When the first bomb was tested, Oppenheimer quoted from a Hindu scripture. He said “Now I am become Death, the destroyer of the worlds.” Why would Oppenheimer make this statement?

Oppenheimer made this statement denoting that nuclear weapon has now become death, the destoyer of the worlds, because the scientists knew the world of pre-nuclear and post-nuclear would be much different.

Explanation:

Julius Robert Oppenheimer is considered the 'Father of the Atomic Bomb' along with those scientists who created the nuclear weapons during the World War II. Oppenheimer was one of those scientists who worked on the Mahattan Project to form nuclear weapons.

Oppenheimer had been greatly influenced from a young age by teachings of the Bhagvadgita and would quote the scriptures from the book. On the occasion when nuclear weapon was first tested on July 16, 1945 on the grounds of Los Alamos, New Mexico, Oppenheimer was so perplexed by the sight that he quoted the given quote from Bhagadgita. Oppenheimer made this statement because he knew that the world would not be the same post-nuclear era. He denoted that the nuclear weapon has now become death, the destroyer of the worlds.