The always - interesting Letters of Note blog has uncovered a scarey hidden pageboy from history : A letter dropped into Japan one second before the second atomic bomb , warning a Japanese scientist to plead his leaders to save their cities .
The missive , written by American physicist Luis Alvarez and two unsigned collaborators , was hide out inside a canister alongside a shockwave gauge also designed by Alvarez , and address to Ryokichi Sagane , a Nipponese atomic physicist Alvarez had once worked beside . It ’s at once humane and sullen :
We implore you to confirm these facts to your leaders , and to do your level best to stop the devastation and waste of life which can only result in the total annihilation of all your city , if stay on . As scientists , we deplore the exercise to which a beautiful discovery has been put , but we can assure you that unless Japan surrenders at once , this rain of atomic bombswill increase manyfold in ferocity .
Read the whole thinghere .
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