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Hunting the Nazi Bomb: The Special Forces Mission to Sabotage Hitler's Deadliest Weapon
In the Spring of 1940, as Britain reeled from defeats on all fronts and America seemed frozen in isolation, one fear united the British and American leaders like no other: the Nazis had stolen a march on the Allies towards building the atomic bomb. So began the hunt for Hitler's nuclear weapons - nothing else came close in terms of priorities. It was to be the most secret war of those wars fought amongst the shadows. The highest stakes. The greatest odds.
Prior to the outbreak of the war the massive German chemicals conglomerate I.G. Farben - the future manufacturers of Zyklon-B, the gas used in the Nazi concentration camps - had started producing bulk supplies of deuterium oxide - heavy water - at the remote Norwegian plant of Vemork. This was the central target of three separate missions - Operations GROUSE, FRESHMAN and GUNNERSIDE - over the ensuing four years. As Churchill commented: 'The actual facts in many cases were equal to the most fantastic inventions of romance and melodrama. Tangle with tangle, plot and counter-plot, ruse and treachery, cross and double-cross, true agent, false agent, double agent, gold and steel, the bomb, the dagger and the firing party were interwoven in a texture so intricate as to be incredible yet true.'
Damien Lewis's new bestseller intercuts the hunt for the scientists, the raw materials and the plant, with the cloak and dagger intelligence game being played in the shadows. This relied in part on ENIGMA intercepts to guide the SOE's hand. Lewis delves into some of the most extraordinarily inventive and Machiavellian innovations at the SOE, and their related research and training schools, whereby the enemy were tricked, deceived, framed, blackmailed and double and triple-crossed, all in the name of stopping the Reich from getting the bomb.
Prior to the outbreak of the war the massive German chemicals conglomerate I.G. Farben - the future manufacturers of Zyklon-B, the gas used in the Nazi concentration camps - had started producing bulk supplies of deuterium oxide - heavy water - at the remote Norwegian plant of Vemork. This was the central target of three separate missions - Operations GROUSE, FRESHMAN and GUNNERSIDE - over the ensuing four years. As Churchill commented: 'The actual facts in many cases were equal to the most fantastic inventions of romance and melodrama. Tangle with tangle, plot and counter-plot, ruse and treachery, cross and double-cross, true agent, false agent, double agent, gold and steel, the bomb, the dagger and the firing party were interwoven in a texture so intricate as to be incredible yet true.'
Damien Lewis's new bestseller intercuts the hunt for the scientists, the raw materials and the plant, with the cloak and dagger intelligence game being played in the shadows. This relied in part on ENIGMA intercepts to guide the SOE's hand. Lewis delves into some of the most extraordinarily inventive and Machiavellian innovations at the SOE, and their related research and training schools, whereby the enemy were tricked, deceived, framed, blackmailed and double and triple-crossed, all in the name of stopping the Reich from getting the bomb.
425 pages, Paperback
First published October 20, 2016
286 people are currently reading
591 people want to read
About the author
Damien Lewis
83 books450 followersDamien Lewis became an author largely by accident, when a British publisher asked him if he'd be willing to turn a TV documentary he was working on into a book. That film was shot in the Sudan war zone, and told the story of how Arab tribes seized black African slaves in horrific slave raids. Lewis had been to the Sudan war zone dozens of times over the past decade, reporting on that conflict for the BBC, Channel 4 and US and European broadcasters.
His slavery documentary told the story of a young girl from the Nuba tribe, seized in a raid and sold into slavery in Khartoum, Sudan's capital city, and of her epic escape. The publisher asked Lewis if the Nuba girl would be willing to write her life story as a book, with his help as co-author. The book that they co-wrote was called 'Slave', and it was published to great acclaim, becoming a number one bestseller and being translated into some 30 lanc guages worldwide. It won several awards and has been made into a feature film.
