Process Paper
Last summer, my family and I visited Japan where I immersed myself in the history and culture of the country. My favorite part of the trip was my visit to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and Museum. Seeing the Flame of Peace burning in the park, only to be extinguished when all nuclear weapons are destroyed, and learning about the horrors of the atomic bomb in the museum, I realized how important it was for the world to eliminate all nuclear warfare. When thinking of topics to research for my National History Day project, I knew I wanted to focus on World War II and nuclear warfare. My grandfather was a Medical Service Corps Officer for the U.S. during the Vietnam War, and he has a different opinion about the ethicality of the atomic bomb detonations in Japan than my grandmother who grew up in Japan and survived the firebombings of Tokyo. Upon hearing of Joseph Rotblat, the only scientist to leave the Manhattan Project, I wondered why one man would risk his scientific credibility to protest the morality of creating an atomic bomb, and I decided to do my project on him.
I mostly conducted my research online but also used the documentary The Strangest Dream and several books such as Joseph Rotblat: Visionary for Peace and Keeper of the Nuclear Conscience: The Life and Work of Joseph Rotblat. The resources introduced me to his various stands and summarized them so I knew what parts to further research online. I interviewed Sandra Ionno Butcher, the former Executive Director of Pugwash and the current director of the Pugwash history project, and I had an email exchange with John Holdren, President Obama's Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology. I divided my research into sections: his youth, leaving the Manhattan Project, founding Pugwash, and influencing the Cold War.
Because of the extensive collection of interviews, photos, and documents available on the Internet, I thought I could best communicate his stand in history through a website. Many pictures show him hard at work, interacting with intellectuals from around the world and displaying his dedication to eliminating nuclear warfare.
Joseph Rotblat's was able to quickly recognize the dangers of the atomic bombs he was helping to build as a part of the Manhattan Project, and his moral compass allowed him to quit the project when most scientists did not. While most felt regret for not taking a stand against the atomic bomb, Rotblat was able to say he turned against the horrible weapon. He then formed the Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs to protest nuclear warfare and fight for its elimination. Through Pugwash, he took another stand by significantly influencing discussions between leaders of the U.S. and the Soviet Union during the Cold War hoping to prevent further nuclear arms expansion. Rotblat’s life consisted of taking stands against nuclear weaponry and war with the ultimate goal of making the world a safer and more peaceful place. I view him as an exceptional embodiment of the competition theme this year.
I mostly conducted my research online but also used the documentary The Strangest Dream and several books such as Joseph Rotblat: Visionary for Peace and Keeper of the Nuclear Conscience: The Life and Work of Joseph Rotblat. The resources introduced me to his various stands and summarized them so I knew what parts to further research online. I interviewed Sandra Ionno Butcher, the former Executive Director of Pugwash and the current director of the Pugwash history project, and I had an email exchange with John Holdren, President Obama's Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology. I divided my research into sections: his youth, leaving the Manhattan Project, founding Pugwash, and influencing the Cold War.
Because of the extensive collection of interviews, photos, and documents available on the Internet, I thought I could best communicate his stand in history through a website. Many pictures show him hard at work, interacting with intellectuals from around the world and displaying his dedication to eliminating nuclear warfare.
Joseph Rotblat's was able to quickly recognize the dangers of the atomic bombs he was helping to build as a part of the Manhattan Project, and his moral compass allowed him to quit the project when most scientists did not. While most felt regret for not taking a stand against the atomic bomb, Rotblat was able to say he turned against the horrible weapon. He then formed the Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs to protest nuclear warfare and fight for its elimination. Through Pugwash, he took another stand by significantly influencing discussions between leaders of the U.S. and the Soviet Union during the Cold War hoping to prevent further nuclear arms expansion. Rotblat’s life consisted of taking stands against nuclear weaponry and war with the ultimate goal of making the world a safer and more peaceful place. I view him as an exceptional embodiment of the competition theme this year.
