called uranium and we don’t have enough of it, along with other materials, such as heavy water. Do you understand this, Colonel?”
“I understand that you need help from a number of sources. Would you like me to invite Einstein to return? We could declare him an honorary Aryan.”
Heisenberg chortled. “Him and a hundred others, yes. There are other issues. Are you aware of something called radiation?”
Varner shrugged. “It causes watch dials to glow in the dark and it killed Marie Curie. I understand it can cause cancer in large doses if exposed to it over a period of time.”
“Excellent, Colonel. Extraordinary large doses will be instantly released when a uranium bomb explodes, and with what long- and short-term effects we do not know. And, of course, I have absolutely no idea just how such a large bomb could ever be transported to an enemy.”
Varner thought quickly. The Luftwaffe had a handful of bombers with multiton capacity, but how to get them through Allied air defenses was a problem. “Could you make a number of smaller bombs, instead of one large one?”
Heisenberg was surprised and intrigued. “Quite possibly. Why?”
Varner grinned. “They would be far easier to transport. I can even visualize a uranium bomb as the warhead of a V1 or V2 rocket. Each one now carries a warhead of approximately one ton. And the FX1400 radio-controlled bomb that was used so successfully against Allied shipping off Italy weighs approximately half that.”
“Indeed,” Heisenberg said thoughtfully, “but I have to build the first bomb before worrying about the second and third.”
Varner stood. He was making mental plans to visit Werner von Braun at the V1 and V2 launching sites. “I will report this to von Rundstedt, although I question what he will be able to do about solving your difficulties.”
They shook hands. “Then tell your field marshal this, Colonel. Einstein and all those brilliant emigré scientists are in the United States are they not? Well then, just what the devil do you think they are all doing?”
* * *
The little village was named St. Theresa of Something and was just a speck on the inadequate maps provided to the 74th Armored. It consisted of a dozen stone buildings, and included one church and a tavern. Jeb Carter said that ’bout evened things out.
Everything looked centuries old and all the stone buildings had thick walls and each could easily be its own fortress.
A patrol consisting of two Jeeps and one Stuart tank had circled behind the village and been fired on. Two GI’s in the Jeeps had been wounded, one seriously. A subsequent probe had drawn heavier fire from the village, although no casualties, and Colonel Stoddard had come to the inescapable conclusion that the German garrison had to be removed before they could proceed.
The dirt road the 74th was on ran west through the village and on to Paris somewhere in the distance. The road curved sharply as it wound through the village. Jack commented that there were no straight lines in France. Everything seemed to wander all over the place. Levin thought that all French engineers were drunks. St. Theresa could not be bypassed. Even though most of the bocage area was behind them, traveling cross-country was not an option. While the tanks and half-tracks might make it through the boggy ground, the wheeled vehicles were road-bound.
Levin handed the binoculars to Jack. “Everything’s stone and six feet thick. Don’t these people ever build with plywood or even straw?”
“That would be nice,” Jack said. “We could huff and puff and blow the walls down.”
He had never seen an armored assault and was intrigued. They were in the loft of a barn, also of stone, on a slight rise that gave a good view of the village. It was a mile away from the tree line and surrounded by neat farm plots all fenced solidly with stone. Another stand of woods lay a mile or so beyond the village.
Colonel Stoddard had assigned ten Shermans and
“I understand that you need help from a number of sources. Would you like me to invite Einstein to return? We could declare him an honorary Aryan.”
Heisenberg chortled. “Him and a hundred others, yes. There are other issues. Are you aware of something called radiation?”
Varner shrugged. “It causes watch dials to glow in the dark and it killed Marie Curie. I understand it can cause cancer in large doses if exposed to it over a period of time.”
“Excellent, Colonel. Extraordinary large doses will be instantly released when a uranium bomb explodes, and with what long- and short-term effects we do not know. And, of course, I have absolutely no idea just how such a large bomb could ever be transported to an enemy.”
Varner thought quickly. The Luftwaffe had a handful of bombers with multiton capacity, but how to get them through Allied air defenses was a problem. “Could you make a number of smaller bombs, instead of one large one?”
Heisenberg was surprised and intrigued. “Quite possibly. Why?”
Varner grinned. “They would be far easier to transport. I can even visualize a uranium bomb as the warhead of a V1 or V2 rocket. Each one now carries a warhead of approximately one ton. And the FX1400 radio-controlled bomb that was used so successfully against Allied shipping off Italy weighs approximately half that.”
“Indeed,” Heisenberg said thoughtfully, “but I have to build the first bomb before worrying about the second and third.”
Varner stood. He was making mental plans to visit Werner von Braun at the V1 and V2 launching sites. “I will report this to von Rundstedt, although I question what he will be able to do about solving your difficulties.”
They shook hands. “Then tell your field marshal this, Colonel. Einstein and all those brilliant emigré scientists are in the United States are they not? Well then, just what the devil do you think they are all doing?”
* * *
The little village was named St. Theresa of Something and was just a speck on the inadequate maps provided to the 74th Armored. It consisted of a dozen stone buildings, and included one church and a tavern. Jeb Carter said that ’bout evened things out.
Everything looked centuries old and all the stone buildings had thick walls and each could easily be its own fortress.
A patrol consisting of two Jeeps and one Stuart tank had circled behind the village and been fired on. Two GI’s in the Jeeps had been wounded, one seriously. A subsequent probe had drawn heavier fire from the village, although no casualties, and Colonel Stoddard had come to the inescapable conclusion that the German garrison had to be removed before they could proceed.
The dirt road the 74th was on ran west through the village and on to Paris somewhere in the distance. The road curved sharply as it wound through the village. Jack commented that there were no straight lines in France. Everything seemed to wander all over the place. Levin thought that all French engineers were drunks. St. Theresa could not be bypassed. Even though most of the bocage area was behind them, traveling cross-country was not an option. While the tanks and half-tracks might make it through the boggy ground, the wheeled vehicles were road-bound.
Levin handed the binoculars to Jack. “Everything’s stone and six feet thick. Don’t these people ever build with plywood or even straw?”
“That would be nice,” Jack said. “We could huff and puff and blow the walls down.”
He had never seen an armored assault and was intrigued. They were in the loft of a barn, also of stone, on a slight rise that gave a good view of the village. It was a mile away from the tree line and surrounded by neat farm plots all fenced solidly with stone. Another stand of woods lay a mile or so beyond the village.
Colonel Stoddard had assigned ten Shermans and
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