The Rise of the Third Reich

Although the world of quantum physics in the 1940s produced many master-level figures, it was actually a very small circle, with only a few dozen truly top figures. Europe under German rule consisted of real giants such as Hahn, Heisenberg, Ms. Meitner, Fermi, Szilard, Joliot Curie and his wife, and of course Bohr, Einstein and Planck. .

In Britain, under the threat of national socialist ****, there were Ernesto Rutherford, Francis Aston, James Chadwick, Blackett, and Canadian scientist Dempster, etc. An elite who once worked at the Cavendish Laboratory.

In the United States, the beacon of liberal democracy, there are not many top scientists engaged in quantum physics research (because the German Nazi government, with the intervention of the Wehrmacht, turned anti-Semitism into support for the state of Israel, the number of Jewish scientists in exile in the United States has been greatly reduced. to almost none), but there are also several master figures, including Ernest Lawrence and Arthur Compton (1927 Nobel Prize winner, once engaged in research at the Cavendish Laboratory). Award-winning master. In addition, as the British mainland was increasingly threatened by Germany, a large number of British scientists, such as Blackett, Dempster, etc., left the UK for the United States and joined the American quantum physics community. Their arrival has greatly enhanced the United States' capabilities in the field of quantum physics. Among the research institutions led by Lawrence, there are now many experts from the UK, such as the Canadian chemist and quantum physicist Dempster who discovered uranium 235.

Now these two masters of American quantum physics are waiting for Roosevelt in an reception room of the White House together with Vannevar Bush, the director of the National Bureau of Science and Technology (a semi-military agency responsible for American black technology). Summoned by the President.

The reason for this summons was that Vannevar Bush, a scientist in charge of American black technology, discovered after the fall of France in 1940 that Germany was controlling quantum physicists across Europe, including members of the Copenhagen School of Denmark and Joliot of France. The Curies, as well as Fermi and others in Italy, were all controlled by the Germans - Bush originally wanted to invite a large number of European chemists and physicists to the United States after the fall of France. Vannevar Bush reported the situation to the War Department, which in turn ordered Army Intelligence to investigate. Soon the Army Intelligence Agency obtained information from their British friends that Germany had imported large quantities of uranium ore before the war. Vannevar Bush quickly thought of the secret weapon, so he found Lawrence and Compton who were working on transuranic elements at the time. After conducting some research, Bush used funds from the Science Bureau to support Lawrence and Compton's research, and also helped them recruit many British researchers.

As a result, in June 1941, the laboratory led by Lawrence discovered the phenomenon of nuclear fission while studying transuranium elements. After more than half a year of clueless research, Seaborg finally used Einstein's experiment in early 1942. The theory of relativity explains the phenomenon of nuclear fission.

Then Lawrence, Compton, Bush, Seaborg and others discussed it for a week, and finally concluded that this discovery (the phenomenon of nuclear fission) had great military value. Therefore, the military should be consulted before making it public. So Bush found General Marshall and explained to him what the phenomenon of nuclear fission is. Four scientists explained this phenomenon in the simplest terms, that is, it is possible to create a bomb that can explode with just one bomb. New York or...Berlin!

A fat colonel with a gold and blue sash hanging on his right shoulder opened the door and walked in. He was Colonel Caton, the presidential adjutant.

"You three, please follow me." Colonel Caton said politely.

Colonel Cotton then brought Lawrence, Compton and Bush to the opulent Oval Office. President Roosevelt was wearing a gray coat and was sitting listlessly in a swivel chair behind his desk. When I saw the people coming, I immediately became energetic and greeted them with a warm, strong and dignified voice.

The President knew Bush well and had met Lawrence and Compton a few times, so there was no need for an introduction from General Marshall, who was sitting next to the President.

"The general told me about your hypothesis, and I have read your letter." Roosevelt smiled and said, "This is a weapon that can change the course of war and even world history. With it, we will The evil Europe of National Socialism and Fascism can be defeated, can it?”

"Yes." Bush, the head of American black technology, replied, "Mr. President, although this is not 100% successful, it is still worth a try."

"Does it cost millions or even ten million dollars to try?" Roosevelt asked.

Of course, millions or even ten million US dollars are not money used to build an atomic bomb, but are used to conduct a series of feasibility studies, experiments and start-up funds for the start of the project (the atomic bomb project).

"President, this money cannot be saved," Bush said with a frown. "Because as long as it successfully creates a nuclear fission bomb, the United States will win the war. If the Germans get ahead, the United States will be finished."

"Germany?" Roosevelt seemed to feel the urgency of the question and asked, "Do the Germans also know about the phenomenon of nuclear fission?"

"They may already know!" Bush frowned even more tightly. "Although there is no direct evidence, there are some clues that indicate that they may have discovered this phenomenon before us."

"What clues?"

"First, European quantum physicists were controlled by Germany," Bush said. "We tried to contact quantum physicists in Europe in 1940 and asked them to come to the United States to give lectures. But except for Einstein, everyone No one wrote back to us, and Einstein refused to come to the United States."

