Would the atomic bomb had been used against Germany (and what would the consequences have been) ?

I don't let hockey pucks push me around!

 

How very droll...

 

Because Brian asked:

-What would have happened if the allies had developed the atomic bomb whilst the Germans were still fighting strongly ?
Assumption: December '44.


-Would they have used the atomic bomb on Germany
Unequivocally Yes.

- What would the consequences have been?
Uncertain of where Adolph is, they'd remove the capacity to produce. Hitler would've continued his path of complete destruction, and not surrendered until someone else in the leadership realised just how devastated Germany would be, and killed Hitler. This may have required upwards of 5 to 8 atomic weapons, dropped over the span of two-three months (given historic rates of production).

The Ruhr would've been flattened:
1st Target on 31st December 1944: some small city that has limited experience of the bombing, airburst. First demonstration.
2nd Target, on 3rd January 1945: airburst, the Hambug: the refineries.
3rd Target, on 17th January, 1945: Kiel: ground burst.
4th Target, on 24th January, 1945: Apparent that Germany is still not surrendering, Berlin. Airburst. German troops start surrendering en masse.
5th, 6th, 7th and 8th targets... mid to late Feb, Bremen, Köln, Stuttgart, & Frankfurt. If there is still any organised resistance, that is.

Fallout on neighbouring cities/countries, Depending on the Wind direction, the ground blast on Kiel being the most significant, potentially inadvertently affecting some parts of Denmark.

German resistance collapses. Patton/Monty argue about who get's to drive into Berlin in March. Stalin upholds his promise, Poland has free elections, but is required to maintain strict neutrality, and provide trade agreements Eastwards, akin to Finland.

 

I could quibble about the month but I think you've nailed it. Weather could be a significant factor in Dec. The further back in time you move it the more certain it becomes. Looking at the bomb development time line we might have had 6 by Ocotober so that means 6 by Feb. So yeah German takes a number of nukes if HItler is still around long enough.

 

Just a side note:
I am thinking that there was probably some thought about having a spare A-bomb for "Just in case" the Russians didn't stop at Berlin.

 

No real need for it. Production was ramping up. Historically the first 3 were available in August (not counting the Trinity device). After that production would have been at least 1 a month ramping up fairly quickly to half a dozen or more a month. There was also a plan to make more efficient devices. The material used for the Hiroshima bomb could have (with the addition of some plutonium) been made into 4 or more mixed core bombs. So within a month or two of the first use there would always be one availble on fairly short notice,i.e.no more than a couple of weeks away and probably less than a week with that time rapidly decreasing the further one got from first use.

 

Historically there was a significant bombing raid on the 31st of December, thereof my date. Of course, it is all "weather permitting".

 

It's as good a date as any. Indeed while the Battle of the Bulge was over I suspect the bomb would still have gotten a green light. Perhaps until there were significant western troops across the Rhine. The question is if there were weather delays how far out would they push it. If it's ready in early December but they don't get the weather they want over the cities of choice until say February and it's not considered worth it at that point Japan may be in for a real pasting as there could be half a dozen bombs ready to go before the effort can be reoriented.