Robert Oppenheimer helped develop the first atomic bomb as the scientific director of the Manhattan Project during World War II. His leadership brought together top physicists and resources to create this groundbreaking weapon. The project culminated in the successful detonation of the first atomic bomb in July 1945 in New Mexico. Oppenheimer's contributions to nuclear physics and his pivotal role in this secret military project had profound implications for warfare, international relations, and ethics in science, leading to ongoing debates about nuclear proliferation and the responsibilities of scientists.