On 1st April 1945 United States’ marines approached the Japanese-held island of Okinawa … The war in the Pacific had been raging for over three years; the Americans had the upper hand but as they hopped from island to island each advance was more costly than the last. Secrets of War s1e35: Japan: The Invasion that Never Was
It appeared that an invasion of the Japanese main islands would be the only way to win the war. ibid.
25 cities were cited as especially suited to gas attacks … As many as five million Japanese would be killed by these attacks. ibid.
The British used stealth and cunning to match the Axis powers. Secrets of War s1e39: British Secret Intelligence in WWII
MI6 was joined by a web of secret agencies. ibid.
MI6 had purchased an old Bletchley Park mansion … a sharp team of brilliant scholars, linguists and mathematicians … but code-breaking alone would not be enough to win the war. ibid.
SOE’s early missions in the war were often plagued by failure. ibid.
An extraordinary campaign of dirty tricks, salacious deeds and salacious setups … the enemy of American indifference. ibid.
SOE operatives had successfully parachuted into France and other occupied countries, set up supply-drops and recruited resistance fighters; they had become adept at blowing up bridges, stopping trains, disrupting supply lines and destroying communications equipment. ibid.
Many of the best British radar operators had transferred to north Africa; those now manning the channel radar hadn’t experienced this type of jamming before. Secrets of War s1e40: The Wizard War
But it was just as important not to give a hint at where the invasion took place. ibid.
Deception has always been a vital part of military warfare. It’s often been the basis of stunning victories. It can save equipment and lives, reducing the cost of victory. Modern deception came of age in the planning rooms and on the battlefields of World War II. Secrets of War s1e41: Battlefield Deceptions
Self-deception: One of the most dangerous traps of all. ibid.
The use of tunnels to mislead an opponent is a centuries-old tactic. ibid.
Few men in the long history of the British empire won the deep respect and admiration of the entire nation as Winston Spencer Churchill did in the darkest days of World War II. Secrets of War s1e44: Churchill’s Gambles
He’s been a soldier, a spy, an author, a successful politician. ibid.
A bold and secret plan: British ships would sneak into the Dardanelles Strait separating Asia Minor and Turkey … but the British underestimated coastal defence … The operation turned into a quagmire … Thousands of British soldiers lost their lives. ibid.
By the mid-1930s Churchill had already begun his secret war against Hitler. ibid.
He used secret intelligence not only for the battlefield but for the political arena as well. ibid.
Long before 1933, the year he rose to power, Adolf Hitler wrote: With the help of a persistent propaganda even Heaven can be represented to the people’s hell, and the most wretched life as paradise. Secrets of War s1e45: Nazi Propaganda
Goebbels was appointed Minister for Public Enlightenment and Propaganda. ibid.
‘Radio, of course, Goebbels thought as the supreme method, or instrument, of propaganda.’ ibid. Terry Charman, historian Imperial War Museum
In wars throughout the 20th century captivity stripped soldiers of their physical and emotional freedom. Some of them survived; others perished, and many more were permanently altered by their experiences as prisoners of war. Secrets of War s1e47: Prisoners of War Part I: The Barbed Wire Front
Many ignored these statutes and resorted to torture. ibid.
The Japanese did not follow the terms of the 1929 Geneva Convention. ibid.
Throughout the history of war the belligerents had viewed captive soldiers as a valuable resource. Secrets of War s1e48: Prisoners of War Part II: Battle for the Mind
Throughout the war, Stalag Luft 3 remained the chief camp for British and American air force pilots … In April of 1943 the POWs in Stalag Luft 3 began to dig 3 tunnels known to insiders as Tom, Dick and Harry … On March 25th 1944, only 6 weeks before the planned invasion of Normandy, 76 men at Stalag Luft 3 made it through the tunnel called Harry and emerged beyond the barbed wire of the camp. ibid.
No Japanese scientists were ever brought to trial. ibid.
The submarine: silent, efficient and deadly. It was one of the ultimate weapons of World War II. Yet there is a secret side to the submarine war: the Second World War was a battleground for tiny deadly submarines whose very existence was kept a closely guarded secret. Secrets of War s1e52: Secret Submarines
The training of the swimmers included not only the use of explosives but the teaching of unique swimming techniques. ibid.
Allied Underwater Demolition Teams or UDTs were responsible for sinking hundreds of tons of shipping. ibid.
Peal Harbor: Japan had already been at war for more than a decade … there had been little peace for the island nation. Secrets of War s1e53: Hirohito’s War
Hirohito was born at the dawn of the new century on April 29th 1901, the 124th emperor in the imperial line. ibid.
In excess of 200,000 people were slaughtered during the occupation of the city. The Rape of Nanking came to symbolize the brutality of the Japanese army. ibid.
Japan had established a network of spies throughout the world. ibid.
‘From my close observation of Hitler for many years I believe the Fuhrer to be a borderline case between genius and insanity. I predict he will be the craziest criminal the world has ever known.’ Secrets of War s1e54: Hitler’s Last Days, Hitler’s first doctor 1937
He no longer listened to his trusted advisers; he trusted almost no-one. ibid.
He believed the German people had let him down. ibid.
On April 20th [1945] Hitler turned 56. ibid.
An opportunity is discovered hidden in a castle, once home to an ancient royal dynasty. Unlocking the castle’s secrets will lead to an international game of espionage, royal conspiracy and one of the crimes of the century. Wartime Crime s1e3: The Nazi’s Jewel Heist, BBC 2018
Kronberg Castle: The valuable wine is only the beginning. What they find next will reveal the secrets of a 700-year-old dynasty and change the lives of three US officers for ever. ibid.
The Hessen crown jewels. ibid.
The enemy have driven the British and French armies to the sea. Trapped at Dunkirk they await their fate. Hoping for deliverance. For a miracle. Dunkirk ***** 2017 starring Tom Hardy & Mark Rylance & Cilliam Murphy & Kenneth Branagh & Barry Keoghan & James D’Arcy & Aneurin Bernard & Harry Styles & Jack Lowden & Tom Glynn-Carney & Fionn Whitehead et al, director Christopher Nolan, opening captions
Fate pushed through the bowels of men. ibid. bloke on boat
He has proved himself incapable of leading us in wartime! Darkest Hour ***** 2017 starring Gary Oldman & Kristin Scott Thomas & Lily James & Ben Mendelsohn & Stephen Dillane & Ronald Pickup & Nicholas James & Samuel West & David Schofield & Richard Lumsden & Malcolm Storry et al, director Joe Wright, Atlee of Chamberlain
I have noticed a recent deterioration in your manner. You’re not as kind as you used to be. ibid. Clementine
Which self shall I be today? ibid. Winston
His record is a litany of catastrophe. ibid. King
Here’s to not buggering it up! ibid. Winston
He’s delusional. Completely delusional. ibid. French premier
With Hitler holding the whip hand, do you really think he would honour our liberty and independence? ibid. Winston
King: How do you manage drinking during the day?
Winston: Practice. ibid.
Will you stop interrupting me when I am interrupting you? ibid. Winston