Hitler's Scientists: Science, War and the Devil's Pact

Rating:
Summary: A Rich Perspective on the Role of Science in Nazi Germany
Review: John Cornwell, author of "Hitler's Pope" has made another major contribution to our understanding of the Hitler era in this book. As is to be expected, there are chapters on such topics as medicine, physics, eugenics, jets and other "wonder weapons," and medical experimentation, all thorough and based on solid research. In addition, there are several topics discussed which are more novel and extremely valuable. Cornwell has an early chapter on "Germany the Science Mecca" which focuses upon the absolute dominance of German science prior to the war. This is coupled with an examination of "Hitler the Scientist" which is crucial for understanding why Hitler did not really pick up on major scientific developments which could have altered the course of the war--he just didn't get it when it can came to science. The author also has an extended discussion on German atomic bomb development, which incorporates the latest material released by the Neils Bohr foundation relating to the famous Bohr-Heisenberg 1941 meeting in occupied Copenhagen, which is the subject of Michael Frayn's recent play. Cornwell comes out on the side of those who argue that Heisenberg did not delay the development of a German bomb intentionally, for forces beyond his control doomed the German bomb from being developed in time. He also includes a discusson of the British "Farm Hall" tapes made of captured prominent German scientists after the war to cast further light on this issue. All-in-all, an extremely valuable volume.

Rating:
Summary: Science, War, and the Devil's Pact
Review: The book, far from delivering the over-technical drivel I had expected, delivered a superbly interesting look at a nation so obsessed with its own advancement of both its culture and its national standing that it managed to ignore the fundamental rules of morality. It showed that German science was not the omnipotent, all-powerful force we have been led to believe, but rather the collaboration of hundreds of brilliant (albeit a tad bit sinister and rather disturbing in some cases) men working towards one goal: the supremacy of the Aryan state. The book provided a rather broad view of the scientific developments undertaken by Germany in the beginning of the 20th century, focusing a bit much on the development of the German atomic bomb program, and it managed to convey a good sense of how the German scientific machine functioned, as well as the effect of the anti-Semitic attitudes that prevailed in Germany at that time, making the book, like I said earlier, supremely interesting. It also allowed plenty of room for imagination, alluding to the perplexing "what if"s that spurred so many fascinating trains of thought. Although it was a little slow at times, and it did gloss over a few topics that I had hoped to delve into more deeply, it was overall a decent book and a good read that managed to capture my interest and hold it until sufficient thought and speculation were given to the numerous topics presented.

-Paul Wooten


Rating:
Summary: Interesting but unfocused
Review: At its core, "Hitler's Scientists" is an interesting account of science and scientists under Germany's National Socialism. It covers the various sciences and technologies with amazing breadth and does much to illuminate the characters, controversies, and conflicts of this era.

Had Cornwell stuck to those themes I would have enjoyed the book more. I'm not saying the book wood have been better; only that I would have liked it more.

The book starts with a very long diatribe positioning Cornwell's views on the ethics of science and scientists. I nearly gave up on the book before I reached the end of this discussion, but he did finally complete it and move on to the material for which I had obtained the book.

Or so I thought. Once the author began discussing actual science, he had backed up to an era long before Nazi Germany. I agree with the author that this is important in setting the stage for science in the 30's and 40's in Germany, but it just felt like too much. There was a lengthy discussion, for example, about the use of chemical weapons in WWI. Interesting... important... but Cornwell covers this in much more detail than several topics of science under Hitler.

When Cornwell does finally reach the age of scientists under Hitler, he does a compelling job describing it. Fortunately, this section makes up the bulk of the work. For this, the book deserves 3 stars, in spite of its other shortcomings. Although the book covers a broad range of topics, the primary area of scientific focus here is on nuclear research.

I did find, however, that even in this core section, the writing style of the author was a bit of a distraction. Cornwell frequently repeats himself, revisiting the same concept, in some cases, many times. Phrases like, "... which will be explored in the next chapter", or "... as we have already seen" are far too common.

What I found most to my dislike, though comes at the end of the work. Having left Hitler and Germany far behind, the author moves on to a discussion of further development of nuclear arsenals in the cold war era. Here the author lets through a clear view, shared with much of Europe that the USA's desire to develop defense against missile strike (SDI, or Missile Defense) constitutes agression because it would make the USA less susceptible to "mutually assured descruction". Futher, Cornwell indicates that the USA adopted in the 80's, if it hadn't always held, a cold war first strike policy when it came to nuclear weapons. Look, whether you agree with that or not, I found it an odd twist at the end of a book on "Hitler's Scientists".

