Welcome back, viewers!

From 1939 to 1945, the world experienced a horrific war caused by the world's leader’s
incompetence! But hold on to your seats because we're not simply revisiting fights you've heard
a thousand times before. This is a journey into history's dark corners, where the most fascinating
and little-known facts await discovery.
Later on, we'll hear a fantastic story about an army of ghosts and much more!
Fasten your seatbelts for a roller coaster trip to the Second World War!

At the top of the list is the Enigma machine.

Emerging as one of the most iconic symbols of World War II's vast and shadowy theatre of code-
breaking, the Enigma machine embodies the profound influence of Krypton analysis.

This intricate device, developed by German engineer Arthur Scherbius in the early 20th century,
was initially created for commercial use. However, the German military soon recognized its
potential for secure communication for encrypting messages that seem Impenetrable!

Enigma machines came in several models, all operating on the same principle.

The principle of the machine was a bit complicated!

A series of rotating mechanical rotors that scrambled plain text messages into an elaborate
Cipher. When the German military used the device, they implemented additional layers of
complexity by adding more rotors and a plugboard that allowed further permutation of the
Letters.

Enigmas' apparent invincibility made them formidable weapons in the Germans' Arsenal,
allowing them to transmit strategic information securely. This veil of cryptographic secrecy
played a crucial role in their Military operations, from bot attacks and antics to their movements
on the Eastern Front.

Numerous Enigma machines were found and are now displayed in museums around the world.

Ever heard of an army of ghosts?

Wait a sec! Before we dive into our second event, please give a thumbs up so we can do more
hardship!
In the darkest depths of World War II, amidst the chaos and carnage of the European theater, a
most unusual army emerged from the shadows. They were not the traditional soldiers donning
uniforms and bearing arms. No, this was a phantom force, a legion of deception, known to
history as the Ghost Army.

Led by the brilliant minds of the United States Army's 23rd Headquarters Special Troops, the
Ghost Army embarked on a clandestine campaign of trickery and deception that would confound
even the most astute Nazi strategists. Their weapon of choice? The power of perception.
Activated on January 20, 1944, the 23rd Headquarters Special Troops, known as the "Ghost
Army," was the first mobile, multimedia, tactical deception unit in U.S. Army history. Consisting
of an authorized strength of 82 officers and 1,023 men under the command of Army veteran
Colonel Harry L. Reeder, this unique and top-secret unit was capable of simulating two whole
divisions—approximately 30,000 men—and used visual, sonic, and radio deception to fool
German forces during World War II's final year. Now, through The National WWII Museum's
newest special exhibit, Ghost Army: The Combat Con Artists of World War II, visitors can learn
the story of the 23rd and their role in Allied victory through featured artifacts such as artwork,
uniforms, an inflatable tank, and more.

Armed with nothing heavier than .50 caliber machine guns, the 23rd took part in 22 large-scale
deceptions in Europe from Normandy to the Rhine River, the bulk of the unit arriving in England
in May 1944, shortly before D-Day. The brainchild of Colonel Billy Harris and Major Ralph
Ingersoll, both American military planners based in London, the unit consisted of a carefully
selected group of artists, engineers, professional soldiers, and draftees, including famed artists
such as fashion designer Bill Blass, painter Ellsworth Kelly, and photographer Art Kane. Many
West Point graduates and former Army Specialized Training Program participants were assigned
to the 23rd, and it was said to have one of the highest I.Q.s in the Army with an average of 119.
The unit waged war with inflatable tanks and vehicles, fake radio traffic, sound effects, and even
phony generals, using imagination and illusion to trick the enemy while saving thousands of
lives along the way. The 23rd, along with the 3133rd Signal Service Company in Italy, helped
liberate Europe from the grip of Nazi tyranny.
Imagine the spectacle as these masterful illusionists set to work, creating a mirage of military
might where none truly existed. With their talent for mimicry, they conjured entire divisions out
of thin air, deploying inflatable tanks, trucks, and artillery pieces with such precision that even
aerial reconnaissance was fooled.

