Chapter 546 Manhattan Is Finally Here

Although there were many masters in the quantum physics community in the 1940s, it was actually a very small circle, and there were only a few dozen top figures. In Europe under German rule, there were Hahn, Heisenberg, Ms. Meitner, Fermi, Szilard, Joliot-Curie and his wife, and of course Bohr, Einstein and Planck, who were the real masters.

In Britain, which was threatened by the National Socialist dictatorship, there were Ernesto Rutherford, Francis Aston, James Chadwick, Blackett, and Canadian scientist Dempster, who had conducted research at the Cavendish Laboratory.

In the United States, the beacon of freedom and democracy, there were not many top scientists engaged in quantum physics research (because the Nazi government of Germany changed anti-Semitism to support the State of Israel under the intervention of the Wehrmacht, the number of Jewish scientists exiled to the United States was greatly reduced to almost nothing), but there were also several masters, including Ernest Lawrence and Arthur Compton (Nobel Prize in 1927, who had conducted research at the Cavendish Laboratory), two Nobel Prize-level masters. In addition, as Britain was increasingly threatened by Germany, a large number of British scientists, such as Blackett and Dempster, left Britain for the United States and joined the American quantum physics community. Their arrival greatly enhanced the United States' capabilities in the field of quantum physics. In the research institute led by Lawrence, there are now many experts from Britain, such as Dempster, a Canadian chemist and quantum physicist who discovered uranium 235.

Now these two masters of American quantum physics are waiting anxiously for President Roosevelt's summons in a waiting room of the White House with Vannevar Bush, director of the US Bureau of Scientific Research (a semi-military agency responsible for American black technology).

The reason for this summons was that Vannevar Bush, a scientist in charge of American black technology, discovered that Germany was controlling quantum physicists all over Europe after the fall of France in 1940, including members of the Copenhagen School in Denmark, the Joliot-Curie couple in France, and Fermi and others in Italy, all of whom were 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 Army Department, which in turn ordered the Army Intelligence Bureau to investigate. Soon, the Army Intelligence Bureau obtained information from their British friends that Germany had imported a large amount of uranium ore before the war. Vannevar Bush quickly thought of a secret weapon, so he found Lawrence and Compton, who were then engaged in transuranium element research. After some research, Bush used the funds of 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 nuclear fission phenomenon when studying transuranium elements. After more than half a year of clueless research, Seaborg finally explained the nuclear fission phenomenon using Einstein's theory of relativity in early 1942.

Then Lawrence, Compton, Bush, Seaborg and others discussed for a week, and finally believed that this discovery (nuclear fission phenomenon) had great military value. Therefore, before making it public, the military's opinions should be sought. So Bush found Admiral Marshall and explained to him what nuclear fission is - four scientists explained this phenomenon in the simplest language, that is, it is possible to make a bomb that can flatten New York or...Berlin!

A fat colonel with a gold and blue ribbon on his right shoulder pushed the door and walked in. He was Colonel Cotton, the president's aide.

"Three, please follow me." Colonel Cotton said politely.

Then Colonel Cotton took Lawrence, Compton and Bush to the magnificent Oval Office. President Roosevelt was wearing a gray coat and was sitting listlessly in a swivel chair behind his desk. When he saw the visitors, he immediately became more energetic and greeted them with a warm, strong and impressive voice.

The president was very familiar with Bush and had met Lawrence and Compton several times, so there was no need for Admiral Marshall, who was sitting next to the president, to introduce them.

"The admiral told me about your hypothesis, and I have read your letter." Roosevelt said with a smile, "You have a weapon that can change the course of war and even world history. With it, we can defeat the evil Europe of National Socialism and Fascism, right?"

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

"Will it cost millions or even tens of millions of dollars to try it?" Roosevelt asked.

Millions or even tens of millions of dollars are certainly not used to make atomic bombs, but to start a series of feasibility studies, experiments and projects (atomic bomb projects).

"President, this money cannot be saved." Bush said with a frown. "Because as long as the nuclear fission bomb is successfully produced, 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 nuclear fission phenomenon?"

"They may have known it!" Bush frowned even more tightly, "Although there is no direct evidence, there are some clues that show 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 will never be developed, maybe it will be 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 that 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 to meet him in the Netherlands in her letter!

"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."