Oppenheimer’s Long Shadow

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

Margot Robbie and Cillian Murphy as the title characters in “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer.”

‘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, FP’s Jennifer Williams writes.

The “Gadget,” the first atomic bomb, explodes in New Mexico on July 16, 1945. Corbis via Getty Images

The Long Shadow of Oppenheimer’s Trinity Test

Today’s nukes would make the destroyer of worlds shudder, FP’s Jack Detsch and Anusha Rathi write.

A man stands amid the ruins of Hiroshima, Japan, after the United States dropped an atomic bomb, killing tens of thousands of civilians, on Aug. 6, 1945. AP

America’s Nuclear Rules Still Allow Another Hiroshima

U.S. leaders must take responsibility for past nuclear atrocities, Adam Mount writes.

A man wheels his bicycle thorough Hiroshima, days after the city was leveled by an atomic bomb blast in 1945. Keystone/Getty Images

The Bomb Was Horrifying. The Alternatives Would Have Been Worse.

Historical records show that dropping atomic bombs was the least bad option, Evan Thomas writes.

Señor Salme illustration for Foreign Policy

Is Using Nuclear Weapons Still Taboo?

The world is starting to forget the realities of nuclear weapons, Nina Tannenwald writes.