World War II Era
Science
Letter to Albert Einstein on Nuclear Weapons
From: Franklin D. Roosevelt
To: Dr. Albert Einstein
October 19, 1939
Washington, D.C.
Letter Content
My dear Professor:
I want to thank you for your recent letter and the most interesting and important enclosure. I found this data of such import that I have convened a Board consisting of the head of the Bureau of Standards and a chosen representative of the Army and Navy to thoroughly investigate the possibilities of your suggestion regarding the element of uranium.
I am glad to say that Dr. Sachs will cooperate and work with this Committee and I feel this is the most practical and effective method of dealing with the subject.
Please accept my sincere thanks.
Historical Context
This letter responded to Einstein's warning about Nazi Germany's potential development of atomic weapons. It led to the establishment of the Advisory Committee on Uranium, which eventually evolved into the Manhattan Project.
Significance
A pivotal moment in modern history that launched the atomic age. This correspondence between two of history's most influential figures directly led to the development of nuclear weapons and fundamentally changed global politics and warfare.