PARESH R. VAIDYA August 2015 marks the 70th anniversary of the RTICLE A atomic bombings. Here’s an attempt to unravel whether the Germans were EATURE anywhere close to F an atomic bomb. While some wanted to exploit control of the US army. Apart from uranium fi ssion and the possibility intelligence experts from the military, of chain reaction for building a Super six scientists also were attached to Alsos. Bomb, others like Frederic Joliot Curie The scientifi c component of the mission OMETHING unusual happened in and his team thought of peaceful use was overseen by Samuel Goudsmit, the S1945, when the Nobel Prizes were like a controlled chain reaction in a Dutch physicist who discovered electron announced that winter. No one seemed nuclear reactor. If Britain, France and spin, and had since migrated to America. to know the whereabouts of the physics America could think of an explosive, so The headquarter of the mission was in prize winner, the German radiochemist could German scientists under Hitler’s England Otto Hahn. He was to be given the prize rule. With this assumption, labs in the Alsos had three target areas – Italy, for 1944 because the ceremony could not Allied countries put a moratorium on France and Germany. Italy was cleared be held that year due to the World War. the publication of scientifi c results on at the early stage itself of any suspicion. He was not found in Kaiser Wilhelm uranium and fi ssion. France was on the list in spite of being an Institute (KWI) in Berlin Dahlem, where But the censorship was causing Allied country because it was occupied he worked last. In fact, the Institute more worry. The results from the Italian by Germany early in the war and its labs itself was in a shambles, structurally and and German labs were also not coming were populated by German scientists, administratively, due to the War. out. The free world countries, who were may be by force. As the German labs were The 65-year-old scientist was under surely working on development of the damaged by the allied bombing, they had house arrest somewhere in England. nuclear weapon were under constant found France a safe place to work. He had for company two more Nobel pressure; their obvious fear was, In November 1944 Alsos could enter laureates from his country, the famous whether Germany was ahead of them France when the advancing allied army crystallographer Max von Laue and in pursuit of the nuclear weapon? After forced the Germans to retreat. They quantum physicist Werner Heisenberg. all, fi ssion was discovered in Germany, interviewed Frederic Joliot, son-in law of Seven more scientists who were associa- the only uranium mines in Europe, Marie Curie, who was the head at College ted with the German nuclear programme in Czechoslovakia, were captured by de France in Paris. He admitted that were also there. Hitler in 1939 and the only source of some German scientists indeed visited heavy water, Norsk Hydro, was also or worked in his laboratory. Two of his The War Scenario with him since Norway was taken visiting Germans, Diebner and Bagge During the 1930s, events on the political over. And of course, he had bright were later arrested when Alsos could front and in nuclear science were playing scientists. enter Germany. Incidentally, these two out parallely. Neutron was discovered in were also the members of the National Britain in 1932 and Hitler rose to power in Mission Alsos Socialist (Nazi) party. Prof. Friedrich von Germany in 1933. In January 1939 nuclear Out of this fear psychosis was born a Weizsacker, a disciple of Heisenberg, fi ssion was established in Germany and systematic reconnaissance programme was also in France during the occupation by September the war broke out in the in 1943, titled ‘Mission Alsos’. This was a years. Alsos men found his technical European part of the world. Like the two natural outcome for a project controlled papers sealed in a metal drum and camps in the battle fi eld, science also got by an army; the ‘Manhattan project’ dumped in a cesspool behind his house in divided into two. to build a super bomb was under the Germany. SCIENCE REPORTER, AUGUST 2015 44 FEATURE ARTICLE Above: Farm Hall ascertain the status of their knowledge where the German and if Germany indeed had plans to make scientists were kept in a bomb. detention A doubt has been expressed whether the scientists were aware of the recording The Hiroshima and so talked only in a sanitized manner. bomb was made However, this appeared unlikely from the of enriched nature of their discussions. It is not likely that ten persons could fake emotions 