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Loosely related, here's a transcript of the reactions of 10 prominent German nuclear physicists upon hearing the U.S. forces dropped the first atomic bomb: http
by pistachiopro 8y ago
Loosely related, here's a transcript of the reactions of 10 prominent German nuclear physicists upon hearing the U.S. forces dropped the first atomic bomb: http://germanhistorydocs.ghi-dc.org/pdf/eng/English101.pdf http://germanhistorydocs.ghi-dc.org/pdf/eng/English101.pdf
The scientists, including Heisenberg, Wirtz, and Hahn, had apparently been captured and detained in a bugged house in England, in an attempt to learn more about German nuclear capabilities. It's fascinating to see the varying responses amongst the scientists, from relief that they weren't the ones to actually implement the bomb, to a seeming sense of frustration to having "lost" to the American scientists in figuring out how to do it.
- archgoon 8y agoHeisenburg's response is part of the evidence that he really had flubbed, and overestimated the amount of nuclear material needed for a reaction.
- verelo 8y ago"WIRTZ: It seems to me that the political situation for STALIN has changed completely now. WEIZSÄCKER: I hope so. STALIN certainly has not got it yet. If the Americans and the British were good Imperialists they would attack STALIN with the thing tomorrow, but they won't do that, they will use it as a political weapon. Of course that is good, but the result will be a peace which will last until the Russians have it, and then there is bound to be war" That is a pretty great summary of the potential dangers of the Cold War, also interesting in the context of the US pulling out of the nuclear arms deal with Russia today.
- brokenmachine 8y agoWow, that was super interesting. Amazing to have that on the historical record.