Over the preceding fifteen years Lewis had reported from many war, conflict and disaster zones – including Sudan, Sierra Leone, Eritrea, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Iraq, Syria, Burma, Afghanistan and the Balkans (see Author's Gallery). He (and his film crew) traveled into such areas with aid workers, the British or allied military, UN forces or local military groups, or very much under their own steam. He reported on the horror and human impact of war, as well as the drama of conflict itself. Often, he worked alone. Often, he filmed his own material over extended periods of time living in the war or conflict zone.
During a decade spent reporting from around the world Lewis lived in deserts, rainforests, jungles and chaotic third world cities. In his work and travels he met and interviewed people smugglers, diamond miners, Catholic priests 'gone native', desert nomads, un-contacted tribes, aid workers, bush pilots, arms dealers, genocidal leaders, peacekeepers, game wardens, slum kids, world presidents, heroin traffickers, rebel warlords, child prostitutes, Islamist terrorists, Hindu holy men, mercenaries, bush doctors, soldiers, commanders and spies. He was injured, and was hospitalised with bizarre tropical diseases – including flesh-eating bacteria, worms that burrow through the skin and septicemia – but survived all that and continued to report.
It was only natural that having seen so much of global conflict he would be drawn to stories of war, terrorism, espionage and the often dark causes behind such conflicts when he started writing books. Having written a number of true stories, in 2006 he was chosen as one of the 'nation's 20 favourite authors' and wrote his first fiction, Desert Claw, for the British Government's Quick Read initiative. Desert Claw tells of a group of ex-Special Forces soldiers sent into Iraq to retrieve a looted Van Gogh painting, with a savage twist to the tale. That fiction was followed up by Cobra Gold, an equally compelling tale of global drama and intrigue and shadowy betrayal.
Damien Lewis's work, books and films have won the Index on Censorship (UK), CECRA (Spain), Project Censored (US), Commonwealth Relations (UK), Discovery-NHK BANFF (Canada), Rory Peck (UK), BBC One World (UK), BBC-WWF Wildscreen (UK), International Peace Prize (US), Elle Magazine Grande Prix (US), Victor Gollanz (Germany), and BBC One World (UK) Awards. He is a Fellow of the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust, and a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.
His slavery documentary told the story of a young girl from the Nuba tribe, seized in a raid and sold into slavery in Khartoum, Sudan's capital city, and of her epic escape. The publisher asked Lewis if the Nuba girl would be willing to write her life story as a book, with his help as co-author. The book that they co-wrote was called 'Slave', and it was published to great acclaim, becoming a number one bestseller and being translated into some 30 lanc guages worldwide. It won several awards and has been made into a feature film.
Over the preceding fifteen years Lewis had reported from many war, conflict and disaster zones – including Sudan, Sierra Leone, Eritrea, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Iraq, Syria, Burma, Afghanistan and the Balkans (see Author's Gallery). He (and his film crew) traveled into such areas with aid workers, the British or allied military, UN forces or local military groups, or very much under their own steam. He reported on the horror and human impact of war, as well as the drama of conflict itself. Often, he worked alone. Often, he filmed his own material over extended periods of time living in the war or conflict zone.
During a decade spent reporting from around the world Lewis lived in deserts, rainforests, jungles and chaotic third world cities. In his work and travels he met and interviewed people smugglers, diamond miners, Catholic priests 'gone native', desert nomads, un-contacted tribes, aid workers, bush pilots, arms dealers, genocidal leaders, peacekeepers, game wardens, slum kids, world presidents, heroin traffickers, rebel warlords, child prostitutes, Islamist terrorists, Hindu holy men, mercenaries, bush doctors, soldiers, commanders and spies. He was injured, and was hospitalised with bizarre tropical diseases – including flesh-eating bacteria, worms that burrow through the skin and septicemia – but survived all that and continued to report.
It was only natural that having seen so much of global conflict he would be drawn to stories of war, terrorism, espionage and the often dark causes behind such conflicts when he started writing books. Having written a number of true stories, in 2006 he was chosen as one of the 'nation's 20 favourite authors' and wrote his first fiction, Desert Claw, for the British Government's Quick Read initiative. Desert Claw tells of a group of ex-Special Forces soldiers sent into Iraq to retrieve a looted Van Gogh painting, with a savage twist to the tale. That fiction was followed up by Cobra Gold, an equally compelling tale of global drama and intrigue and shadowy betrayal.
