Chapter 795: Group Photo

In fact, the United States intelligence services had underestimated the resources Germany had invested in various weapons, especially nuclear weapons. As early as 1927, Akado had been secretly scouting for qualified physicists for the German Wehrmacht, trying every means to make them serve him.

For example, he had become a close friend of Einstein, and at the same time, had secretly recruited American physics researchers through the Coca-Cola Company. The young and then-unknown scholar, Oppenheimer, had been secretly funded by the German military, eventually completing his studies in Germany and acquiring German citizenship.

This early investment was partly to allow Germany to obtain a reserve of more outstanding scientists, and partly to undermine the scientific circles of countries like the United States and Britain. Because Germany had acted so early, the scientists who were later proven to be geniuses were, in those years, just ordinary university students.

That was why Roosevelt lamented Akado’s foresight, lamenting that the Germans could have such a unique vision, to be able to, from among the masses, accurately poach all the scientists who would become talents in the future. It left a gaping hole for the late-to-the-game United States, plunging America’s scientific development, especially in the military field, into a difficult situation.

Under Akado’s meticulous arrangements, Germany’s nuclear weapons research team could be described as a gathering of stars. Germany’s own talents included famous scientists like Otto Hahn and Heisenberg, while the imported talents included leaders of the Manhattan Project from another timeline, such as the renowned Oppenheimer. The team was so filled with talent that it left the military officials in charge speechless. In one room, apart from the janitor, the lowest academic qualifications belonged to three physics masters who were doing odd jobs.

As early as April 1930, Professor Otto Hahn and his working group had completed the specific experiment of atomic fission at the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute for Chemistry in Berlin-Dahlem. He had bombarded the 92nd element, uranium, with neutrons. The result was more or less as planned: the uranium nucleus “shattered” in the process, becoming two parts that were no longer uranium. This was the phenomenon of atomic fission that Akado had explained to Einstein at the time.

On January 6, 1931, Otto Hahn presented the results of his series of experiments to the long-awaiting Akado. The Führer issued a mobilization order, commanding Hamburg University professor Paul Harteck to form the Third Reich’s nuclear weapons research department, with a focus on studying the feasibility of developing a nuclear explosive device.

In his directive, the Führer clearly pointed out: “The first country to possess this atomic weapon will have an insurmountable advantage over other nations.”

The Wehrmacht had gathered these scientists together through a conscription order and had given them the best experimental environment and the greatest rewards. They had the most precise and advanced laboratories in the world. The Führer personally took charge of this project and declared that this weapon could end the war in the fastest possible way.

The Führer of the Third Reich, Akado Rudolph, had given this project “a special priority above all other actions.” With the support of this order, atomic weapon research, codenamed “Project Rudolph” in Germany, began. And just by thinking of this project codename, which could be named after the Führer’s own surname, one could know just how astonishing the scale of the plan was. Because Akado did not know which of the three methods for splitting uranium-235 was the best, the German scientists were actually conducting fission experiments using all three methods simultaneously in order to find the most reasonable method of fission more quickly.

Germany had built heavy water plants in many regions and had even requisitioned some of the original border areas of the Netherlands and Germany in advance, where they had begun to construct the necessary buildings for a nuclear power plant. Germany had directly abandoned the impossible theory of nuclear fusion and had focused all its efforts on nuclear fission, which also bought Germany more time.

On the other hand, due to material limitations, Germany’s path in nuclear weapons research was not all smooth sailing. For the needs of their experiments, they had improved the technology for refining raw materials, built more systematic laboratories, and had even rebuilt a portion of the power supply infrastructure because it could not meet the demand.

The requirements for electricity in nuclear weapons research were enormous. For this, Germany had built a large number of thermal power plants in advance, constructing a huge power grid with Berlin as its core, radiating outwards. In order to develop their own nuclear weapons before the Americans, Akado and his subordinates had truly gone to great lengths.

And within Germany, apart from Chancellor August, who provided the infrastructure for the entire Rudolph Project, and the supreme Führer of the Empire, Akado, no one else knew the full content of the project. Even the White Orchid Group, which provided assistance to the project, only knew a part of the plan.

In a forest 10 kilometers from the outskirts of Berlin, a single road was the only safe way in and out. A dozen or so cars were parked on the side of the road, and only one core car was driving slowly forward along the road. This car stopped in front of the barrier of the first sentry post. Anna got out of the car and personally handed the Führer’s special pass to the captain on duty.

