Klaus Fuchs: The Nuclear Spy

The release of the hit film Oppenheimer has led to increased public interest in the true story of the Manhattan Project, the effort of a combined team of American and British scientists to create the atomic bomb during World War II. The film accurately shows the conflicted emotions those scientists had about their work, which resulted in the development of the most destructive weapon mankind has ever known, as well as efforts from the Soviet Union to acquire the secrets of the bomb for themselves through the use of spies.
The USSR’s chief spy in the Manhattan Project was also instrumental in its creation: Klaus Fuchs (Author’s Note: Pronounced FEWKS). Fuchs was considered one of the UK’s top scientific minds, and was recruited to work on the atomic bomb project almost from the very beginning of it. Exiled from his native Germany by the rise of Hitler, Fuchs was happy to work on the bomb project because he believed it was necessary to defeat the Nazis. What not even his closest friends and associates realized, however, was that Fuchs was also a devoted Communist who was passing on all the nuclear secrets he was learning to Soviet agents.
Unlike other spies, Fuchs wasn’t motivated by money: he was a true believer in the effectiveness of the Communist system to heal society’s ills, and also that the Western Allies shouldn’t have a monopoly on the atomic bomb: if world peace was to be maintained, a balance of power was required. He continued passing information to the Soviets until he was caught in 1949, much to the embarrassment of the British security services, who had identified him as a possible security risk for years but done nothing about it. His information accelerated the progress of the USSR’s own bomb project, making him, potentially, one of the most consequential spies in history.
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Further Reading:
Atomic Spy: The Dark Lives of Klaus Fuchs by Nancy Thorndike Greenspan, Penguin Random House 2020

Пікірлер: 158

  • @Biographics
    @BiographicsАй бұрын

    Eric's Stuff Storyrant: www.youtube.com/@storyrant OEI analog horror experiment: www.youtube.com/@officeofextradimensionalint Get Echoes of Olympus Mons free by signing up to Eric's Newsletter: dl.bookfunnel.com/1cw07o2uyb Link Tree to other books and socials: linktr.ee/EricMalikyte

  • @AP-rs3js
    @AP-rs3jsАй бұрын

    Klaus gave zero fuchs

  • @Swellington_

    @Swellington_

    Ай бұрын

    Nailed it 😂😂

  • @Menaceblue3

    @Menaceblue3

    Ай бұрын

    Oh Scheissen.... Däs nøt güd

  • @omerto5599
    @omerto5599Ай бұрын

    Some might say he really Fuchs'd them over 😎

  • @peter-radiantpipes2800
    @peter-radiantpipes2800Ай бұрын

    Wow! Keeps really works!! Hair is looking great Simon but maybe a few side effects?

  • @Menaceblue3

    @Menaceblue3

    Ай бұрын

    It cured his vision problems but made him fat....

  • @Nick-xt2dx

    @Nick-xt2dx

    28 күн бұрын

    ​@@Menaceblue3and have an American accent.

  • @SpectacularDisaster

    @SpectacularDisaster

    23 күн бұрын

    😅

  • @SpectacularDisaster

    @SpectacularDisaster

    23 күн бұрын

    And caused him to cover up his tattoos and stop going by the name Karl Smallwood

  • @ignitionfrn2223
    @ignitionfrn2223Ай бұрын

    2:30 - Chapter 1 - Early life 5:25 - Chapter 2 - Tube alloys 8:00 - Chapter 3 - Manhattan project 10:10 - Chapter 4 - Trinity 12:10 - Chapter 5 - Harwell 13:50 - Chapter 6 - Soviet spy 16:20 - Chapter 7 - Confession 19:10 - Chapter 8 - Aftermath 21:10 - Conclusion

  • @tonbopro

    @tonbopro

    Ай бұрын

    danke

  • @kaitlynlicona1086

    @kaitlynlicona1086

    Ай бұрын

    Thank you!

  • @valkordarkmoor9108
    @valkordarkmoor9108Ай бұрын

    With a name like Klaus Fuchs you'd think someone with some genre awareness would raise a brow at least. Guy sounds like a Bond villain.

  • @Biographics

    @Biographics

    Ай бұрын

    One would think. One would think.

  • @lambert581

    @lambert581

    Ай бұрын

    @@Biographics How about a Biographics on Bruno Sammartino

  • @johgu92

    @johgu92

    Ай бұрын

    It's a very common german last name

  • @otaconz1147
    @otaconz1147Ай бұрын

    How long did all of you take to spot the cat in the shelf for the first time?

  • @Biographics

    @Biographics

    Ай бұрын

    She's been in several videos, actually. lol I think she knows she's on camera.

