Original subtitles

[MISSILE ROARS]

\h\h\hNarrator: FOR CENTURIES, AN EXTRAORDINARY WAR HAS RAGED

ACROSS THE WORLD’S OCEANS, ABOVE AND BELOW THE WAVES.

\hMan: YOU COULD KILL HUNDREDS OF PEOPLE WITH ONE BROADSIDE.

THESE WERE EXTREMELY POWERFUL \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hWAR MACHINES.

Narrator: SHIPBUILDERS DESIGNED BIGGER AND FASTER VESSELS

TO OUTWIT AND CRUSH \h\hTHEIR OPPONENTS.

Man: THAT NATION THAT HAS THE MOST POWERFUL BATTLESHIP FLEET

CAN DESTROY THE ENEMY’S \h\h\h\hBATTLESHIP FLEET

AND THEREFORE CONTROL THE SEAS,

AND IF YOU CONTROL THE SEAS, \h\h\hYOU CONTROL THE WORLD.

Narrator: THEY CARRIED \hTERRIFYING WEAPONS.

Man: THIS WAS GONNA BE \h\h\h\hTHE FIRST TIME

THAT SOMEBODY HAD FIRED \h\h\hA TORPEDO IN ANGER

SINCE WORLD WAR II.

THEY NEEDED TO GET IT RIGHT.

Narrator: BUT SHIPS HAVE ALSO LIBERATED

AND RESCUED THOUSANDS.

Man: YOU COULD THINK \h\h\h\hOF GERDA III

AS BASICALLY A LIFEBOAT FOR PERSONS HUNTED BY THE NAZIS.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: AND INSPIRED MEN AND WOMEN

TO ACTS OF INCREDIBLE BRAVERY.

Man: I WILL TAKE YOU THERE NOW, TO YOUR CANNONS,

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTO YOUR DEATH, WE WILL SINK BEFORE SURRENDER.

Narrator: THESE VESSELS \h\h\h\hAND THEIR CREWS

HAVE SHAPED WORLD HISTORY.

\hMan: AS THE COMMANDING OFFICER OF A MISSILE-CARRYING SUBMARINE,

I WAS DIRECTLY RESPONSIBLE

FOR HELPING TO PREVENT \h\h\h\hWORLD WAR III.

[MISSILE ROARS]

\h\h\hNarrator: THIS TIME, THE UNDERWATER ARMS RACE--

HOW SUBMARINES WENT FROM BEING A ONE-MAN-OPERATED FLOATING BARREL

TO SOPHISTICATED HUNTER-KILLERS

\hTHAT COULD CHANGE THE COURSE OF A WAR.

♪

♪

OVER THE YEARS, WARSHIPS HAVE BECOME LARGER AND MORE DEADLY.

BUT THEY’VE ALWAYS BEEN \h\h\h\h\hSITTING DUCKS.

YOU DIDN’T NEED AN IMPRESSIVE \h\h\h\h\hNAVY TO SINK A SHIP.

\hWHAT YOU NEEDED WAS A VESSEL THAT COULD STRIKE UNDERWATER.

Man: THE GREAT THING \hABOUT A SUBMARINE

IS THAT IT’S INVISIBLE.

YOU COULD ATTACK SHIPS \hSECRETLY, COVERTLY.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHE SUBMARINE IS THE ULTIMATE STEALTH PLATFORM.

\h\h\h\h\h\hIT CAN USE UNDERWATER EXPLOSIVES.

\h\h\hDON’T MAKE HOLES IN THE TOP OF A SHIP;

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hMAKE HOLES IN THE BOTTOM OF A SHIP,

’CAUSE THEN THE SHIP WILL SINK.

\h\h\h\hNarrator: THE SUBMARINE HAS PROVEN ITSELF TO BE CAPABLE

\h\hOF REMARKABLE FEATS OF ENDURANCE AND SPEED.

Man: THE SHIP WAS ACTUALLY \h\h\hSO FAST AT THE TIME

THAT THIS PORTION AS WELL AS SEVERAL OTHER PORTIONS

WERE ACTUALLY RIPPED \h\h\hOFF THE DECK.

WE’D NEVER BEFORE HAD \hA SUBMARINE CAPABLE

OF THIS KIND OF FORCE AND POWER.

\h\h\hNarrator: AND ALSO TO BE A TERRIFYING KILLING MACHINE.

DECEMBER 7, 1941.

PEARL HARBOR.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hALMOST 20 UNITED STATES NAVY VESSELS

WERE LOST THAT HISTORIC \h\h\h\hSUNDAY MORNING.

ONE THAT MANAGED TO ESCAPE

WAS A LIGHT CRUISER NAMED \h\h\h\h\hTHE USS PHOENIX.

AMAZINGLY, SHE WAS UNHARMED.

\h\h\h\h41 YEARS LATER, HER LUCK WOULD RUN OUT.

SOLD TO THE ARGENTINE NAVY \h\h\h\h\h\h\hAND RENAMED,

\h\h\hSHE WOULD BE STALKED BY A BRITISH ROYAL NAVY SUBMARINE

AND SUNK.

HER LOSS WOULD MAKE HEADLINES \h\h\h\h\h\hAROUND THE WORLD.

ON APRIL 2, 1982,

ARGENTINA’S MILITARY GOVERNMENT INVADED THE FALKLAND ISLANDS,

300 MILES OFF THE COAST \h\h\h\hOF SOUTH AMERICA

AND UNDER BRITISH CONTROL \h\h\h\h\h\h\hSINCE 1833.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hStuart Prebble: IT’S PROBABLY HARD TO REALIZE

FOR PEOPLE WHO WEREN’T AROUND \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hAT THE TIME

THE SIZE OF THE SHOCK \hWHEN PEOPLE WOKE UP

\h\h\h\h\hAND LEARNED THAT THE ARGENTINIANS

HAD INVADED THE FALKLANDS.

AND THEN THE NEWS STARTED \h\h\h\h\hSHOWING COVERAGE

\h\h\hOF ARGENTINIAN SOLDIERS STANDING OVER BRITISH SOLDIERS

LYING FLAT ON THE GROUND.

IT WAS TAKEN VERY, \hVERY SERIOUSLY.

\h\hNarrator: IN RESPONSE, BRITAIN SENT A TASK FORCE

COMPRISED OF 100 VESSELS.

A 200-MILE EXCLUSION ZONE WAS \hSET UP AROUND THE FALKLANDS.

THE GOVERNMENT DECLARED, \h"ANY ARGENTINE WARSHIP

FOUND WITHIN THIS ZONE

WILL BE TREATED AS HOSTILE

AND LIABLE TO BE ATTACKED

BY BRITISH FORCES."

THE NUCLEAR SUBMARINE \h\h\h\hHMS CONQUEROR

WAS PART OF THE TASK FORCE.

\h\h\hIT WAS ORDERED TO SAIL TO AN AREA CLOSE TO THE FALKLANDS,

WHERE THE WARSHIP \hGENERAL BELGRANO

WAS BELIEVED TO BE SAILING.

AS THE FORMER USS PHOENIX,

BELGRANO HAD SURVIVED \h\h\h\hPEARL HARBOR.

BUT THIS WAS A NEW TYPE OF WAR.

Eric Grove: THE GENERAL BELGRANO WAS A...A RATHER OLD

BUT STILL MODERATELY CAPABLE \h\h\h\hARGENTINIAN CRUISER

\h\h\h\h\h\hESCORTED BY TWO MISSILE-EQUIPPED DESTROYERS.

IT WAS PART OF A PLANNED ATTACK ON THE BRITISH TASK GROUPS.

Narrator: HMS CONQUEROR, \h\h\hNICKNAMED "CONKS,"

WAS A CHURCHILL-CLASS \h\hNUCLEAR SUBMARINE.

♪

ON APRIL 30th, HER SONAR

DETECTED A GROUP OF SHIPS \h\h\h\h\h100 MILES AWAY.

THE CONQUEROR TOOK OFF \h\h\h\h\hIN PURSUIT.

\h\hTHE FOLLOWING DAY, THE SHIPS WERE LOCATED

JUST OUTSIDE THE EXCLUSION ZONE.

\h\hTHE CONQUEROR’S NAVIGATOR, NARENDRA SETHIA, KEPT A DIARY.

Narendra Sethia: THERE IS ONE CRUISER, THE BELGRANO,

TWO DESTROYERS AND AN OILER.

