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Welbeck 5522 Ext. 81

27 Dorset House Gloucester Place N.W. 1

Nov. 24, 1947

Dear Einstein

  Thank you for your letter of Nov. 19.   I wish with all my heart that I could agree to the alterations  you suggest.   But your suggestions spring from an opinion different from mine and if I agreed,  the article would no longer say what I believe.   I have no hope of reasonableness in the Soviet government;   I think the only hope of peace (and that a slender one)  lies in frightening Russia.   I favored appeasement before, 1939,  wrongly, as I now think;  I do not want to repeat the same mistake. 

In particular:

A. I only advocated "some end scheme" as that of the Lilienthal Report; I should be glad to see any emendation that did not make it ineffective, but inspection is essential.

B. I did not say that Russia is preparing an aggressive war; what I said implied rather that Russia expects to have to wage a defensive war. The line of action is the same in either case.

C. I think it essential that America should assume leadership; without a leader nothing gets done, and without United States leadership all minor Powers will be too frightened to do anything.

I have no objection to suggested changes as regards

D & F.

Generally: I think it useless to make any attempt whatever to conciliate Russia. The hope of achieving anything by this method seems to me "wishful thinking".

  I came to my present view of the Soviet Government when I went to Russia in 1920;  all that has happened since has made me feel more certain that I was right. 

  The work of the Atomic Scientists of America seems to me most admirable,  and I am the more sorry that I cannot collaborate in this matter. 

                    All best wishes 

                                               Yours sincerely 
                                                  /s/ Bertrand Russell