Quote:
Originally Posted by neophyte
Einstein did not "evolve". He remained a pacifist.
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Incorrect. He disavowed pacifism publicly. He did remain steadfastly opposed to the use of nuclear weapons, however.
"In July of that year (1933), Einstein wrote to Alfred Nahon recanting his militant pacifism. He reasoned that if smaller countries like Belgium did not develop their military, they would be overrun and no longer exist. This letter, at Einstein’s request, was published in La Patrie humanie for other pacifists to read. Einstein received criticism for abandoning pacifism in many forms including publicly by Brent Dow Allison in a 1934 article entitled “Speak, Einstein, for the Peace for Europe.” In his response, Einstein justified the change by concentrating on the change in the political circumstances. He writes, “I do not believe that under present circumstance passive resistance is an effective method, even if carried out in the most heroic manner…The confirmed pacifist must therefore at present seek a plan of action different from that of former, more peaceful times”(Rowe & Schulmann, 2007, p. 286)."
http://filebox.vt.edu/users/mdfairc/...rtEinstein.pdf