Damien Lewis's work, books and films have won the Index on Censorship (UK), CECRA (Spain), Project Censored (US), Commonwealth Relations (UK), Discovery-NHK BANFF (Canada), Rory Peck (UK), BBC One World (UK), BBC-WWF Wildscreen (UK), International Peace Prize (US), Elle Magazine Grande Prix (US), Victor Gollanz (Germany), and BBC One World (UK) Awards. He is a Fellow of the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust, and a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 60 reviews
February 17, 2018
A very good book. Textbook classic WW2 espionage-commando stuff.
The premise is familiar. The Allies and the Axis powers are locked in an arms race. Who will build the first nuke? Understandably, the US and the UK felt they must undertake every effort to stop Germany from obtaining nuclear weapons.
The action in this book focuses on the heavy-water Vemork plant in occupied Norway, and the story of several diehard daredo Norwegian commandos, sent into the wilderness of harsh Scandinavian winter to execute sabotage missions against the plant and destroy Germany's supplies of heavy water, a precursor for building nuclear weapons.
Damien tells a fascinating tale of sacrifice, madness, glory, and luck. Stone-faced agents working under the very nose of the Gestapo, survival in forest huts on deer meat for weeks on end, ski chases, paradrops in the middle of the night over frozen lakes. You couldn't invent this stuff, and there's probably half a dozen movies there. I can see Donald Sutherland starring in all of them of course, and not surprisingly, Hollywood already covered this back in the 60s.
Another fascinating snippet of history is the willingness to use amphetamines to boost stamina as well as cyanide pills to prevent capture. No special forces would even consider something like that today, but it was perfectly normal for WW2.
The one complaint I have is that sometimes Damien tries to overbuild the tension, and some of the parts of the book feel embellished, which makes sense, given that quite a few of those were pieced together from personal stories of those involved, so some contradictions are expected. But that's a minor nuisance and does not detract from enjoying the book.
All in all, it has the color and verve of a computer game, something like the original Commando, training in the harsh Scottish hinterland, pirate-like Viking characters, low-flight raids in Mosquito bombers, smuggling of nuclear scientists out of occupied countries, and more.
Really well done, and one of the more unique books by Damien. So far I'm liking his work very much, and I'm currently also reading his book on the hunt after Viktor Bout (Operation Relentless). Then you may also want to check my reviews on some of the SF-related stories he's put together, notably Operation Mayhem and Operation Zero Six Bravo.
Highly recommended.
Igor
The premise is familiar. The Allies and the Axis powers are locked in an arms race. Who will build the first nuke? Understandably, the US and the UK felt they must undertake every effort to stop Germany from obtaining nuclear weapons.
The action in this book focuses on the heavy-water Vemork plant in occupied Norway, and the story of several diehard daredo Norwegian commandos, sent into the wilderness of harsh Scandinavian winter to execute sabotage missions against the plant and destroy Germany's supplies of heavy water, a precursor for building nuclear weapons.
Damien tells a fascinating tale of sacrifice, madness, glory, and luck. Stone-faced agents working under the very nose of the Gestapo, survival in forest huts on deer meat for weeks on end, ski chases, paradrops in the middle of the night over frozen lakes. You couldn't invent this stuff, and there's probably half a dozen movies there. I can see Donald Sutherland starring in all of them of course, and not surprisingly, Hollywood already covered this back in the 60s.
Another fascinating snippet of history is the willingness to use amphetamines to boost stamina as well as cyanide pills to prevent capture. No special forces would even consider something like that today, but it was perfectly normal for WW2.
The one complaint I have is that sometimes Damien tries to overbuild the tension, and some of the parts of the book feel embellished, which makes sense, given that quite a few of those were pieced together from personal stories of those involved, so some contradictions are expected. But that's a minor nuisance and does not detract from enjoying the book.
All in all, it has the color and verve of a computer game, something like the original Commando, training in the harsh Scottish hinterland, pirate-like Viking characters, low-flight raids in Mosquito bombers, smuggling of nuclear scientists out of occupied countries, and more.
