Einstein’s atom bomb letter up for auction amid Israel-Iran tension

The article discusses a historically significant letter written by Albert Einstein titled “On My Participation in the Atom Bomb Project,” which is now up for auction amid current Israel-Iran tensions. Originally penned in German and later translated into English with Einstein’s help in 1953, the letter was addressed to a Japanese journalist who questioned Einstein’s involvement in the atomic bomb’s development despite its destructive potential. In the letter, Einstein expresses deep regret over his role, clarifying that his only direct involvement was signing a 1939 letter to then-US President Franklin D. Roosevelt. This letter warned of Nazi Germany’s efforts to develop nuclear weapons and urged the US to investigate the feasibility of atomic bombs, which eventually led to the Manhattan Project. Einstein emphasizes the “dreadful danger for all mankind” posed by nuclear weapons and reveals that his decision to support the letter was driven by fear that Nazi Germany would succeed first. A committed pacifist, he advocates for global disarmament and warns that escalating armaments