Mad Cap Socialist Self Analysis! ("Mi Casa") Continues. Part Three: Flash Back - Flash Forward

Continuing a piece about my home town, it's odd military history, and my position within.

PREVIOUSLY ON "Mi Casa":
PART ONE: History. A timeline of important dates in this project.
PART TWO: Introductions. In which the players of this one-act socialist analysis first pop up.

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Part Three: Flash Back - Flash Forward

GREETER
Flashback! (Actors around stage can make flashback sound effects if they feel like it.) Oppenheimer had been planning the Laboratory with some of the world’s most prestigious scientists since September, 1942.

(Actor on side of stage holds up placard reading, “Sept. 19, 1942. Meeting in Chicago to plan new laboratory. Attendees: Oppenheimer, John Manley, Enrico Fermi, Ernest Lawrence, Arthur Compton.” A group of actors gather around OPPENHEIMER. )

OPPENHEIMER
Since our work will be of scientific nature, the leadership will be civilian, even though the military will be actively involved. We’ll collect all of the best
Physicists from around the country! (Circle around OPPENHEIMER disperses.)

GREETER
Flash forward back to early 1943! (Again, sound effects from actors if desired.)
Oppenheimer recruits scientists for the new laboratory.

OPPENHEIMER
(A group of actors congregates around OPPENHEIMER again.) Want to come work at a new laboratory?

SCIENTIST #1
What are we researching?

OPPENHEIMER
I can’t tell you.

SCIENTIST #2
Where’s the laboratory?

OPPENHEIMER
I can’t tell you.

SCIENTIST #3
How long will this take?

OPPENHEIMER
I can’t tell you. But it’s brand new and very important work, I swear.

SCIENTIST #1
Maybe.

SCIENTIST #2
I don’t know. Sounds OK.

SCIENTIST #3
If it’s Oppenheimer, it’ll be good work.

OPPENHEIMER
You’ll be paid better than you are now at the universities.

SCIENTIST #1
Really? That’s good. Who’s funding this?

OPPENHEIMER
Er…um…the Army.

ALL SCIENTISTS
The ARMY???!!!

SCIENTIST #1
We’re building a weapon!

SCIENTIST #2
We’ll have to attend boot camp!

SCIENTIST #3
There will soldiers everywhere messing things up!

SCIENTIST #1
We’ll be taking orders from drill sergeants!

SCIENTIST #2
They’ll be taking target practice and blowing things up!

SCIENTIST #3
We’ll have to wear army uniforms!

(All the SCIENTISTS run away, screaming in terror.)

OPPENHEIMER
This’ll be a hard sell.

GEN. GROVES
(Enters from off-stage) How’s the recruitment going?

OPPENHEIMER
It’s not working. We can’t work in a militarized laboratory. No one from MIT or anywhere else will want to work under military control. There will be friction and loss of morale. I might lose some of the people who have already agreed to come here. We must have scientific autonomy.

GEN. GROVES
This laboratory will be under the control of the Army. Deal with it.

OPPENHEIMER
Can we have a little compromise here?

(GEN. GROVES rolls his eyes, but comes over to OPPENHEIMER. They confer with bowed heads for a few moments, muttering gibberish. They shake hands, GEN. GROVES exits.)

OPPENHEIMER
(Claps his hands. A group of actors as SCIENTISTS gathers around him again.) This laboratory will be developing an instrument of war through experimental scientific and engineering studies. Though we are working on a weapon, the first period of work will be on a strictly civilian basis. During the second period, no sooner than January 1, 1944, the large-scale experiments and handling of highly dangerous material, the scientific and engineering staff will be composed of commissioned officers. (Mutterings of approval from SCIENTISTS.)

GREETER
Fifteen of the thirty-three scientists that Oppenheimer set out to recruit came to Los Alamos. (SCIENTISTS exit.) Starting in December, 1942, Oppenheimer visited the architects and engineers on a bi-weekly basis, constantly refining plans for the new town.

ALBUQUERQUE CORPS OF ENGINEERS (Placard reads, “Helped with design plans and building of Los Alamos.”)
(Walks in with large spreadsheet labeled “Design Plans.”) Geez, this is getting weirder and weirder. What did you say this was going to be again?

OPPENHEIMER
Uhm, a heavy bombardment range.

ALBUQUERQUE CORPS OF ENGINEERS
This sure don’t look like a heavy bombardment range.

OPPENHEIMER
Well, that’s all I can tell you.

ALBUQUERQUE CORPS OF ENGINEERS
Hey boys! Another change for the “Buck Rogers Project!”

(Groans from off-stage. ALBUQUERQUE CORPS OF ENGINEERS exits.)

GREETER
In January, 1943, the first staff of “Project Y,” as the construction at Los Alamos had been named, arrived to begin work. (COLONEL J.M. HARMAN and GENERAL LESLIE GROVES enter.)

COLONEL J.M. HARMAN (Placard reads, “Military Commander at Los Alamos.”)
What a mess. 40 miles from the nearest railroad, no natural gas, limited water, totally inadequate roads. Why are we building a town here?

GEN. GROVES
Security from military attack.

OPPENHEIMER
The idyllic setting.

GEN. GROVES
(To COL. HARMAN) C’mon, hurry up! We don’t want those damn Nazis to build a super-weapon before we do!

OPPENHEIMER
Yes, do hurry up. I can’t believe we had to wait until February.

(A large crowd of SCIENTISTS and STAFF goes by the three men.)

COL. HARMAN
People are already moving in? Are you crazy? There’s hardly a road, we don’t have enough cars, and I don’t even have eating facilities! I’m shipping in box lunches from Santa Fe! I’ve got to do all the laundry in Santa Fe, too!

SCIENTISTS AND STAFF
(Off-stage) This is a little uncomfortable.

OPPENHEIMER
Just look at all the lovely scenery!

GEN. GROVES
Let’s start mining those canyons. That’ll slow down anyone who wants to attack.

(OPPENHEIMER looks nervous. All exit.)

END OF PART THREE. TO BE CONTINUED...

Go to PART FOUR: Start Your Engines
Go to PART FIVE: This Is More Than Just a Test
Go to PART SIX: Remember, New Perspective