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These are the user uploaded subtitles that are being translated: 1 00:00:22,065 --> 00:00:24,415 [gentle music] 2 00:00:25,982 --> 00:00:26,983 - [Narrator] On the cold winter evening 3 00:00:26,983 --> 00:00:30,291 of February 27th, 1943. 4 00:00:30,291 --> 00:00:32,380 A team of nine Norwegian commandos 5 00:00:32,380 --> 00:00:34,860 arrive at the Norsk Hydroelectric Plant. 6 00:00:34,860 --> 00:00:38,038 [gentle music] 7 00:00:38,038 --> 00:00:42,259 Their mission, sabotage the Nazi's heavy water production, 8 00:00:42,259 --> 00:00:44,348 which is vital to Hitler and his Nazis 9 00:00:44,348 --> 00:00:45,523 creating an atomic bomb. 10 00:00:46,785 --> 00:00:49,049 [gentle music] 11 00:00:49,049 --> 00:00:53,314 - Gunnerside is a story that shows the dedication 12 00:00:53,314 --> 00:00:57,535 that people during the Second World War had to the cause. 13 00:00:57,535 --> 00:01:00,538 - We weren't talking about a weapon off the ordinary sort. 14 00:01:00,538 --> 00:01:02,149 This was something which was extraordinary. 15 00:01:02,149 --> 00:01:03,498 This was something which would change 16 00:01:03,498 --> 00:01:04,499 the direction of history. 17 00:01:06,501 --> 00:01:08,242 - This is one of the most important 18 00:01:08,242 --> 00:01:10,070 weapon production facilities 19 00:01:10,070 --> 00:01:11,549 in the entirety of Nazi Germany. 20 00:01:13,551 --> 00:01:15,814 - Germany, gaining access to this heavy water 21 00:01:15,814 --> 00:01:18,469 or to the technology of the heavy water plant. 22 00:01:18,469 --> 00:01:19,992 Would've been a disaster. 23 00:01:19,992 --> 00:01:24,649 [bomb explodes] [upbeat music] 24 00:01:46,280 --> 00:01:48,499 - [Narrator] In 1911 and Norway, they built the 25 00:01:48,499 --> 00:01:54,026 Vemork Hydroelectric Plant which was a massive facility. 26 00:01:54,026 --> 00:01:56,855 - Initially we know it's there as a fertilization factor 27 00:01:56,855 --> 00:01:59,467 {\an8}as a hydroelectric facility, 28 00:01:59,467 --> 00:02:01,556 {\an8}but the by-product of which heavy water, 29 00:02:01,556 --> 00:02:04,646 has become the raison d'etre of the plant 30 00:02:04,646 --> 00:02:07,866 and this scientific gold mine really, 31 00:02:07,866 --> 00:02:09,651 for want of a better expression, 32 00:02:09,651 --> 00:02:13,350 is of course, courtesy of the know how 33 00:02:13,350 --> 00:02:16,440 of several Norwegian scientists. 34 00:02:16,440 --> 00:02:18,834 - [Narrator] Scientists in the early 1930s 35 00:02:18,834 --> 00:02:20,357 discovered that from Vemork's facilities, 36 00:02:20,357 --> 00:02:23,012 by-product is heavy water, 37 00:02:23,012 --> 00:02:25,449 a form of water with a unique atomic structure 38 00:02:25,449 --> 00:02:27,756 and properties which can be used in the production 39 00:02:27,756 --> 00:02:29,366 of nuclear power and weapons. 40 00:02:31,063 --> 00:02:32,587 {\an8}- It's really another route 41 00:02:32,587 --> 00:02:35,807 {\an8}to it instead of using graphite as a monitoring element 42 00:02:35,807 --> 00:02:38,506 that involves deuterium oxide, or heavy water, 43 00:02:38,506 --> 00:02:39,724 and the whole design 44 00:02:39,724 --> 00:02:41,291 there is to control the process of fission 45 00:02:41,291 --> 00:02:43,293 so that it doesn't go boom. 46 00:02:43,293 --> 00:02:46,427 - Harnessing something that's potentially fatal 47 00:02:46,427 --> 00:02:49,604 on a macro scale, with this heavy water, 48 00:02:49,604 --> 00:02:51,780 being the catalyst for that, 49 00:02:51,780 --> 00:02:55,305 this alternative isotope of hydrogen. 50 00:02:55,305 --> 00:02:57,786 - Leif Tronstad, a Norwegian scientist, 51 00:02:57,786 --> 00:02:59,614 {\an8}is a celebrated scientist. 52 00:02:59,614 --> 00:03:02,007 {\an8}And he's the brilliant mind behind the idea 53 00:03:02,007 --> 00:03:05,533 {\an8}of the heavy water process. 54 00:03:05,533 --> 00:03:07,883 - [Narrator] The head of Norsk Hydro enlist Tronstad, 55 00:03:07,883 --> 00:03:10,886 to design a new building at the Vemork Plant 56 00:03:10,886 --> 00:03:13,758 dedicated to producing heavy water on an industrial scale. 57 00:03:15,369 --> 00:03:17,588 [gentle music] 58 00:03:17,588 --> 00:03:20,330 Around the same time, a seismic shift in Europe 59 00:03:20,330 --> 00:03:21,723 is about to happen. 60 00:03:21,723 --> 00:03:24,247 As Germany elects a new leader. 61 00:03:24,247 --> 00:03:27,032 [soldiers marching] 62 00:03:28,382 --> 00:03:30,210 - Hitler assumes power in 1933. 63 00:03:32,560 --> 00:03:34,910 [gentle music] 64 00:03:37,739 --> 00:03:39,480 - [Narrator] Hitler's Nazi regime is brutal. 65 00:03:41,090 --> 00:03:43,962 - Almost immediately, they begin to root out 66 00:03:43,962 --> 00:03:46,356 any kind of opposition that they feel 67 00:03:46,356 --> 00:03:49,054 is political or social. 68 00:03:49,054 --> 00:03:51,970 [gentle music] 69 00:03:51,970 --> 00:03:54,059 - [Narrator] As the grip of the regime tightens, 70 00:03:54,059 --> 00:03:56,671 many scientists particularly Jewish, 71 00:03:56,671 --> 00:03:58,499 flee the country to pursue their work 72 00:03:58,499 --> 00:03:59,717 beyond the Nazi grasp. 73 00:04:01,241 --> 00:04:04,200 [bomb explodes] 74 00:04:04,200 --> 00:04:06,028 {\an8}- Scientific minds when they leave a country, 75 00:04:06,028 --> 00:04:07,812 {\an8}it's often considered a brain drain. 76 00:04:07,812 --> 00:04:10,511 So the country is losing, their brain 77 00:04:10,511 --> 00:04:12,077 or their ability to innovate 78 00:04:12,077 --> 00:04:17,082 or advance technology, science, research. 79 00:04:17,082 --> 00:04:20,825 - Germany becomes inhospitable for so many scientists, 80 00:04:20,825 --> 00:04:22,349 {\an8}particularly these Jewish scientists 81 00:04:22,349 --> 00:04:24,612 {\an8}and somebody like Albert Einstein , 82 00:04:24,612 --> 00:04:26,788 does have to leave so that he can continue 83 00:04:26,788 --> 00:04:29,834 to not only be a scientist, but just live his life. 84 00:04:30,966 --> 00:04:32,707 [gentle music] 85 00:04:32,707 --> 00:04:34,796 - [Narrator] Despite many bright minds fleeing the country, 86 00:04:34,796 --> 00:04:36,667 those loyal to the Nazi regime 87 00:04:36,667 --> 00:04:40,367 stay behind to continue their work. 88 00:04:40,367 --> 00:04:42,325 A number of scientists working on the development 89 00:04:42,325 --> 00:04:45,372 of nuclear energy make a revolutionary, 90 00:04:45,372 --> 00:04:48,157 yet terrifying discovery that could give Hitler 91 00:04:48,157 --> 00:04:50,202 the ultimate weapon. 92 00:04:50,202 --> 00:04:52,683 But they were missing one key element. 93 00:04:52,683 --> 00:04:55,730 [ gentle music] 94 00:04:55,730 --> 00:04:59,777 Meanwhile, Tronstad designs that Vemork become a reality. 95 00:04:59,777 --> 00:05:02,214 And with the new eight story plant complete, 96 00:05:02,214 --> 00:05:03,955 the station now has a designated 97 00:05:03,955 --> 00:05:06,784 heavy water production site. 98 00:05:06,784 --> 00:05:09,091 French and German scientists express their interests 99 00:05:09,091 --> 00:05:10,919 in obtaining large quantities 100 00:05:10,919 --> 00:05:14,052 for their nuclear energy programs. 101 00:05:14,052 --> 00:05:18,056 - Everyone who is in the region wants access to the water 102 00:05:18,056 --> 00:05:19,884 because it's so necessary. 103 00:05:19,884 --> 00:05:23,018 - Harnessing something that's potentially fatal 104 00:05:23,018 --> 00:05:27,196 on a macro scale with this heavy water, 105 00:05:27,196 --> 00:05:30,286 being the catalyst for that. 106 00:05:30,286 --> 00:05:33,071 - [Narrator] Germany policies became increasingly hostile 107 00:05:33,071 --> 00:05:36,161 towards Jews, homosexuals and disabled people 108 00:05:36,161 --> 00:05:40,427 during the mid to late 1930s. Ideals of racial superiority 109 00:05:40,427 --> 00:05:42,298 and ultra nationalism 110 00:05:42,298 --> 00:05:44,039 start to become more and more prevalent 111 00:05:44,039 --> 00:05:46,737 throughout the country. 112 00:05:46,737 --> 00:05:50,480 {\an8}- As early as 1935, it passed in Nuremberg Race Laws. 113 00:05:54,441 --> 00:05:58,662 {\an8}It prohibits interracial marriage and relationships. 114 00:05:58,662 --> 00:06:02,579 It prohibits other non-Aryan races or groups of people 115 00:06:02,579 --> 00:06:05,234 {\an8}from holding jobs in the law and medicine and academia. 116 00:06:07,105 --> 00:06:09,194 {\an8}- [Narrator] In March of 1938, 117 00:06:09,194 --> 00:06:11,762 {\an8}the Nazis annex neighboring Austria, 118 00:06:11,762 --> 00:06:14,286 an early sign of their true expansionist ambitions. 119 00:06:20,118 --> 00:06:23,034 Later that year, German scientists Otto Hahn 120 00:06:23,034 --> 00:06:25,950 {\an8}and Fritz Strassmann make the breakthrough discovery 121 00:06:25,950 --> 00:06:28,562 {\an8}of nuclear vision at their laboratory in Berlin. 122 00:06:30,781 --> 00:06:34,916 {\an8}- These are the men who identify nuclear fission. 123 00:06:34,916 --> 00:06:40,661 This reaction that demonstrates or shows the way forward 124 00:06:40,661 --> 00:06:44,360 in terms of nuclear energy and what you need that for. 125 00:06:44,360 --> 00:06:46,667 You need that for the creation of a bomb. 126 00:06:46,667 --> 00:06:49,278 - Once they, they have that knowledge 127 00:06:49,278 --> 00:06:51,846 of how to create the energy. 128 00:06:51,846 --> 00:06:55,893 The next step in terms of, using it is actually very quick. 129 00:06:55,893 --> 00:06:57,895 - [Narrator] News about the nuclear experiments in Germany 130 00:06:57,895 --> 00:06:59,419 travels quickly across Europe, 131 00:07:01,856 --> 00:07:04,249 French Nobel prize, winning scientist. 132 00:07:04,249 --> 00:07:08,253 Frederic Joliot-Curie writes a letter to a Soviet colleague, 133 00:07:08,253 --> 00:07:10,647 alerting him of the Germans discovery. 134 00:07:10,647 --> 00:07:13,607 [gentle music] 135 00:07:13,607 --> 00:07:15,870 The news also reaches Neil's bore, 136 00:07:15,870 --> 00:07:17,828 a leading danger scientist. 137 00:07:17,828 --> 00:07:21,005 Who's preparing to leave on a trip to the United States. 