Flash Points: Oppenheimer’s long shadow

Reads on the atomic bomb and its creator. JULY 30, 2023  |  [VIEW IN BROWSER](     Cillian Murphy as the title character in a scene from Oppenheimer. Universal Studios J. Robert Oppenheimer—now the subject of a Christopher Nolan-directed biopic—shaped the modern world. The American scientist helped usher in the nuclear age, along with all the destruction it wrought. In this edition of Flash Points, we revisit the legacy of the “father of the atomic bomb.”—Chloe Hadavas   [1]( [‘Barbie’ and ‘Oppenheimer’ Have More in Common Than You Think]( Both films attempt to atone for the complicated legacies of American icons. Only one succeeds. By Jennifer Williams   [2]( [The Long Shadow of Oppenheimer’s Trinity Test]( Today’s nukes would make the destroyer of worlds shudder. By Jack Detsch, Anusha Rathi   [3]( [America’s Nuclear Rules Still Allow Another Hiroshima]( U.S. leaders must take responsibility for past nuclear atrocities. By Adam Mount   A closer look at the bigger picture. [Subscribe to FP](.   [4]( [The Bomb Was Horrifying. The Alternatives Would Have Been Worse.]( Historical records show that dropping atomic bombs was the least bad option. By Evan Thomas   [5]( [Is Using Nuclear Weapons Still Taboo?]( The world is starting to forget the realities of nuclear weapons. By Nina Tannenwald   [The Hidden Economics of Remarkable Women](, a podcast from Foreign Policy with funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, focuses on one theme: the role of male allies. Host Reena Ninan and reporters across Africa visit religious leaders in Kenya, interview a former politician in Lesotho, and talk to male allies changing men’s attitudes toward gender-based violence in South Africa, among others. Listen to Season 4 of HERO on [Apple](, [Spotify](, or wherever you get your podcasts.   foreignpolicy.com/subscribe Geopolitics matters [Get a closer look at the big picture. Access FP's daily reporting and analysis of global politics, plus magazine packages that go deeper than the headlines.](foreignpolicy.com/subscribe) [SUBSCRIBE TODAY](foreignpolicy.com/subscribe)   [Facebook]( [Twitter]( [Instagram]( [LinkedIn]( You’re receiving this email at {EMAIL} because you signed up for FP's Flash Points newsletter. [MANAGE YOUR EMAIL PREFERENCES]( | [VIEW OUR PRIVACY POLICY]( | [UNSUBSCRIBE]( Reach the [right online audience]( with us. Foreign Policy is a division of Graham Holdings Company. All contents © 2023 Graham Digital Holding Company LLC. All rights reserved. Foreign Policy, 655 15th St NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC, 20005.