Really well done, and one of the more unique books by Damien. So far I'm liking his work very much, and I'm currently also reading his book on the hunt after Viktor Bout (Operation Relentless). Then you may also want to check my reviews on some of the SF-related stories he's put together, notably Operation Mayhem and Operation Zero Six Bravo.
Highly recommended.
Igor
August 8, 2017
My husband loved reading this book and remembers the film based on the story too - The Heroes of Telemark starring Kirk Douglas.
Although a little slow going through the first 3/4 of the book the action mounts in the last quarter and he found the tension and the conclusion to the plot exciting and engaging.
Although a little slow going through the first 3/4 of the book the action mounts in the last quarter and he found the tension and the conclusion to the plot exciting and engaging.
February 3, 2020
Damien Lewis delivers yet again, a true master of his craft. I knew this was going to be good, but it still exceeded and I really couldn't put it down. Superbly written and the attention to detail was on point as always. The story is remarkable & the narrative stick to the facts. Would highly recommend this!
June 30, 2019
Damien Lewis’s book lays out how close Hitler came to developing nuclear weapons. Even now, this prospect makes me shudder.
The action in this book focuses on Operation Freshman, Grouse and Gunnerside. These bring home the sacrifices and the incredible bravery shown by the men involved.
The production of heavy water was judged to be a serious enough threat that at least five separate attacks were launched during World War II.
:: On 18 October 1942, four Norwegian SOE (Special Operations Executive) agents were parachuted in on a reconnaissance operation code-named 'Grouse'.
:: On 19 November 1942, Operation Freshman was conducted by the British as a Combined Operation involving the RAF and the Army. This used two Halifax bombers, each towing a glider. Three of these aircraft crashed. The survivors were captured and executed by the Germans.
:: In February 1943, SOE's Operation 'Gunnerside' parachuted another six Norwegian agents into the area. They joined forces with the four from 'Grouse'. They successfully attacked the Rjukan electrolysis plant on the night of 28 February-1 March 1943. This resulted in the loss of 500kg of heavy water and destruction of the heavy-water section of the plant.
:: On 16 November 1943, an American air raid took place, but there was minimal damage to the electrolysis building.
:: On 20 February 1944, a successful attack by Norwegian resistance sank the ferry "D/F Hydro" that was taking a shipment of heavy water to Germany.
Damien Lewis has an easy writing style. This means that it never feels like you’re reading a textbook . One complaint is that sometimes Damien tries to overbuild the tension. But that's a minor issue and does not detract from enjoying the book.
All in all an incredible story of the bravery of a handful of men who may well have saved the world. Brilliantly told with amazing detail. You can almost feel the cold and the deprivation they suffered while preparing for their raids. Describing the harsh and harrowing reality of war too, when men are sent on desperate missions with little or no chance of survival.
We salute them.
The action in this book focuses on Operation Freshman, Grouse and Gunnerside. These bring home the sacrifices and the incredible bravery shown by the men involved.
The production of heavy water was judged to be a serious enough threat that at least five separate attacks were launched during World War II.
:: On 18 October 1942, four Norwegian SOE (Special Operations Executive) agents were parachuted in on a reconnaissance operation code-named 'Grouse'.
:: On 19 November 1942, Operation Freshman was conducted by the British as a Combined Operation involving the RAF and the Army. This used two Halifax bombers, each towing a glider. Three of these aircraft crashed. The survivors were captured and executed by the Germans.
:: In February 1943, SOE's Operation 'Gunnerside' parachuted another six Norwegian agents into the area. They joined forces with the four from 'Grouse'. They successfully attacked the Rjukan electrolysis plant on the night of 28 February-1 March 1943. This resulted in the loss of 500kg of heavy water and destruction of the heavy-water section of the plant.
:: On 16 November 1943, an American air raid took place, but there was minimal damage to the electrolysis building.
:: On 20 February 1944, a successful attack by Norwegian resistance sank the ferry "D/F Hydro" that was taking a shipment of heavy water to Germany.
