By: History.com Editors

1945

Americans seize 1,100 pounds of uranium in effort to prevent Soviets from developing A-bomb

History.com Editors

Published: November 05, 2009

Last Updated: January 25, 2025

On April 17, 1945, U.S. Lieutenant Colonel Boris T. Pash commandeers over half a ton of uranium at Strassfurt, Germany, in an effort to prevent the Soviets from developing an A-bomb.

Pash was head of the Alsos Group, organized to search for German scientists in the postwar environment in order to prevent the Soviets, previously Allies but now a potential threat, from capturing any scientists and putting them to work at their own atomic research plants. Uranium piles were also rich “catches,” as they were necessary to the development of atomic weapons.

Atomic Bomb History

Explore the top-secret American project to build the world's first atomic bomb.

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1790

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1917

Second Battle of Gaza begins

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1941

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1942

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1960

Eddie Cochran dies, and Gene Vincent is injured, in a UK car accident

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1961

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1964

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This Day In History: Ford Mustang debuts at World's Fair

1969

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1970

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1975

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Khmer Rouge troops capture Phnom Penh and government forces surrender. The war between government troops and the communist insurgents had been raging since March 1970, when Lt. Gen. Lon Nol had ousted Prince Norodom Sihanouk in a bloodless coup and proclaimed the establishment of the Khmer Republic. Between 1970 and 1975, Lon Nol and his […]

1989

Chinese students protest against government

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Citation Information

Article title
Americans seize 1,100 pounds of uranium in effort to prevent Soviets from developing A-bomb
Website Name
History
Date Accessed
March 25, 2025
Publisher
A&E Television Networks
Last Updated
January 25, 2025
Original Published Date
November 05, 2009

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