75 Years Ago, A Daring Commando Raid Kept The Nazis From Building The Atomic Bomb First

I think I watched a documentary or movie reference this action. All I remember is it was undertaking by locals who were tough and new the terrain well.

Thank you for the great history share sir.

A great movie and story. Sadly, the concept behind that method of cooking was flawed. This is why no one else thought of it. Remember that Germany's atomic program was based on European think-tank studies, as was the American program. In other words, Oppenheimer knew who Einstein was just as the Germans did, etc. Everyone knew what everyone else knew. Fermi knew what Nels Bor had tried, etc. Why Germany proceeded with every possible suggestion is obvious: each of Germany's states had its own atomic program. The winner would end up getting the lions share of funding money. Hence there was a lot of internal fighting going on and bureaucracy. While the Allies were right to snuff out any German atomic research, the validity of the heavy water method was doomed from the start.

As a result, Hitler found favor with the Post Office of all departments, who ended up fielding a really successful idea which is akin to a dirty bomb. So all of the atomic funding was dumped into their program. As the Allies were encroaching into German occupied territory and labs, the tech, testing and results were bundled up in a sub and sent Eastwards to Japan. Japan at the time was not experiencing the firebombing and destruction that Germany was so there was hope to put one in Axis arsenals. Luckily the submarine was sunk by a British submarine before it made it to Japan. Had the info/tech/materials reached Tokyo, its likely that the USA would have had an atomic explosion on its anchorage at Ulithi Atoll.