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made great technological strides. In June 1945, the Washington Post published an article stating that the RAF had found, near Oslo, 40 giant Heinkel bombers— aircraft with a 7,000-mile range. The article stated that the cap- tured German ground crews had claimed that "the planes were held in readiness for a mission to New York".“' The British also requisitioned some of the U-boats held in Norway at the end of the war, including the new Type XXI. Captain Mervyn Wingfield was placed in charge of taking these 25 salvaged U-boats to Scapa Flow and, interestingly, chose the new Type XXI to sail in. Upon returning, he stated that "the Allies had won the submarine war just in time" “—a statement reiterated by all the Allies when speaking about the Nazis' new made great technological strides. going to give up his territorial gains and was prepared for war In June 1945, the Washington Post published an article stating and, indeed, fully expected it. The Soviets did nothing to allay that the RAF had found, near Oslo, 40 giant Heinkel bombers— the fears that a Nazi haven had been built or that Hitler might not aircraft with a 7,000-mile range. The article stated that the cap- have committed suicide but, instead, had escaped.** tured German ground crews had claimed that "the planes were Just before Berlin fell to the Soviets, it was reported that Martin held in readiness for a mission to New York".*! Bormann had discussed Tierra del Fuego, Argentina, with Grand The British also requisitioned some of the U-boats held in Admiral Donitz. This conversation that emanated from Hitler's Norway at the end of the war, including the new Type XXI. Berlin bunker was one of the last to be intercepted in the war in Captain Mervyn Wingfield was placed in charge of taking these Europe. Argentina had long been perceived as a haven for many 25 salvaged U-boats to Scapa Flow and, interestingly, chose the escaping Nazis, but this possibility was long denied by the sympa- new Type XXI to sail in. Upon returning, he stated that "the thetic Perons. Yet, with the Soviet General Zhukov and Stalin Allies had won the submarine war just in time" “—a statement disagreeing as to whether Hitler was dead or had fled, the Nazi reiterated by all the Allies when speaking about the Nazis' new survival myth gained momentum. weapons. Britain, in the unique position of holding the strategically In the UK, British Intelligence unearthed more of Norway's important Falkland Islands, was the only country in the immediate secrets but suppressed them; Antarctica was no exception. When months after the war that was in a position to investigate the lead- the Norwegian Government returned to a liberated Norway, ing Nazis' claims about an Antarctic haven and the rise of a Antarctica soon returned to their consciousness, though the Fourth Reich in South America. Norwegians would have to wait several years to go back there, The USA, distracted by the war against Japan and the brewing lest the rumours of a Nazi base were true. Cold War, had been caught short by Britain's Antarctic exertions On the other hand, Britain decided and humbled by its aggressive stance. it had collated enough knowledge So the Americans soon adopted a about Antarctica to initiate an intense policy, dreamt up during the war, that investigation—one that had to dispel . . would destroy Britain's imperial all fears and hide all evidence—for it The mysterious wartime aspirations, hinder every attempt by could not tolerate any more expeditions conducted by all Britain to exert any influence around technology or personnel being the world and make the country an acquired by the wrong hands, the combatant countries, "ally" in name only. However, as namely, the USSR and the USA. especially Germany, were not early as 1942, Britain and British Britain had helped liberate Norway identity were suffering as a result of and, as 1945 was drawing to a close, entered into the World War ll the United States' globalisation was in the process of "liberating" A agenda. It must be remembered that Queen Maud Land (the new atlas of history books. Britain was denied its own atomic the post-war world no longer recog- bomb, despite the fact that the bomb nised Neuschwabenland). However, could have not been created without the mysterious wartime expeditions British expertise. Furthermore, the conducted by all the combatant coun- British people faced worse rationing tries, especially Germany, were not entered into the World War II _ than any other Western nation, lasting direfully until the 1950s, history books. A travesty of history had occurred. and Britain was also pressured into giving full independence or self-government to most of the territories in its Empire. Postwar Power Plays So, whilst Britain went into World War II a superpower, by the In the immediate aftermath of World War II, suspicions sur- end of the war and by the actions of American foreign policy, faced and rumours spread, and the new enemy—one that Hitler especially Operation Highjump, it had been put firmly in its place. had hoped to annihilate—was communism. Allies became ene- The United States became the only country that could mies, whilst former enemies became allies in the battle against successfully influence Britain—as the 1956 Suez crisis proved. communism. And whilst the USA was offering huge financial Even now, 60 years after the end of World War II, British blood is subsidies to Western governments to keep them communism-free, still being shed on behalf of US foreign policy. . a Ne . Taft The mysterious wartime expeditions conducted by all the combatant countries, especially Germany, were not entered into the World War Il Postwar Power Plays In the immediate aftermath of World War II, suspicions sur- faced and rumours spread, and the new enemy—one that Hitler had hoped to annihilate—was communism. Allies became ene- mies, whilst former enemies became allies in the battle against communism. And whilst the USA was offering huge financial subsidies to Western governments to keep them communism-free, Britain was left alone to clean up the last remaining Nazi outposts. When German forces surrendered in May 1945, peace should have broken out but, alas, the world was thrown into a turmoil that was every bit as volatile as it had been before the most vio- lent war in humanity's history began. The year 1945 was not just the year that World War II ended but also the year that the Cold War started in earnest; and whilst the USSR and the USA had fears about each other's intentions, they also had differing ideas for how Germany was to be administered. The problems started at the Yalta Conference of 4-11 February 1945, but were height- ened by the end of the war in Europe when the misinformation and secrecy about the Allies’ discoveries made the partnership that had destroyed Nazism no longer tenable. The atmosphere that surrounded Germany in May 1945 follow- ing the Nazi surrender was one of exhaustion; but whilst the Western Allies were so fatigued by the war effort, Stalin was not Exploring Queen Maud Land As discussed in part one, the Nazi "Shangri-La" did exist. Of unknown size, it was set up during the 1938-39 Deutsche Antarktische Expedition. The existence of a Nazi Antarctic base hidden in vast caverns was considered feasible enough for the British to set up bases in many parts of Antarctica during the war in response to the threat. And whilst the officially recorded British expeditions mainly concentrated around the Antarctic Peninsula, those not recorded were those that concentrated on investigating Queen Maud Land—so named by Norwegian whalers prior to 1939 in honour of Queen Maud of Norway (1869-1938), consort of King Haakon VII and formerly Princess Maud of the United Kingdom, a granddaughter of Queen Victoria. The Norwegians began exploring Queen Maud Land intensively in 1930, and using planes for the first time they NEXUS + 27 history books. DECEMBER 2005 — JANUARY 2006 www. nexusmagazine.com