November 16

This Day in History

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Lead Story
Pizarro traps Incan emperor Atahualpa, 1532
American Revolution
Fort Washington Is Captured, 1776
Automotive
Riker Torpedo Racer sets the world speed record for electric cars, 1901
Civil War
Rebels fail to defeat Yankees at the Battle of Campbell Station, 1863
Cold War
German scientists brought to United States to work on rocket technology, 1945
Crime
Ed Gein kills final victim Bernice Worden, 1957
Disaster
Construction begins on deadly bonfire, 1999
General Interest
Hessians capture Fort Washington, 1776
Oklahoma enters the Union, 1907
Benazir Bhutto elected leader of Pakistan, 1988
Hollywood
First Harry Potter film opens, 2001
Literary
Fyodor Dostoevsky is sentenced to death, 1849
Music
The Sound of Music premieres on Broadway, 1959
Old West
Becknell opens trade on the Santa Fe Trail, 1821
Presidential
Nixon supports construction of the Alaskan oil pipeline, 1973
Sports
Notre Dame ends Oklahoma record winning streak, 1957
Vietnam War
Kennedy decides to increase military aid to Saigon, 1961
Ky defends South Vietnamese operations in Cambodia, 1970
U.S. provides support to beleaguered Cambodians, 1971
World War I
New Fatherland League launched in Germany, 1914
World War II
Goebbels publishes his screed of hate, 1941

Cold War

Nov 16, 1945:

German scientists brought to United States to work on rocket technology

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In a move that stirs up some controversy, the United States ships 88 German scientists to America to assist the nation in its production of rocket technology. Most of these men had served under the Nazi regime and critics in the United States questioned the morality of placing them in the service of America. Nevertheless, the U.S. government, desperate to acquire the scientific know-how that had produced the terrifying and destructive V-1 and V-2 rockets for Germany during WWII, and fearful that the Russians were also utilizing captured German scientists for the same end, welcomed the men with open arms.Realizing that the importation of scientists who had so recently worked for the Nazi regime so hated by Americans was a delicate public relations situation, the U.S. military cloaked the operation in secrecy. In announcing the plan, a military spokesman merely indicated that some German scientists who had worked on rocket development had "volunteered" to come to the United States and work for a "very moderate salary." The voluntary nature of the scheme was somewhat undercut by the admission that the scientists were in "protective custody." Upon their arrival in the United States on November 16, newsmen and photographers were not allowed to interview or photograph the newcomers. A few days later, a source in Sweden claimed that the scientists were members of the Nazi team at Peenemeunde where the V-weapons had been produced. The U.S. government continued to remain somewhat vague about the situation, stating only that "certain outstanding German scientists and technicians" were being imported in order to "take full advantage of these significant developments, which are deemed vital to our national security."The situation pointed out one of the many ironies connected with the Cold War. The United States and the Soviet Union, once allies against Germany and the Nazi regime during World War II, were now in a fierce contest to acquire the best and brightest scientists who had helped arm the German forces in order to construct weapons systems to threaten each other.

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This Week in History, Nov 16 - Nov 22

Nov 16, 1945
German scientists brought to United States to work on rocket technology
Nov 17, 1969
SALT I negotiations begin
Nov 18, 1987
Congress issues final report on Iran-Contra scandal
Nov 19, 1985
Reagan and Gorbachev hold their first summit meeting
Nov 20, 1948
American consul in China held "hostage" by communists
Nov 21, 1975
Congressional report charges U.S. involvement in assassination plots
Nov 22, 1963
Kennedy assassinated

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