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♪
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On June 22, 1940,
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Britain stood alone
against the Nazis.
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France had surrendered,
and Prime Minister
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Winston Churchill could
only crow defiance.
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We'll fight on the beaches.
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We'll fight on the
landing grounds.
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We shall fight in the
fields and in the streets.
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We shall fight in the hills.
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We shall never surrender.
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Britain still had
all the resources
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of its vast empire.
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Canada, Australia, New
Zealand, South Africa,
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India and a host of
other territories had
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all been quick to
declare war on Germany.
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But they were thousands
of miles away,
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across the oceans, and
their military power
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could not be brought to
bear where it mattered.
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Britain's situation
seemed hopeless.
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And Hitler had no doubt
that Britain would
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soon try to negotiate a peace.
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But Churchill quickly
showed how determined
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he was prepared to be in
the war against the Nazis.
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A powerful squadron of
two French battleships
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and two battle cruisers
was lying in the port
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of MerselKebir in
French North Africa.
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If the French ships
fell into German hands,
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the British Navy's position
in the Mediterranean
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would become impossible.
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So on July 3, a Royal
Navy task force
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demanded that the French
ships either join it
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or sail to a neutral
port to be interred.
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The French refused.
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So the British opened fire
on their former allies.
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They destroyed or
severely damaged
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three of the battleships.
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Almost 1,300 French
sailors were killed.
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00:03:06,840 --> 00:03:10,456
But Churchill's ruthlessness
didn't seem to impress Hitler.
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On July 19, he returned
in triumph to Berlin
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and was greeted by more
than a million people.
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That day he made a
speech in the Reichstag,
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the German parliament, offering
peace terms to Britain.
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His offer seemed generous.
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Britain could keep its empire.
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In return, Hitler wanted
a free hand in Europe.
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His plan was to conquer the
countries of the East in order
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to win Lebensraum, room to
live for the German people.
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But Churchill would
have none of it.
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The British would fight on.
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This would, as he put it,
be their finest hour.
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Churchill's defiance
was immensely popular.
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00:04:02,840 --> 00:04:05,376
King George VI wrote
in his diary,
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"Personally, I feel happier
now that we have no
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00:04:08,160 --> 00:04:12,280
more allies to be
polite to and pamper."
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But it was difficult to see
how Britain could turn
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the tables and
actually win the war.
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The British army might
have survived Dunkirk,
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but it had lost almost all
its tanks, artillery,
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and transport in the evacuation.
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It had just 25 divisions,
armed mainly with rifles,
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to resist the vast armoured
columns of the world's
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most fearsome war machine.
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00:04:46,040 --> 00:04:50,360
So there was little be done
except dig in and wait.
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Coastal defences were
prepared and concrete
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strongpoints build all
across southern England.
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Signposts on roads were
removed to make it
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harder for any invaders
to find their way around.
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Large open areas were
littered with obstacles
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to deter airborne troops.
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The volunteer defines force,
the home guard was recruited.
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It was made up of men
who were otherwise
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ineligible to fight, often
because of their age.
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By the end of June 1940,
almost one and a half
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million volunteers
had signed up.
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But there were few weapons
with which to arm them.
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Hitler, meanwhile, was
getting on with his invasion
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plans, code named
Operation Sea Lion.
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Some 20 divisions would
be landed on a broad
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front along England's
south coast.
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Barges were gathered from
all over Northwest Europe.
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These were hurriedly converted
into makeshift landing craft.
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Troops were trained
for beach landings.
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But for all Hitler's
bravado, those planning
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Sea Lion were worried.
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Hitler might dismiss the
English Channel as just
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another river to be crossed.
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But Britain's Navy was still
the largest in the world.
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It might be stretched thin by
its worldwide commitments,
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but the Royal Navy's home fleet
far outnumbered the German.
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The German naval chief,
Admiral Erich Raeder,
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had no confidence that he
could seize control of the
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English Channel for long
enough to get the army across.
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But the Germans did
have one area of
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apparent massive superiority.
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The Luftwaffe far outnumbered
Britain's Royal Air Force.
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00:07:07,120 --> 00:07:09,656
The Luftwaffe's commander,
Hermann Goering,
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had little doubt that he
could establish air control
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over the Channel long enough
for Sea Lion to take place.
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On July 10, the Luftwaffe
began attacking
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shipping in the Channel.
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In response, the British
had two of the most
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outstanding of the new
breed of single engine
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multi gun mono planes.
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The Supermarine Spitfire
and the Hawker Hurricane.
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The Spitfire was slightly
faster and more agile
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than its German rival,
the Messerschmitt Bf109,
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which escorted the
German bombers.
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It would be used to
intercept these.
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00:08:00,840 --> 00:08:04,120
The Hurricane would prove
a lethal bomber kill.
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But in July 1940, Air Vice
Marshal Hugh Dowding,
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the head of Fighter Command,
had less than 700 fighters.
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Against them were 2,600
German fighters and bombers.
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The odds against the
RAF were daunting.
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Dowding knew that he could
not take on the Luftwaffe
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every time it came
over the Channel.
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So when the Germans began
hitting British shipping,
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he did nothing.
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Instead he would only
use the RAF to stop the
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Luftwaffe from establishing
the air supremacy
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needed for invasion.
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So he would only take
on its big attacks.
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To help him, the British had
one crucial innovation.
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Radar.
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00:09:05,040 --> 00:09:07,776
By the 1930s, scientists in
both Britain and Germany
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knew that objects well
beyond human sight could
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be detected by bouncing
radio pulses off them and
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measuring the time it took
for the signals to return.
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00:09:20,360 --> 00:09:23,656
In Britain, a team of scientists
led by Robert Watson-Watt
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began developing radar
as a means of detecting
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00:09:26,320 --> 00:09:30,016
approaching aircraft
at long range.
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Their work was seized
upon by Dowding.
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He made radar the core
of the world's first
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integrated air defines system.
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00:09:43,360 --> 00:09:47,296
Known as Chain Home,
this was a string of 21
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300 foot tall radar masts
sited along the south
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and east coasts of Britain.
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These could pick up aircraft
at a range of 120 miles and
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00:09:56,960 --> 00:10:00,800
give their distance, direction,
height, and numbers.
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00:10:02,920 --> 00:10:04,936
The information would
be passed back to RAF
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00:10:04,960 --> 00:10:07,536
Fighter Command's headquarters
at Bently Priory,
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just outside London.
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00:10:11,880 --> 00:10:14,256
There, it would be assessed
and warning of an impending
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raid passed to Fighter
Command's operation room.
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00:10:19,320 --> 00:10:21,536
Moonshine one four sky blue take
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00:10:21,560 --> 00:10:24,096
target one channel "G" George.
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00:10:24,120 --> 00:10:25,696
Roger.
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00:10:25,720 --> 00:10:27,496
Controllers would then
alert the nearest RAF
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00:10:27,520 --> 00:10:31,360
airfields and scramble the
necessary number of fighters.
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00:10:34,320 --> 00:10:36,536
The question was, would
radar make up for
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Germany's massive
superiority in numbers?
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The stage was now set
for what would become
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known as the Battle of Britain.
