SCOTLAND
The operation goes under the name of "Freshman".
41 specially trained commandos sent into the mountains in two gliders, each pulled by a Halifax bomber.
21 man in one glider, 20 in the other. The Halifax is taking them as far as the Norwegian coast and then the gliders swoop down unnoticed on high ground.
After that our chaps slip down to the factory and blow the damn thing to pieces.
- It's quite a big area. - Yes, we need people who can establish establish depots due reconnaissance.
- Man who know the area and of course speak the language - A welcoming committee of Norwegians sent out ahead.
- What do you want me to do? - Find them, create an operations unit.
The Heavy Water War: Stopping Hitler's Atomic Bomb
Captain. Peggy? Thank you. Wilson's office.
Front office. Meeting room.
- George. - Yes, Ma'am.
My office. Radio room, tea room, your office.
The Germans have apparently searched both your office and home. It appears you didn't leave a moment too soon.
Your wife and children are safe with their in-laws.
- Maybe it would be abetter solution if my family came here. - That's not an option.
- They won't be any trouble. - Do you see any children here, Mr Tromstad?
They have been evacuated, so that they don't get bombed.
Norway may have been invaded, but it's still a far safer place than England.
You obviously don't have children.
So, how long have you known about the Germans' atomic program?
Well, that depends on what you mean by "known".
Since Poland there's been no information on anything that smells of "Wissenschaft"Â, which is strange.
But, I suppose that no information at least leaves room for speculation.
Poulsson, what do you say to a trip to Rjukan?
Four or five man flown to the wild and establish a base that you'll be leading.
- Fine. When do we leave? - Once we've found the rest of the group.
Sergeant Claus Helberg, 24-years-old. Fought in the battles of 1914.
Taken prisoner, but he managed to escape.
Never gives up, an extremely good skier, a charmer, popular with the ladies.
Second Levtenant Knut Haugland, 25. Fought in the Battle of Narvik.
Arrested, but managed to escaped. Trained as a telegraph operator. He's strong and can handle whatever you throw at him.
Sergeant Arne Kjelstrup, 29. A plumber.
He fought in the campaign in 1940, he took a German bullet to the stomach but was saved when it struck his barbed wire cutters.
And to lead the group: Second Levtenant Jens-Anton Poulsson, 25.
He took part in the Norway campaign and came over here in October 1941.
Maybe the one who knows the mountains the best out of the four of them.
And there's one more. Born in New York, educated in Oslo and Berlin.
A little wild, and just the right kind of crazy.
Welcome to Vemork, director.
Good morning. Can we talk in my office, Brun?
- Tone Jørgensen. Welcome. - It's my pleasure.
Can you close the door?
Yes, I have read the reports about the heavy water.
- "Foaming". What does that mean? - Problems with the intake water.
There are people in Oslo talking about sabotage.
I want to double the guards and record all that comes and goes.
And then I want us to fire ...
Danielsen.
There was a lot of foaming yesterday, and Danielsen was alone on duty.
- It's not certain that it was him. - Is that right?
I found a bottle in the trash by the stairs yesterday afternoon. Castor oil.
So it could be people from the day shift, night shift, the day before or earlier.
And foaming doesn't always occur immediately.
Fine. That's all.
Regardless, I want Danielsen fired as a warning to the others.
We are several weeks late in delivery.
And I want you to go to Berlin with the first delivery in the morning. It's important that the Germans are satisfied.
The Kaiser Wilhelm Institute, Berlin - Can you increase production? - It will be much more expensive.
That doesn't matter. We need everything we can get.
Professor Heisenberg. Engineer Brun. He delivers the heavy water from Norway.
My pleasure. Thank you. It is a great help.
Yes, it would be interesting to get an insight into its use.
- But you must let us keep a few secrets.
Come with me, please. Mr. Heisenberg.
- Did you have a good trip? - Yes.
Slowly.
Stop.
Have you seen? Norway has sent more than we ordered.
That's great.
What would he say if he saw us here?
- He would remind us if we've forgotten something. - Have we?
No. But anyway...
Many of the best minds are taken away.
- We are weakened. - Are you going to decline the invitation?
- Copenhagen? - Yes. Niels Bohr is still at the institute.
- I will go to the lecture. - Good. Good.
"In order to support the German-Danish cooperation and relationship."
- Aren't you concerned about the reactor? - This is of course a lecture.
It is important for maintaining the relations with other countries.
Is it?
Isn't it more important to meet Niels Bohr again?
- We will not mention names. - What will you talk to him about?
If it should come to that, then the good old days.
Science, music, family...
Life.
Mr Heisenberg, you signed a confidentiality agreement.
Do not talk about what we're doing here.
The Danes are on our side. The country is occupied by Germany.
Don't play dumb!
You know well that Bohr works with the British. I'll try to get you a passport.
Afterwards you tell me how far the Allies have got in their nuclear research.
Espionage?
No. It falls under the category "old days".
Music, life, family, and science.
And since you're there, try to get some good bacon.
Have a good day.
