Did “Oppenheimer” Get That Big Scene Right?

C-SPAN's The Weekly

About a month after the explosion, Oppenheimer comes to the White House and he sits down with Truman.

And by this point he’s just wracked with second thoughts.

And he says Mr. President I have these terrible regrets. I feel that I have blood on my hands.

And Truman says: Don’t worry about it. I gave the order. I have blood on my hands.

And they finish the conversation.

Oppenheimer leaves.

And Truman says to his staff I never want to see that son of a bitch in this office ever again.

That was veteran television news journalist Chris Wallace… … discussing his book "Countdown 1945: The Extraordinary Story of the Atomic Bomb and the 116 Days That Changed the World."

If you've seen the movie Oppenheimer, what Chris Wallace was talking about might sound familiar.

It was October 25th, 1945 – when Dr. Robert Oppenheimer met President Truman in the Oval Office…. The scene was pivotal in the movie … and in real-life.

Now, it's time for the Academy Awards – and Oppenheimer is up for an Oscar for Best Picture ….and in 12 other categories.

In the latest episode of C-SPAN's “The Weekly,” we hear from experts and historians and biographers – talking about that time Oppenheimer met Truman…. The fact-check question for this week’s podcast: Did the movie get it right?

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