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Albert
Einstein
"We must inoculate
our children against militarism, by educating them in
the spirit of pacifism... Our schoolbooks glorify war
and conceal its horrors. They indoctrinate children
with hatred. I would teach peace rather than war, love
rather than hate."
Many feel that history is the product of
a "great man" theory, the idea that key events
are directly related to actions by specific individuals.
Whether or not this is true is an academic debate for
scholars to decide. Nevertheless, Albert Einstein was
a great man whose words and actions revolutionized humanity's
conception of time, space and energy. He is credited with
unlocking many of the universe's secrets and helping usher
in the Nuclear Age. Yet he was not a scientist detached
from social responsibility. Dr. Einstein is honored for
his ceaseless struggle to achieve peace, world order,
and international cooperation. He was a great man who
helped shape history.
Einstein's political activism began with the First World
War. He was provoked to speak out in response to a declaration
presented by ninety-three prominent German intellectuals.
With their "Manifesto to the Civilized World,"
they defended Germany's militarism and violation of Belgian
neutrality. Einstein quickly responded by co-writing a
"Manifesto to Europe," with George Friedrich
Nicolai. With only two other signatures, they called for
an end to the war. This was a tremendously courageous
act, considering that at the time such statements were
equivalent to treason.
After the War, Einstein continued his political activism
for peace. Having witnessed war's destructive capabilities,
he was determined to foster increased international cooperation.
To achieve this he participated in the League of Nations,
the forerunner to the United Nations, as well as many
other peace and disarmament groups. Einstein soon became
one of the world's leading spokesmen for pacifism and
non-violent conflict resolution.
Yet despite the efforts of Einstein and others, the world
plunged into the abyss of war for a second time in 1939.
Fearing the global consequences of a Nazi victory, Einstein
wrote a letter to President Roosevelt urging the United
States to develop an atomic bomb before the Germans did.
As a result, President Roosevelt initiated the Manhattan
Project and the Nuclear Age was born. After the incredible
destructive power of the Atom was released on Japan, Einstein
deeply regretted that his name had been associated with
the project.
Many people falsely refer to Einstein as the father of
the atomic bomb. Although he had little to do with the
bomb's actual development, he did establish the theoretical
foundations on which it was based. His famous formula
E=mc2 demonstrated the relationship between energy and
mass. His formula explains how energy equals the mass
of an object multiplied by the speed of light squared.
After the defeat of the Axis powers in World War II,
Einstein continued his ceaseless struggle for peace and
world order. He understood that many of the world's problems
resulted from the unchecked sovereignty of nation-states.
He further feared that if global war were to happen a
third time, the result would be the total destruction
of civilization. When asked what kind of weapons World
War III will be fought with, he responded that he did
not know but World War IV would be fought with sticks
and stones. For the remainder of his life, Einstein campaigned
for the abolition of all nuclear weapons and the creation
of a World Government with the authority to ensure a secure
and lasting peace.
Although Einstein died without seeing either of his two
primary goals accomplished, he left behind a far-reaching
legacy. His words and actions have influenced countless
people to campaign for peace and ensure that nuclear weapons
are never used again.
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