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Since June 10, 1940, the
German Luftwaffe had
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00:10:52,720 --> 00:10:56,320
been battering British shipping
in the English Channel.
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00:10:59,280 --> 00:11:01,296
The Luftwaffe's
commander, Reichsmarshal
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Hermann Goering, was
determined to lure the
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British air force into combat.
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But Britain's Air Chief
Marshal Hugh Dowding
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refused to take the bait.
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He used his fighters
sparingly, knowing that
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the real battle was
still to come.
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As this first phase of the
Battle of Britain began,
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the Luftwaffe had a massive
superiority in numbers.
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00:11:27,920 --> 00:11:30,456
It had 1,100 single
engine fighters available
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to the Royal Air Force's 700.
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00:11:35,320 --> 00:11:37,296
Almost all the German
fighters were the excellent
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Messerschmitt Bf109E with
a top speed of around
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350 miles an hour.
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00:11:46,120 --> 00:11:48,736
About two thirds of the
British fighters were Hawker
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Hurricanes, slower than
the 109s, but more agile.
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00:11:55,520 --> 00:11:58,016
The remainder were
Supermarine Spitfires,
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00:11:58,040 --> 00:12:01,000
with a top speed
similar to the 109s.
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00:12:06,160 --> 00:12:09,816
For their assault, the Germans
had over 1,300 medium bombers,
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00:12:09,840 --> 00:12:15,936
Dornier Do17s, Heinkel
He111s, and Junkers Ju88s,
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each carrying about
4,000 pounds of bombs.
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00:12:24,520 --> 00:12:29,016
Goering selected August 13
as Adlertag, Eagle Day,
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for the start of
his main assault.
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00:12:37,920 --> 00:12:40,736
His aim was to destroy
RAF fighters in the air,
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00:12:40,760 --> 00:12:45,120
and the RAF's airfields and
Britain's aircraft factories.
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Softening up attacks were
made the day before.
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00:12:53,120 --> 00:12:55,136
These concentrated on
the airfields and the
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00:12:55,160 --> 00:12:58,160
radar towers along
the south coast.
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00:13:04,920 --> 00:13:07,816
One station on the Isle of
Wight was put out of action,
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00:13:07,840 --> 00:13:09,976
and several were
damaged, but these were
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working again within hours.
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00:13:15,760 --> 00:13:17,736
Goering did not believe that
radar had a significant
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00:13:17,760 --> 00:13:19,616
role to play in the
battle, and so
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00:13:19,640 --> 00:13:23,136
these attacks were not repeated.
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It was a big mistake.
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00:13:28,840 --> 00:13:31,296
Adlertag dawned cloudy,
so the main assault
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00:13:31,320 --> 00:13:34,560
was postponed until
the afternoon.
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00:13:37,600 --> 00:13:41,976
When it came, radar
gave ample warning.
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00:13:42,000 --> 00:13:45,720
Calling, planes heard
three miles southwest.
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00:13:52,040 --> 00:13:54,096
None the less, most
of the RAF airfields
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00:13:54,120 --> 00:13:56,640
in the south were hammered.
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00:14:01,320 --> 00:14:05,320
But by the end of the day, none
had been put out of action.
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00:14:09,320 --> 00:14:14,320
The Luftwaffe lost 46 aircraft.
Britain, just 13.
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00:14:22,440 --> 00:14:24,816
The Luftwaffe mounted its
largest attack of the
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00:14:24,840 --> 00:14:27,800
whole battle on August 15.
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00:14:37,920 --> 00:14:40,416
Waves of heavily
escorted German bombers
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00:14:40,440 --> 00:14:44,360
forced their way through
to the RAF airfields.
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00:14:47,520 --> 00:14:50,216
The RAF was so overstretched
that some pilots
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00:14:50,240 --> 00:14:53,320
flew seven sorties that day.
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00:14:55,640 --> 00:14:59,296
By the time the raids died
away, some 90 German aircraft
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00:14:59,320 --> 00:15:03,760
had been shot down for the
loss of 42 British fighters.
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00:15:09,320 --> 00:15:11,536
The battle continued
with equal ferocity
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over the next few days.
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00:15:13,800 --> 00:15:18,176
Both sides became
increasingly exhausted.
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00:15:18,200 --> 00:15:20,856
Dowding tried to rotate
his pilots to rest them,
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00:15:20,880 --> 00:15:25,216
but he simply did not
have enough of them.
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00:15:25,240 --> 00:15:27,376
Many were being sent
into battle with just
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00:15:27,400 --> 00:15:30,320
ten-hour flying experience.
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00:15:35,000 --> 00:15:37,296
The Luftwaffe was suffering too.
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00:15:37,320 --> 00:15:39,696
Its pilots were shocked
and increasingly
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00:15:39,720 --> 00:15:43,000
demoralised by the
resilience of the British.
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00:15:44,440 --> 00:15:48,160
The RAF fighters always seemed
to be waiting for them.
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00:15:53,120 --> 00:15:55,896
As the fighting wore
on for 12 solid days,
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00:15:55,920 --> 00:15:58,176
the British losses began
to creep up to match
219
00:15:58,200 --> 00:16:00,136
those of the Germans.
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00:16:00,160 --> 00:16:03,400
The Royal Air Force was
close to breaking.
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00:16:06,120 --> 00:16:07,976
To turn the screw,
Goering began using
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00:16:08,000 --> 00:16:10,840
his bombers to attack
at night as well.
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00:16:12,800 --> 00:16:15,896
But this decision had
an unexpected outcome.
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00:16:15,920 --> 00:16:18,376
On the night of August
24, a flight of Heinkel
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00:16:18,400 --> 00:16:22,040
bombers lost its way and
bombed the city of London.
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00:16:33,960 --> 00:16:37,616
It was the first attack
on a non-military target.
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00:16:37,640 --> 00:16:39,976
The next night 81
British bombers
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00:16:40,000 --> 00:16:42,920
responded by raiding Berlin.
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00:16:53,560 --> 00:16:57,880
Hitler was infuriated and
demanded massive retaliation.
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00:17:05,120 --> 00:17:08,216
This came on the evening
of September 7.
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00:17:08,240 --> 00:17:10,296
German bombers attacked
the London docks
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00:17:10,320 --> 00:17:12,720
and surrounding areas.
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00:17:14,680 --> 00:17:17,616
More than 450 people
died and thousands
234
00:17:17,640 --> 00:17:20,280
of homes were destroyed.
235
00:17:22,960 --> 00:17:27,320
But in fact, this was Goering's
second crucial mistake.
236
00:17:30,280 --> 00:17:32,456
By switching from the
RAF's airfields just
237
00:17:32,480 --> 00:17:34,736
at the moment when it
seemed about to break,
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00:17:34,760 --> 00:17:37,296
he gave it the
respite it needed.
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00:17:37,320 --> 00:17:39,856
Had Goering continued to
attack the airfields,
240
00:17:39,880 --> 00:17:43,960
the RAF could not have
continued to defend the skies.
241
00:17:46,320 --> 00:17:49,776
Instead, on September 15,
British radars picked up
242
00:17:49,800 --> 00:17:52,800
another massive
assault on London.
243
00:17:54,680 --> 00:17:56,336
The first wave of
100 bombers and
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00:17:56,360 --> 00:17:59,320
four hundred fighters
was intercepted.
