Operation Paperclip Essay

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During World War II, Germany’s scientists made many scientific discoveries and technological advances. These discoveries and advances included missiles, rockets, aircraft designs, medicine, electronics, and many other things. The full extent of this German technology was not known until the end of the war. However, the U.S. knew it would have to secure these findings before the Soviet Union and other countries did in order to maintain its world leadership and control over Communism (Van Nederveen, 2006). As a result, Operation Paperclip was formed. Operation Paperclip was a secret government program that would bring German scientists and their discoveries to the U. S. Paperclip was authorized by President Truman in August 1945. Only Germans…show more content…
Defenders of the operation argue that the balance of world authority could have easily moved to the Soviet Union during the Cold War if these German scientists were not brought to the United States. Opponents of the operation point to the moral wrong of ignoring war crimes without punishment or accountability. Operation Paperclip remained classified until 1999. Mark Richard, a senior Justice Department lawyer, urged senior government officials to make public a report of his findings involving Operation Paperclip, but was denied. As a result, a great many things about the operation still remain a secret to this day. However, it is known that the operation did lead to the foundation of NASA and the U. S. ICBM program. It also lead to many advances in technology and science for the United States. The hardware and personnel that came from Germany also formed the backbone of the early American space program. All in all, Operation Paperclip was both a scientific success and a moral failure (Operation Paperclip Casefile,
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