Letter To David Einstein Summary

His famous equation E=mc2explains the energy released from an atomic bomb ***Assigned to the Manhattan Project***After hearing about the bombs dropped in Hiroshima and Nagasaki he wants a change for society to stop violence. This is when he gives his “The Menace of Mass Destruction” speech. The speech was intended to bring awareness to the fact that humans were creating weapons of mass destruction instead of coming together to clarify and fix issues in a non-violent way. By delivering the speech in the United Nations’ conference, it was determined that many people who were in charge of worldwide peace and security were going to make a change to stop the horrific man-made nuclear weapons that would endanger the entire world. Einstein knew all the great dangers a nuclear weapon would have on the society due to his research., So he and helped build one of the first developments for the box, because he felt guilty and responsible for the destructions that they these brought and would continue to bring in the future . Albert Einstein uses many rhetorical strategies and literary devices in his speech, “The Menace of Mass Destruction”, to be able to inform and explain to people around the world why they need to come together to determine society’s fate logically, without the need of powerful nuclear

The beginnings of the Nuclear Age started when Albert Einstein wrote to President Franklin Roosevelt warning him of a dangerous weapon the Nazis had begun researching, known as the atomic bomb. (1) Though, when President Roosevelt first read this letter, he was too preoccupied with events in Europe to be bothered with such ideas. He at the time did not take the creation of such weapon to seriously, nor did he believe America had the resources for such a task. (2) Finally, on October 19, 1939 President Roosevelt wrote back to Einstein stating that the United States had begun to research the power of uranium. (2) With the help of the British, whom reluctantly gave the United States leadership on this project, in June of 1942 the Manhattan Project had begun, though most of the world had no idea that this was even happening, not even Vice President Truman. (2)

These ventures into atomic agriculture and medicine were primarily fueled by organizations like the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) and were used to justify a reason for atomic research that did not revolve around atomic weapons. This concern about the uses of atomic energy is further reflected in Eisenhower’s “Atom’s Peace” speech when he says, “Against the dark background of the atomic bomb, the United States does not wish merely to present strength, but also the desire and the hope for peace.” This quotation shows the need for peaceful applications of atomic energy.

The invention of the atomic bomb took several years and after many trials and errors the invention was finally complete. Albert Einstein wrote to President Roosevelt in 1939 about

     The atomic warfare capabilities of the United States were brought about in a letter from Mr. Albert Einstein to Franklin D. Roosevelt, our current

Albert Einstein wrote a letter to the Belgian Ambassador to stop selling uranium to the Germans so they could slow their progress on the atomic bomb. He also wrote a letter to President Roosevelt announcing the importance of the United States to create the bomb before other countries. Other than writing and signing letters, Einstein himself did not play a role in developing the atomic bomb.

On August 2, 1938, in the heat of World War II, Albert Einstein, a physicist born in Germany, sent a letter to Franklin Delano Roosevelt, the 32nd president of the United States. The letter suggested America to build an atomic bomb before the Nazi Germany does. However, it took more than two months for the letter to reach Roosevelt. On October 19, 1938, Roosevelt agreed, replying, “I found this data of such import that I have convened a Board … to thoroughly investigate the possibilities of your suggestion regarding the element of uranium” (“President Roosevelt's response to Dr. Einstein”). As a result, America held a secret program, code named Manhattan Project, and started to build new, destructive weapons in a laboratory in Los Alamos,

July 16, 1939 began as a rather ordinary day for Einstein. Two former students, now colleagues came to visit. Through this visit Einstein learned that nuclear fission was not simply theoretically possible, but a reality. He immediately recognized the repercussions; both good and evil. He realized that if he did nothing, Germany (Hitler) would be able not only to build an atomic bomb, but also to monopolize all known all sources of the precursor materials. Thus, to do nothing, would be to aid the Nazis. To write a letter, use his influence, to make sure the United States would have access to uranium (from Belgium), he was encouraging the development of a device whose sole purpose would be a weapon more devastating than any other ever imagined.