138 00:07:21,005 --> 00:07:22,703 [gentle music] 139 00:07:22,703 --> 00:07:25,053 Once arriving in New York city, 140 00:07:25,053 --> 00:07:28,056 he shares this news with prominent American scientists 141 00:07:28,056 --> 00:07:29,318 sparking the beginning 142 00:07:29,318 --> 00:07:31,407 of the American nuclear energy program. 143 00:07:32,887 --> 00:07:34,497 {\an8}[gentle music] 144 00:07:34,497 --> 00:07:39,459 {\an8}- Since the news of what could be done with the heavy water, 145 00:07:39,459 --> 00:07:42,287 had become common scientific knowledge. 146 00:07:42,287 --> 00:07:45,508 Every intelligence agency was interested 147 00:07:45,508 --> 00:07:48,163 and was actively perhaps pursuing some plan 148 00:07:48,163 --> 00:07:49,947 of gaining access to that heavy water. 149 00:07:52,646 --> 00:07:54,865 - [Narrator] Within the span of less than a year, 150 00:07:54,865 --> 00:07:57,999 each major power begins to ramp up their nuclear research 151 00:07:57,999 --> 00:08:00,871 and experiments recognizing the great potential 152 00:08:00,871 --> 00:08:02,264 of harnessing nuclear energy. 153 00:08:06,050 --> 00:08:08,879 [gentle music] [bomb explodes] 154 00:08:08,879 --> 00:08:11,229 In September, 1939 155 00:08:11,229 --> 00:08:14,406 not long after the race to harness nuclear energy, 156 00:08:14,406 --> 00:08:18,628 Germany's expansionist ambitions enter their next phase. 157 00:08:18,628 --> 00:08:22,937 - Hitler invades Poland and the ballgame begins. 158 00:08:22,937 --> 00:08:24,547 Poland is the trigger. 159 00:08:24,547 --> 00:08:26,506 A lot of people did not want to go to war 160 00:08:26,506 --> 00:08:28,377 because they remembered the First World War. 161 00:08:28,377 --> 00:08:31,467 But because Poland was invaded, 162 00:08:31,467 --> 00:08:35,297 Britain, France, they have to fight back. 163 00:08:36,646 --> 00:08:37,908 [gentle music] 164 00:08:37,908 --> 00:08:40,084 - [Narrator] As Europe descends into war 165 00:08:40,084 --> 00:08:43,435 the Nazis continue their pursuit to harness nuclear energy 166 00:08:43,435 --> 00:08:45,350 and develop a nuclear weapon. 167 00:08:45,350 --> 00:08:47,396 [bomb explodes] 168 00:08:47,396 --> 00:08:49,137 The French government recognizes 169 00:08:49,137 --> 00:08:51,008 the importance of the heavy water 170 00:08:51,008 --> 00:08:53,533 at the Vemork facility in Norway 171 00:08:53,533 --> 00:08:56,274 and begin attempts to smuggle the heavy water out of Norway. 172 00:08:58,233 --> 00:09:01,279 - The French recognize how important nuclear energy is 173 00:09:01,279 --> 00:09:03,325 and how powerful it is. 174 00:09:03,325 --> 00:09:07,242 So they of course don't want Germany to have access to it. 175 00:09:07,242 --> 00:09:09,113 - So in an interesting collaboration, 176 00:09:09,113 --> 00:09:10,724 prominent French scientists are working 177 00:09:10,724 --> 00:09:12,726 with the French intelligence service 178 00:09:12,726 --> 00:09:15,424 and trying to identify where a heavy water 179 00:09:15,424 --> 00:09:18,079 is being produced and get it out of Norway. 180 00:09:18,079 --> 00:09:19,559 - The French intelligence services 181 00:09:19,559 --> 00:09:21,865 approaches Jacques Allier, 182 00:09:21,865 --> 00:09:25,129 who before the war, worked at the bank that helped finance 183 00:09:25,129 --> 00:09:28,742 the project to build the hydroelectric plant in Norway. 184 00:09:28,742 --> 00:09:30,700 Because of his connections, 185 00:09:30,700 --> 00:09:32,702 they assigned him the task of getting the heavy water 186 00:09:32,702 --> 00:09:34,051 out of Norway. 187 00:09:34,051 --> 00:09:35,879 But time was ticking. 188 00:09:35,879 --> 00:09:38,142 - Norway is a country that has many 189 00:09:38,142 --> 00:09:40,144 proud scientific advancements. 190 00:09:40,144 --> 00:09:41,972 Norway's is an industrial innovator, 191 00:09:41,972 --> 00:09:44,279 manufacturing innovator. 192 00:09:44,279 --> 00:09:49,589 - Norway also was sort of a reservoir of natural resources. 193 00:09:49,589 --> 00:09:50,981 - There's a huge number of reasons 194 00:09:50,981 --> 00:09:53,331 why Norway is targeted really early on, 195 00:09:53,331 --> 00:09:55,725 for a start it's got absolutely crucial pause. 196 00:09:55,725 --> 00:09:57,248 It's Atlantic facing. 197 00:09:57,248 --> 00:09:59,163 If you want to win the battle of the Atlantic, 198 00:09:59,163 --> 00:10:01,470 you need access to their ports. 199 00:10:01,470 --> 00:10:03,733 You also need access to their air fields. 200 00:10:03,733 --> 00:10:06,301 So on the geographical front, 201 00:10:06,301 --> 00:10:09,347 in terms of winning a strategic war, 202 00:10:09,347 --> 00:10:14,048 across that Atlantic facing perimeter, you need Norway. 203 00:10:14,048 --> 00:10:16,354 - All this makes it an even more compelling 204 00:10:16,354 --> 00:10:18,792 target for Germany. 205 00:10:18,792 --> 00:10:20,141 - [Narrator] French intelligence service member, 206 00:10:20,141 --> 00:10:21,751 Jacques Allier, 207 00:10:21,751 --> 00:10:25,059 flies to Norway with a fake passport and a fake name 208 00:10:25,059 --> 00:10:26,843 to meet with the director of Norsk Hydro. 209 00:10:28,453 --> 00:10:29,672 - They had enough foresight 210 00:10:29,672 --> 00:10:31,369 to realize the Germans were held bent 211 00:10:31,369 --> 00:10:33,023 on getting an atomic bomb. 212 00:10:33,023 --> 00:10:36,026 So they were keen on getting the heavy water 213 00:10:36,026 --> 00:10:38,638 out of the Norwegian Hydroelectric Plant 214 00:10:38,638 --> 00:10:42,119 before the Nazi invasion. 215 00:10:42,119 --> 00:10:44,078 - [Narrator] Once in Norway, 216 00:10:44,078 --> 00:10:48,386 Allier secures all the heavy water, 180 kilos worth, 217 00:10:48,386 --> 00:10:51,738 but he fears the Germans might be onto their plants 218 00:10:51,738 --> 00:10:54,479 in order to avoid capture, Allier's books 219 00:10:54,479 --> 00:10:58,440 two separate flights, one with the heavy water to Scotland 220 00:10:58,440 --> 00:11:01,312 and another as a diversion to Amsterdam. 221 00:11:01,312 --> 00:11:04,228 The Germans chose to force down the wrong plane. 222 00:11:04,228 --> 00:11:07,797 - We've got the heavy water, all 180 kilograms 223 00:11:07,797 --> 00:11:10,452 out of Norway and it's on the road. 224 00:11:10,452 --> 00:11:15,283 It's moving, it's moving faster than Rommel's Panzers. 225 00:11:15,283 --> 00:11:19,504 But the problem is, this is just a temporary setback 226 00:11:19,504 --> 00:11:20,375 for the Germans. 227 00:11:21,506 --> 00:11:22,507 - [Narrator] As the heavy water 228 00:11:22,507 --> 00:11:24,814 is secretly smuggled into France, 229 00:11:24,814 --> 00:11:28,122 the Nazis continue their invasion of Europe. 230 00:11:28,122 --> 00:11:31,865 - Germany invaded Norway in the April of 1940. 231 00:11:33,910 --> 00:11:36,652 - The conquest of Norway by Germany 232 00:11:36,652 --> 00:11:38,872 tends to be seen as pretty rapid, 233 00:11:38,872 --> 00:11:41,831 but it does take some time to happen. 234 00:11:41,831 --> 00:11:44,007 And Norwegian resistance is the reason 235 00:11:44,007 --> 00:11:45,269 why it does take some time. 236 00:11:46,618 --> 00:11:48,185 - As thousands of German soldiers 237 00:11:48,185 --> 00:11:50,274 are deployed across the country. 238 00:11:50,274 --> 00:11:52,059 Norwegian put up a fierce fight. 239 00:11:54,757 --> 00:11:57,542 Leading some of the resistance is Leif Tronstad. 240 00:11:57,542 --> 00:11:59,109 The scientist who helped develop 241 00:11:59,109 --> 00:12:00,676 the heavy water process at Vemork. 242 00:12:03,635 --> 00:12:05,768 - [Narrator] Despite the efforts of Norwegians, 243 00:12:05,768 --> 00:12:07,596 they cannot hold off the German advance. 244 00:12:08,684 --> 00:12:11,469 {\an8}[gentle music] 245 00:12:11,469 --> 00:12:15,996 {\an8}- Germany by June of 1940 is firmly in control of Norway, 246 00:12:15,996 --> 00:12:18,694 {\an8}including the hydroelectric plant. 247 00:12:18,694 --> 00:12:20,783 [gentle music] 248 00:12:20,783 --> 00:12:23,046 - [Narrator] Having quickly gained the upper hand, 249 00:12:23,046 --> 00:12:24,874 the Germans continue their aggression 250 00:12:24,874 --> 00:12:27,398 and launched their campaign against France. 251 00:12:27,398 --> 00:12:29,444 Only one month after the invasion of Norway. 252 00:12:31,489 --> 00:12:35,537 - Prime minister Daladier and his military advisors 253 00:12:35,537 --> 00:12:39,454 think that they can hold any two front war, 254 00:12:39,454 --> 00:12:43,110 which may come out of this push into Poland by Germany. 255 00:12:43,110 --> 00:12:46,722 - The French retreat, both mentally and physically, 256 00:12:46,722 --> 00:12:49,986 to the Maginot Line, which is this extended network 257 00:12:49,986 --> 00:12:52,467 of fortifications along with Franco German frontier. 258 00:12:54,338 --> 00:12:56,079 [gentle music] 259 00:12:56,079 --> 00:12:57,646 - [Narrator] The French having underestimated their enemy 260 00:12:57,646 --> 00:12:59,691 are overwhelmed by the onslaught of Germans 261 00:12:59,691 --> 00:13:00,780 pouring into their country. 262 00:13:02,259 --> 00:13:05,175 [gentle music] [soldiers marching] 263 00:13:05,175 --> 00:13:08,004 - As the Germans begin their march to Paris, 264 00:13:08,004 --> 00:13:10,441 Curie worries that the stolen heavy water 265 00:13:10,441 --> 00:13:13,880 hidden in France will fall into the Nazi's hands. 266 00:13:13,880 --> 00:13:16,273 [gentle music] 267 00:13:20,103 --> 00:13:21,975 When it becomes clear that France cannot 268 00:13:21,975 --> 00:13:25,979 hold off on the Germans, Joliot-Curie and Jacques Allier 269 00:13:25,979 --> 00:13:28,590 decide to move the heavy water from France to England. 270 00:13:30,200 --> 00:13:32,550 [gentle music] 271 00:13:39,122 --> 00:13:42,212 - The problem of course, is France is overrun 272 00:13:42,212 --> 00:13:45,128 at Paris is taken over by the Nazis. 273 00:13:45,128 --> 00:13:46,651 [gentle music] 274 00:13:46,651 --> 00:13:49,350 - [Narrator] Fortunately, Allier avoids Paris 275 00:13:49,350 --> 00:13:51,787 and the heavy water is met at Bordeaux 276 00:13:51,787 --> 00:13:54,877 by a British cargo ship, and is safely smuggled to England. 