The Heisenberg Device

Reports on the Atom-Splitting Bomh.

This bomb is revolutionary in its results, and it will completely upset all ordinary precepts of warfare hitherto established. I am sending you, in one group, all those reports on what is called the atom-splitting bomb: 

It is a fact that in June of 1943 the German Army tried out an utterly new type of weapon against the Russians at a location 150 kilometers southeast of Kursk. Although it was the entire 19th Infantry Regiment of the Russians which was thus attacked, only a few bombs (each round up to 5 kilograms) sufficed to utterly wipe them out to the last man. 

Part 2. The following is according to a statement by Lieutenant-Colonel UE(?) I KENJI, advisor to the attache in Hungary and formerly (? on duty?) in this country, who by chance saw the actual scene immediately after the above took place: “All the men and the horses (? within the area of?) the explosion of the shells were charred black and even their ammunition had all been detonated.” 

Moreover, it is a fact that the same type of war material was tried out in the Crimea, too. At that time the Russians claimed that this was poison-gas, and protested that if Germany were ever again to use it, Russia, too, would use poison-gas. 

Part 3. There is also the fact that recently in London-in the period between October and the 15th of November-the loss of life and the damage to business buildings through fires of unknown origin was great. It is clear, judging especially by the articles about a new weapon of this type, which have appeared from time to time recently in British and American magazines-that even our enemy has already begun to study this type. 

To generalize on the basis of all these reports: I am convinced that the most important technical advance in the present great war is in the realization of the atom-splitting bomb. Therefore, the central authorities are planning, through research on this type of weapon, to speed up the matter of rendering the weapon practical. And for my part, I am convinced of the necessity for taking urgent steps to effect this end. 

Part 4. The following are the facts I have learned regarding its technical data: Recently the British authorities warned their people of the possibility that they might undergo attacks by German atom-splitting bombs. The American military authorities have likewise warned that the American east coast might be the area chosen for a blind attack by some sort of flying bomb. It was called the German V-3. 

To be specific, this device is based on the principle of the explosion of the nuclei of the atoms in heavy hydrogen derived from heavy water. (Germany has a large plant (? for this?) in the vicinity of Rjukan, Norway, which has from time to time been bombed by English planes.). Naturally, there have been plenty of examples even before this of successful attempts at smashing individual atoms. However, 

Part 5. as far as the demonstration of any practical results is concerned, they seem not to have been able to split large numbers of atoms in a single group. That is, they require for the splitting of each single atom a force that will disintegrate the electron orbit. On the other hand, the stuff that the Germans are using has, apparently, a very much greater specific gravity than anything heretofore used.

 In this connection, allusions have been made to SIRIUS and stars of the “White Dwarf” group. (Their specific gravity is (? 6?) 1 thousand, and the weight of one cubic inch is 1 ton.) In general, atoms cannot be compressed into the nuclear density. However, the terrific pressures and extremes of temperature in the “White Dwarfs” cause the bursting of the atoms; 

and Part 6. There are, moreover, radiations from the exterior of these stars composed of what is left of the atoms which are only the nuclei, very small in volume. According to the English newspaper accounts, the German atom-splitting device is the NEUMAN disintegrator. Enormous energy is directed into the central part of the atom and this generates at atomic pressure of several tons of thousands of tons (sic) per square inch. This device can split the relatively unstable atoms of such elements as uranium. Moreover, it brings into being a store of explosive atomic energy. A-GENSHI HAKAI DAN. 

That is, a bomb deriving its force from the release of atomic energy.

Inter 12 Dec 44 (1,2) Japanese; 

Rec’d 12 Dec 44; 

Trans 14 Dec 44 (3020-B)