Operation Crossbow - The History of the Allied Bombing Missions against Nazi Germany’s V-2 Rocket Program during World War II

Operation Crossbow: The History of the Allied Bombing Missions against Nazi Germany’s V-2 Rocket Program during World War II by Charles River Editors
Requirements: .ePUB reader, 2 MB
Overview: After the last shots of World War II were fired and the process of rebuilding Germany and Europe began, the Western Allies and the Soviet Union each tried to obtain the services of the Third Reich's leading scientists, especially those involved in rocketry, missile technology, and aerospace research. Naturally, this was a delicate affair due to the fact many of the German scientists were not only active Nazis but had helped the Nazi war machine terrorize the world. At the same time, near the end of the war, the Anglo-American Allies formed a clear picture of the Soviet state. Though forced to ally with the USSR's dictator, Joseph Stalin, the West came to understand Communist Russia represented yet another hungry totalitarian power, and thus a very real threat to an independent Europe.
Of course, both the Western Allies and the Soviets knew of the Nazis’ V-2 rocket program, the forerunner of ballistic missiles and the Space Race. Indeed, the efforts to snatch up Nazi scientists reflected the fact that everyone recognized the immense strategic value of these technologies and wished to secure their benefits for themselves. As the Soviets contemplated additional expansion following the “Great Patriotic War” and the U.S. military came to understand the putative allies of 1945 may emerge as enemies in the future, the men possessing knowledge of the V-2 rockets and other Third Reich military technology programs became seen as crucial pieces in the incipient standoff between NATO and the Warsaw Pact.