In the dead of night, they would inflate their decoys, strategically placing them along the front
lines to give the impression of a massive buildup of forces. Meanwhile, audio specialists played
recordings of marching troops, clanking armor, and radio chatter, further reinforcing the illusion
of a formidable army on the march.

But the Ghost Army's deception didn't stop there. They were masters of disguise, donning enemy
uniforms and wielding fake insignia to sow confusion behind enemy lines. They infiltrated
enemy territory with their quick wits and sharp tongues, spreading misinformation and false
rumors to disrupt enemy communication and sow doubt among the ranks.

Their efforts were not without risk. The Ghost Army operated dangerously close to the front
lines, their lives constantly hanging in the balance as they danced on the edge of discovery. Yet,
their courage never faltered, their commitment to the cause unwavering as they continued to
weave their web of deception.

Ultimately, the Ghost Army's contribution to the Allied victory cannot be overstated. Their
cunning tactics diverted enemy attention, misled enemy forces, and saved countless lives on the
battlefield. They were the unsung heroes of World War II, the phantom warriors whose legacy
lives on as a testament to the power of ingenuity and the art of deception in the theater of war.
And though their stories may fade into the mists of time, the spirit of the Ghost Army will
forever haunt the annals of history, a reminder of the extraordinary lengths ordinary men will go
to in the name of freedom and the interplay between technology, Intelligence, and War.
A ship was once deemed unsinkable, and believed that only God could bring it down. The
mighty Bismarck!
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Okay, let's continue to the rest of the story.
The culmination of a famous episode during the Second World War, 1939-45, when the
battleship 'Bismarck' was running for shelter in the occupied French port of Brest. She and the
heavy cruiser 'Prinz Eugen' had sailed from Kiel in the Baltic on May 18, 1941, aiming to break
out into the Atlantic and threaten British convoys. However, an air sighting as they refueled near
Bergen led to a massive naval and air operation to prevent this.

They were next spotted in the Denmark Strait, between Iceland and Greenland, and were
engaged there on May 24 by the battle-cruiser 'Hood' and the untried battleship 'Prince of Wales,'
so new that she still had civilian workmen on board. The former blew up with the loss of all but
three men when a shell from 'Bismarck' penetrated a forward magazine; the latter was damaged.
'Bismarck' herself was hit and, critically, lost access to 1000 tons of fuel oil stored in a forward
tank. That evening, an air strike from the carrier 'Victorious' - the first-ever carrier-borne aircraft
against a capital ship in mid-ocean - scored one torpedo hit amidships on her but did no damage.

On the 25th, the German ships separated, and Prinz Eugen temporarily vanished in the Atlantic
while Bismarck ran for the shelter of Brest to remedy her fuel problem. Resighted by the British
early on the 26th, Swordfish attacked her that evening from the carrier 'Ark Royal' (of Force H,
sent up from Gibraltar). Fifteen aircraft took off at 7.10 pm in atrocious weather. Three torpedoes
hit, with one jamming 'Bismarck's' rudders over and condemning her to circle at no more than
seven knots. At about 8.45 am on the 27th, Admiral Sir John Tovey, commanding elements of
the Home Fleet from the flagship King George V', joined by the battleship 'Rodney,' sighted the
'Bismarck' and opened fire. Despite being unmanoeuvrable, 'Bismarck's' armament needed to be
more impressive. Her first salvoes fell close to the 'Rodney,' but neither British ship was hit. By
9.31, 'Bismarck' was no longer firing; by 10.15, she was a burning wreck. Short of fuel, Tovey
then turned for home, ordering the cruiser 'Dorsetshire' to finish her off with torpedoes. A false
U-boat sighting after 'Bismarck' sank at 10.39 curtailed the rescue of survivors in the water: only
110 plus the ship's cat were saved, a junior gunnery officer being the senior man!

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