  • @giselematthews7949

    @giselematthews7949

    Ай бұрын

    Ya, some times she is there, some times not.

  • @DigitalLazarus
    @DigitalLazarusАй бұрын

    Thank you. I am so grateful it's you narrating this biographic. Putting the kettle on now. Be right back!

  • @niallsheehan474
    @niallsheehan474Ай бұрын

    So the Isle of Man is in Canada now , you guys are hilarious

  • @zaco-km3su

    @zaco-km3su

    28 күн бұрын

    Cataraqui River, Ontario, Canada.

  • @nl3064

    @nl3064

    27 күн бұрын

    ​@@zaco-km3suokay, but here they obviously mean the British one. Duh.

  • @Quantum-

    @Quantum-

    26 күн бұрын

    It is... It's not uncommon for North American localities to be named after other places in the world. For instance there are cities named Egypt and Palestine in Ohio. That's why he specified that it was the one in Canada. Genius.

  • @ComUnSas

    @ComUnSas

    25 күн бұрын

    The photo in this video looks awfully like the British Isle of Man, which is fair enough as that's where Fuchs was initially interned. He was sent to Canada afterwards. Edit: it's also unlikely that Fuchs fled Germany in 1993 plus a few other flubs in this video

  • @stephensparkman3072

    @stephensparkman3072

    6 күн бұрын

    He should have said “Isle of Man AND Canada”, not “in” Canada. Although Fuchs was interned on the Isle of Man ( famous for TT races), he was sent to internment camps in Canada afterwards. There is an “isle of man” in southern Ontario Canada but it’s not the one referenced.

  • @fsll1575
    @fsll1575Ай бұрын

    where is Karl Smallwood?

  • @ShawnPhillips0531

    @ShawnPhillips0531

    Ай бұрын

    We’ve gone from asking where Simon is to where is Karl

  • @SpectacularDisaster

    @SpectacularDisaster

    23 күн бұрын

    ​@ShawnPhillips0531 We know where Simon went. He does Warographics among other videos.

  • @scifino1

    @scifino1

    20 күн бұрын

    @@ShawnPhillips0531 Simon does every video on Casual Criminalist and Brain Blaze.

  • @-RONNIE
    @-RONNIEАй бұрын

    Thank you for the information

  • @Istandby666
    @Istandby666Ай бұрын

    @4:05 He says September 1993 but meaning to say September 1933.

  • @hamiltonguy6922

    @hamiltonguy6922

    27 күн бұрын

    He also said the American test was 1949 not 1945 and said ‘Veronica project’ instead of Venona. Are these not reviewed before posting them?

  • @1514max
    @1514maxАй бұрын

    IIRC he also gave secrets to the British too.

  • @JoeThornhill
    @JoeThornhillАй бұрын

    So, which ones are they? July 1945 or 1949? And the 'Veronica Project' or 'Venona Project'?

  • @ronrozen2105

    @ronrozen2105

    Ай бұрын

    The narrator is quite good but the small mistakes here and there were a little bit distracting

  • @Biographics

    @Biographics

    Ай бұрын

    I do multiple takes on lines too. So maybe the editor used the wrong one?

  • @hakeemfullerton8645
    @hakeemfullerton8645Ай бұрын

    Suggestions for a future biographics video: George Westinghouse, Chester A. Arthur or Frances Perkins

  • @AnnaAnna-uc2ff
    @AnnaAnna-uc2ffАй бұрын

    Thank you.

  • @charlesplante
    @charlesplanteАй бұрын

    Klaus DOES WHAT?

  • @willekln
    @willeklnАй бұрын

    20:21 Makes sense since he was hanging out there during that time frame.

  • @danielsantiagourtado3430
    @danielsantiagourtado3430Ай бұрын

    Thanks For this eric! Suggestion: Charles XIV of sweden

  • @st8241
    @st8241Ай бұрын

    Can we have Karl back ?

  • @HarperGamble
    @HarperGambleАй бұрын

    Alamogordo has an “r” in it. It’s not whatever the heck was said in this video.

  • @thomassmart4088
    @thomassmart4088Ай бұрын

    Klaus Fuchs everyone

  • @aneasteregg8171
    @aneasteregg8171Ай бұрын

    Any relation to Fred?

  • @Biographics

    @Biographics

    Ай бұрын

    Unknown.

  • @ewalker9051

    @ewalker9051

    Ай бұрын

    I am glad this was mentioned, I think they might be cousins.

