The following is from the file kept on Albert Einstein by the FBI. I added no commentary. Einstein died in 1955, as I recall. There is more that I may post later.
"The ghost-like character of this development lies in it apparently compulsory trend. Every step appears as an unavoidable consequence of the preceding one. In the end there beckons more and more clearly general annihilation." Professor Einstein contended that the general idea of achieving security through national armament was in the present state a military technique, a disastrous illusion. The illusion was fostered by the fact that America succeeded in producing the first atomic bomb.
"This mechanistic technical-military psychological attitude had inevitable consequences. Every single act in foreign policy is governed exclusively by one view." Such a policy Professor Einstein said, led to: "the establishment of military bases on all important points on the globe; the militarization of youth; close supervision of the loyalty of citizens and in particular of civil servants by a police force growing more conspicuous every day; the intimidation of people of independent thinking; the indoctrination of the public by radio, press, and school; and the growing restriction of the range of public information under the pressure of military secrecy."
"Is there any way out of the impasse? All of us and particularly those of us that are responsible for the attitude of the United States and Russia should realize that we may have vanquished an external army but have been incapable of getting rid of the mentality created by war."
Yes and no. Like most issues, your point of view can be heavily influenced by your particular training and education which is never complete nor all-encompassing.
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Jesus Christ--The reason for the season!
If you can read this, thank a teacher. If you can read this in English, thank a veteran.
If you're certain you know everything, there's little opportunity to learn anything.
Cal the question in the last paragraph is Einstein's, not mine.
What I find interesting is that Einstein seems to have predicted much of what has happened since he invented the bomb. He predicted global military escalation, the ever increasing scrutiny of the people by the government, a increase in the policing of the population.
I do not post this as a criticism of the FBI for their investigation. In fact, they were being prudent and efficient. I find irony in the fact, that a man that helps a nation, any nation, in a military endeavor, must be examined not only for his loyalties, but his philosophy; that this man, eventually regretted what he had unleashed and wrote eloquently and very accurately about the probable future consequences.
I may post more, if I get the time. (It is from a document created on a old FBI typewriter, which was tranferred to Adobe and cannot be cut/pasted). In the next few paragraphs, he outlines what he thinks is the only way to prevent global thermonuclear annihilation. He makes direct references to what we are seeing today as "One World Order" and the distortions and corruption from the result at attempts to create that order while maintaining sovereignty as a nation.
So as to clarify where I'm going with this, I am posting the entire transcript from the two pages of Einstien's file (compiled by the FBI) which I found particularly intriguing.
This way you can get a better feel for the FBI's view of him and a better view of what he was saying at the time in our history just prior to the completion of the H-bomb.
What you see in boldare quotes from Einstein that the FBI apparently considered important and relevant.
All of the rest is what the FBI considered relevant and important documentation about Einstein at that moment in history.
I have added or deleted nothing.
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"The Daily Telegraph and Morning Post" London, England issue of February 13, 1950 carried and article under the caption "Professor Einstein on H-bomb Danger to Civilization"stated that on a first of a series of television programs being conducted by Mr. Roosevelt, Professor Einstein on that day gave a warning that the hydrogen bomb might destroy civilization. The article stated that Einstein condemned the "hysterical character" which the armament race between the United States and Russia had assumed. The situation, he said, deemed the renunciation of violence and the setting up of a super-natural body.
According to Einstein, on both sides means of mass destruction were perfected with feverish haste behind the walls of secrecy.
"The H-bomb appears on the public horizon as a probable attainable goal. If successful, radioactive poisoning of the atmosphere and, hence, annihilation of any life on earth, has been brought within the range of technical possibilities.
"The ghost-like character of this development lies in it apparently compulsory trend. Every step appears as an unavoidable consequence of the preceding one. In the end there beckons more and more clearly general annihilation." Professor Einstein contended that the general idea of achieving security through national armament was in the present state a military technique, a disastrous illusion. The illusion was fostered by the fact that America succeeded in producing the first atomic bomb.
"This mechanistic technical-military psychological attitude had inevitable consequences. Every single act in foreign policy is governed exclusively by one view." Such a policy Professor Einstein said, led to: "the establishment of military bases on all important points on the globe; the militarization of youth; close supervision of the loyalty of citizens and in particular of civil servants by a police force growing more conspicuous every day; the intimidation of people of independent thinking; the indoctrination of the public by radio, press, and school; and the growing restriction of the range of public information under the pressure of military secrecy."
"Is there any way out of the impasse? All of us and particularly those of us that are responsible for the attitude of the United States and Russia should realize that we may have vanquished an external army but have been incapable of getting rid of the mentality created by war."
"It is impossible to achieve peace as long as every single action is taken with a possible future conflict in view. The leading point of view of all political actions should therefore be; what can we do to bring about the peaceful coexistence and even loyal cooperation as a nation?
"The first problem is to do away with mutual fear and distrust. A solemn renunciation of violence is undoubtedly necessary. Such renunciation, however, can only be effective if at the same time the super-natural judicial and executive body is set up, empowered to decide question of immediate concern to the security of nations.
Even the declaration of nations to collaborate loyalty and the realization of such a restricted world government would considerably reduce imminent danger of war."
The New York World Telegram of February 14, 1950 carried an article entitled "Innocents of Politics." This article stated in part that Dr. Einstein"s views were entitled to respect when he warned that the use of the hydrogen bomb might so poison the atmosphere that all life on earth would be annihilated, since he was an eminent scientist qualified by training and background to speculate on the potentialities of such a force; but that the doctor left his own field when he began to discuss political remedies; in that field he had a reputation for extreme naiveté; he had permitted the use of his name in connection with so much Communist-front propaganda that his views on "how to get along with Russia" must be taken with plenty of salt.