277 00:13:54,877 --> 00:13:57,271 [gentle music] 278 00:13:59,403 --> 00:14:01,101 Although both Norway and France 279 00:14:01,101 --> 00:14:02,754 have now fallen to the Nazi regime, 280 00:14:04,495 --> 00:14:06,889 the Norwegian scientist Leif Tronstad 281 00:14:06,889 --> 00:14:08,586 is not ready to give up. 282 00:14:08,586 --> 00:14:11,894 [gentle music] 283 00:14:11,894 --> 00:14:15,855 - Before the Norwegian government flees for England, 284 00:14:15,855 --> 00:14:18,422 before Tronstad the great scientist flees, 285 00:14:18,422 --> 00:14:20,511 they establish a resistance movement 286 00:14:20,511 --> 00:14:22,731 and an intelligence network around Norway. 287 00:14:22,731 --> 00:14:26,517 So even though Tronstad and the king and others 288 00:14:26,517 --> 00:14:29,520 are in exile in England, they have resources on the ground. 289 00:14:29,520 --> 00:14:32,610 [gentle music] 290 00:14:32,610 --> 00:14:34,569 - So Leif Tronstad knows a lot about 291 00:14:34,569 --> 00:14:35,875 what's going on in the plant. 292 00:14:35,875 --> 00:14:37,572 He has the ins and outs. 293 00:14:37,572 --> 00:14:39,661 He's basically created an underground 294 00:14:39,661 --> 00:14:41,837 spy network of his own, with him at the head 295 00:14:41,837 --> 00:14:43,534 of this spy network. 296 00:14:43,534 --> 00:14:46,755 He's keeping the British informed. 297 00:14:46,755 --> 00:14:48,626 - So the Norwegian resistance, 298 00:14:48,626 --> 00:14:51,238 monitoring what's happening at the plant is important. 299 00:14:51,238 --> 00:14:53,544 One so that they know what's going on, 300 00:14:53,544 --> 00:14:56,199 that they can keep track of what the Germans are doing, 301 00:14:56,199 --> 00:15:00,203 but they can also report back to allies in other countries. 302 00:15:00,203 --> 00:15:01,901 [gentle music] 303 00:15:01,901 --> 00:15:03,772 - [Narrator] With his spy network, 304 00:15:03,772 --> 00:15:06,296 Tronstad is able to provide British intelligence, 305 00:15:06,296 --> 00:15:09,125 constant information on the Nazis activities at the plant. 306 00:15:10,692 --> 00:15:11,823 [gentle music] 307 00:15:11,823 --> 00:15:12,737 - In a war like the Second World War, 308 00:15:12,737 --> 00:15:15,175 information is so key at all levels. 309 00:15:15,175 --> 00:15:16,654 So the more information you have about 310 00:15:16,654 --> 00:15:19,831 what the other side is doing, the better you can plan 311 00:15:19,831 --> 00:15:22,399 and the better you can create your own strategies 312 00:15:22,399 --> 00:15:25,011 moving forward for how you want to proceed. 313 00:15:25,011 --> 00:15:28,144 - The Norwegian high command in England is very important 314 00:15:28,144 --> 00:15:31,843 to the understanding of the resistance movement in Norway. 315 00:15:31,843 --> 00:15:34,107 [gentle music] 316 00:15:34,107 --> 00:15:36,587 - [Narrator] Once in exile Leif Tronstad 317 00:15:36,587 --> 00:15:38,502 and the Norwegian high command 318 00:15:38,502 --> 00:15:41,897 work closely with the British SOE known as 319 00:15:41,897 --> 00:15:44,204 Special Operations Executive. 320 00:15:44,204 --> 00:15:46,728 [gentle music] 321 00:15:46,728 --> 00:15:48,251 - The special operations executive, 322 00:15:48,251 --> 00:15:50,471 is basically counter intelligence, 323 00:15:50,471 --> 00:15:54,431 insurgency inside of a foreign country. 324 00:15:54,431 --> 00:15:57,521 They assist with resistance movements in country. 325 00:15:57,521 --> 00:15:59,871 For example, Norway and France. 326 00:15:59,871 --> 00:16:01,438 [gentle music] 327 00:16:01,438 --> 00:16:03,875 - [Narrator] Having had to withdraw his troops from France 328 00:16:03,875 --> 00:16:06,400 after the Nazis rapid invasion, 329 00:16:06,400 --> 00:16:08,619 British prime minister, Winston Churchill 330 00:16:08,619 --> 00:16:11,883 recognizes the potential of the SOE. 331 00:16:11,883 --> 00:16:13,755 - For Winston Churchill, something like the SOE 332 00:16:13,755 --> 00:16:16,236 is a great way to hit back at the Nazis 333 00:16:16,236 --> 00:16:20,501 without having to worry about invasion at the time. 334 00:16:20,501 --> 00:16:23,634 - [Narrator] Essentially functioning as an underground army, 335 00:16:23,634 --> 00:16:28,596 the SOE is primarily made up of civilian volunteers. 336 00:16:28,596 --> 00:16:31,991 One of the key groups in the SOE is known as Company Linge, 337 00:16:31,991 --> 00:16:34,297 which consists of mainly Norwegians, 338 00:16:34,297 --> 00:16:37,518 who fled to England after the German invasion of Norway. 339 00:16:37,518 --> 00:16:38,823 [gentle music] 340 00:16:38,823 --> 00:16:40,477 - Of course, people would volunteer. 341 00:16:40,477 --> 00:16:42,436 {\an8}Their nations had already capitulated. 342 00:16:42,436 --> 00:16:44,873 {\an8}There was no national army to join. 343 00:16:44,873 --> 00:16:49,617 So to escape to London to fight some force, 344 00:16:49,617 --> 00:16:52,228 to join some force, which would fight the Nazis 345 00:16:52,228 --> 00:16:54,317 would be something which should be on the top of the mind 346 00:16:54,317 --> 00:16:57,277 of many of these people. 347 00:16:57,277 --> 00:16:58,582 [gentle music] 348 00:16:58,582 --> 00:16:59,757 - [Narrator] As the Nazis tighten their grip 349 00:16:59,757 --> 00:17:02,195 on the occupied nations of Europe, 350 00:17:02,195 --> 00:17:04,327 the allies continue their nuclear research. 351 00:17:06,112 --> 00:17:08,679 American scientists at the University of California 352 00:17:08,679 --> 00:17:10,942 and Columbia University, 353 00:17:10,942 --> 00:17:14,207 are working on various methods of harnessing nuclear power. 354 00:17:14,207 --> 00:17:16,252 [gentle music] 355 00:17:16,252 --> 00:17:18,950 Recognizing the potential and urgency in utilizing 356 00:17:18,950 --> 00:17:21,562 this great new source of energy, 357 00:17:21,562 --> 00:17:25,435 the British in 1941 released the MAUD report, 358 00:17:25,435 --> 00:17:28,656 which contains plans for producing a nuclear bomb. 359 00:17:28,656 --> 00:17:30,701 [gentle music] 360 00:17:30,701 --> 00:17:32,529 - So there's a real rush for them to develop 361 00:17:32,529 --> 00:17:35,619 a capacity, that's articulated by 1940 362 00:17:35,619 --> 00:17:39,928 and the possibility of developing a uranium based weapon. 363 00:17:39,928 --> 00:17:42,670 - American intelligence was now trying to beef up 364 00:17:42,670 --> 00:17:45,673 and meet the threat that they now have 365 00:17:45,673 --> 00:17:47,283 on what would become a two front war. 366 00:17:52,114 --> 00:17:54,638 [bomb explodes] 367 00:17:57,076 --> 00:18:01,080 - December, 1941, the Japanese attack Pearl Harbor, 368 00:18:01,080 --> 00:18:03,038 and the Americans enter the war. 369 00:18:05,475 --> 00:18:07,999 [bomb explodes] 370 00:18:16,051 --> 00:18:17,879 - [Narrator] Only a month after the US is attacked 371 00:18:17,879 --> 00:18:20,099 and officially enters the war, 372 00:18:20,099 --> 00:18:22,536 President Franklin D. Roosevelt gives his a approval 373 00:18:22,536 --> 00:18:24,277 to his science advisor 374 00:18:24,277 --> 00:18:26,888 for the construction of an atomic bomb. 375 00:18:26,888 --> 00:18:29,108 This marks the start of the Manhattan Project. 376 00:18:31,284 --> 00:18:34,330 - So it only takes about a month, a little over a month 377 00:18:34,330 --> 00:18:35,984 for Franklin Roosevelt to give the green light 378 00:18:35,984 --> 00:18:37,725 on the Manhattan Project. 379 00:18:37,725 --> 00:18:40,858 - [Narrator] By early 1942, it's clear to the allies 380 00:18:40,858 --> 00:18:42,599 that the Nazis are hyper focused 381 00:18:42,599 --> 00:18:44,427 on harnessing nuclear energy. 382 00:18:44,427 --> 00:18:47,126 [ vehicles hooting] 383 00:18:47,126 --> 00:18:49,693 - The Norwegian resistance and intelligence network 384 00:18:49,693 --> 00:18:52,261 that Tronstad helps to develop, 385 00:18:52,261 --> 00:18:53,697 they're providing regular updates to him 386 00:18:53,697 --> 00:18:55,090 while he is in England. 387 00:18:55,090 --> 00:18:57,310 One of the most disturbing is that Germany 388 00:18:57,310 --> 00:19:00,704 has dedicated itself to ramping up 389 00:19:00,704 --> 00:19:03,533 the production of heavy water in the hydroelectric plant. 390 00:19:03,533 --> 00:19:04,708 [gentle music] 391 00:19:04,708 --> 00:19:07,624 - The Germans start seriously focusing 392 00:19:07,624 --> 00:19:09,409 on the production of not just heavy water. 393 00:19:09,409 --> 00:19:11,411 They establish uranium club. 394 00:19:11,411 --> 00:19:13,456 They're looking at all the different possible ways, 395 00:19:13,456 --> 00:19:15,241 enriching uranium. 396 00:19:15,241 --> 00:19:17,330 They're looking at the production of these isotopes. 397 00:19:17,330 --> 00:19:19,419 They're looking at heavy water, 398 00:19:19,419 --> 00:19:21,290 they are not closing down any options. 399 00:19:21,290 --> 00:19:22,857 [gentle music] 400 00:19:22,857 --> 00:19:24,032 - [Narrator] After receiving the concerning reports 401 00:19:24,032 --> 00:19:25,729 coming out of Norway, 402 00:19:25,729 --> 00:19:28,819 Leif Tronstad suggests a small targeted operation 403 00:19:28,819 --> 00:19:30,821 to stop the Nazi's heavy water production. 404 00:19:32,736 --> 00:19:36,175 His report lands on the desk of the British prime minister. 405 00:19:36,175 --> 00:19:38,133 - Winston Churchill decides in 1942, 406 00:19:38,133 --> 00:19:40,440 that Vemork is a key target. 407 00:19:40,440 --> 00:19:42,137 It is where the heavy water is produced 408 00:19:42,137 --> 00:19:44,661 for the atomic weapons. 409 00:19:44,661 --> 00:19:46,533 - So the German operations at Vemork 410 00:19:46,533 --> 00:19:48,187 are a threat to the allies. 411 00:19:48,187 --> 00:19:50,450 There's no question about that. 412 00:19:50,450 --> 00:19:52,930 - So the organization that really takes the lead 413 00:19:52,930 --> 00:19:56,151 in trying to prevent Germany from getting the heavy water 414 00:19:56,151 --> 00:19:58,632 and from trying to sabotage this hydroelectric plant, 415 00:19:58,632 --> 00:19:59,937 is the SOE. 416 00:19:59,937 --> 00:20:02,462 That's the Special Operations Executive. 