As soon as they arrived and were briefed on the goal of the project, the Los Alamos scientists began to have grave doubts about the morality of the project, which doubts never left them. Since the defeat of the Nazis was the consideration that caused many of the scientists to stay on despite their grave doubts, after the defeat of the Nazis, the grave doubts probably became harder to ignore, and the date on the document Eliezer links to is August 14, 1946.

In contrast, the professional high-energy physicists involved in the debate about the RHIC had no more doubts about the morality of their enterprise than any other highly prestigious professionals in our society (namely, few chronic doubts indeed).

(Now watch: some ideologue will reply that guilt is never healthy and has never contributed to an improved outcome in any endeavor.)