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In London, England,
a secret subterranean network
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said to have influenced
a world famous author.
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It's rumored
that his visits here,
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inspired Q Branch's secret lair
in his novels.
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An epic structure
in New Jersey,
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where an extraordinary craft
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met a tragic end.
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The sight of this was
unimaginably horrifying.
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Oh, the humanity!
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And an Italian country retreat
designed with a dark objective.
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This is a place
to brainwash young people.
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After a stay here,
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they're all going
to be fascists.
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In the heart of London,
is a clandestine facility built
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to defend against a tyrannical
regime during a global war.
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There are shops,
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and restaurants and commuters
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going back and forth.
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It's a perfectly typical city
scene at first glance.
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But in one nondescript service
area is the entrance
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to something pretty amazing.
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It feels like a forgotten
railway tunnel, but you notice
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that it doesn't really
add up to that.
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There are huge generators,
rows of electronics,
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and even office spaces.
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You have to imagine
that hundreds of people
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were down here.
But why?
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For more than 80 years,
this network of tunnels
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has been a key part
of the protection
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of the citizens
of the United Kingdom.
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At a time when Britain
faced its darkest hour,
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these tunnels housed
an elite organization.
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Their role was to wage a secret
war against Hitler's forces
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in enemy-controlled Europe.
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If they failed,
the country could fall
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into the hands of the Nazis.
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They are also said
to have inspired
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a really important franchise.
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This is truly part of the life
that Ian Fleming--
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led that became the character
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that we know
to be James Bond today.
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Angus Murray heads
the organization that purchased
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these tunnels from a
telecommunications company
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in 2024.
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They plan to raise more than
$200 million from investors
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to open them up to the public.
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It's a vast network,
almost a citadel,
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right in the middle
of Central London.
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But really, nobody has seen
the depth and size
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of what is within this complex.
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This site was first created
in response to Hitler's
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ruthless bombing campaign
that began in September 1940,
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known as the "Blitz."
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This was not just an attack
on military targets.
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It was a terror attack
on British civilians
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in the heart
of their major city.
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So the British government
ordered the construction
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of purpose-built structures
like this one.
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This was a deep level air raid
shelter for London civilians.
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In November 1940, early
in the war, hundreds of workers
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began carving out two parallel
tunnels by hand.
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They were more than 16 feet
across, 1,200 feet long,
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and had space for almost 10,000
Londoners, with access shafts
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leading to street level
at each end.
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They were completed in March
1942, but by the time they were
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finished, Nazi Germany
had changed its strategy.
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The bombing campaign against
London had lessened.
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So there was no longer a need
for civilian shelter.
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For the next two years,
the tunnels were used
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as troop accommodations.
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But soon, this underground
labyrinth was given
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a new top-secret mission.
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In January 1944,
towards the end of the war,
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a secretive organization
moved into these tunnels.
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They were called the
Special Operations Executive,
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or "SOE" for short.
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The SOE was a top secret group
set up by Winston Churchill
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to instigate all kinds
of clandestine operations
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on the continent
against the Nazis.
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So it was an organization
of very brave men and women,
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nearly 13,000, of which
about 3,200 people were women.
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These agents were trained to do
operations in enemy-occupied
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territory, often parachuting in
and performing acts of sabotage
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and espionage, or even to aid
local resistance groups.
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But in order to do all of this,
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they needed
specialized equipment.
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One branch of the SOE said
to have been based here
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was the Inter-Services
Research Bureau.
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They designed pistols
with silencers
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for discreet attacks,
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suitcase radios.
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They even had something
they called "the exploding rat",
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that was packed with explosives.
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Around six months after the SOE
took up residence,
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they would be involved
in the largest
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amphibious assault in history,
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D-Day.
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We believe they stayed
for the entire period of 1944,
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so we assume that they were
heavily involved
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in that particular operation.
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Churchill said he wanted
the SOE to "set Europe ablaze"
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by that, he meant
that when it finally came time
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for the Allies to retake France,
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the ground would
already be softened
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by these resistance groups
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that had disrupted
rail networks,
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destroyed ammunition,
anything they could do
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to degrade the Germans'
ability to respond.
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While the exact role
of the SOE agents working here
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is still a mystery,
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it's claimed their activities
inspired an iconic author,
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and a blockbuster movie series.
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So Ian Fleming was
the Naval Liaison Officer
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to the Special Operations
Executive.
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Ian Fleming would have been
coming down to these tunnels
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as we were leading up to what
was obviously a naval operation.
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There's no question
that this location inspired him,
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along with what the Special
Operations Executive was doing,
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to become Q Branch
in James Bond.
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In the James Bond world,
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we have things
like exploding suitcases,
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a cigarette lighter
that becomes a flamethrower,
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coins that can track
your location,
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the kinds of things that we can
imagine being worked on
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or dreamed about
in this underground workshop.
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In 1946,
a year after the war ended,
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the SOE was disbanded.
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For the next six years,
the tunnels were used
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to store official documents,
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until they were given
a crucial new objective
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during an era of global crisis.
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The United States
had been on the brink
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of nuclear Armageddon,
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and this place
was called into action
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to make sure
that didn't happen again.
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2
Beneath the streets of central
London are the remains
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of a top-secret World War II
tunnel network.
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During the Cold War,
they were given a new purpose.
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The whole tunnel complex was
significantly expanded between
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the period of 1950 to 1952
when the British government
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determined it needed
a deep-level
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telecommunications exchange.
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In a pre-digital age,
a telephone exchange provided
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a place to manually connect
incoming and outgoing calls.
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In the event of nuclear war
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a secure location was
needed to keep
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the country's communication
lines open.
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This expansion was designed
to do just that.
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Telephone technology
was advancing rapidly.
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They needed room for switching
stations, and cables
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and power systems.
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This massive facility opened
in 1954 and had 5,000 cables
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that were handling
up to 2 million calls per week.
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Two years later,
the deep-level tunnel network
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became the London terminal
for the world's first
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transatlantic telephone cable,
the TAT-1.
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This was the first time that
you could carry the human voice
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clearly across the Atlantic
in a split second.
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It was not until after
the world stood on the brink
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of mutually assured destruction
that the value
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of this transatlantic cable
became clear.