Damien Lewis has an easy writing style. This means that it never feels like you’re reading a textbook . One complaint is that sometimes Damien tries to overbuild the tension. But that's a minor issue and does not detract from enjoying the book.
All in all an incredible story of the bravery of a handful of men who may well have saved the world. Brilliantly told with amazing detail. You can almost feel the cold and the deprivation they suffered while preparing for their raids. Describing the harsh and harrowing reality of war too, when men are sent on desperate missions with little or no chance of survival.
We salute them.
December 18, 2023
Well written and documented account of how the allies wrecked Nazi Germany's heavy water plants in Norway and prevented Hitler from building an atomic bomb in the 1942-1943 timeframe. The book highlights the role of the British SOE and Norway's military and civilians in the process and their relentless determination to stop Hitler from getting the bomb at any cost.
The WWII generation has been called the greatest generation, the individuals in this book are some of the best examples of that generation.
The WWII generation has been called the greatest generation, the individuals in this book are some of the best examples of that generation.
April 4, 2017
This is such a great book. I came to it knowing a little about the Nazi nuclear research program in Norway but only the very basic facts from TV documentary’s. Damien Lewis’s book lays out in stark terms how close Hitler came to developing nuclear weapons and what this would have meant to the world had he succeeded.
The fact that the operations carried out by the Special Operations Executive to stop the Nazi’s had the attention of both Churchill and Roosevelt tells us something of how worried the allies were with regards to the threat that this posed.
After a couple of false starts, the solution that they came to was to put a small group of highly trained Norwegian saboteurs on to a high mountain plateau from where they could operate behind enemy lines and then attempt to destroy the heavy water plant in Norway where the Nazi’s were developing water that was crucial in the production of Uranium.
The first part of the book is a little slow as this goes in to the details of the training and the back story to the mission but it is still engrossing. Damien Lewis has a light touch when it comes to putting across data and information which means that it never feels like you’re reading a textbook which can sometimes be the case in books like these. Where it really comes to life is when the Norwegians are dropped on to the Hardangervidda, a mountain plateau in central southern Norway. From that moment, it is a gripping story of survival combined with a race against time to blow up the heavy water plant in the face of truly incredible odds. To be honest, if someone had created this story for a novel, you would have rolled your eyes at what seemed impossible odds and just said that this could not happen. The fact that this story is true is incredible. The privations that these men went through as well as the suicidal risks they took to get this job done are just eye popping,
This book is absolutely gripping and well worth 5 stars.
The fact that the operations carried out by the Special Operations Executive to stop the Nazi’s had the attention of both Churchill and Roosevelt tells us something of how worried the allies were with regards to the threat that this posed.
After a couple of false starts, the solution that they came to was to put a small group of highly trained Norwegian saboteurs on to a high mountain plateau from where they could operate behind enemy lines and then attempt to destroy the heavy water plant in Norway where the Nazi’s were developing water that was crucial in the production of Uranium.
The first part of the book is a little slow as this goes in to the details of the training and the back story to the mission but it is still engrossing. Damien Lewis has a light touch when it comes to putting across data and information which means that it never feels like you’re reading a textbook which can sometimes be the case in books like these. Where it really comes to life is when the Norwegians are dropped on to the Hardangervidda, a mountain plateau in central southern Norway. From that moment, it is a gripping story of survival combined with a race against time to blow up the heavy water plant in the face of truly incredible odds. To be honest, if someone had created this story for a novel, you would have rolled your eyes at what seemed impossible odds and just said that this could not happen. The fact that this story is true is incredible. The privations that these men went through as well as the suicidal risks they took to get this job done are just eye popping,
This book is absolutely gripping and well worth 5 stars.
June 8, 2021
There are few things that make me more proud to be British than reading stories of the valour and courage of our army personnel from during the war. In this book they combine with equally courageous Norwegians to stop the Germans creating the first nuclear weapon.
Without these incredible men there is almost no doubt that Hitler would have obtained that weapon and used it against the cities of Britain and America to obliterate them and take over. He already had the rockets that could deliver it and the Uranium mines to get the Ore from.
What he didn’t have was the heavy water to stabilise it for refining.
