Tragically for Pax Americana , "Could we keep the Bomb a secret ?" misheard as "Should we keep the Bomb a secret?"

Recipe for a world tragedy :

In one bowl : top American scientists , privy to the details of the Manhattan Project and well aware of the long ongoing world-wide scientific quest for the atom's inner secrets.

In the other bowl : the top American political leadership, extremely well versed in conventional military thought , economic hardball and winning elections (but who knew rather less than zero about the current hot topics in the scientific world.)

Mix the two at a top secret meeting and stand back.