World War II: V2 - Hitler's Eerie Vengeance Weapon - How the V-2 Rocket Forever Changed Warfare and Space Exploration

The V-2 rocket marked a dark chapter in military history as the first ballistic missile. Developed during the Second World War, it struck London for the first time on 7 September 1944. Its devastating impact would reshape warfare and technology for decades to come. The Aggregat 4, or V-2, carried a one-ton warhead and travelled faster than the speed of sound. It could not be guided mid-flight, making its accuracy poor. Despite this, its attacks on London killed around 9,000 civilians and military personnel.

Construction of the V-2 relied on forced labour under the SS. More workers died in the underground assembly plants than people killed by the rocket in London. After the war, Armaments Minister Albert Speer called approving the V-2 programme his greatest mistake.

Wernher von Braun, the lead engineer behind the V-2, later surrendered to the Western Allies. He became an American hero and directed NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center. During the Cold War, both the US and the Soviet Union expanded on the V-2 design, improving its range and accuracy. The V-2’s legacy extended far beyond its wartime use. It laid the foundation for modern rocketry and space exploration. Its development also exposed the human cost of advanced military technology.