Yes.
- So these are all Norwegian volunteers? - They keep coming. Hundreds of them.
- They sign in there, we put them straight to work. - Who is that? The redhead.
- Skinnarland, Eenar. - Einar.
Einar... He came in this morning. Hijacked a boat with some other lads.
- I have seen him at the factory. - You have indeed.
Einar Skinnarland? Leif Tronstad. Just sit.
- You live in Rjukan? - Yes. - And work at Vemork?
I would like you to go back. We need people to report.
You work there... Know the staff, shifts and routines. All that we need.
- What for? - Intelligence. For us and the British.
All you can get. You get a radio and report back to us directly.
But I just got here.
- What did you say to the chairman before you came? - That I would take a week's holiday.
Then, let's say you get back on Monday.
- But I can't make it. - Have you gone parachuting before?
You must jump!
Niels Bohr's residence Copenhagen, Denmark
Now I would have never thought...
- Danish for "Nice to see you"?
So good to be here.
I'm sorry I couldn't make it to the conference.
No one did. There wasn't a single scientist worth mentioning in the room. I was expecting at least...
Not because of you. Everyone wanted to see you. You know, let's go for a walk.
- You are being bugged? - Oh, yeah. We just discovered it a couple go months ago.
- Bit it's all right. - All right? It's awful.
Well, you just have to think before you talk, which actually isn't such a bad idea.
- The institute as well? - Yes, everywhere.
But it's... I mean out here is OK.
What?
I don't know...
I don't know how much you know. Times are changing. New regime.
Yes, I've noticed.
Do you miss the old days working at the institute together?
Yes, I certainly do.
Copenhagen is not so far from Berlin.
The thing is I'm not allowed to say anything
I was even asked to found out about your position with the Brits. I don't care about those things.
Politicians come and go, ideologies change, but science... only moves forward.
One discovery leads to the next.
I'm not trying to sway you in any way...
But the project I'm working on, is just everobody's dream.
We have money, resources...
It's not just a little department at an institute. It's bigger than that.
I want this to happen. Finally, it is under my control.
As long as we let the war serve science, there is no danger.
Imagine everything we can do.
- Pull out of it. - What?
Pull out of whole damn thing.
- Is it the Brits? - What? - Have you briefed by the Brits?
No, they have absolutely nothing to do with this whatsoever.
I'm the one who's telling you.
You work for them. I thought I came to see a friend.
I'm still your friend.
- You do not understand what I'm talking about. - I don't understand?
No!
Now you get it?
Yes, I get it.
You have always asked me which moral obligations we have.
Well, here's my answer.
Our obligations have never been bigger.
- Yes, but as scientists... - Cut the crap.
- Crap? - Yes, crap. You know exactly what I'm talking about.
You're working for the German army. What planet are you on?
They've hired you, why? To front German culture? To see you make some interesting calculations on a blackboard?
No, they've hired you because they want something in return. The want value for their money. Results.
- And ideally, something that explodes. - Listen...
We are working to create energy.
Our moral obligations have never been bigger than they are now.
And if you do not understand that...
Then you are either stupid or very naive. Right now, both of them are equally dangerous.
Let me give you one last piece of advice. As your friend.
Don't ever tell anyone that you asked me to be a part of your programme.
Now, would you care to join me for dinner?
My wife would be happy to see you and she's longing to hear you play the piano.
I would sit there and I would eat, and of course I'll applaud.
Find a clearance that can be used as runway for the gliders. We will receive the British there.
I need to feed London with weather reports and other observations.
German redeployment, transport routes and watchkeeping factory.
- We need weapons. - I have guns. Sten-gun
- And handy-gun. - Yes. The rest we leave to the British.
The group is called "Grouse" and is strictly secret.
Should we be called "Grouse"? Can not we be called something slightly more raw?
- "Falcon" or something? - "Moose".
- "Hawk". - "Shark".
- The name is "Grouse". Period. - So it is just the four of us?
- What? - Nothing
We were just talking about you. Knut Haukelid, as you know.
- Cheers to war. - Cheers.
Cheers.
They're leaving in three weeks, the first full moon. They are not ready.
They are ready.
Being enthusiastic is not the same as being ready.
Wanting to do something is not the same as being able to do something.
And being hangover, is not being fit to fight.
Takes a lot to to convince her.
I pity the husband.
The husband down with HMS Prince of Wales, last December, sunk by the Japanese.
He's still missed.
She works a lot. They'll be all right.
- Absolutely. - Sooner or later.
One hopes, sooner.
- How long have you been here? - I just got home.
- How are the children? - Good.
I hope they sleep. The nurse went to Brackenhof to hear Hitler.
- How was it? - Lovely.
People in Denmark seem happy. They walk around outside and go out dancing.
- Did you meet Bohr? - Yes.
He has his own little park. And he fits well there.
For dinner we had a nice ham roast. He read, and I played the piano.
Did you have a chance to talk?
He said I should stop!
- He doesn't understand. - What do you think?
He thinks I'm standing on the wrong side of the war.
