Group 21

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?


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?

15 comments:

  1. Blog #1 Group #21

    Amos, Erika, Sammy, Wesley, and I would like to thank you for taking the time to interact and to participate in this activity with us.

    Question #1
    Harry Gold provided sensitive information to the Russians because he felt he had to repay his debt to Tom Black. 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 way behind on rent and facing eviction from their apartment.” On pages twenty-four and twenty-five, Sheinkin also states, “He was thankful to Black for getting him a job and wanted to repay the debt.” This evidence backs up our claim by proving that Gold was desperate for a job, and he was willing to pack up and move to get the job. We can also see that Black played on these weaknesses. We can infer that Gold was not aware of the situation he was getting himself into until it was too late because of the threats from the higher spies (Gold would lose his job if he did not comply). Overall, Amos, Erika, Sammy, Wesley, and I strongly believe what Harry Gold did was wrong, but he did not know what he was doing was with the wrong people.

    Question #2
    There could most definitely be spies collecting sensitive information for another country because we are a small community with big industry. Marathon is always helping the people of Crawford County by sponsoring our events (for advertising), but who says some of those employees are not harvesting information on the valuable produced petroleum. Hershey is another example of big industry. Hershey has to protect itself from spies as well because spies may try to steal important information and recipes and steal their profitable ideas. We know there are spies because there would not be if they did not have valuable information to protect. These pieces of evidence backs up our claim by showing that even smaller communities could deal with spies, along with bigger industries in larger cities. We can assume that the reason for high security measures at these establishments is the possibility of such spies. Our judgement tells, that we believe companies should always be weary of whom they are letting through their doors, because they could be more dangerous than expected. We learned that every day resources or processes are possibly being exploited or someone is making an attempt to exploit them as we write.

    Erika, Wesley, Sammy, Amos, and I look forward to your responses.

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  2. Good morning! I agree that Harry Gold did not fully understand the severity of his choice to help his friend, Tom Black. Harry Gold provided sensitive information to the Russians for a few reasons which we learned on page 24. He wanted to do a favor for his friend Tom Black, and he also hated to say no. Being a people pleaser can often get well-meaning people into difficult situations. It also seems he didn’t think his actions were a big deal. The information he was sharing didn’t seem that important or secretive to Harry. I think this is a good lesson for us all, to really consider the costs of any "favors" we may be asked to do. Not everyone we consider a friend is looking out for our own interest, but may be furthering their own cause.
    I also agree there are many opportunities in Crawford County for someone to collect sensitive information for another country’s benefit. Yes, there could definitely be security risks associated with Marathon. Marathon Petroleum Company has robust security measures due to the risks of the various chemicals stored at Marathon. To combat these risks, Marathon has trained Security guards to monitor the refinery, and also requires all employees be trained to keep an eye out for suspicious behavior. Everyone that works at Marathon (including me) also has an extensive background check being hired. Marathon takes this risk very seriously! (I'll also add that Marathon supports Crawford County events because we are proud to be able to give back to the community we all love and live in!)

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  3. Good Afternoon! Thank you for your response. The assurance that it is implausible spies have infested or even entered Marathon Petroleum Company gives us confidence. Although, your moral on Harry Gold’s story increases our suspicion. The process of training that the employees go through interests us because it is an insight as to what goes on inside that we would not have thought or known about before.

    We look forward to our next blog.

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  4. Blog #2 Group #21

    The word haunt as used in the sentence, “It was a decision that would haunt him for the rest of his life.” means to hurt mentally in the future and stay in the forethought of one’s mind. In Bomb: The Race to Build- And Steal- The World’s Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin on page 105 he explicitly stated, “Oppenheimer hoped this confession would convince Pash of his loyalty. Instead, Pash was more suspicious than ever.” This statement backs up our claim by showing how the choice Oppenheimer made will negatively effect him in the future, thus concluding that our observations are correct. We can infer that Sheinkin used the author's craft of foreshadowing to make you think about all of the different ways Oppenheimer could be affected by this offer. Overall, we believe that Oppenheimer is loyal to the United States, but by being associated with the Communist Party could lead to him getting stuck in an unsuitable position. Sheinkin used this word at this time to reveal a major event.

    We look forward to your response.

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  5. Great definition of the word haunt! Yes, the suspiscion that kept mounting clued us in that things were not as settled as Oppenheimer hoped. I believe Sheinkin mentions this at this point in the story as a way of foreshadowing that things would not work out well for Oppenheimer. If he had left this part of the story out, we would assume that Oppenheimer was overly applauded and rewarded for his work. This clue keeps us interested in what Oppenheimer’s final result will be. I think Oppenheimer's association with the Communist Party obstructed his ability to be loyal to the United States. Whether at work, home, or school, trust is hard to earn back after it has been broken.

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  6. Blog #2 Response

    It is important to take note of the guilty by association principle being demonstrated. We agree that integrity is a fragile thing. Thank you for responding. We hope to thoroughly enjoy your next analysis.

