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Was Professor Lindemann so sceptical in reality?

posted 17 years ago by Altho73
6 replies | jump to latest

Was Professor Fred Lindemann (the character played by Trevor Howard) really so sceptical about the fact that the Germans were developing V1's and V2's? This seems illogical because he was one of Churchill's closest associates regarding the rearmament programme in the 1930's before the war, one of the best scientific minds in the UK and was a major influence on Churchill's policies. Yet in this film he time and time again refused to accept that it was possible for the Germans to manufacture rockets and had it been up to him he would have done nothing to counteract the development of the V1's. Surely this can't be true?

[–] naseby 16 years ago

Altho - dunno if you got any further with that - 'Wikipedia' states Lindemann was a doubter on the V-weapons especially the V2. More especially, although Churchill wasn't seen in 'OC' til the end, Wikipedia mentions he had exchanges with Churchill over the viability of the said weapons (Not just Sandys, but he was Churchill's Son-in-Law). Some in the article describe him as brilliant and finally friendly with anyone he had befriended, but obstinate and importantly looking to deliberately have disagreements - seems like there's some truth in OC to this effect. In the World at War TV series, he's mentioned in the episode 'Whirlwind' where (And quoted in Wikipedia) he had his own theory on blanket-bombing German cities - i.e. displacing the German workforce and bringing the war to an early end.

[–] CinemaMig 15 years ago

I thought this must be based on something real, as there didn't seem to be much point to his constant objections (He didn't seem to sway anyone to his side). I thought he might be a Nazi agent! LOL

[–] lordhack_99 15 years ago

Lost you. In "OC" the earliest scenes are with Sandys and Churchill.

[–] naseby 13 years ago

True. Although it was a point majorly on Lindemann.

[–] naseby 13 years ago

True. Although it was a point majorly on Lindemann.

[–] Squeeth2 12 years ago

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reginald_Victor_Jones

In Most Secret War, RV Jones said that Lindemann thought that a rocket would be solid fuel and because of this weigh about 40 tons - as it turned out the Germans were working on liquid fuel propellants which is why the V2 was closer to ten and much more feasible.

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