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00:18:00,240 --> 00:18:03,320
Fighting raged all the
way from the coast.
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00:18:09,720 --> 00:18:12,176
In the afternoon, another
fleet of 150 bombers
247
00:18:12,200 --> 00:18:14,840
renewed the attack.
248
00:18:16,120 --> 00:18:17,736
Winston Churchill was
at the Fighter Command
249
00:18:17,760 --> 00:18:19,376
headquarters that day.
250
00:18:19,400 --> 00:18:21,896
After he heard controllers
calling in reinforcements
251
00:18:21,920 --> 00:18:23,936
from neighbouring
groups, he asked,
252
00:18:23,960 --> 00:18:26,560
"What other reserves
have we got?"
253
00:18:29,840 --> 00:18:33,000
The reply was, "There are none."
254
00:18:41,120 --> 00:18:43,456
But it was obvious that
the Luftwaffe had failed
255
00:18:43,480 --> 00:18:47,176
to gain control of the
air, and on September 17,
256
00:18:47,200 --> 00:18:50,840
Hitler postponed
Operation Sea Lion.
257
00:18:52,640 --> 00:18:55,016
The Battle of Britain
did not really end.
258
00:18:55,040 --> 00:18:56,656
It died away.
259
00:18:56,680 --> 00:18:59,080
Hitler now tried a new tactic.
260
00:19:02,240 --> 00:19:05,056
By October 5, the daylight
raids stopped and the
261
00:19:05,080 --> 00:19:08,920
Germans concentrated on bombing
Britain's cities by night.
262
00:19:11,880 --> 00:19:15,120
This was the so called Blitz.
263
00:19:15,880 --> 00:19:19,840
London was attacked every night
but one up to November 12.
264
00:19:21,800 --> 00:19:23,656
On November 10,
the centre of the
265
00:19:23,680 --> 00:19:26,400
city of Coventry
was obliterated.
266
00:19:33,000 --> 00:19:36,616
The Blitz continued into 1941,
with the last major raid
267
00:19:36,640 --> 00:19:40,080
being made on London on
the night of May 10.
268
00:19:43,480 --> 00:19:46,776
More than 50,000 civilians
were killed in the Blitz,
269
00:19:46,800 --> 00:19:50,520
but there was never any
question of Britain cracking.
270
00:19:56,320 --> 00:19:58,296
Victory in the Battle
of Britain was
271
00:19:58,320 --> 00:20:01,336
a moment of huge
national relief.
272
00:20:01,360 --> 00:20:04,856
Pilots had come from all over
the empire to join the RAF,
273
00:20:04,880 --> 00:20:07,256
and from countries
occupied by the Nazis,
274
00:20:07,280 --> 00:20:09,696
like Poland and Czechoslovakia.
275
00:20:09,720 --> 00:20:12,496
Churchill summed up the
nation's gratitude.
276
00:20:12,520 --> 00:20:15,136
Never in the field of
human conflict was
277
00:20:15,160 --> 00:20:20,160
so much owed by so
many to so few.
278
00:20:23,600 --> 00:20:25,776
But for Hitler, this was no more
279
00:20:25,800 --> 00:20:29,176
than an irritating setback.
280
00:20:29,200 --> 00:20:33,616
Britain, he was convinced, could
never be a serious threat.
281
00:20:33,640 --> 00:20:36,256
So he now turned
to Eastern Europe.
282
00:20:36,280 --> 00:20:38,376
For Britain, there was
now a chance to rebuild
283
00:20:38,400 --> 00:20:42,616
with a view, one day, to
taking the fight to the enemy.
284
00:20:42,640 --> 00:20:46,120
But to do that, Churchill
would need help.
285
00:20:55,080 --> 00:20:57,216
Britain may have won
the Battle of Britain,
286
00:20:57,240 --> 00:21:00,240
but it was still
immensely vulnerable.
287
00:21:07,200 --> 00:21:09,016
Night after night,
its cities were
288
00:21:09,040 --> 00:21:11,840
hammered by the Nazis' Blitz.
289
00:21:16,360 --> 00:21:21,360
Its supply lifelines at sea
were under constant assault.
290
00:21:23,360 --> 00:21:25,920
Churchill needed more help.
291
00:21:28,680 --> 00:21:31,576
And there was only one country
that could provide it.
292
00:21:31,600 --> 00:21:34,240
The United States.
293
00:21:40,240 --> 00:21:43,536
By 1940, the U.S. had recovered
from the Great Depression
294
00:21:43,560 --> 00:21:46,256
and the economy was
booming again.
295
00:21:46,280 --> 00:21:48,496
It had immense
reserves of manpower
296
00:21:48,520 --> 00:21:52,040
and unrivalled
industrial strength.
297
00:21:52,840 --> 00:21:55,136
But the people of the
United States were utterly
298
00:21:55,160 --> 00:21:59,760
opposed to becoming involved
yet again in Europe's wars.
299
00:22:00,720 --> 00:22:03,696
In July 1940, a poll showed
that only 8% of them
300
00:22:03,720 --> 00:22:06,520
were willing to enter the war.
301
00:22:08,120 --> 00:22:11,696
Undeterred, Churchill lobbied the U.S.
president,
302
00:22:11,720 --> 00:22:14,160
Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
303
00:22:16,400 --> 00:22:18,296
Roosevelt had long admired
Churchill for his
304
00:22:18,320 --> 00:22:21,576
outspokenly anti-Nazi views,
and the two men shared
305
00:22:21,600 --> 00:22:24,096
an interest in naval affairs.
306
00:22:24,120 --> 00:22:25,896
Roosevelt had been
Under Secretary for
307
00:22:25,920 --> 00:22:28,280
the U.S. Navy in 1917.
308
00:22:29,760 --> 00:22:32,096
After he became
president, Roosevelt kept
309
00:22:32,120 --> 00:22:34,016
in touch with Churchill.
310
00:22:34,040 --> 00:22:36,296
The two began a
correspondence, Churchill
311
00:22:36,320 --> 00:22:39,880
signing himself,
"former Naval person."
312
00:22:41,120 --> 00:22:43,296
For all his avuncular
image, Roosevelt had no
313
00:22:43,320 --> 00:22:45,536
illusions that German
aggression would one day
314
00:22:45,560 --> 00:22:47,816
suck America into the war.
315
00:22:47,840 --> 00:22:49,736
So he began the long
job of preparing
316
00:22:49,760 --> 00:22:51,960
American public opinion.
317
00:22:52,760 --> 00:22:55,696
I am a Pacifist,
318
00:22:55,720 --> 00:22:59,696
but I believe you and I will act
319
00:22:59,720 --> 00:23:04,936
together to protect and
to defend our science,
320
00:23:04,960 --> 00:23:10,760
our culture, our
American freedom
321
00:23:12,080 --> 00:23:14,480
and our civilization.
322
00:23:17,920 --> 00:23:20,696
In July 1940, he got
approval for a massive
323
00:23:20,720 --> 00:23:23,896
expansion of the U.S. Navy,
including the building of
324
00:23:23,920 --> 00:23:28,920
six large battleships and a new
class of aircraft carriers.