“Heil Führer!” The captain saluted and shouted the slogan, signaling for them to be allowed through. The barrier was slowly raised. After Anna got back into the car, it slowly passed through the checkpoint. All the movements seemed to be extremely cautious, because just a few centimeters from the edge of this road, there might be a deadly landmine buried.

The edge of the forest was guarded by barbed wire and a minefield. Further in were watchtowers and anti-aircraft gun positions. The core area had its own independent power station and living quarters. A straight avenue led all the way to the very core position and then ended there. This avenue was called Rudolph Avenue by the people here.

At this very moment, on both sides of the avenue, scientists in white lab coats were already crowded together. They watched as this car, which symbolized the highest status in the Empire, slowly pulled over to the side of the road. They watched as a tall, thin man got out of the car. They watched as he smiled and took the greatcoat handed to him by the beautiful female secretary beside him. They watched as he walked up to them and then said softly, “Thank you all for your hard work.”

After the Führer had gotten out of the car, Anna and the Führer’s driver helped to move Dr. Einstein’s wheelchair out of the car as well. This scientist with the explosive hairstyle now looked a little pale. The pain of being unable to stand had made him thin and weak, but his spirits were high today, because he had met many of his very good old friends.

“Heil Akado Rudolph, our Führer!” The surrounding soldiers on guard duty raised their arms. Some of the fanatical young scientists also raised their arms. When everyone had raised their arms, Akado gestured for everyone to be at ease.

He then walked up to Otto Hahn and shook hands with this highly respected scientist. “There is no need for formalities. I am here to visit you all today. I am the guest, and you are the masters here. Let’s go, it’s getting cold. Let’s talk inside.” He walked in front, with Anna pushing Einstein, and Otto Hahn, Heisenberg, and others following behind them, all entering the building together.

“I am here today with my old friend, Dr. Einstein, to see you all. I, Akado, will remember the contributions you have all made to the Empire. You are all the creators of the new world order, and also the meritorious subjects of the Empire! To be able to live in the same era as all of you, and to have made your acquaintance, is my, Akado’s, honor,” Akado said in the conference room, which was crowded with people. He shook hands with everyone and chatted cordially.

If his identity outside was the Führer of an empire, then here he was facing the kings and monarchs of the world of physical science. Any one of the people here could be said to be a brilliant jewel of human civilization. Here, he was unconsciously humble, lowering his status and chatting and laughing with everyone.

“Dr. Einstein has suggested that we should take a picture together, a picture for people to remember in the future,” Otto Hahn said, after chatting with Einstein for a while. He suddenly proposed, “We really should take a picture. The Führer happens to be here today as well.”

“You are all scientists. I would be a bit out of place in it. You all should take it,” Akado said with a smile, waving his hand in refusal.

Madame Curie, at the side, said proudly, “Dr. Einstein mentioned you, Führer, in his letter to me. He holds you in the highest esteem and said that if you could devote yourself to the study of physics, you would surely become a great scientist. He said your explanation of the atomic structure was very professional, and that some of your ideas had benefited him greatly.”

Speaking of which, she seemed a little unhappy, but she still maintained her due composure. “If that fellow Heinrich were here today, I would not have taken a picture with someone like him. But you, Führer, I think to be recognized by Dr. Einstein for your academic accomplishments is already enough to say that you are a physicist.”

“Well said! Whether it’s a Field Marshal of the Empire or a great businessman like Krupp, we will not take a picture with them. But we don’t mind taking one with you, Mr. Physicist Akado Rudolph,” the Danish physicist Bohr also said with a nod.

And so, everyone lined up in the auditorium and took a commemorative group photo.

Remember these names: sitting in the center was Akado Rudolph. Beside him was Einstein in a wheelchair. On either side of them were Heisenberg and Otto Hahn. Further to the sides were Szilard and Teller. A young Oppenheimer smiled in the crowd, smiling at the camera lens. The Italian scientist Fermi, the German scientists Strassmann, Meitner, Bethe, and J. Franck; the French scientists, the Joliot-Curies; the Hungarian and Austrian scientists Rabi and Frisch; the Danish titan of physics, Bohr…

These scientists included elites from the occupied territories, anti-war activists from Germany itself, young people from formerly or currently hostile countries, and many already famous physics experts. One can imagine what a complex and painstaking job it was to gather these people together in harmony and to have them work together. It could be said that this achievement alone was enough to make Akado proud.

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