So, to summarize, I found the beginning and ending of the book to be weak and unfocused, and the middle to be strong and on-point.

Rating:
Summary: A bit disappointing...
Review: Hitler's Scientists contains some useful recounting of the personalities that worked under Hitler's regime, and insight into the dilemmas they faced: patriotism, love of science, blind ambition, and protection of or disdain of those Jewish scientists caught up in the Fuhrer's extermination campaign to purify the Aryan race. However, in my opinion, the book overly focuses on potential weapons of mass destruction-the nuclear scientists. Short shrift is given to many other subjects.

The book opens with a long, sometimes rambling account of science in the early twentieth century, setting the context for World War II. In particular, Fritz Haber, the Nobel Prize-winning chemist is singled out. This portion seems tedious to the extreme in places. Cornwell then proceeds to elaborate on both the science and pseudoscience characteristic of the prelude to and the period of war that followed, and accomplishes a great deal in explaining why the technology of the Nazi scientists was so disparate, and why much of it was destined to fail. (Nevertheless, some of the Allies' wartime efforts in science, particularly the British, was just as ludicrous.)

My chief criticism is the omission or curtailing of many scientific areas. Radar, rocketry, and jet engines, for example, are only briefly examined, and Cornwell dismisses in a few paragraphs some of the more exotic high-tech experiments reported. While the theme of the "failed" nuclear program is well written and insightful, and the chapter devoted to the post-war incarceration of the nuclear scientists (Farm Hall) interesting, (as is the follow-up on their remaining years back in West Germany), the remainder of the book is simply a summary of Cold War technology and beyond relating to WMD.

Had Cornwell slimmed down this volume, narrowed the focus period, and explored some of the other science in more depth, I think it would have been a much better book.

Rating:
Summary: The Wages of a Faustian Bargain
Review: I was prepared to be somewhat bored by this lengthy compendium on the Nazi scientists, but found myself fascinated. John Cornwell has presented here two very important moral problems for a practicing scientist in just about any discipline, namely who owns the results of the scientific enterprise and to what uses should scientific discoveries be employed? Scientists still to a large degree work at the direction and with the financial support of the state or industry, or both. We hope that at least most of these activities are in the interests of society, but sometimes they are not, and in many cases we do not always know for sure. In Nazi Germany most scientists did not ask questions about the uses of scientific work at all, or they supported the activities of the government. The few that did raise questions were usually those oppressed by the regime (mostly Jews and dissidents). Even so there were clear examples of resistance. Albert Einstein had long recognized the dangers in militarism and had renounced German citizenship before Hitler rose to power. Heinrich Wieland stayed in Germany, helped Jewish scientists, and refused to use the Hitler salute. Max Born and Max von Laue generally worked against the Nazis. However these were more than matched by the complacent collaborators like Heisenberg, von Braun, Lorenz, von Weizäcker and others, as well as by the enthusiastic supporter of Nazism, including some Nobel Laureates like Lenard.

Some scientists then fell back on the "scientific discovery is neutral and we are not to blame for uses to which others put it." Some modern scientists still believe this today. However, the neutrality of science concept is unfortunately not easily defended in the light of such outrages as the prison camp experimentation of a Mengele. While I in principal favor free access to scientific knowledge, it is a responsibility of scientists, I think, to point out dangers and to oppose unethical methodology and uses of scientific research. There are grave dangers in allowing the system to run free with a technology that could destroy many innocent lives (weapons of mass destruction) or might even render the planet unlivable (as we seem to be slowly doing even without such weapons!)

This book is a wake up call and I think Cornwell can be forgiven if he is a bit "preachy" on the subject. Researchers need to understand the issues so that they are not lured into the same Faustian bargain made by most German scientists during the Hitler era. Scientists cannot remain aloof and pretend that nothing they do has any effect on the lives of people living on this planet. To do so would show them up as naive elitists who care for nothing but their own prestige. I thank whatever powers be that a few in Germany had the courage to speak up, but they were, alas, too few! Let us hope that future historians will not be able to say that about us!

