Chapter 826 On How Geniuses Are Buried (First update, please subscribe)
In fact, the United States had no interest in missiles at the beginning. After all, we have strategic bombers and aircraft carriers. .
Missiles?
That thing is off by several miles! That thing can't be blasted by strategic bombers! The blast was accurate.
Moreover, the U.S. Air Force is also worried that ballistic missiles will take away its jobs and glory. Therefore, out of some selfish motives, the United States has never been interested in missiles due to the obstruction of the U.S. Air Force.
This also led to von Braun's "unappreciated talent." Although he and his team were basically accepted by the United States, they handed over V2 technology to American technicians and taught them how to work by assisting the United States in designing the second-generation rocket. After the method, von Braun and most of his team were excluded from the rocket project and restricted from returning to the country because of their former Nazi service status. In the following two years, von Braun only worked for some small The magazine wrote several simple ideas for using rockets for space development.
To talk about how a genius is idle, just look at what happened to von Braun.
This has also caused the United States to seriously lag behind in the progress of missile development.
Even until now, after the R7 ballistic missile launched by Soviet Russia, Eisenhower and the top military officials did not feel too deeply.
The Soviet intercontinental missile was successfully tested. Although it can attack the mainland of the United States, the United States can also attack the mainland of Soviet Russia!
In contrast, the United States has more strategic bombers and can destroy all cities in Soviet Russia at any time!
So, compared to the shock of ordinary Americans, although Washington felt threatened, it also felt nervous.
However, they are still mentally prepared.
After all, they had benefited from this information as early as the beginning of the year. Of course, Eisenhower and the military did not expect that the Soviet intercontinental missiles would make progress so quickly.
However, despite this, the United States still did not think of using von Braun, even if von Braun was a genius.
In fact, from a genius perspective, von Braun and Korolev are very similar. Von Braun, who was in charge of the German missile program, was responsible for work including but not limited to: the overall design of missiles, Engine design, fuel design, and construction of missile assembly plants, parts manufacturing plants, launch bases, etc....
Even to a certain extent, von Braun, as the pioneer of the industry, is better than Coroglio. The husband is even more outstanding. After all, it was von Braun who created an industry unprecedented for mankind - the scientific research in the field of ballistic missiles was established and perfected in his hands. This is the value of von Braun.
But it is a pity that the United States does not pay attention to von Braun and his technical team at all, and even hides them directly.
Finally on August 21, the advent of the R-7 intercontinental ballistic missile proved the Soviet Union's leading position in the rocket field.
Naturally, and of course it stimulated a lot of Americans, but that was all.
"No, Braun is still making science and education films in Hollywood! These Americans are so arrogant."
Looking through the information sent back by the embassy, Li Yian couldn't help but sigh. , With such a talented person, I don’t know how to use it. I really don’t know what kind of brain circuit the Yankee has.
For even a moment, Li Yian had the idea of kidnapping Fon Braun back to Nanyang. It's not that he looked down on Eugene and others. He didn't deny the talents of these people, but they were only participants in the German V2 missile. They might have some research on rocket technology, but they were definitely not as good as Von Braun!
After all, some industries really need geniuses. But Nanyang does not have such a genius right now.
“I really don’t know what the senior officials in the Pentagon are thinking.”
Li Yian can already vaguely feel that unless the Soviet Union sends satellites into space, the Americans may still be arrogant.
Although the era of the "space race" is approaching, it is a pity that the United States still failed to take over the baton. When von Braun was not fully utilized, the United States was able to launch them closely. satellite? . "It seems that it is not impossible to exchange rockets for atomic bombs..."
Actually, it is wrong to say that the Pentagon has no reaction.
Faced with the successful test launch of Soviet Russia’s intercontinental missile!
The Pentagon is actually... panicked.
After all, the strategic air force has always been the United States' greatest reliance. As the only country in the world with strategic bombers, the U.S. Air Force has an absolute advantage over the Soviet Union. The success of strategic bombing against Germany and Japan during World War II convinced the United States that strategic bombing is the real deterrent force, and intercontinental long-range bombers and The atomic bomb is what they rely on to deter the entire Blue Star. This is an unparalleled and unstoppable force.
It is precisely because of this that von Braun and his missile technology were not taken seriously.
However, the emergence of the R-7 intercontinental ballistic missile completely changed everything. This intercontinental ballistic missile has a range of more than 10,000 kilometers. It can do everything a strategic bomber can do, and it can do it better.
Germany’s experience in bombing Britain with V2 missiles in World War II clearly tells everyone that ballistic missiles cannot be intercepted, at least not yet. The combination of rockets and atomic bombs also poses an unprecedented threat to the United States.
At the White House in Washington, Secretary of Defense Charles Owen Wilson reported to Eisenhower with a serious face,
“We know nothing about the Soviet-Russian intercontinental missile, except that it can fly 10,000 kilometers. There is no other information, but all the intelligence shows that the Soviet Union will use it to carry atomic bombs. This is the fundamental reason why they develop intercontinental missiles. "
"So, it is also a threat to us. Very direct."
Frowning, Eisenhower looked at Charles and said,
"This will now put the United States in a passive position and pose an unprecedented threat to the United States."
"The successful test of the intercontinental missile has made us very passive."
As the Minister of Defense, Chalchi said,
"But this passivity is temporary. After all, our Air Force still has It is the most powerful in the world. We have the most advanced B52 strategic bomber in the world. It will deter the Soviet Union from taking any rash action.”
Even until now, although the Pentagon is panicking, the Pentagon is still in a panic. There is still something to rely on. The United States has the most powerful strategic bomber force in the world.
"That's just a bomber. What I want to know is, what about our intercontinental missiles? We must also speed up the progress of intercontinental missiles."
Eisenhower said directly.
Of course, the United States also has an intercontinental missile project in progress. After receiving information about "Soviet-Russian intercontinental missiles" from Nanyang at the beginning of the year, he gave instructions to ask the Pentagon to conduct research in this area.
As a result, various reports and assessments from the Pentagon emerged one after another, but there was no substantial progress. The Air Force has always believed that developing missiles is a waste of resources. After all, in terms of cost, it costs hundreds of thousands or even millions. A US dollar intercontinental ballistic missile is far less powerful and cheaper than a bomber.
In this case, the United States' missile research lagged far behind the Soviet Union. While the Pentagon was still discussing the intercontinental missile program, the Soviet Union had already produced the finished product, which directly blinded the United States. Human dog eyes.
Eisenhower, who was a soldier, knew very well what this backwardness meant, so with his direct intervention, the Pentagon finally reached a consensus on the development of strategic missiles.
Immediately afterwards, the U.S. Congress passed a special budget to increase research and development on the intercontinental missile project. The successful test launch of the Soviet Union's intercontinental ballistic missile suddenly made the whole world solemn. The United States, which had always believed that it had an absolute advantage, felt a little panic in its heart.
But that’s it, because... Von Braun is still making science and education films!
(End of this chapter)