WE CAUGHT THEM IN THE MIDDLE \hOF A REPLENISHMENT AT SEA,

WHICH WOULD HAVE MADE \h\h\hA SUPERB TARGET,

BUT UNFORTUNATELY THEY WERE SOUTH OF THE EXCLUSION ZONE.

Prebble: THE SAFEST PLACE \hFOR THE SUBMARINE TO BE

IN ORDER TO FOLLOW THE BELGRANO AND REMAIN UNDETECTED

IS DIRECTLY BENEATH HER.

SO FOR MANY OF THE 13 HOURS \h\hOR SO BEFORE THE ATTACK,

CONQUEROR IS ACTUALLY 150 FEET \h\h\h\h\hBELOW THE BELGRANO,

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hWHICH IS A KIND OF SINISTER THOUGHT.

Narrator: AT 5 A.M. ON MAY 2nd,

\h\h\h\h\hTHE BELGRANO AND HER SMALL FLOTILLA

RECEIVED A MESSAGE TO RETURN \hTO THEIR BASE AT USHUAIA.

THERE’S BEEN MUCH DEBATE

WHETHER THE BRITISH INTERCEPTED THIS SIGNAL.

WHAT ISN’T DISPUTED

IS THAT THE BRITISH TASK FORCE \h\hCOMMANDER, SANDY WOODWARD,

\hWAS DEEPLY CONCERNED ABOUT A POSSIBLE ARGENTINE ATTACK.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hGrove: AS FAR AS ADMIRAL WOODWARD WAS CONCERNED,

HE WAS STILL IN GREAT DANGER,

AND THAT DANGER WOULD BE \hSIGNIFICANTLY REDUCED

\hIF THE BELGRANO GROUP WAS WIPED OFF THE SLATE.

\h\h\h\hNarrator: PRIME MINISTER MARGARET THATCHER’S WAR CABINET

MET TO CONSIDER THE REQUEST \h\h\hTO SINK THE BELGRANO.

PERMISSION WAS GIVEN.

Prebble: THE SIGNAL THEN WENT \h\h\h\h\h\hTO THE CONQUEROR,

"SINK THE BELGRANO."

THE CAPTAIN VERY CALMLY \hANNOUNCED TO THE CREW

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hWE’RE GOING TO GO TO ACTION STATIONS AFTER LUNCH.

\h\h\hTHEY HAD ROAST PORK AND APPLE PIE AND CRUMBLE

FOR THEIR LUNCH...

[KLAXON HORN]

AND THEN THEY MOVED IN \h\h\hON THE BELGRANO.

[KLAXON HORN BLARING]

Sethia: THIS AFTERNOON I KNEW WHAT FEAR WAS.

AT 1400 WE RECEIVED A SIGN

\h\h\h\hAUTHORIZING US TO SINK THE BELGRANO,

EVEN THOUGH IT WAS OUTSIDE \h\h\hTHE EXCLUSION ZONE.

Prebble: THEIR IDEA IS THAT \h\h\hTHEY’RE GOING TO FIRE

THREE TORPEDOES IN A SLIGHT FAN

SO THAT THEY’VE GOT \hTHE MAXIMUM CHANCE

OF HITTING THE BELGRANO \h\h\h\hAS IT GOES PAST.

CAPTAIN WREFORD-BROWN SAYS FIRE.

HE WAS A QUIETLY SPOKEN MAN,

AND NOBODY HAD EVER HEARD HIM \h\hSPEAK THIS LOUDLY BEFORE.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hSethia: THE ATMOSPHERE WAS ELECTRIC

AS THE SECONDS TICKED AWAY.

\h43 SECONDS AFTER DISCHARGE, WE HEARD THE FIRST EXPLOSION,

FOLLOWED BY TWO MORE--

THREE HITS FROM THREE WEAPONS.

\hTHE CONTROL ROOM WAS IN AN UPROAR,

30 PEOPLE SHOUTING AND CHEERING.

Narrator: THE FIRST TORPEDO \h\h\h\hMISSED THE BELGRANO

AND HIT ONE OF THE DESTROYERS, \h\h\h\hBUT FAILED TO EXPLODE.

\h\hTHE SECOND TORPEDO HIT THE BELGRANO’S BOW

JUST BELOW THE DINING HALL.

THE THIRD HIT HER STERN.

Sethia: WE WILL NEVER FORGET \h\h\h\h\hHEARING THE SOUND

OF THE BELGRANO BREAKING UP.

[BELL RINGING, ALARM BUZZING]

\h\hTHE SOUND WAS LIKE THE TINKLING OF GLASS

\h\h\h\h\hFROM A HUGE CHANDELIER THAT HAS CRASHED TO THE GROUND.

Narrator: 290 SAILORS WERE KILLED INSTANTLY.

ANOTHER 33 PERISHED IN THE WATER OR IN THE LIFE RAFTS.

Sethia: WE CAN’T GO BACK \h\h\hAND APOLOGIZE NOW.

IT’S TOO LATE.

I WONDER HOW MANY DIED.

\h\h\hI WONDER, EVEN MORE, WHAT THE REACTION WILL BE?

\h\hPrebble: I THINK THE GENERAL REACTION IN BRITAIN AT THE TIME

WAS JUBILATION,

BUT IF YOU READ THE MEMOIRS \hOF A LOT OF NAVAL OFFICERS

WHO WERE ON THE SCENE \h\h\h\h\hAT THE TIME,

QUITE A LOT OF THEM \h\h\hARE CONCERNED

THAT PLAINLY THERE WILL BE \h\h\h\h\h\h\hRETALIATION

\h\hAND AN ALL-OUT WAR IS FROM THAT POINT REALLY UNAVOIDABLE.

AND THAT’S EXACTLY \hWHAT DID HAPPEN.

Narrator: THE BRITISH RETOOK \h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHE FALKLANDS,

BUT AT GREAT COST TO BOTH SIDES.

AFTER AN UNEVENTFUL VOYAGE,

\h\h\h\h\hHMS CONQUEROR, FLYING THE JOLLY ROGER--

\hTHE SIGNAL OF A SUCCESSFUL ENGAGEMENT WITH THE ENEMY--

\h\h\h\h\h\hRETURNED HOME TO FASLANE SUBMARINE BASE.

ALTHOUGH THE CONQUEROR DISPLAYED MANY OF THE HALLMARKS

OF THE MODERN SUBMARINE,

SHE WAS, IN FACT, \hTHE CULMINATION

OF 200 YEARS OF HARD WORK

BY INGENIOUS DESIGNERS \h\h\h\hAND ENGINEERS.

THOSE PIONEERING SUBMARINE CREWS WERE WELL AWARE

\h\h\h\h\hTHEY WERE ALWAYS JUST A FEW SECONDS FROM SUDDEN DEATH.

WARSHIPS HAVE ALWAYS \h\hBEEN VULNERABLE

TO ATTACK FROM BELOW.

THE QUESTION WAS, JUST HOW COULD YOU MAKE AN EFFECTIVE SUBMARINE?

THE HUNT BEGAN IN EARNEST \h\h\hIN THE 18th CENTURY,

\h\h\hAS THE NEW WORLD FOUGHT FOR INDEPENDENCE FROM THE OLD.

THIS IS A REPLICA OF THE TURTLE,

\h\h\hTHOUGHT BY SOME TO BE THE WORLD’S FIRST SUBMARINE

TO ATTACK A WARSHIP.

IT WAS BUILT IN 1775

BY A YOUNG AMERICAN ENGINEER \h\h\hNAMED DAVID BUSHNELL.

♪

THE UNITED STATES WAS AT WAR \h\h\h\h\h\h\hWITH BRITAIN,

AND BUSHNELL WAS CONVINCED \hHIS REVOLUTIONARY DESIGN

COULD BE USED EFFECTIVELY \hAGAINST THE ROYAL NAVY.

THE SUBMARINE WAS MADE OF OAK, \hREINFORCED WITH IRON BANDS.

ITS ONE-MAN CREW PEDALED \h\h\h\hTO MOVE FORWARDS

\h\h\h\h\hAND TURNED A HANDLE TO OPERATE THE TOP PROPELLER.

\h\h\h\hAT THE BOTTOM WERE TWO BALLAST TANKS

\h\h\hTHAT FILLED WITH WATER TO MAKE THE TURTLE SUBMERGE

\hAND A PUMP TO EMPTY THEM AND RISE TO THE SURFACE--

\h\h\h\h\hA FEATURE OF ALL FUTURE SUBMARINE DESIGNS.

