Einstein and the Atomic Bomb

I was shocked to learn that Einstein's hugest regret in life was sending the letter to President Roosevelt supporting the construction of the atomic bomb. Through Three Winters in the Sun: Einstein in California,  I was able to gain more insight into the life of this famous scientist and his views on war and the atomic bomb. This DVD-ROM presents the life of Albert Einstein in an abstract, yet organized, multimedia format, which creates a personalized experience, allowing the viewer to select the exact aspect of Einstein's life that he wishes to explore in detail. The information was presented in an eye-catching and illustrative manner that reflected Einstein's life as a scientist and freethinker.

In 1933, while living in Germany, Einstein declared himself a militant pacifist who was willing to fight for peace. However, when he moved to the United States, he was able to see more clearly the events that were taking place overseas. This revelation brought him to the conclusion that self defense was indeed valid. When rumors began circulating that the Germans were working on an atomic bomb, Einstein felt that it was necessary for the United States to also build the atomic bomb for defensive purposes. If the Germans had been the only people who possessed the atomic bomb, their military advantage could have lead to world domination. Albert Einstein did what he believed to be in the best interest of the country. Einstein's granddaughter, Evelyn Einstein, doesn't believe he would have made any of the political statements he did without first being approached. It was not his idea to write a letter to President Roosevelt about the atomic bomb, but when he was pressured, he decided to put his opinion in writing. The Manhattan Project was the result of this letter, but Einstein had no further impact on the atomic bomb. He was ironically denied clearance by the Army to work on the project based on a recommendation from the FBI. However, Einstein felt responsible for the creation of the atomic bomb, and that was a burden he carried with him throughout his entire life according to his granddaughter, Evelyn Einstein. Later in life he was quoted as saying, "Perhaps I can be forgiven [for writing the letter]... because we all felt... that the Germans... might succeed and use the atomic bomb to become the master race."

When Einstein discovered the Special Theory of Relativity, he did not intend for it to be used as a weapon, but there are always people in the world who are willing to take science to a deadly extreme. I believe that Einstein made the correct decision in writing the letter to the President. Self-defense during a time of war is a critical matter. Einstein only wanted the United States to be able to defend itself against Germany. Even Einstein could not have foreseen the future. If the United States had not been on an even playing field with Germany, the fate of the world could have been disastrous.