325
00:23:31,280 --> 00:23:33,936
The following month,
Congress agreed that the
326
00:23:33,960 --> 00:23:36,296
National Guard and other
reserves should be
327
00:23:36,320 --> 00:23:39,440
called up for one
year's active duty.
328
00:23:41,120 --> 00:23:43,536
And in September, a
large expansion of the
329
00:23:43,560 --> 00:23:47,776
150,000 strong U.S. Army
was agreed, with a limited
330
00:23:47,800 --> 00:23:51,776
number of conscripts
being chosen by lottery.
331
00:23:51,800 --> 00:23:57,176
The first number, drawn
by the Secretary of War,
332
00:23:57,200 --> 00:24:02,200
is serial number 158.
333
00:24:04,600 --> 00:24:06,416
That same month, Roosevelt
334
00:24:06,440 --> 00:24:08,856
announced a deal under which the U.S.
would supply
335
00:24:08,880 --> 00:24:12,536
Britain with 50 World War
I destroyers, in return
336
00:24:12,560 --> 00:24:15,736
for 99-year leases on
bases in Newfoundland
337
00:24:15,760 --> 00:24:18,496
and the Caribbean.
338
00:24:18,520 --> 00:24:21,096
The British Navy, desperate
for more escorts
339
00:24:21,120 --> 00:24:23,896
to fight the U-boats,
began taking them over
340
00:24:23,920 --> 00:24:26,800
within days of the
deal being signed.
341
00:24:28,760 --> 00:24:31,016
The clearest sign that
Roosevelt was slowly winning
342
00:24:31,040 --> 00:24:34,296
the argument came in the
November 1940 presidential
343
00:24:34,320 --> 00:24:37,936
election, when he convincingly
defeated the isolationist
344
00:24:37,960 --> 00:24:42,896
Wendell Wilkie with 27
million votes to 22 million.
345
00:24:47,840 --> 00:24:49,776
At the end of the year,
Roosevelt spoke to the
346
00:24:49,800 --> 00:24:54,176
American people, setting out
the four essential freedoms
347
00:24:54,200 --> 00:24:56,096
which he believed were
at stake, and which
348
00:24:56,120 --> 00:24:58,536
Britain was fighting to uphold.
349
00:24:58,560 --> 00:25:01,896
Freedom of speech and
religion and freedom
350
00:25:01,920 --> 00:25:04,720
from want and from fear.
351
00:25:05,880 --> 00:25:07,856
To save these, the United
States must become
352
00:25:07,880 --> 00:25:10,456
the arsenal of the democracies.
353
00:25:10,480 --> 00:25:12,960
In other words, it
must arm Britain.
354
00:25:13,680 --> 00:25:17,856
We shall send you in
ever increasing numbers,
355
00:25:17,880 --> 00:25:21,576
ships, planes, tanks, guns.
356
00:25:21,600 --> 00:25:25,520
That is our purpose
and our pledge.
357
00:25:28,720 --> 00:25:30,216
But some Americans remained
358
00:25:30,240 --> 00:25:33,320
implacably opposed
to helping Britain.
359
00:25:36,520 --> 00:25:38,616
One of the most outspoken
was the American
360
00:25:38,640 --> 00:25:41,216
ambassador in London,
Joseph Kennedy,
361
00:25:41,240 --> 00:25:44,616
father of the future president John F.
Kennedy.
362
00:25:44,640 --> 00:25:47,016
A Boston Irish
businessman who had made
363
00:25:47,040 --> 00:25:49,656
his fortune booze smuggling
during Prohibition,
364
00:25:49,680 --> 00:25:52,296
Kennedy hated the British
and seized every
365
00:25:52,320 --> 00:25:54,536
opportunity to claim
that they would shortly
366
00:25:54,560 --> 00:25:56,600
be forced to surrender.
367
00:26:00,320 --> 00:26:03,336
However, Kennedy's virulence
was counterbalanced
368
00:26:03,360 --> 00:26:06,176
by the growing admiration
many Americans felt for
369
00:26:06,200 --> 00:26:08,576
the bravery shown by
the British people
370
00:26:08,600 --> 00:26:10,800
during the Blitz.
371
00:26:13,840 --> 00:26:16,656
In particular, the
broadcasts by the CBS London
372
00:26:16,680 --> 00:26:21,000
correspondent Ed Murrow helped
to change public opinion.
373
00:26:25,920 --> 00:26:27,896
This is London.
374
00:26:27,920 --> 00:26:30,416
I remember the evening
of Sunday, December 29.
375
00:26:30,440 --> 00:26:32,576
It was just like any
other winter evening.
376
00:26:32,600 --> 00:26:36,440
The first bombers were
over London at about 6:30.
377
00:26:41,320 --> 00:26:45,440
Soon the fires hissed from
the top story windows.
378
00:26:46,960 --> 00:26:51,120
Hitler once boasted, "I
will rub out their cities."
379
00:26:52,760 --> 00:26:55,280
This is what he meant.
380
00:26:59,760 --> 00:27:01,856
Encouraged by his
electoral success,
381
00:27:01,880 --> 00:27:04,576
in January 1941 Roosevelt
introduced his
382
00:27:04,600 --> 00:27:07,200
so called Lend Lease Bill.
383
00:27:13,200 --> 00:27:15,536
The United States would
supply weapons and
384
00:27:15,560 --> 00:27:18,656
war material to Britain
and China, which was
385
00:27:18,680 --> 00:27:22,336
still struggling desperately
against the invading Japanese.
386
00:27:22,360 --> 00:27:25,000
Payment would be delayed.
387
00:27:30,120 --> 00:27:32,616
Roosevelt likened Lend Lease
to lending a neighbour
388
00:27:32,640 --> 00:27:34,896
a hose to put out a fire.
389
00:27:34,920 --> 00:27:38,296
You would worry about
the payback later.
390
00:27:38,320 --> 00:27:40,216
Roosevelt was also being canny.
391
00:27:40,240 --> 00:27:43,496
It also meant that unlike
in 1917, if America
392
00:27:43,520 --> 00:27:45,656
had to enter the war,
it already would have
393
00:27:45,680 --> 00:27:48,600
a substantial weapons industry.
394
00:27:50,720 --> 00:27:53,896
American war preparations
didn't end there.
395
00:27:53,920 --> 00:27:56,376
Roosevelt secretly authorised U.S.
military staffs
396
00:27:56,400 --> 00:27:58,736
to discuss a common
strategy with the British
397
00:27:58,760 --> 00:28:01,880
should America enter the war.
398
00:28:05,880 --> 00:28:09,536
By April 1941, he felt
confident enough to take
399
00:28:09,560 --> 00:28:12,720
another step to help
Britain at sea.
400
00:28:14,080 --> 00:28:16,696
He greatly extended the Pan
American security zone,
401
00:28:16,720 --> 00:28:19,496
the area within which U.S.
warships would protect
402
00:28:19,520 --> 00:28:22,280
U.S. merchant vessels.
403
00:28:26,000 --> 00:28:29,016
In May, U.S. troops set
up bases in Greenland,
404
00:28:29,040 --> 00:28:31,736
and in July, U.S. Marines
were sent to replace the
405
00:28:31,760 --> 00:28:34,376
British garrison in
Iceland, which was there
406
00:28:34,400 --> 00:28:37,520
to deprive the Germans
of its harbours.