Rating:
Summary: Great Account of the Failure of Ideological Dogma
Review: Some of the reviews of this book fail to recognise one of it's fundamental messages: the total failure of an ideological and dogmatic approach to science within Nazi Germany. Watch the history or discovery channel on any given week and there is a fair chance you will watch an account of the wonder weapons that Germany nearly built. This book helps shatter the myth that Germany was more advanced.

It's coverage is broad, as such, if you want an exhausitve account of V2 production, Luftwaffe high altitude experimentation on concentration camp inmates or the merits of the tiger tank against the Sherman M4 you will find another book more helpful.

This book does give:
- an account of early 20th Century Science, as background and context. Racial theory, the study of skull shapes and sterilization of the "inferior" were not confined to Germany.
- the results of the exclusion/persecution of Jewish scholars and the benefit to the US and the allies.
- the evil of Nazi Science (slave labour, murder).
- the moral dilemas faced by scientists.
- the economic waste of Nazi Weapons programs e.g. V1 and V2. Although techically superb, the costs outwayed the benefits.
- conflicting groups failing to cooperate (SS, Luftwaffe, Army and Navy competing with similar projects.)
- following "stupid" concepts on the whim of a leader.

To be fair, the last to failings were/are shared by many countries, but not to the same extreme.

The impact of Nazi science on the remainder of the 20th century is also assessed. For example, the US space program and the willingness of the Allies to hire Nazi Scientists.

The book places the actual (and very real achievements) of Nazi science in the context of evil and ineffective use. Good book, very broad coverage. Raises numerous issues - a great start for further thought and study. Also, the book helps to put many of the "what if ...." books and TV shows in their true context (entertaining speculation).

Rating:
Summary: Only 60 years ago .....
Review: When I first bought this, I can not say I had high expectations. Some of the reviewers comments on the book made it sound a bit preachy - and maybe a bit dry. Instead, I discovered a well written historical treatise on the moral and academic climate leading to Hitler's rise to power - and the scientific environment in the German regime during the war with some new insights into the debate between Heisenberg and Bohr regarding the possibility of a Nazi atomic bomb. It is a revealing account of the treatment of Jewish academics before the war. Despite the unquestionable contribution of Jewish scientists to Germany's technological success, those in power altered their own history trying bury any evidence of Jewish talent. Even Einstein's equation E=mc^2 was claimed to have been stolen from a pro-Nazi scientist. The burning of books by Freud, Einstein and others in 1933 provides important insights into how a state can manipulate the views of their people. When Freud asked to emigrate, he was forced to sign a document that he had not been mistreated - to which Freud added "I can most highly recommend the Gestapo to everyone." - a curious remark considering that his daughter Anna had just been interrogated for a full day by the Gestapo.
I am a scientist, so maybe I appreciated the scientific discussions in this book more than most. Still, I think this is a book worth the read. I may not be Jewish, but I think it is important to see how a state can twist history and redirect the views of both acadmics and its population. Cornwell does a good job providing insights into the rise of Nazi science in the decades before the war - and the attempts of German scientists to rationalize their implicit or explicit support for the Nazi regime. This is a story of Germany in the first half of the 20th century but it provides important insights into the role that science plays in our society, and the responsibilities that scientists share in the use of their science. It is hard to believe that all of this was all going on just 60 years ago (an historical blink of the eye). It makes you wonder whether it can happen again.

Rating:
Summary: Only 60 years ago .....
Review: When I first bought this, I can not say I had high expectations. Some of the reviewers comments on the book made it sound a bit preachy - and maybe a bit dry. Instead, I discovered a well written historical treatise on the moral and academic climate leading to Hitler's rise to power - and the scientific environment in the German regime during the war with some new insights into the debate between Heisenberg and Bohr regarding the possibility of a Nazi atomic bomb. It is a revealing account of the treatment of Jewish academics before the war. Despite the unquestionable contribution of Jewish scientists to Germany's technological success, those in power altered their own history trying bury any evidence of Jewish talent. Even Einstein's equation E=mc^2 was claimed to have been stolen from a pro-Nazi scientist. The burning of books by Freud, Einstein and others in 1933 provides important insights into how a state can manipulate the views of their people. When Freud asked to emigrate, he was forced to sign a document that he had not been mistreated - to which Freud added "I can most highly recommend the Gestapo to everyone." - a curious remark considering that his daughter Anna had just been interrogated for a full day by the Gestapo.
I am a scientist, so maybe I appreciated the scientific discussions in this book more than most. Still, I think this is a book worth the read. I may not be Jewish, but I think it is important to see how a state can twist history and redirect the views of both acadmics and its population. Cornwell does a good job providing insights into the rise of Nazi science in the decades before the war - and the attempts of German scientists to rationalize their implicit or explicit support for the Nazi regime. This is a story of Germany in the first half of the 20th century but it provides important insights into the role that science plays in our society, and the responsibilities that scientists share in the use of their science. It is hard to believe that all of this was all going on just 60 years ago (an historical blink of the eye). It makes you wonder whether it can happen again.

