The Man Who Stole the Atomic Bomb - WW2 Documentary Special

In the New Mexico desert, a secret team of scientists is working flat out to develop atomic bombs. It’s the most important American military project in history. But one of those scientists lives a double life. Klaus Fuchs has decided to betray his country and share America’s most secret technology with the Soviet Union. But is he the only person who has turned traitor?

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Hosted by: Astrid Deinhard & Indy Neidell
Director: Astrid Deinhard
Producers: Astrid Deinhard and Spartacus Olsson
Executive Producers: Astrid Deinhard, Indy Neidell, Spartacus Olsson
Creative Producer: Marek Kamiński
Community Management: Ian Sowden
Written by: Astrid Deinhard & Indy Neidell
Research by: Astrid Deinhard & Indy Neidell
Edited by: Karolina Dołęga
Artwork and color grading by: Mikołaj Uchman
Sound design by: Marek Kamiński
Colorizations by:
Mikołaj Uchman
Daniel Weiss

Image sources:
National Archives NARA
Bundesarchiv
Deutsche Fotothek‎
Los Alamos National Laboratory Science Photo Library

Soundtracks from Epidemic Sound:
Back at Noon - Elliot Holmes
Divisive Alliance - Jon Bjork
Fly Baby Fly - Fabien Tell
Last Point of Safe Return - Fabien Tell
London - Howard Harper-Barnes
Rememberance - Fabien Tell
Rocket Science - Hysics
Spy Game - Jon Sumner
Weapon of Choice - Fabien Tell

A TimeGhost chronological documentary produced by OnLion Entertainment GmbH.

[WorldWarTwo]

Fuchs, Norwood, Holtzberg, their actions will have an enormous impact on the postwar world and the atomic arms race. Who are some other spies who have had a massive impact on history?

[brokenbridge]

Seeing Indy and Astrid hosting together is a delight.

[PuncakeLena]

"I'm Indy Neidel. Hello darlings"

Oh I love that twist

[stuartmc]

These two are clearly having a lot of fun!

[gunman]

It’s always great to see Astrid & Indy together in a Spies & Ties episode video. Feels like there is already bits and pieces of the post war world slowly being revealed. Thank you as always World War Two team.

[Noone-jnjp]

Indy’s lil rant at the beginning is one of my favorite moments

[noahcount]

What a DYNAMIC DUO! 👍 Please team up for more episodes, Astrid and Indy.

[esmenhamaire]

Indy playfully mimicking Astrid's mannerisms was hilarious! Excellent episode too!

[rosswebster]

Thanks for another fantastic Spies and Ties entry Astrid, Indy and Time Ghost Crew! I’ve been looking forward to coverage of all the scandalous doings at Los Alamos! Fun Fact: Among the troubled boys who attended Los Alamos school was later Beat Generation writer and Naked Lunch author William S. Burroughs. Los Alamos is where he acquired his notorious love of firearms.

[rickhobson]

Isn't "Fuchs" German for "Fox?" And he's in the henhouse. Another great video! Nice to see the both of you working together! And you both like to talk with your hands, I think! Even when the other person is doing the talking! But it's really cute! ^^

[alexamerling]

Love the sound effects when Indy was talking about what was happening at Los Alamos lol

[chrish]

Fantastic and informative episode! I hadn’t realized that so many spouses of the Los Alamos scientists were themselves put to work in support rolls, though it does make perfect sense.

[markotrieste]

I wish I could understand my present time like Fuchs did in his. I mean, he conceived and forecast the concept of MAD, while 99.99% of his contemporaries didn't even understand what an atomic bomb was.

[Elitist]

After Fuchs was freed and went to East Germany, there was a headline: 'Freed Fuchs ducks behind Iron Curtain.' Groucho Marx cut it out and sent it to one of his brothers, writing 'Is this the Arthur Freed we used to know at MGM?' (who they hated).

[mathieu]

There were other spies in the project some not yet identified. For example, there was speculation that a technician responsible for doing basic checks all over the building was working for the Soviets. A lower level technician but having access to everything.

On the Soviet side of things, there is discussion about the actual use of the documentation. Because of the project's importance, the Soviets had to give some independence to the scientists doing the work. But giving them independence was really threatening to the authorities. So, then they could use the spy document as checks that the scientists were not bullshiting them. I heard good things about Beria who was directly doing that supervision.

[jim-kj]

415.000$ for all this land and ready to occupy buildings; omg times have changed...

[UncleJoeLITE]

MED could also mean "Massive Explosive Device"...wonder if that acronym was deliberately ambiguous?

[elbeto]

This video is a must-see for everyone who's watched Oppenheimer

[WillNGo]

Good episode. I always wondered if Fuchs used Richard Feynman, who regularly borrowed his car to visit visit his dying wife Arlene in a hospital in Albuquerque, as an unknowing 'postman', 'dead drop'? Feynman would've parked the car outside the hospital during his visits, it would be undisturbed for a few hours.

[kevinramsey]

And that's how I learned to stop worrying and love the bomb.