In 1931, the German military sought a new weapon that had a long range and was not restricted by the Treaty of Versailles. Rockets could be the weapon that met these conditions. Captain engineer Walter Dornberger was tasked with writing a report on the project. He spent three days visiting a rocket facility, questioning scientists, and attending rocket tests. During this time, Dornberger took notice of Wernher Von Braun for his determination, insight, and intelligence. Subsequently, all plans regarding rockets were submitted to the German General Staff in the fall of 1932.
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Walter Dornberger & Von Braun |
In August 1932, Von Braun was invited to the military rocket test center located in Kummersdorf, hidden in a pine forest south of Berlin. The 20-year-old Von Braun became the Technical Director, while Captain Dornberger served as the military director, with funding provided by the German Army.
The real rocket era began on December 21, 1932, at Kummersdorf. At this research center, accidents were not uncommon. There was a time when Von Braun narrowly escaped death, though his clothes were torn. On May 17, 1933, the renowned engineer Max Valier died in a pool of blood when a regulator exploded prematurely, sending a piece of steel into his chest. Shortly after, Dr. Warmke, a chemical engineer, also died in a gruesome accident due to a newly invented explosive.
At this research center, Von Braun was deeply immersed in work. He was often seen sleeping on unfinished blueprints: Von Braun was planning to create two types of rockets, one 1.40 meters long and the other 3 meters tall.
On one Christmas occasion, Von Braun and his team celebrated on a remote island in the Baltic Sea. Peenemunde Island was desolate and discreet, making it an ideal location for testing secret weapons.
Starting in August 1936, the German Ministry of Defense began construction on Peenemunde Island: roads, bridges, airfields, rocket launch pads, residences, hotels, and bunkers… From the air, however, these constructions were difficult to detect. Thousands of physicists, chemists, engineers, students, and specialists worked tirelessly there, adhering to the motto etched on the facade of the research center: “Physicists, engineers, and technicians are the pioneers of the New World.” Despite frequent accidents, the scientists also solved many novel challenges. Rockets were increasingly reaching greater heights, yet this did not inspire confidence among the Nazi generals. Hitler preferred heavy tanks over this new type of weaponry. There was a time when Hitler visited the Peenemunde rocket center but left disappointed after spending less than 10 hours there.
Base on Peenemunde Island
After World War II broke out, Von Braun developed a type of rocket that could reach an altitude of 7,000 meters. The rocket center sent film footage to Hitler but received no response. The high-ranking German generals mimicked Hitler’s silence, drafting Von Braun’s engineers into the military. The lack of resources led to dire results. The German army began to suffer defeats on all fronts, prompting Hitler to order the rapid production of rockets. However, after two inspections by military authorities at the launch tests, the rockets still failed to fly. Von Braun’s official supporter in Berlin, General Becker, was summoned by Hitler and given the choice between being sent to a concentration camp or committing suicide. General Becker chose to take his own life. Von Braun understood that if the next rocket test failed, he would face execution or torture by the Gestapo. Fortunately, the third test was successful.
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Von Braun |
On July 7, 1943, Von Braun was promoted to Professor, and Dornberger was promoted to Brigadier General. Both were then summoned to Hitler’s office. The Nazi dictator expressed regret that had there been rockets since 1939, perhaps there would not have been a war. Hitler then ordered the urgent development of a retaliatory weapon capable of flattening the cities of London and New York in a short time.
Von Braun returned to Peenemunde Island with full authority to act. The island was fortified both militarily and in terms of security. The head of the Gestapo’s intelligence department personally monitored security on the island, while fortifications were built to guard day and night. Surrounding the island were automated minefields and barbed wire fences with high voltage, making the island impregnable. Furthermore, Peenemunde was removed from maps, and when mentioned, it was referred to by the name of the nearby village, Karlshagen.
Von Braun had 5,000 people under his command. All the technicians worked diligently to make up for lost time. However, Von Braun’s secret weapon had been discovered by Allied spies. Swedish fishermen often reported seeing strange objects flying rapidly and emitting deafening noises. Some even found debris containing electronic components.