The entire book is about the operation to disrupt that vital water and show the lengths that these soldiers and the ones before them that perished went to in order to help win the war for the allies.
I won’t go into detail because I think it’s important that people read the story themselves. It’s almost impossible to imagine what they did from our cosseted position in the relative safety of 2021. This was 80 years ago and life was very different.
The last thing I will say is thank you. Thank you to every single person referenced and the ones who weren’t for their sacrifice.
Without these incredible men there is almost no doubt that Hitler would have obtained that weapon and used it against the cities of Britain and America to obliterate them and take over. He already had the rockets that could deliver it and the Uranium mines to get the Ore from.
What he didn’t have was the heavy water to stabilise it for refining.
The entire book is about the operation to disrupt that vital water and show the lengths that these soldiers and the ones before them that perished went to in order to help win the war for the allies.
I won’t go into detail because I think it’s important that people read the story themselves. It’s almost impossible to imagine what they did from our cosseted position in the relative safety of 2021. This was 80 years ago and life was very different.
The last thing I will say is thank you. Thank you to every single person referenced and the ones who weren’t for their sacrifice.
October 26, 2017
An incredible story of the bravery of a handful of men who may well have saved the world. Brilliantly told with amazing detail so that you can almost feel the cold and the deprivation they suffered while preparing for their raids. Describing the harsh and harrowing reality of war too, when men are sent on desperate missions with little or no chance of survival.
December 13, 2017
An extremely gripping story of the commando raids on Hitler's heavy water plant in Norway, the book reads like an adventure story in parts, which is what I suppose it was, you get to know the bravery and intelligence of the men who carried out the raid and the privations that they had to deal with.
A truly eye opening book, Hitler with the 'bomb' may well have been the turning point in 43/44 instead of Stalingrad. Well written and researched, thoroughly enjoyable to read.
A truly eye opening book, Hitler with the 'bomb' may well have been the turning point in 43/44 instead of Stalingrad. Well written and researched, thoroughly enjoyable to read.
January 21, 2019
Knuckle biting
January 6, 2022
This story of special forces sabotaging the Nazi atomic bomb program during WWII is riveting! Very well told.
May 25, 2023
They did nothing less than save the world…
I did know that the Nazis attempted to develop an atomic weapon but, it was only on reading this excellent book did I realise just how close they were to perfecting it. The consequences of which do not bear thinking about for too long. That the destiny of the free world relied on a handful of fiercely trained & patriotic men is not even remotely in the periphery of an understatement. It is worth remembering that freedom needs to be robustly defended, and if necessary as the Nazis showed, it needs to be defended by the use of extreme violence. An outstandingly told story that is a Damien Lewis triumph, nothing less. In a world where we have a man who’s finger seems to be hovering over the trigger switch have we got the men and women who can use state sanctioned violence to do nothing less than save the world for our children and our grandchildren. Recommended 5 stars.
I did know that the Nazis attempted to develop an atomic weapon but, it was only on reading this excellent book did I realise just how close they were to perfecting it. The consequences of which do not bear thinking about for too long. That the destiny of the free world relied on a handful of fiercely trained & patriotic men is not even remotely in the periphery of an understatement. It is worth remembering that freedom needs to be robustly defended, and if necessary as the Nazis showed, it needs to be defended by the use of extreme violence. An outstandingly told story that is a Damien Lewis triumph, nothing less. In a world where we have a man who’s finger seems to be hovering over the trigger switch have we got the men and women who can use state sanctioned violence to do nothing less than save the world for our children and our grandchildren. Recommended 5 stars.
December 21, 2021
With Courage and Determination
The story of the resistance movement in Norway during WWII is illuminated in this well-written account. The fear among the allies of the development of a Nazi “A” bomb was real, and, a closely guarded secret. This story details the multiple attempts at the sabotage of the Norwegian heavy water facility that was producing key components for the ”A” bomb.
The most important part of this story is the multiple largely unknown heroes who risked everything to prevent the production of the Nazi “A” bomb.