417 00:20:02,462 --> 00:20:04,768 - [Narrator] In the meantime, conditions in Norway 418 00:20:04,768 --> 00:20:05,508 are getting worse. 419 00:20:07,815 --> 00:20:10,818 In October, 1942, the Nazis begin 420 00:20:10,818 --> 00:20:13,603 rounding up Jews in Norway. 421 00:20:13,603 --> 00:20:16,215 More than a third of Norway's 2100 Jews 422 00:20:16,215 --> 00:20:19,696 were deported to death camps during the war. 423 00:20:19,696 --> 00:20:22,612 Tronstad and other Norwegian resistant members 424 00:20:22,612 --> 00:20:24,484 are desperate to do something for their country. 425 00:20:26,660 --> 00:20:30,229 - So yet another tragedy is the construction 426 00:20:30,229 --> 00:20:32,143 of the concentration camps followed by 427 00:20:32,143 --> 00:20:35,799 the mass construction of concentration camps. 428 00:20:35,799 --> 00:20:38,193 There were a number of camps, Dachau, Auschwitz, 429 00:20:38,193 --> 00:20:42,284 and others that had 10, 20 hundreds of satellite camps. 430 00:20:45,896 --> 00:20:49,509 - By 1942, the complexion of the war was changing. 431 00:20:49,509 --> 00:20:51,859 On the Eastern front, Hitler planned the invasion 432 00:20:51,859 --> 00:20:53,077 of the Soviet Union, 433 00:20:53,077 --> 00:20:56,820 an ambitious if ever there was one strategy. 434 00:20:56,820 --> 00:20:59,345 Operation Barbarossa, but that would not work out. 435 00:20:59,345 --> 00:21:00,433 [gentle music] 436 00:21:00,433 --> 00:21:02,652 - [Narrator] In February, 1943 437 00:21:02,652 --> 00:21:04,741 the Germans suffer a major defeat 438 00:21:04,741 --> 00:21:06,308 on the Eastern Front at Stalingrad. 439 00:21:07,483 --> 00:21:10,269 [suspenseful music] 440 00:21:19,278 --> 00:21:21,497 With over a hundred thousand casualties, 441 00:21:21,497 --> 00:21:23,847 this loss reveals that Germans are not invincible. 442 00:21:26,502 --> 00:21:29,157 Although things looked bad on the Eastern front, 443 00:21:29,157 --> 00:21:31,202 the Germans were getting closer to developing 444 00:21:31,202 --> 00:21:32,856 a weapon that could change all that. 445 00:21:34,031 --> 00:21:35,555 - They want more of it. 446 00:21:35,555 --> 00:21:39,733 They want almost unlimited amounts of heavy water. 447 00:21:39,733 --> 00:21:42,257 - They're bound and determined to get an atomic bomb. 448 00:21:43,911 --> 00:21:45,521 - [Narrator] Recognizing the dangers 449 00:21:45,521 --> 00:21:48,829 of allowing the Nazis production of heavy water to continue, 450 00:21:48,829 --> 00:21:50,570 the allies are desperate to stop them. 451 00:21:54,791 --> 00:21:58,229 Once planning for the attack on the Vemork Plant begins 452 00:21:58,229 --> 00:22:01,058 Tronstad insists on a small targeted attack, 453 00:22:01,058 --> 00:22:02,277 rather it than a bombing rate. 454 00:22:03,278 --> 00:22:05,541 [bomb explodes] 455 00:22:05,541 --> 00:22:06,934 - His greatest concern is that 456 00:22:06,934 --> 00:22:09,240 the allies would simply bomb the area 457 00:22:09,240 --> 00:22:12,200 and in doing so he pointed out importantly 458 00:22:12,200 --> 00:22:16,291 that it probably wouldn't do the damage that you imagine. 459 00:22:16,291 --> 00:22:18,075 - [Narrator] Despite Tronstad's insistence 460 00:22:18,075 --> 00:22:20,034 on a small targeted attack, 461 00:22:20,034 --> 00:22:23,254 he's overruled and British soldiers begin training 462 00:22:23,254 --> 00:22:26,083 for a mission called Operation Freshmen. 463 00:22:26,083 --> 00:22:28,042 - Now, how do you best eliminate a plant 464 00:22:28,042 --> 00:22:29,391 that's hard to reach? 465 00:22:29,391 --> 00:22:31,567 It's sitting at the bottom of an eight story 466 00:22:31,567 --> 00:22:32,786 reinforced building. 467 00:22:34,396 --> 00:22:37,747 It's surrounded by Norwegian civilians, 468 00:22:37,747 --> 00:22:42,361 and as a bombing target is at best unlikely. 469 00:22:44,145 --> 00:22:46,408 The thinking is, well, you'll send in 470 00:22:46,408 --> 00:22:50,456 an elite task force with gliders. 471 00:22:50,456 --> 00:22:52,806 [gentle music] 472 00:23:05,993 --> 00:23:08,387 - Halifax bombers take off from England 473 00:23:08,387 --> 00:23:10,780 and they're towing these horsa gliders. 474 00:23:12,173 --> 00:23:13,348 - [Narrator] Throughout the war, 475 00:23:13,348 --> 00:23:15,698 the allies successfully utilize gliders 476 00:23:15,698 --> 00:23:18,135 on various commando operations 477 00:23:18,135 --> 00:23:20,877 specifically for infiltrating behind enemy lines. 478 00:23:22,357 --> 00:23:24,315 - Gliders are a various scary thing 479 00:23:24,315 --> 00:23:26,317 when you're on the inside of them. 480 00:23:26,317 --> 00:23:30,147 When the glider is pulled from its, 481 00:23:30,147 --> 00:23:33,803 basically its tow plane, it is on its own. 482 00:23:33,803 --> 00:23:37,459 - The problem is number one, it's a long flight to Norway. 483 00:23:37,459 --> 00:23:39,548 Number two, the weather is horrible. 484 00:23:39,548 --> 00:23:42,421 [gentle music] 485 00:23:42,421 --> 00:23:45,598 And these gliders crash on impact. 486 00:23:45,598 --> 00:23:47,295 [bomb explodes] 487 00:23:47,295 --> 00:23:50,429 And kill some of the men on board. 488 00:23:50,429 --> 00:23:52,648 The survivors are found by the Germans 489 00:23:52,648 --> 00:23:55,564 and they are all killed. 490 00:23:55,564 --> 00:23:58,349 - [Narrator] At that time, German soldiers had an order 491 00:23:58,349 --> 00:24:00,439 to kill any enemies that were involved 492 00:24:00,439 --> 00:24:03,267 with commando operations. 493 00:24:03,267 --> 00:24:05,705 - So that means every SOE man is killed on this raid. 494 00:24:05,705 --> 00:24:09,012 That means the gliders are ineffective against the axis 495 00:24:09,012 --> 00:24:10,274 in that point. 496 00:24:10,274 --> 00:24:12,799 And that also means the Germans understand 497 00:24:12,799 --> 00:24:15,279 that Britain sees something in this plant. 498 00:24:16,672 --> 00:24:18,631 - Preventing the Germans gaining access 499 00:24:18,631 --> 00:24:23,113 to the heavy water was so important that a few setbacks 500 00:24:23,113 --> 00:24:24,550 would not have deterred people. 501 00:24:24,550 --> 00:24:26,726 Even losing the element of surprise, 502 00:24:26,726 --> 00:24:29,424 now just means you to plan differently. 503 00:24:29,424 --> 00:24:31,774 - [Narrator] After a disastrous first attempt, 504 00:24:31,774 --> 00:24:34,821 the SOE turns to Leif Tronstad and Company Linge 505 00:24:34,821 --> 00:24:37,345 to lead the next attack. 506 00:24:37,345 --> 00:24:39,869 This mission is given the name Operation Gunnerside. 507 00:24:43,656 --> 00:24:45,788 - Tronstad is the perfect person to try to disrupt 508 00:24:45,788 --> 00:24:49,139 the plans and be more, he knows it better than anybody else. 509 00:24:49,139 --> 00:24:51,881 He is the one who you would want to be in charge 510 00:24:51,881 --> 00:24:53,230 of this operation. 511 00:24:53,230 --> 00:24:57,104 He knows exactly what the plant is capable of, 512 00:24:57,104 --> 00:25:00,281 but he also knows every nook and cranny of the space. 513 00:25:00,281 --> 00:25:04,067 So he can best come up with a plan to disrupt 514 00:25:04,067 --> 00:25:07,331 what the Germans are trying to do. 515 00:25:07,331 --> 00:25:10,291 - [Narrator] To pull off this daring mission, Leif Tronstad 516 00:25:10,291 --> 00:25:12,772 handpicks a small team of Norwegian patriots, 517 00:25:12,772 --> 00:25:14,730 who like him fled to England 518 00:25:14,730 --> 00:25:16,558 after the Nazi occupation of Norway. 519 00:25:19,126 --> 00:25:23,173 The Gunnerside team is led by 23 year old Joachim Ronneberg. 520 00:25:25,088 --> 00:25:28,048 He's joined by Claus Helberg, a 24 year old 521 00:25:28,048 --> 00:25:30,746 who had grown up in the area around Vemork 522 00:25:30,746 --> 00:25:32,922 and worked as a tour guide in the surrounding mountains 523 00:25:32,922 --> 00:25:33,706 prior to the war. 524 00:25:36,491 --> 00:25:41,670 As well as Knut Haukelid, Fredrik Kayser, Birger Stromsheim 525 00:25:41,670 --> 00:25:44,934 and other members of the explosives team. 526 00:25:44,934 --> 00:25:48,372 - They are not formally military trained men. 527 00:25:48,372 --> 00:25:49,852 They're even better than that. 528 00:25:49,852 --> 00:25:50,984 They're a hybrid. 529 00:25:50,984 --> 00:25:52,376 They are physically fit. 530 00:25:52,376 --> 00:25:56,337 They are young and they have extraordinary powers 531 00:25:56,337 --> 00:25:58,687 of motivation, because they are local 532 00:25:58,687 --> 00:26:00,167 and this is their patch. 533 00:26:00,167 --> 00:26:01,603 They want to protect it. 534 00:26:01,603 --> 00:26:04,301 - And they are trying to fight back against the Nazis 535 00:26:04,301 --> 00:26:07,043 for their country, where this takes place. 536 00:26:07,043 --> 00:26:09,916 That makes it even more personal. 537 00:26:09,916 --> 00:26:10,960 - [Narrator] Having an intimate knowledge 538 00:26:10,960 --> 00:26:12,658 of the Vemork facility. 539 00:26:12,658 --> 00:26:14,529 Tronstad proposes that the team 540 00:26:14,529 --> 00:26:16,531 target the heavy water cylinders 541 00:26:16,531 --> 00:26:18,011 located in the plant's basement. 542 00:26:19,621 --> 00:26:22,189 - Tronstad knows the hydroelectric plant. 543 00:26:22,189 --> 00:26:26,802 So if the French, if the British, if the Americans, 544 00:26:26,802 --> 00:26:29,544 if the allies are trying to get into 545 00:26:29,544 --> 00:26:33,156 and sabotage this plant, Tronstad becomes invaluable. 546 00:26:35,071 --> 00:26:36,551 - [Narrator] Tronstad suggests they blow up 547 00:26:36,551 --> 00:26:37,857 the heavy water cylinders 548 00:26:37,857 --> 00:26:40,381 with explosives to ensure they halt 549 00:26:40,381 --> 00:26:41,991 the Nazis heavy water production. 550 00:26:43,689 --> 00:26:46,343 The team will then escape to Sweden. 551 00:26:46,343 --> 00:26:47,562 - If you want precision, 552 00:26:47,562 --> 00:26:49,999 you have to have precise information. 553 00:26:49,999 --> 00:26:53,699 This kind of information could only be provided 554 00:26:53,699 --> 00:26:56,571 through reconnaissance photos. 