Letter from Albert Einstein
to President Franklin Delano Roosevelt on the Development of Atomic
Weapons
Text
of the Letter from Albert Einstein to President Franklin Delano
Roosevelt, written on August 2, 1939 about the possible construction
of nuclear bombs. Of
significance here, is the last paragraph, where Einstein implies that
Germany was working on developing atomic weapons.
Also of note, this letter was written one month prior to the
start of German invasion of
Poland that would begin
World War Two in Europe.
Old
Grove Rd.
Nassau Point
Peconic, Long Island
August
2nd, 1939
F.D.
Roosevelt
President of the United States
White House
Washington, D.C.
Sir:
Some recent work by E. Fermi and L. Szilard, which has been
communicated to me in manuscript, leads me to expect that the element
uranium may be turned into a new and important source of energy in
the immediate future. Certain aspects of the situation which has
arisen seem to call for watchfulness and, if necessary, quick action
on the part of the administration. I believe therefore that it is my
duty to bring to your attention the following facts and
recommendations:
In
the course of the last four months it has been made probable --
through the work of Joliot in France as well as Fermi and Szilard in
America -- that it may become possible to set up a nuclear chain
reaction in a large mass of uranium, by which vast amounts of power
and large quantities of new radium like elements would be generated.
Now it appears almost certain that this could be achieved in the
immediate future.
This
new phenomenon would also lead to the construction of bombs, and it
is conceivable -- though much less certain -- that extremely powerful
bombs of a new type may thus be constructed. 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 to be too heavy for
transportation by air.
The
United States has only very poor [illegible] of uranium in
moderate quantities. There is some good ore in Canada and the former
Czechoslovakia, while the most important source of Uranium is Belgian
Congo.
In
view of this situation you may think it desirable to have some
permanent contact maintained between the Administration and the group
of physicists working on chain reactions in America. One possible way
of achieving this might be for you to entrust with this task a person
who has your confidence and who could perhaps serve in an unofficial
capacity. His task might comprise the following:
a)
To approach Government Departments, keep them informed of the further
development, and out forward recommendations for Government action,
giving particular attention to the problem of uranium ore for the
United States;
b)
To speed up the experimental work, which is at present being carried
on within the limits of the budgets of University laboratories, by
providing funds, if such funds be required, through his contacts with
private persons who are willing to make a contribution for this
cause, and perhaps also by obtaining the co-operation of industrial
laboratories which have the necessary equipment.
I
understand that Germany has actually stopped the sale of uranium from
the Czechoslovakian mines, which she has taken over. That she should
have taken such early action might perhaps be understood on the
ground that the son of the German Under-Secretary of State, Von Weishlicker
[sic], is attached to the Kaiser Wilheim
Institute in Berlin where some of the American work on uranium is now
being repeated.
Yours
very truly,
(Albert
Einstein)
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