The bravery, determination, sacrifice, and, even the suffering of these brave men are masterfully described here. We should not take too lightly what their courage and determination delivered for the free world that we enjoy today.
The story of the resistance movement in Norway during WWII is illuminated in this well-written account. The fear among the allies of the development of a Nazi “A” bomb was real, and, a closely guarded secret. This story details the multiple attempts at the sabotage of the Norwegian heavy water facility that was producing key components for the ”A” bomb.
The most important part of this story is the multiple largely unknown heroes who risked everything to prevent the production of the Nazi “A” bomb.
The bravery, determination, sacrifice, and, even the suffering of these brave men are masterfully described here. We should not take too lightly what their courage and determination delivered for the free world that we enjoy today.
August 12, 2023
A rather sensationalist account of the SOE-mounted operations in Norway to frustrate Nazi efforts to obtain heavy water. The missions are described with verve and it's a very easy read. This is a far better book than the other one I've read by this author.
I did have some doubts about some of the technical details and the overall sensationalist tone of the book. For example, the author repeatedly refers to the combination of plutonium and heavy water as being the key to an atomic bomb, confusing the facts that the plutonium is what's needed for the bomb - the heavy water is needed to make the plutonium. (And neither part of this is strictly true - neither material was required for the Hiroshima bomb). The author gets this right at one point but then repeatedly expresses himself in the more confused way, which grated a little.
May 20, 2020
This is a most interesting account of a combined British, Norwegian and ultimately american effort to prevent Hitler and the Nazis from producing an atomic bomb.
I had never heard the story of how this came to be and Mr. Lewis has written a riveting story.
The acts of self-sacrifice and heroism are incredible. I had never realized what a significant
role the Norwegian participants played in wrecking Hitler's plans. The unbelievable hardships
the Norwegian combatants faced and their bravery under the most formidable conditions are
to be admired without bounds for what they accomplished.
Once began, I could not stop reading this book. It is a real page turner.
I had never heard the story of how this came to be and Mr. Lewis has written a riveting story.
The acts of self-sacrifice and heroism are incredible. I had never realized what a significant
role the Norwegian participants played in wrecking Hitler's plans. The unbelievable hardships
the Norwegian combatants faced and their bravery under the most formidable conditions are
to be admired without bounds for what they accomplished.
Once began, I could not stop reading this book. It is a real page turner.
October 7, 2017
A fantastic story superbly brought to life, Damien Lewis does an excellent job of bringing each of the characters to life, making them relatable and taking the reader on a journey with them. While the story is placed firmly in the context of the overall war, the focus is kept on the individual trials and hardships of the small groups of men and the challenges they had to overcome, the successes and the gut-wrenching failures.
The narrative is superb, and the reader really feels as though they're right in the thick of it the whole way, taking part beside the characters.
The narrative is superb, and the reader really feels as though they're right in the thick of it the whole way, taking part beside the characters.
January 13, 2019
One of the greatest books ever written about one of the greatest mission ever undertaken. The premise in a nutshell sees allied forces working together to thwart Hitler’s final solution I.e. an atom bomb. This book details the extraordinary efforts a few specially trained soldiers undertake so that we could have the every day freedoms we take for granted. I would only recommend you read or listen to this book - not once but re-read as a valuable resource to appreciate all that we have and how everything could be very different if it wasn’t for the acts of bravery resilience and pure grit!
January 26, 2022
An excellent story about a largely unknown aspect of the war. Lewis does a great job of recounting the near suicidal missions that were undertaken to thwart Nazi efforts to develop an atomic weapon. It is unfathomable to imagine what the world would look like had the Nazis succeeded.
Interestingly enough, the Nat Geo channel series Draining the Ocean, covers the sinking of the SS Hydro, but does not get into the details about the entire heavy water project by the Nazis or the British and Norwegian plots to stop them.
4.5 stars
Interestingly enough, the Nat Geo channel series Draining the Ocean, covers the sinking of the SS Hydro, but does not get into the details about the entire heavy water project by the Nazis or the British and Norwegian plots to stop them.
