WWII: Mysteries in the Archives 1938-1948

No event in the history of cinema had ever been so thoroughly covered. Why so many cameras and equipment to film two atomic explosions just after the end of the Second World War ? Moreover, what's the relationship between atomic testing and the famous bathing suit?

Tokyo Bay, Japan. September 2, 1945. On board the USS Missouri, an American battleship. Several weeks ago, American atom bombs devastated Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Japan has capitulated. This morning at 9, eleven Japanese government and military officials climb aboard the Missouri to sign the surrender agreement.

In April 1945, just weeks before the war's end, Allied troops advancing on the Western Front uncovered and liberated numerous POW, labor, and concentration camps. It was only when the Americans opened camps like Ohrdruf, Buchenwald, and Dachau in Germany that the world truly grasped the scale of the horrors inflicted by the Nazis, revealing atrocities that had remained hidden until then.

February 1945, Southern Ukraine. As war rages in Europe, British Prime Minister Churchill and U.S. President Roosevelt secretly meet Soviet leader Stalin in Crimea. For over a week, the leaders of the Allied forces gather at Yalta to plan the end of WWII and shape post-war Europe. Their discussions in this Russian resort laid the foundation for Europe's future after the defeat of Nazi Germany.

In 1944, cameraman Felix Forestier was secretly sent to film the French Resistance in Vercors. His unique footage was lost and forgotten until 2013. How did it disappear for so long? Why did the maquis de Vercors become a symbol of the French Resistance, yet is often remembered as a failure? This series uncovers the story of the Vercors maquis and its lasting impact on history.

On July 6, 1940, in Berlin, crowds cheer Chancellor Adolf Hitler as he arrives in a convertible. Eva Braun captures the only color footage of this moment at the Chancellery. What do her images reveal about Hitler's relationships with officials and guests? How free was Braun to film as she pleased? This series delves into the dynamics behind her lens during a pivotal moment in the Third Reich.

On Sunday morning, December 7, 1941, Japan declares war on the United States by attacking Pearl Harbor and other American military bases in Hawaii. Why did Japan attack American naval bases in Hawaii? What became of the images shot by John Ford and his team? And how did the censored footage of cameraman John Brick reappear one year later?

On June 6, 1944, the Normandy Landings, officially called Operation Overlord, began. This massive battle was also the largest media operation ever, with hundreds of reporters capturing footage under heavy fire. Among the first waves on beaches like Juno, Omaha, and Utah, these brave photographers shaped our collective visual memory of World War II.

Six months after annexing Austria, Hitler sets his sights on Sudetenland in Czechoslovakia, home to millions of ethnic Germans. He threatens force to get it. British PM Neville Chamberlain negotiates with Hitler, making three trips to Germany in two weeks to avoid war. But how much did he consult with Czechoslovakia or France? And how did he fare against a determined and volatile Hitler?

Tokyo, 1946. Under American occupation, 28 top Japanese officials are tried for war crimes by an international tribunal, modeled on Nuremberg. The trial lasts two and a half years, with key figures like former PM Hideki Tojo held responsible for Pearl Harbor. Despite calls for the Emperor's prosecution, Hirohito remains in power. How did the trial impact Japan, and why did it take so long?