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 #16
ReplyDeleteAshton, Tralynn, Karly, Jayce, and I want to thank you for helping us with the blog. We all really appreciate it.
Question #1
Harry Gold provided sensitive information to the Russians because it was the time of The Great Depression, and Gold had been laid off from his job. So, Gold was desperate for money. Gold was also willing to do anything for Tom Black to repay his debt for helping him during hard times. In the book, Bomb: The Race to Build-and Steal-the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon, by Steve Sheinkin, he 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 behind on rent and facing eviction from their apartment.” Sheinkin also explicitly stated on page twenty- five, “By the time World War II began, Gold had given the Soviets every bit of useful information the Pennsylvania Sugar Company had in its files.” All these pieces of textual evidence back up our claim by proving why Gold did what he did. We can infer that people during The Great Depression had to make some difficult choices, but Harry Gold made a terrible choice. Gold was trying to get himself out of a hole and ended up digging himself in a bigger hole. What do you think?
Question #2
Yes, there could be spies in Crawford County collecting sensitive information for another country’s benefit. On the website for the Flying S, Inc. in Palestine, it explicitly stated, “Restricted Area Authorized Personnel Only” on the “Projects” tab. This backs our claim by proving if a company is selling a product, but the product is “restricted”, it can only mean that they are making things that they want to be kept secret. Why so secret? We can infer they do not want the public to know or others who can use the information against them. Other companies in Crawford County have security too. Why so secret? Well, there must be reason why they spend the money they do on security. So, our guess is that if have a need to spend the money, there must be a security threat. Do you think there could be spies?
Ashton, Traylnn, Karly, Jayce, and I are excited to read your response.
Dear Ashton, Tralynn, Karly, Jayce, and Lauren,
DeleteI am very happy to be blogging with you for this project. I think the book, "Bomb" by Steve Sheinkin is excellent. I found the answer to your first blog question very insightful and I love the way you validate your answers using information from the book. I also felt that Harry Gold felt indebted to Black. I thought the citation that he had an "almost puppy-like eagerness to please" was very telling. I wonder if spying made him feel more important. His job was not very important at the soap factory although it did feed his family since he sent money to his parents. Do you think many people do things because they don't think it will hurt anyone like Gold?
Spies in Crawford County is a thought that is an interesting one. Marathon, Hershey, and Flying S are all good examples of cutting edge technology that other countries may want to steal or copy and as you state have increased security. When I have taken tours of Flying S we were required to sign a non-disclosure agreement. It meant that we could not talk about anything that we saw there because it may have had military implications. I have also had the opportunity to write a grant for $200,000 that helped the Robinson Police Department buy new equipment to protect Marathon. Those pictures that we had to submit were taken by Marathon Security, kept under lock and key, then shred when the grant was awarded. It is all very hard to believe but I did have to do a training for Homeland Security before I could even work on it. We are very close to some major cities that spies could get in and out of quickly like Indianapolis and Chicago. Some could pose as college students. University of Illinois in Champaign is only two hours away and Robinson has Lincoln Trail College. Did you know that there is a particle accelerator which splits atoms and studies Neutreno experiments located around the Chicago area? It is named Fermilab. Do you know who it was named after? It is a very interesting place very close to home. I look forward to us blogging again! Mrs. Quick
Ashton, Jayce, Karly, Traylnn, and I all agree that some people do not think things through. Some people only think about the now and not the consequences of their actions. Unfortunately, we are all guilty of this sometimes, but it is important to learn from one's mistakes. Always think about others before yourself.
ReplyDeleteThank you again for helping us, and we look forward to our next blog.
Blog #2
ReplyDeleteBlog number one was pretty great, but blog two is going to be even better!
To us, the 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 something that will never go away and affect many people negatively later. Sheinkin used this statement in the book to show how Oppenheimer will regret not telling Groves about being approached by the Soviets. Sheinkin is telling his audience that when Oppenheimer did not tell Groves about the Soviets, his coworkers may turn against him, and they will ever trust Oppenheimer again; therefore, he may lose his credibility. In the book, Bomb: The Race to Build-and Steal- The World’s Most Dangerous Weapon, Sheinkin explicitly stated on page sixty-five, “ Oppenheimer was visibly disturbed by the suggestion that would be a frightful thing to do.” This textual evidence backs up our claim by proving that Oppenheimer was not open to tell anyone. He most likely felt that if he told he would lose everything. Traylynn, Lauren, Jayce, Karly, and I can infer that Oppenheimer’s secret will get around and then everyone will find out about the Soviets approaching. Then, Oppenheimer’s credibility will be lost. In our opinion, not saying anything is worse than other people finding out. What do you think?
We look forward to your response.
