Part 8/10:
Despite not being an active member of the Communist Party, Oppenheimer’s connections to figures like Jean Tatlock—a party member—and his past political affiliations raised questions about his loyalty. A closed-door hearing in 1954 led to the revocation of his security clearance, driven partly by personal vendettas and a political climate steeped in fear and suspicion. His fall from grace was emblematic of the era's paranoia, characterized by the pursuit of the hydrogen bomb, which he vehemently opposed for ethical reasons.