National Geographic III.

This is coolbert:

Again, from the June 2006 issue of the National Geographic Magazine.

The Geographic is running a special program on the National Geographic TV channel called "The Space Race". Advertised as "This two-part, four-hour special shows the rival teams competing to recruit escaped Nazi rocket scientists."

The question I pose is:

Was it moral and justifiable for the United States to profit from ill-gotten gain in the aftermath of World War Two [WW2]?

What "ill-gotten gain" am I speaking about here?

First was Operation Paperclip. The "smuggling" [actually bringing into the U.S. under the radar screen of the immigration authorities] those German rocket scientists that had developed such weapons as the V-1, V-2.




[Sure are a lot of them, isn't there??!!]

Second was the "recruitment", sponsoring, and financing of the Gehlen Organization. An organization of German nationals, to include Nazi SS men and ex-Wehrmacht soldiers, that conducted espionage against the Soviet Union for the U.S. in the aftermath of World War Two [WW2].



Third was the negotiations with the ex-commander of the infamous Japanese bacteriological warfare research Unit 731.



[some poor guy is being dissected!!]

In each case, it was determined that it was better to hold one's nose, excuse or ignore the smell, and profit in an expedient manner for the good of the U.S. during the Cold War.

Several factors were at work here.

* First was the correct perception among the governing elite in the U.S. that American was in a real fight for world domination with the Soviet Union. A fight that could not go in a way unfavorable to the U.S. Measures taken, even if not totally "kosher", were seen as being needed, even if not totally clean. Necessity was the watchword.

* Secondly, it was quickly realized that the U.S. was woefully lacking in rocket science, intelligence, and biological warfare. Some sort of way had to be found to make up for America lagging in all three of these important fields. Lagging behind could not be tolerated. Means had to be found to prevent the lag, "catch up", and even move ahead of the Soviets where needed.

* Thirdly, with the explosion of the atomic bomb, it was also understood that with just one "wonder weapon", it was possible for a nation to overcome and obliterate adversaries. Wonder weapons that were seen as being even more destructive in the future. Make you opposition succumb and bow. As the U.S. had done with Japan. The world had become a very dangerous place. The two vast oceans that had always protected America were seen as no longer being a barrier.

And there were significant problems with the "ill-gotten gain".

* German rocket scientists were guilty of crimes against humanity. DID use forced laborers to build missiles such as the V-2. And build underground factories for same. Thousands or tens of thousands of forced laborers died building missiles and secure underground complexes as part of the V-2 program.

* The Gehlen organization did employ SS men and ex-Gestapo types. Against the express wishes of the U.S. government. SS men just adopted new identities and went to work for Gehlen.

* While doing bacteriological warfare experimentation, Japanese Unit 731 DID a lot of inhuman experimentation on Chinese civilians, and POW's, to include Russians and Americans!! Crimes against humanity. This did not dissuade Mac Arthur from negotiating with the Japanese commander of Unit 731 and getting full access to all documents regarding biological warfare developments as done by Japan in WW2!!

"At the end of the war however, he [MacArthur] secretly granted immunity to the physicians of Unit 731 in exchange for providing America with their research on biological weapons. The United States believed that the research data was valuable because the allies had never publicly conducted this type of human experimentation, due to potential political fallout. Also, the U.S. did not want any other nation, particularly the Soviet Union, to acquire data on biological weapons."

A lot of bad stink had to be endured and was endured. Expediency was felt to be essential. The good and the survival of America depended upon it. At the time, people making decisions did what they felt was best. Did they have concerns? Yes! Would they have done the same in the same situation today. Probably!!

coolbert.