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In the 1962
Cuban Missile Crisis,
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the Soviet Union had installed
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a battery of nuclear-tipped
missiles in Cuba,
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basically right off
the US coast.
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For the US, the Soviet Union
had crossed a line.
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It was a crisis
for President John F. Kennedy,
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who had to find a way
to force the Soviets
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to remove those missiles
without provoking a nuclear war.
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This required delicate
negotiations
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with the Kremlin.
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But with no dedicated
connection between Washington
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and Moscow, it could take
as long as 12 hours for leaders
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to communicate through secure
diplomatic channels.
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In the event a catastrophe
like this happened again,
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a quicker solution
needed to be found.
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So, after that,
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a direct line of communication
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was established between
the United States and Moscow
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using the TAT-1 cable
that ran right through here.
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The receivers at either end
were not what you might expect.
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When you think of a Cold War
hotline, you might envision
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a big red telephone
sitting in the Oval Office,
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but it was actually
a teletype machine.
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It was believed that a written
message would be less likely
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to be misinterpreted
than a phone call.
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For the next 30 years,
the tunnels continued to handle
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millions of government
and civilian communications.
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But after that,
this set of tunnels
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is basically abandoned.
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The advances in
telecommunications equipment
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and technology made it
pretty much obsolete.
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Today, the tunnels are being
transformed into an immersive
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tourist experience.
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The principal objective
we have is to tell that story
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of the men and women
that sacrificed so much
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to give us
our democratic rights.
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In New Jersey,
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on the edge of the Pinelands
National Reserve,
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is a site
of extraordinary innovation
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and an infamous tragedy.
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We're in Central New Jersey,
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about an hour south
of New York.
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It's pretty obvious this is
some kind of military base.
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As you enter the grounds,
you see this structure
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which looms over everything.
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It's got to be longer
than an entire city block
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and hundreds of feet tall.
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When you step inside, it opens
up to this vast open space
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from floor to ceiling.
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There's nothing
in here except storage space,
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but surely you wouldn't build
something this big
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just for storage.
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Yet, that's exactly what this
aircraft hangar was built for.
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What could the military be
flying that could warrant
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a space this big?
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What passed through
these doors was
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a revolutionary development.
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Anything airship-related
really has its genesis here.
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It was a marvel at the time,
and everyone wanted to see it.
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But with innovation,
came great risk.
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This is the location of one
of the most notorious disasters
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00:12:55,934 --> 00:12:57,400
in aviation history.
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This structure dates back
to a time when the United States
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00:13:06,434 --> 00:13:09,100
was completely re-imagining
its air power.
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At this time, the navy was
searching for a better way
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to detect submarines
off the coast
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and scout ahead of naval fleets.
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Germany utilized
the innovative technology
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of rigid airships.
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This was a blimp,
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but with a metal
interior framework.
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They were called "zeppelin,"
and the German military
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used them for aerial
reconnaissance and bombing.
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Their success
caught the attention
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of the United States,
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and they initiated
the Lighter-Than-Air Program.
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In 1921, the navy established
Lakehurst Naval Air Station.
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It served as its headquarters,
and its first major facility
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was Hangar 1.
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James Warrick joined
the Air Force 37 years ago.
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00:14:00,267 --> 00:14:03,367
He now serves as the historian
for this joint base.
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The hangar was opened
in June of 1921.
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00:14:07,834 --> 00:14:12,100
Hangar 1 is 961 feet
from door to door.
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00:14:12,267 --> 00:14:16,868
It's 350 feet wide
and about 200 feet tall.
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The Titanic could fit in here.
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Inside this building,
naval engineers assembled
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00:14:23,567 --> 00:14:29,567
the first American-built rigid
airship, the USS Shenandoah.
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It made its maiden flight
from Lakehurst
250
00:14:32,267 --> 00:14:36,701
on September the 4th, 1923.
251
00:14:36,868 --> 00:14:38,968
The Shenandoah
became the first Navy ship
252
00:14:39,133 --> 00:14:43,400
to fly completely across
the continental United States.
253
00:14:43,567 --> 00:14:48,100
The journey took the crew
of around 40 people 19 days.
254
00:14:48,267 --> 00:14:50,968
But this feat was more
than a publicity stunt.
255
00:14:51,133 --> 00:14:54,667
It proved that airships were
a valuable military tool.
256
00:14:56,267 --> 00:14:59,400
Having the ability to loiter
for a long period of time
257
00:14:59,567 --> 00:15:01,701
was beneficial, especially when
it comes to reconnaissance.
258
00:15:01,868 --> 00:15:04,067
You know, you can stay over
an area for days
259
00:15:04,234 --> 00:15:06,801
if you are equipped properly.
260
00:15:06,968 --> 00:15:09,767
Despite their promise,
these ships were still new
261
00:15:09,934 --> 00:15:12,467
and risky vessels.
262
00:15:12,634 --> 00:15:17,667
In 1925, the Shenandoah
ran into a severe storm
263
00:15:17,834 --> 00:15:22,267
that broke the ship apart
and killed 14 of the crew.
264
00:15:22,434 --> 00:15:25,701
But the navy still supported
the venture, in part due
265
00:15:25,868 --> 00:15:27,868
to the success
of the German zeppelins.
266
00:15:28,033 --> 00:15:29,801
And it wasn't just the military
that were interested
267
00:15:29,968 --> 00:15:31,868
in these new airships.
268
00:15:32,033 --> 00:15:35,801
As one of the few airship ports
in the world, Lakehurst was
269
00:15:35,968 --> 00:15:39,367
a destination for new form
of transcontinental travel.
270
00:15:40,501 --> 00:15:44,467
In October 1928,
the German airship,
271
00:15:44,634 --> 00:15:47,501
the Graf Zeppelin,
made the first transatlantic
272
00:15:47,667 --> 00:15:48,634
commercial flight.
273
00:15:49,868 --> 00:15:52,667
It flew from Friedrichshafen
to Lakehurst
274
00:15:52,834 --> 00:15:54,767
with 40 crew and 20 passengers.
275
00:15:55,868 --> 00:15:58,100
The journey took four
and a half days, which was
276
00:15:58,267 --> 00:16:01,367
considered blazingly fast
by the standards of the time.