Grove: IN MODERN PARLANCE I THINK IT WOULD BE CALLED

A ONE-MAN MIDGET SUBMARINE,

DESIGNED TO LAY CHARGES \h\h\hUNDER ENEMY SHIPS.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: THE TURTLE WAS EQUIPPED

WITH A DETACHABLE DRILL BIT.

ONCE IT HAD PENETRATED \h\hTHE ENEMY’S HULL,

THE TURTLE WOULD MOVE AWAY,

\h\h\hLEAVING BEHIND AN EXPLOSIVE CHARGE

\h\hWITH A BUILT-IN CLOCKWORK DETONATOR.

THE LEGEND IS THAT IN 1776,

A SOLDIER NAMED EZRA LEE

\h\hVOLUNTEERED TO DISRUPT THE ROYAL NAVY’S BLOCKADE

OF NEW YORK HARBOR.

THE PLAN WAS TO CROSS

THE EAST RIVER IN THE TURTLE

AND PLACE AN EXPLOSIVE

UNDER HMS EAGLE’S HULL.

BUT THE SCREW DEVICE \hCOULDN’T PENETRATE

THE HULL’S COPPER SHEETING.

\h\h\h\hIT’S A STORY FEW EXPERTS BELIEVE.

\h\h\hBob Mealings: THIS WOULD HAVE BEEN

A BIG, HEAVY CYLINDRICAL \h\h\h\h\hWOODEN BARREL

WITH NO HYDRODYNAMIC PROPERTIES

\h\hTHAT YOU WOULD TYPICALLY ASSOCIATE WITH A SUBMARINE.

SO I THINK THE PHYSICAL EFFORT

OF ACTUALLY MOVING NO MORE \hTHAN A FEW HUNDRED YARDS

WOULD HAVE BEEN ACTUALLY \h\h\h\hQUITE ENORMOUS.

WHILST ATTEMPTS MAY HAVE BEEN \h\h\hMADE TO ATTACK WARSHIPS,

\h\h\h\hI RATHER SUSPECT THE ATTACK ON THE EAGLE

MIGHT HAVE BEEN WISHFUL THINKING RATHER THAN THE ACTUAL.

Narrator: THE TURTLE HAD SHOWN \h\hTHAT A PRIMITIVE SUBMARINE

HAD THE POTENTIAL TO DAMAGE \h\h\h\h\h\h\hAN ENEMY SHIP.

IT WOULD TAKE ANOTHER CONFLICT \h\h\h\h\h\h\hON AMERICAN SOIL

TO ENCOURAGE A FURTHER \h\h\hSIGNIFICANT LEAP

IN SUBMARINE DESIGN.

THE CIVIL WAR INVOLVED \h\h\h\hBLOODY BATTLES

AND GREAT TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE.

\h\h\hTHERE WERE DEVELOPMENTS IN WEAPONRY AND TRANSPORTATION

AND ALSO INNOVATION AT SEA.

\h\h\h\h\h\hWITHIN DAYS OF THE OUTBREAK OF WAR,

THE UNION FORCES OF THE NORTH

ESTABLISHED A BLOCKADE OF CONFEDERATE PORTS,

KNOWN AS THE ANACONDA PLAN.

IT AIMED TO CRIPPLE TRADE \hIN COTTON AND MUNITIONS.

\h\h\h\hIN RESPONSE, THE SOUTH DEVISED AN INGENIOUS STRATEGY.

Grove: THEY WERE LOOKING FOR NEW WAYS TO EXPLOIT TECHNOLOGY

TO ACTUALLY MOUNT ATTACKS \h\hON THE SUPERIOR FLEET

\hTHAT WAS INFLICTING A LOT OF ECONOMIC DAMAGE ON THEM.

Narrator: A GROUP OF SOUTHERN \h\hBUSINESSMEN AND ENGINEERS,

LED BY 40-YEAR-OLD H.L. HUNLEY,

EXPERIMENTED WITH SUBMARINES \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hIN ALABAMA.

THEIR GREATEST SUCCESS \hWAS A 30-FOOT VESSEL

NAMED THE FISH BOAT.

\hATTEMPTS TO USE ELECTRIC BATTERIES

AND STEAM POWER HAD FAILED.

THEY NOW RELIED ON SOMETHING \h\h\h\hMORE OLD-FASHIONED.

Grove: IT WAS THE MOST DEVELOPED

\h\h\hOF WHAT YOU MIGHT CALL THE MAN-POWERED SUBMARINES--

THE SUBMARINES THAT RELIED \h\h\h\h\hON HUMAN POWER.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: THE FISH BOAT WAS OPERATED

BY EIGHT MEN TURNING \hA PROPELLER SHAFT.

IT HAD TWO BALLAST TANKS-- \h\h\h\hONE AT EITHER END.

AND ALONG THE KEEL, A WEIGHT \h\h\hTHAT COULD BE DETACHED

FOR EMERGENCY BUOYANCY.

NEWS OF THE SUBMARINE \h\h\h\h\hMADE ITS WAY

TO CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA,

THE CONFEDERATE ARMY’S \h\h\h\hBIGGEST PORT.

\h\hTHE SOUTH WANTED TO ATTACH AN EXPLOSIVE TO THE FISH BOAT

AND BLOW UP THE UNION’S SHIPS.

John Quarstein: DURING 1863,

PIERRE GUSTAVE TOUTANT \h\h\h\h\h\hBEAUREGARD

WAS IN COMMAND OF THE DEFENSES \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hOF CHARLESTON,

AND HE WANTED TO DO EVERYTHING HE COULD

TO TRY AND BREAK THROUGH \hTHE BLOCKADING FLEET.

\h\hNarrator: DURING TRIALS, THE SUBMARINE’S CREW CLAIMED

\hTHEY SURFACED SO CLOSE TO THE BLOCKADING SHIPS

\h\hTHEY COULD HEAR THE SAILORS SINGING.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hHOWEVER, THE FISH BOAT SANK TWICE

\h\h\h\h\hAND A TOTAL OF 13 CREW MEMBERS DROWNED,

INCLUDING THE DESIGNER, \h\h\h\h\h\hH.L. HUNLEY.

THE SUB WAS NAMED AFTER HIM.

UNDETERRED, A NEW VOLUNTEER CREW WAS FOUND AND A PLAN DEVISED

TO SINK THE USS HOUSATONIC, \h\hANCHORED OFF CHARLESTON.

IT WAS A KEY VESSEL

IN THE NORTH’S BLOCKADE \h\h\h\h\hOF THE HARBOR.

Grove: THE HOUSATONIC WAS

\hQUITE A SIGNIFICANT AMERICAN SURFACE SHIP.

AND AFTER INITIAL FAILURES

THEY MANAGED TO GET THE HUNLEY \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hINTO POSITION.

IT SORT OF PADDLED \hITS WAY FORWARD

WITH THE MEN INSIDE \hWORKING VERY HARD.

THESE EARLY BOATS WERE ARMED \h\h\h\hWITH SPAR TORPEDOES,

\h\h\hAND THERE’S A SPAR POINTING FROM THE FRONT

WITH AN EXPLOSIVE ON THE END.

THE TROUBLE WITH THAT WAS IT WAS VIRTUALLY AN EARLY VERSION

OF SUICIDE BOMBING.

\h\h\h\h\h\hQuarstein: WE CALL ’EM TORPEDOES,

\h\hBUT REALLY THEY’RE MINES AT THE LONG OF A LONG POLE.

\h\h\h\hTHEY HAVE A BARBED END, SO WHEN THE SHIP RAMS THE HULL,

THE BARB WILL KEEP IT IN THERE

AS THE HUNLEY THEN \hHAS TO BACK OUT.

Narrator: DURING THE RAID, THE HOUSATONIC’S LOOKOUTS

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hSPOTTED THE HUNLEY AND DESPERATELY TRIED TO ESCAPE.

BUT IT WAS TOO LATE.

\hGrove: THE SPAR TORPEDO CONTACTED THE HOUSATONIC.

IT WENT OFF.

IT CAUSED A HUGE EXPLOSION.

Narrator: SHE DISAPPEARED \h\h\h\h\hBELOW THE WAVES

IN ONLY THREE MINUTES--

THE FIRST SHIP TO BE SUNK \h\h\h\h\hBY A SUBMARINE.