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  7. EBR #3 Group #21
    On pages 113-115, Erika, Ashonta, Sammy, Amos, and I learned that twenty-six Norwegian civilians were killed when Knut Haukelid and his commandos sank the ferry. We think unwilling sacrifice of the innocent is not acceptable, but not punishable if the opposing conflict promotes evil constantly. Also, we believe that on most occasions there should be a “greater good” involved besides simply attacking the opposition when initiating a risk of life such as this. On page 110 of Bomb: The Race To Build- And Steal- The World’s Most Dangerous Weapon, by Steve Sheinkin, he explicitly stated, “Haukelid relayed the details to British intelligence in London, saying that the job would be tricky and might result in the loss of civilian lives. “Case considered,” came the immediate reply from London. “Very urgent that the water be destroyed. Hope this can be done without too serious consequences. Send our best wishes for good luck in the work.” And, on page seventeen, “‘In starting and waging war,’ he [Adolf Hitler] told his general, “it is not right that matters, but victory.” These pieces of textual evidence back up our claim by proving that Hitler promoted evil. We can infer that if people on the boat were on the German’s side, they might have told the soldiers and if the soldiers prevented the bomb, no lives might have been lost on this day; but, it might have killed many more in two months possibly. Our judgement tells us that removing heavy water was needed, but to keep the plan a secret they could not tell the passengers on the ferry to escape. We wish that no lives had to be lost, but if Hitler received the heavy water to make the bomb, how many people would have survived his attacks?
    We would like to thank you for reading and responding to our EBR. We are looking forward to reading your response.

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  8. I agree that the loss of innocent lives during war is such a difficult subject. War itself seems archaic, but at times it is in the best interest of the nation to protect its people. The greater good you mentioned is a good gauge as to whether it is worth the risk, although when innocent lives are lost it becomes even more difficult to fathom. Do you think the family and friends of the people on the ferry think it was worth it? It is hard to imagine ourselves in their shoes, but that was the reality of so many people due to the great number of lives lost in WWII.

    You may have already seen this video, but I think it does a great job of making us think about what it could be like if war was directly affecting our daily lives: https://youtu.be/RBQ-IoHfimQ

    The loss of lives is unfortunately part of any war. Since these decisions are out of civilians’ hands, it is important to have leaders that we can trust to make the right decisions for our nation. So although we may not be the ones making the decisions to go to war, which will inevitably result in the loss of innocent lives, we can do our part by voting for the leaders we believe will make the best decisions for our nation.

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  9. Blog #3 Response

    We think that at the time the family and the friends of the victims probably viewed this attack with disgrace, but after they looked at the situation from the other side, they probably saw that their military leaders could not keep them in the war anymore. We recently talked about how we are going to get the right to vote in the near future, and we need to be aware of the leaders we are electing. We need to know that our single vote definitely counts, and we need to exercise our right to vote by looking all aspects of the candidate. We all viewed the video you listed, and we agree it was extremely sorrowful but awfully truthful. We look forward to reading your next response and hope you enjoy our next EBR.

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  10. Blog #4
    It is important that we understand the different perspectives regarding the use of weapons of mass destruction because there are different reasons why people created and used them. It is also important to realize the reasons of their application, pros and consequences (for both countries), and we need to see the point of view from everyone to get the big picture. In the book, Bomb: The Race To Build- And Steal- The World’s Most Dangerous Weapon, the author, Steve Sheinkin, explains the following four perspectives: scientific, military, political, and Japanese civilians.
    To begin, scientists, like Oppenheimer and other bomb makers, first had the reaction of thrill and excitement, but soon after, devastation began to set in. In the book Bomb: The Race To Build- And Steal- The World’s Most Dangerous Weapon, Sheinkin explicitly states on page 184, “Naturally, we were very jubilant over the outcome of the experiment,” Rabi later said of the mood among scientists that morning. “We turned to one another and offered congratulations for the first few minutes. Then there was a chill, which was not the morning cold. It was the chill of knowing they had used something they loved- the study of physics- to build the deadliest weapon in human history.” This statement backs our claim up by explaining that these scientists who had contributed to the creation of the atomic bomb knew they were doing the right thing to help their country, but felt remorse for killing so many civilians and may have even questioned the use of these weapons. One can infer that after releasing the first bomb there was no going back from starting the development of these weapons, and the scientists now had this burden to carry with them for the rest of their lives. Our judgment tells us that at first these scientists were just doing what they loved, science, but once they were completely invested in the creation of the bomb, there were no take-backs. It also shows that these scientists were human and cared about the lives that were killed from the weapon that they created.
    Not only is it important that we understand the scientific perspective, but it is also important that we understand the military perspective. The military believed that mass destruction should not happen, but they did believe that it was a priority to keep building bombs, and continue the safety of the United States. In the book, Bomb The Race To Build-And Steal- The World’s Most Dangerous Weapon, Steve Sheinkin explicitly states on page 205, “Unless Tibbets heard otherwise, his orders were to drop the bomb as weather conditions permitted.” Sheinkin also stated on page 214, “ Tell Dr. Oppenheimer for the time being his proposal about an international agreement is not practical, and that he and the rest of the gang should pursue their work full force.” In other words, he wanted Oppenheimer to get back to the lab and build more bombs.” This statement backs up our claim by proving that the military wanted to stay ahead of other countries and their bomb building progress. It is important to know the perspective of the military because they fight for our country and they have strong beliefs that we should understand. Our best judgement tells us that almost every soldier in the military does not believe in killing with not a single good intention, but they are willing to do whatever means necessary to ensure the safety of their country.

