BBC - Secrets of World War II Set 1 (1998) Part 8 Human Torpedoes

You probably know the History, now discover the incredible SECRETS OF WORLD WAR II. Rarely has a war produced such clear cut reasons to fight as World War II. On the one hand were the totalitarian Dictators - Tojo, Hitler and Mussolini. On the other were the great democracies of the Western World which were gradually regaining their feet after the Great War of 1914-18 and the Wall Street Crash. Suddenly, ordinary men and women from all walks of life found themselves thrown into fearsome, nerve-tingling situations worthy of any Hollywood movie. The only difference in this series is that every story is true. Real people emerge as the Heroes of Telemark. Ordinary GIs and US Airforce and Navy personnel suddenly find themselves flying against the Japanese in China, jungle fighting in Burma and being dropped by submarine on enemy coasts at midnight. These untold stories can now be examined in great detail with the benefit of hindsight, newly-discovered archive film, maps and computer graphics which can complete the picture for today's viewer. Each fifty-two minute story covers the background to the main action. It will give the viewer a clear view of the historical context, the strategic objective and the tactical effort made by flyers, sailors and foot-soldiers - often in the most oppressive and life-threatening situations - to win victory from the enemy. This is an inspiring series with a giant canvas including much never before seen colour film. Over 300,000 hours of archive material have been searched for its compilation. Specially orchestrated music and compositions from the great composers all contribute to the excitement and drama of some of the world's greatest stories of bravery under fire. It is the largest series of its kind ever produced and with recently released secret footage will give the viewer a new insight into the great untold war stories of World War II. In many cases, this series gives the true stories for the first time this Century.

Part 8 Human Torpedoes

In 1941 four Italian frogmen used their two-man underwater 'chariots' to place explosive charges on two British battleships in Alexandria Harbour. They were the first of many brave men to use these unconventional weapons. On the night of December 18, 1941, three frogmen from a top secret division of the Italian navy penetrated the harbor at Alexandria, Egypt. Riding just below the water's surface on specially modified torpedoes, the men silently approached their target–the battleship Queen Elizabeth, flagship of the British Mediterranean fleet. Now experience the daring raid of Italy's elite Decima Flottiglia MAS and discover the exploits of secret submersibles during World War II – in “Human Torpedoes.” Visit the hidden floating base of the Decima MAS lying within sight of a British stronghold. Find out how Japanese midget subs played a key role in the destruction at Pearl Harbor. Catch a rare glimpse on an British submersible canoe, and see how the four-men “X”-craft put the Nazi battleship Tirpitz out of action. And witness enemy “Heaven Shakers”; explosive attacks on Allied ships. From the development of early underwater vessels to the last-ditch missions of kamikaze submersibles, discover how human torpedoes created danger beneath the waves.

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Episode Two Shown Here