But the Germans were no where
near building a reactor, much less a bomb. Thus the choice of moderator
was inconsequential.

Germans had not one but two graphite moderated reactors and one of them was in
Thuringer Forest,if Germans had no working reactor Hirosima and Nagazaki could
not be bombed anytime in 1945.
Did you ever wonder why the entries made to log book of 89.th Infantry
div.between 4;8. 45 1,35 PM and 4.11.45 7,35 PM are also among document that
were classified for 75 years?.