Question

Why is Bob Wilson "startled" that Oppenheimer calls the Japanese ‘those poor little people'? Use evidence from the text to support your response.

Answer 1

Bob Wilson was startled by Oppenheimer's comment because it contrasted with the often dehumanized view of the Japanese and highlighted the forthcoming civilian suffering.

Step-by-step explanation:

Bob Wilson was startled that J. Robert Oppenheimer referred to the Japanese as 'those poor little people' because, within the context of the atomic bomb's creation and use, this phrase indicates a sudden and vivid recognition of the humanity of the bomb's targets. The Manhattan Project was focused on ending the war, and scientists like Oppenheimer were heavily involved in the creation of a weapon of unprecedented destructive power. It's likely that, in the midst of scientific and strategic discussions, the vivid imagery of 'poor little people' being the recipients of the bomb's force clashed with any detached, impersonal view of the enemy, eliciting Oppenheimer's and Wilson's sense of compassion and triggering the startling realization of the personal and civilian suffering that the bomb would cause.

The discussions around the usage of the bomb revolved around multiple perspectives, including feelings of revenge for Pearl Harbor, the superiority of the United States, and deeply rooted anti-Asian sentiment. These contributed to a dehumanized view of the Japanese, making the use of such a destructive device on Japan more palatable to many Americans. However, Oppenheimer's comment reflects a conflicting sentiment, where the scientists involved in creating the bomb were also grappling with the moral implications of its actual use on civilian populations.

Answer 2

Bob Wilson was startled when Oppenheimer called the Japanese "those poor little people" because he understood the painful sense of both sides.

Step-by-step explanation:

In an interview with Frank Stasio, Mr. Bird reveals the incident when Oppenheimer talks about Japanese and calls them "those poor little people." Bob Wilson was startled by this statement of Oppenheimer because he was able to understand the painful sense of both sides. It was the time when Oppenheimer was instructing people where to bomb.

Textual evidence:

"And she asks, `Who are you talking about?' and he says, `The people who the bomb is going to be used on, the people in Japan.' And this is the very week where he's also instructing the bombardiers exactly how to drop the bomb, at what height to achieve the most maximum destruction. So he understood, you know, in a painful sense, both sides, the necessity as he saw it at the time, and yet, the horrible human consequences of it."