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 #22
ReplyDeleteJaden, Deacon, Cameron, and I would like to say thank you for taking the time out of your day to help us with our blog.
Question #1
Harry Gold provided sensitive information to the Russians because he wanted to provide for his family and repay a debt to Black. Steve Sheinkin explicitly wrote on page twenty-three of Bomb: The Race to Build-and Steal- The World’s Most Dangerous Weapon, “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. One night, after another hopeless job search, Gold was resting at home when a friend came racing through the door. The friend explained that a guy he knew, Tom Black, was leaving his job at a soap factory in Jersey City. Black could arrange to get Gold the job, if Gold was willing to move to New Jersey. Gold’s mother leaped up and started stuffing her son’s clothes into a cardboard suitcase.” Steve Sheinkin also wrote on pages twenty-four to twenty-five, “Some spies do it for the money; others are trying to change the world. Gold’s reasons were a lot less dramatic. He was thankful to Black for getting him a job and wanted to repay the debt.” All these pieces of textual evidence back up our claim by proving that Gold needed money, and he wanted to repay the debt. We can infer Gold was not thinking his decision through and even though family is very important, the decision he made was not right. No matter how bad something may be, betraying your country is wrong. Deacan, Jaden, Cameron, and I can infer that if Gold would have declined the job, then he would have upset his family, and they would have lost their apartment. But still, there had to be another choice. Gold should have thought about what he was doing before he betrayed his own country. What are your thoughts about Gold’s decision?
Question #2
Spies in Crawford County? Well...our group feels it is possible but not probable. All of the places one might would want to collect special data from in Crawford County are highly secured. For example, the website for Marathon Petroleum Corporation, marathonpetroleum.com, explicitly states, “Security is a very important consideration of all MPC operations and facilities. MCP conducts security and vulnerability and threat assessments and implements loss prevention strategies and site measures in order to protect its employees, contractors, facilities and the communities in which it operates!” “MCP also participates in the custom and Border Protection (CBP) program customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT).” This information proves that companies like Marathon have very sensitive information that is highly protected and is very secure. We can conclude that if there were spies, they would soon be discovered due to the technology and devices we have today. If they were caught, there would be severe consequences. Overall, Deacon, Jaden, Cameron, and I think there there could be a possibility of spies, but just not probable. Do you think that there are spies in Crawford County?
Deacan, Jaden, Cameron, and I look forward to your response.
Emailed from Mr. Young...
ReplyDeleteThank you letting me be part of your assignment. Hopefully together we help each other better understand this book and our differing opinions.
I agree with you that Gold and his family needed money. So he took the job and traded information for a debt he thought he owed. I also think that he thought he was helping the people of the Soviet Union and not really doing any harm to the U.S. In the beginning, the information he was getting for the Soviets was not really sensitive to the U.S. as a country, but the act was going to be used to blackmail him later on. I also wonder if Harry's mother knew what was going to be asked him, would she have been anxious for Gold to take that job.
Other than Hershey's chocolate recipe, there isn't much need to have spies here. Most all of Marathon's technology is already in use elsewhere, so no need to steal it. None of that information would really benefit another country anyway. So yes, there could be spies here but I doubt it.
Thank you for the response. We appreciate it. The comment you made, “I also wonder if Harry's mother knew what was going to be asked him, would she have been anxious for Gold to take that job.” Cameron, Deacan, Jaden, and I believe that if Gold’s mother did know about her son being approached, she would have not been as anxious to send him packing. We feel this way because they appear to be a close family who supports each other. So, we hope she would not want him to be put in a situation where he would spy and possibly be killed. Harry was the only family member we know of who was supporting the family, so most likely she would not want to lose her source of money.
ReplyDeleteWe look forward to blogging with you on question #2.
