betraying his country was over-the-top. What do you think?
Question #2
Haley, Bryce, and I believe that there could be spies in Crawford County collecting valuable information for another country’s benefit, but it would be difficult. Spies could be in Crawford County because of the big industries we have here such as Marathon and Hershey. Crawford County is a small community so no one would expect a spy around here. Our big industries would be hard to spy on due to the great security here. This would make it hard for spies to sneak into the places with jobs unnoticed or to steal valuable information or items. With this information in mind, we can infer that most spies would have a hard time trying to spy in Crawford County. What do you think? Spies? Here?
Haley, Bryce, and I are excited to read your responses.
Okay, first of all, don't worry about working with me. I don't bite! I would agree that Gold's choice of betraying his country was a poor one. However, I appreciate the fact that you understand the implications of the Great Depression and how the desperation of the times may have contributed to Gold's decision-making. Also, I applaud you for relating it to the recent government shutdown. However, I am a strong believer in individual responsibility. People are sometimes characterized as being in a situation through no fault of their own. I think this can be dangerous. If the school shut down, I would have about 3-6 months before not having a job would affect me financially. Instead of having a new truck, I drive a 2009 with over 100,000 miles on it. I would never want to be in a position of having to compromise my morals to feed my family.
ReplyDeleteI also agree with you about the possibility of spies in Crawford County. Marathon, Hershey, and Flying S all must maintain high security based on what they produce. I think one advantage we have in a smaller community is that everyone knows their co-workers. This would make it very hard for an outsider to infiltrate our businesses. However, someone from the community who was facing hardships could readily be able to gain access to sensitive material. Gold was effective because no one suspected him. Isn't that scary?
Great job answering these questions! Let me know if you have any thoughts about my responses. You guys rock!
Haley, Bryce, and I read your response, and we agreed on all fronts. You made the statement and asked the question, “Gold was effective because no one suspected him. “Isn’t that scary?” We agree, yes, this is scary because we do not live where we thought we did. With all of our big industries, for all we know, people we have known for years could have been working against us. Because of the book, Bomb, we have realized that spies could be in Crawford County, and we have had no idea how dangerous of a place we have been living in our whole lives. Therefore, we must be aware of our surroundings.
ReplyDeleteWe look forward to working with you on Blog #2.
Blog #2 Group #13
ReplyDeleteThe word ‘haunt’ as it is used in the following sentence, “It was a decision that would haunt him for the rest of his life.” means an incorrect decision that comes back to spook you. Sheinkin used this sentence at the end of the chapter to point out to his readers that Oppenheimer made a difficult choice that may come back to haunt him. On page sixty-five of the book, Bomb: The Race to Build-and Steal-the World's Most Dangerous Weapon, Sheinkin explicitly stated, “Oppenheimer chose not to tell General Groves that he had been approached by the Soviets.” and “Oppenheimer was visibly disturbed by the suggestion.” These two pieces of evidence back up our original claim by proving that Oppenheimer was a good guy and had a difficult decision to make. Our guess is that Oppenheimer’s decision comes back to spook him, and this affects his career. Oppenheimer lived for physics, and he was the director of the bomb project. So, if Groves or anyone else finds out about being approached by the Soviets, and Oppenheimer did not say anything, it could make him look guilty. In our judgement, Sheinkin is telling his readers that this is most likely what happens. What do you think?
We look forward to your response.
I think that the decision "haunts" him because it will come back up later. Sheinkin is using this word to foreshadow. (Mr. Beals knows literary terms!) Sometimes in historical non-fiction it is hard to create suspense, but I believe that is what the author is doing with this statement. How do you think it will come back on Oppenheimer? Will he lose his job, or be arrested, or worse????
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ReplyDeleteHaley, Bryce, and I read your response and your question, “How do you think it will come back on Oppenheimer?” To this question, we think if Oppenheimer does not tell someone and someone finds out about the encounter, it will seem as if he is hiding something and that he is a Communist. But, if he does tell someone, then he will still be suspected. We read your other question, “Will he lose his job, or be arrested, or worse????” We think he might lose his job and/or be suspected as a traitor if they found out that he kept it a secret, but without evidence he would probably not be arrested.
Thank you for reading and responding to our last two blogs and we look forward for your response on Blog #3.
Blog#3 Group#13
ReplyDeleteOur group has different opinions on this topic so we may need your guidance.
