Customer Reviews

U-234-Hitler's Last U-Boat

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This DVD tells the story of the last voyage of U234. In March 1945 it leaves Germany bound for Japan. Its cargo includes an ME262 jet fighter and V2 rocket components, together with over 500 KG of uranium - bound for the Japanese atomic bomb program. Its passengers include a Luftwaffe general, armaments experts together with plans of Germany's latest weapons and 2 Japanese officers.
Through the use of wartime footage, photographs and interviews of surviving people, we follow the last voyage of U234 as the allies pursue her and try to sink her.
After the surrender of Germany, the crew decides to surrender to the Americans. When the Americans realise what the submarine is carrying - Uranium - people from the Manhattan project race to get this Uranium.
Did the Uranium finally make it to Japan, delivered by the American Air Force instead of the Germans? Something we probably will never know for sure, but a fascinating little tale.
The DVD runs for just under 1 hour and also includes 2 wartime newsreels - 1 American and 1 German

This documentary is very well done. It was especially interesting to me since I was Dr. Heinz Schlicke's secretary for one year in 1965. I had heard that he had been captured off a German U-boat. He was a real character and brilliant, I'm sure. A couple years ago I ran across this documentary on the History Channel and was so surprised to hear his name and see his interview. I missed most of the program. Recently I checked on Amazon and there was the DVD. Excellent footage of the huge German submarine and very educational.

This is an excellent recreation of the historical WW2 voyage of Germany's U-Boat (U-234). The recreation comes from actual footage from U.S. & German newsreels, photographs, and present day interviews with some of the involved U-Boat crew, Allied force members, members involved with the Manhattan project, German & Japanese survivors/family members.

This U-Boat was not sent on voyage to Japan to participate in battle but as a last ditch effort by Germany to join in the technological forces with Japan by transporting a secret cargo (1200 lbs. of Uranium and a complete ME262 jet fighter) needed by the Japanese to aid their atomic bomb program. Also of interest the film demonstrates the relationship between the Germans & Japanese. On board U-234 were 2 high ranking Japanese officers(armament experts) who had trained with the German's for over a year. They were eager to return to Japan to share all they had learned about atomic bombs & the ingredients necessary to do the job.

After the fall of Hitler and the war with Germany ends, U-234 is required to surrender. The U-Boat captain secretly avoids surrender to the Canadian forces. Knowing the humiliation they would face if captured the Japanese officers committed suicide (the Samurai way) before the U-Boat surrendered to the American forces off of the Atlantic coast of the U.S. thus becoming Germany's last U-Boat to surrender.

Once on American soil, the crew is questioned about the cargo and in an interesting twist, the Manhattan Project becomes the recipient of the Uranium needed to develop the atomic bombs that were later dropped on Hiroshima & Nagasaki ending the war with Japan.

Having met & viewed this film with one of the interviewed crew survivors I think this is an amazing story shown from all sides that has been brought to light.

All you history buffs will love this one. This film documents an important part of WWII that few know about, or at least I didn't. This is a must see for all those that view war movies.

I saw this video on the History Channel and HAD to get it for myself! Who knew that Japan almost got uranium for its own atom bomb near the end of the war, and who knew that it was its ally, Nazi Germany, who was willing to provide it? Who knew that the United States' defeat of Germany caused the uranium to be surrendered at the end of the war in Europe, and that it was actually en route to Japan in a German U-boat at the time? Who knew that the uranium we used in our own bombs was probably the same uranium that was surrendered by the German U-boat commander? This is one war tale the history books don't cover, folks, but it happened. The producers of this film make a very strong and convincing argument on this very obscure subject; I highly recommend it.