In May 1945, the war in Europe almost over, the Nazis converted a minelaying Type DX sub, the U-234, to a cargo carrier, loaded it with uranium oxide encased in lead, a crated Me 262 jet fighter, and various other advanced weapons technology, and sent it off to Japan. At sea, the crew heard of the surrender and turned the boat around and headed for the United States, ending up in New Hampshire. Fortunately for us, the advanced German weapons did not include atomic bombs. Heisenberg tried, but failed, principally because the German industrial plant was unable to undertake the enormous effort the US put into the Manhattan project. Had the Nazis been able to develop the atomic bomb earlier than we, the U-234, with Moscow now a smoking ruin, might well have sailed into New York harbor and delivered an ultimatum – agree to terms or lose the city. 

 

 

In the silence of the ocean deeps

Her mines now stored ashore

The last of Hitler’s U-boats creeps

The U-234

With two enigmas now aboard

One for the messaged code

The other cased in lead and stored

Inside the precious load

Their destination the Far East

They never did arrive

For war in Europe had now ceased

While crew was still alive

Relieved, they turned their boat around

New Hampshire bound they were

With crated Swallows soon aground

Creating quite a stir

But think about it if you will

The U-234

Was just a boat, of course, but still

It could have been much more

Had Heisenberg been there the first

But no, he was too late

And 234 the flaring burst

Of U-238