555 00:26:56,571 --> 00:26:59,705 - You need highly skilled intelligence 556 00:26:59,705 --> 00:27:02,621 to understand the way in the way out 557 00:27:02,621 --> 00:27:04,535 and where things are located inside the building. 558 00:27:06,581 --> 00:27:08,931 - [Narrator] The documents provided by Norwegian resistance 559 00:27:08,931 --> 00:27:13,632 at Vemork, reveal that 18 cylinders need to be destroyed. 560 00:27:13,632 --> 00:27:16,678 With the massive increase in heavy water production, 561 00:27:16,678 --> 00:27:19,246 each one of these cylinders will be filled to the brim. 562 00:27:20,900 --> 00:27:22,989 - Every one of the cylinders housing 563 00:27:22,989 --> 00:27:25,426 this water needs to be taken out. 564 00:27:27,602 --> 00:27:28,951 - Therefore the commanders have to go 565 00:27:28,951 --> 00:27:30,910 through some rigorous training. 566 00:27:30,910 --> 00:27:33,434 They're practicing forging rivers, 567 00:27:33,434 --> 00:27:35,175 they're practicing mountain climbing, 568 00:27:35,175 --> 00:27:36,872 they're camping, they're hiking. 569 00:27:36,872 --> 00:27:40,006 The physical fitness requirements are extraordinary. 570 00:27:40,006 --> 00:27:41,703 - They do reconnaissance in the woods. 571 00:27:41,703 --> 00:27:43,444 They do code and cipher. 572 00:27:43,444 --> 00:27:46,403 They're taught how to read each other's communications. 573 00:27:46,403 --> 00:27:49,189 They're taught how to use guns, how to use metal cutters. 574 00:27:49,189 --> 00:27:51,713 They are taught how to climb rock faces. 575 00:27:51,713 --> 00:27:54,585 They already know how to ski. In many respects, 576 00:27:54,585 --> 00:27:58,154 they are, if you like your Renaissance fighters, 577 00:27:58,154 --> 00:28:00,374 because they don't just hold a gun 578 00:28:00,374 --> 00:28:04,770 and do close combat fighting, but they have, what's up here. 579 00:28:04,770 --> 00:28:06,859 Knowledge of the local area 580 00:28:06,859 --> 00:28:09,513 and ability to outsmart the enemy. 581 00:28:09,513 --> 00:28:12,081 - [Narrator] Before the official operation begins, 582 00:28:12,081 --> 00:28:14,388 a few of the Gunnerside team members 583 00:28:14,388 --> 00:28:16,782 are sent to the Norwegian mountain wilderness 584 00:28:16,782 --> 00:28:20,699 surrounding Vemork to survey and prepare for the attack. 585 00:28:20,699 --> 00:28:24,093 - The whole mission kicks off on February 16th, 1943 586 00:28:24,093 --> 00:28:29,751 as six Norwegian parachute onto Norwegian countryside. 587 00:28:29,751 --> 00:28:32,711 - Time is of the essence, with every passing day 588 00:28:32,711 --> 00:28:34,147 the Germans are ramping up 589 00:28:34,147 --> 00:28:36,410 and producing more and more heavy water. 590 00:28:36,410 --> 00:28:38,717 - [Narrator] The operation Gunnerside team 591 00:28:38,717 --> 00:28:41,676 parachute into the Telemark region of Norway, 592 00:28:41,676 --> 00:28:44,505 into an area far away from any German patrol points. 593 00:28:44,505 --> 00:28:45,985 [dogs barking] 594 00:28:45,985 --> 00:28:48,770 Their first task is to rendezvous with their teammates 595 00:28:48,770 --> 00:28:50,772 who arrived months earlier 596 00:28:50,772 --> 00:28:53,557 and are waiting for them in a cabin. 597 00:28:53,557 --> 00:28:56,822 - So these men who just parachute into Norway, 598 00:28:56,822 --> 00:29:01,696 have to traverse 60 kilometers of land to get to the cabin. 599 00:29:01,696 --> 00:29:03,698 This is nothing easy. 600 00:29:03,698 --> 00:29:06,962 This is not like taking a walk in the park. 601 00:29:06,962 --> 00:29:08,442 - [Narrator] The cabin where the Gunnerside team 602 00:29:08,442 --> 00:29:09,965 will begin their mission, 603 00:29:09,965 --> 00:29:13,839 is located on the Hardangervidda plateau. 604 00:29:13,839 --> 00:29:17,016 Legends say that this mountain plateau grows so cold 605 00:29:17,016 --> 00:29:19,496 that it freezes flames in a fire. 606 00:29:19,496 --> 00:29:22,369 {\an8}- Most of the hardship was up on the plateau, 607 00:29:22,369 --> 00:29:24,197 {\an8}getting there, where there really weren't any options, 608 00:29:24,197 --> 00:29:25,894 {\an8}where the blizzard locked them in. 609 00:29:25,894 --> 00:29:27,766 What else were they going to do? 610 00:29:27,766 --> 00:29:29,158 [gentle music] 611 00:29:29,158 --> 00:29:30,464 - [Narrator] At this stage of the mission, 612 00:29:30,464 --> 00:29:32,945 the most important equipment they have are skis. 613 00:29:35,121 --> 00:29:39,038 - Skiing is synonymous with Norway. 614 00:29:39,038 --> 00:29:42,258 If there were non-skiers on that team, 615 00:29:42,258 --> 00:29:43,346 they would've perished. 616 00:29:46,219 --> 00:29:48,351 - [Narrator] Once the team arrives at the a cabin, 617 00:29:48,351 --> 00:29:50,745 they're hit with a massive blizzard 618 00:29:50,745 --> 00:29:53,443 - Landing in the middle of a blizzard, 619 00:29:53,443 --> 00:29:55,750 you have to shelter in place. 620 00:29:55,750 --> 00:29:59,275 Because if you go out into the snow in a blizzard 621 00:29:59,275 --> 00:30:02,235 and you don't have really any way finding markers, 622 00:30:02,235 --> 00:30:04,628 it is a death trap. 623 00:30:04,628 --> 00:30:05,847 - [Narrator] The bad weather is a delay, 624 00:30:05,847 --> 00:30:07,544 they could do without. 625 00:30:07,544 --> 00:30:08,328 The clock is ticking. 626 00:30:10,460 --> 00:30:12,549 [gentle music] 627 00:30:12,549 --> 00:30:14,900 Meanwhile, across the Atlantic, 628 00:30:14,900 --> 00:30:17,598 the Americans continue with their nuclear research 629 00:30:17,598 --> 00:30:18,947 at an unprecedented pace. 630 00:30:22,429 --> 00:30:25,693 - The Americans have multiple facilities, secret 631 00:30:25,693 --> 00:30:28,304 and semi-secret facilities around the country 632 00:30:28,304 --> 00:30:30,741 to develop this from a big processing plant 633 00:30:30,741 --> 00:30:33,701 for uranium and the mountains of Tennessee 634 00:30:33,701 --> 00:30:35,572 to the University of Chicago, 635 00:30:35,572 --> 00:30:38,097 where some of the world's greatest physicists 636 00:30:38,097 --> 00:30:40,360 were gathering to work on the next steps 637 00:30:40,360 --> 00:30:42,536 {\an8}in developing an atomic bomb. 638 00:30:44,233 --> 00:30:47,671 {\an8}- With Manhattan successfully underway, 639 00:30:47,671 --> 00:30:50,587 {\an8}the Americans and the British become increasingly convinced 640 00:30:50,587 --> 00:30:53,721 that they'll be the first to develop a military capacity, 641 00:30:53,721 --> 00:30:54,678 a bomb for this. 642 00:30:54,678 --> 00:30:56,115 And that's exactly what happens. 643 00:30:56,115 --> 00:30:57,986 [bomb explodes] 644 00:30:57,986 --> 00:30:59,727 - [Narrator] The allies have no idea how close the Germans 645 00:30:59,727 --> 00:31:02,730 are to developing their own atomic bomb. 646 00:31:02,730 --> 00:31:05,776 So it's essential for operation Gunnerside to be a success. 647 00:31:07,778 --> 00:31:10,172 After holding up in the cabin for a week, 648 00:31:10,172 --> 00:31:12,566 the weather clears and the Gunnerside team 649 00:31:12,566 --> 00:31:14,785 begin their journey. 650 00:31:14,785 --> 00:31:18,006 - We hear about raids in the modern era, 651 00:31:18,006 --> 00:31:20,095 going in and finding a target, 652 00:31:20,095 --> 00:31:21,749 maybe being there on the ground 653 00:31:21,749 --> 00:31:25,884 for two to four hours, and then being extracted. 654 00:31:25,884 --> 00:31:28,974 This raid takes well over a week. 655 00:31:28,974 --> 00:31:31,193 - [Narrator] During their training with the SOE, 656 00:31:31,193 --> 00:31:33,543 the Gunnerside team was shown diagrams 657 00:31:33,543 --> 00:31:37,112 and life size replicas of the heavy water cylinders. 658 00:31:37,112 --> 00:31:39,332 They decide the best way to destroy them 659 00:31:39,332 --> 00:31:41,987 are with plastic explosives. 660 00:31:41,987 --> 00:31:44,990 - So the use of plastic explosives allows them 661 00:31:44,990 --> 00:31:48,558 to carry it throughout this whole operation, 662 00:31:48,558 --> 00:31:50,691 making the entire thing easier, 663 00:31:50,691 --> 00:31:52,649 because they are lighter, they're more portable. 664 00:31:54,521 --> 00:31:57,002 - [Narrator] These explosives also allow for precise 665 00:31:57,002 --> 00:31:59,656 and targeted explosion to take place, 666 00:31:59,656 --> 00:32:01,789 avoiding unnecessary damage or harm 667 00:32:01,789 --> 00:32:04,835 to civilians and workers at the plant. 668 00:32:04,835 --> 00:32:07,795 Something that was essential to Tronstad and his team. 669 00:32:07,795 --> 00:32:09,884 [gentle music] 670 00:32:09,884 --> 00:32:13,018 - Tronstad doesn't want an air raid, 671 00:32:13,018 --> 00:32:14,671 he doesn't want anything that will create 672 00:32:14,671 --> 00:32:16,891 mass destruction to Norway. 673 00:32:16,891 --> 00:32:19,285 He understands that if you send in ground troops, 674 00:32:19,285 --> 00:32:22,201 where you do mass air raids in Norway, 675 00:32:22,201 --> 00:32:24,768 that it's going to take years and probably decades 676 00:32:24,768 --> 00:32:26,205 to recover from that. 677 00:32:26,205 --> 00:32:28,033 [gentle music] 678 00:32:28,033 --> 00:32:30,600 - [Narrator] During their 40 mile journey to Vemork, 679 00:32:30,600 --> 00:32:33,516 the Gunnerside team skis by day and rests by night. 680 00:32:35,344 --> 00:32:36,650 [gentle music] 681 00:32:36,650 --> 00:32:38,347 They finally reached the gorge near the waterfall 682 00:32:38,347 --> 00:32:40,567 located just south of the Vemork heavy water plant. 683 00:32:43,265 --> 00:32:44,875 - That would be an intimidating thing to see, 684 00:32:44,875 --> 00:32:46,965 when you to the plant you see the waterfall, 685 00:32:46,965 --> 00:32:49,402 you finally are back there. 686 00:32:49,402 --> 00:32:52,579 It would've been an overwhelming moment I imagine. 687 00:32:52,579 --> 00:32:57,279 - And in front of the factory is a massive ravine, 688 00:32:57,279 --> 00:33:00,152 a huge gorge with a bridge leading over 689 00:33:00,152 --> 00:33:02,632 it into the hydroelectric plant. 