Today in Technology History
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September 20
Four months after the war in Europe ended in 1945, a team of German rocket scientists vital to the Axis war effort went back to work -- but this time, for the Americans.
The scientists, led by brilliant engineer Wernher von Braun (1912-1977), built the world's first military rockets -- like the V-2 that rained terror on London and Antwerp.
By early 1945, it was obvious that not even the V-2 could win the war for Germany. Von Braun assembled his top researchers for a candid discussion about their future. Since Germany would soon lose, the scientists faced a choice: whom should they surrender to? Russia? France? Britain? Or the U.S.A.?
The engineers decided to surrender to the Americans. Fearing that the Nazis would destroy their research rather than let it fall into enemy hands, they moved several tons of documents -- as well as important parts and machines -- into an abandoned iron mine. The mine, a military treasure, was soon discovered by Allied troops, who promptly shipped its contents to America.
Von Braun and over 100 colleagues surrendered to the Americans. The engineers shared their knowledge of rocketry in exchange for jobs and eventual U.S. citizenship. The first group began working for the U.S. on September 20, 1945.
These German scientists were essential to the development of American military and civilian rockets. Their role in NASA's greatness in the 1960s was immense. But to this day, many critics view the German rocket scientists as opportunists whose contributions to the U.S. cannot erase their Nazi past.
Related links:
Click here to read about Von Braun and his flight from Germany.
Click here for a brief NASA biography of Von Braun.
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