Petition from Leo Szilard and Other Scientists to President Harry S. Truman, July 17, 1945

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Courtesy of National Archives, "Petition from Leo Szilard and Other Scientists to President Harry S. Truman," 17 July 1945

Description

This letter was sent to President Harry Truman by some scientists involved in the Manhattan Project following the end of the war in Europe. In the letter, the scientists outline the responsibility and concerns regarding the United States having and using atomic technology as offensive military action.

Transcript of Petition from Leo Szilard and Other Scientists to President Harry S. Truman

Source-Dependent Questions

• How did the scientists describe the responsibility the U.S. considering atomic weapons?
• What conditions did the scientists feel needed to be present to consider dropping the atomic bomb? Were those conditions met?

Citation Information 

"Petition from Leo Szilard and Other Scientists to President Harry S. Truman," 17 July 1945. Courtesy of National Archives