Thread by @PrezWisdom

"OPERATION PAPERCLIP" was a top-secret program of the US Government where ~1,600 German scientists (most of them Nazis) were brought to the US after World War II mainly to defeat the Soviets in the Cold War & Space Race.

It was authorized by Harry Truman 🇺🇸 in 1946.
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Harry Truman 🇺🇸 forbade anyone who was "a member of the Nazi party and more than a nominal participant in its activities, or an active supporter of Nazism" to participate in the program.

To this effect, background checks on the scientists were ordered but...

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...against Truman's 🇺🇸 orders the scientists' Nazi backgrounds were scrubbed

After the Nuremberg Trials word got out, so the Army did damage control by distributing "wholesome" pictures of the men w/families & pre-approving all media content related to the scientists

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Public outcry against the project included former #FLOTUS Eleanor Roosevelt 🇺🇸 & Albert Einstein (who alerted Truman of the dangers of using Nazis)

In 1947, due to the protests, Gen. Dwight Eisenhower 🇺🇸 ordered a briefing on the matter but ultimately approved it

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A scientist of note was Wernher von Braun (SS member & Nazi rocket program head), whose design of the Saturn Launch System made JFK's 🇺🇸 moon mission a reality

Gerald Ford 🇺🇸 almost(!) gave him the Presidential Medal of Freedom!

A moon crater is even named for him!

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Another Nazi, Kurt Debus (here with VP Lyndon Johnson and John F. Kennedy 🇺🇸) became a NASA director

Recognition for his contributions include, but not limited to, membership in the National Space Hall of Fame

A crater on the moon is also named for him!

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What do we do with things like this?

Do the ends justify the means?

Please discuss below - please be kind to one another as you discuss - Thanks!

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