George+Week+Ten

Harry Truman is not a man I envy. The decision on whether or not to use the atomic bomb was the most difficult political decision of the 20th century. Both choices had huge consequences. Using the bomb would be considered by most a crime against humanity, while choosing not to use everything in his power to end World War 2 and save human lives also has equal merit. Either choice has grave consequences, yet equally beneficial rewards. The impact of his decision was so much more than anyone could have imagined. He brought the world into the atomic age and changed the United States into a superpower.

I believe that Einstein's and Freud's conversation would be drastically different if it had taken place after the rise and fall of Hitler and the Nazi party. It would give them much better evidence of the cruel and violent nature of man, but would have also shifted their views away from pacifism. If the letters between Einstein and Freud had been published in Germany, I do not think that they would have helped the non-violent cause that they tried to champion. In their letters they had an air of superiority over the "so-called uncultured masses", which I don't think would have gone over well with the ultra nationalist Germany (Freud). Politicians would have called them weak and unpatriotic which would have only hurt what they were speaking against.

Einstein was a decade before his time in which he could have made a more profound impact regarding his political ideals. He is usually not remembered for his anti-military work or his support for the NAACP and I think that this is because of the time period. If he had championed his ideas during the civil rights movement, his actions would not have gone as unnoticed as they have. I think it's somewhat sad that Einstein is really only credited for being smart and ignored for all of his other humanitarian work. Even though he was incorrect on some of his scientific ideas, he theories on special and general relativity were phenomenal and revolutionary.