277
00:16:03,701 --> 00:16:06,868
In 1936, the Graf Zeppelin was
278
00:16:07,033 --> 00:16:10,000
eclipsed by an even
bigger airship,
279
00:16:10,167 --> 00:16:12,000
one that made
its inaugural flight
280
00:16:12,167 --> 00:16:15,767
as part of the newly
established Nazi Germany,
281
00:16:15,934 --> 00:16:18,801
three years before
World War II began.
282
00:16:20,300 --> 00:16:24,167
At a massive 804 feet long,
it became the flagship
283
00:16:24,334 --> 00:16:27,767
for the fleet of transatlantic
passenger airships.
284
00:16:28,767 --> 00:16:30,767
This was the Hindenburg.
285
00:16:33,067 --> 00:16:35,267
So, for the Hindenburg to come
here during 1936,
286
00:16:35,434 --> 00:16:38,000
it was a major achievement
for Germany.
287
00:16:38,167 --> 00:16:41,067
You gotta figure,
for Adolf Hitler, it was a good
288
00:16:41,234 --> 00:16:43,667
propaganda tool.
It had the swastika on it.
289
00:16:44,667 --> 00:16:47,868
For the next 12 months,
the Hindenburg operated
290
00:16:48,033 --> 00:16:51,667
a luxurious passenger service
between Germany and Lakehurst.
291
00:16:52,868 --> 00:16:56,868
On the 3rd of May, 1937,
the Hindenburg took off
292
00:16:57,033 --> 00:16:59,000
on its 63rd flight.
293
00:16:59,167 --> 00:17:02,067
It departed from Frankfurt
to Lakehurst,
294
00:17:02,234 --> 00:17:06,000
carrying 36 passengers
and 61 crew.
295
00:17:06,167 --> 00:17:08,367
What followed would be seared
296
00:17:08,534 --> 00:17:11,000
into the minds
of hundreds of thousands.
297
00:17:16,601 --> 00:17:19,667
2
On May 6th, 1937,
298
00:17:19,834 --> 00:17:22,767
hundreds of onlookers were
gathered outside the hangar
299
00:17:22,934 --> 00:17:25,667
at Naval Air Station Lakehurst.
300
00:17:25,834 --> 00:17:27,701
They were waiting
for the arrival
301
00:17:27,868 --> 00:17:30,467
of the Hindenburg.
302
00:17:30,634 --> 00:17:33,100
Well, because of the weather,
the Hindenburg was
303
00:17:33,267 --> 00:17:34,567
about 12 hours behind.
304
00:17:34,734 --> 00:17:36,667
And the captain
of Naval Air Station Lakehurst
305
00:17:36,834 --> 00:17:38,901
said, "No, this weather's
not conducive."
306
00:17:39,067 --> 00:17:40,400
So the Hindenburg flew
up and down
307
00:17:40,567 --> 00:17:41,467
the East Coast a little bit.
308
00:17:41,634 --> 00:17:42,934
It flew over New York City.
309
00:17:44,000 --> 00:17:47,100
Since this was the airship's
first flight of the season,
310
00:17:47,267 --> 00:17:50,901
a reporter called Herb Morrison
from WLS Radio
311
00:17:51,067 --> 00:17:54,267
and film crew were also
in attendance.
312
00:17:54,434 --> 00:17:58,000
Behind me and to my right,
over where that tree line is,
313
00:17:58,167 --> 00:18:00,701
that's where, you know,
Herb Morrison and those other
314
00:18:00,868 --> 00:18:04,100
film crews were,
you know, standing doing video.
315
00:18:04,267 --> 00:18:05,667
It's starting to rain again.
316
00:18:05,834 --> 00:18:07,868
The rain had cracked up
a little bit.
317
00:18:09,000 --> 00:18:12,167
And so as the Hindenburg made
its approach, you know, it flew
318
00:18:12,334 --> 00:18:14,701
roughly from our left
to our right over our heads,
319
00:18:14,868 --> 00:18:17,467
made a series of left turns
before it came back
320
00:18:17,634 --> 00:18:19,901
into its final
configuration to land,
321
00:18:20,067 --> 00:18:22,868
basically right above
where we're standing now.
322
00:18:24,067 --> 00:18:28,100
The awestruck crowd watched on
as more than 100 ground crew
323
00:18:28,267 --> 00:18:30,767
readied themselves to catch
the Hindenburg's guide ropes.
324
00:18:32,901 --> 00:18:35,200
The back motors of the ship are
just holding it,
325
00:18:35,367 --> 00:18:37,467
just enough to keep it from--
326
00:18:37,634 --> 00:18:39,132
It burst into flames!
327
00:18:39,133 --> 00:18:41,167
Get this Charley!
Get this Charley!
It's burning and it's crashing!
328
00:18:41,334 --> 00:18:44,367
It's crashing terrible!
Oh my, get out of the way
please.
329
00:18:44,534 --> 00:18:46,501
It's burning, bursting into
flames and it's--
330
00:18:46,667 --> 00:18:48,767
and it's falling
on the mooring mast...
331
00:18:48,934 --> 00:18:51,367
The hydrogen gas that filled
the various compartments
332
00:18:51,534 --> 00:18:54,067
quickly caught fire,
and in moments,
333
00:18:54,234 --> 00:18:57,167
the entire vessel was aflame.
334
00:18:57,334 --> 00:19:00,801
Within 34 seconds,
the Hindenburg crashed
335
00:19:00,968 --> 00:19:04,200
in the open field,
just west of Hangar 1.
336
00:19:04,367 --> 00:19:05,801
...this is terrible.
337
00:19:05,968 --> 00:19:07,701
This is one of the worst
catastrophes in the world.
338
00:19:07,868 --> 00:19:11,167
And oh, it's--
339
00:19:11,334 --> 00:19:14,501
Oh, the humanity!
340
00:19:14,667 --> 00:19:17,567
13 passengers, 22 crew,
and one member
341
00:19:17,734 --> 00:19:19,200
of the ground staff died,
342
00:19:19,367 --> 00:19:22,868
but miraculously,
62 people survived the crash.
