Bomb: The Race to Build—and Steal—the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon Theme of Fear

There's always going to be some element of fear in whatever you do: fear of failure, fear of the unknown, fear of clowns…Well, okay, maybe we're the ones with coulrophobia, but fear can be a pretty pervasive emotion. When you think about everything the people in Bomb: The Race to Build—And Steal—The World's Most Dangerous Weapon had to worry about during World War II, fear was a pretty big motivator. Unless you were Norwegian, in which case you strapped on your skis and took on the Nazis with a small force of highly trained operatives, apparently. But not everyone can be Norwegian.

1. How was fear used as a tool during the war?
2. Were the Norwegians really fearless? Why or why not?
3. What would you say was Oppenheimer's greatest fear pertaining to the bomb?
4. What were the Soviets afraid of?

Fear can be an extremely useful motivating factor.

Fear can be a paralyzing force when it becomes overwhelming.