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  11. Politicians had a very different perspective on the use of weapons of mass destruction. Some politicians were under a lot of pressure, especially President Truman. He was responsible for keeping his country safe and deciding what places bombs needed to be released. In the book, Bomb: The Race To Build- And Steal- The World's Most Dangerous Weapon, on page 162 Sheinkin explicitly states, “Just two years before, Stimson had decided Truman was not important enough to know about the Manhattan Project. Now, if an atomic bomb could be built, it would be Truman’s job to decide how to use it.” This evidence backs up our claim by stating that Truman was really behind on the bomb project, and now, whether he liked it or not, he would be responsible for unleashing this destructive weapon. One can infer that Truman was frightened about the amount of power he had. Our judgement tells us that President Truman was a brave man who was trying to save our country just as much as anyone else. It is important to understand the perspective of the politicians because it can show us that even though they might not be physically fighting in the war, they were just as important to the project as anyone else.
    Last, but certainly not least, is the perspective of the Japanese civilians in Hiroshima. Civilians believed that bombs were terrifying because being in war during this time forced the civilians to walk around on eggshells worrying if, or when they were going to be attacked. In the book, Bomb: The Race To Build-And Steal-The World’s Most Dangerous Weapon, by Steve Sheinkin, he explicitly states on page 196, “He passed people with horrible burns, their faces swollen, their blackened skin hanging in strips. Bodies on the ground and bodies floating in the river. I cannot describe the countless tragic things I saw,” He said.” This textual evidence shows the horrible reality of the events that occured in Hiroshima. One can infer that these Japanese civilians when through a lot that they probably did not deserve, but because of the war and the location of Hiroshima, unfortunately they were. Our judgement makes us feel awful for all of the innocent who suffered, and we wish that they did not have to feel the pain of losing someone they love, or losing their own life. It is important to know the civilians point of view because they have first hand experiences, and they can tell you personally how horrifying and tragic this event was. The people who went through this tragic time are able to describe the real life attack that took place on August 6, 1945. They truly are heros.
    In the book,Bomb: The Race To Build- And Steal- The World’s Most Dangerous Weapon, by Steve Sheinkin, we think he included these perspectives to make sure we understand cause and effect scenario and correlations in the real world when it comes to war and weapons of mass destruction. He wanted us to grasp this concept with unopinionated information. We believe the bomb prevented countless lives from being lost, the issue is how many problems it created. From nuclear fallout to The Cold War the effects of the atom bomb are still questionable today. We need to be educated on what is happening in our country as well as other countries. Seeing all sides of an issue will help us make educated and informed decisions. It is imperative to our future!

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  12. Great job analyzing the various perspectives on weapons of mass destruction. I think this understanding of different views is important because it helps us develop our own educated opinions. We can evaluate all sides, and determine our own beliefs from that information. Like any other subject, the more you know about all sides of an issue will help strengthen your own beliefs and opinions. Understanding the different perspectives also helps you appreciate the difficult decisions that our leaders make on behalf of our nation. I agree that seeing all sides of an issue will help us make educated and informed decisions. This is an important trait we can work on, as it will carry throughout our lives!

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  13. On page 236, Steve Sheinkin writes, “In the end this is a difficult story to sum up. The making of the atomic bomb is one of history’s most amazing examples of teamwork and genius and poise under pressure. But it’s also the story of how humans created a weapon capable of wiping our species off the planet. It’s a story with no end in sight. And, like it or not, you’re in it.” To us, this summary means that the making of the atomic bomb was a great, but terrifying, accomplishment. Because of the creation of the bomb, more weapons of mass destruction have been built today, and scientists will continue to be build even more powerful weapons. This means there is no end to this race. We learned from Nuclear Weapons of the United States, “As of 2017, the U.S. has an inventory of 6,800 nuclear warheads; of these, 2,800 are retired and awaiting dismantlement and 4,018 are part of the U.S. stockpile.” This evidence backs up our claim by proving that the making of the first atomic bomb was the starting point for the United States to build many more bombs. We can infer this causes fear in many people once they discover this truth. Our judgement tells us that what happened so long ago still affects us today, and we are sure some people are just as terrified now as the people in Hiroshima were in 1945. The creation of these mass killing weapons was in short words, “a necessary evil” that will linger forever. To deal with this we need to vote on good leaders who will use these weapons wisely.

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  14. I agree with your understanding of Sheinkin's statement. Sheinkin’s statement speaks to the vast effect the atomic bomb had on the world. We can’t go backwards in the knowledge that has been uncovered. Therefore the threat of atomic warfare will forever be looming in our lifetimes and beyond. Yes, it is so important that we elect strong leaders to use the power we have wisely. As we speak, our government is having difficult conversations with North Korea about the future of their nuclear weapons program.

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