407
00:28:42,480 --> 00:28:44,816
The U.S. Navy also began
providing limited
408
00:28:44,840 --> 00:28:47,496
convoy escorts, particularly for
409
00:28:47,520 --> 00:28:50,960
U.S. ships carrying
Lend Lease materials.
410
00:28:55,480 --> 00:28:58,696
Hitler now gave his submariners
strict instructions
411
00:28:58,720 --> 00:29:02,056
not to sink American ships,
as he didn't want to
412
00:29:02,080 --> 00:29:05,240
provoke the United
States into war.
413
00:29:07,440 --> 00:29:10,720
But inevitably,
there were clashes.
414
00:29:12,040 --> 00:29:15,056
On September 4, 1941, a
British aircraft attacked
415
00:29:15,080 --> 00:29:17,520
a German submarine.
416
00:29:19,600 --> 00:29:21,296
Thinking that the strike
had come from the nearby
417
00:29:21,320 --> 00:29:25,760
U.S. destroyer Greer, the
U-Boat fired a torpedo at it.
418
00:29:29,040 --> 00:29:31,496
The Greer responded with
depth charges and there
419
00:29:31,520 --> 00:29:34,600
was a running battle which
lasted three hours.
420
00:29:38,800 --> 00:29:43,280
Neither vessel was sunk, but
the tension was mounting.
421
00:29:45,800 --> 00:29:48,256
On November 17, the
destroyer USS Kearney
422
00:29:48,280 --> 00:29:52,960
was hit by a torpedo while
on convoy duty off Iceland.
423
00:29:55,120 --> 00:29:57,816
The U-Boat commander claimed
it was an accident.
424
00:29:57,840 --> 00:29:59,856
He had been firing at a
British ship and the
425
00:29:59,880 --> 00:30:02,640
Kearney had got in the way.
426
00:30:04,760 --> 00:30:07,696
But 11 U.S. sailors were
dead and the destroyer
427
00:30:07,720 --> 00:30:11,240
only just made it back
to port in Rekyavik.
428
00:30:12,720 --> 00:30:16,416
Roosevelt protested and the U.S.
press was outraged.
429
00:30:16,440 --> 00:30:18,976
However, the American
public remained resolutely
430
00:30:19,000 --> 00:30:21,800
opposed to going to war.
431
00:30:24,400 --> 00:30:27,336
Within weeks, at the end
of 1941, the situation
432
00:30:27,360 --> 00:30:30,320
was reversed in a single day.
433
00:30:34,040 --> 00:30:38,640
But in the meantime, Britain
would have to fight on alone.
434
00:30:40,840 --> 00:30:45,200
And luckily, it had an
astonishing weapon to hand.
435
00:30:55,240 --> 00:30:57,456
It looks like just another
mansion in the English
436
00:30:57,480 --> 00:31:00,320
countryside, a bit run down.
437
00:31:02,320 --> 00:31:04,736
But Bletchley Park once
contained a secret that
438
00:31:04,760 --> 00:31:08,400
fundamentally affected the
course of World War II.
439
00:31:10,400 --> 00:31:12,936
Because it was at Bletchley
that Britain worked out
440
00:31:12,960 --> 00:31:16,680
how to read Germany's
most secret codes.
441
00:31:20,920 --> 00:31:23,536
Since the mid-1930s, all
the German armed forces
442
00:31:23,560 --> 00:31:26,016
and intelligence
departments had adopted
443
00:31:26,040 --> 00:31:29,600
a standard machine for
encoding their messages.
444
00:31:32,280 --> 00:31:36,920
The Cypher Machine E,
better known as Enigma.
445
00:31:40,640 --> 00:31:43,496
It was developed in the
early 1920s as a handy tool
446
00:31:43,520 --> 00:31:47,120
for businessmen to keep
commercial messages secret.
447
00:31:49,640 --> 00:31:52,896
It was powered by a battery,
and its encoded messages
448
00:31:52,920 --> 00:31:55,416
were transmitted in Morse
code to be decoded on
449
00:31:55,440 --> 00:31:59,200
a second Enigma machine
at the receiving end.
450
00:32:01,520 --> 00:32:04,136
The critical element of the
machine was three rotors
451
00:32:04,160 --> 00:32:06,736
which could be set to
scramble the message in a way
452
00:32:06,760 --> 00:32:08,416
which could only
be unscrambled by
453
00:32:08,440 --> 00:32:11,400
another machine with
the same settings.
454
00:32:13,120 --> 00:32:17,000
The rotors could be replaced
and set differently.
455
00:32:19,320 --> 00:32:22,176
As a result, each letter
typed could come up in
456
00:32:22,200 --> 00:32:25,840
any one of 150 million ways.
457
00:32:27,840 --> 00:32:30,416
Given the almost infinite
number of settings,
458
00:32:30,440 --> 00:32:32,296
it was not surprising
that the Germans remained
459
00:32:32,320 --> 00:32:34,456
convinced throughout
the war that
460
00:32:34,480 --> 00:32:37,480
Enigma was uncrackable.
461
00:32:42,120 --> 00:32:43,976
It was the Poles who
took the first steps
462
00:32:44,000 --> 00:32:46,800
in solving this baffling puzzle.
463
00:32:51,360 --> 00:32:53,896
They knew of the existence
of the Enigma machine
464
00:32:53,920 --> 00:32:57,656
and assembled a team of top
mathematicians to crack it.
465
00:32:57,680 --> 00:32:59,120
Marian Rejewski,
466
00:33:00,160 --> 00:33:01,720
Jerzy Roszickzi
467
00:33:02,880 --> 00:33:05,120
and Henry Zigalski.
468
00:33:07,440 --> 00:33:09,896
But the team could not
decipher messages without
469
00:33:09,920 --> 00:33:13,240
knowing the internal
wiring of the rotors.
470
00:33:15,720 --> 00:33:18,416
The solution was supplied
by French intelligence,
471
00:33:18,440 --> 00:33:21,256
which sent its Polish
allies material gathered by
472
00:33:21,280 --> 00:33:24,680
a spy in the German
army's cipher department.
473
00:33:25,680 --> 00:33:28,456
Amongst this was
an Enigma manual.
474
00:33:28,480 --> 00:33:31,016
The Poles were able to
reconstruct an Enigma machine
475
00:33:31,040 --> 00:33:34,960
and began laboriously
decoding messages.
476
00:33:39,520 --> 00:33:42,496
By July 1939, Hitler was
sounding increasingly
477
00:33:42,520 --> 00:33:45,120
threatening towards Poland.
478
00:33:46,560 --> 00:33:50,040
Britain and France had
promised to come to its aid.
479
00:33:51,480 --> 00:33:54,896
It was clear that
war was coming.
480
00:33:54,920 --> 00:33:57,416
So intelligence officers
from the three allies
481
00:33:57,440 --> 00:34:00,000
met in Warsaw.
482
00:34:01,040 --> 00:34:03,216
There, the British and
French were astonished at
483
00:34:03,240 --> 00:34:05,296
how much the Poles
had done in decoding
484
00:34:05,320 --> 00:34:08,416
Enigma. And the Poles
agreed to send two of their
485
00:34:08,440 --> 00:34:11,896
reconstructed
machines to London.
