How close was Germany to developing an atomic bomb in World War 2? Learn the story of the secret commando raid to destroy Germany's Heavy Water facility.
Just why was Germany so interested in the remote Vemork hydroelectric facility? Nestled in the southern mountains of Norway, and perched on a ledge overlooking a deep valley, the site harbored a dark secret. In the 1930’s and 40’s, it was the only plant commercially manufacturing heavy water, a key component in the production of nuclear weapons.
When Norway was invaded by Germany in 1940, concerns mounted that the Germans would seize the plant and its heavy water facilities and control most of the global supply. Tensions were high, as German scientists had already discovered nuclear fission two years earlier. Due to the extreme secrecy, no one knew how close the German weapons program was to successfully producing an atomic bomb, but the Allied Powers were not about to wait around to find out.
- As images and footage of actual events are not always available, we sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. All content is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. -