343
00:19:24,567 --> 00:19:27,000
An investigation followed.
344
00:19:27,167 --> 00:19:29,400
The leading theory was that,
as the Hindenburg
345
00:19:29,567 --> 00:19:32,767
came into land,
a structural wire broke free,
346
00:19:32,934 --> 00:19:35,667
slashing open the hydrogen
cells inside the ship.
347
00:19:37,100 --> 00:19:40,767
Then, a static charge
caused by the stormy weather
348
00:19:40,934 --> 00:19:44,434
created a spark,
igniting the volatile gas.
349
00:19:46,868 --> 00:19:49,968
The disaster of the Hindenburg
really shattered the public
350
00:19:50,133 --> 00:19:53,501
confidence in airship travel,
and that was the end of it.
351
00:19:54,667 --> 00:19:58,000
It remains one of the most
notorious disasters
352
00:19:58,167 --> 00:19:59,567
in aviation history.
353
00:20:00,667 --> 00:20:04,567
In a tragic twist of fate,
it's possible the Hindenburg's
354
00:20:04,734 --> 00:20:08,300
fiery end could have been
avoided if it had been filled
355
00:20:08,467 --> 00:20:11,901
with the more stable helium
instead of hydrogen.
356
00:20:12,067 --> 00:20:14,567
But the United States
controlled almost all
357
00:20:14,734 --> 00:20:17,000
of the world's helium supply.
358
00:20:17,167 --> 00:20:19,667
The government recognized
it had certain
359
00:20:19,834 --> 00:20:22,501
military applications,
such as airships,
360
00:20:22,667 --> 00:20:26,801
and forbid its export
to Germany in 1927.
361
00:20:26,968 --> 00:20:30,367
That meant that the Germans
were forced to use
362
00:20:30,534 --> 00:20:34,167
the much more combustible
and unstable hydrogen.
363
00:20:40,901 --> 00:20:44,067
At Lakehurst,
airships continued to fly,
364
00:20:44,234 --> 00:20:47,801
but strictly for military
purposes through World War II.
365
00:20:47,968 --> 00:20:50,167
After the war,
their importance declined,
366
00:20:50,334 --> 00:20:53,801
and in 1961, the Secretary
of the Navy terminated
367
00:20:53,968 --> 00:20:55,667
the Lighter-Than-Air Program.
368
00:20:56,767 --> 00:21:00,601
Hangar 1 is now a registered
historical landmark and is open
369
00:21:00,767 --> 00:21:04,000
for tours to educate the public
on its unique place
370
00:21:04,167 --> 00:21:05,467
in aviation history.
371
00:21:13,567 --> 00:21:16,467
On England's East Coast
is the remnant
372
00:21:16,634 --> 00:21:20,367
of a proud enterprise,
cut short in its prime.
373
00:21:24,767 --> 00:21:27,100
Towering over
these misty docks
374
00:21:27,267 --> 00:21:29,501
is this industrial
looking beast.
375
00:21:29,667 --> 00:21:31,567
This complex is vast.
376
00:21:32,667 --> 00:21:36,701
Inside is kind of a wonderland
of old technology,
377
00:21:36,868 --> 00:21:41,501
giant pipes and pumps
and big machines.
378
00:21:41,667 --> 00:21:44,901
So clearly this is a facility
that was meant for moving
379
00:21:45,067 --> 00:21:47,667
and processing
some kind of product.
380
00:21:47,834 --> 00:21:50,467
But what that product was
isn't clear.
381
00:21:52,467 --> 00:21:55,968
The building's size suggests
whatever was made here
382
00:21:56,133 --> 00:21:59,100
was being done
on an epic scale.
383
00:21:59,267 --> 00:22:01,167
This factory didn't
just serve the needs
384
00:22:01,334 --> 00:22:02,567
of the surrounding area.
385
00:22:02,734 --> 00:22:05,267
It was involved
in an industry that spread
386
00:22:05,434 --> 00:22:08,567
across the entire
North Atlantic.
387
00:22:08,734 --> 00:22:12,300
And at that time, Grimsby
was the largest and busiest
388
00:22:12,467 --> 00:22:16,000
fishing port in the world.
So this enabled that.
389
00:22:18,167 --> 00:22:20,868
The commodity being caught
was cod.
390
00:22:21,868 --> 00:22:23,267
In the late 1950s,
391
00:22:23,434 --> 00:22:25,501
the dominance
of Grimsby's industry,
392
00:22:25,667 --> 00:22:28,400
of which this building
was a key part,
393
00:22:28,567 --> 00:22:30,701
would be drawn
into a maritime conflict
394
00:22:30,868 --> 00:22:33,300
over a thousand miles away.
395
00:22:33,467 --> 00:22:35,868
At first, it was
low level sabotage,
396
00:22:36,033 --> 00:22:37,868
but tensions boiled over,
397
00:22:38,033 --> 00:22:42,100
and boats literally began
to ram into each other.
398
00:22:42,267 --> 00:22:45,868
The situation became so tense,
British Royal Navy warships
399
00:22:46,033 --> 00:22:48,067
were called into action.
400
00:22:48,234 --> 00:22:50,467
It ultimately led
to a sweeping change
401
00:22:50,634 --> 00:22:51,701
in international law.
402
00:22:55,601 --> 00:22:59,100
2
In Grimsby,
on England's North Sea coast,
403
00:22:59,267 --> 00:23:01,901
sprawling remains
chart the rise and fall
404
00:23:02,067 --> 00:23:03,767
of a once vibrant industry.
405
00:23:05,067 --> 00:23:08,501
Jon Lowe is a heritage
consultant and part of the team
406
00:23:08,667 --> 00:23:11,100
tasked with preserving
the structure that helped
407
00:23:11,267 --> 00:23:14,067
put this town on the map.
408
00:23:14,234 --> 00:23:16,467
It's a Grade II* listed
building, which means
409
00:23:16,634 --> 00:23:19,267
it's in the top 4% of important
historic buildings
410
00:23:19,434 --> 00:23:21,000
in the country.
411
00:23:21,167 --> 00:23:22,701
What it enabled was amazing.
