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-91reveals,
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It will require the utmost care on the part of both countries if
mutual fear of atomic attack is not to develop in them those attitudes which so
often in the past have destroyed friendship and confidence between the nations of
Europe.
{Fr
This is not a matter concerning the Russians fad oursdlves alone.
Triendiy
relations between the two countries which hold a predoHivant position of power
in the world today constitute a guarantee of peace for all nations; conflict between them acts as a signal for nations—~ana even for groups within nations-—-to
begin lining up for another world war.
Thus, as tension between them rises or
falls, so will the fear which the atomic weapon has put into the hearts of men
increase or decline,
Wars between other powers, of course, remain a possibility.
The mere suspicion, if it should ever arise, that the Germans or the Japanese
were in possession of atomic weapons might dispel any thought of Soviet—-American
conflict; but as things stand today and so long as Cermany and Japan are kept
under control, it seems wnilikely that the atomic weapon would play a role in
hostilities in which the Soviet Union and the United States were not both involved.
If this is correct, a discussion limited to Soviet-American relations will not
give a grossly distorted picture of the effects of the new weapon on general
world concitions, though it cannot do full justice to the role of other countries.
As these lines are written the United States possesses a monopoly of atomic
power.
Britain and Canada, while sharing the secret, are not producing the atom
bomb, nor is any other country in a position to do so.
How long it will take the
Soviet Union or other countries to break the monopoly nobody can preaicts; but it
is safe to assume that before long dual or multiple possession of the bomb will
have become a reality.
Until that day comes, and if only for a passing moment of history, this
country occupies a unique position among the nations—-one, in fact, that has no
parallel in history.
If this country, due to its naval and air superiority,
enjoyed an unusual degree of immmity from attack even before the atomic bomb was