From WWII to the Space Race: The Story of Project Paperclip

Between 1945 and the 1960s, the United States government brought more than 1, 500 German scientists and engineers into the country through Project Paperclip to work on guided missiles, jet and rocket engines, aerodynamics, aerospace medicine, and submarine technology. The U. S. hoped these specialists could give them an advantage at the end of WWII and into the Cold War. Over time, many of the Germans disappeared into American military, industrial, and academic positions. However, one of them, Wernher von Braun, became prominent through his involvement in the Space Race. Join the Museum for a program exploring Project Paperclip with Dr. Michael Neufeld, Senior Curator at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum and author of Von Braun: Dreamer of Space, Engineer of War, and Eric Lichtblau, author of The Nazis Next Door: How America Became a Safe Haven for Hitler s Men. The conversation will be moderated by Linda Dawson, author of The Politics and Perils of Space Exploration.