The Acheson-Lilienthal Report

 

A REPORT ON THE

 

INTERNATIONAL CONTROL

 

OF ATOMIC ENERGY

 

Prepared for

 

THE SECRETARY OF STATE'S COMMITTEE ON

 

ATOMIC ENERGY

 

by a Board of Consultants

 

Washington, D. C. March 16, 1946

 

 

Excerpt

The development of atomic energy for peaceful purposes and the development of atomic energy for bombs are in much of their course interchangeable and interdependent. From this it follows that although nations may agree not to use in bombs the atomic energy developed within their borders the only assurance that a conversion to destructive purposes would not be made would be the pledged word and the good faith of the nation itself. . . .

We have concluded unanimously that there is no prospect of security against atomic warfare in a system of international agreements to outlaw such weapons controlled only by a system which relies on inspection and similar police-like methods. The reasons supporting this conclusion are not merely technical, but primarily the inseparable political, social, and organizational problems involved in enforcing agreements between nations each free to develop atomic energy but only pledged not to use it for bombs. . . .