A Secret Mission Begins
On February 28, 1943, Norwegian Royal Army Colonel Leif Tronstad sent 11 commandos on a perilous mission to sabotage the Vemork chemical plant in Nazi-occupied Norway. The plant produced heavy water, a crucial material for the German atomic bomb program. To avoid capture and likely execution, the men were equipped with suicide capsules. Tronstad assured them, “If you succeed, it will live in Norway’s memory for a hundred years.”
The Stealthy Approach
The team parachuted into the wilderness and braved severe weather to reach the plant. Using maps provided by Norwegian resistance, they avoided heavily guarded routes, scaling steep ravine walls under the cover of darkness. The Germans had deemed this route impassable, leaving it unguarded.
A Silent Sabotage
Once inside, the saboteurs placed timed explosives in the heavy water production room and escaped without detection. The explosion destroyed vital equipment. Remarkably, no shots were fired, and no lives were lost. The team split into groups and skied to safety in neutral Sweden.
The Mission’s Impact
Though the Germans rebuilt the plant, the sabotage delayed their bomb program by months. This critical setback helped ensure Germany never produced an atomic bomb during the war.
In 1943, a daring mission unfolded in Nazi-occupied Norway. Eleven Norwegian commandos, armed with explosives and suicide capsules, risked their lives to sabotage the Vemork chemical plant, the heart of Germany’s nuclear ambitions. This mission changed the course of WWII.🧵👇 pic.twitter.com/wEpr2i1u1j
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