"I
realize the tragic significance of the atomic bomb. Its production
and its use were not lightly undertaken by this Government.
But we knew that our enemies were on the search for it. We know
now how close they were to finding it. And we knew the disaster,
which would come to this Nation, and to all peace-loving nations,
to all civilization, if they had found it first. That is why
we felt compelled to undertake the long and uncertain and costly
labor of discovery and production. We won the race of discovery
against the Germans."