Why was it named the Trinity Test?
Nobody knows exactly why the Trinity test was named Trinity. However, records show that Julius Robert Oppenheimer was strongly inspired by poet John Donne and the Hindu literature piece Bhagavad-Gita and may have named the Trinity test from these references.
Julius Robert Oppenheimer was not only a prestigious physicist but he had vast interests in poetry and philosophy as well.
He would later on also develop interests in communism and socialism where he would even financially support Spanish republicans fight the Franco government during the Spain Civil War. This would lead to the Oppenheimer security hearing in 1954 due to his communist ideals.
Julius Robert Oppenheimer and John Donne
His favorite poet was John Donne who was one of the most prominent English poets of the metaphysical poetry. Metaphysical refers to the literature style that focused on the message itself rather than the delivery method such as rhyming or lyrical significance.
Metaphysical literature tried to answer questions that couldn’t be explained by science or mere cognition such as “Does God exist”. The metaphysical literature was more of a philosophy.[1]
By a letter that General Leslie Groves wrote to Julius R. Oppenheimer, Oppenheimer reveals he doesn’t know why he gave the name of Trinity.
However he replies to General Leslie Groves John Donne’s poem “Hymn to God, My God, in My Sickness” which is a poem of a man who doesn’t fear death as he has faith in resurrection, and the poem “Batter my heart, three-person'd God” which is a poem that express the ‘three-person’ personality of God and the paradox of the will to be free from God while being bound to the beliefs of God.[2]
Being in charge of a project that upholds the deepest levels of Physics which is a studies of understanding the world and the creation of a terrifying weapon must have put J R. Oppenheimer immense pressure.
To lead such a project like the Manhattan Project, Dr. Oppenheimer may have put his personal faiths and beliefs to insist and pursue on the objectives of the Manhattan Project no matter what everyone else may have thought.
Hymn to God, My God, in My Sickness
Since I am coming to that holy room, Where, with thy choir of saints for evermore,
I shall be made thy music; as I come I tune the instrument here at the door, And what I must do then, think here before.
Whilst my physicians by their love are grown Cosmographers, and I their map, who lie
Flat on this bed, that by them may be shown That this is my south-west discovery,
Per fretum febris, by these straits to die,
I joy, that in these straits I see my west; For, though their currents yield return to none,
What shall my west hurt me? As west and east In all flat maps (and I am one) are one,
So death doth touch the resurrection.
Is the Pacific Sea my home? Or are The eastern riches? Is Jerusalem?
Anyan, and Magellan, and Gibraltar, All straits, and none but straits, are ways to them,
Whether where Japhet dwelt, or Cham, or Shem. We think that Paradise and Calvary,
Christ's cross, and Adam's tree, stood in one place;
Look, Lord, and find both Adams met in me; As the first Adam's sweat surrounds my face,
May the last Adam's blood my soul embrace.
So, in his purple wrapp'd, receive me, Lord; By these his thorns, give me his other crown;
And as to others' souls I preach'd thy word, Be this my text, my sermon to mine own:
"Therefore that he may raise, the Lord throws down."
Batter my heart, three-person'd God
Batter my heart, three-person'd God, for you As yet but knock, breathe, shine, and seek to mend;
That I may rise and stand, o'erthrow me, and bend Your force to break, blow, burn, and make me new.
I, like an usurp'd town to another due, Labor to admit you, but oh, to no end;
Reason, your viceroy in me, me should defend, But is captiv'd, and proves weak or untrue.
Yet dearly I love you, and would be lov'd fain, But am betroth'd unto your enemy;
Divorce me, untie or break that knot again, Take me to you, imprison me, for I,
Except you enthrall me, never shall be free, Nor ever chaste, except you ravish me.
Julius Robert Oppenheimer and Bhagavad-Gita
Julius R. Oppenheimer was inspired and influenced by Bhagavad-Gita which was an ancient Hinduism literature. and he would learn original Sanskrit which is the original primary language of Hinduism to comprehend Bhagavad-Gita during his time as a professor at University of California Berkley.
He personally met with professorv Arthur W. Ryder who translated the Bhagavad-Gita to learn original Sanskrit text.
Julius R. Oppenheimer would even name his car ‘Garuda’ as a reference of Hinduism.[3] Julius R. Oppenheimer often gifted people the Bhagavad-Gita as a present. This shows that he was deeply inspired by the Bhagavad-Gita. Bhagavad-Gita means the bible like scripture of God written about the BC 2~4th century.
The Bhagavad-Gita is a Hinduism scripture but it is very significant because it opposes Brahman which is the principle of Hinduism.
Brahman is the basis of the infamous Caste-system which divides people into certain classes and limit their potential as well.
However, Bhagavad-Gita discuss the purpose of all human existence and states that all people regardless of gender or which caste-system class they are could be under the grace of God and the universe.[4]
This may also show why Dr. Oppenheimer believed in communism and socialism.
Vannevar Bush who was the chairman of the National Defense Research Committee (NDRC) wrote in his memoir that Oppenheimer recited the following words two days before the Trinity Test which he directly translated from Sanskrit.[2]
In battle, in forest, at the precipice in the mountains. On the dark great sea, in the midst of javelins and arrows. In sleep, in confusion, in the depths of shame. The good deeds a man has done before defend him
Such principles from the Bhagavad-Gita that Dr. Oppenheimer kept in heart for his life may have influenced to name the first nuclear weapon test as the Trinity Test.
Julius R. Oppenheimer must have had doubts and faith on what consequences the Manhattan Project would bear.Thus he would have needed the beliefs of the Bhagavad-Gita that he could bring prosperity to all humans as well.
This is why Julius R. Oppenheimer may have left the famous quote that
"I am become Death. The Destroyer of Worlds"
- John R. Oppenheimer -
Trinity and the number three in other cultures
Trinity refers to the number three (3) and the number three stands as a very important symbolic number in all kinds of culture in the world and in many fields of study.
In terms of math, a shape or figure could only form if there are at least 3 angles or 3 sides. In terms of biology, at least 3 elements must be involved for mediation and regulation of each interaction such as negative feedback (although with only two is possible, there must be at least one more mediator to mediate the biological response) and maintain homeostasis.
In terms of chemistry, a reaction should involve at least two components which would lead to a result making three components on the reaction equation.
In Chinese culture, there is a word that at least three pillars are required to sustain something. Imagine that for a table to stand, it needs at least three legs. In Japanese culture, the number three represents the ‘creation of all matters.
Thus, in many Japanese culture and media there are many depictions of balance of three such as pokemon, like zapdos, articuno, moltres or how starter pokemon are all a selection from three. In terms of Christianity, the Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit are the trinity that form the unity of God.
[1] Metaphysical Poetry - Uou.Ac.In, uou.ac.in/lecturenotes/humanities/MAEL-17/METAPHYSICAL_POETRY_UOU%20PDF.pdf. Accessed 21 July 2023.
[2] Laboratory, Los Alamos National. “Plutonium and Poetry: Where Trinity and Oppenheimer’s Reading Habits Met.” LANL Discover RSS, discover.lanl.gov/news/0714-oppenheimer-literature/. Accessed 21 July 2023.
[3] Gleick, Reviewed James. “Fallout.” The Washington Post, 10 Apr. 2005, www.washingtonpost.com/archive/entertainment/books/2005/04/10/fallout/cf4054f0-92d1-4d59-bf13-0b0701dcdf12/.
[4] “The Eternal Apprentice.” Time, 8 Nov. 1948, content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,853367-6,00.html.
