German National Socialism and the Quest for Nuclear Power, 1939-49

A fascinating account of how the Germans tried to develop nuclear fission before and during World War II.

This a paperback edition of Professor Walker's full-scale examination of the German efforts to harness the economic, military and political power of nuclear fission between 1939 and 1949. The book explains clearly, in terms that the non-specialist can understand, what was involved in the Germans' quest, and in what ways the German scientists succeeded or failed in the development of 'the bomb'.

Introduction; Part I. Lightning War: Nuclear fission; The German nuclear power project; Moderators, isotope separation, and uranium machines; Nuclear power and lightning war; Part II. The War Slows Down: The end of the lightning war; Nuclear power conferences; National Socialism and German physics; Progress and infighting; Part III. The War Comes Home: Wonder weapons; Uranium machines in Berlin-gottow; Greater Germany and cultural imperialism; Death from above and betrayal from within; Part IV. The War is Lost: Evacuation and self-preservation; The heavy water dries up; Harteck's circle, centrifuges, and special experiments; Uranium machines and rock cellars; Part V. The German Achievement in the American Shadow: The Alsos MIssion; Farm Hall; The Smyth Report; Part VI. The Legacy of German National Socialism: The occupation of Germany; Nazification and denazification; The Goudsmit/Heisenberg controversy; Part VII. The Myth of the German Atomic Bomb: Conclusion; Notes; Bibliography; Index.

This a paperback edition of Professor Walker's full-scale examination of the German efforts to harness the economic, military and political power of nuclear fission between 1939 and 1949. The book explains clearly, in terms that the non-specialist can understand, what was involved in the Germans' quest, and in what ways the German scientists succeeded or failed in the development of 'the bomb'.