愛因斯坦1939年8月2日給小羅斯福總統的信

[qlz (())]

這封信十分有名，因為它促使美國決定製造原子彈......

一樣是三流翻譯，有翻錯之處請見諒。

http://tinyurl.com/klykahv














Sir:

Some recent work by E.Fermi and L. Szilard, which has been communicated to me
in manuscript, leads me to expect that the element uranium may be turned into
a new and important source of energy in the im- mediate future. Certain
aspects of the situation which has arisen seem to call for watchfulness and,
if necessary, quick action on the part of the Administration. I believe
therefore that it is my duty to bring to your attention the following facts
and recommendations:

總統先生：近期Enrico Fermi和Leó Szilárd以信件向我溝通時，告知在即將不久的未
來裡，元素鈾將會成為一種新的能源來源。某些方面的情況已經上升到必須呼籲警覺的程
度。如果必要的話，請迅速管理這個部份。我相信，提醒您以下的事實與建議乃是我的職
責。

In the course of the last four months it has been made probable - through the
work of Joliot in France as well as Fermi and Szilard in America - that it
may become possible to set up a nuclear chain reaction in a large mass of
uranium,by which vast amounts of power and large quantities of new
radium-like elements would be generated. Now it appears almost certain that
this could be achieved in the immediate future.

在過去四個月的過程中，法國的Jean Frédéric Joliot-Curie和美國的Enrico Fermi、
Leó Szilárd已經讓這件事變成可能──使用大量的鈾，進行一連串的核鏈鎖反應，可
以產生大量的電和類鐳元素。現在看來，在不久的未來裡，這幾乎可以肯定會實現。

This new phenomenon would also lead to the construction of bombs, and it is
conceivable - though much less certain - that extremely powerful bombs of a
new type may thus be constructed. A single bomb of this type, carried by boat
and exploded in a port, might very well destroy the whole port together with
some of the surrounding territory. However, such bombs might very well prove
to be too heavy for transportation by air.

完全可以想像，這個新現象也可以利用於製作炸彈──雖然並非如此確定──可以製造一
種相當強力的炸彈。一顆這類炸彈，只要用船隻運送到港口，就可能摧毀整個港口及週邊
區域。然而，這類炸彈可能會被證實因為太過沉重而無法以飛機運送。

The United States has only very poor ores of uranium in moderate quantities.
There is some good ore in Canada and the former Czechoslovakia. while the
most important source of uranium is Belgian Congo.

美國只有非常少量、質量普通的鈾礦。在加拿大和前捷克斯洛伐克都有相當好的鈾礦，而
世界上最重要的鈾來源是比利時屬地剛果。

In view of the situation you may think it desirable to have more permanent
contact maintained between the Administration and the group of physicists
working on chain reactions in America. One possible way of achieving this
might be for you to entrust with this task a person who has your confidence
and who could perhaps serve in an inofficial capacity. His task might
comprise the following:

在這種情況下，您可能需要與在美國的鏈鎖反應物理學家進行更密切的接觸與管理。對您
而言，要達成這件事的一種可能方法，是委託一位您信任的非官方人士來執行這項任務。
他的任務可能包含以下兩點：

a) to approach Government Departments, keep them informed of the further
development, and put forward recommendations for Government action, giving
particular attention to the problem of securing a supply of uranium ore for
the United States;

a.接近政府，讓他們報告進一步的發展，並且對政府行動提出前瞻性建議，以及在確保
美國的鈾礦供應問題上給予特別關注。

b) to speed up the experimental work,which is at present being carried on
within the limits of the budgets of University laboratories, by providing
funds, if such funds be required, through his contacts with private persons
who are willing to make contributions for this cause, and perhaps also by
obtaining the cooperation of industrial laboratories which have the necessary
equipment.

b.在大學實驗室預算的限制範圍之內，加快實驗工作。提供必要的資金──如果某些資金
是必要的，與那些願意在這個任務上做出貢獻的私人做出接觸，也許還需要和擁有必要設
備的工業實驗室合作。

I understand that Germany has actually stopped the sale of uranium from the
Czechoslovakian mines which she has taken over. That she should have taken
such early action might perhaps be understood on the ground that the son of
the German Under-Secretary of State, von Weizsäcker, is attached to the
Kaiser-Wilhelm-Institut in Berlin where some of the American work on uranium
is now being repeated.

據我所知，德國已經禁止從他所佔據的前捷克斯洛伐克出口鈾礦。也許可以認為，德國副
國務卿之子，Carl Friedrich Freiherr von Weizsäcker，與位於Berlin的
Kaiser-Wilhelm-Institut有些關聯，他正在重複美國人有關鈾的研究。

Yours very truly,
Albert Einstein

您真誠的Albert Einstein

--
“聽好，我的孩子，是偉人的話，只要忠告一次就會反省。是普通人的話，重複諫言二次
也會改正。而即使是較不成材的人，被說了三次也就會重新考慮。如此卻仍不改變態度的
那種人，就可以置之罔顧了。”
“不必做第四次的忠告嗎？”
“因為到了第四次，不是被放逐、下獄，要不就是被殺。所謂的昏君就是如此。所以第四
次的忠告不僅會危害自己，還會讓對方多增罪過，對任何人都沒有好處。”

--
※ 發信站: 批踢踢實業坊(ptt.cc) 
◆ From: 36.224.210.72
推 jimmy5680:所以二戰原子彈的鈾礦來自...?
→ qlz:應該是加拿大吧。美加之間的交通很方便，外交上也沒有敵對
推 Kendai:根據wiki,曼哈頓計畫鈾來源出於比屬剛果,科羅拉多與加拿大
推 qekye:在那之前的鈾礦是做什麼用的呀?
→ MOONRAKER:釉料、顏料、玻璃著色，1900年後製造健康食品。
推 donkilu:時光機呢?(誤)
推 leptoneta:健康食品XD
→ PsycoZero:還有螢光塗料，後來還死了一堆塗塗料的女工
推 amurosheu:內文中提到的科學家魏茲澤克，是德國前總統的哥哥
推 undeadsin:女工的好像是鐳女郎?
推 katana89:還有20世紀初牙膏也會加放射物質 當時覺得可以讓牙閃亮亮
推 schinshikss:記得當年還有鐳製的男性性功能增強器
→ Schottky:本產品含有來自科羅拉多純淨天然的特殊能量礦石
推 jetzake:好像還有化妝品啥的.. 無知的力量相當偉大
推 hinenak:說不定50年後的鄉民也會覺得我們很無知。
→ MOONRAKER:新物質這個觀念以前可是潮的咧，不管在大眾文化或科學界
→ MOONRAKER:新元素既然是好的，那麼輻射當然也是好的
→ MOONRAKER:馬克吐溫的Mysterious Stranger（其實就是撒旦）也是全
→ MOONRAKER:身充滿鐳還是釙元素的
推 ilikebulldog:居禮夫人發現鈾之後，那時候很流行把這元素當萬靈丹
→ ilikebulldog:喝水要先泡一晚，身上癢就塗一塗，有錢人養生更是...
→ PsycoZero:居禮夫人發現的是鐳吧？
推 hazel0093:XDDDDD
→ qlz:                           還有釙...