Blog #2 Group #22
ReplyDeleteDeacan, Jaden, Cameron, and I think that the word ‘haunt’ as it is used in the sentence, “It was a decision that would haunt him for the rest of his life.” means a frequent memory that is constantly recurring in one’s mind and making him/her feel guilty. Sheinkin used this sentence at the end of the chapter to tell his readers that Oppenheimer would soon feel guilty about not telling Groves about him being approached by Soviets. Even though Groves had bent the rules for Oppenheimer, he still disobeyed him. Sheinkin explicitly stated on page fifty of Bomb: The Race to Build-And-Steal the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon, “Oppenheimer insisted he was a loyal American. He swore he’d never actually joined the Communist Party and that, in any case, his interest in Communism was a thing of the past. Groves believed him. FBI agents and army intelligence did not. Groves made the call, “It is desired that clearance be issued for the employment of Robert Oppenheimer without delay.” ordered Groves. “He is absolutely essential to the project.” This textual evidence proves that Groves stuck his neck out for Oppenheimer. So, Oppenheimer should have told General Groves after all he had done for him. Oppenheimer should have told him then instead of waiting. Oppenheimer could lose his job which means that to Oppenheimer he would lose his whole life. Overall, Sheikin said that it would haunt him for the rest of his life because Oppenheimer made the wrong decision, and he would have to live with the consequences. What do you think?
We look forward to your response.
Emailed from Mr. Young...
ReplyDeleteGood job on the meaning of the word "haunt". Especially the part about making him feel guilty. It is hard to know what Oppie was thinking at the time but, I believe he didn't think there was anything to report at the time. He was asked if he wanted to share scientific info, he told Chevalier, "That would be a frightful thing to do. That would be treason" So to Oppenheimer, and Chevalier, the conversation was over. Chevalier even reported, "no chance whatsoever of obtaining any data". Later on he will realize what was being asked of him, can be gotten from someone else, making him feel guilty or haunting him for not reporting to Groves. By Sheinkin using this statement now, maybe he wants to point out through the rest of the book, had Oppie reported that he was approached to give up info, General Groves could be keeping a closer eye on others in the project. So, I think that by not telling Groves, Oppenheimer was necessarily wrong, but it was not the right thing to do either. What do you think, can you be right and wrong at the same time?
Cameron, Jaden, and I would like to thank you for responding.
ReplyDeleteThe answer to your question, “What do you think, can you be right or wrong at the same time?” We think that the answer to your question is possibly. It depends from whose point of view it is. Everyone has his/her own perspective on things. For example, winning a war to us would be terrific, but to the other country, it would be devastating.
We look forward to blog #3.
Blog #3 Group #22
ReplyDeleteCameron, Jaden, Deacan, and I understand that innocent lives can be taken during any war or conflict. So, if innocent lives have to be taken for the greater good, we understand that too. The military are definitely heroic because to have to make these types of decisions must be incredibly difficult. Soldiers can also not risk explaining to anyone about their plans. Not only are soldiers putting their lives in danger, but they also might get killed while doing it. Our thoughts about Knut Haukelid and his commandos when they sank the ferry, the Hydro, and killing twenty-six Norwegian civilians are that they did it so that Adolf Hitler would not confiscate all the German heavy water and use it to make atomic bombs so he could blow all of us off the face of the earth. In the book, Bomb: The Race to Build-and Steal- The World’s Most Dangerous Weapon, Sheinkin explicitly stated on page 113, “There were fifty-three people aboard, about half of them Norwegian civilians. For the first half hour, the lake crossing was on routine. The captain was on the bridge, enjoying the cold, clear morning when he heard the explosion. He knew right away it was a bomb.” This evidence backs up our claim by proving that the only way they could sink the ferry without letting Hitler and the other Germans get the heavy water to the railway was to kill those twenty-six innocent citizens. Overall, sacrificing innocent people is a tough choice, but if it is for the greater good, we understand.
What are your thoughts?
Emailed from Mr. Young...
DeleteIn every conflict, our military tries to do everything possible to prevent innocent civilians from being hurt or killed. Granted, the main topic of this book, killed thousands of civilians in Japan. Our question linked the 26 Norwegian civilians and the loss of innocent lives during war. Because the 26 were civilians does not mean they were innocent. I feel that the crew of that ferry knew that their cargo was going to be used to help the Germans with their war effort. So by helping move the heavy water the crew, while civilians, they lost their innocence in this situation. They may not have been wearing a military uniform but they were certainly aiding the Nazis.