FIVE OF HER CREW DROWNED.

\hTHE HOUSATONIC SANK, BUT SO DID THE HUNLEY.

Grove: AT ONE LEVEL THIS WAS

THE FIRST SUCCESSFUL \hSUBMARINE ATTACK.

BUT AT ANOTHER LEVEL \h\hIT DEMONSTRATED

THAT REALLY YOU HAD TO DEVELOP

\hA BETTER WEAPON FOR THE SUBMARINE

\h\h\h\h\hAND ALSO TO PRODUCE A PROPER POWER SYSTEM AS WELL.

Narrator: A MORE EFFECTIVE \h\h\hMETHOD OF PROPULSION

WAS NOT LONG IN COMING.

IT WAS DEVELOPED BY AN UNLIKELY VICTORIAN INVENTOR,

\h\h\hWHO MANAGED TO HARNESS THE LATEST STEAM TECHNOLOGY,

BUT WOULD ULTIMATELY BE \h\hDEFEATED BY THE SEA.

IN NOVEMBER 1995, OFF THE COAST OF RHYL IN NORTH WALES,

\hA DIVER SPOTTED SOMETHING UNUSUAL LYING ON THE SEABED.

\h\hIT SOON BECAME CLEAR THAT THIS WAS A WRECK--

\h\h\hTHE WRECK OF A VESSEL WITH WORLDWIDE SIGNIFICANCE.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hINVISIBLE FOR OVER A HUNDRED YEARS,

IT WAS THE WORLD’S FIRST FULLY POWERED SUBMARINE.

\h\h\h\h\h\hIT WAS DESIGNED NOT BY A SHIPBUILDER OR AN ENGINEER

\h\h\h\hBUT BY A YOUNG CURATE NAMED REVEREND GEORGE GARRETT.

\h\h\h\h\hChris Holden: HE WAS A VERY ECCENTRIC,

\h\h\h\h\hVERY KNOWLEDGEABLE, VERY INTERESTING TYPE OF GUY.

\hI MEAN, A CLERGYMAN WHO BUILDS SUBMARINES?

\h\h\hTHIS WAS A...A VENTURE INTO A NEW TYPE OF WARFARE,

SOMETHING HE HOPED TO SELL \h\h\h\hTO THE ROYAL NAVY.

\hNarrator: GARRETT SKETCHED HIS DESIGN FOR THE SUBMARINE

ON THE BACK OF AN ENVELOPE.

\h\h\h\h\hIT WAS TO BE POWERED BY A FIRELESS STEAM GENERATOR,

SIMILAR TO THOSE JUST INTRODUCED ON THE LONDON UNDERGROUND.

HYDROPLANES ON EACH SIDE WOULD TAKE THE SUBMARINE UNDERWATER.

AND WHEN THE ENGINE WAS STOPPED, IT WOULD RISE TO THE SURFACE.

\h\h\h\hTHE SUBMARINE HAD A SERIOUS PURPOSE.

IT WAS DESIGNED TO BE ABLE \h\h\hTO CARRY TORPEDOES.

THIS REPLICA STANDS IN BIRKENHEAD DOCKS,

JUST A FEW FEET FROM WHERE THE SUBMARINE WAS LAUNCHED

ON NOVEMBER 26, 1879.

GARRETT CHRISTENED HER \h\h\h\h\h"RESURGAM."

Holden: RESURGAM IS A LATIN PHRASE FOR "I SHALL ARISE,"

AND WHAT A FANTASTIC NAME FOR A SUBMARINE, "I SHALL ARISE."

♪

Narrator: EARLY TRIALS IN THE RIVER MERSEY WERE SUCCESSFUL,

\hALTHOUGH CONDITIONS FOR THE THREE-MAN CREW

WERE NEARLY UNBEARABLE.

\h\h\hGeorge Price: THE HEAT FROM THE BOILER WAS INTENSE,

VARYING FROM 110 TO 115 DEGREES,

AND WE EXPERIENCED \hGREAT DISCOMFORT

FROM THE AIR PRESSURE \h\h\hON THE EARDRUMS.

WE HAD TO STAND ALL THE TIME,

OWING TO THE VERY LIMITED \h\h\h\h\h\hACCOMMODATION,

AND WHEN WE RETURNED \h\hTO THE SURFACE,

WE WERE ALL EXHAUSTED.

\h\h\hNarrator: THE INTERIOR OF THE RESURGAM WAS GLOOMY.

\h\h\h\h\hTHE ONLY LIGHT WAS PROVIDED BY CANDLES.

\h\h\hMealings: THE PIONEER SUBMARINE CREWS WERE BRAVE,

\hAND THEY WERE PREPARED TO TAKE ON AN ADVENTURE

BECAUSE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN

\h\h\hLIKE NOTHING ELSE THEY’D EVER EXPERIENCED.

Narrator: THE ROYAL NAVY ASKED GEORGE GARRETT TO DEMONSTRATE

WHAT HIS SUBMARINE COULD DO

\h\h\h\h\hIN PORTSMOUTH, HUNDREDS OF MILES AWAY.

IN JANUARY 1880, GARRETT SAILED WITH HIS TWO-MAN CREW

FROM BIRKENHEAD DOCKS, \hUP THE RIVER MERSEY,

AND OUT TO SEA.

HE EXPECTED THE VOYAGE \h\h\hTO TAKE A MONTH.

\hPrice: THE NAVIGATOR HAD LOST HIS BEARINGS,

AND WE CAME UP ALONGSIDE \h\hA FULL-RIGGED SHIP,

HOMEWARD BOUND FOR LIVERPOOL.

\hWHEN MR. GARRETT THREW OPEN THE TOP

\h\hAND SHOUTED "SHIP AHOY!" AND INQUIRED WHERE WE WERE,

THE CAPTAIN OF THE SHIP \hWAS TERRIBLY SURPRISED

AND INQUIRED WHO WE WERE.

WE INFORMED HIM THAT WE WERE

A SUBMARINE TORPEDO BOAT \h\h\h\hFROM LIVERPOOL,

AND WE’RE GOING TO PORTSMOUTH.

\h\hTHE CAPTAIN THEN ASKED HOW MANY WERE IN OUR CREW,

AND WHEN MR. GARRETT TOLD HIM \hTHREE, THE CAPTAIN ANSWERED:

"WELL, YOU ARE THE THREE BIGGEST FOOLS I HAVE EVER MET."

Holden: IT’S JANUARY, \hTHE WEATHER IS BAD,

\h\h\h\h\hHE EVENTUALLY REALIZED HE COULDN’T PROGRESS ANY FURTHER

\hAND WENT INTO THE ESTUARY AT RHYL ON THE NORTH WALES COAST.

\hNarrator: A YACHT TOOK THE RESURGAM UNDER TOW,

BUT THE ROPE SNAPPED.

HEAVY SEAS SWAMPED THE SUB, \hWHOSE CONNING TOWER HATCH

COULDN’T BE CLOSED FROM THE OUTSIDE,

\h\h\h\hAND SHE SANK IN 60 FEET OF WATER.

\h\h\h\h\hTHE TRAGEDY, CHRIS HOLDEN BELIEVES,

IS THAT EVEN IF GARRETT \h\h\h\hAND THE RESURGAM

HAD MADE IT TO PORTSMOUTH,

THE ADMIRALTY WASN’T GENUINELY \hINTERESTED IN HIS INVENTION.

Holden: THE NAVY THOUGHT \h\hTHEY WERE UNDERHAND

AND WE SHOULDN’T BE USING \h\h\h\hSUBMERSIBLE SHIPS

TO INFLICT DAMAGE.

IT WAS BIG WARSHIPS, BIG GUNS, \h\hTHAT WAS THE WAY FORWARD.

THIS WAS SOMETHING SNEAKY, \h\hDEFINITELY UNDERHAND.

Narrator: JUST A DECADE \hAFTER GARRETT’S DEATH,

\h\h\h\hSUBMARINES WOULD BECOME A DECIDING FACTOR IN A WORLD WAR

AND POSSESS TECHNOLOGY \hAND DEADLY WEAPONRY

THAT HE COULD ONLY \hHAVE DREAMED OF.

THE 19th CENTURY HAD BEEN A TIME

\h\h\h\h\hOF EXPANDED SUBMARINE DEVELOPMENT,

WITH MIXED RESULTS.

