History's Secret Heroes: Series 2: The Unbreakable Navajo Code

History's Heroes

BBC

Documentary, History, Society & Culture

4.8 • 704 Ratings

🗓️ 22 April 2024

⏱️ 30 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

A group of Native American soldiers use their language to devise a secret code for the Allies. Can the Navajo code help win one of the fiercest battles of the war?

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 Audio production for BBC Radio 4 and BBC Sounds.

Producer: Suniti Somaiya Edit Producer: Melvin Rickarby Assistant Producer: Lorna Reader Executive Producer: Paul Smith Written by Alex von Tunzelmann Commissioning editor for Radio 4: Rhian Roberts

Transcript

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0:00.0	He tells her that she will be sent to France as a secret agent, and if she's caught, she's going to be shot.
0:09.3	I'm Helen Obalam Carter, and this is history's secret heroes, where I shine a light on extraordinary stories from World War II.
0:17.6	What they wanted was someone to get themselves arrested and sent to Auschwitz.
0:22.0	Tales of deception, an incredible acts of resistance and courage.
0:26.3	She was a born soldier.
0:27.4	She's a freedom fighter in its widest sense.
0:29.9	The brand new series of History's secret heroes.
0:32.8	Listen first on BBC Sounds.
0:36.4	BBC Sounds, music, radio, podcasts.
0:40.8	At 8.59 a.m., on the 19th of February, 1945, warships approached the Japanese island of Iwo Juma.
0:50.4	Aboard the ships was an elite force of United States Marines.
0:58.0	Every man knew the importance of this mission. There were two air bases on Iwo Jima.
1:01.0	It was just 750 miles from Tokyo.
1:04.0	It was a stepping stone.
1:07.0	From Iwo Jima, our planes could directly bomb Tokyo or much of mainland Japan.
1:15.0	If they were able to take the island, the Americans would be one step closer to winning the Second World War in the Pacific.
1:22.9	The Americans had spent months planning this attack.
1:26.6	They had begun with air raids to clear Japanese defences on the slopes of Mount Surabashi.
1:32.3	Now they were ready to begin the amphibious assault.
1:36.3	There would be units landing on both major sides of the island.
1:40.3	They would turn left and assault at the base of Mount Serebachi.
1:46.0	And then other troops would begin to turn to the right and attempt to sweep eastward
	...

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