486
00:34:11,920 --> 00:34:14,136
Just two weeks after
they were handed over,
487
00:34:14,160 --> 00:34:16,880
Poland was invaded.
488
00:34:24,200 --> 00:34:26,976
By the time Poland fell to
the Germans, the Polish
489
00:34:27,000 --> 00:34:29,816
cryptographers had
destroyed all evidence
490
00:34:29,840 --> 00:34:32,320
of their work on Enigma.
491
00:34:33,680 --> 00:34:36,336
Some were captured and
tortured, but none
492
00:34:36,360 --> 00:34:39,280
revealed what they
had been up to.
493
00:34:44,080 --> 00:34:46,696
The task was now taken up
by the British at their
494
00:34:46,720 --> 00:34:48,496
Government Code and
Cypher School,
495
00:34:48,520 --> 00:34:51,560
at Bletchley Park, near London.
496
00:34:53,280 --> 00:34:57,016
Its head was Commander
Alistair Denniston.
497
00:34:57,040 --> 00:34:59,416
Denniston recruited a
strange collection of
498
00:34:59,440 --> 00:35:02,056
mathematicians, chess
masters and crossword
499
00:35:02,080 --> 00:35:05,920
puzzle experts to
continue the decoding.
500
00:35:08,640 --> 00:35:13,216
Among these experts was Alan
Turing, a Cambridge don.
501
00:35:13,240 --> 00:35:15,776
In 1936, Turing had
described the idea of a
502
00:35:15,800 --> 00:35:19,496
universal computing
machine, a machine that he
503
00:35:19,520 --> 00:35:21,736
believed would one day
be able to solve all
504
00:35:21,760 --> 00:35:23,840
mathematical problems.
505
00:35:24,880 --> 00:35:27,736
He used his ideas to
design decryption machines
506
00:35:27,760 --> 00:35:30,840
known as "Bronze Goddesses."
507
00:35:34,040 --> 00:35:36,136
The raw material for
Bletchley came from the
508
00:35:36,160 --> 00:35:39,976
British Y service, a chain
of radio listening stations
509
00:35:40,000 --> 00:35:43,680
which monitored and recorded
German transmissions.
510
00:35:47,040 --> 00:35:48,656
The messages were fed
into Beltchley's
511
00:35:48,680 --> 00:35:51,136
Bronze Goddesses and
permutations run
512
00:35:51,160 --> 00:35:54,160
until at last the key was found.
513
00:35:58,480 --> 00:36:01,496
Once a message had been
decrypted, it was translated,
514
00:36:01,520 --> 00:36:06,280
analysed and passed on to
the appropriate authority.
515
00:36:08,720 --> 00:36:10,496
From the moment he
became Prime Minister
516
00:36:10,520 --> 00:36:13,336
and learned of Bletchley's
work, Winston Churchill
517
00:36:13,360 --> 00:36:16,920
understood its
extraordinary importance.
518
00:36:18,720 --> 00:36:21,216
He referred to Bletchley's
output as his ultra
519
00:36:21,240 --> 00:36:26,080
secret information, and
Ultra became its codename.
520
00:36:29,440 --> 00:36:32,096
The distribution of Ultra
was tightly controlled.
521
00:36:32,120 --> 00:36:34,456
Senior commanders were shown
only that information
522
00:36:34,480 --> 00:36:38,120
which directly concerned
their operations.
523
00:36:40,600 --> 00:36:43,016
The need to keep the source
of intelligence secret
524
00:36:43,040 --> 00:36:46,856
was so great that Churchill
insisted that no action could
525
00:36:46,880 --> 00:36:50,016
be taken on the basis of
Ultra material unless a
526
00:36:50,040 --> 00:36:52,536
cover plan had been developed
to convince the Germans
527
00:36:52,560 --> 00:36:57,080
that the intelligence must
have come from another source.
528
00:37:01,920 --> 00:37:04,776
The third critical element
of the Bletchley operation,
529
00:37:04,800 --> 00:37:07,216
after decoding and
assessing the material,
530
00:37:07,240 --> 00:37:09,720
was keeping control of it.
531
00:37:13,920 --> 00:37:16,656
Often Ultra revealed
vital information about
532
00:37:16,680 --> 00:37:19,320
German plans and actions.
533
00:37:20,600 --> 00:37:22,976
News of forthcoming attacks
and other intelligence
534
00:37:23,000 --> 00:37:27,936
was filed away in a massive
card index system.
535
00:37:27,960 --> 00:37:30,096
This was constantly
mined for answers
536
00:37:30,120 --> 00:37:33,120
to questions great and small.
537
00:37:34,800 --> 00:37:36,816
By the end of the war,
Bletchley was decoding
538
00:37:36,840 --> 00:37:38,936
much of the German traffic
almost as fast as
539
00:37:38,960 --> 00:37:40,736
it was being sent.
540
00:37:40,760 --> 00:37:42,896
It was jokingly said that
it would have been quicker
541
00:37:42,920 --> 00:37:46,960
for a German commander to ring
Bletchley to get his orders.
542
00:37:49,640 --> 00:37:52,256
It was at sea that the
Allies first became aware
543
00:37:52,280 --> 00:37:55,720
of how vital information
from Ultra could be.
544
00:37:59,640 --> 00:38:04,360
An early example of its
potential came on June 8, 1940.
545
00:38:06,480 --> 00:38:09,336
The British aircraft carrier
Glorious was covering
546
00:38:09,360 --> 00:38:12,496
the convoys withdrawing
Allied troops from Norway,
547
00:38:12,520 --> 00:38:15,056
when Bletchley decoded
signals showing the German
548
00:38:15,080 --> 00:38:17,576
battlecruisers Scharnhorst
and Gneisenau
549
00:38:17,600 --> 00:38:20,200
were approaching its position.
550
00:38:21,360 --> 00:38:23,616
A warning was passed to
Royal Navy headquarters,
551
00:38:23,640 --> 00:38:25,856
but unaware of how accurate
the information was
552
00:38:25,880 --> 00:38:30,296
likely to be, this chose
not to pass it on.
553
00:38:37,920 --> 00:38:41,520
The Glorious was
intercepted and sunk.
554
00:38:42,840 --> 00:38:45,096
The British Navy had
learned the hard way just
555
00:38:45,120 --> 00:38:48,920
how important the new source
of intelligence could be.
556
00:38:50,680 --> 00:38:53,840
It was not a mistake
it would make again.
557
00:39:03,120 --> 00:39:05,416
Bletchley also performed
a critical role in the
558
00:39:05,440 --> 00:39:07,720
build up to the
Battle of Britain.
559
00:39:09,880 --> 00:39:12,536
It had provided a clear
picture of the Luftwaffe's
560
00:39:12,560 --> 00:39:15,656
order of battle, and the
overall strategy being
561
00:39:15,680 --> 00:39:18,800
adopted by its leader,
Hermann Goering.
