The Spy Who Started the Cold War | Los Alamos | Episode 2 Summary

Introduction

In the second episode of The Spy Who Started the Cold War, hosted by Indira Varma and Raza Jaffrey, Wondery delves deeper into the clandestine activities of Klaus Fuchs, a pivotal figure whose espionage significantly influenced the early stages of the Cold War. This episode intricately weaves historical facts with dramatic reenactments to portray Fuchs's journey from his arrival in the United States to his critical role in the Manhattan Project and subsequent espionage activities.

Arrival in the United States: December 1943

The episode opens in December 1943 at Union Station, Washington, D.C., where Klaus Fuchs and other British atomic scientists arrive to collaborate on the Manhattan Project. The episode highlights the stark contrast between wartime rationing in Britain and the abundance in the United States, symbolized by Fuchs’s amazement at seeing fresh oranges in a store window.

General Leslie Groves, the head of the Manhattan Project, briefs the scientists on the project's security measures:

Groves (00:00): "On this project, we work under compartmentalization. You are all working on the diffusion plant in Manhattan. You will not tell friends, family, or anyone outside of your immediate team about your work. Is that clear?"

Fuchs, apprehensive about the compartmentalization, contemplates the challenges it poses for his espionage activities:

Narration (00:00): "But in order to get the bomb built quicker, Britain's agreed to loan its atomic scientists to America."

Personal Struggles and Espionage Initiatives

In January 1944, the narrative shifts to Fuchs’s personal life in Cambridge, Massachusetts. A heartfelt reunion with his sister Crystal reveals Fuchs's need to secure safe communication channels with his Soviet handlers. Fuchs requests his sister to relay specific messages without arousing suspicion:

Fuchs (05:25): "Tell me more about how you met your husband."

Parallel to this, MI5’s David Clark assesses Fuchs’s security risks, ultimately deciding against alerting the Americans about his communist ties, a decision that underscores the lax security that would later have profound implications.

Integration into Los Alamos and Continued Espionage

By August 1944, Fuchs relocates to Los Alamos, New Mexico, where he joins the core team working on the atomic bomb. Despite the intense work environment and the scientific breakthroughs, Fuchs grapples with the difficulty of maintaining covert communication with Soviet spies. His interactions with Harry Gold, his Soviet contact, are fraught with tension and the constant threat of exposure:

Fuchs (19:16): "I cannot meet you here again. The Americans are close to testing the bomb. We are running out of time."

Fuchs’s strategic efforts to embed espionage within his daily life are evident as he contemplates using visits to his sister to transmit information.

The Trinity Test: July 16, 1945

A climactic moment in the episode is the depiction of the Trinity Test, the first detonation of an atomic bomb. The intense atmosphere among the scientists is palpable as Fuchs witnesses the explosion:

Narration (30:35): "Fuchs raises a hand to shield his face and then lowers it in wonder as a huge, unearthly and silent globe of fire mushrooms up into the sky."

Fuchs immediately recognizes the significance of the test’s success and the potential fallout of their work. His subsequent meeting with Harry Gold to relay the bomb's details underscores the critical information being funneled to the Soviets:

Fuchs (30:35): "Here are the blueprints for Trinity. Everything Moscow needs to build it."

Soviet Response and the Escalation to the Cold War

Upon receiving Fuchs’s intelligence, Soviet leader Igor Kurchatov acknowledges the invaluable data, emphasizing the geopolitical shift it causes:

Kurchatov: "A weapon of this Magnitude would make America the most powerful nation on earth." (32:13)

The episode highlights the immediate strategic implications of Fuchs’s espionage, as the USSR accelerates its nuclear program, setting the stage for the ensuing Cold War tensions.

President Truman’s Revelation

In Potsdam, Germany, President Harry Truman informs Soviet leader Joseph Stalin about the successful Trinity Test:

Truman (32:13): "We have a new weapon, a bomb of unusual destructive force."

Stalin's indifferent reaction betrays his prior knowledge, insinuating that Soviet spies, like Fuchs, had already infiltrated American nuclear secrets. This pivotal moment underscores the profound impact of Fuchs's actions on global politics.

Conclusion and Implications

The episode concludes by reflecting on the monumental consequences of Klaus Fuchs’s espionage. His actions not only accelerated the Soviet Union’s entry into the nuclear arms race but also significantly altered the balance of power, ultimately laying the groundwork for the Cold War.

Notable Quotes

1. General Leslie Groves (00:00):

   "Security takes precedence over all else."

2. Fuchs to Raymond (interaction scene):

   "We are undertaking atomic research. Specifically how to enrich uranium by gaseous diffusion."

3. Harry Gold (18:16):

   "How powerful is it? The same as 10,000 tons of TNT."

4. President Harry Truman (32:13):

   "We have a new weapon, a bomb of unusual destructive force."

Production Insights

The episode skillfully blends historical dialogue with dramatized interactions to illustrate the clandestine nature of espionage during World War II. Drawing from reputable sources such as Trinity by Frank Close and Atomic Spy by Nancy Thorndike Greenspan, the narrative offers a nuanced portrayal of Klaus Fuchs’s dual life as a scientist and spy. The meticulous research ensures that even dramatized scenes maintain historical authenticity, providing listeners with an engaging and informative experience.

Conclusion

The Spy Who Started the Cold War masterfully captures the intricate web of espionage surrounding the Manhattan Project. Through Klaus Fuchs’s story, the episode illuminates the profound impact of individual actions on international relations and the onset of one of the most tense periods in modern history. Whether you're a history enthusiast or new to the subject, this episode offers a compelling exploration of the hidden forces that shaped the Cold War.