690 00:33:02,632 --> 00:33:05,461 The bridge is guarded, heavy security, 691 00:33:05,461 --> 00:33:08,682 which means you either have to scale down this mountain 692 00:33:08,682 --> 00:33:12,468 or you have to forge a deep ravine, crossing an icy waterway 693 00:33:12,468 --> 00:33:14,514 and climb back up to get in, 694 00:33:14,514 --> 00:33:17,821 all the while it's surrounded by barbed wire, lights, 695 00:33:17,821 --> 00:33:20,085 guards, mines. 696 00:33:20,085 --> 00:33:22,652 So getting into this hydroelectric plant 697 00:33:22,652 --> 00:33:24,263 is not going to be an easy task. 698 00:33:26,004 --> 00:33:28,310 - [Narrator] During their occupation of Norway, 699 00:33:28,310 --> 00:33:30,921 the Germans stationed hundreds of thousands of troops 700 00:33:30,921 --> 00:33:35,796 in the country, one soldier for every eight Norwegians. 701 00:33:35,796 --> 00:33:39,539 - The reality of the occupation once it's starts 702 00:33:39,539 --> 00:33:43,238 becoming apparent is already too much 703 00:33:43,238 --> 00:33:44,239 for people to bear. 704 00:33:46,372 --> 00:33:47,460 - [Narrator] The occupation brings 705 00:33:47,460 --> 00:33:50,637 severe economic hardships to Norway. 706 00:33:50,637 --> 00:33:53,814 Food and other basic commodities become scarce, 707 00:33:53,814 --> 00:33:55,685 and the country faces a real risk of famine. 708 00:33:59,298 --> 00:34:01,082 The Gunnerside team waits patiently 709 00:34:01,082 --> 00:34:04,042 outside of the Vemork Plant observing the German guards. 710 00:34:06,392 --> 00:34:08,698 They know that crossing the heavily guarded bridge 711 00:34:08,698 --> 00:34:11,571 is impossible and have figured out an alternative way 712 00:34:11,571 --> 00:34:14,313 of getting inside the plant. 713 00:34:14,313 --> 00:34:17,403 - There is one place that they can go in 714 00:34:17,403 --> 00:34:18,882 and they can find their way in 715 00:34:18,882 --> 00:34:20,406 and it leads right to the plant. 716 00:34:20,406 --> 00:34:21,668 And that is the railroad line. 717 00:34:23,017 --> 00:34:24,758 [gentle music] 718 00:34:24,758 --> 00:34:26,020 - [Narrator] Realizing this would be their only way in 719 00:34:26,020 --> 00:34:28,109 via the railroad line. 720 00:34:28,109 --> 00:34:31,373 Ronneberg leads the team down into the frozen gorge. 721 00:34:31,373 --> 00:34:33,854 [gentle music] 722 00:34:33,854 --> 00:34:36,204 - The valley is very windswept. 723 00:34:36,204 --> 00:34:38,467 You can imagine when you walk between buildings 724 00:34:38,467 --> 00:34:41,470 and it's really windy, that wind forces through there 725 00:34:41,470 --> 00:34:43,124 harder than if you're on the other side of the building. 726 00:34:43,124 --> 00:34:45,039 It's the same with this valley. 727 00:34:45,039 --> 00:34:48,434 That is a very dangerous place to be. 728 00:34:48,434 --> 00:34:51,741 - It's a 600 foot gorge, down to the Maåna River below, 729 00:34:51,741 --> 00:34:53,439 by the way, this is the bleak midwinter, 730 00:34:53,439 --> 00:34:58,487 freezing conditions, ice, snow, and a field.[laughs] 731 00:34:58,487 --> 00:35:00,489 Not even pretty in summer by the way, 732 00:35:00,489 --> 00:35:02,926 that you would have to negotiate. 733 00:35:02,926 --> 00:35:04,450 - [Narrator] But once the men have successfully 734 00:35:04,450 --> 00:35:07,583 climbed down the gorge, the river presents a new challenge. 735 00:35:08,802 --> 00:35:10,064 [water whooshing] 736 00:35:10,064 --> 00:35:11,109 - You have to partially go in the water. 737 00:35:11,109 --> 00:35:13,328 So remember how cold it is outside. 738 00:35:13,328 --> 00:35:15,678 Think of how cold the water is. 739 00:35:15,678 --> 00:35:18,246 And then when you get out of this, 740 00:35:18,246 --> 00:35:21,336 now you're wind swept and you're partially wet. 741 00:35:21,336 --> 00:35:24,600 [gentle music] 742 00:35:24,600 --> 00:35:26,994 - [Narrator] Although with the real risk of hypothermia, 743 00:35:26,994 --> 00:35:28,691 Ronneberg pushes his men on. 744 00:35:29,823 --> 00:35:31,520 As even after the river, 745 00:35:31,520 --> 00:35:34,958 they still have a frozen 600 foot cliff to climb, 746 00:35:34,958 --> 00:35:36,525 which leads right to the railroad line. 747 00:35:40,703 --> 00:35:43,750 - So it's one thing on top of another, on top of another, 748 00:35:43,750 --> 00:35:45,926 to try to make your way to this plant. 749 00:35:45,926 --> 00:35:49,190 This is how important this raid is, that men are willing 750 00:35:49,190 --> 00:35:51,105 to go to this length to make sure 751 00:35:51,105 --> 00:35:53,194 that Hitler doesn't get his atomic weapon. 752 00:35:53,194 --> 00:35:54,804 [gentle music] 753 00:35:54,804 --> 00:35:57,024 - [Narrator] Incredibly, Ronneberg and his men 754 00:35:57,024 --> 00:35:59,069 make it all the way across the gorge 755 00:35:59,069 --> 00:36:00,201 and reach the railway line. 756 00:36:02,638 --> 00:36:05,989 - Extremely challenging, extremely demanding. 757 00:36:05,989 --> 00:36:07,382 And let's not forget, 758 00:36:07,382 --> 00:36:09,906 that besides all these physical demands, 759 00:36:09,906 --> 00:36:12,648 there's also the psychological demand of, 760 00:36:12,648 --> 00:36:15,825 I've not come here just for a cross country's ski trip. 761 00:36:15,825 --> 00:36:19,177 I actually have to go up and blow up a heavy water plant, 762 00:36:19,177 --> 00:36:21,483 guarded by Germans. 763 00:36:21,483 --> 00:36:25,226 - [Narrator] At around midnight on February 28th, 1943 764 00:36:25,226 --> 00:36:26,662 the Gunnerside team is ready 765 00:36:26,662 --> 00:36:28,838 to enter the heavy water plant. 766 00:36:28,838 --> 00:36:31,101 [gentle music] 767 00:36:31,101 --> 00:36:34,192 - So the team decides to split basically half and half. 768 00:36:34,192 --> 00:36:37,151 There's a covering squad, provide protection. 769 00:36:37,151 --> 00:36:38,587 And then there's the actual team, 770 00:36:38,587 --> 00:36:40,372 that's going to set the explosives, 771 00:36:40,372 --> 00:36:42,287 the team that's going to set the explosives knows 772 00:36:42,287 --> 00:36:44,158 from Tronstad where to go. 773 00:36:44,158 --> 00:36:45,986 [gentle music] 774 00:36:45,986 --> 00:36:47,814 - [Narrator] Thanks to his reconnaissance, 775 00:36:47,814 --> 00:36:49,076 they know they can enter the plant 776 00:36:49,076 --> 00:36:51,121 via an unguarded utility tunnel. 777 00:36:51,121 --> 00:36:54,299 [gentle music] 778 00:36:54,299 --> 00:36:56,126 They sneak through the narrow utility tunnel 779 00:36:56,126 --> 00:36:57,780 with their explosives 780 00:36:57,780 --> 00:37:00,566 and finally gain access to the building. 781 00:37:00,566 --> 00:37:03,308 - Until the last minute they have to make adjustments 782 00:37:03,308 --> 00:37:04,483 and they have to tweak their plan 783 00:37:04,483 --> 00:37:07,703 and respond to the situation as it is developing. 784 00:37:07,703 --> 00:37:11,403 And they are now within sight. 785 00:37:11,403 --> 00:37:14,057 And all that remains is to blow up the cylinders. 786 00:37:15,450 --> 00:37:16,451 - There's Germans around. 787 00:37:16,451 --> 00:37:17,626 You're probably scared. 788 00:37:17,626 --> 00:37:19,237 You're you're making this dash. 789 00:37:19,237 --> 00:37:21,021 You know that you have to be quick 790 00:37:21,021 --> 00:37:23,850 and any small change to the plan 791 00:37:23,850 --> 00:37:26,200 could throw off the entire thing. 792 00:37:26,200 --> 00:37:27,810 - They finally reached the basement 793 00:37:27,810 --> 00:37:30,291 and there's 18 massive containers. 794 00:37:30,291 --> 00:37:32,293 And as Tronstad worried, 795 00:37:32,293 --> 00:37:34,208 their worst fears are realized, they're full. 796 00:37:36,428 --> 00:37:39,605 - The commandos run into one person, one of the Norwegians 797 00:37:39,605 --> 00:37:43,826 who's working inside the plant and they confront him, 798 00:37:43,826 --> 00:37:46,394 guns drawn because they're doing their raid. 799 00:37:46,394 --> 00:37:49,354 And the Norwegian actually asks what they're doing. 800 00:37:49,354 --> 00:37:53,096 They tell them that they're there to blow up the facility 801 00:37:53,096 --> 00:37:55,577 and blow up the heavy water cylinders. 802 00:37:55,577 --> 00:37:56,796 And the Norwegian asks, 803 00:37:56,796 --> 00:37:59,494 are you here to kill me and all of us too? 804 00:37:59,494 --> 00:38:02,454 And they say, no, we're not here to kill you. 805 00:38:02,454 --> 00:38:05,500 It was very important to Tronstad and others, 806 00:38:05,500 --> 00:38:08,764 that innocent Norwegians aren't killed in this raid. 807 00:38:08,764 --> 00:38:10,026 [gentle music] 808 00:38:10,026 --> 00:38:11,332 - [Narrator] The Germans at the Vemork Plant 809 00:38:11,332 --> 00:38:14,030 are almost exclusively guards. 810 00:38:14,030 --> 00:38:15,858 While the people doing the actual work 811 00:38:15,858 --> 00:38:18,774 of creating the heavy water are all Norwegian workers. 812 00:38:21,255 --> 00:38:23,953 During Germany's occupation of Norway, 813 00:38:23,953 --> 00:38:26,695 many Norwegians are forced to work in factories 814 00:38:26,695 --> 00:38:29,916 to help the German war effort. 815 00:38:29,916 --> 00:38:33,136 Norwegians are prohibited from flying the Norwegian flag, 816 00:38:33,136 --> 00:38:36,705 singing their national Anthem and even reading literature 817 00:38:36,705 --> 00:38:38,707 that the Germans deem inappropriate, 818 00:38:38,707 --> 00:38:40,056 can get you sentenced to death. 819 00:38:42,145 --> 00:38:45,323 - The living conditions during the Nazi reign, 820 00:38:45,323 --> 00:38:49,805 it was deplorable, shortages of medicine, shortages of food. 821 00:38:49,805 --> 00:38:51,285 People lost their jobs, 822 00:38:51,285 --> 00:38:53,853 homes were confiscated. 823 00:38:53,853 --> 00:38:57,509 Freedoms and rights were curtailed, and on a drop of a dime 824 00:38:57,509 --> 00:39:00,120 anybody could be accused of disloyalty. 825 00:39:00,120 --> 00:39:03,602 German soldiers parading through the capital 826 00:39:03,602 --> 00:39:07,127 It was a horrific moment for the people of Norway. 