meta_pixel
Tapesearch Logo
History's Heroes

History's Secret Heroes: Series 1: Skiing Commandos

History's Heroes

BBC

Documentary, History, Society & Culture

4.8704 Ratings

🗓️ 19 July 2023

⏱️ 29 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Can a team of Norwegian men stop Hitler from obtaining the materials to create an atomic bomb large enough to destroy London?

Helena Bonham Carter shines a light on extraordinary stories from World War Two. Join her for incredible tales of deception, acts of resistance and courage.

A BBC Studios Podcast production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.

Producer: Clem Hitchcock Executive Producer: Paul Smith Written by Alex von Tunzelmann

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Did you know that you can listen to many of your favourite podcasts first on BBC Sounds?

0:07.0

Like, you're dead to me, where you can hear the latest episode 28 days earlier.

0:11.6

So catch it before it becomes history.

0:14.6

Good things come to those who don't wait.

0:16.4

Listen to your favourite podcasts first on BBC Sounds.

0:21.6

BBC Sounds, music, radio, podcasts.

0:26.2

This is the BBC Home Service.

0:28.9

The German government has issued a statement saying they have decided to take over the protection of Denmark and Norway.

0:35.4

On the 9th of April, 1940, German armed forces occupied

0:40.3

Norwegian ports and airfields. They took over Norway within a matter of weeks. They took over

0:47.3

the central command of government. The Norwegian government escaped to Britain.

0:52.3

That's Neil Baskam, author of the Winter Fortress.

0:55.9

The King of Norway, Hawconn I and his son, Crown Prince Uluf,

0:59.9

were forced to leave and fled across the sea to England.

1:03.2

Adolf Hitler wanted Norway for three reasons.

1:07.0

To secure Germany's supply of iron ore.

1:10.1

To command 13,000 miles of coastline.

1:12.9

And the third reason they wanted to go into Norway was, of course, heavy water.

1:20.5

German scientists had discovered nuclear fission at the end of 1938.

1:24.6

The Nazi regime considered two potential applications for this technology,

1:30.0

nuclear energy and nuclear weapons. Heavy water, also known as deuterium oxide, was a key

1:37.1

ingredient to both. The heavy water was produced in a single factory in Norway. This factory was

...

Transcript will be available on the free plan in -618 days. Upgrade to see the full transcript now.

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from BBC, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of BBC and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.

Copyright © Tapesearch 2025.