NAZI CRIMINAL, AMERICAN HERO Wernher von Braun

Von Braun – Into The Nazi Years Educated at Berlin’s Charlottenberg Institute of Technology Formed German society for space travel in 1932 Was put in charge of the German solid fuel rocket research development project in 1933 Became head researcher of the notorious Peenemunde Testing Grounds run by the Gestapo in 1937 – notoriously powered by slave labor (up to 10,000 died) There he developed the first cruise missiles (V-1), ballistic missiles (V-2), and the first supersonic antiaircraft missiles (Wesserfall)

Von Braun’s Creations At Work V-1 Cruise Missile V-2 Ballistic Missile Aftermath of a single V-2 strike on Antwerp in Belgium, 1944

Operation Paperclip American program for sneaking out useful Nazi scientists and technicians to prevent a similar move by the Soviets and their Red Army Major component of plan was to whitewash the past crimes of those brought to the United States Von Braun’s file was famously altered from “ardent Nazi” to “Not an ardent Nazi”

Von Braun’s New Life In 1952 Braun became director of the US Ballistic Missile Agency There he developed the first four US ICBMS (inter- continental ballistic missiles) After Sputnik, Braun was shifted to the Space Program In 1960 Braun becomes director of Marshall Space Center of NASA where he developed the Saturn rocket that took American astronauts to the Moon.

American Hero

Pragmatism – Conclusions? Pragmatism – (character or conduct that emphasizes practicality) Is it ever acceptable to excuse monstrous crimes, because the perpetrator is vital to a national goal? Did the United States have a choice in the face of possible Soviet capture of key scientists and techs?