412
00:23:23,868 --> 00:23:26,667
When we think
about the kinds of resources
413
00:23:26,834 --> 00:23:28,968
upon which empires are built,
414
00:23:29,133 --> 00:23:31,067
we don't usually think of fish,
415
00:23:31,234 --> 00:23:33,667
but cod from the North Atlantic
416
00:23:33,834 --> 00:23:35,968
was an incredibly vital resource
417
00:23:36,133 --> 00:23:37,801
going back many centuries.
418
00:23:39,567 --> 00:23:41,767
Grimsby's fishing port
can be traced back
419
00:23:41,934 --> 00:23:44,567
almost a thousand years.
420
00:23:44,734 --> 00:23:47,868
By the mid 1800s,
the industrial revolution
421
00:23:48,033 --> 00:23:49,667
triggered a population boom,
422
00:23:49,834 --> 00:23:51,267
and the fishing industry
423
00:23:51,434 --> 00:23:53,767
rapidly expanded
to feed the masses.
424
00:23:55,467 --> 00:23:59,167
Demand was exploding,
and any fish caught out at sea
425
00:23:59,334 --> 00:24:01,667
had to be kept
cold and preserved.
426
00:24:01,834 --> 00:24:04,100
And in an era
before refrigeration,
427
00:24:04,267 --> 00:24:06,367
the only way to do that
was on ice.
428
00:24:07,501 --> 00:24:09,267
But where are you gonna
get the ice?
429
00:24:10,567 --> 00:24:12,968
Well, the answer is
shockingly simple.
430
00:24:13,968 --> 00:24:15,767
Boats headed for Greenland
431
00:24:15,934 --> 00:24:17,601
and the edge
of the Arctic Circle
432
00:24:17,767 --> 00:24:21,400
literally carved ice
off of the glaciers
433
00:24:21,567 --> 00:24:23,400
and brought it back to Grimsby.
434
00:24:24,868 --> 00:24:28,100
By the late 1800s,
Grimsby's fleet of trawlers
435
00:24:28,267 --> 00:24:31,868
had grown so large, it was
impossible to keep them
436
00:24:32,033 --> 00:24:34,901
supplied using the ice
harvesting method.
437
00:24:35,067 --> 00:24:38,100
If the fishing industry
was to continue to prosper,
438
00:24:38,267 --> 00:24:41,067
an answer needed to be found.
439
00:24:41,234 --> 00:24:44,167
This is the Grimsby
Ice Factory,
440
00:24:44,334 --> 00:24:47,300
opened in 1901.
441
00:24:47,467 --> 00:24:49,701
This was an ice plant,
on a scale
442
00:24:49,868 --> 00:24:51,367
never before imagined.
443
00:24:51,534 --> 00:24:54,267
For a time, it was the largest
ice factory in the world.
444
00:24:56,167 --> 00:24:57,400
So we're
in the compressor house.
445
00:24:57,567 --> 00:25:00,467
which is the beating heart
of the factory.
446
00:25:00,634 --> 00:25:03,400
This is where ammonia gas
was compressed,
447
00:25:03,567 --> 00:25:05,667
converting it from a gas
448
00:25:05,834 --> 00:25:09,901
to a very high-pressure,
high-temperature vapor.
449
00:25:10,067 --> 00:25:13,167
And then, when that pressure
is released, it's cold.
450
00:25:13,334 --> 00:25:18,000
They use that cold
to chill down vats of brine.
451
00:25:18,167 --> 00:25:21,767
When you add a lot of salt
to water, it gets a much lower
452
00:25:21,934 --> 00:25:23,300
freezing temperature.
453
00:25:23,467 --> 00:25:26,367
Into these vats
of super-chilled brine,
454
00:25:26,534 --> 00:25:30,367
they would lower
canisters of fresh water.
455
00:25:30,534 --> 00:25:33,100
It's lowered into the brine,
and over 24 hours,
456
00:25:33,267 --> 00:25:36,567
those big tanks of water
get frozen into essentially
457
00:25:36,734 --> 00:25:38,868
very large ice cubes.
458
00:25:39,033 --> 00:25:41,567
The ice went up
through elevators to conveyors,
459
00:25:41,734 --> 00:25:43,100
which took it out
to the trawlers.
460
00:25:45,167 --> 00:25:49,367
The trawlers contained
insulated holes to stop the ice
461
00:25:49,534 --> 00:25:52,367
from melting while the vessels
were out at sea.
462
00:25:52,534 --> 00:25:55,267
That means the trawlers can go
further afield.
463
00:25:55,434 --> 00:25:56,868
They can stay at sea for longer.
464
00:25:57,033 --> 00:25:58,868
The catch stays fresher.
465
00:25:59,033 --> 00:26:01,200
The catch can travel longer
distances to market.
466
00:26:02,400 --> 00:26:05,567
It enabled Grimsby to become
the biggest fishing port
467
00:26:05,734 --> 00:26:08,000
in the world.
468
00:26:08,167 --> 00:26:12,300
Demand for ice continued
to grow, and by 1931,
469
00:26:12,467 --> 00:26:17,667
the factory was producing
a staggering 1,100 tons a day.
470
00:26:17,834 --> 00:26:19,467
This was enough to fill
three and a half
471
00:26:19,634 --> 00:26:22,567
Olympic swimming pools
every week.
472
00:26:22,734 --> 00:26:25,400
But the fishing trawlers,
the factory supplied,
473
00:26:25,567 --> 00:26:29,000
were headed
for dangerous waters.
474
00:26:29,167 --> 00:26:32,667
As these boats could go out
farther and catch more fish,
475
00:26:32,834 --> 00:26:35,567
they were beginning to impinge
on the interests
476
00:26:35,734 --> 00:26:39,767
of other fishing nations,
in particular Iceland.
477
00:26:39,934 --> 00:26:43,000
Fishing was absolutely crucial
to Iceland's economy,
478
00:26:43,167 --> 00:26:46,567
and they felt increasingly
threatened by larger
479
00:26:46,734 --> 00:26:49,567
foreign fleets over-fishing
in their waters.
