Today, they say the USA was "late to the party" and suggest they would not all be speaking German (or Japanese).
The News of the Week in Review
The Battle of France: An Allied Triumph (map) – 13
Fifteen News Questions – 14
Hope Springs Eternal (cartoon) – 15
Germany Reduced to Strategy of Desperation (Baldwin) – 16-17
“The Wild West Front” (cartoon) – 17
‘Superforts’ Put Japan in Line for Reich Fate (Shalett) – 18-19
Nazis Keep Repeating Claims for V-2 Weapon (Axelsson) – 19
Reassurance (cartoon) – 20
“First Aid” (cartoon) – 20
Security Plan Poses a Basic U.S. Decision (by James B. Reston) – 21-22
Answers to Fifteen News Questions – 22
http://www.onwar.com/chrono/1944/aug44/27aug44.htm#
RAF bombing in daylight
Sunday, August 27, 1944 www.onwar.com
Over Germany... RAF Bomber Command raids the oil plant at Homberg-Meerbeck in its first daylight attack with heavy bombers since the early months of the war.
On the Western Front... British 21st Army Group and US 12th Army Group continue to advance beyond the Seine River. The US 3rd Army, on the right wing of the army groups, captures Chateau Thierry on the Marne River as well as reaching the Seine River at Troyes, farther inland.
On the Eastern Front... Soviet forces capture Focsani and Galati, with most of their respective garrisons. The advance continues toward Bucharest and Ploesti.
In Washington... At Dumbarton Oaks, senior Allied representatives meet to discuss postwar security.
Today, they say the USA was "late to the party" and suggest they would not all be speaking German (or Japanese).
(Page 9): Parachute dresses for the ladies. Cool.
Atomic weapons mentioned in two articles today. Once, Baldwin says the Germans can’t win unless they can come up with atomic weapons or something similar. The other is the report from Sweden on the V-2, and Goebbels’ hint that the Germans may be developing atomic bombs.
But I am reassured by the distinguished Swedish scientist that talk of atomic weapons is a bunch of “hooey.” Still, it would be nice if we could build such a thing.
Some interesting takes here:
1. Back in the late 1930s, the NYT was following atomic research, and the possibility of atomic weapons was discussed.
2. Starting sometime in 1940, the Times “went dark” on all reporting regarding atomic research, and have reported nothing since then.
3. Hanson Baldwin has twice or three times now in the past month made reference to atomic weapons, without making much other reference to their potential destructiveness. On all occasions he’s talked about the possibility of the Germans building such weapons. He hasn’t even hinted that we might be doing the same.
4. The Swedish article is the first time I’ve seen the concept of atomic weapons paired with intercontinental ballistic missiles.
5. Once again I strongly suspect that Baldwin has deduced we are building atom bombs.
6. When we do use the bombs a year from now, astute Americans should not be surprised. In fact, during the flight to Hiroshima, Tibbets finally discussed some of the nature of the bomb without specifically telling the crew what it was. One of the crew said “that thing sounds like a chemist’s nightmare.” To which Tibbets replied “more like a physicist’s nightmare.” The crew member thought for a moment and then asked Tibbets “Sir; are we splitting atoms today?” It was then that Tibbets decided to tell the crew exactly what was in the bomb bay.
But the astute people who had been current with scientific developments were not surprised.