BUT BY THE EARLY YEARS \hOF THE 20th CENTURY,

RELIABLE GAS ENGINES

\h\hREVOLUTIONIZED THEIR PERFORMANCE.

SUBMARINES WERE NOW SOMETHING \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTO BE FEARED.

ON MARCH 28, 1915, AT THE HEIGHT OF THE FIRST WORLD WAR,

\hA BRITISH FERRY NAMED THE BRUSSELS

LEFT HARWICH FOR THE NEUTRAL \h\hDUTCH PORT OF ROTTERDAM.

ITS SKIPPER WAS 45-YEAR-OLD \h\hCAPTAIN CHARLES FRYATT.

HE KNEW THESE WATERS WELL.

IT WAS HIS 143rd CROSSING \h\h\h\h\h\h\hOF THE WAR.

A FEW HOURS INTO THE VOYAGE,

\h\h\h\h\h\hFRYATT SPOTTED A GERMAN SUBMARINE, U-33,

OFF THE STARBOARD BOW.

U-BOAT CAPTAIN KONRAD GANSSER

SIGNALED TO THE BRUSSELS \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTO STOP.

GANSSER HAD BEEN IN COMMAND \h\hOF U-33 FOR FIVE MONTHS

\h\h\hAND WAS HUNGRY FOR HIS FIRST KILL.

♪

Grove: IN 1915 THE GERMANS BEGAN UNRESTRICTED SUBMARINE WARFARE.

THEY UNLEASHED THEIR SUBMARINES

TO ATTACK ENEMY AND INDEED \h\hNEUTRAL MERCHANT SHIPS

IN CERTAIN ZONES ON SIGHT.

\h\h\h\hTHEY WERE ALLOWED TO TORPEDO THEM ON SIGHT.

THIS WAS AN ATTEMPT TO BLOCKADE BRITAIN

THE ONLY WAY THE GERMANS COULD.

\h\h\h\h\hTHEY COULDN’T DEFEAT THE ROYAL NAVY ON THE SURFACE,

SO THEY WOULD USE THEIR U-BOATS AS COMMERCE RAIDERS.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: AS FAR AS MERCHANT CAPTAINS

LIKE FRYATT WERE CONCERNED,

\hTHEIR HOME WATERS WERE NOW A WAR ZONE.

THEY COULD BE ATTACKED \h\h\hWITHOUT WARNING.

U-BOATS WERE EARNING A NASTY REPUTATION.

Grove: THERE WERE CASES

OF PEOPLE BEING PICKED UP \h\h\h\hOUT OF THE WATER,

PUT ON THE CASING OF SUBMARINE,

AND THEN THE SUBMARINE \h\h\h\h\hWOULD DIVE.

\hCERTAIN GERMAN CAPTAINS WERE NOT REALLY GENTLEMEN,

EVEN IF THEY WEREN’T \hACTUALLY PIRATES.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: FRYATT HAD ONLY SECONDS

TO DECIDE WHAT TO DO ABOUT U-33.

\hWHAT HE FEARED MOST WAS NOT HER TORPEDOES,

BUT HER DECK GUN.

HE KNEW THESE GUNS HAD SUNK \hSCORES OF MERCHANT SHIPS.

IT WAS TIME TO FIGHT BACK.

\h\h\h\h\hMark Baker: U-33 HAD A 105-MILLIMETER GUN ON BOARD,

WHICH CARRIED 300 ROUNDS \h\h\h\h\hOF AMMUNITION.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTHAT’S COMPARED TO THE SIX TORPEDOES IT CARRIED.

\h\h\hSUBMARINES DIDN’T HAVE A HUGE ARSENAL OF TORPEDOES.

\h\h\h\hNarrator: CAPTAIN FRYATT DECIDED TO ELIMINATE THE THREAT

OF THE DECK GUN.

[BOOM]

HE WOULD RAM U-33.

Terry Farrell: HE ORDERED \h\h\h\h\hHIS ENGINE ROOM

\hTO PUT THE ENGINES AT FULL STEAM AHEAD,

AND HE STEERED THE SHIP FOR THE CONNING TOWER OF THE SUBMARINE.

THE GERMAN COMMANDER \h\h\hOF THE U-BOAT

\hSAW THAT HE WASN’T GOING TO SURRENDER,

AND HE HAD TO MAKE A DECISION \h\h\h\hAS QUICK AS POSSIBLE,

AND SO HE TOOK A DECISION \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTO DIVE.

\h\h\hBaker: FRYATT CONTINUED TO STEER DIRECTLY FOR THE SPOT

WHERE HE SAW THE U-BOAT GO DOWN.

Farrell: SOME REPORTS SAY THAT THE PERISCOPE OF THE SUBMARINE

WAS ONLY TWO FOOT AWAY FROM THE SIDE OF THE SS BRUSSELS.

STOKERS DOWN IN THE ENGINE ROOM, SOME OF THEM MADE STATEMENTS

THEY FELT A BUMP AND A SCRAPE,

ALMOST AS IF HE HAD \h\h\hHIT SOMETHING.

Narrator: ALTHOUGH DAMAGED, U-33 SURVIVED THE ENCOUNTER

\h\h\h\h\hAND WENT ON TO SINK 40 MERCHANT SHIPS THAT YEAR ALONE.

\hTHE U-BOATS’ EFFECTIVENESS SURPRISED EVEN THE GERMANS.

Grove: YOU COULD SEND THEM OUT \hINTO THE WESTERN APPROACHES.

\h\h\h\hYOU COULD DEPLOY THEM IN THE NORTH SEA OFF BRITISH PORTS,

AND THEY PROVED TO BE, \h\h\h\hUNEXPECTEDLY,

A VITALLY IMPORTANT PART OF THE FIRST WORLD WAR GERMANY NAVY,

PERHAPS THE MOST IMPORTANT PART, IN THE END.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: DESPITE THE U-BOAT THREAT,

CAPTAIN FRYATT CONTINUED \h\hHIS REGULAR VOYAGES

ACROSS THE CHANNEL.

BUT U-33’S ENCOUNTER \hWITH THE BRUSSELS

WASN’T FORGOTTEN BY THE GERMANS,

AS FRYATT WOULD DISCOVER \h\hTHE FOLLOWING YEAR.

ON THE 22nd OF JUNE 1916,

THE BRUSSELS WAS AGAIN SAILING \h\hFROM ROTTERDAM TO TILBURY.

Baker: AMONG THE PASSENGERS WERE 100 OR SO BELGIAN REFUGEES,

HOWEVER, ACCORDING \hTO THE GERMANS,

\h\h\h\hHE HAD 50 ESCAPED RUSSIAN PRISONERS OF WAR.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hFarrell: SHORTLY AFTER LEAVING HOLLAND

\h\h\hHE WAS SURROUNDED BY GERMAN TORPEDO BOATS.

THIS TIME HE COULDN’T SEE \h\hANY COURSE OF ESCAPE,

AND HE WAS FORCED TO TAKE \h\h\hCONTROL OF HIS SHIP

\h\h\hON THE INSTRUCTIONS OF THE COMMANDER OF THE TORPEDO BOATS,

AND HE WAS ESCORTED TO BELGIUM.

Narrator: THE GERMANS SCUTTLED THE BRUSSELS

AND DECIDED TO TRY \hCAPTAIN FRYATT.

THE CHARGE--ATTEMPTING TO RAM \h\h\h\h\h\h\hSUBMARINE U-33.

THE TRIAL BEGAN AT 2 P.M. \h\h\h\hON JULY 27, 1916.

\h\h\h\h\h\hTHE VERDICT-- EXECUTION BY FIRING SQUAD.

FRYATT WAS DEAD BY SUNSET.

BRITAIN WAS OUTRAGED.

PRIME MINISTER HERBERT ASQUITH

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hDECLARED IN THE HOUSE OF COMMONS

THAT FRYATT HAD BEEN MURDERED \h\h\h\h\h\h\hBY THE GERMANS.

ON THE WESTERN FRONT,

GUNNERS WROTE DEFIANT MESSAGES \h\h\h\h\h\h\hON THEIR SHELLS

\hBEFORE FIRING THEM TOWARDS ENEMY LINES.

U-33 SUCCEEDED IN SINKING \h\h\hA TOTAL OF 84 SHIPS

IN HER CAREER.