I agree that Oppenheimer will be “haunted” by not telling Groves about being approached by the Soviets. At this time in history though, telling was such a gamble. If he told or didn’t tell he is risking losing everything. Can you imagine Oppenheimer not being on the project? This could have been devastating and the United States could have lost the race. If he did tell, do you think the military would second guess him all the time and might think that he had ulterior motives? I think it would be hard to know exactly what to do at this period of time. If he tells right away, they could remove him because he is approachable. If he doesn’t and is found out later (which is what happened), a serious trust is broken. In this time of spies and secrets, I think it would be difficult to really trust anyone. This idea also goes along perfectly with your statement about everyone makes mistakes and it is important to learn from them. Oppenheimer associated with many people in his lifetime. It is hard to know who is trustworthy and who is not. I think the same is true for today as well. When we meet new people, it is hard to know who to trust and who to not trust. In this age of social media and things we say or do in private or public being posted, I think it is very scary. Trust is often hard to come by, extremely hard to keep and sometimes impossible to get back which is what I think Oppenheimer found out.
DeleteMrs. Quick
Response to Blog #2
ReplyDeleteTralynn, Jayce, Lauren, Karly, and I believe that the military would give Oppenheimer a second chance knowing that he had never lied and had always been loyal to the military and his country. The military would not have a reason to not believe Oppenheimer nor think he had ulterior motives.
We look forward to Blog 3.
Blog #3 Group #16
ReplyDeleteAshton, Karly, Tralynn, Jayce, and I learned that twenty-six Norwegian civilians were killed when Knut Haukelid and his commandos sank the ferry carrying the German heavy water. We think Knut and the British intelligence should have come up with another plan so no citizen would have been killed. In the book, Bomb: The Race to Build- and Steal- the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon, by Steve Sheinkin, he explicitly stated on page 110, “ Haukelid relayed the details to British intelligence in London.” Very urgent that heavy water be destroyed.” Hope this can be done without having a lot of consequences.” We can infer that if the military and British intelligence, they should have thought of another tactic. What do you think? Could the military and British intelligence not come up with something else? They seem as though they were very intelligent and savvy people so why not try to spare these people’s lives? Personally, we think they could have.
We look forward to your response.
Although, I am sure, innocent lives are always taken into consideration when dealing with war, sometimes the innocent cannot be protected. The time factor of needing to eliminate the heavy water in a safe way really put the military at a disadvantage. I don’t think that the military had a choice but to sacrifice the lives of the 26 Norwegians so that millions could be saved over all. If the German heavy water would have reached its destination, I would hate to think how it would have changed the course of the war in their favor thus making the loss of life much higher possibly on both sides as more resources and soldiers were needed for battle and/or innocent civilians were killed with the use of this weapon. As much as I hate to think about 26 Norwegian civilians losing their lives, it gives me goosebumps to think about the alternative.
DeleteMrs. Quick
Blog #3 Response
ReplyDeleteJayce, Karly, Tralylnn, Lauren, and I all agree how difficult it is to think about the alternative when we know that twenty-six Norwegian civilians lost their lives. Knowing the alternative in this case, we could be speaking German right now if Germany got the heavy water.
That is a frightful thought, but as you stated it is difficult to think about.
DeleteBlog Question #4
ReplyDeleteTralynn, Lauren, Jayce, Karly, and I want to thank you for working with us on our blog responses. We really appreciate it!
It is important that we understand the different perspectives regarding the use of weapons of mass destruction because we want to see everyone’s side of the story in order to make better decisions in the future. In the book, Bomb: The Race To Build-And Steal- The World’s Most Dangerous Weapon, Steve Sheinkin explains the following four perspectives: scientific, military, political, and the Japanese civilians.
To begin, scientists, like Oppenheimer, did not want to support further weapons work in any way. In the book, Bomb: The Race to Build-and Steal- the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon, Sheinkin explicitly stated on page 215, “If atomic bombs are to be added as new weapons to the arenals of a warring world, or to the arsenals of nations preparing for war, then the time will come when mankind will curse the names of Los Alamos and Hiroshima.” This textual evidence backs up our claim by informing the reader about how dangerous the atomic bomb was and that Oppenheimer did not support. We can guess that Oppenheimer loved the science and creation of the atomic bomb, but he also probably felt horror when he realized that innocent people would be killed because of this creation. Oppenheimer and other scientists had the foresight to see that what they created could never be taken back. As a result, they knew that future scientists would develop bigger weapons of mass destruction.
Next, military people, like Leslie Groves, felt that the atomic bomb was necessary to accomplish their mission. Sheinkin states on page 198, “Apparently it went with a tremendous bang.” This textual evidence backs up our claim by proving that the military was thrilled with their success in defeating the enemy. It is the military’s job to fight for this country, and they were ecstatic at the success of the atomic bomb. One can infer that the military wants Oppenheimer to build bombs so they have the arsenal to bomb other countries. Common sense tells us that the military wanted the production of atomic bombs in order to protect and defend our country from future enemies.
ReplyDeleteNot only is it important to look at the military perspective, but it is also important to look at the political aspect. The political perspective was one of pride. Sheinkin states on page 199, “Keep your seats gentlemen,” Truman said , an excited smile on his face as he waved the note in his hand. “I have an announcement to make. We have just dropped a new bomb on Japan which has more power that twenty thousand tons of TNT. It has been an overwhelming success!” The room erupted in cheers.” This textual evidence backs up our claim by proving that Truman was proud of the creation and use of the atomic bomb. One can infer that Truman felt he needed this weapon in order to protect the United States. All in all, we know that, still to this day, elected officials make difficult decisions in order to protect our country.
