Overview

Hans Bethe (1906- ), Felix Bloch (1905-1983), Albert Einstein (1879-1955), Niels and Aage Bohr (1885-1962 and 1922- ), Enrico Fermi (1901-1954), Emilio Segrè (1905-1989), Eugene Wigner (1902-1995). All won the Nobel Prize in physics, all were involved with the Manhattan Project in some manner, and all were born in Europe, driven out by the rise of Fascist governments in the 1930s and 1940s. These were the proverbial tip of the iceberg; many more distinguished scientists fled Europe to escape the Fascists and more were captured by Allied armies. Of these scientists, most came to the United States, where they became prominent in physics, mathematics, and engineering. These scientists not only helped the Allies win World War II, but also helped the U.S. achieve and maintain technological...