562
00:39:21,400 --> 00:39:23,696
This information convinced
the head of British
563
00:39:23,720 --> 00:39:26,736
Fighter Command, Air Vice
Marshal Hugh Dowding that
564
00:39:26,760 --> 00:39:29,456
his tactic of committing
his fighters bit by bit
565
00:39:29,480 --> 00:39:32,576
rather than in large numbers
was the correct one,
566
00:39:32,600 --> 00:39:35,416
a tactic that played a
crucial part in preserving
567
00:39:35,440 --> 00:39:38,600
the RAF's narrow winning margin.
568
00:39:43,080 --> 00:39:46,656
As Britain continued its
lonely fight into 1941,
569
00:39:46,680 --> 00:39:50,480
it had at last found a
way of fighting back.
570
00:39:52,640 --> 00:39:56,000
Bletchley Park was
ready for action.
571
00:39:58,440 --> 00:40:01,096
The major breakthroughs
had been made.
572
00:40:01,120 --> 00:40:02,736
The systems for exploiting them
573
00:40:02,760 --> 00:40:05,960
put in place and well tested.
574
00:40:09,760 --> 00:40:11,776
In the coming years,
Ultra and the work of
575
00:40:11,800 --> 00:40:16,520
Bletchley Park would prove
vital to the Allied successes.
576
00:40:17,760 --> 00:40:20,216
But as the Battle of Britain
and the Blitz ground on,
577
00:40:20,240 --> 00:40:23,040
these were still a long way off.
578
00:40:25,880 --> 00:40:29,080
Churchill still needed
more immediate results.
579
00:40:30,040 --> 00:40:32,576
And by early 1941 he
thought that he had
580
00:40:32,600 --> 00:40:35,400
at last found a way to get them.
581
00:40:50,600 --> 00:40:53,456
Nazi Germany might
now control most of
582
00:40:53,480 --> 00:40:56,176
western Europe, but
Britain's prime minister,
583
00:40:56,200 --> 00:40:59,056
Winston Churchill,
now decided to take
584
00:40:59,080 --> 00:41:01,016
the war to the Germans.
585
00:41:01,040 --> 00:41:04,016
We shall not flinch
from the supreme child.
586
00:41:04,040 --> 00:41:05,816
All will come right.
587
00:41:05,840 --> 00:41:08,256
Even before France
had surrendered
588
00:41:08,280 --> 00:41:10,936
he was looking for ways
of striking back, and of
589
00:41:10,960 --> 00:41:13,016
keeping resistance
alive in the countries
590
00:41:13,040 --> 00:41:15,320
which had been overrun.
591
00:41:19,680 --> 00:41:21,616
Just as the last troops
were being taken off
592
00:41:21,640 --> 00:41:23,696
the beaches of
Dunkirk, Churchill was
593
00:41:23,720 --> 00:41:26,160
already planning ahead.
594
00:41:27,520 --> 00:41:29,616
He wrote to his chiefs
of staff, demanding the
595
00:41:29,640 --> 00:41:32,176
formation of raiding
forces which could attack
596
00:41:32,200 --> 00:41:35,000
the coasts of occupied Europe.
597
00:41:36,400 --> 00:41:38,616
Within a few days, a call
for volunteers had been
598
00:41:38,640 --> 00:41:42,720
circulated to create a
force of 5,000 men.
599
00:41:45,640 --> 00:41:48,656
They were to be called
Commandos, after the
600
00:41:48,680 --> 00:41:51,416
highly mobile Boer units
which had fought the
601
00:41:51,440 --> 00:41:53,536
British for three
years in South Africa
602
00:41:53,560 --> 00:41:55,960
at the turn of the century.
603
00:41:56,920 --> 00:42:00,560
Ten commando units each
of 500 men were set up.
604
00:42:02,520 --> 00:42:05,496
They began practising
attacks from the sea.
605
00:42:10,240 --> 00:42:12,776
One unit was ordered to
specialise in parachuting
606
00:42:12,800 --> 00:42:15,096
and using assault gliders.
607
00:42:15,120 --> 00:42:16,896
This soon became the
basis of the separate
608
00:42:16,920 --> 00:42:19,360
Parachute Regiment.
609
00:42:24,040 --> 00:42:25,936
Admiral Sir Roger
Keyes was appointed
610
00:42:25,960 --> 00:42:28,800
Director of Combined Operations.
611
00:42:30,320 --> 00:42:32,616
Churchill instructed him
to prepare to mount three
612
00:42:32,640 --> 00:42:35,296
major raids as soon as the
threat of an invasion
613
00:42:35,320 --> 00:42:38,016
of Britain had passed.
614
00:42:38,040 --> 00:42:40,816
One of Keyes' first tasks
was to develop ships
615
00:42:40,840 --> 00:42:43,640
which could land his new troops.
616
00:42:45,920 --> 00:42:47,776
Three cross Channel
ferries were converted
617
00:42:47,800 --> 00:42:50,560
so as to carry landing craft.
618
00:42:55,440 --> 00:42:58,416
On March 4, 1941, two
Commando units and a
619
00:42:58,440 --> 00:43:00,456
demolition squad
were landed on the
620
00:43:00,480 --> 00:43:03,360
Lofoten Islands off
Northern Norway.
621
00:43:06,560 --> 00:43:08,976
Their main objective was
to destroy factories
622
00:43:09,000 --> 00:43:12,640
which converted fish oil into
glycerine for explosives.
623
00:43:17,320 --> 00:43:19,696
The Commandos achieved
total surprise and
624
00:43:19,720 --> 00:43:22,560
landed without a
shot being fired.
625
00:43:24,840 --> 00:43:28,576
A German armed trawler in
the harbour was seized.
626
00:43:28,600 --> 00:43:32,280
They quickly destroyed the
factories and fish oil tanks.
627
00:43:40,200 --> 00:43:42,496
One officer could not
resist using the local
628
00:43:42,520 --> 00:43:46,816
post office to send a telegram to A.
Hitler, Berlin.
629
00:43:46,840 --> 00:43:49,616
It read, "Reference your
last speech, I thought"
630
00:43:49,640 --> 00:43:51,776
you said that wherever
British troops land on the
631
00:43:51,800 --> 00:43:55,016
continent of Europe, German
soldiers will face them.
632
00:43:55,040 --> 00:43:57,720
"Well, where are they?"
633
00:44:00,320 --> 00:44:02,296
The Commandos then
rounded up 60 Norwegian
634
00:44:02,320 --> 00:44:05,176
collaborators and 225
German prisoners
635
00:44:05,200 --> 00:44:08,640
before returning
without any losses.
636
00:44:12,680 --> 00:44:16,536
With them, they also took
115 Norwegian volunteers.
637
00:44:16,560 --> 00:44:18,456
These would then join
the Free Norwegian
638
00:44:18,480 --> 00:44:20,560
forces in Britain.
639
00:44:27,200 --> 00:44:29,536
The Lofoten raid was an
enormous public relations
640
00:44:29,560 --> 00:44:33,720
success and a huge boost
for British morale.
641
00:44:36,360 --> 00:44:38,456
But its most important
result was one which
642
00:44:38,480 --> 00:44:41,416
could not be publicised,
the capture of a set of
643
00:44:41,440 --> 00:44:44,616
rotors for an Enigma machine.
644
00:44:44,640 --> 00:44:46,376
Although the machine had
been thrown overboard
645
00:44:46,400 --> 00:44:49,896
from the armed trawler, its
crew forgot the spares.