Rating:
Summary: mediocre is an extreme exaggeration
Review: wow. I have fallen asleep numerous times in the midst of reading this book, and don't say it's because i'm old. I'm 14. This book does have some interesting tidbits, but i found that this book was less about how german science was used in the war and more about what germany did DURING the war. no one cars about synthetic dyes!

Rating:
Summary: THIS IS AN EXTREMELY POIGNANT AND PENSIVE ACCOUNT . . .
Review: _____________________________________________________________________________

. . . of the scientific development which culminated in the Nazi war machine and the enforcement of its racist ideology - development which affected and continues to affect the entire world by virtue of the competition it spurred.

I (and I know I'm not alone in this) am continually in awe that such a horrific thing as happened in Nazi Germany could have ever occurred in the first place. How a group of not just criminals - but fiends (there's no other word) could have been allowed to force their way to power and lead and control so totally a society that appeared, at least outwardly, to possess so many modern and civilized qualities. I've heard many explanations and I'm still totally incredulous, but enough of that.

This book is not only a very lucid and detailed account of the scientific and pseudoscientific war efforts in Nazi Germany, but also of those from World War I - which layed the foundation - and what the Allies had to do to counteract the threat and assure victory.

John Cornwell, the author, works in the Department of History and Philosophy of Science at Cambridge University. He provides good insight into the mind of Hitler and things he did out of his own tremendous ignorance and fanaticism which actually led to Germany's own defeat, and much more quickly than would otherwise have occurred. These things included the driving out of Germany, early on, many of the greatest scientific minds - out of fear of the racial policies as well as for ethical and moral reasons. Many times Hitler preferred to go with his own lopsided notions and the advice of outdated and/or pseudoscientific and occult prognosticators rather than listen to those whose views were grounded in fact.

Cornwell takes us through Nazi Germany's various scientific programs, showing us both their strong points and also how they were sometimes lacking. Areas such as - but not limited to - radar, aviation, rocketry, nuclear energy and biogenetics are discussed in some detail. He also covers the unsavory topics of human experimentation, racial cleansing and how forced slave labor was used to speed scientific projects.

Understandably, a lot of focus is given to developments in the field of nuclear energy which led to the development of the American bomb. This is an extremely interesting part of the book. After the end of the war in Europe, the scientists involved in Germany's nuclear program were taken to cottages in the English countryside for a several week period of shrouded observation. Transcripts, available to Cornwell, recount candid verbal discussions between these scientists (they didn't know they were being bugged). He relates, in narrative form, many important parts of those exchanges which included, among other things, the extent of German knowledge on the subject of nuclear energy, where they stood on bomb development and their reaction to finding out that the Americans had created and successfully used an atomic bomb on Japan (the bomb was actually dropped during the time these scientists were being held and they were given full access to all news media). Their reaction to this event and how it affected them collectively and individually is quite moving as well as revealing.

In the last chapter Cornwell provides an insightful and immensely helpful service in analyzing the content of his book from a current world perspective. He discusses how the rapid development of weaponry over the intervening years threatens the stability of the world we now live in. He leaves us with the very sobering thought of how the possession of one or more of the resulting weapons of mass destruction could now put even a small terrorist group on an even keel with the greatest nation on Earth and thereby bring it to its knees.

I think HITLER'S SCIENTIST'S: SCIENCE, WAR AND THE DEVIL'S PACT is an extremely well written and timely book. I rate it 5 stars and encourage everyone to read it, not only because of the well researched historic content but also because of its application and implication in today's troubled world.

A side note: I listened to the CD version of this book because I'm on the road so much. Sometimes you take a big risk when you make this your option. In this case however, the reader, Simon Prebble, has a very distinguished British accent and does a superb job - both with how he articulates and the reading speed.