4.5 stars
April 5, 2024
Less of a history book more of a historical adventure. Whilst the writing is entertaining Lewis’ writing also pairs to tired fables, misgivings and elementary errors, from quantities, to geographic locations (Oranienburg is not in North-West Germany, by any stage of the expansion and shrinking of the pre war, war time or post war Reich), and to functions (the GeStPo did not patrol), this being said, it is the perfect book for a history enthusiast as opposed to a Historian, it will provide entertainment, and a fictionalised insight into mind-boggling exploits.
September 29, 2021
Intriguing and fascinating story that is not well known and under appreciated for it significance to the final out come of WWII. Early in WWII, the British (SOE) and the Norwegians (Resistance) were the first to be concerned over the prospect of the Nazi's obtaining a nuclear weapon and/or a nuclear dirty bomb. At the cost of multiple lives on repeated attempts, the need to stop production of heavy water was paramount. Success was finally achieved much to the relief of the US and British and Norwegian governments. Great story well, researched and well written. For WWII history buffs, well worth the time to read.
March 2, 2017
It took me a while to get through this, not because I wasn't enjoying it but because there was so much information, that I wanted to take my time and absorb everything. This was a book detailing the actions of many brave men; incredible to know that their actions were both real and altered the course of the war. A brilliantly written book.
July 11, 2019
An excellent account of the British special operations attack on the Vemork heavy water plant in Norway, which was critical to Nazi atomic bomb development. Lewis has produced a history book that reads like a novel. The individuals involved come alive and the text is very engaging from start to finish.
August 5, 2019
An unusual tale that bears relating: this is kind of my subject area, but I had little to no idea how vigorously the search was on for the precursor technologies Hitler needed to start his own nuclear research during the War. The incredible endurance and courage of the commandos and Norwegian patriots who prosecuted this campaign should be better known!
April 30, 2022
Worth the time to read this.
Really like this author and his choice of subject matter. This story is so incredible and it was an honor to read about the phenomenal men that make freedom from evil their cause at great personal risk. It gives one great hope in living knowing that there are men like this in our world. Thank you.
Really like this author and his choice of subject matter. This story is so incredible and it was an honor to read about the phenomenal men that make freedom from evil their cause at great personal risk. It gives one great hope in living knowing that there are men like this in our world. Thank you.
February 4, 2024
excellent story of WWii
The book is very engrossing. The story of the sabotage and destruction of a critical phase of the Nazi atomic bomb development is compelling. The writing is very factual, and keep the narrative flowing. The story of the bravery of a very few men in the face of overwhelming odds is quite remarkable.
The book is very engrossing. The story of the sabotage and destruction of a critical phase of the Nazi atomic bomb development is compelling. The writing is very factual, and keep the narrative flowing. The story of the bravery of a very few men in the face of overwhelming odds is quite remarkable.
August 2, 2024
A captivating story full of politics, adventure, survival, and monumental historical background. Maybe a tiny bit too detailed at times. Overall enjoyable for history aficionados. It is evident that this author is extremely knowledgeable and passionate about the subject matter so that’s always a good foundation of a book.
September 24, 2024
Damien Lewis certainly has a way with words that I so love! This book told a story I knew nothing about, and kept me glued to it from beginning to the end! It was fascinating, frightening and miraculous what was accomplished! I highly recommend this unknown piece of the war that was monumental to the outcome of the entire war!
May 15, 2017
Interesting to read the full story behind the film "The Heroes of Telemark". This book tells the whole story of the allied attempts to stop the Nazis production of heavy water. I'm sure a lot of dialogue gas been invented but that doesn't detract from the factual nature of the
book.
book.
May 17, 2017
Hard to believe the sacrifice, dedication, courage and sheer determination demonstrated by so many. I am in awe of them all. Written to draw you into the characters, retelling and linking facts to create an intense and thoroughly enjoyable read. I didn't want this to end. Went straight into this from another of Damien Lewis's books and wish there were so many more from WWII.
September 4, 2017
This is a most amazing book about the courage of the British and Norwegian SOE Commando "gangsters". Were it not for them we would all be speaking German now and " the man in the high castle" a reality. The book is a docudrama and compelling reading
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