24x uranium. They 7 for six months. Consider this dialogue also knew the that happened: general principles Diebner: “I wonder whether there are of such a weapon. microphones installed here?” Heisenberg: “Microphones installed? Between 24th April to 3rd May 1945, were fi tted with hidden microphones. (Laughter) Oh, no, they’re not as cute Alsos located ten scientists one by one This part of the mission to record and as all that. I don’t think they know the from different places in Germany. The transcribe what they talked and then real Gestapo methods; they’re a bit old- last to be had was Heisenberg from his put the threads together was nicknamed fashioned in that respect.” home in Urfeld. He had reached there ‘Operation Epsilon’. It would also record That they were not pretending only two days back from Haigerloch, the the status of knowledge in nuclear fi eld in innocence came out clearly when the new location of his Institute, the KWI. His Germany. news of the Hiroshima bomb reached wife Elisabeth recounts in her book (Inner One may wonder, what was the use them on the 6th of August 1945. Like Exile,1980) that she was frightened seeing of fl ogging a dead horse? Germany was many people in the world outside, they fi ve soldiers, thinking they were Hitler’s nearly defeated when these scientists too did not believe it at fi rst. However, army men, but was relieved to know that were quarantined. The real reason was the disbelief was slowly worn out in two they were Americans! To get Heisenberg alarming. America did not want these days, when another atom bomb exploded (and also Hahn), the Chief of Alsos, scientists to land in the hands of Russian over Nagasaki. Colonel Pash and Goudsmit themselves troops, when Germany fell. Even before The most affected by the news was had gone to their residences. Heisenberg the war was over, or the nuclear weapon Otto Hahn, who blamed himself for this told them, “I have been waiting for you”. was proved to exist, USA was thinking devastating loss of innocent lives because He should have been, because three days of competition the USSR could provide he had discovered nuclear fi ssion. He was back, on 30th April, Hitler had killed them in the nuclear fi eld! This was the so delirious that he needed a constant himself and the great Third Reich was on seed for the cold war. companion to watch over him, lest he way to surrender soon. harm himself. Walther Gerlach, the The convoy of scientists was taken Transcripts administrative head at the Reich Research fi rst to Versaeilles, Le Vesinet (both in The Farm Hall where they were kept Council, overseeing the war work in France) and Huy in Belgium. The fi nal in house arrest had two army offi cers Germany, was also heard sobbing in his destination was Godmanchester near (Captain Brodie and Major Rittner) to room. His grief was about his failure as Cambridge in UK. The two storied villa look after their needs, both very polite. As a General. It was Hahn’s turn to console was called the Farm Hall. While they were they all spoke German, the tape recording him. He said, “Are you upset that we in custody of the British army, the aim was transcribed in German language did not make the uranium bomb? I thank was to fi nd out what they did in the past and then translated into English for the God on my bended knees that we did not two years in their laboratories. Was there seniors to review. These transcripts can be make it. Or are you upset that Americans still a danger from Germany? Their rooms considered reasonably reliable material to could do it better than we could?” 45 SCIENCE REPORTER, AUGUST 2015 FEATURE ARTICLE Left: The atomic bomb, nicknamed Little Boy, Heisenberg, how does a bomb explode. that was dropped on Hiroshima This series of discussions demonstrates the strong infl uence of isolation from the also made, but it is not clear if they used outside world! it. They had a good base in Heavy water The fact that Pu bomb uses implosion technology. They were attempting to get technique and the material is compressed criticality in a pile but had not operated a to a great degree and the assembly goes to self-sustaining chain reaction till then, at super critical mode, makes the discussion least as on record. on critical mass relatively less important. It appears surprising that there Although they had experts on explosives, With the help of newspapers they was no discussion or mention of the a couple of them were interned here in knew that the Hiroshima bomb was made letter Paul Harteck wrote to the German Farm Hall, it is clear that they were not of enriched uranium.