\h\h\h\h\h\hBUT WHAT ABOUT THE WIDER U-BOAT CAMPAIGN

\h\h\h\h\h\hIN THE WATERS AROUND THE BRITISH ISLES?

WAS IT SUCCESSFUL?

\h\h\h\hGrove: IT WAS HOPED THAT THE RUTHLESSNESS OF THIS ATTACK

WOULD SCARE OFF NEUTRAL SHIPPING

AND WOULD SO REDUCE \h\hBRITISH SHIPPING

THAT THE BRITISH EMPIRE

\h\hWOULD CEASE TO BE AN OPERATIONAL THING.

BUT THERE WERE TOO MANY SHIPS,

AND SHIPPING MANAGEMENT \h\hWAS SO EFFECTIVE...

\hIT DID NOT GIVE A DECISIVE RESULT.

Narrator: ALTHOUGH THE GERMAN \h\h\h\h\h\h\hU-BOAT CAMPAIGN

DIDN’T BRING BRITAIN \h\h\hTO ITS KNEES,

IT EXPOSED THE VULNERABILITY \h\h\h\h\hOF SURFACE VESSELS

TO UNDERWATER ATTACK.

THE CAMPAIGN ALSO FORCED \h\h\hTHE UNITED STATES

\h\h\hTO TOTALLY RETHINK ITS SUBMARINE STRATEGY.

AT THE ENTRANCE TO THE MYSTIC SEAPORT MUSEUM IN CONNECTICUT

IS A VESSEL CALLED KINGSTON II.

\h\hSHE’S SMALL BUT POWERFUL, AND WITH A SURPRISING HISTORY.

♪

THE KINGSTON IS A TUGBOAT \hCONSTRUCTED IN THE 1930s

BY THE LEAST EXPERIENCED \h\h\hSHIPYARD WORKERS.

HER JOB WAS TO GUIDE SUBMARINES IN AND OUT OF PORT.

Quentin Snediker: KINGSTON II \h\hWAS BUILT BY APPRENTICES,

IF YOU WILL, LEARNING TECHNIQUES OF ARC WELDING,

ELECTRIC ARC WELDING.

THIS WAS A MEANS OF LEARNING \h\h\h\h\h\hTHOSE TECHNIQUES

\hFOR PEOPLE WHO WOULD THEN MOVE ON TO BUILD SUBMARINES.

IT’S ACTUALLY BUILT \hOUT OF SCRAP STEEL

\h\h\h\h\hFROM OTHER SUBMARINE CONSTRUCTION AROUND THE YARD.

Narrator: FOR FOUR DECADES, \h\h\hTHE KINGSTON ESCORTED

\hMORE THAN 70 NEW SUBS MADE BY THE ELECTRIC BOAT COMPANY

OUT TO SEA.

THE LITTLE TUGBOAT WITNESSED

A GREAT DEAL OF TECHNOLOGICAL \h\hCHANGE DURING THOSE YEARS.

\h\hTHE NAVAL BATTLES OF THE FIRST WORLD WAR

\h\h\h\hHAD A LASTING IMPACT ON THE DESIGN OF SUBMARINES.

\h\hGreg Williams: DURING WORLD WAR I

THE WORLD KIND OF WAS SHOCKED

\h\h\hAT THE WAY GERMANY HAD USED THEIR U-BOATS,

SO WHEN GERMANY STARTED

JUST SINKING SHIPS \hOUT OF THE BLUE,

FOLLOWING THE WAR THERE WAS \h\hA LARGE LEGAL DISCUSSION

BETWEEN THE MAIN POWERS \h\h\h\h\h\hOF THE WORLD

\h\h\h\hABOUT WHAT SUBMARINES SHOULD EXPLICITLY BE USED FOR.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: AFTER THE FIRST WORLD WAR,

THE U.S. NAVY DECIDED THAT ITS SUBMARINES SHOULD BE DESIGNED

\h\hTO SURVIVE LONG MISSIONS AND BE ABLE TO OPERATE ON THEIR OWN

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hWITHOUT HELP FROM THE REST OF THE FLEET.

\h\h\h\h\h\hONE SUBMARINE THAT THE KINGSTON ASSISTED

\h\h\h\hON HER MAIDEN VOYAGE DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR

WAS THE USS BACUNA.

KNOWN AS A FLEET BOAT,

THE DIESEL-POWERED VESSEL

WAS BUILT FOR ENDURANCE.

♪

\h\hWilliams: SHE WAS ONE OF THE MORE ADVANCED SUBS OF HER TIME.

\hTHE FLEET BOAT ITSELF WAS DESIGNED TO OPERATE

AS PART OF THE ADVANCE FORCE

FOR THE...FOR THE U.S. FLEET \hMOVING ACROSS THE PACIFIC,

AND SO THEY CAN GO FROM PEARL HARBOR

TO JAPAN AND BACK EASY.

♪

THIS IS THE CONTROL ROOM \h\h\h\h\h\h\hOF BACUNA.

THIS IS THE HEART OF THE BOAT.

\h\h\h\h\h\hTHIS IS OUR COMPRESSED-AIR MANIFOLD.

THESE DIFFERENT VALVES \h\h\hEACH CORRESPOND

TO A DIFFERENT BALLAST TANK.

THE VALVE FORCES AIR \h\h\hINTO THE TANK,

\h\h\h\hAND THE WATER COMES OUT, WE COME BACK UP TO THE SURFACE.

\h\h\h\hTHESE CONTROL THE ANGLE OF THE DIVE,

AND SO YOU KEEP CONTROL OF THAT WITH THIS RIGHT HERE.

THIS IS CALLED THE BUBBLE.

SO SUBMARINERS ARE SOMETIMES \h\h\h\hCALLED BUBBLEHEADS.

THIS IS WHY.

THE USUAL ANGLE OF DEPTH IS ABOUT SEVEN TO TEN DEGREES.

ANYTHING MORE THAN THAT,

AND STUFF STARTS FALLING \h\h\h\h\hOFF THE WALLS.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: THESE SUBMARINES WERE BUILT

\h\h\h\hTO WITHSTAND TREMENDOUS PRESSURE.

\h\hBECUNA’S STEEL HULL IS ALMOST AN INCH THICK.

Williams: IT’S STRENGTH ENOUGH \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hTO DIVE DOWN

TO A TEST DEPTH OF 300 FEET.

\h\hTHERE ARE RECORDS OF BOATS DIVING DOWN TO ABOUT 800 FEET.

ONE OF THEM CAME BACK UP,

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hAND IT WAS A FULL 23 INCHES SHORTER.

THEY WERE CRASH DIVING,

THEY WERE TRYING TO ESCAPE \h\hA JAPANESE DESTROYER.

\hTHEY LOST CONTROL, WENT DOWN 800 FEET.

WHEN THEY CAME BACK UP, THEIR...

\h\h\h\h\h\hTHEIR BOAT WAS 23 INCHES SHORTER,

AND THAT WAS THE LAST TIME \h\h\h\h\hSHE SAW SERVICE.

WHEN BECUNA DIVES OR SURFACES,

WHEN YOU DIVE, YOU HEAR THIS \h\hALARM TWICE. DIVE, DIVE.

\h\h\h\h\hWHEN YOU SURFACE, YOU’LL HEAR IT THREE TIMES,

\hBUT THIS IS WHAT IT’LL SOUND LIKE.

[KLAXON HORN BLARING]

YOU ALSO HAVE GENERAL QUARTERS, WHICH IS BATTLE STATIONS.

[BEEPING]

AND THEN OUR COLLISION ALARM.

[WHISTLING SIREN]

Narrator: DURING WORLD WAR II,

SUBMARINES MADE UP ONLY 2% \h\h\h\hOF THE U.S. NAVY,

\h\h\h\hYET THEY SANK 55% OF JAPAN’S MERCHANT FLEET

AND 30% OF HER NAVY.

\h\h\hJAPANESE SUBMARINES WERE INEFFECTIVE HUNTERS.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hGrove: THE JAPANESE DID NOT REGARD

THE ATTACK ON MERCHANT SHIPS

AS AN HONORABLE WAY \h\h\hOF WAGING WAR.