London was very concerned. An order to bomb Peenemunde Island was issued in late July 1943. Allied bombers practiced before setting off on August 17. That night, thousands of tons of bombs fell on the island, engulfing it in flames. Thousands died, and weapon factories suffered extensive damage. The next morning, when flying over the island, Von Braun was moved to tears by the destruction of his work.
A second rocket center was established in Volkenrode in the Harz Mountains. The Germans continued to work diligently. The flying bombs were mass-produced at both rocket centers. Von Braun spent his days researching intercontinental missiles and rockets launched from submarines. However, in December 1943, Von Braun was imprisoned for half a month: Himmler had accused him of sabotage for prioritizing space conquest over the destruction of London and New York. It was only when General Dornberger personally petitioned Hitler that Von Braun was released.
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V-2 |
From 1942, Von Braun’s specialists acknowledged that there was no weapon capable of countering the flying bombs. Even diverting the flying bombs was extremely challenging. Admiral Canaris, head of German counterintelligence, foresaw the threat and dispatched ten spies to place shortwave radio transmitters hidden atop skyscrapers in New York City. These transmitters would guide bombs launched from German submarines surfacing in the Atlantic Ocean.
The flying bombs were ready by early 1944, but Hitler had yet to authorize their use. It was not until after the Allied invasion of Normandy that this secret weapon was deployed. The first V-1 flying bomb fell on British soil on June 16, 1944, marking the beginning of Operation Vergeltung (Retaliation). The Germans named the flying bomb using the letter V.
Many have recounted that at 4 AM on June 16, a British observer spotted a bright object flying toward them. As it approached, the roar of the engine became unmistakable, and the object crashed in the suburbs of London, causing a thunderous explosion that devastated the surrounding area. On average, up to 200 V-1 flying bombs fell on British soil daily. It is estimated that within three weeks, London faced over 3,000 bombs. Prime Minister Churchill called for a revision of air defense methods. However, it took three more months before the British discovered effective countermeasures.
By September 8, 1944, the V-2 flying bombs began to wreak havoc. This weapon could carry 800 kg of explosives to targets over 2,000 miles away and flew at supersonic speeds, one mile per second, while at that time, there was no effective warning system for incoming flying bombs. Over 3,000 V-2 bombs devastated London and the Netherlands day and night. This sophisticated weapon marked a significant advancement in the history of warfare. Years later, in an interview with the New Yorker magazine, Von Braun remarked on this weapon: “I sincerely regret that our rockets were born out of an ideal but were used for killing. We envisioned rockets to pave the way to other planets, not to destroy our own Earth.”
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Destructive Power of the V-2 In addition to the V-1 and V-2 rockets, the German military was not finished with its secret weapons. They planned to use a terrifying bomb that was a thousand times more powerful: the atomic bomb. Indeed, as early as 1939, German physicist Otto Hahn succeeded in splitting the atomic nucleus. By 1942, he had created plutonium. The results of Hahn’s research in 1944 earned him the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1945. All these events led many to believe that Germany had begun its atomic bomb project. By 1945, the Allied forces were advancing into German territory. Peenemunde was about to fall into enemy hands. Von Braun and the rocket specialists were torn between choosing the Democratic or Communist side. When the Red Army was just 100 kilometers from Peenemunde, Von Braun ordered an evacuation from the rocket center: they used anatol, the explosive from the V-2 bombs, to destroy all the workshops. Von Braun and the majority of the specialists decided to approach the United States Army. The convoy set off towards Bavaria, crossing fields filled with refugees. Von Braun, Dornberger, and over 400 engineers took refuge in the Allgau region, waiting. During the journey, five German engineers defected to meet with the Soviet Red Army. Twelve years later, they played key roles in launching the Sputnik satellite into space. During the evacuation, Von Braun was injured in the arm and had to wear a cast, but he never parted with a crucial package of documents containing plans for intercontinental missiles and artificial satellites. ————————————– Leave a ReplyTRENDING |