I think that everything possible should be done to protect and spare civilian lives. I also feel that if civilians are going to be killed, I would rather they be enemy civilians.
Thank you for your response.
ReplyDeleteWe did not think about the twenty-six civilians not being innocent, but now that you say that, we have been thinking. We think that the twenty-six civilians could have been undercover with the knowledge of that was happening.
We look forward to blog 4.
Blog #4 Group #22
ReplyDeleteCameron, Jaden, Deacan and I believe it is important to understand the different perspectives regarding the use of weapons of mass destruction because we need to know what happened to our country during World War II. We also need to understand everyone’s point of view during the conflict. When we understand this, it helps us make better decisions in our world today. In the book, Bomb: The Race to Build -and Steal- The World’s Most Dangerous Weapon, Sheinkin supports the following four perspectives: scientific, military, political and Japanese civilian.
First, there is the scientists perspective. The scientists point of view was that they were overwhelmed with emotions! Sheinkin explicitly wrote on page 199, “We have more power than twenty-thousand tons of TNT. It has been an overwhelming success!” Knowing this information helps us understand that the scientists felt joy in their creation. But, we know that this job soon diminished with many scientists because their overwhelming success led to death and destruction. This shows us that even the greatest invention can lead to human suffering and possible death.
Next, the military thought the bomb was the only way to win the war and to be victorious. General Groves thought that without the bomb we were going to lose the war. Sheinkin explicitly stated on page 184, “I am proud of you,” said Grooves as they shook hands. “Thank you.” said Oppenheimer. “The war is over.” Farrell said “Yes” Groves agreed.“As soon as we drop one or two on Japan.” This evidence backs up our claim by showing that Groves thought that without the bomb they would lose the war. We can infer that our military truly believes in using weapons of mass destruction if it will keep us safe. This is imperative that we understand the military perspective because in wartime, we need to know the real possibilities of using those weapons because they can kill us too.
Not only that, but the political perspective is important to understand. President Truman felt that the bomb should be dropped sooner than later. Sheinkin explicitly wrote on page 187, “As Stimson read he could see that Truman was ‘tremendously pepped up” by the report. “It gave him an entirely new feeling of confidence.” This textual evidence backs up our claim by proving that Truman finding out how effective the bomb really was made him extremely excited. Again, this perspective is important to know because we vote these people in and have an impact on our life and the way we live our lives. That is why voting is so important.
Last but certainly not least, Sheinkin also included the perspective of the Japanese civilians. Sheinkin stated on page 196 “One thing was common to everyone I saw- complete silence.” This evidence backs up our claim by proving the Japanese people were in total shock, and it was a terrifying experience for them. We can guess that they were in disbelief that other human beings would be so cruel. Why is this so important for us to understand? It is important because the same can happen to us so we need to understand the true horrors that can exist.
Overall, Sheinkin wrote about these different perspectives to teach us that there are many sides to a story. It is so important that we understand all the sides before we decide for ourselves where we stand on the issue of weapons of mass destruction. If we know the information now, it will give us a better perspective for the future.
Emailed from Mr. Young:
DeleteI like your introduction in answering this question. You used "point of View" that is important. Breaking it down to scientific, military, political and Japanese civilian is a good place to start. Four different groups watching the same movie or looking at the same picture can all go away thinking something different because they may all have a different point of view. I'll try to answer in the same format you used.
The scientists were all brought into the project not really knowing what they were going to be doing. A few things in the book led me to believe that even during the project some of the scientists didn't quite know what they were building. Different aspects of the project were done in other locations. Personally, I feel, to be a scientist you have to be a problem solver. To most of the scientists, I feel, the problem they were trying to solve wasn't necessarily trying to build a bomb, end or win a war, but to solve and prove scientific theories of the time. It was more about science than it was about a weapon. On pages 184 and 185 Sheinkin describes the thoughts, feelings and reactions after the trial bomb was detonated, "We knew the world would not be the same. A few people laughed, a few people cried. Most people were silent."