  • @SpectacularDisaster

    @SpectacularDisaster

    23 күн бұрын

    ​@@BiographicsIt's an AVGN reference

  • @Jayjay-qe6um
    @Jayjay-qe6um29 күн бұрын

    "I joined the Communist Party because I felt I had to be in some organization." -- Klaus Fuchs

  • @U.nknown.U
    @U.nknown.UАй бұрын

    Where is Simon 😢😢

  • @jwindeezee
    @jwindeezeeАй бұрын

    Never heard of that "Veronica Project".... must have been running alongside Verona : }

  • @Kid_Charlemagne
    @Kid_CharlemagneАй бұрын

    What did he do to the spy?

  • @johnlopez9014
    @johnlopez9014Ай бұрын

    Klaus gave zero Fuchs n betrayed

  • @TM-yn4iu
    @TM-yn4iuАй бұрын

    BACK IN THE BASEMENT LOOKING UP TO VIDEO AGAIN!!!

  • @michaelvaughn1496
    @michaelvaughn1496Ай бұрын

    I appreciate your hosting. Not going to bad mouth the "standup comedian" who was Simon's interim host but...also, my friend, I don't think the Isle of Man is in Canada. I believe, u,mmmm...it's in the Irish Sea.

  • @Saphykitten
    @SaphykittenАй бұрын

    Simon, your hair grew back! You're also a different person in this video.

  • @Shitpostus_maximus69
    @Shitpostus_maximus6929 күн бұрын

    Make a video about lyndon larouche

  • @dereks1264
    @dereks1264Ай бұрын

    Even though I'm Canadian, I had no idea until today that there was an Isle of Man in this country.

  • @keithwald5349

    @keithwald5349

    23 күн бұрын

    Yeah. When I heard it, I sort of assumed something like "Oh, Canada is a Commonwealth country, so they sent him to the UK governed Isle of Man" or somesuch, until I looked it up. Weird, wild stuff.

  • @SaS-cs7hz
    @SaS-cs7hz29 күн бұрын

    Where’s Karl?

  • @Matt-mj2iv

    @Matt-mj2iv

    13 күн бұрын

    Mimi Karl decided he didn't want to do it anymore

  • @Straightarrow213
    @Straightarrow213Ай бұрын

    Hey, wait a minute where’s Simon

  • @Biographics

    @Biographics

    Ай бұрын

    You're right, we're all Simon at heart.

  • @Gmoro00

    @Gmoro00

    Ай бұрын

    I think Simon really needs to rest, that man is in the studio 24/7. 😅

  • @Straightarrow213

    @Straightarrow213

    Ай бұрын

    @@Biographics 😅 I meant to say, where is Simon at?

  • @kimbolin534
    @kimbolin534Ай бұрын

    I knew about the Manhattan project

  • @ronrozen2105

    @ronrozen2105

    Ай бұрын

    Smort

  • @johncharlton199
    @johncharlton199Ай бұрын

    Simon looks great!

  • @Biographics

    @Biographics

    Ай бұрын

    We are all Simon. Simon is all of us. We are one.

  • @johncharlton199

    @johncharlton199

    Ай бұрын

    @@Biographics 😅😅

  • @marcelleroux9172
    @marcelleroux9172Ай бұрын

    I don't think i read the title correctly

  • @Biographics

    @Biographics

    Ай бұрын

    Mind blown, right? Fred Fuchs has been vindicated.

  • @slackerofhell
    @slackerofhellАй бұрын

    Totally off topic but some people to consider covering! I'm Canadian so I will admit this is super biased. If I list someone that's already been covered I apologize. Alexander Graham Bell Sir Frederick Banting Tommy Douglas David Suzuki Jean Chretien Sir John A. Macdonald Louis Riel Billy Bishop Terry Fox John Diefenbaker Pierre Trudeau Lester B Pearson Sir Wilfrid Laurier MacKenzie King Brian Mulroney Kim Campbell Jack Layton Jacques Cartier Chris Hadfield Just a list of ideas for you guys!

  • @timlett99
    @timlett99Ай бұрын

    Why does he look like Logic in the thumbnail lmao

  • @taylorroarkpayton
    @taylorroarkpayton2 күн бұрын

    Trinity happened July 16th 1945, not 1949.

  • @honigschnee
    @honigschnee21 күн бұрын

    How did you do all this research for this veídeo, but not look up the pronounciation of any of the names or places. -.-

  • @jonj1163
    @jonj116327 күн бұрын

    "Aww Fuchs!" That's no good..

