Operation Paperclip

[GeneCash]

So as long I've been a space geek, I've heard about "Operation Paperclip" where the US grabbed German V-2 rocket parts and scientists including Dornberger and von Braun at the end of WWII. That's all I've known about it though... I've never heard any details.

I found this book "Operation Paperclip" by Anne Jacobsen ISBN 978-0-316-22103-0 and it's finally the history of it. I didn't know that it was a dozen different semi-conflicting top secret operations to capture German knowledge in order to either keep it from the Soviet Communists, or help end the war with Japan. It's not just rocket stuff, but chemical and atomic warfare too.

It's kind of a horror story, and there's the details of finding out who was who, and who should be arrested, and what should be done with them. It's in the same timeframe as the discovery of the concentration camps and tied up with capturing war criminals.

Not only are the Americans rushing to do things before the Soviets arrive, they also somewhat doublecross the British, French, and other Allies who wanted these people shot on sight as war criminals.

The story of von Braun is far more complex than the simple "he waited for the Americans and used documents he'd hidden as a bargaining tool" that I'd always heard - I found out why his arm was in a cast in all the pictures of when he was "captured"

Obviously if you believe (as I do) that von Braun was the single sole reason we were able to go to the Moon, then there's a fascinating tale of how things happened by the merest of coincidence, and just days before the Russians took control.

I'm only 20% through it so far, but it seems to be well researched and written.

[GeneCash]

Ugh. It's well researched, but it lets it's side down by starting to kind of foam at the mouth halfway through. Tossed in the recycling bin. 4 out of 10. Sorry I mentioned it.

Edited January 25, 2016 by GeneCash