He further explained that the bombings would encourage enemy countries to challenge the United States through their own nuclear innovations, ultimately putting not only American cities at risk, but also the world. In addition to Szilard, another influential critic of Truman’s decision to drop the bomb was Albert Einstein, although he had previously urged President Roosevelt to start production of nuclear weapons. The reason behind Einstein’s change of heart was mainly due to the fear that the initial dropping of the atomic bomb by the U.S. would result in the inevitability of further destruction by other countries. Einstein explains this in his biography by saying, "when the war is over, then there will be in all countries a pursuit of secret war preparations with technological means which will lead inevitably to preventative wars and to destruction even more terrible than the present destruction of life." (Clark,

Though the scientists themselves were the ones to encourage the creation of the atom bomb, their plans and views differed immensely from those of the military. As World War II raged on, Germany was suspected of harnessing atomic energy and directing it into powering a weapon. Albert Einstein, agreeing with Leo Silzard, the man who first thought into the concept, urged President Franklin D. Roosevelt to look further into the study of atomic energy and the possibility of using it for a bomb. President Roosevelt, fearing the German’s advances in this study, quickly agreed and sent money to the University of Chicago to begin the study and research of atomic energy. (Roleff 62) (The Manhattan Project 1) Upon sending this money, the top-secret research program and building of the atomic bomb began. Later moving from Chicago to Los Alamos, New Mexico, this secret project was called the Manhattan Project. (1) Einstein later explained that his recommendation to the president was to only further the United State’s knowledge of this energy and to have an extra line of defense if the Germans were to ever launch a nuclear attack. (Roleff 62) When the possibility of using one of these weapons was

It was the year that the Second World War began that scientists discovered the possibility of creating an atomic bomb. One of the most famous scientists in the world, Albert Einstein wrote a letter to the president explaining "extremely powerful bombs of a new type" (Grant, 1997) that might be built. A group of the top nuclear scientists worked together with Robert Oppenheimer as their scientific director, as what was knowing as the Manhattan Project. Just under $2 billion US dollars was spend on funding the Manhattan Project, today that equals to $37863713073.60 Australian dollars.

Einstein mentioned, “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.” As President of the United States this would create some discomfort and fear for American lives. Another aspect that would have gotten my attention would have been “. . . Germany has actually stopped the sale of uranium from Czechoslovakian mines which she has taken over.” This statement shows that Germany had a plan for the uranium that was in their control and were going to restrict access. The final statement that would have gotten my attention is “. . . American work on uranium is now being repeated.” This statement tells me, as President, that Americans needed to increase security for the uranium research so that America was not unintentionally helping the enemy and would not lose the advantage we had on the other countries trying to create

regardless of how the cause of the war should be judged." (Ronald Clark, pg. 428). Unfortunately, his stance wavered during World War 2. Albert Einstein didn’t invent the atomic bomb, but was crucial in its development. He signed a letter to Roosevelt suggesting that the bomb be created. Shortly before his death, he spoke about his role in the bombings of Japan. "I made one great mistake in my life... when I signed the letter to President Roosevelt recommending that atom bombs be made; but there was some justification - the danger that the Germans would make them." (Clark, pg. 752). He realized the bombings were an ill-concieved plan, but, along with everyone else, Einstein gave into justifying his action with possibilities.

In the summer of 1939, Einstein, along with another scientist, Leo Szilard, was persuaded to write a letter to President Franklin D. Roosevelt to alert him of the possibility of a Nazi bomb. President Roosevelt could not risk the possibility that Germany might develop an atomic bomb first. The letter is believed to be the key factor that motivated the United States to investigate the development of nuclear weapons. Roosevelt invited Einstein to meet with him and soon after the United States initiated the Manhattan Project (M. Talmey).

Roosevelt pointing out the possibility of making an atomic bomb. Albert signed the letter and the sent it off. That is when the first atomic bomb was ever made. Albert Einstein died 1n 1955 but during his lifetime he filled so many blanks about our universe.