[Darryl_P]

I agree with your OP and I'd say a good example is Jon von Neumann and his role in the first and only use of the atomic bomb for military purposes, killing hundreds of thousands of civilians and permanently damaging the health of millions more.

Was that ethical?

I think even Sklansky would concede that von Neumann was more intelligent than himself, which automatically means he must have been among the top 3 smartest men in the world.