  • @markadams7046
    @markadams7046Ай бұрын

    I can understand his desire for a balance of power, but even if his desire was to support communism, there is difference between supporting communism and supporting the Soviet Union, specially under Stalin. it maybe that communism made the Soviet Union corrupt as communism tends to put more power in the hands of fewer people, thus making them more corrupt as too much power tends to do. I believe all governments eventually become corrupted as power hungry people can sometimes be creative and intelligent enough to find the kink in the armor of any type of government.

  • @davidtodd3401
    @davidtodd3401Ай бұрын

    Simon looks different

  • @Andrew-wt3ji
    @Andrew-wt3jiАй бұрын

    Biographics, make a video on Zachary Taylor,one of the most underrated presidents

  • @RazHolly
    @RazHollyАй бұрын

    Fred Fuchs’ great uncle.

  • @deadlionfish
    @deadlionfish29 күн бұрын

    Make the correction he did not graduate in 1993. Does anybody make a final edit and check for errors

  • @Abyss-Will
    @Abyss-WillАй бұрын

    So there was a decryption project named Veronica??? Code Veronica was a real thing??? Cool.

  • @TheSegaSuperFan
    @TheSegaSuperFanАй бұрын

    Why does he look like Logic tho 😂😂

  • @ellists3163
    @ellists316329 күн бұрын

    Not Simon

  • @nonstopbg
    @nonstopbg28 күн бұрын

    The soviets already had their own design so his role was minimal.

  • @omarkhan8215
    @omarkhan821515 күн бұрын

    The Isle of Man is not in Canada

  • @hollywood1821
    @hollywood182125 күн бұрын

    Cowboy bebop reference at the end 😂

  • @jamesbodnarchuk3322
    @jamesbodnarchuk3322Ай бұрын

    Isle of Man Canada? Scotland I think.

  • @roberw1912

    @roberw1912

    29 күн бұрын

    Neither. It's a separate crown Territory.

  • @Freakcent
    @FreakcentАй бұрын

    1993.... oops 04:04

  • @Biographics

    @Biographics

    Ай бұрын

    I guess the 90s have been on my mind lately...

  • @Freakcent

    @Freakcent

    Ай бұрын

    @@Biographics As they should be.

  • @FleaRHCP97

    @FleaRHCP97

    Ай бұрын

    In addition, and correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think the Trinity test was in 1949 😂🤣10:18

  • @Madis525
    @Madis52529 күн бұрын

    Who is this beardo?

  • @Mikkelltheimmortal
    @Mikkelltheimmortal29 күн бұрын

    As a Canadian I had to look up the Isle of Man Ontario Canada. It's not even an island. It's a tiny peninsula at the end of a very short isthmus. It looks like an attractive place to live, but as far as I can tell, an island it is not

  • @ComUnSas

    @ComUnSas

    25 күн бұрын

    Fuchs was held on the British Isle of Man (as per the photo in this video). Fuchs was moved to Canada (Quebec) later

  • @Mikkelltheimmortal

    @Mikkelltheimmortal

    25 күн бұрын

    @@ComUnSas I googled it and there is an Isle of Man in Kingston Ontario, Canada where there was an internment camp for Germans. To me it sounds like you're making crap up to sound smart, but by just blasting me with stuff that has nothing to do with my comment you sound like an idiot.

  • @strawbilly
    @strawbilly28 күн бұрын

    Bring back Kyle!

  • @paulherman5822
    @paulherman5822Ай бұрын

    Would love a Biographics on Cassius Marcellus Clay. The politician, not Mohammed Ali.

  • @mikewilliams1479
    @mikewilliams147929 күн бұрын

    Why does Klaus look like the rapper LogiC?

  • @aarongolden7568
    @aarongolden756829 күн бұрын

    FUUUUUUUUUCHS -Barry

  • @danielsantiagourtado3430
    @danielsantiagourtado3430Ай бұрын

    Love to watch your content than any AI generated one any day of the week

  • @balabanasireti

    @balabanasireti

    Ай бұрын

    Move on

  • @LazyAndFabulous
    @LazyAndFabulous29 күн бұрын

    Did the Nuclear Spy gave consent?

  • @MrVNE
    @MrVNEАй бұрын

    1993? Veronica Project? Ummmm....?

  • @solenegro
    @solenegro28 күн бұрын

    Yo do wintold poleki

  • @auntheidi9389
    @auntheidi938926 күн бұрын

    So...why did he go to England instead of Moscow????

  • @steveclapper5424
    @steveclapper5424Ай бұрын

    It can't be that the Russians were just smart?

  • @fraterjr
    @fraterjr29 күн бұрын

    Is this the same Klaus the CIA put in a fish body on American dad?

