If Einstein is such a genius, why did he invent the atom bomb?

Answer 1

Einstein did not invent the atomic bomb, he merely realized, based on the physics of the time, that it was possible. Others, including Leo Szilard, Enrico Fermi and Niels Bohr are more directly responsible for building the atomic bomb. You have to remember that at the time, it was feared the Nazis also had physicists working on the bomb. In fact, they only did a few early "heavy water" experiments, then became convinced it wouldn't work. But we didn't know that during World War Two.

Answer 2

You have to really weight a lot of the consequences here. Einstein and his group of fellow scientists very much realized that german scientists were fastidiously working on trying to split the atom and create a chain reaction (a bomb). If Hitler got his hands on such a weapon, the world would have never been the same as it is now. Einstein never had any direct connection with Hitler and moved to the US in 1933, well before German attacked Poland (6 years in fact). He actually left Germany because Hitler became Chancellor and Einstein being Jewish didn't see much future there. So your friend is WAY off on almost everything. Einstein was also a pacifist but also a realist. The war would have gone on many more years with Japan as the Japanese revered their Emperor as a God and would gladly die in his honor (as we saw with the kamikaze's). The US military experts predicted that to end the war with Japan a full frontal attack of Japan would be mandatory and would cost anywhere from half a million to a million American lives. As well, two other points of matter, Einstein only worked on the project for 2 days helping seperate fission, on a project that lasted years. As well, he was also very well aware (and feared) that such a technological advancement would lead to an arms race after the war ended, which as we know, it did. Einsteain made only a few quotes after the bombs were dropped on Japan, one being that he felt that Roosevelt would have never resorted to the bombs, and this famous one, "I have always condemned the use of the atomic bomb against Japan." And later this one just before his death, ""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."

Answer 3

He did NOT invent the atomic bomb.

He was a theoretical physicist and developed the theory that lead to the invention of the A-bomb.

As to why was the bomb invented, maybe you've heard of the Second World War? With nations like Germany and Japan actively seeking an atomic weapon, it was believed it was absolutely necessary to get it first.

The German program was proceeding slowly, but only because one of its own top scientists was actively working against it because he feared putting a weapon like that into the hands of the Nazis. Also, a British bombing raid on the research facility destroyed much of the research and killed many of the key scientists.

The Japanese program was also proceeding, but it's pace is harder to determine. They may have in fact successfully tested an atomic device before the end of the war. But I haven't been able to find good source to confirm this.

So you have two aggressive nations trying to take over the world that are working on the ultimate bomb. And if they get it, you'll have no chance except to surrender. So, many scientists desperately tried to develop it in the US first. Einstein was not among them personally, and became a voice against its' construction and use as soon as it was felt the Germans were not going to make it before the war ended.

Answer 4

Not only did Einstein not invent the bomb, he opposed it. It is true that during WWII, our nobel laureate advocated the use of the bomb in order to stop fascism. Yet after WWII, Einstein became a spokesman for nuclear disarmament. He co-wrote a letter with Bertrand Russell which is, surprisingly enough, known as the Russell-Einstein Manifesto.
(http://www.pugwash.org/about/manifesto.htm)
It states that: "the best authorities are unanimous in saying that a war with H-bombs might possibly put an end to the human race. It is feared that if many H-bombs are used there will be universal death, sudden only for a minority, but for the majority a slow torture of disease and disintegration."
"Here, then, is the problem which we present to you, stark and dreadful and inescapable: Shall we put an end to the human race; or shall mankind renounce war? People will not face this alternative because it is so difficult to abolish war."
Russell-Einstein advocate an East-West truce and "the abolition of thermo-nuclear weapons". But only as a first step to the abolition of all war. Yeah, I am still surprised when ignorant minds call pacifists naive, or having an imaginary and utopic, even childish idea; since, as it turns out, the best and brightest minds of the XX c. were all dedicated to the cause of pacifism, nuclear disarmament and a the vast majority were concerned about the all-american taboo, social justice.
The manifesto concludes: "There lies before us, if we choose, continual progress in happiness, knowledge, and wisdom. Shall we, instead, choose death, because we cannot forget our quarrels? We appeal as human beings to human beings: Remember your humanity, and forget the rest. If you can do so, the way lies open to a new Paradise; if you cannot, there lies before you the risk of universal death."

Answer 5

I don't think that Einstein invented the atom bomb but even if he did so, he must have done it for a better reason. he did not have any corrupt reason behind it. Same was the case with Alfred Noble's dynamite. He had invented it to blast mountains so that roads could me made through it. But today the extent to which it is being misused is very high.

Answer 6

He didn't!

Others did ,of course, based on his discoveries.

" In 1939, Leo Szilárd and Einstein wrote a letter to U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt warning that the Third Reich might be developing nuclear weapons based on their own research. Roosevelt formed a committee to investigate the matter and granted Enrico Fermi's University of Chicago neutron experiments $6,000, the first steps toward the Manhattan Project.According to chemist and author Linus Pauling, Einstein later expressed regret about the Szilárd-Einstein letter. "

Answer 7

Einstien left Germany and lived in England for awhile, and was a pascifist. However, as Hitler increased his power, Einstien was afraid the Germany would make the bomb first, so he turned the secrets over to the allies (the short, short story). He knew it could be done. However, he deeply struggled with the effects for the rest of his life. Yes, he was a genious ... but he chose to share the information he thought the Germans would discover on their own.

Answer 8

Thank you for your question! I am going to put this in my watch pile, because I have always wondered that myself. I know that he was a brilliant man, and I think he was a christian man... but If I am correct, he was either adhd or he could not read or right, I know he had some emotional issues too if you read about his love life..I may be wrong..now I want to look that up..but he was very holistic in how he looked at things, so, therefore why couldn't he have seen where it would lead- those other issues could've clouded his thoughts. I personnally think that he loved his country and that protecting it was a big deal. Back then, everything was always about war, thats all the history books were about, if you read books from back then war, war, war....He may have just simply outweighed our need for protection by the need to not be protected.

Answer 9

If no one would have invented motor vehicles no one would have died in traffic accidents.Your logic is wrong thus Einstein is not the inventor of nuclear bombs,he found the principles and warned us about the danger.
Also you should think what might have been happened if Hitler and his gang invented the nuke power first.

Answer 10

He didn't "Invent" the atom bomb. He discovered the principles which made nuclear reaction possible.

A HUGE difference.