I have been asked whether in the years to come it will be possible to kill forty million American people by the use of atomic bombs in a single night. I’m afraid the answer to that question is yes. To End All War: Oppenheimer & the Atomic Bomb, Oppenheimer, Sky 2023
Robert Oppenheimer was the father of the atomic bomb. ibid. dude
This cultured non-violent man was responsible for birthing the most violent weapon in human history. ibid.
And they were led by this very enigmatic strange bright-blue-eyed young man who they all admired. ibid.
We did think about whether its destructiveness, its danger, could be vividly demonstrated over a barren and uninhabited target. And we were very doubtful of that. ibid. Oppenheimer
He becomes a rock star. He’s the oracle of American science. ibid. author
After the security trial Oppenheimer was never the same man again. He was a hollow man after that. ibid.
Most of these who are thrust into combat soon find it impossible to maintain the mythic perception of war. Chris Hedges, War is Force that Gives Us Meaning
The vanquished know war. They see through the empty jingoism of those who use the abstract words of glory, honor and patriotism to mask the cries of the wounded, the senseless killing, war profiteering, and chest-pounding grief. Christ Hedges, War: Realities and Myths
On January 6th 2021 the world watched as the then US President Donald Trump’s supporters broke into the Capitol building to try to stop the certification of the election of Joe Biden as the next President. It was the first time there had been a violent attempt to prevent the peaceful transfer of power in the US. Storyville: War Game, captions, BBC 2024
The exercise was put together by the Vet Voice Foundation – a network of former US military personnel who believe the government is not doing enough to root out white supremacists and far-right militants in their own ranks. ibid.
The participants in the game included Generals, CIA analysts, and elected politicians, bringing with them experience from all corners of the US political system. ibid.