Most powerful perspective of all, is that of the Japanese civilians. The civilians most likely felt horror and devastation. Sheinkin states on page 196. “He passed people with horrible burns, their faces swollen, their blackened skin hanging instrips. Bodies on the ground, and bodies floating in the river.” Sheinkin also states on page 195, “Described by survivors all over the city the sudden darkness was caused by enormous amount of dust and debris thrown into the air by force of the blast.” This textual evidence backs up our claim by showing how the bomb caused harm to innocent people and forever impacted their lives. One can infer that we should understand their perspective because it shows the devastating impact one bomb can have on an entire city. We cannot imagine what these innocent civilians went through when the atomic bomb was dropped. We can only hope that we do not see anything like this in our lifetime.
Overall, we need to consider and see all sides of an issue before making a decision. Steve Sheinkin wrote this book in this manner so the reader could see all sides perspectives and the impact of the making of the atomic bomb. In a few short years we will be voters and with that will come great responsibility.
I really enjoyed reading your answer to the question about different perspectives. It looks like you have really thought about it and have explained your points well. I think it is great that you have backed up your answers with facts from the book. I would also encourage you to think about the perspectives of others involved like the American people and the actual soldiers that had to do the dropping of the bombs. I think it would be very hard to realize, like the scientists did, that by doing your job well, 225,000 lives were altered either by death or injury. The American people must also realize that the world would now look at them differently because of the enormity of the destruction and the loss of innocent lives in the cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
DeleteI think it is really important to know all sides of a situation or issue. If you only know your side and not other points of view how will you ever be able to understand what they are trying to tell you? You all have been through a debate in class. I think it is a wonderful experience that I wish I had experienced and I feel you will greatly benefit from debates like this if you are well prepared. If you can see all the different sides of an issue then you will be able to win the argument or debate because you can see things from the other’s perspective. Having empathy for others is a skill that we need now more than ever. I have taught Sociology in Hutsonville and my class learned about a sociologist named Max Weber. He says that to truly understand people you must “walk a mile in their shoes.” I believe he is right. If we can empathize and walk a mile in the shoes of the military, scientists, and especially the people of Japan we will realize a whole new perspective that will help us to understand for better or for worse how our world works. We will also start to understand the possible consequences for our actions.
I agree that voting is important so that we can help to influence the world as we would like to see it. I also encourage you to learn all the facts that you possible can from factual sources so you can make those informed decisions. Tralynn, Lauren, Jayce, Karly, and Ashton, you are so very important because you will be influencing the adult world in a few years. I implore you to learn all you can and empathize with others so you can make this world a better place. As the saying goes - Practice makes perfect - why not start now? Look at your fellow classmates. Everyone is fighting battles in their lives that you don’t know about. Empathy is what gives our world just a little more kindness. Mrs. Quick
Thank you for your response. Steve Sheinkin could have easily given one side of the atomic bomb debate but instead he gave view points so we could understand how all sides felt. Thank you for your advise on empathizing. We look forward to blog 5.
ReplyDeleteBlog Question #5
ReplyDeleteTralynn, Ashton, Jayce, Karly and I want to thank you for everything you have done for us!
We really appreciate it!
This summary means that you will never forget the most horrible things that happened in this timeline. In the book Bomb: The Race To Build- and Steal- the Most Dangerous Weapon it explicitly stated on page 236 “ It’s a story with no end in sight. And, like it or not, you’re in it.” This textual evidence backs up our claim by proving how you will never be removed in this situation, and you will always remember the war from family members and the great sacrifices that were made just to save your life. We can infer that a lot of people do not forget about anything so when people tell them stuff about the war they will most likely acknowledge it by knowing it still happens today in our history. Logic tells us that it is true we are forever going to remember the war and what happened, but it is not going to change anything. The Atomic Bomb has left people afraid and scared of what might happen in the future.
I agree that Steve Sheinkin summarizes the worldwide implications of weapons of mass destruction and it is a very scary thing. People will remember it and talk about it but it has also shaped the way things are today. We can never forget or we are doomed to repeat the terrible things that happened. He also mentions in his summary on page 236 that this “is one of history’s most amazing examples of teamwork and genius and poise under pressure.” If humans can build a weapon that is so horrific because of the pressure of war then maybe, hopefully, they can have the courage and dignity to create something that could also save humanity. Just think if we could have the world’s best minds working on projects to end world hunger or disease with as much energy, urgency, and support as the scientists that built the bomb. What do you think that world would look like?
ReplyDeleteI have really enjoyed blogging with you! I wish you much success in your future. You all have bright futures ahead of you - use that teamwork and make your world a better place! Mrs. Quick
Jayce,Traylnn,Karly,Lauren,and I all strongly agree that the world today would have less diseases if scientists worked to end world problems. If we all work together, we can make the world a better place.
ReplyDeleteThank you for all the support you have shown for us and for taking your time to blog with us!