827 00:39:09,085 --> 00:39:13,699 - Imagine being in Norway, imagine being under occupation, 828 00:39:13,699 --> 00:39:17,529 the indignity of it, the paucity of 829 00:39:17,529 --> 00:39:21,054 any kind of entertainment, of decent food, 830 00:39:21,054 --> 00:39:23,665 of proper employment, the compromises, 831 00:39:23,665 --> 00:39:25,450 that are constantly being made. 832 00:39:25,450 --> 00:39:27,800 And this is I think something very hard 833 00:39:27,800 --> 00:39:30,150 for the anglophone world to get their head around. 834 00:39:30,150 --> 00:39:32,631 In Britain we don't have the heel of the jackboot 835 00:39:32,631 --> 00:39:34,937 arriving in our country. 836 00:39:34,937 --> 00:39:37,636 [gentle music] 837 00:39:37,636 --> 00:39:40,029 - [Narrator] In the basement of the heavy water plant. 838 00:39:40,029 --> 00:39:43,729 Ronneberg begins to set up the explosives. 839 00:39:43,729 --> 00:39:46,558 Everything has led up to these crucial final moments. 840 00:39:46,558 --> 00:39:47,820 And time is of the essence. 841 00:39:51,432 --> 00:39:54,000 [gentle music] 842 00:39:54,000 --> 00:39:57,090 - The explosives have to work in full for everything 843 00:39:57,090 --> 00:39:58,613 to go properly. 844 00:39:58,613 --> 00:40:00,528 Every one of the cylinders housing this water 845 00:40:00,528 --> 00:40:03,705 needs to be taken out. 846 00:40:03,705 --> 00:40:07,927 So they are issued explosives that are kind of like, 847 00:40:07,927 --> 00:40:10,582 what we would think of is more like a C-4 putty. 848 00:40:10,582 --> 00:40:13,628 It's kind of a thing that can be placed in different areas 849 00:40:13,628 --> 00:40:16,979 and twisted around molded to a location 850 00:40:16,979 --> 00:40:21,027 and then ignited through having a primer placed into it, 851 00:40:21,027 --> 00:40:22,594 which is clipped off. 852 00:40:22,594 --> 00:40:26,293 And then you have a few minutes to get out of there. 853 00:40:26,293 --> 00:40:28,861 - [Narrator] But halfway through setting up the explosives, 854 00:40:28,861 --> 00:40:30,079 it looks like the game is up. 855 00:40:31,646 --> 00:40:34,127 - The blast team is busy putting their explosives 856 00:40:34,127 --> 00:40:35,868 on the canisters when all of a sudden, 857 00:40:35,868 --> 00:40:39,132 a window shatters next to them. 858 00:40:39,132 --> 00:40:40,394 Now imagine why had to go through their mind. 859 00:40:40,394 --> 00:40:42,048 They thought they were caught, 860 00:40:42,048 --> 00:40:43,876 but it was one of the teammates. 861 00:40:43,876 --> 00:40:46,008 Imagine the chaotic scene in their minds, 862 00:40:46,008 --> 00:40:47,575 of what was transpiring when they realized 863 00:40:47,575 --> 00:40:49,142 that one of their teammates was the one 864 00:40:49,142 --> 00:40:50,796 who broke the window. 865 00:40:50,796 --> 00:40:53,407 And I'm sure that he didn't hear 866 00:40:53,407 --> 00:40:55,801 the end of that for a while. [laughs] 867 00:40:55,801 --> 00:40:57,106 [gentle music] 868 00:40:57,106 --> 00:40:58,368 - [Narrator] After a heart racing moment 869 00:40:58,368 --> 00:41:00,588 of thinking they had been caught. 870 00:41:00,588 --> 00:41:04,374 Ronneberg continues to finish setting up the explosives. 871 00:41:04,374 --> 00:41:06,376 Meanwhile Stromsheim is sent to open 872 00:41:06,376 --> 00:41:08,466 the exterior basement door 873 00:41:08,466 --> 00:41:10,555 for an easy escape while Kayser guards 874 00:41:10,555 --> 00:41:11,599 the Norwegian workers. 875 00:41:14,776 --> 00:41:16,865 Every second spent inside the plant 876 00:41:16,865 --> 00:41:19,128 increases their chances of getting caught 877 00:41:19,128 --> 00:41:20,608 and the mission being a total failure. 878 00:41:22,784 --> 00:41:26,048 Once Ronneberg is finished setting up all the explosives, 879 00:41:26,048 --> 00:41:30,226 he cuts the fuse down from two minutes to 30 seconds. 880 00:41:30,226 --> 00:41:34,143 He checks the explosives one last time and lights defuse. 881 00:41:34,143 --> 00:41:36,668 [gentle music] 882 00:41:36,668 --> 00:41:38,408 - The shorter the mission, 883 00:41:38,408 --> 00:41:40,802 the less likely you are to get caught. 884 00:41:42,282 --> 00:41:44,893 - The fuses are lit and the men exit 885 00:41:44,893 --> 00:41:48,593 as quickly as possible out of the plant. 886 00:41:48,593 --> 00:41:51,509 - I have no idea how these commandos managed to do this, 887 00:41:51,509 --> 00:41:54,120 to set the fuse for 30 seconds. 888 00:41:54,120 --> 00:41:56,035 When you're in the basement 889 00:41:56,035 --> 00:41:59,995 of a massive hydroelectric factory teaming with Nazi guards, 890 00:41:59,995 --> 00:42:02,476 there's so much that could have gone wrong, 891 00:42:02,476 --> 00:42:05,392 but they managed to get out of the hydroelectric plant. 892 00:42:05,392 --> 00:42:06,828 [gentle music] 893 00:42:06,828 --> 00:42:09,396 - As they run out of the plant about 20 meters 894 00:42:09,396 --> 00:42:12,486 or so they hear this distant funk. 895 00:42:12,486 --> 00:42:14,749 It's not a loud bang, It's not a big explosion. 896 00:42:14,749 --> 00:42:17,143 It's a nice little thump. 897 00:42:17,143 --> 00:42:18,753 And they think, well, that's it. 898 00:42:18,753 --> 00:42:21,451 That must be the explosions that are going off. 899 00:42:21,451 --> 00:42:22,844 They're far enough away, 900 00:42:22,844 --> 00:42:25,673 so the Germans don't see them at the time. 901 00:42:25,673 --> 00:42:31,200 And one German kind of looks around and they see this guard, 902 00:42:31,200 --> 00:42:33,376 just looking around, wondering what's going on. 903 00:42:33,376 --> 00:42:35,596 He appears to be thinking about what that may have been. 904 00:42:37,380 --> 00:42:39,078 - [Narrator] The Gunnerside team makes the escape 905 00:42:39,078 --> 00:42:41,254 from the Vemork facility and alarms 906 00:42:41,254 --> 00:42:42,603 eventually begin to go off. 907 00:42:45,258 --> 00:42:47,826 Within an hour, the facilities chief engineer 908 00:42:47,826 --> 00:42:50,524 and German guards arrive in the basement 909 00:42:50,524 --> 00:42:52,570 to find the damaged to heavy water cylinders. 910 00:42:54,223 --> 00:42:56,486 - So it's a perfect getaway, 911 00:42:56,486 --> 00:42:59,228 for something that sounds like it's out of a spy novel. 912 00:42:59,228 --> 00:43:01,709 And it works to perfection in that way. 913 00:43:01,709 --> 00:43:04,886 The charges are laid, cylinders are broken. 914 00:43:04,886 --> 00:43:07,672 The heavy water plant is disturbed for a while, 915 00:43:07,672 --> 00:43:08,542 and the men get away. 916 00:43:10,326 --> 00:43:11,501 - [Narrator] Ronneberg and his team, 917 00:43:11,501 --> 00:43:13,503 retrace their steps through the gorge 918 00:43:13,503 --> 00:43:15,157 and quickly get as far away 919 00:43:15,157 --> 00:43:18,378 from the Vemork facility as they can. 920 00:43:18,378 --> 00:43:20,423 They know the Germans will be right behind them, 921 00:43:20,423 --> 00:43:22,425 looking for whoever had done this. 922 00:43:22,425 --> 00:43:24,514 [gentle music] 923 00:43:24,514 --> 00:43:26,604 - It's a highly successful operation, 924 00:43:26,604 --> 00:43:29,432 especially considering the odds 925 00:43:29,432 --> 00:43:31,913 and considering that this was somewhat telegraphed, 926 00:43:31,913 --> 00:43:33,872 meaning that because of the earlier failure, 927 00:43:33,872 --> 00:43:36,178 the Germans knew that it was a target 928 00:43:36,178 --> 00:43:39,529 and yet still weren't able to prevent these very brave men 929 00:43:39,529 --> 00:43:42,707 from carrying out an operation of that nature. 930 00:43:42,707 --> 00:43:44,796 - When you think about the whole story, 931 00:43:44,796 --> 00:43:47,668 you think about the distances that had to be traversed, 932 00:43:47,668 --> 00:43:52,151 and then the precision with which the plant was targeted. 933 00:43:52,151 --> 00:43:54,414 - The mission's a success, 934 00:43:54,414 --> 00:43:57,069 there's a massive amount of heavy water 935 00:43:57,069 --> 00:44:00,028 that literally goes down the drain. 936 00:44:00,028 --> 00:44:03,423 [gentle music] 937 00:44:03,423 --> 00:44:05,904 Top German General Von Falkenhorst, 938 00:44:05,904 --> 00:44:07,732 comes to inspect the damage. 939 00:44:07,732 --> 00:44:09,647 He ends up saying, it's a quote, unquote, 940 00:44:09,647 --> 00:44:12,301 most splendid coup. 941 00:44:12,301 --> 00:44:15,740 - The response of it, oh, it's a splendid coup, 942 00:44:15,740 --> 00:44:20,135 it shows that some level there is respect 943 00:44:20,135 --> 00:44:22,442 between combatants in the middle of a war. 944 00:44:24,357 --> 00:44:26,620 For as much as you might have respected what they did 945 00:44:26,620 --> 00:44:28,840 from a tactical standpoint, 946 00:44:28,840 --> 00:44:31,146 you obviously don't want to let them get away 947 00:44:31,146 --> 00:44:32,844 with what they did. 948 00:44:32,844 --> 00:44:35,368 So you do put on this major manhunt to try to find them, 949 00:44:35,368 --> 00:44:36,674 because this is the sort of thing 950 00:44:36,674 --> 00:44:39,111 that you can't just let go. 951 00:44:39,111 --> 00:44:43,158 You have to respond in kind in some way. 952 00:44:43,158 --> 00:44:46,248 - 3000 soldiers are brought in to hunt down 953 00:44:46,248 --> 00:44:49,512 this handful of commandos in Norway. 954 00:44:49,512 --> 00:44:52,559 And to make the story even more compelling, 955 00:44:52,559 --> 00:44:56,345 the commandos managed to allude thousands of German soldiers 956 00:44:56,345 --> 00:44:59,392 combing the forest and countryside looking for them. 957 00:45:01,220 --> 00:45:03,222 - [Narrator] Although the Germans vastly out number 958 00:45:03,222 --> 00:45:06,834 the Gunnerside team in both people and resources, 959 00:45:06,834 --> 00:45:08,662 Ronneberg and his team managed 960 00:45:08,662 --> 00:45:11,491 to elude the Germans and make their escape. 961 00:45:11,491 --> 00:45:13,711 [gentle music] 962 00:45:13,711 --> 00:45:14,886 - Several of the commandos 963 00:45:16,496 --> 00:45:18,454 somehow managed in the middle of the winter 964 00:45:18,454 --> 00:45:22,371 to ski a few hundred miles to Sweden. 965 00:45:22,371 --> 00:45:26,027 And they outdistance the German soldiers. 