480
00:26:51,167 --> 00:26:55,367
Throughout the 1950s,
'60s, and early '70s,
481
00:26:55,534 --> 00:26:57,667
Iceland worked to ban
foreign vessels
482
00:26:57,834 --> 00:27:00,901
from fishing off their coast,
first by expanding
483
00:27:01,067 --> 00:27:03,300
their three mile limit
to four miles,
484
00:27:03,467 --> 00:27:06,100
then 12, and then 50.
485
00:27:06,267 --> 00:27:09,801
In 1975, they went
one step further.
486
00:27:09,968 --> 00:27:13,801
Tensions peaked as Iceland
unilaterally extended
487
00:27:13,968 --> 00:27:17,400
their fishing limits to 200
nautical miles.
488
00:27:19,300 --> 00:27:22,567
The UK was not gonna take
that sitting down.
489
00:27:22,734 --> 00:27:25,467
They told their fishing fleets
to go ahead and fish
490
00:27:25,634 --> 00:27:28,367
where they wanted, and the UK
would back them up.
491
00:27:30,400 --> 00:27:32,968
But it became almost a dare
for the English trawlers
492
00:27:33,133 --> 00:27:35,868
to break and breach
into the forbidden waters,
493
00:27:36,033 --> 00:27:39,968
as it were.
And things got quite nasty.
494
00:27:40,133 --> 00:27:43,000
The Icelandic coast guards
chased British trawlers
495
00:27:43,167 --> 00:27:45,000
and ripped up their nets.
496
00:27:45,167 --> 00:27:47,868
You are
interfering with lawful fishing
497
00:27:48,033 --> 00:27:51,667
on the high seas.
Over.
498
00:27:51,834 --> 00:27:54,467
In some cases, ships were
ramming each other,
499
00:27:54,634 --> 00:27:57,000
which could be fatal
out in the open ocean.
500
00:27:58,400 --> 00:28:02,167
The violent conflict became
known as the "Cod Wars."
501
00:28:03,167 --> 00:28:07,000
The target of the gunboat was
the Grimsby trawler, Carlisle.
502
00:28:07,167 --> 00:28:11,000
She could only stand helplessly
by as Baldur and Diomede
503
00:28:11,167 --> 00:28:13,767
continued the skirmish,
which ended in yet another
504
00:28:13,934 --> 00:28:15,968
Cod War Collision.
505
00:28:16,133 --> 00:28:19,067
The British responded
by sending out Royal Navy ships
506
00:28:19,234 --> 00:28:20,366
to protect them.
507
00:28:20,367 --> 00:28:23,501
The North Atlantic was turned
into a battleground.
508
00:28:24,567 --> 00:28:27,868
In total, Britain deployed
37 warships
509
00:28:28,033 --> 00:28:30,100
to escort the country's
fishing fleet,
510
00:28:30,267 --> 00:28:33,501
protecting a UK industry
worth over a billion dollars
511
00:28:33,667 --> 00:28:36,000
a year in today's money.
512
00:28:36,167 --> 00:28:38,467
Iceland's Coast Guard
and fishing trawlers
513
00:28:38,634 --> 00:28:41,968
were no match for the strength
of the Royal Navy.
514
00:28:42,133 --> 00:28:45,501
But the Icelandic government
had a secret weapon
515
00:28:45,667 --> 00:28:47,033
in their armory.
516
00:28:48,000 --> 00:28:51,400
These waters were critical
to international security,
517
00:28:51,567 --> 00:28:54,868
and Grimsby's fortunes were
caught in the crossfire.
518
00:29:00,801 --> 00:29:03,267
2
In the English port
of Grimsby, are the ruins
519
00:29:03,434 --> 00:29:05,267
of an ice factory
that supercharged
520
00:29:05,434 --> 00:29:07,367
the town's fishing fleet.
521
00:29:07,534 --> 00:29:10,467
But when Iceland banned foreign
fishing within 200 miles
522
00:29:10,634 --> 00:29:13,901
of their coast, it sparked
an international conflict
523
00:29:14,067 --> 00:29:16,067
dubbed the "Cod Wars."
524
00:29:17,167 --> 00:29:21,267
The UK sent out the Royal Navy
to patrol the contested waters
525
00:29:21,434 --> 00:29:23,300
and protect
its fishing vessels.
526
00:29:25,000 --> 00:29:29,267
But Iceland had an ace
up its sleeve.
527
00:29:29,434 --> 00:29:31,901
They threatened to close
the strategically vital
528
00:29:32,067 --> 00:29:33,400
NATO base at Keflavik.
529
00:29:35,267 --> 00:29:38,467
Keflavik was positioned
on Iceland's southwest coast
530
00:29:38,634 --> 00:29:40,501
and played an important role
531
00:29:40,667 --> 00:29:42,467
monitoring Russian
nuclear submarines
532
00:29:42,634 --> 00:29:44,667
in the North Atlantic.
533
00:29:44,834 --> 00:29:47,801
This caused serious alarm
among western Allies,
534
00:29:47,968 --> 00:29:50,300
especially the United States.
535
00:29:50,467 --> 00:29:53,667
At the time of the Cold War,
it was a very, very tense
536
00:29:53,834 --> 00:29:57,167
environment, and every piece
of information was critical.
537
00:29:57,334 --> 00:29:59,367
The British government,
under pressure
538
00:29:59,534 --> 00:30:02,300
from the United States
and other NATO allies,
539
00:30:02,467 --> 00:30:04,767
was forced to negotiate.
540
00:30:04,934 --> 00:30:09,100
The UK chose to back down
in 1976 and accepted
541
00:30:09,267 --> 00:30:10,667
the 200 mile limit.
542
00:30:12,100 --> 00:30:14,968
British fishing fleets were
granted limited access
543
00:30:15,133 --> 00:30:18,367
to the waters, but with severe
restrictions on catches.
544
00:30:19,968 --> 00:30:23,467
This had a devastating impact
on the UK's long distance
545
00:30:23,634 --> 00:30:25,801
fishing industry
and the Port of Grimsby.
546
00:30:27,100 --> 00:30:29,267
Essentially, the fishing
industry was decimated
547
00:30:29,434 --> 00:30:30,633
almost overnight.
548
00:30:30,634 --> 00:30:34,267
by the cessation of fishing
as far afield as Iceland.
