* UP to Atomic Bomb: Decision * UP to Leo Szilard Online A PETITION TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES Source: U.S. National Archives, Record Group 77, Records of the Chief of Engineers, Manhattan Engineer District, Harrison-Bundy File, folder #76. On July 17, 1945, Leo Szilard and 69 co-signers at the Manhattan Project "Metallurgical Laboratory" in Chicago petitioned the President of the United States. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ July 17, 1945 A PETITION TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES Discoveries of which the people of the United States are not aware may affect the welfare of this nation in the near future. The liberation of atomic power which has been achieved places atomic bombs in the hands of the Army. It places in your hands, as Commander-in-Chief, the fateful decision whether or not to sanction the use of such bombs in the present phase of the war against Japan. We, the undersigned scientists, have been working in the field of atomic power. Until recently, we have had to fear that the United States might be attacked by atomic bombs during this war and that her only defense might lie in a counterattack by the same means. Today, with the defeat of Germany, this danger is averted and we feel impelled to say what follows: The war has to be brought speedily to a successful conclusion and attacks by atomic bombs may very well be an effective method of warfare. We feel, however, that such attacks on Japan could not be justified, at least not unless the terms which will be imposed after the war on Japan were made public in detail and Japan were given an opportunity to surrender. If such public announcement gave assurance to the Japanese that they could look forward to a life devoted to peaceful pursuits in their homeland and if Japan still refused to surrender our nation might then, in certain circumstances, find itself forced to resort to the use of atomic bombs. Such a step, however, ought not to be made at any time without seriously considering the moral responsibilities which are involved. The development of atomic power will provide the nations with new means of destruction. The atomic bombs at our disposal represent only the first step in this direction, and there is almost no limit to the destructive power which will become available in the course of their future development. Thus a nation which sets the precedent of using these newly liberated forces of nature for purposes of destruction may have to bear the responsibility of opening the door to an era of devastation on an unimaginable scale. If after this war a situation is allowed to develop in the world which permits rival powers to be in uncontrolled possession of these new means of destruction, the cities of the United States as well as the cities of other nations will be in continuous danger of sudden annihilation. All the resources of the United States, moral and material, may have to be mobilized to prevent the advent of such a world situation. Its prevention is at present the solemn responsibility of the United States -- singled out by virtue of her lead in the field of atomic power. The added material strength which this lead gives to the United States brings with it the obligation of restraint and if we were to violate this obligation our moral position would be weakened in the eyes of the world and in our own eyes. It would then be more difficult for us to live up to our responsibility of bringing the unloosened forces of destruction under control. In view of the foregoing, we, the undersigned, respectfully petition: first, that you exercise your power as Commander-in-Chief, to rule that the United States shall not resort to the use of atomic bombs in this war unless the terms which will be imposed upon Japan have been made public in detail and Japan knowing these terms has refused to surrender; second, that in such an event the question whether or not to use atomic bombs be decided by you in light of the considerations presented in this petition as well as all the other moral responsibilities which are involved. Leo Szilard and 69 co-signers Signers listed in alphabetical order, with position identifications added: 1. DAVID S. ANTHONY, Associate Chemist 2. LARNED B. ASPREY, Junior Chemist, S.E.D. 3. WALTER BARTKY, Assistant Director 4. AUSTIN M. BRUES, Director, Biology Division 5. MARY BURKE, Research Assistant 6. ALBERT CAHN, JR., Junior Physicist 7. GEORGE R. CARLSON, Research Assistant-Physics 8. KENNETH STEWART COLE, Principal Bio-Physicist 9. ETHALINE HARTGE CORTELYOU, Junior Chemist 10. JOHN CRAWFORD, Physicist 11. MARY M. DAILEY,Research Assistant 12. MIRIAM P. FINKEL, Associate Biologist 13. FRANK G. FOOTE, Metallurgist 14. HORACE OWEN FRANCE, Associate Biologist 15. MARK S. FRED, Research Associate-Chemistry 16. SHERMAN FRIED, Chemist 17. FRANCIS LEE FRIEDMAN, Physicist 18. MELVIN S. FRIEDMAN, Associate Chemist 19. MILDRED C. GINSBERG, Computer 20. NORMAN GOLDSTEIN, Junior Physicist 21. SHEFFIELD GORDON, Associate Chemist 22. WALTER J. GRUNDHAUSER, Research Assistant 23. CHARLES W. HAGEN, Research Assistant 24. DAVID B. HALL, position not identified 25. DAVID L. HILL, Associate Physicist, Argonne 26. JOHN PERRY HOWE, JR., Associate Division Director, Chemistry 27. EARL K. HYDE, Associate Chemist 28. JASPER B. JEFFRIES, Junior Physicist, Junior Chemist 29. WILLIAM KARUSH, Associate Physicist 30. TRUMAN P. KOHMAN, Chemist-Research 31. HERBERT E. KUBITSCHEK, Junior Physicist 32. ALEXANDER LANGSDORF, JR., Research Associate 33. RALPH E. LAPP, Assistant to Division Director 34. LAWRENCE B. MAGNUSSON, Junior Chemist 35. ROBERT JOSEPH MAURER, Physicist 36. NORMAN FREDERICK MODINE, Research Assistant 37. GEORGE S. MONK, Physicist 38. ROBERT JAMES MOON, Physicist 39. MARIETTA CATHERINE MOORE, Technician 40. ROBERT SANDERSON MULLIKEN, Coordinator of Information 41. J. J. NICKSON, [Medical Doctor, Biology Division] 42. WILLIAM PENROD NORRIS, Associate Biochemist 43. PAUL RADELL O'CONNOR, Junior Chemist 44. LEO ARTHUR OHLINGER, Senior Engineer 45. ALFRED PFANSTIEHL, Junior Physicist 46. ROBERT LEROY PLATZMAN, Chemist 47. C. LADD PROSSER, Biologist 48. ROBERT LAMBURN PURBRICK, Junior Physicist 49. WILFRED RALL, Research Assistant-Physics 50. MARGARET H. RAND, Research Assistant, Health Section 51. WILLIAM RUBINSON, Chemist 52. B. ROSWELL RUSSELL, position not identified 53. GEORGE ALAN SACHER, Associate Biologist 54. FRANCIS R. SHONKA, Physicist 54. ERIC L. SIMMONS, Associate Biologist, Health Group 56. JOHN A. SIMPSON, JR., Physicist 57. ELLIS P. STEINBERG, Junior Chemist 58. D. C. STEWART, S/SGT S.E.D. 59. GEORGE SVIHLA, position not identified [Health Group] 60. MARGUERITE N. SWIFT, Associate Physiologist, Health Group 61. LEO SZILARD, Chief Physicist 62. RALPH E. TELFORD, position not identified 63. JOSEPH D. TERESI, Associate Chemist 64. ALBERT WATTENBERG, Physicist 65. KATHERINE WAY, Research Assistant 66. EDGAR FRANCIS WESTRUM, JR., Chemist 67. EUGENE PAUL WIGNER, Physicist 68. ERNEST J. WILKINS, JR., Associate Physicist 69. HOYLANDE YOUNG, Senior Chemist 70. WILLIAM F. H. ZACHARIASEN, Consultant Source note: The position identifications for the signers are based on two undated lists, both titled "July 17, 1945," in the same file as the petition in the National Archives. From internal evidence, one probably was prepared in late 1945 and the other in late 1946. Signers were categorized as either "Important" or "Not Important," and dates of termination from project employment were listed in many cases. It is reasonable to conclude that the lists were prepared and used for the purpose of administrative retaliation against the petition signers. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Copyright Notice: The original of this document is believed to be in the public domain. 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