The military's job is to carry out the orders given to them, like it or not. They were trying to win the war and go home. Keeping American casualties as low as possible. By using the atomic bombs, it ended the war in the Pacific with Japan. I feel the strongest emotions felt by the military were from the pilots and crew of both the Enola Gay and Bockscar. Paul Tibbets, the pilot of the Enola Gay was quoted, "A feeling of shock and horror swept over all of us." The co-pilot, Robert Lewis wrote in his log book, "My God, what have we done?" Those quotes tell me, that the blast and the destruction that followed were unexpected.
President Truman's or the political perspective is different also. After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, the United States insisted that Japan surrender unconditionally. Anything other than a complete Japanese surrender would make not only make the U.S. look weak it would make President Truman look weak. Politicians are always working to get reelected. While President Truman wanted to end the war without costing more U.S. lives, he also didn't want his political opponents to be able to call him a weak leader.
Instead of the Japanese civilian's perspective, look at Japan as a whole. The bombs that were dropped changed the way they thought of the war. Before the bombs, they were proud of the advances in conquering the countries around Japan. Their media and government leaders were telling the citizens how they struck the United States, that made them proud. After the bombs, the whole country lived in fear of the next bomb to be dropped. That is what changed to mind of Emperor Hirohito, he said, "I can not endure the thought of letting my people suffer any longer." So instead of listening to his top generals, who did not want to surrender, he listened to his people and surrendered.
It is important to understand all the perspectives in the use of weapons of mass destruction because, like you said "point of view". Everyone involved in building to dropping the bombs all looked at it differently until it exploded. Once it exploded, they all saw the same thing, destruction and death.
Thank you for responding. We agree that most scientists were trying to solve a problem, and did not think about anything besides science.
ReplyDeleteThe pilots definitely have a totally different perspective than the soldiers on the ground fighting for our country. They saw first hand the devastation caused by war.
Your point about looking at Japan as a whole makes sense, instead of living with courage, they lived in fear.
We look forward to blog 5.
Blog Question #5 Group #22
ReplyDeleteSheinkin’s summary means that there is no end to the arms race. We are in it for the rest of our lives because we have to have weapons to help keep our lives and our country safe. In the book, Bomb: The Race to Build -and Steal- the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon, Sheinkin explicitly stated on page 196, “Hachiya tripped over something, looked down, and saw it was the body of a soldier, crushed under a fallen gate. Then he looked out at the neighborhood-and knew this had been no ordinary bomb. Everywhere houses were swaying and falling, flames rising from the ruins.” This textual evidence proves that this tragedy happened to the civilians in Hiroshima, so it could happen to us at anytime, too. We can infer that Sheinkin meant that there will always be the possibility of the existence of mass destruction. Therefore, the best we can do is prepare for the future and try to keep our future families safe. Overall, it is important to know that the arms race is never going to end and that we need to be aware of the situations that could negatively and drastically affect our lives and those of the ones we love.
Emailed from Mr. Young...
DeleteIt has been very nice answering these questions with you guys. I really enjoyed the book and had fun sharing our answers with each other.
Through Google, it looks like around 6000 scientists were part of the Manhattan Project. That is an amazing example of teamwork just by the size of the team! I think what makes this story hard to sum up, is that the winners were not happy with the prize they got for winning. I would bet, as far as Oppenheimer is concerned, he may not have gotten into the race if he could have seen the finish line from the start. Now the information is out there. Because you can't undo what has been done, we now live with atomic weapons. Those who have them will make them better. At the very least make the delivery of those weapons better. There are countries that don't have these weapons trying to build them. That is why there is no end in sight to this story. Like it or not that is the world we live in now, until Superman gathers them all up and throws them into space. That happens in the movie "Superman 4 The quest for peace".