HOME / ENTERTAINMENT / MOVIES

Did 'Oppenheimer' use the wrong US flag? History buffs slam mistake made by most WW2 films

The world's first atomic bomb was detonated at the well-known Los Alamos test site in New Mexico in July 1945

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: The film 'Oppenheimer' has received widespread acclaim from critics and audiences alike for its portrayal of the race to develop the atomic bomb. The movie focuses on scientist Robert J Oppenheimer and his leadership of the Manhattan Project, which led to the creation of the deadly weapons dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945.

While Cillian Murphy's performance as a troubled physicist has been highly praised, experts have pointed out an error in the film concerning the American flag used in certain scenes. During scenes depicting celebrations after Japan's surrender and the US victory in World War II, Oppenheimer is shown being applauded by an audience holding American flags. However, keen-eyed viewers noticed that the flag displayed has 50 stars instead of 48, even though Hawaii and Alaska did not become US states until 1959.

Did 'Oppenheimer' use the wrong US flag?

Historian Jo Hedwig Teeuwisse, who runs the popular Fake History Hunter account on Twitter, posted a photo of the scene and remarked, "Oh dear. Spot the mistake in 'Oppenheimer.' How sloppy." She further explained, "Just in case you're not sure. The US flag changed many times, the one in the film is not the one they had during the 1940s." Teeuwisse also highlighted similar errors in other films, such as 'Jojo Rabbit' (2019) and 'A Bridge Too Far' (1977). Even the TV film 'Restless,' featuring Rufus Sewell and released in 2012, also fell victim to the same mistake.

The current 50-star US flag was adopted in July 1960, following Hawaii's admission to the Union 11 months earlier. Alaska became a state seven months prior to that. Before these additions, the flag with 48 stars had been in use since 1912, after New Mexico and Arizona became states. When Alaska was admitted, a 49th star was briefly added to the flag for a year.

'Blood on my hands!'

Alaska's path to statehood was a lengthy one, as it was purchased from Russia in 1867 for $7.2 million. It became an incorporated US territory in 1912, and during World War II, the Alaskan Aleutian Islands were occupied by Japanese troops. However, achieving statehood faced opposition both in Alaska and the US Congress. Hawaii, located off the west coast of the mainland US, was annexed under President William McKinley in 1898. Although it was granted self-governance in 1900, it encountered obstacles in its journey to become a state for six decades before eventually succeeding.

'Oppenheimer,' directed by Christopher Nolan, hit cinemas last week and stars not only Murphy but also Emily Blunt, Robert Downey Jr, and Matt Damon. The world's first atomic bomb was detonated at the well-known Los Alamos test site in New Mexico in July 1945. Less than a month later, this devastating technology was used twice in Japan, marking the end of World War II but causing the loss of as many as 170,000 lives.

Following the momentous events, Oppenheimer who had come a long way from his troubled past that included attempting to poison his own lecturer with an apple, expressed remorse, stating that he felt he had "blood on my hands." Unfortunately, he faced a tragic career downfall when falsely accused of being a Communist sympathizer who leaked secrets to the Soviet Union.