Tizard Mission facts for kids
The Tizard Mission was a special group of British scientists and military experts. They traveled to the United States during World War II in September 1940. Their main goal was to share secret British inventions and scientific discoveries with the Americans. These secrets were important for fighting the war.
The mission was named after Henry Tizard. He was a British scientist who helped create the mission. Tizard was also a key person in developing radar, a technology that uses radio waves to detect objects.
The mission happened during the Battle of Britain. Britain needed America's help and its factories to build more war tools. The British had amazing new technologies, but they couldn't make enough of them on their own. An American historian later said that the most valuable thing the Tizard Mission brought to America was a special device called a "cavity magnetron."
The Tizard Mission helped the Allied countries work together on technology. After the war, this cooperation continued. It became a base for future scientific teamwork between the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada.
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Why the Tizard Mission Was Needed
Before World War II started in September 1939, Britain made big scientific steps. They developed new military technology and weapons. In June 1940, Germany took over much of Western Europe. This event was called the Fall of France. After this, Germany planned to invade the United Kingdom. This plan was called Operation Sea Lion. First, Germany tried to control the skies during the Battle of Britain.
Henry Tizard wanted to work with the United States. He hoped to improve and produce more radar and other technologies. At this time, the U.S. was not fighting in the war. Many Americans did not want to get involved. However, the U.S. had many more resources and factories. Britain wanted to use these resources.
The British team shared some of the most advanced scientific secrets of that time. These included:
- A much better cavity magnetron, which was key for radar.
- Designs for the proximity VT fuse, a special bomb part.
- Details about Frank Whittle's jet engine.
- Information about how to build an atomic bomb.
Many other technologies were also shared. These included designs for rockets, special gun sights, and devices to find submarines.
Many members of the American Congress wanted the U.S. to stay neutral. This made cooperation harder. Tizard decided the best way was to simply give the information away. He believed America's factories would then help. At first, Winston Churchill, Britain's leader, and radar expert Robert Watson-Watt disagreed. But Tizard sent another scientist, Archibald Hill, to explore the idea. Hill's report was positive.
Moving the Secrets to America
After Churchill agreed, the team started gathering all the secret military technologies. In late August, Tizard flew to the U.S. to make plans. The rest of the team followed by ship. The team members were:
- Brigadier F.C. Wallace
- Captain H.W. Faulkner
- Group Captain F.L. Pearce
- Professor John Cockcroft (a nuclear physicist)
- Edward George Bowen (a radar expert)
- Arthur Edgar Woodward-Nutt (the secretary)
All the important documents were put into a small, lockable metal box. Bowen was allowed to take a special "Magnetron Number 12" with him. The box was even strapped to the roof of a taxi at one point! At Euston Station, a railway worker almost took the box away from Bowen. But in Liverpool, the magnetron was given a full Army escort.
The team arrived in Halifax, Canada, on September 6. They traveled on a ship called the Duchess of Richmond. A few days later, they went to Washington, D.C. The full team of six met in Washington on September 12, 1940.
Meetings and What Happened Next
Tizard met with Vannevar Bush, who led the American National Defense Research Committee. This meeting happened on August 31, 1940. They planned a series of meetings. At first, both sides were careful not to share too much.
On September 19, 1940, the British team shared details about their Chain Home radar stations. These were early warning radar systems. The British thought America had nothing like them. But they found out the U.S. Navy had a very similar radar system.
The Americans then talked about their own microwave research. The British realized that American companies like Bell Telephone Laboratories could help a lot. The Americans showed a small experimental radar. But they admitted it didn't have enough power.
Then, Bowen and Cockcroft showed the cavity magnetron. This device had amazing power! It could produce about ten kilowatts of power. This discovery removed any tension between the teams. The meeting then went very well. The magnetron would allow radar units to be small enough for night fighter planes. It would help planes find submarines and guide bombers. Many believe it was a key factor in the Allies winning World War II.
Britain was also interested in the Norden bombsight. This was a device that helped planes drop bombs accurately. President Roosevelt said Britain could not have it unless Germany had something similar. Tizard wasn't too worried. He thought other U.S. technologies were more useful. He just asked for the bombsight's size. This way, British bombers could be changed to fit it later if it became available.
Bowen stayed in America. He showed the Americans that the magnetron worked at the General Electric labs. The Bell Telephone Company was given the job of making magnetrons. They made the first 30 in October 1940. By the end of the war, they had made over a million!
The Tizard team also met with Enrico Fermi at Columbia University. They told him about the idea for an atomic bomb. Fermi was doubtful. His research was focused on using nuclear power to make steam, not bombs. In Ottawa, Canada, the team also met George Laurence. He had secretly built his own experiment with slow neutrons.
When the team returned to the UK in November 1940, they reported that the nuclear research was not important for the war. But they thought nuclear power could be useful after the war. So, they arranged some money for the Canadian experiments. George Laurence later helped share nuclear information between Britain and America.
The British realized an atomic bomb was possible in December 1940. This was after a report said it was possible to separate uranium-235. After this, Britain started its own nuclear weapons project. It was called Tube Alloys. This project later joined the American Manhattan Project.
Tizard also told American leaders about jet engines. But he did not share many details. Later, the Americans realized that the British Whittle engine was far ahead of their own. In July 1941, it was decided that the British engine should be made in the United States. The company chosen was General Electric. Their version of the engine became the General Electric J31.
Impact of the Tizard Mission
The Tizard Mission was a great success. It especially helped with the development of radar. It also led to wider teamwork among the Allies during World War II. Even though German bombing of the UK slowed down, new technologies like aircraft radar and LORAN navigation greatly helped the Allies. These tools were used in Europe and the Pacific.
The Tizard Mission led to the creation of the MIT Radiation Lab. This became one of the biggest wartime projects. It employed nearly 4,000 people. The mission also opened up ways for sharing information about jet engines and atomic bombs. This led to Britain's help with the Manhattan Project. The Tizard Mission is seen as a key event in building the strong alliance between Britain and America during the war.
Legacy of the Mission
The Tizard Mission laid the groundwork for scientific cooperation. This teamwork continued between the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada. In 2015, on its 75th anniversary, many groups celebrated its legacy. These included the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Imperial College London, and the British and Canadian Embassies in Washington.
