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Week 10 Post regarding “Einstein’s letter to Roosevelt – 1939”

Einstein is concerned in his letter to Roosevelt about the use of uranium in the near future. That the Administration should be more informed and “call for watchfulness” before making important decisions about the topic. Einstein knew that uranium could be a powerful tool in the future and that the subject should not be taken lightly. In his letter, he is also informing the President and given him his own recommendation. Einstein brings up that the work of Joliot, Farmi, and Szilard shows it is quite probable to create a nuclear chain reaction in a large mass of uranium. This reaction would produce “large quantities of new radium-like elements” (radioactive fallout and radiation). The importance of this scientific work is the fact that this could be quite possible in the near future (which was true) and power could come from it.

A very powerful bomb could be produced using this reaction. Before, such a weapon of this magnitude was only imagined. Einstein did realize the potential of destruction but underestimated its true potential, “A single bomb of this type, carried by boat and exploded in a port, might very well destroy the whole port together with some of the surrounding territory. However, such bombs might very well prove too heavy for transportation by air.” As we now know the damage that could be done is much more devastating and the bomb could be transported by air (in the case of Hiroshima and Nagasaki). I believe Einstein knew of the power that could come from this bomb. He was not interested in the production of an object that could kill thousands of people but the scientific understanding behind it.

Although I cannot say this when Einstein gives Roosevelt suggestions on organizing a scientific program devoted to the topic and the procurement of Uranium. He suggests that there should be a contract between the Administration and the physicists working on the project. Someone should keep the government informed particularly with supply and demand of uranium ore, what government actions should be taken, and how research could be sped up through funding. I’m surprised to what Einstein says. How could he be suggesting such things when he was such an anti-war supporter? Perhaps scientific advancement was more important to Einstein than what it could accomplish or did he not know the true potential that could come from such a weapon. I’m curious at what point Einstein changed his mind about supporting the development.