Atomic Bomb?

Question

What was Germany doing during the war to research nuclear power & why? Who was in charge of this effort? What scientists were involved? What did the Germans do when Einstein left?

Where can I find this information? Thank you.

WHERE CAN I FIND THIS INFORMATION?

Answer 1

As it turned out, the United States and Germany began serious work on a bomb at about the same time. Despite their work on the bomb, Germany's chances for actually developing a bomb were very slim.

First, Hitler sent many of Germany's top scientists into exile, squeezing out much of the brainpower that could have developed a bomb. Like the United States, Germany also did not realize the significance and possibility of an atomic bomb.

Secondly, no German scientists pushed the Nazi's like they did in the US, so the Germans did not put forth the resources necessary to build a bomb.

It is also thought that Germany did not have the resources to build a bomb even if they wanted too. However, the driving force behind Germany's extremely slow progress in developing an atomic bomb were the German scientists themselves.

From the very beginning of their research, German scientists seemed reluctant to publicly admit an atomic bomb was possible. Heisenberg, head of the atomic project, realized the possibility of making an atomic bomb in 1940. However, in a report to the government and other scientists not working on the project, Heisenberg wrote:

"At present we can see no practicable technical method of producing an atom bomb during the war with the resources available in Germany. But the subject, nevertheless, must be thoroughly investigated in order to make sure that the Americans will not be able to develop atom bombs either."

With that report Heisenburg reduced expectations for the development of an atomic bomb, keeping his research alive at the same time. Also in 1940 another German scientist, Fritz Houtermans, independantly discovered that making an atomic bomb would be possible. However, he purposfully did not report this part of his research because he did not want state authorities to know that an atomic bomb could be built.

Answer 2

The Germans were intially ahead of the Americans in the race to build the first atomic bomb. They reached the same vital cross-road as the Americans, but chose the wrong approach. The emphasis they placed on developing heavy water all bt doomed the German project. I've even heard the argument that German scientists intentionally misled the developement process, although I'm not sure I believe this.

Answer 3

It's carefully shrouded, but you might try the book 'Heisenberg's War' - published not so long ago. Many of the atomic scientists in the 1930s were Jewish, and seeing the writing on the wall they fled to the United States or to Great Britain (one more example of Hitler shooting himself in the foot). A very few scientists, of whom Heisenberg seems to have been one, stayed to help build the atomic bomb capacity in Germany. They got at least as far as building a heavy-water reactor, which was taken out in a famous British commando raid (the 'cockleshell heroes' in a book and film of the same name), but Hitler seems to have devoted the attention of his rocket scientists more to producing the V1 and V2 rockets to bomb London.

Good books on the history of the atomic bomb in general: Robert Jungk's Brighter than a Thousand Suns, and a book by Norman Rhodes whose name escapes me but an Amazon search should have it. But the Heisenberg connection has been kept very much under wraps until recently.

Answer 4

The German Gov was actively seeking an atomic weapon, but the remaining nuc scientists were purposely leading the research down a dead end. They were very close to at least making a dirty bomb near the end of the war. And were trying to give the materials and research to Japan at the end of the war via submarines.

Answer 5

The Germans were busy building gas chambers to mass murder the Jews.