"That doesn't mean anything," Roosevelt shook his head. "The relationship between the United States and Germany is not good now. Everyone knows that we are on the same side as Britain."

"And uranium ore!" Bush said. "This ore was originally used to color ceramics, but now we have discovered that it is an ideal raw material for nuclear fission. Uranium ore is produced in large quantities in the Czech Republic and the Belgian Congo in Europe. The Army and The British all discovered that Germany participated in the import of large quantities of uranium ore from the Belgian Congo before the war. In January this year, the Bureau of Scientific Research wanted to import several tons of uranium ore from the Belgian Congo for research, but we discovered that the Germans were involved in the import of uranium ore from the Belgian Congo at the end of last year. took over the Belgian Congo and banned the export of uranium.”

"Is there such a thing?" Roosevelt looked at Marshall in surprise.

Marshall nodded: "Yes, Mr. President."

Belgium is now one country with two governments. There is a Free Belgium supported by the United Kingdom, and the Belgian Congo was originally the territory of Free Belgium. But in December 1941, the German High Seas Fleet, which had just joined forces with the Italian-French fleet in Gibraltar, dispatched a squadron to transport thousands of German soldiers all the way to occupy the Belgian Congo, and then immediately banned the export of uranium ore. And all uranium mines produced in the Belgian Congo must be shipped to Germany!

President Roosevelt lowered his tone and said: "German control of the uranium mines in the Belgian Congo is still very, very worrying!" He looked at Bush. "If it is possible for the Germans to have such a terrible bomb, then the United States must also have it. ! Otherwise I may become the last President of the United States!”

The President of the United States gritted his teeth and said in a terrifying tone: "If there is any place in the world that is going to be destroyed by this kind of bomb, I hope it is Tokyo, the capital of the Japanese Empire! So I will approve the preliminary research and development project of this kind of bomb. I hope you will Can we come up with a reliable conclusion within 3 months (can we make it)?”

"George," Roosevelt watched the three scientists leave, and then said to Marshall, "I think the Germans don't have such a nuclear fission bomb yet, and... they won't build it in the short term. Otherwise Rudolf Hess will I won’t come to Washington and stay for that long.”

"Yes, President," Marshall said, "Maybe this weapon never can be developed, maybe it is far less powerful than it is in theory. And...even if the Germans end up with this powerful weapon, we will We should not abandon Britain as an ally that can delay Germany's progress. If Germany really has that kind of nuclear fission bomb, I think we should not give it a chance to land in New York or Washington."

The secret negotiations between Roosevelt and Hess had been going on for more than a month. Although the two sides did not reach a final agreement on any issue, under Roosevelt's fooling, Hess always believed that the differences between the two sides were very small, and the final agreement between the United States and Germany was to carve up the world. Will be achieved soon.

"Marshal of the Empire, why are you so anxious? Shouldn't the agreement to carve up the world take more time? You know, once this agreement is reached, millions or even tens of millions of lives can be saved... for I would rather wait a few more weeks or a month to save these lives."

The person who was talking to Reich Marshal Hersmann about saving lives was none other than Adolf Hitler, the man who was supposed to be a devil and a butcher. He is currently enjoying his holiday at the Eagle's Nest in Berchtesgaden.

In the eyes of Hitler, no, in the eyes of all Europeans under the leadership of Germany, the outcome of this world war was already decided on December 8, 1941 (European time). Because Japan attacked Pearl Harbor and achieved a surprising victory. No matter what happens on the other side of the Pacific, the United States has no spare power to start a war with Germany in the Atlantic.

Especially after Japan occupied Pearl Harbor and Honolulu, some Germans (except Hersmann) were as happy as if they had won a lottery, and began to think about the good life after winning the war.

Moreover, the United States has suspended the delivery of supplies to the UK under the Lend-Lease Act since mid-December, which seems to prove everyone's optimistic expectations.

And Chloe, who often visited the palace and had a close relationship with Queen Cecilia, even told Hersman that the 31-year-old Prince Friedrich had begun to speak English with the 16-year-old British Prince in January. Princess Loli Elizabeth corresponded and exchanged photos. According to Chloe, Elizabeth has a good feeling for Uncle Friedrich and has already proposed in her letter to meet him in the Netherlands!

"But our waiting will not yield any results. Once the Americans stabilize their position in the Pacific, they will resume assistance to Britain." Hersman is now probably the most pessimistic person in Germany about the prospects for peace.

He asked Hitler: "What will we do if the Americans resume sending supplies to Britain in a few weeks?"

Adolf Hitler smiled coldly and said: "In that case we will declare a blockade of Britain! If the results reported by the Japanese are true, the U.S. Navy has no ability to fight us now. They can only watch us completely blockade Britain. Once the United States sits back and watches us blockade Britain, the morale of the British will completely collapse and they will surrender."