966 00:45:26,027 --> 00:45:27,420 - They divide into two teams 967 00:45:27,420 --> 00:45:29,465 and one stays in the local vicinity 968 00:45:29,465 --> 00:45:32,164 to try to draw the attention of German forces 969 00:45:32,164 --> 00:45:35,123 and be basically hides in the forest and in the mountains. 970 00:45:35,123 --> 00:45:37,647 And then the other team skis to Sweden. 971 00:45:37,647 --> 00:45:41,303 - It's a pure victory, it's a wonderful local, 972 00:45:42,609 --> 00:45:44,089 moral high point. 973 00:45:44,089 --> 00:45:45,830 Norwegians fighting back on the inside 974 00:45:45,830 --> 00:45:47,657 against their German occupiers. 975 00:45:47,657 --> 00:45:50,486 And then of course they are on skis, 976 00:45:50,486 --> 00:45:52,445 they separate, they spread out. 977 00:45:52,445 --> 00:45:54,273 They are nine little needles in a haystack. 978 00:45:56,362 --> 00:45:57,972 - [Narrator] Having successfully sabotaged 979 00:45:57,972 --> 00:45:59,669 the Vemork Plant, 980 00:45:59,669 --> 00:46:03,456 Ronneberg, Kayser, Stromsheim and Haukelid 981 00:46:03,456 --> 00:46:04,674 make the escape to Sweden. 982 00:46:06,459 --> 00:46:08,200 - Sweden is next to Norway, 983 00:46:08,200 --> 00:46:11,246 it's a fellow Scandinavian Country. 984 00:46:11,246 --> 00:46:15,381 It's neutral, and from Sweden the commandos can get out 985 00:46:15,381 --> 00:46:17,122 without being detected. 986 00:46:17,122 --> 00:46:20,212 Also importantly, even though Sweden's neutral, 987 00:46:20,212 --> 00:46:23,258 it's assisting the allies in various ways, 988 00:46:23,258 --> 00:46:26,740 and there's an active resistance movement in Sweden. 989 00:46:26,740 --> 00:46:29,656 And they're helping to train the Norwegian resistance 990 00:46:29,656 --> 00:46:31,789 and intelligence counter forces. 991 00:46:34,748 --> 00:46:37,185 News of the mission reaches the allies 992 00:46:37,185 --> 00:46:39,884 as well as Leif Tronstad back in London. 993 00:46:39,884 --> 00:46:42,756 And of course it's welcome news. 994 00:46:44,802 --> 00:46:47,413 - [Narrator] The message Tronstad receives reads, 995 00:46:47,413 --> 00:46:50,851 operation carried out with a hundred percent success, 996 00:46:50,851 --> 00:46:53,723 high concentration plant, completely destroyed, 997 00:46:53,723 --> 00:46:55,987 shots not exchanged since the Germans 998 00:46:55,987 --> 00:46:58,467 didn't realize anything. 999 00:46:58,467 --> 00:47:01,383 Germans do not appear to know whence the party came 1000 00:47:01,383 --> 00:47:02,907 or whether they disappeared. 1001 00:47:02,907 --> 00:47:05,257 [gentle music] 1002 00:47:10,262 --> 00:47:13,134 - Operation Gunnerside is one of the most successful acts 1003 00:47:13,134 --> 00:47:15,876 of sabotage during World War II, 1004 00:47:15,876 --> 00:47:18,096 carried out by Norwegian Patriots 1005 00:47:18,096 --> 00:47:21,142 who had no formal military background, 1006 00:47:21,142 --> 00:47:24,319 the SOE exercises are the only training they completed. 1007 00:47:25,625 --> 00:47:26,844 - It was a clean victory. 1008 00:47:26,844 --> 00:47:29,585 And that is the message that is transmitted 1009 00:47:29,585 --> 00:47:32,762 back to Britain. Scot-free. 1010 00:47:32,762 --> 00:47:35,330 We blew up the place, we blew up the cylinders, 1011 00:47:35,330 --> 00:47:36,897 didn't even blow up the place. 1012 00:47:36,897 --> 00:47:39,726 They just blew up the cylinders and we made a getaway 1013 00:47:39,726 --> 00:47:42,424 and we've all left with our lives intact. 1014 00:47:42,424 --> 00:47:44,818 [gentle music] 1015 00:47:44,818 --> 00:47:47,081 - [Narrator] Operation Gunnerside was a major success 1016 00:47:47,081 --> 00:47:49,083 for the allies and a crushing defeat 1017 00:47:49,083 --> 00:47:51,869 for the Germans nuclear weapons program. 1018 00:47:51,869 --> 00:47:57,787 [gentle music] [bomb explodes] 1019 00:47:57,787 --> 00:48:00,268 Throughout the German occupation of Norway, 1020 00:48:00,268 --> 00:48:02,967 the Norwegian resistance proves to be a crucial asset 1021 00:48:02,967 --> 00:48:05,143 to the allied forces. 1022 00:48:05,143 --> 00:48:07,928 What starts as a small sabotage unit, 1023 00:48:07,928 --> 00:48:10,713 will eventually grow into a full on military force 1024 00:48:10,713 --> 00:48:13,151 by the end of the war. 1025 00:48:13,151 --> 00:48:16,067 Some of the other victories for the Norwegian resistance 1026 00:48:16,067 --> 00:48:19,113 includes the destruction of two major German warships 1027 00:48:19,113 --> 00:48:20,767 called the Bismarck and the Tirpitz. 1028 00:48:22,073 --> 00:48:23,465 [gentle music] 1029 00:48:23,465 --> 00:48:26,468 - The Norwegian resistance comes out of that, 1030 00:48:26,468 --> 00:48:29,907 uniquely kind of Norwegian sense of identity, 1031 00:48:29,907 --> 00:48:31,430 which means that they were not willing 1032 00:48:31,430 --> 00:48:34,215 to be just assimilated into the Germanic Reich. 1033 00:48:36,565 --> 00:48:37,958 - [Narrator] Although Operation Gunnerside 1034 00:48:37,958 --> 00:48:41,309 was a success, by May, 1943, 1035 00:48:41,309 --> 00:48:43,094 the heavy water production facilities 1036 00:48:43,094 --> 00:48:45,226 were rebuilt and operating once again. 1037 00:48:46,445 --> 00:48:48,969 Later that year in November, 1038 00:48:48,969 --> 00:48:51,885 140 American bombers flew over and bombed the plant. 1039 00:48:54,453 --> 00:48:58,370 Unfortunately 22 Norwegian civilians were killed. 1040 00:48:58,370 --> 00:49:01,764 The exact tragedy Tronstad had hoped to avoid, 1041 00:49:01,764 --> 00:49:04,550 but this bombing raid finally crushes Hitler's aspiration 1042 00:49:04,550 --> 00:49:07,640 to build an atomic bomb once and for all. 1043 00:49:07,640 --> 00:49:10,730 As the German dictator has major problems elsewhere 1044 00:49:10,730 --> 00:49:12,601 and troops are taken out of Norway. 1045 00:49:12,601 --> 00:49:14,473 [gentle music] 1046 00:49:14,473 --> 00:49:15,996 - Norway is no longer the priority 1047 00:49:15,996 --> 00:49:18,085 that it was early in the war. 1048 00:49:18,085 --> 00:49:21,306 So they have to shift people out of Norway, 1049 00:49:21,306 --> 00:49:23,221 which is a response to what is happening 1050 00:49:23,221 --> 00:49:24,352 elsewhere in the war. 1051 00:49:25,701 --> 00:49:27,442 - So nothing's going right 1052 00:49:27,442 --> 00:49:30,358 for the Germans in that capacity and a place like Norway 1053 00:49:30,358 --> 00:49:33,622 becomes increasingly indefensible. 1054 00:49:33,622 --> 00:49:35,755 - [Narrator] While the Germans retreat from Norway, 1055 00:49:35,755 --> 00:49:37,800 Leif Tronstad continues with his work 1056 00:49:37,800 --> 00:49:38,976 in the Norwegian resistance. 1057 00:49:40,760 --> 00:49:43,937 This time taking part in operation Sunshine, 1058 00:49:43,937 --> 00:49:46,809 an operation to protect essential installations 1059 00:49:46,809 --> 00:49:49,682 and particularly power stations from being destroyed 1060 00:49:49,682 --> 00:49:51,205 by retreating German forces. 1061 00:49:53,642 --> 00:49:56,167 Tragically Tronstad will be killed during this mission. 1062 00:49:58,169 --> 00:50:02,303 - Tronstad's end is therefore kind of poetic in a twisted, 1063 00:50:02,303 --> 00:50:04,871 very ironic and sad fashion, right? 1064 00:50:04,871 --> 00:50:07,874 Because he dies the death that I suppose 1065 00:50:07,874 --> 00:50:10,877 he and other resistance fighters ultimately planned for. 1066 00:50:10,877 --> 00:50:13,271 - This kind of immortalizes him, 1067 00:50:13,271 --> 00:50:17,231 as one of Norway's great heroes. A scientist, 1068 00:50:17,231 --> 00:50:21,583 a resistance fighter, a chemist, and a fallen hero 1069 00:50:21,583 --> 00:50:23,759 in the fight against the Nazis. 1070 00:50:23,759 --> 00:50:26,632 - Him being part of that resistance afterwards 1071 00:50:26,632 --> 00:50:29,330 and continuing just shows the commitment 1072 00:50:29,330 --> 00:50:32,768 to the cause and shows how devoted he was to Norway. 1073 00:50:32,768 --> 00:50:36,250 This is again, the price that some people paid for this. 1074 00:50:36,250 --> 00:50:38,252 I mean that would've been enough danger, 1075 00:50:38,252 --> 00:50:41,951 for a couple of lifetimes faced by people like Tronstad 1076 00:50:41,951 --> 00:50:47,261 but the determination to keep fighting the Nazis 1077 00:50:47,261 --> 00:50:49,829 and to ensure that they're finally out of Norway. 1078 00:50:49,829 --> 00:50:52,658 [gentle music] 1079 00:50:52,658 --> 00:50:54,442 - [Narrator] Gunnerside team leader, 1080 00:50:54,442 --> 00:50:56,531 Joachim Ronneberg continues 1081 00:50:56,531 --> 00:50:58,794 his work in the Norwegian resistance 1082 00:50:58,794 --> 00:51:01,188 and goes on to lead other sabotage operations 1083 00:51:01,188 --> 00:51:02,189 against the Germans. 1084 00:51:03,538 --> 00:51:06,411 It is not until 1945 when he was awarded 1085 00:51:06,411 --> 00:51:09,457 Norway's highest military decoration, 1086 00:51:09,457 --> 00:51:12,852 the war cross with sword that he realizes the significance 1087 00:51:12,852 --> 00:51:15,159 of what he and his Gunnerside teammates had achieved. 1088 00:51:19,163 --> 00:51:23,036 Operation Gunnerside, the brainchild of Leif Tronstad 1089 00:51:23,036 --> 00:51:26,779 was a truly amazing act of sabotage. 1090 00:51:26,779 --> 00:51:29,521 This unorthodox frontline battle was a pivotal moment 1091 00:51:29,521 --> 00:51:32,176 during World War II, putting a major dent 1092 00:51:32,176 --> 00:51:34,787 in Nazi Germany's atomic plans 1093 00:51:34,787 --> 00:51:37,355 and undoubtedly changing the course of the war. 1094 00:51:37,355 --> 00:51:40,836 [gentle music] 1095 00:51:40,836 --> 00:51:43,709 - The course of history would've been completely different, 1096 00:51:43,709 --> 00:51:45,145 in a terrifying set of way. 1097 00:51:45,145 --> 00:51:47,060 [gentle music] 1098 00:51:47,060 --> 00:51:51,282 - Gunnnerside is a story that shows the dedication 1099 00:51:51,282 --> 00:51:54,459 that people during the Second World War had to the cause. 1100 00:51:55,503 --> 00:51:57,897 [gentle music] 87483

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