SO THEY TENDED TO USE \h\h\hTHEIR SUBMARINES

IN SUPPORT OF THEIR FLEET

\h\h\h\hAND NOT AS A WEAPON AGAINST THE MASSIVE SHIPPING

CROSSING THE PACIFIC,

WHICH MIGHT HAVE CREATED A SORT OF BATTLE OF THE PACIFIC,

\h\hYOU KNOW, RATHER LIKE A BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: BUT THE JAPANESE DID DEVELOP

A REMARKABLE SECRET WEAPON--

THE LARGEST SUBMARINE \h\h\h\h\hOF ITS DAY--

\h\h\h\h\hDESIGNED TO ATTACK THE UNITED STATES MAINLAND.

IT HERALDED A NEW ERA OF SUBMARINE WARFARE.

DURING THE SECOND WORLD WAR, \hTHE JAPANESE IMPERIAL NAVY

SUFFERED GREATLY AT THE HANDS \h\hOF THE UNITED STATES NAVY.

BUT TOWARDS THE END OF THE WAR,

\h\hA NEW SUBMARINE TOOK TO THE OCEAN--

THE JAPANESE I-400 CLASS.

WITH THESE VESSELS,

\h\h\h\hTHEY HOPED TO CHANGE THE COURSE OF THE CONFLICT.

EACH SUB CARRIED THREE SEAPLANES IN A MASSIVE HANGAR.

\h\h\hTHE PLANES HAD THE ABILITY TO BOMB U.S. WEST COAST CITIES.

\h\hGrove: THEY WERE BUILT AS SUBMERSIBLE AIRCRAFT CARRIERS.

THE ORIGINAL PLAN SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN TO ATTACK TARGETS

\h\hON THE WEST COAST OF THE UNITED STATES,

\h\h\hPOSSIBLY USING BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS,

BUT THERE WAS SOME DEBATE

IN THE JAPANESE HIGH COMMAND \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hABOUT THIS,

AND THEY WERE CONSIDERED \h\hTO BE DISHONORABLE.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: FORTUNATELY FOR THE ALLIES,

THE JAPANESE SURRENDERED BEFORE THE I-400s COULD BE DEPLOYED.

THE U.S. NAVY SEIZED \hTHE GIGANTIC SUBS

AND HAD STARTED INSPECTING THEM

\hWHEN THE RUSSIANS ANNOUNCED THEY, TOO,

WERE SENDING TEAMS \h\hOF TECHNICIANS

TO ANALYZE THE I-400s.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hGrove: THE AMERICANS TOOK THEM OVER

AND AS QUICKLY AS THEY COULD \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hSANK THEM,

BECAUSE THEY DIDN’T WANT \h\h\h\h\h\hTHE RUSSIANS

GETTING THEIR HANDS ON THEM.

THEY DIDN’T WANT THE RUSSIANS \h\h\h\h\h\h\hTO HAVE A THREAT

AGAINST THE UNITED STATES \h\h\hUSING SIMILAR IDEAS.

Narrator: FOR 200 YEARS,

CONFLICT HAD PROMPTED ADVANCES \h\h\hIN SUBMARINE TECHNOLOGY.

THE THREAT OF A COLD WAR BETWEEN THE WEST AND THE SOVIET UNION

WAS NO DIFFERENT--

\h\h\hA NEW TYPE OF SUBMARINE WAS NEEDED FOR A NUCLEAR AGE.

ON JANUARY 21, 1954, NEW YORK’S GRAND CENTRAL TERMINAL

WAS PARTICULARLY BUSY \h\h\hFOR A THURSDAY.

\hEXTRA TRAINS HAD BEEN ENGAGED TO TAKE PASSENGERS TO THE BANKS

OF THE THAMES RIVER \h\h\hIN CONNECTICUT

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hFOR THE LAUNCH OF A VERY SPECIAL SUBMARINE.

♪

\h\h\h\h\hTHE SUBMARINE HAD THE HULL DESIGNATION "571,"

BUT WAS KNOWN AS "NAUTILUS," \h\hIN TRIBUTE TO THE VESSEL

IN JULES VERNE’S NOVEL

"TWENTY THOUSAND LEAGUES \h\h\h\hUNDER THE SEA."

\h\hReginald Preston: THE LAUNCH OF NAUTILUS

WAS A NATIONAL EVENT TRULY.

THERE WERE ON THE ORDER \hOF ABOUT 15,000 PEOPLE

WHO DESCENDED ON THE AREA \h\h\hTO VIEW THE LAUNCH.

THE LOCAL AIRPORT WAS SHUT DOWN TO ACCOMMODATE

ALL THE SPECIAL CHARTER FLIGHTS THAT WOULD COME IN.

SCHOOL KIDS LINED THE BANKS,

FIRST LADY MAMIE EISENHOWER \h\hWAS THE SHIP’S SPONSOR,

AND AFTER ALL THE SPEECHES \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hWERE DONE

\h\hSHE WAS THE ONE WHO SWUNG THE BOTTLE

AS THE SHIP WAS LAUNCHED

AND SLID DOWN THE WAVES \hINTO THE THAMES RIVER.

Narrator: FOR ALMOST 200 YEARS,

SUBMARINE DESIGNERS HAD BEEN \h\hTRYING TO FIND A VESSEL

\h\hTHAT COULD STAY UNDERWATER FOR THE LONGEST POSSIBLE TIME.

DIESEL SUBMARINES HAD PROVED \hTHEMSELVES TO BE RELIABLE,

BUT THEY HAD THEIR LIMITATIONS.

\h\hTHEY COULD SUBMERGE TO PERISCOPE DEPTH ONLY.

BATTERIES WITH A LIMITED LIFE \hWERE USED WHEN GOING DEEPER.

ULTIMATELY THEY SPENT JUST 10% \h\hOF THEIR TIME UNDERWATER.

\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hPreston: WITH NUCLEAR PROPULSION,

YOU WERE NO LONGER TETHERED \h\h\h\h\h\hTO THE SURFACE,

TO THE ATMOSPHERE,

\h\hTO RELY ON THAT OXYGEN TO RUN YOUR DIESEL ENGINE,

AND SHE COULD RUN INDEFINITELY \h\h\h\h\hAT DEPTH AND SPEED,

\hESSENTIALLY LIMITED BY THE AMOUNT OF FOOD

THAT THEY TOOK ON BOARD \h\h\hTO FEED THE CREW.

NOW THAT WE WERE NO LONGER \h\h\h\h\hON THE SURFACE,

THE PREPONDERANCE OF THE TIME,

WE WERE EFFECTIVELY UNABLE TO BE FOUND,

UNABLE TO BE LOCATED,

\h\h\h\h\hWHICH MADE US A VERY VENERABLE WEAPON

AGAINST ALL OTHER \hSURFACE CONVOYS

THAT WE MIGHT COME UP AGAINST.

Narrator: A NUCLEAR SUBMARINE \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hWORKS IN FACT

ON A VICTORIAN PRINCIPLE--

USING STEAM TO DRIVE A TURBINE.

WATER IS PUMPED AT PRESSURE THROUGH THE NUCLEAR REACTOR

\h\h\hAND IS HEATED AS THE REACTOR CORE

SPLITS URANIUM ATOMS.

A HEAT EXCHANGER USES THE HOT REACTOR WATER

TO CREATE THE STEAM.

PRESSURE FROM THE STEAM \hTHEN DRIVES A TURBINE

ATTACHED TO THE PROPELLER SHAFT

\h\hAND A SECOND TURBINE TO GENERATE ELECTRICITY.

THE MAN BEHIND THE U.S. NAVY’S \h\h\h\h\h\h\hNUCLEAR PROGRAM

WAS ADMIRAL HYMAN RICKOVER,

\h\h\h\h\hA MAVERICK WITH AN ENGINEERING BACKGROUND.

\h\h\hRICKOVER FOUNDED A NUCLEAR POWER SCHOOL

\h\hTO TRAIN HIS SUBMARINERS FOR HIS REVOLUTIONARY FLEET.

Gary Bell: HE INTERVIEWED PERHAPS THE TOP 10 OR 15%

OF THE SUBMARINE SCHOOL GRADUATES AT THAT TIME,

PERSONALLY INTERVIEWED THEM, \h\hAND SELECTED THEM TO GO,

\h\h\h\h\h\h\hAND FROM THEN ON, THE TRAINING WAS VERY RIGOROUS.

Grove: RICKOVER WAS \hA VERY FORMIDABLE

BUREAUCRATIC POLITICIAN.

VERY STRONG-MINDED.

