Fat Man and Little Boy Page #6

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constitute the Allied

Expeditionary Force

that has liberated Western Europe.

They have destroyed

or captured enemy armies

totaling more than their own strength

and swept triumphantly forward

over the hundreds of miles

separating Cherbourg from Lbeck,

Leipzig and Munich.

These startling successes

have not been bought

without sorrow and suffering.

In this theater alone,

and comparable numbers

among the allies

have had their lives cut short

so that the rest of us might live

in the sunlight of freedom.

- Yeah!

- Oh, yeah!

What are we gonna do

when this is over?

I don't know.

Probably start another one.

That's what I love about this job.

A guaranteed future. I'm not wrong.

Believe me, we're descended

from a long line of noble predators.

You are irrepressible.

I think I'm gonna go be

irrepressible down with Fuller.

Come on, baby face.

- You all right?

- Yeah, I'm irrepressible.

So, what are you writing?

Something Oppie said today.

I don't know.

Well, read it. Go on.

Makes you wonder

if there's an intelligence

that isn't descended

from a long line of predators.

I want to kiss you.

Come here.

Sir, is it true that since we KO'd

Germany, we're gonna go home?

- I'll drink to that.

- That might be true, soldier.

Can I have your attention, please?

Please.

Excuse me.

Seems to me that we have a shortage

of dance partners on the floor.

So as a tribute

to our men in uniform...

...l'd like to make

available the services

of all the longhairs at Los Alamos

on this dance floor.

And to break

the ceremonial ice,

I will choose

the first dance partner.

General Groves...

may I have this dance?

Why not?

- Why do you have that with you?

- I keep it as a record for my dad.

If I wrote him a letter,

all he'd get is black lines.

This way I can tell him

what's going on.

And what are you gonna

write about today?

Besides the war being over?

Yeah.

Well, I met this girl.

Did I just kiss you up there?

You gotta bring your heads in out

of the clouds. Out of the clouds.

Keep the muttering to a minimum,

please, gentlemen.

Some of you dancing...

...close together.

I don't like the look of it.

There are...bosoms in the area.

And this could lead to pregnancy.

Any man getting caught out of hand

or getting caught in hand

will have to turn their peckers

over to the FBI.

They're having fun. That's nice.

They're entitled.

- So long as they don't think it's over.

- Isn't it?

I mean,

what's all the celebration for?

Perhaps we can find

some other use for this work.

Fascism's dead.

You mean in Europe.

What do they think Japan

is doing, shooting squirrels?

No, they're not shooting squirrels,

and that's not the issue.

What is the issue?

They don't have the technology.

They're not capable of it.

So if we don't need it...

...why make it?

I want you to look at something.

It's the largest collection

of nothing in the entire world.

Make them work...

...and you've got something.

An irresistible something.

Just the threat...

...and they're ours.

You know, sometimes,

just standing here,

I keep wondering.

Are we working on them

or are they working on us?

Give them dignity, doctor.

Then we can start talking...

...about who can do what...

...and what they mean.

Oh, what time is it?

Even when I sleep, it's like dogs

tearing at a piece of meat.

Robert?

Thinking of resigning?

No.

I'd be written off.

They wouldn't understand.

Not in the present climate.

I keep obsessing about the device.

Yes, it's true, but...

...if you think beyond...

...it's a limitless supply of energy.

Think about it, Kitty.

The power that drives the universe.

It's beyond imagination, really.

And we'd have tamed it.

A new world.

Go get them, cowboy.

What's going on over there?

Cattle destroyed the entire ground

cable run. Ruined two days' work.

Why didn't they herd them outside

the site? Anyone suggest that?

The ranchers wouldn't move them.

Seems the Army stopped negotiating.

- This is out of control.

- Edward, these estimates...

Rush, push, speed, deadlines.

This whole project

has gotten out of control.

We haven't thought about

the consequences, Oppie.

- Oppie?

- Wilson!

We've been waiting

for the data for two weeks.

When are we gonna get it?

Wilson is correct.

We have to talk about what we're

all thinking but not saying.

This argument is arcane, Edward.

This thing is becoming real.

It's going to affect lives,

thousands of lives.

We have to start to talk.

All right. But not here.

At my home tonight.

So now we tickle

the tail of the dragon.

All right, take her up.

I can only hope the uranium

slug doesn't get stuck in the pile.

If it does,

we'll probably all evaporate.

- What's the reading?

- 1 .19-K.

- Waiting on your word.

- Meter's ready.

Ready when you are.

Let's go.

OK, let's tickle it.

It burst. It burst.

It burst right from here.

All right, add it up.

Cigarette break.

Good job.

Michael. Hey, Michael.

You got a moment?

They won't let me in this place.

Still going to Chicago?

Yeah, Frisch can't pick the slugs up.

Great. There's something we'd

like you to pick up, if you can.

You know Leo Szilard, right?

And Ralph Lapp?

Well, about 20 of our other

colleagues from Chicago,

they're proposing a petition stating

they're opposed to the device.

They're concerned about

what they think's gonna happen.

So am I. I got a brother who's

in the Philippines right now.

I read the papers. I'm concerned.

I'm not asking you to endorse

anything. I haven't even read it yet.

It should be discussed.

All I'm asking is pick it up,

let us peruse it and make up

our own minds. How tough is that?

- Makes sense.

- It's only fair.

I'll pick it up for you.

- See you later.

- OK.

How can you rationalize

premeditated murder?

Oh, bullshit. Premeditated murder?

- This is a war. It's about winning.

- At what cost?

You can't just outlaw a weapon.

The more effective,

the more likely it will be used.

We didn't use poison gas.

That was stopped.

You got to speak up.

The generals won't listen to us.

Yeah, and speak up on behalf

of all those kids hiding in foxholes.

I know what they'd say. The

Japanese brought this on themselves.

They have themselves to blame.

I wouldn't care if the place

went up in smoke...

Excuse me,

just for a minute, gentlemen.

And I resent your suggesting

I don't recognize a moral argument.

Why are you still awake?

Aren't you supposed to be sleeping?

- I don't like sleeping.

- There are lots of things we don't like.

We have to do them if we

want to do the things we do like.

- What's the treat tomorrow?

- Go horseback riding.

That's right. Now, how are you

going to ride a great big horse

if you don't get plenty of rest?

Go to sleep for Daddy?

That's a good boy.

It is hot.

We could go to Carlucci's,

get some ice coffee and donuts.

The project is beginning to unravel.

- What?

- There have always been questions.

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