Einstein's letter helped convince the U.S. government to accelerate its research into nuclear fission.
The letter Albert Einstein wrote in 1939 urging President Roosevelt to prioritize nuclear research sold for a staggering $3.9 million at a recent auction. Christie´s Auction. This letter, which played a pivotal role in the development of the atomic bomb, was originally addressed to the President of the United States and highlighted the grave potential of nuclear weapons and the urgent need for American intervention.
A warning that changed history
The original letter, now part of the collection of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Library in New York, was an attempt by Einstein to warn President Roosevelt that Germany might be developing nuclear weapons. In the letter, Einstein discussed recent advances in nuclear physics, noting that uranium could become “an important new source of energy” and warning that this energy could be harnessed to create “extremely powerful bombs.”
Einstein, along with fellow physicist Leo Szilard, had fled Europe due to the rise of Adolf Hitler. Feeling a sense of urgency, Einstein's letter helped convince the U.S. government to accelerate its research into nuclear fission, leading to the Manhattan Project and the subsequent development of atomic bombs.
Peter Klarnet, a specialist in American literature, books and manuscripts at Christie's, described the letter as “one of the most influential letters in history.” Written in the summer of 1939, it laid the groundwork for the nuclear arms race and changed the course of war and of human history.
According Business informationThe auctioned copy was the only one in private hands, having previously belonged to the late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, who bought it in 2002 for $2.1 million. Before that, it was part of the collection of publisher Malcolm Forbes, acquired from the estate of Leo Szilard.
Einstein's “big mistake”
Although instrumental in advancing the American nuclear program, Einstein later expressed deep regret. He called his involvement in the development of nuclear weapons his “great mistake.” Following the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945, Einstein lamented, “Poor me,” acknowledging the immense human suffering caused by such weapons.
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