William L. Laurence
American journalist
Died when: 89 years 12 days (1068 months)Star Sign: Pisces
William Leonard Laurence (March 7, 1888 – March 19, 1977) was a Jewish American science journalist best known for his work at The New York Times.
Born in the Russian Empire, he won two Pulitzer Prizes.As the official historian of the Manhattan Project, he was the only journalist to witness the Trinity test and the atomic bombing of Nagasaki.
He is credited with coining the iconic term "Atomic Age," which became popular in the 1950s.Infamously, he dismissed the destructive effects of radiation sickness as Japanese propaganda on The New York Times.
Even though he had seen the effects first hand, he had been on the War Department payroll, and was asked by United States military officials to do so in order to discredit earlier reports by independent journalist Wilfred Burchett, the first reporter on-site after the bombings.
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