Nazi Secrets (Full Episode) | Drain the Oceans
Hitler's Darkest Secrets
The introduction of the video discusses how underwater scanning technology is being used to reveal secrets of the sea floor. It then poses questions about whether Australia's most prized warship was destroyed by a Nazi secret weapon, what made a killer U-boat invisible, and how close Hitler came to building an atomic bomb.
Nuclear Dreams
- Hitler wanted to develop an atomic bomb that could destroy London and turn the war in seconds.
- The Nazis needed heavy water as a crucial ingredient to make an atomic bomb.
- Vemork Power Plant in Norway was the world's largest producer of heavy water during World War II.
- Churchill wanted the heavy water plant at Vemork destroyed because Germany might get a nuclear bomb quickly.
- Allied air raids and sabotage forced the Nazis to safeguard their stockpile of heavy water.
Sinking of Hydro Ferry
- In 1944, almost a year's output of heavy water was planned to be moved from Vemork by train across Lake Tinn by ferry.
- At 10:45 am on February 20th, 1944, the hydro ferry sank with around 40 barrels of heavy water on board.
- For decades, the hydro ferry and her secret wartime cargo lay hidden in the dark waters.
German Transcript - Geheimnisse des Zweiten Weltkrieges
This section is in German and introduces "Geheimnisse des Zweiten Weltkrieges," which translates to "Secrets of World War II."
Introduction
- The narrator speaks in German about Hitler's darkest secrets and most terrifying weapons.
- The latest underwater scanning technology is introduced as a way to reveal the secrets of the sea floor.
Nazi Nuclear Dreams
- Hitler's ambition was global, and Nazi scientists began the race to harness atomic power during World War II.
- Heavy water was a vital component of the Germans' attempt to get their nuclear reactor to work.
- Vemork Power Plant in Norway was the world's largest producer of heavy water during World War II.
- Churchill wanted the heavy water plant at Vemork destroyed because Germany might get a nuclear bomb quickly.
Sinking of Hydro Ferry
- In 1944, almost a year's output of heavy water was planned to be moved from Vemork by train across Lake Tinn by ferry.
- At 10:45 am on February 20th, 1944, the hydro ferry sank with around 40 barrels of heavy water on board.
Introduction to the Lake Tinn Shipwreck
In this section, we are introduced to Fredrik Soreide, a maritime archaeologist who has studied the area around Lake Tinn for over 20 years. We learn about the lake's dramatic landscape and its depth of 460 meters. To uncover the secret of the lake, Fredrik works with an expert in remotely operated vehicles, Thor-Olav Sperre.
Exploring the Lake with Remotely Operated Vehicles
- The ROV is used to go down to the shipwreck so that they can film it and make other interesting documentation.
- Multi-beam sonar technology allows them to probe the darkest depths of the lake floor.
- The return signal displays the shape and depth of features beneath.
- Thor-Olav was one of the first people to find the wreck and he is back with powerful new scanning equipment and cameras that will finally give him a detailed record of what's down there.
Discovering Nazi Cargo in Lake Tinn
- The cargo on these carriages was once destined for Nazi Germany but instead lies deep in a Norwegian lake.
- Using multi-beam sonar data combined with cutting-edge computer graphics, they reveal an astonishing underwater landscape.
- The drowned ferry is brought back into light after over 70 years as waters drain away revealing its true picture.
- The spread of wreckage is firm evidence of a catastrophic sudden sinking.
Conclusion
In this section, we see Fredrik pointing out key features on board still visible on the wreck. The video ends with Fredrik stating that they can see the wheelhouse and there's something behind it, maybe...
Key Features of the Wreck
- Fredrik points out the wheelhouse and something behind it on board still visible on the wreck.
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