\h\h\h\h\h\hBUT HE KNEW HOW TO HANDLE CONGRESS,

AND HE GOT CONGRESSIONAL SUPPORT

\hFOR THE NUCLEAR SUBMARINE PROGRAM

AND THE NUCLEAR POWER PROGRAM \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hIN GENERAL.

HE TRULY IS THE FATHER \hOF THE NUCLEAR NAVY.

Bell: HE RODE EVERY SUBMARINE

\h\hTHAT WENT TO SEA FOR THE FIRST TIME,

ON THEIR MAIDEN VOYAGE,

\h\h\h\hAND HE DICTATED WHAT THE MAXIMUM SPEED WOULD BE.

\h\h\hAT SOME TIMES DURING YOUR CAREER,

AT LEAST AS A COMMANDING OFFICER

WHENEVER YOU WERE \hIN THE SHIPYARD,

\h\h\h\hYOU HAD TO WRITE HIM A PERSONAL LETTER EVERY WEEK

AND DESCRIBE THOSE THINGS THAT, THAT YOU MESSED UP ON,

AND IF YOU DIDN’T SAY, HEY, YOU KNOW, I MESSED UP HERE,

HE WOULD GET ON THE PHONE \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hAND SAY,

"HEY, BELL, IF YOU DIDN’T FIND \h\h\h\h\h\h\hANYTHING WRONG,

\h\h\h\h\h\hYOU’RE NOT LOOKING, GET DOWN THERE AND GET TO WORK."

Narrator: IN 1949, A PROTOTYPE \h\hPRESSURIZED WATER REACTOR

INSIDE A SUBMARINE HULL

\h\h\h\h\hWAS CONSTRUCTED IN A REMOTE PART OF IDAHO.

\h\hWILLIAM ENGDALL, A MEMBER OF NAUTILUS’ VERY FIRST CREW,

WAS SENT THERE FOR TRAINING.

\h\h\h\h\h\hWilliam Engdall: THEY ACTUALLY HAD THE WHOLE,

\h\hPART OF THE SUBMARINE THERE OUT IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DESERT.

WE STAYED THERE FOR SIX WEEKS,

AND WE STOOD WATCHES ON THE HULL AND SO FORTH.

\h\hI THINK WHAT IT WAS, THEY WANTED TO MAKE SURE

THAT WE KNEW IT WASN’T \hGOING TO BE A THREAT

OR THERE WOULD BE NO DANGER \h\h\hOF THE NUCLEAR POWER.

Narrator: AT 11 A.M. ON JANUARY 15, 1955,

THE EVER-RELIABLE TUG \h\h\h\h\hKINGSTON II

ASSISTED THE NAUTILUS

AS SHE HEADED TO SEA FOR THE FIRST TIME.

NUCLEAR VESSELS NEED HELP \h\h\hGETTING OUT OF PORT,

JUST LIKE DIESEL VESSELS.

NAUTILUS SOON PROVED TO BE \h\h\h\hEXTREMELY QUICK--

ABOVE AND BELOW THE WATER.

\h\hPreston: WE HAVE A PIECE OF THE ORIGINAL TEAK DECKING

OFF THE SHIP.

THE SHIP WAS ACTUALLY SO FAST \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hAT THE TIME

THAT THIS PORTION, AS WELL AS \h\h\hSEVERAL OTHER PORTIONS,

\h\h\hWERE ACTUALLY RIPPED OFF THE DECK

\h\h\h\h\hDUE TO THE SHIP’S INCREDIBLE SPEED CAPABILITY.

WE’D NEVER BEFORE \hHAD A SUBMARINE

CAPABLE OF THIS KIND OF FORCE AND POWER.

Narrator: NAUTILUS WAS LOVED \h\h\h\h\h\h\hBY HER CREWS.

SHE HAD ALMOST EVERY \hCREATURE COMFORT--

A COKE MACHINE, A JUKEBOX--

\h\h\hAND PURER AIR THAN ON THE SURFACE.

\h\hEngdall: I CAN STILL HAVE FLASHBACKS OF DIFFERENT THINGS

\h\h\h\hTHAT HAPPENED TO ME WHEN I WAS ACTUALLY AT SEA.

\h\h\h\hI CAN STILL THINK OF DIFFERENT INTERACTIONS

AND DIFFERENT THINGS WE DID.

YOU’RE IN THE TORPEDO ROOM \h\h\h\h\h\h\h\hRIGHT NOW.

MY BUNK WAS RIGHT HERE, AND I USED TO HAVE A GUY

WHO USED TO SLEEP NEXT TO ME, \h\h\hAND HE SNORED TERRIBLY.

\hHE’D KEEP ME AWAKE, YOU KNOW, SO WHAT I’D DO IS I’D SHAKE HIM

AND SAY "FRENCH, FRENCH, \hTIME TO GO ON WATCH."

WHAT HE’D DO IS HE’D GET UP AND GO CLEAN UP AND ALL THAT

AND PUT HIS CLOTHES ON,

AND THEN I’D TRY TO GET TO SLEEP

\h\h\h\hBEFORE HE REALIZED HE WASN’T GOING ON WATCH.

[CHUCKLES]

Narrator: AND IT SET A REMARKABLE NUMBER

OF ENDURANCE RECORDS,

\h\h\hAND IN JULY 1958 EMBARKED ON A MISSION

\hTO TRAVEL UNDER THE ICE AND REACH THE NORTH POLE.

Preston: THIS WAS PRESIDENT \h\h\hEISENHOWER’S RESPONSE

\hTO THE SOVIET LAUNCHING OF THE SPUTNIK SATELLITE.

WE WERE UNABLE TO GET \h\hOUR SPACE PROGRAM

SUCCESSFULLY INTO SPACE,

\h\h\hAND WE WERE BEHIND IN THE TECHNOLOGY RACE.

WE WERE ALSO BEHIND POLITICALLY,

BECAUSE IT LOOKED LIKE WE WERE \hFALLING BEHIND THE SOVIETS.

\hNEEDING A SOLUTION, A MILITARY SOLUTION TO A POLITICAL PROBLEM,

EISENHOWER TAPPED THE NAVY \hAND THE SUBMARINE FORCE

\hTO SEND NAUTILUS TO THE NORTH POLE

\h\h\h\h\hTO PROVE THAT WE HAD THE TECHNOLOGY AND THE ABILITY

TO GET UNDER THE ICE PACK \h\hAND OPERATE IN AN AREA

WHERE SUBMARINES HAD NEVER \h\hOPERATED BEFORE THEN.

\h\h\h\h\h\hNarrator: IT WAS A HIGHLY DANGEROUS MISSION.

COMPASSES DIDN’T WORK SO CLOSE TO THE POLE.

\h\h\hAND THERE WERE NO CHARTS SHOWING THE DEPTH OF THE ICE.

HER CAPTAIN, WILLIAM ANDERSON, WAS PREPARED TO FIRE TORPEDOES

TO BLAST A HOLE IN THE ICE \h\h\h\h\h\hIF NECESSARY.

BUT ON AUGUST 3, 1958,

NAUTILUS SUCCESSFULLY PASSED \h\h\hUNDER THE NORTH POLE.

\h\hONE OF HER CREW DRESSED AS SANTA CLAUS TO CELEBRATE.

\hNarrator: NAUTILUS WENT ON TO PATROL THE WORLD’S OCEANS

FOR ALMOST 30 YEARS--

\hA POWERFUL SYMBOL OF NAVAL SUPREMACY.

\hPreston: WHILE HISTORIANS WILL TELL YOU THAT THE SHIFT

\h\h\hFROM, SAY, SAILS AND SHIPS OF THE LINE

\h\h\h\h\hTO COAL-FIRED AND STEAM-POWERED SHIPS

WAS IMPORTANT IN NAVAL WARFARE,

NAUTILUS WAS NOT ONLY IMPORTANT IN NAVAL WARFARE,

SHE WAS ALSO IMPORTANT \h\hIN WORLD HISTORY.

Grove: THE NUCLEAR SUBMARINE \h\h\hALLOWED THE SUBMARINE

TO FULFILL ALL ITS POTENTIAL.

THEY ARE AMAZING PIECES \h\h\h\h\hOF TECHNOLOGY.

Narrator: THE SUBMARINE BEGAN \h\h\h\hAS A RISKY EXPERIMENT

WITH LITTLE HOPE OF SUCCESS.

BUT IT BECAME A VESSEL

THAT COULD SINGLE-HANDEDLY CHANGE THE FORTUNE OF WAR.