A report written weeks before the bombing of Japan and signed by J. Robert Oppenheimer is expected to fetch £19,000 at auction.
The 1945 document details the development of the atomic bomb.
The US dropped the device on Hiroshima on August 6 that year, with the second on Nagasaki three days later. It led to Japan’s surrender and the end of the Second World War.
The report has a preface by the author, US physicist Henry D Smyth, dated July 1, 1945.
Boston-based RR Auction said: “What makes this document truly extraordinary is not only its content but also the signatures – 24 of the most eminent minds behind the Manhattan Project.”
Called “Atomic Bombs: A General Account of the Development of Methods of Using Atomic Energy for Military Purposes Under the Auspices of the United States Government, 1940-1945,” it serves as a overview of the journey leading to the creation of one of humanity’s most formidable weapons.
Of particular significance are the signatures gracing the cover. They include Enrico Fermi, renowned for creating the world’s first nuclear reactor; and visionary physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer.
His contribution extends beyond the pages of history, with the events immortalised in Christopher Nolan’s epic film Oppenheimer, released last year. The movie has received nominations for Oscars and other top awards.
The auction ends on Wednesday.