  • @JM-wf2to
    @JM-wf2toАй бұрын

    So is simon gone? Thats unfortunate. This guy blows.

  • @Spifys
    @SpifysАй бұрын

    Is that logic on the thumbnail 😂

  • @AndyHoward
    @AndyHowardАй бұрын

    You mention what if Truman used the bomb during the Korean War: kzread.info/dash/bejne/lGdrm8OHZJi8dag.html Here's what would happen: Essentially the world world be shocked by this. As the video puts it: like using a grenade to stop a little league hockey brawl.

  • @shelleyscloud3651
    @shelleyscloud3651Ай бұрын

    What a ⚓️er

  • @nuj427
    @nuj427Ай бұрын

    4:05 1993?

  • @grandpalarry7776

    @grandpalarry7776

    Ай бұрын

    Plus the Trinity test was scheduled for July 16th 1949 (10:16) and the Isle of Man is in Canada (4:57)????

  • @nuj427

    @nuj427

    Ай бұрын

    @@grandpalarry7776 and I thought I was going crazy 🤣

  • @hosseintaba4077
    @hosseintaba407728 күн бұрын

    university of lepzeg in 1993😂

  • @FearlessP4P1
    @FearlessP4P129 күн бұрын

    Bring back the slaphead

  • @guelphguy2779
    @guelphguy277928 күн бұрын

    Arrogant? A German? Unbelievable.

  • @LacRagem
    @LacRagem29 күн бұрын

    Hard swing and miss on pronouncing Alamogordo

  • @buckyhermit

    @buckyhermit

    27 күн бұрын

    Still better than how he pronounced "Leipzig." Not sure where THAT came from.

  • @crabbuckets7506
    @crabbuckets7506Ай бұрын

    Nerd!

  • @shotoka81
    @shotoka81Ай бұрын

    Booo..Get rid of Mr. Anti-America and bring back Simon!

  • @shotoka81

    @shotoka81

    28 күн бұрын

    Or Carl with a K and Small with a Wood... he's great too!! 👍👍

  • @intractablemaskvpmGy
    @intractablemaskvpmGy27 күн бұрын

    One of my professors encapsulated the entire "Russia Obtaining the Bomb" with one sentence: "We gave them the science to maintain the World's balance of power." And left it at that. I always wondered. Maybe this Klaus Fuchs doing it on his own is just the official story, lol because I almost don't believe much at face value. And the US was and still is up to misdirection at a grand scale. At the time the Soviets were poised to take over the rest of Europe, and they probably would have. Giving them atomics made them back off. Anyway that's my loose take on it

  • @IanSinclair77
    @IanSinclair7729 күн бұрын

    Not Simon. Stayed on script. No rambling stories about childhood or his children... It's hard to not be Simon..

  • @Biographics

    @Biographics

    29 күн бұрын

    Would you like to hear about the art of creating slimy bag monsters out of trash bags? I could probably talk about that.

  • @IanSinclair77

    @IanSinclair77

    29 күн бұрын

    @Biographics that does sound excellent, but just do it how you want to mate. You're doing well. Everyone loves Simon for being Simon and he's a hard act to follow. Keep going, and in the future, I'll comment that the other presenter isn't you 😉

  • @overwhelmingapathy721
    @overwhelmingapathy721Ай бұрын

    Karl

  • @johgu92
    @johgu92Ай бұрын

    Absoluter Ehrenmann.

  • @HammerliFanBoy
    @HammerliFanBoy29 күн бұрын

    I can't stand this guy. Im unsubscribing. I can't even watch his videos.

  • @ninizeldav7174
    @ninizeldav717423 күн бұрын

    I refuse to listen to someone else than the Factboi himself. Sorry bro but I am not listening to this. Kinda sad.

  • @Pwj579
    @Pwj579Ай бұрын

    Truman was pretty stupid to try and bully Stalin, the ultimate dictator and brutal strong man. Truman is revered by liberals, but ultimately he wasn’t actually that great of a president

  • @theloniuspunk383
    @theloniuspunk383Ай бұрын

    Jewish?

  • @yankeecrazy9

    @yankeecrazy9

    29 күн бұрын

    Fuchs was not Jewish, his father was a Lutheran minister and a Quaker. His opposition to the Nazis came from moral and political differences with their ideology.

  • @theloniuspunk383

    @theloniuspunk383

    29 күн бұрын

    @yankeecrazy9 cool, thanks! So funny hearing moral arguments for Israel, us imperialism and bolshevism :D definitely don't mess with Russia though I agree

  • @user-xh9xw3sn8d
    @user-xh9xw3sn8dАй бұрын

    Gay