When Germany wins, won't it all be good?
But will it still be our Germany?
I thought it was only children who did that.
End a friendship that way.
Okay, Claus, ready for a new record?
And go.
Two, four, five...
Six seconds.
Two seconds faster than last time.
The Skoland Marshes near the road between Møsvatnsdammen and Rauland.
- There is a flat stretch of around 4,000 feet. - That should be enough for a couple of gliders.
Get help!
- Bloody amateurs! - So, what do we do now?
- I can step in. - Yes, and who's going to do your job? The bloody footless one?
These men can be replaced. You can't, Tronstad.
Okay, they can go without him.
All right, it's your decision.
Why did you fire Danielsen?
He is Astrid's husband.
Astrid - she is our servant.
I played card games with her today... We were almost able to have a conversation.
That is, I was doing the talking and she would respond with "Yes, ma'm", "No, ma'm", "Thank you, ma'm", "The King trumphs the Queen, ma'm"...
Then Brun came and told her that her husband had been fired and was no longer at the factory.
- Why did you do that? - That is none of your business.
I see.
We are done eating.
Is everything alright? Would the family like something else?
No, the family only wishes that more people would go to bed on a full stomach tonight.
Please, take the leftovers with you home.
Am I right, my dear?
Thank you. Thank you very much.
It will take more to buy a fired employee.
I never claimed to have any importance here...
Ellen...
Come.
Just find a good landing place not far from the road.
Otherwise, we'll carry them.
No more mishaps with pistols. I would to hear only of success.
May God bless you all.
Good luck, chaps.
- King and country. - King and country.
Are you scared?
It will be absolutely fine.
Actions. Stations, chaps.
The weather in the area is getting bad. I must drop you off further west than the original drop point.
- Number one, ready? - Yes, sir!
- Two, ready? Three, ready? Four? - Yes, sir!
Number one!
Go.
Easy, lad, easy.
Go! Go! Go!
Hardangervidda mountain plateau, Norway 50 miles west of the planned drop point
It started snowing during the night. Bad weather is coming in from the west.
Where are we?
I don't know.
Anyway, we need to head east.
Departure is set for the 19th.
Landing area is 10 miles from the target in a marshland just outside of Møsvatn.
You'll be met by four members of the Norwegian resistance codenamed "Grouse".
Moving quickly along the service road, and probably in snow.
- How many containers are missing? - Two.
We need them all.
Arrival from the north and down into Våer.
Then across the bridge. You'll find two German guards. Disable them.
Along the railway line. Then three more sets of guards.
Attack here, here and here.
There are usually no employees present at night. Stairs on the east side of the building.
40 inches thick reinforced concrete walls.
Carry on along the corridor on to the principal room.
18 high concentration cells. That's where you place the explosives.
These containers...
If the weather is good, we'll drag them a mile or two and the go back and get more.
If the weather is bad, we must take shorter routes.
It will be hard, but it will be fine, right?
- But how will they get away? - The English?
- If they come in, they'll be able to get out again. - They must go to Sweden.
They are 41 uniformed soldiers who must walk almost 200 miles in deep snow -
- Without skis and with the Germans behind him.
It is not in the plan, that they must get away.
This is a cyanide pill. You will each be given one.
Keep it in you mouth for the last stages of the operation.
In case of German capture, bite hard.
It will ensure certain death within three minutes.
Runway. From the south.
Lights with 300 feet intervals. Put the antenna there.
They are on the way. They took off two minutes ago.
- Expected arrival? - In just over two hours.
- What about the weather? - 700 m visibility. It should clear up.
Let's get started. You keep the contact, the rest of us go with the lights.
- What do you think that this looks like? - A reactor.
We just got it. Werner Heisenberg gave it to Niels Bohr.
Bohr think they're building a bomb.
Good morning, Mr. Heisenberg.
What's this?
I wanted to find out how far the Allies were in their nuclear program.
By showing them everything we have?
This is only a small part of it
The allies know that the army has collected Germany's leading nuclear physicists.
Diebner wants to start a uranium program.
- Diebner? - Yes.
Then there will be no results. It's that simple
America has Einstein and Oppenheimer, just to name a few.
England has Schrödinger, and perhaps even Niels Bohr... Germany has Heisenberg.
All work on the same task.
Germany prefers mediocrity... An average researcher named Diebner -
- A pragmatist with no understanding of theory, takes over the leading position.
It will make Germany a spendthrift, literally.
We cannot afford anymore mistakes.
I know.
"Low pressure coming in from the west. Stronger winds expected."
Can you hear anything?
Everything OK?
- We have no contact. - Nothing?
They should have been here by now.
Major Decker. What is the Gestapo doing here?
Another glider crashed a few miles northeast of here.
We want to know what their mission was. What can you report?
Englishmen. 4 dead, 12 survivors.
What should we do with them?
Shoot them.
Orders from the Führer. All soldiers on special assignments must be eliminated.
- We cannot just execute them. - Really?
Who shall report to the Führer that you did not obey the order? You or me?