Haley and I feel that the loss of innocent lives during any war is terrible, and no one should have the right to make the decision for someone else about whether or not he/she should be able to live his/her life. In the book, Bomb: The Race to Build-And-Steal-the World's Most Dangerous Weapon, Steve Sheinkin explicitly stated on page 113,”Terrified and screaming, civilians and German soldiers tumbled and leaped into the icy water, grabbing for chairs, oars, and life vests.” This evidence proves how someone being able to, with the snap of a finger, kill twenty-six people, should not be something any person should have enough power to do. The people on the ferry were not warned, and they died and had no way of stopping it. With this information in mind, we can infer that though it was a tough decision, it was the wrong one, and it should not have been made because the position could have easily been switched, and the people deciding could have been the ones on the ferry. To say someone has less importance in life than another is a decision that should not be have even been thought about at all, because one life not more important than another.
Bryce feels differently. He feels that the loss of innocent lives in any war is sometimes necessary and that it is better to lose twenty-six lives rather than 26,000 lives. In the book, Bomb: The Race to Build-and-Steal the World's Most Dangerous Weapon, Steve Sheinkin explicitly stated on page 110, “Haukelid relayed the details to British intelligence in London, saying that the job would be tricky and might result in a loss of civilian lives. “‘Case considered’”, came the immediate reply from London”. This evidence proves that even the military agrees that losing twenty-six lives was better than losing thousands of lives. Bryce understands that any loss of life is a tragedy and these people had families; every life is valuable. But, from Bryce’s viewpoint, sacrificing a few for many is better instead of Hitler getting the atomic bomb and wiping out populations of people. Bryce feels that if it was his family, he would want to know if was for a good cause.
What are your thoughts?
Wow, I am really proud of how much work you put in to answer this. It also sounds like the three of you could agree to disagree. You mentioned that at the snap of the fingers, 26 people were killed. This immediately made me think of Avengers: Infinity War. Have you guys seen this movie? Thanos, the "bad guy" snaps his fingers and wipes out half the living things in the universe. Sounds terrible right? But from his perspective, he was saving the universe from overpopulation. Anyway, back to our conversation about the book, I would probably feel more like Bryce on this issue. (Sorry Brayden and Haley! Don't let him rub it in!) As someone who went to college and got a Social Studies degree, I have studied a lot of history and learned a plethora about war. Unfortunately, there will always be a loss of civilian life during war. As General Sherman said "War is cruelty. There is no use trying to reform it. The crueler it is, the sooner it will be over." While I would never wish for civilians to lose their lives, it does happen. I guess my final thought for now would be this: What if Hitler got the atomic bomb before us? That is not a scenario that I would want to imagine. Great job group 13!
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ReplyDeleteThank you! Haley and I have not seen Avengers: Infinity War, but Bryce has seen it. He said it does relate to the story, and it is awful how one person can single-handedly kill so many people in the blink of an eye. Back to the book though. Yes, Bryce is rubbing it in by the way. Good thing we have no walls in the building otherwise his head would have exploded. While Bryce agrees with you, and Haley and I understand and respect where you are coming from in regards to lives lost during wartime. We also appreciate the quote that you shared with us from General Sherman. We appreciate you reading and responding to our blog #3.
P.S. We are getting a hint that you are probably a LALA, as well as a history freak (Mr. Jones has this prestigious title too.), considering the vivacious vocabulary that you use in your responses.
Blog #4 Group 13
ReplyDeleteIt is important that we understand the different perspectives regarding the use of weapons of mass destruction because various people can be affected in different ways. We need to understand all sides of the story, and how it affected the victims and not just us. In the book, Bomb: The Race To Build-And Steal-The World’s Most Dangerous Weapon, by Steve Sheinkin shows the following four different perspectives: political, military, scientific, and Japanese civilians.
To begin, we need to understand the political perspective to understand the weight of the decisions made by the government. In the book, Bomb: The Race To Build-And Steal- The World’s Most Dangerous Weapon, Steve Sheinkin explicitly states on page twenty-two, “Within weeks of getting Einstein's letter, President Roosevelt formed the Uranium Committee, a group of military leaders and scientists.” This proves that President Roosevelt had to make quick decisions and pick a select few he thought he could trust to help. We can infer that Roosevelt had to decide very carefully about whom he trusted with this project. This is important because we need to understand why and how some things happen by the government’s hand. We elect these officials so it is important to understand.