This article stated further that if the hydrogen bomb was as dangerous as Dr. Einstein feared he could rest assured that America would never the be the first to loose such a dread weapon upon the world; but if scientists placed or had placed that instrument of destruction in Russian hands civilization would have no such guarantees.
Location: land of the Lilliputians, In the state of insanity
Posts: 24,186
RE: Einstein, War, The Patriot Act
Interesting. How I see it, he is simply pointing out the use of military in an
attempt to bridle the chaos theory, which is inevitable. Scare tactics is
what has become of Global management. Then he states an idea of
coexistence. Is the ever presents of lethal weapons the cause of global
insurrection? If we look back in history, the development of the gun was the factor for such insurrection. Others have been identified as well. The
cause, I feel, has always been present. It could be a stick, a sword, or a gun. All could be of equal blame, put in its own time and place.
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kaafir mushrik
Unintended consequences and God have one thing in common: Liberals dont believe in either of them.
Yes it is interesting. And I can understand your assessment of weapons in general causing a gradual militarization as opposed to his idea that the bomb was very different.
It clearly a matter of scale. You can see that the H-bomb and all the subsequent variations and derivatives have produced, first, the chance for complete global annihilation, and then only recently, more subdued annihilation. For example, we now have, or are at least working on, bunker busters with nuclear warheads. From what I've read the nuclear bunker busters are scaled down versions of the Grand Mother Of All Bombs that Einstein helped produce.
His comments on the requirements for secrecy and the need to police all citizens seems prophetic against today's backdrop of the Patriot Act and the actions of Libya only weeks ago.
"the establishment of military bases on all important points on the globe; the militarization of youth; close supervision of the loyalty of citizens and in particular of civil servants by a police force growing more conspicuous every day; the intimidation of people of independent thinking; the indoctrination of the public by radio, press, and school; and the growing restriction of the range of public information under the pressure of military secrecy."
That, my friend, is a prophecy by Einstein that has come true big time.
The arms race continues. The stakes for oil, energy, and military power grow higher.
"...we may have vanquished an external army but have been incapable of getting rid of the mentality created by war."
Location: land of the Lilliputians, In the state of insanity
Posts: 24,186
RE: Einstein, War, The Patriot Act
Very astute, impressive analysis. Would you consider the patriot act a "new revelation" or the rebirth of an older concept. Was Einstein resonating a posible reverberation of older control tactics, i.e. inquisition, racial genocide? Maybe not the best examples in relation to our patriot act. The patriot act is not quite as extreme. I do see the connection you are making. Where do you think the premonition will lead? Is this a part of the normal cycling that exists in the human species? Or could this be a ever developing phenominon that will lead to big brother, or even the demise of civilized organization? []
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kaafir mushrik
Unintended consequences and God have one thing in common: Liberals dont believe in either of them.
VC,( His,) it is interesting text but put it in it's context for 2004 not 1955 or earlier.
In regards to the status of the police...Seeing what we have now and compare it to the limited abilities of the then FBI, and it would be viewed differently. It has not expanded at the rate that technology has expanded. Yes, new more sophisticated methods are applied but not to the degree, expanse or range they could be by his predictions under our current threat. More good has come than evil in proportion to the threat and miss use or abuse of the advancements. Think of all the men who have been free or will not be imprisoned as a result of DNA. A Police state working for you not to rule you.
In regards to the tools and mentality of war... He speaks only of world powers, not small nations with great nuclear power and limited resourse. Balance is the answer and it is not addressed here. The manner of war has changed and the speed of our races to arms is ever more cautious now than ever before. Regard the instant images of human suffering flash before us as they happen and there is little today than in the days of blood combat, canons and simple rockets. New meaning has been given to surgical strikes and colateral damage. Human suffering still exist but there are greater limits and a more rapid recovery.
""Is there any way out of the impasse?" Yes there is and we move closer to it every day. We are just more aware of the ills and therefore rightfully more concerned.
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Now you have to picture a combination of PeeWEE Herman and Wally Cox but with less muscle tone, trying to be intimidating None of this is funny! Message edited by Cougar Mag -- 1/7/2005 1:16:42 AM >/b]
VC I have read the post twice and can't quite put my finger on it yet but there is something about Einstins views that just don't quite seem right. To me it is kind of like the "walk softly but carry a big stick" thing. He seemed to focus on the big stick side of the equation without giving enough weight to the "talking or walking softly" side of the equation when it comes to dealing with national or world issues.
To me its like he got on one train of logic (and did a good job of thinking that side of it through) and lost sight of the forest for looking at the trees.
The ideals the United Nations was founded for certinly fits the walk softly side of the equation but I am not sure if the way things have shook out fits the vision Einstein had visioned. There are so many variables when dealing with that side of the issue. Einstein was very used to dealing with orderly (though difficult to understand the finer points of it) causes and effects in a mathamatical world that I am not sure he thourghly appericated the way a small change on the walk softly side can change the whole picture and how difficult it is to accuratly predict the out come.
An example of what I am saying is durring Einstein's time the mainstream thought was that sooner or later there would be a nucliar show down between the USA and Russia and no one much considered that it would be economics not bombs that did the Russian empire in.
It will take a few more readings of this post and some pondering time for me to get it said just right.
Mr-Pirk
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Einstein, War, The Patriot Act
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