By: HISTORY.com Editors

1945

Americans seize 1,100 pounds of uranium in effort to prevent Soviets from developing A-bomb

Published: November 05, 2009Last Updated: May 27, 2025

On April 17, 1945, U.S. Lieutenant Colonel Boris T. Pash commandeers over half a ton of uranium at Strassfurt, Germany, in an effort to prevent the Soviets from developing an A-bomb.

Pash was head of the Alsos Group, organized to search for German scientists in the postwar environment in order to prevent the Soviets, previously Allies but now a potential threat, from capturing any scientists and putting them to work at their own atomic research plants. Uranium piles were also rich “catches,” as they were necessary to the development of atomic weapons.

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Citation Information

Article title
Americans seize 1,100 pounds of uranium in effort to prevent Soviets from developing A-bomb
Website Name
History
Date Accessed
September 30, 2025
Publisher
A&E Television Networks
Last Updated
May 27, 2025
Original Published Date
November 05, 2009

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