549
00:30:35,501 --> 00:30:38,367
Soon, most countries
around the world
550
00:30:38,534 --> 00:30:41,000
adopted the 200-mile limit.
551
00:30:41,167 --> 00:30:42,567
By the late '80s,
552
00:30:42,734 --> 00:30:44,901
the value of fish caught
by Grimsby's trawlers
553
00:30:45,067 --> 00:30:49,367
had dropped from around
$35 million per year in 1974
554
00:30:49,534 --> 00:30:51,667
to just $1 million.
555
00:30:51,834 --> 00:30:55,901
In 1990, the ice factory
was forced to close.
556
00:30:57,067 --> 00:30:58,767
It was a status symbol.
557
00:30:58,934 --> 00:31:01,567
It represented so much
to the community,
558
00:31:01,734 --> 00:31:03,767
and it still does today.
559
00:31:03,934 --> 00:31:05,868
I think a new chapter
in its life is needed.
560
00:31:11,467 --> 00:31:14,567
Today, the port of Grimsby
is finding new life
561
00:31:14,734 --> 00:31:17,367
in a new resource push,
562
00:31:17,534 --> 00:31:19,701
which is offshore wind power.
563
00:31:19,868 --> 00:31:22,300
This is another installment
in the life of one of the great
564
00:31:22,467 --> 00:31:24,467
port cities of the UK.
565
00:31:26,167 --> 00:31:28,400
The old ice factory
is set to be a part
566
00:31:28,567 --> 00:31:30,100
of Grimsby's regeneration.
567
00:31:31,167 --> 00:31:33,901
Josephine Waugh is a member
of the team
568
00:31:34,067 --> 00:31:36,367
working to revive the building.
569
00:31:36,534 --> 00:31:38,667
There is an existing
legacy here
570
00:31:38,834 --> 00:31:40,667
of cutting-edge technology.
571
00:31:40,834 --> 00:31:43,501
And so the intention through
the redevelopment of this space
572
00:31:43,667 --> 00:31:47,701
is to have this be a center
and a hub for research
573
00:31:47,868 --> 00:31:49,567
and development
into renewable energy.
574
00:31:55,868 --> 00:31:59,300
In northern Italy, 20 miles
from the city of Genoa,
575
00:31:59,467 --> 00:32:01,567
a secluded forest conceals
576
00:32:01,734 --> 00:32:04,167
a story
of vengeful retribution.
577
00:32:08,400 --> 00:32:11,868
There's a clearing, and we can
see a massive structure.
578
00:32:12,033 --> 00:32:15,100
It's got wings,
it's got a clock tower,
579
00:32:15,267 --> 00:32:18,167
and it's not the kind of thing
you expect to see
580
00:32:18,334 --> 00:32:21,367
in the Italian countryside.
581
00:32:21,534 --> 00:32:24,300
The location is stunning,
so you might guess it was
582
00:32:24,467 --> 00:32:26,968
some kind of sanatorium
or a hotel, even.
583
00:32:28,067 --> 00:32:30,601
Exploring deeper,
the rest of the building
584
00:32:30,767 --> 00:32:32,567
is entirely bare.
585
00:32:32,734 --> 00:32:35,801
Many of the hints of its past
life stripped away.
586
00:32:36,868 --> 00:32:39,767
Some rooms have the remains
of showers, toilets,
587
00:32:39,934 --> 00:32:41,968
but the facilities feel
far more functional
588
00:32:42,133 --> 00:32:44,067
than you'd expect
in luxury accommodation.
589
00:32:45,167 --> 00:32:47,400
The biggest clue, though,
as to its origin
590
00:32:47,567 --> 00:32:50,267
is the style
of the architecture.
591
00:32:50,434 --> 00:32:53,300
The design is typical
of the 1930s,
592
00:32:53,467 --> 00:32:55,267
and that means only one thing.
593
00:32:55,434 --> 00:32:59,100
It was built during the reign
of the fascist dictator,
594
00:32:59,267 --> 00:33:00,501
Benito Mussolini.
595
00:33:02,000 --> 00:33:05,100
This was a site intended
to indoctrinate
596
00:33:05,267 --> 00:33:06,467
and secure the loyalty
597
00:33:06,634 --> 00:33:09,100
of the next generation
of Italian children.
598
00:33:10,300 --> 00:33:12,100
But during
the Second World War,
599
00:33:12,267 --> 00:33:14,367
it was taken over and used
600
00:33:14,534 --> 00:33:17,267
against the regime it was
designed to protect.
601
00:33:18,267 --> 00:33:22,167
In the woods around this place,
rumor has it that there are
602
00:33:22,334 --> 00:33:26,667
hundreds of soldiers
in unmarked graves,
603
00:33:26,834 --> 00:33:30,667
buried here
in the name of freedom
604
00:33:30,834 --> 00:33:31,968
and revenge.
605
00:33:38,501 --> 00:33:42,567
Giuseppe Isola
is the mayor of Rovegno.
606
00:33:42,734 --> 00:33:45,167
When he was young,
this was a scenic getaway
607
00:33:45,334 --> 00:33:47,868
that had moved on
from its unsettling beginnings.
608
00:33:50,167 --> 00:33:53,000
Apologies, I'm a bit emotional.
609
00:33:53,167 --> 00:33:55,367
A lot of people have been
happy here.
610
00:33:55,534 --> 00:33:59,100
It's been an important part
of the history of our valley.
611
00:33:59,267 --> 00:34:01,667
It was needed to prevent
a phenomenon that afflicted
612
00:34:01,834 --> 00:34:04,467
youth at the time, rickets.
613
00:34:06,601 --> 00:34:09,267
But the building's original
function was not
614
00:34:09,434 --> 00:34:12,501
to treat a condition
that affected children's bones.
615
00:34:12,667 --> 00:34:14,767
It was to shape their minds.
616
00:34:18,167 --> 00:34:20,267
These camps were built because
we must acknowledge
617
00:34:20,434 --> 00:34:26,767
that at that time, the regime
focused a lot on youth.
618
00:34:26,934 --> 00:34:30,601
Fascism took root in Italy
at the end of World War I,
619
00:34:30,767 --> 00:34:33,701
when great poverty
affected the country.
620
00:34:35,601 --> 00:34:37,901
In March of 1919.
