

Mark Walker, "Hitler's Atomic Bomb: History, Legend, and the Twin Legacies of Auschwitz and Hiroshima" (Cambridge UP, 2024)
Aug 5, 2024
Mark Walker, a historian specializing in the narratives of Germany's atomic bomb project during WWII, dissects the moral dilemmas faced by scientists like Otto Hahn and Lisa Meitner. He explores how their work influenced the American Manhattan Project and the dual legacies of Auschwitz and Hiroshima. Walker also delves into the post-war rehabilitation of these scientists, reflecting on the intricate balance between integrity and accountability in their tumultuous era. The podcast raises thought-provoking questions about memory, ethics, and the consequences of scientific ambition.
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Intro
00:00 • 2min
The German Atomic Bomb Project: A Comparative Analysis
01:42 • 14min
The Pioneering Work of Nuclear Fission
15:55 • 3min
Navigating Moral Complexities in Nazi Science
18:44 • 24min
The Göttingen Declaration and Nuclear Ethics
42:45 • 6min
The Reconstruction of Memory in Post-War German Science
48:17 • 3min
Nuances of Morality: Virtue Ethics and the Nazi Regime
51:09 • 3min
The Endless Journey of Scholarly Writing and Future Aspirations
53:57 • 3min