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607364217
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Letter from Dr. David F. Bender to President Harry S. Truman
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doc
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document
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1
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id
607364217
contentType
document
title
Letter from Dr. David F. Bender to President Harry S. Truman
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President's Personal Files (Truman Administration)
President's Personal Files
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607364217
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24
logicalDate
1945-10-24
month
10
year
1945
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50aca5c2aa19a92c
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Cangress B
1021 16th Avenue North
Nashville, 8, Tenn.
October 24, 1945
President Harry S. Truman
The White House
Washington, D.C.
Dear Mr. President:
In the early days of the war the famous
British scientist, Sir Arthur Eddington, stated that
there were only two possibilities for a nation, namely
total peace or total war. Now that the development
of atomic energy has been successful in one case, the
truth of this idea seems to stand out more clearly than
before.
You have heard many scientists, especially
those who have worked on atomic energy, testify to
this idea by saying that we must find a way to live
at peace. As a physicist I want to add my voice to
theirs.
In addition I would like to say that it is
evident to me that the only way to have peace is to be
friendly, to avoid deceit, and to work for the good of
all the world. If we prepare for war as you are
suggesting both with your views on atomic energy control
and peacetime conscription though you do not call it
that), then we will get war. Is it not obvious from
history that those who prepare for war get war
Let's prepare for peace instead. We want no peacetime
military training and we want the atomic energy control
board responsible to the people and international in
scope.
Sincerely yours,
Dr. David. 7. Bender
Dr. David F. Bender