Einstein and the Atomic Bomb

Special Theory of Relativity

• In 1905 Albert Einstein discovered that a large amount of energy could be released from a small amount of matter.

• However Bombs were not in his mind because even he considered himself a pacifist.

• Wouldn’t fight in a war no matter the cause of it

Position Changed

• In 1933 the charismatic Hitler rose to power causing a great fear and hatred for him among the Jewish people including Einstein who changed his position on fighting.

• In 1938 Germany was able to split an uranium atom and was getting more aggressive.

• Physicists Leo Szilard and Eugene Winger became concerned with the recent aggression by Germany but had no influence with those in power.

• Leo and Eugene consulted with Einstein and they wrote a letter to Roosevelt with his signature

• The first letter Einstein stated the Germany is pursuing the interest of an A bomb and we should do the same.

Einstein’s Letter to RooseveltRoosevelt received the Letter from Einstein on October 11, 1939 from Alexander Sachs.

After Roosevelt read the Letter he assigned a committee of people to study uranium chain reactions.

The Briggs Committee

• FDR formed a committee of people to start studying uranium chain reactions after Germany Invaded Poland in 1939. Lyman James Briggs was in charge of this committee (photo of in top right).

• According to Leo, Eugene, and Einstein Progress was moving to slow and prompted two more letters in March and April of 1940

• Both letters stated that the progress of The Briggs Committee was moving to slow, and again stated how much interest the Germans had taken in building the bomb including the holding of mines that had uranium preserved for other countries

Need for Greater Speed

• The Briggs Committee had taken too long and put great concern among Einstein, Leo, and Eugene, because the Germans were advancing further.

• Finally in 1941 the British Confirmed that an atomic bomb could be built for war by 1943.

• Immediately following the report accelerated pace was taken by the Briggs Committee to create a bomb.

• In August of 1942, 10 months after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, the Bomb project became known as the Manhattan Project.

Einstein’s Greatest Impact

• Einstein consulted with a number of groups working on the bomb, but people didn’t trust him and he was unable to work with them full time on the project. He worked with Vannevar Bush

• The atomic bomb could have been built without the letters Einstein wrote, but it was the US’s early work on the A Bomb that allowed them to win the war against Japan before Russia could enter.

• As a result of Einstein’s early theories and of his urgent letters to FDR the US was able to produce…

The Result of His Earlier Relativity work

• A Nuclear Blast over Hiroshima

Just another look

• Disastrous Results:

Memories

• Einstein felt very guilty for what he caused after he saw the destruction of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

• He even said “I made one of the worst mistakes 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.

To Sum it All Up

• Einstein in 1905 theorized that he could release a large amount of energy from a small amount of matter.

• Did not event think of a bomb, because of his pacifism, and claimed he wouldn’t fight in a war no matter the cause of it.

• In 1933 his position changed as Hitler rose to power.

TSIAU cont…

• Then in 1938 Germany was able to split an uranium atom and was getting more aggressive.

• Concerned physicists Leo Szilard and Eugene Winger, who were suggested by Alexander Sachs to write a letter, consulted with Einstein and wrote the letter with his signature.

TSIAU Cont…

• When FDR received the letter in October of 1939 he formed a committee known as the Briggs Committee to research uranium reactions

• According to Leo, Eugene, and Einstein The Briggs Committee was moving to slow and prompted two more letters in March and April of 1940.

• Finally in 1941 the British Confirmed that an Atomic Bomb could be built for use of war by 1943

• After that much accelerated pace was taken.

TSIAU cont…

• Finally after the bombings of Pearl Harbor, FDR in August 1942 officially began the Manhattan Project and developed the first ever nuclear weapon.

• After seeing the results of his letters Einstein felt very guilty and then died On April 18th , 1955 in, Princeton New Jersey.

Einstein

• 1879-1955

• The End