WWII: Mysteries in the Archives 1938-1948

On September 2, 1945, Japan's surrender is signed aboard the USS Missouri, weeks after the atom bombs devastated Hiroshima and Nagasaki, marking the end of WWII and a pivotal moment in history.

In April 1945, Allied troops liberated Nazi POW, labor, and concentration camps like Ohrdruf, Buchenwald, and Dachau, revealing the horrific scale of the Holocaust to the world for the first time.

In February 1945, Churchill, Roosevelt, and Stalin met secretly in Yalta to plan WWII's end and post-war Europe. Their decisions reshaped Europe’s future after Nazi Germany's defeat.

In 1944, Felix Forestier filmed the French Resistance in Vercors, but his footage vanished until 2013. This episode explores the Vercors maquis and its symbolic yet tragic role in history.

On July 6, 1940, Eva Braun filmed Hitler at the Chancellery in color. This episode examines her rare footage, revealing insights into Hitler’s relationships and Braun’s freedom behind the camera.

On December 7, 1941, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, launching war with the U.S. Explore the motives behind the attack and the journey of censored footage that resurfaced a year later.

On D-Day, June 6, 1944, Operation Overlord began. Hundreds of reporters braved heavy fire on beaches like Omaha and Utah, capturing iconic footage that shaped WWII's visual legacy.

Six months after annexing Austria, Hitler eyed Sudetenland, pressuring Britain’s Chamberlain to negotiate. This episode reveals the tense diplomacy and its impact on Europe’s road to war.

In 1946 Tokyo, 28 top Japanese officials faced a two-year war crimes trial. This episode examines the trial's impact, Tojo’s role, and why Emperor Hirohito remained untouched by prosecution.