Re: Hirsoshima observes 55th anniversary of bombong

[Franz Schoenhofer <schoenho@via.at>]

At 08:14 08.08.2000 -0500, you wrote:
>I believe way beyond the shadow of a doubt that President Truman made the
correct decision.  My Father and wife's father were posed to invade the,
then Japanese aggressor (who knows I or my wife might have never been). I
sincerely believe that the people of Japan, who now represent a new
generation, have new ideals and this is good. The one question for everyone
I have is that do they remember that Germany and Japan during WW II were
developing their own capability for nuclear destruction. 


There was not the slightest chance for Germany or Japan to develop a
nuclear bomb. Germany had an assembly of uranium, where a small
multiplication of neutrons could be achieved, no self-sustaining chain
reaction was possible. There was no technology to enrich uranium or to
breed plutonium, therefore no access to the necessary fissile material.
There was during the last years of WWII no money and no infrastructure
available for such a development. Japan was far behind Germany regarding
nuclear research, I am not sure that they even knew about the theoretical
possibility.

I know, that it has been often been used nearly as an excuse, that the USA
was suspicious that a nuclear bomb was under construction in Germany - but
was and is a myth and counter intelligence should have known better. 

Franz


Franz Schoenhofer
Habicherg. 31/7
A-1160 Vienna
Austria
Tel.: +43-1-495 53 08
Fax.: same number
mobile phone: +43-664-338 0 333
e-mail: schoenho@via.at


Please note my new telephone number at my office!

Office:
Ministerialrat Dr. Franz Schoenhofer
Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Environment and Water Management
Radiation Protection Department (BMLFUW I/8 U)
Radetzkystr. 2
A-1031 Vienna
AUSTRIA

phone: -43-1-71100-4458
fax: -43-1-7122331

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