Robert Coughlan profiles Edward Teller and his campaign to develop the hydrogen bomb. Drawing on interviews with Teller and his associates, he connects the physicist’s upbringing in Hungary, experience of antisemitism and attachment to American democracy with his determination to strengthen national defence.

The article follows Teller’s scientific career, wartime work at Los Alamos and disputes with colleagues over thermonuclear weapons. It describes opposition led by J. Robert Oppenheimer, political decisions to proceed, and the research culminating in the 1952 hydrogen bomb test. Coughlan presents Teller sympathetically, crediting his persistence and ideas with a decisive role while acknowledging other contributors.

The final section examines Teller’s testimony at Oppenheimer’s security hearing and the resulting damage to friendships. It portrays his unease about the consequences, alongside his wish to return to basic physics. Throughout, the profile links scientific ambition with moral responsibility and Cold War fears.