The U.S. Army wouldn’t let Einstein work on the making of the atomic bomb

Albert Einstein may have been one of the most intelligent humans that ever lived. His theory of relativity changed the world forever, and it was just one of his many contributions to science and humanity. As such, one would think that America would have wanted his help in creating the atomic bomb when he asked to be a part of it. However, this was not the case.

When Einstein found out that Nazi scientists were coming close to creating a nuclear atom bomb, he was frightened. While he was an ardent pacifist, Einstein did not believe it was a good idea for the Nazis to have the most powerful weapon known to man. He wrote a letter to President Roosevelt urging him and his scientists to invent the bomb before the Germans.

As he said, “I didn’t see any [other] way out.” However, despite this commitment to the U.S.’s success, the U.S. Army denied him the security clearance he would need to be part of the project (named the Manhattan Project). This was due to his left-wing political views. Instead, Einstein contribute in more indirect ways.

(Source)