Governance analysis of major scientific and technological projects from failure of Nazi Germany’s “Uranprojekt”

The world today has entered a new period of turbulence, science and technology, especially those major projects with overall and strategic significance, have increasingly become the focus of tussle between major powers. During the World War II, the development of nuclear weapons once set off a wave of international competition and had a significant impact to the history. Relevant experience has certain reference value for China’s current planning and implementation of major scientific and technological projects, accelerating the realization of scientific and technological self-reliance, and winning the challenge of international scientific and technological competition. This study takes the uranium project governance of Nazi Germany (Uranprojekt) as the main theme, attempts to reveal the reason for its failure in the competition with the Manhattan Project from five aspects: strategic positioning, timetable, road map, investment, and management, and on this basis provides suggestions for the governance of major science and technology projects in China.