646
00:44:49,920 --> 00:44:52,016
They were to give invaluable
help to the cryptographers
647
00:44:52,040 --> 00:44:56,120
of Bletchley Park in breaking
the German naval codes.
648
00:45:01,720 --> 00:45:04,856
Then in December 1941,
four Commando units
649
00:45:04,880 --> 00:45:07,616
landed at the Norwegian
port of Vaagso
650
00:45:07,640 --> 00:45:10,960
and were immediately
involved in heavy fighting.
651
00:45:14,680 --> 00:45:16,376
The approach to Vaagso
was covered by the
652
00:45:16,400 --> 00:45:18,776
small island of Maaloy,
on which the Germans
653
00:45:18,800 --> 00:45:21,120
had placed artillery.
654
00:45:25,240 --> 00:45:28,496
This was quickly overrun,
but across the water
655
00:45:28,520 --> 00:45:31,680
in Vaagso, the
fighting was intense.
656
00:45:42,720 --> 00:45:44,696
It took several hours
for the main German
657
00:45:44,720 --> 00:45:47,280
garrison to be subdued.
658
00:45:54,120 --> 00:45:56,376
The Commandos then blew
up several factories
659
00:45:56,400 --> 00:45:59,840
and sank eight ships
before withdrawing.
660
00:46:04,040 --> 00:46:06,896
These raids convinced
Hitler that sooner or later
661
00:46:06,920 --> 00:46:10,320
the British would attempt
to retake Norway.
662
00:46:12,480 --> 00:46:14,976
So for the remaining
four years of the war,
663
00:46:15,000 --> 00:46:18,776
he kept some 250,000
troops there.
664
00:46:18,800 --> 00:46:22,560
Troops which might have
proved vital on other fronts.
665
00:46:24,120 --> 00:46:26,576
But effective as they
were, Commando raids
666
00:46:26,600 --> 00:46:29,176
were not enough to
stop the Nazis.
667
00:46:29,200 --> 00:46:31,736
Churchill needed other
ways to hurt them,
668
00:46:31,760 --> 00:46:34,016
so he focused on the
resistance movements
669
00:46:34,040 --> 00:46:36,280
in the occupied countries.
670
00:46:41,400 --> 00:46:46,216
In July 1940, a Special
Operations Executive, SOE,
671
00:46:46,240 --> 00:46:51,240
was formed, as Churchill put
it, to set Europe ablaze.
672
00:46:55,040 --> 00:46:57,136
Its objectives were to
encourage sabotage of
673
00:46:57,160 --> 00:47:00,096
the enemy war effort,
gather intelligence and
674
00:47:00,120 --> 00:47:04,480
prepare clandestine forces
to disrupt German defences.
675
00:47:10,080 --> 00:47:14,000
The bulk of SOE's activities
centred on France.
676
00:47:17,920 --> 00:47:20,256
Soon agents were recruited
in Britain to build up
677
00:47:20,280 --> 00:47:23,776
and coordinate the French
resistance networks.
678
00:47:23,800 --> 00:47:25,656
Radio operators
and couriers were
679
00:47:25,680 --> 00:47:28,360
also trained to support them.
680
00:47:34,000 --> 00:47:37,536
One problem was how to get
these teams into the country.
681
00:47:37,560 --> 00:47:39,416
Submarines, high
speed launches, and
682
00:47:39,440 --> 00:47:41,696
fishing vessels
were all tried out.
683
00:47:41,720 --> 00:47:43,456
But the German coastal defences
684
00:47:43,480 --> 00:47:46,040
proved difficult to penetrate.
685
00:47:49,000 --> 00:47:53,216
The answer was aircraft.
And in August 1940,
686
00:47:53,240 --> 00:47:56,376
a special RAF unit was set
up with Whitley bombers
687
00:47:56,400 --> 00:48:00,000
and short take-off and
landing Westland Lysanders.
688
00:48:05,800 --> 00:48:08,776
Agents and equipment were
either parachuted in
689
00:48:08,800 --> 00:48:10,696
from the bombers or flown in and
690
00:48:10,720 --> 00:48:13,400
brought out by the Lysanders.
691
00:48:18,120 --> 00:48:20,536
On moonlit nights, a growing
number of reception
692
00:48:20,560 --> 00:48:23,176
committees would be
waiting, as an increasingly
693
00:48:23,200 --> 00:48:27,320
widespread network of
resistance groups was built up.
694
00:48:33,480 --> 00:48:35,896
But all the while, they were
hunted by an increasingly
695
00:48:35,920 --> 00:48:39,760
sophisticated German
counter espionage system.
696
00:48:41,720 --> 00:48:44,096
This used direction finding
equipment to locate hidden
697
00:48:44,120 --> 00:48:48,120
radios and double agents
to infiltrate networks.
698
00:48:51,840 --> 00:48:55,456
The work of SOE agents
was desperately perilous
699
00:48:55,480 --> 00:48:58,696
and their life expectancy short.
700
00:48:58,720 --> 00:49:00,616
The slightest lapse
in concentration
701
00:49:00,640 --> 00:49:02,816
might betray them
to the Gestapo.
702
00:49:02,840 --> 00:49:05,680
Many suffered torture and death.
703
00:49:08,440 --> 00:49:11,040
But Churchill was
sure it was worth it.
704
00:49:13,920 --> 00:49:16,496
Keeping resistance alive in
the occupied countries gave
705
00:49:16,520 --> 00:49:20,960
hope to millions that liberation
would eventually come.
706
00:49:27,880 --> 00:49:30,296
The British Broadcasting
Corporation, the BBC,
707
00:49:30,320 --> 00:49:32,696
was also enlisted to
raise the hopes of those
708
00:49:32,720 --> 00:49:34,696
living under German rule.
709
00:49:34,720 --> 00:49:36,656
It broadcast the news
in all the languages
710
00:49:36,680 --> 00:49:39,240
of the occupied countries.
711
00:49:43,360 --> 00:49:45,016
The German penalty
for listening to
712
00:49:45,040 --> 00:49:48,096
these bulletins was death.
713
00:49:48,120 --> 00:49:51,336
But people tuned in regardless.
714
00:49:51,360 --> 00:49:53,696
The BBC also played a crucial
role in transmitting
715
00:49:53,720 --> 00:49:56,256
coded messages to
resistance groups.
716
00:49:56,280 --> 00:49:59,816
These always came after
the nine o'clock news.
717
00:50:11,160 --> 00:50:13,296
For the peoples of occupied
Europe, the prospect
718
00:50:13,320 --> 00:50:16,376
of liberation might only
be a distant dream,
719
00:50:16,400 --> 00:50:20,760
but in the middle of 1941, it
suddenly became more likely.
720
00:50:22,680 --> 00:50:27,680
For by then Britain was no
longer alone in fighting Nazism.
721
00:50:31,000 --> 00:50:33,496
It had gained a massive ally.
722
00:50:33,520 --> 00:50:35,416
But it wasn't America,
which Churchill
723
00:50:35,440 --> 00:50:37,896
had been assiduously
been courting.
724
00:50:37,920 --> 00:50:40,000
It was the Soviet Union.
59224
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