The Paperclip Conspiracy: The Hunt for the Nazi Scientists

by Tom Bower

Drawn from World War II British and U.S. documents, this book shows that Germany held a wide technological edge in many fields over the Allies. Exploitation of German scientific and technological experts after World War II was seen as the chief reparations the Allies were likely to get. The race for these men involved conflict among the Allies and with U.S. immigration laws. The argument balances the ethical/moral dilemma on using former Nazis against the national security advantages to be gained by that use.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Politics, World War II, Conspiracy Theories, History Of Science, Science

Hardcover

First published February 9, 1987

About the author

For the author of works on child development, see T.G.R. Bower

Tom Bower (born 28 September 1946) is a British writer, noted for his investigative journalism and for his unauthorized biographies.

A former Panorama reporter, his books include unauthorised biographies of Tiny Rowland, Robert Maxwell, Mohamed Al-Fayed, Geoffrey Robinson, Gordon Brown and Richard Branson.

He won the 2003 William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award for Broken Dreams, an investigation into corruption in English football. His joint biography of Conrad Black and Barbara Amiel Conrad and Lady Black: Dancing on the Edge was published in November 2006, and an unsuccessful libel case over a passing mention of Daily Express proprietor Richard Desmond in the book was heard in July 2009.

An unauthorised biography by Bower of Richard Desmond, provisionally entitled Rough Trader, awaits publication. Bowers's biography of Simon Cowell, written with Cowell's co-operation, was published on 20 April, 2012.

Bower is married to Veronica Wadley, former editor of the London Evening Standard, and has four children.

Reviews

[Pete · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting read about the military and political machinations that transpired to get the Nazi scientists to America and out of reach of the Soviets. The formula for deceiving the public hasn't changed much in the past 70 years.

[Derek · Rating 3 out of 5]

first book on the subject so i can't tell how it compares to other histories, but i found it informative. the first couple chapters start pretty slow, mostly focusing on inadequacies of Anglo-American wartime intelligence (this is the part where i think there's a possibility of it being a little fishy; sort of reminds me of that Seeley quote about the British Empire being acquired in "a fit of absence of mind" except with an elite battalion of war crime planners). by the end though it all ties together pretty cohesively. i found the chapter on the aviation doctors very helpful as it shows how the parallel goals of military armament and human testing were synthesized. all of these projects have repercussions extending to the present day: OUN-B legacies having an entire wing of "Heritage Groups" within one of the main American bourgeois parties, aeromedical doctors found to have psychologically treated mass shooter James Eagan Holmes. i think it's all very sick.