Also, we need to understand the military perspective because they are the ones who carry out what our leadership wants. On page 111, “Haukelid relayed the details to British intelligence in London, saying that the job would tricky and might result in the loss of civilian lives.” This evidence proves that though sad, they would have to do something about it so Hitler would not win. We can infer this this was not a decision taken lightly. Understanding the military perspective helps us figure out where the military stands and as well as our leaders.
Not only is it important that we understand the military perspective, but it is also important that we understand the scientific perspective. These scientists were responsible for creating this destruction so we need to understand the science of it as well as the toll it takes. Steve Sheinkin explicitly states on page seventeen,”Then there was a chill which was not the morning cold. It was the chill of knowing they had used something that covered the study of physics-to build the deadliest weapon in human history.” These two statements prove the change of perspectives about the bomb and the affects. We can infer that all scientists working on the bomb wished they had thought about the effects before their actions. Understanding this helps us realize the true potentials with the use of weapons of mass destruction.
Finally, the Japanese civilians of Hiroshima felt terrified. They believed that the use of such a weapon was barbaric. Sheinkin explicitly stated on page 196 , “I stood there dumbfounded…I heard children crying,buildings collapsing, men and women screaming. I saw the bright red of blood and people with dazed expression on their faces trying to get away, this proves how awful war, violence, emotion, and hate can be. We can infer that this was a regrettable time for the U.S. so it is important for us to make sure that history doesn’t repeat itself. Human life is valuable.
In the end, Sheinkin wants us to understand the different perspectives so we can see all sides of atomic bomb issue. Once we saw all sides, we could better make a judgment. We needed to see all perspectives to understand what we are capable of in wartime.
Blog #5 Group #13
ReplyDeleteSteve Sheinkin is trying to tell us that the making of the atomic bomb was an amazing project that took lots of blood, sweat, and tears, but it was also a terrible tragedy that killed thousands of people just like us. There is no end in sight because bombs will always be present. There is no way that they will ever be dismantled. Because of this, the threat is always there. In the book, Bomb: The Race to Build-And Steal-The World’ Most Dangerous Weapon, Sheinkin explicitly stated on page 235, “All the while the arms race expanded.” Also, on page 235, “Other countries decided they needed the bomb as well.” This evidence backs up our claim by proving that the arms race grew after the atomic bomb and bigger and stronger bombs are continuing to be produced. Haley, Bryce, and I can infer though heartbreaking, people will always fight because leaders want power. The thirst for power can destroy so weapons of mass destruction will be our reality for the rest of our lives and our families’ lives. The race will never end so people must vote wisely.
Hey, sorry about Blog 4 - I typed in a response and must have not hit publish before I closed out. Here are my thoughts on the different perspectives you mentioned. First, politically, you mentioned the haste with which Roosevelt acted. He knew we must begin preparing for war in many different areas. Hopefully, he had learned from the Great War that the United States would have to take an active role from the start. His perspective was also tied to that of the military. Obviously, the military is going to want to have the best, most powerful weapon on the planet. They would also want to be able to use it in order to save American lives. This ties in to both the scientists and the civilians of Hiroshima. The scientists are racing against Germany to build the bomb. Also, remember that many of the scientists escaped Europe and fled from Hitler knowing what he was doing. From their perspective, the scientists were hoping to save the world by building this incredibly destructive weapon. Finally, the civilians of Japan only knew what their leader told him. Their perspective was limited by what they were told by the leadership of the country. They were told that Japan was winning the war. Then, when the bombs were dropped, they learned their perspective was limited and incorrect. I think that the civilians of Japan might have the most for us to learn from. That is we must make sure our perspective is a realistic one that takes in information from many sources before me make judgments.
ReplyDeleteIn response to Blog 5, I think you guys are right on track. The threat of nuclear war will always be present. What do you think the US stance should be towards weapons of mass destruction? You mentioned that the arms race grew after the atomic bomb, but we have been in a period of arms reduction for the past few decades. I believe these weapons will always be with us, but do you think the US can control other countries and their access to these weapons?
ReplyDeleteHaley, Bryce, and I agree that since they are already with us, no one is going to get rid of them and put their country at a disadvantage. We think they should never be used though, in any circumstance. Thank you for blogging with us over the last five blogs. We enjoyed reading and responding to your opinions and constructive criticism.
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