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ferris_mx 's review for:
American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer
by Martin J. Sherwin, Kai Bird
It is always shocking that despite our feelings about Russia's show trials of the 30s, we had our own in the 50s, and Oppenheimer is a prime example. A decently senior bureaucrat, Strauss, was able to wage a personal vendetta against Oppenheimer, with the cooperation of the FBI, and successfully canceled the security clearance of a consultant who they could simply not have consulted with, one day before the clearance expired naturally. In the process, they made clear that Constitutional rights are meaningless, that historical relationships can be taken out of context at will, and that public servants dissent with policy at their peril. Against a dedicated adversary, even inconsequential errors can be blown out of proportion - and this has never been easier than today.
Fortunately, Strauss's machinations were discovered, and he too was ruined by his monomaniacal pursuit of a person who dared to disagree with him. And we all learned our lesson about trials with secret evidence that cannot be cross examined by the defendant, and about lobbying judges for verdicts and supplying those judges with secret information also not provided to the defense. Right?
The book was well written and well researched.
Fortunately, Strauss's machinations were discovered, and he too was ruined by his monomaniacal pursuit of a person who dared to disagree with him. And we all learned our lesson about trials with secret evidence that cannot be cross examined by the defendant, and about lobbying judges for verdicts and supplying those judges with secret information also not provided to the defense. Right?
The book was well written and well researched.