621
00:34:38,067 --> 00:34:43,167
Benito Mussolini
creates the Fascist Party
622
00:34:43,334 --> 00:34:46,801
and he's going to recruit
unemployed war veterans
623
00:34:46,968 --> 00:34:49,868
and he's going to put them all
in black shirts.
624
00:34:51,567 --> 00:34:55,267
For the next two years,
Mussolini used his own personal
625
00:34:55,434 --> 00:34:59,000
army to terrorize political
opponents until eventually
626
00:34:59,167 --> 00:35:02,300
he was invited to join
a coalition government.
627
00:35:02,467 --> 00:35:05,767
By 1925, he'd taken
complete control.
628
00:35:07,367 --> 00:35:10,367
Mussolini relied heavily
on propaganda to spread
629
00:35:10,534 --> 00:35:12,868
his fascist gospel
to the masses.
630
00:35:13,033 --> 00:35:16,467
An often used slogan was,
"Mussolini is always right."
631
00:35:18,167 --> 00:35:20,767
One other way he promoted
his fascist ideals was
632
00:35:20,934 --> 00:35:24,901
to set up holiday camps
all over Italy for young people,
633
00:35:25,067 --> 00:35:27,067
particularly from
deprived neighborhoods.
634
00:35:29,100 --> 00:35:32,367
Construction on this one
began in 1934,
635
00:35:32,534 --> 00:35:35,467
and took just five months
to complete.
636
00:35:35,634 --> 00:35:38,534
It was called
the Colonia di Rovegno.
637
00:35:41,000 --> 00:35:43,567
The camp was open
during the summer.
638
00:35:43,734 --> 00:35:46,100
Children would come in shifts
throughout that period,
639
00:35:46,267 --> 00:35:48,767
about 500 at a time.
640
00:35:50,000 --> 00:35:52,100
The idea was to show
these young people
641
00:35:52,267 --> 00:35:53,467
a different way of life
642
00:35:53,634 --> 00:35:56,300
to what they were used to,
to build character,
643
00:35:56,467 --> 00:35:58,667
and to show them
the fascist future
644
00:35:58,834 --> 00:36:00,667
of which they would be part.
645
00:36:03,067 --> 00:36:05,267
My father told me
that during gatherings,
646
00:36:05,434 --> 00:36:08,467
they received specific
information about behavior,
647
00:36:08,634 --> 00:36:12,467
education, respect, conduct,
on how to talk to others.
648
00:36:14,901 --> 00:36:18,000
But perhaps more worryingly,
they were indoctrinated
649
00:36:18,167 --> 00:36:20,767
to believe in the regime
and to see Mussolini
650
00:36:20,934 --> 00:36:24,467
as a father figure who would
always provide for them.
651
00:36:27,067 --> 00:36:29,567
The fact that the fascist
regime did this to its own
652
00:36:29,734 --> 00:36:32,300
advantage and raised
a generation that would be
653
00:36:32,467 --> 00:36:35,167
welcoming to this regime,
that cannot be denied.
654
00:36:38,667 --> 00:36:41,601
But only six years
after the site opened,
655
00:36:41,767 --> 00:36:44,100
its function
would be transformed.
656
00:36:45,567 --> 00:36:47,167
On June 10, 1940,
657
00:36:47,334 --> 00:36:50,167
Mussolini declared war
on France and Great Britain,
658
00:36:50,334 --> 00:36:52,100
forming part
of Hitler's Axis Powers
659
00:36:52,267 --> 00:36:53,767
during the Second World War.
660
00:36:53,934 --> 00:36:56,167
The Colonia di Rovegno
was drawn into the fighting.
661
00:37:02,367 --> 00:37:04,701
2
In Italy, is the ruin
of a building
662
00:37:04,868 --> 00:37:07,200
built by Mussolini's
Fascist regime
663
00:37:07,367 --> 00:37:10,000
to indoctrinate
thousands of local children.
664
00:37:11,667 --> 00:37:15,100
After Italy sided with Germany
during the Second World War,
665
00:37:15,267 --> 00:37:18,100
it would be taken over
by retaliatory force.
666
00:37:19,701 --> 00:37:24,868
In 1943, it all goes wrong
for the Italian Fascists.
667
00:37:25,033 --> 00:37:28,100
The allies are about to invade.
668
00:37:28,267 --> 00:37:30,467
In September, the new
anti-fascist government signed
669
00:37:30,634 --> 00:37:32,167
an armistice with the Allies,
670
00:37:32,334 --> 00:37:33,968
but the fighting
was far from over.
671
00:37:34,901 --> 00:37:40,968
Hitler is not going to allow
the allies to take all of Italy
672
00:37:41,133 --> 00:37:43,100
and to be just the other side
of the Alps
673
00:37:43,267 --> 00:37:46,100
from Germany and Austria.
674
00:37:46,267 --> 00:37:50,868
And so begins the Third Reich's
bloodthirsty reign of terror
675
00:37:51,033 --> 00:37:52,567
in Italy.
676
00:37:52,734 --> 00:37:56,501
Any Italian who is suspected
of siding with the Allies
677
00:37:56,667 --> 00:38:00,667
is ruthlessly
tortured and executed.
678
00:38:00,834 --> 00:38:03,601
The population was brutalized,
and the time had come
679
00:38:03,767 --> 00:38:06,267
to fight back.
680
00:38:06,434 --> 00:38:10,267
From the winter of 1944,
an intense partisan movement
681
00:38:10,434 --> 00:38:13,300
gathered pace
in northern Italy.
682
00:38:13,467 --> 00:38:16,868
These resistance fighters
vowed to violently oppose
683
00:38:17,033 --> 00:38:19,968
the German occupation
and fascist loyalists.
684
00:38:24,267 --> 00:38:26,400
They had a headquarters here.
685
00:38:26,567 --> 00:38:29,767
Now there are roads,
but at the time, there was only
686
00:38:29,934 --> 00:38:33,701
one road going up, and it was
very, very hard to reach,
687
00:38:33,868 --> 00:38:35,367
so it became a stronghold.
688
00:38:39,667 --> 00:38:42,667
It was the perfect base
to hide out from Nazi soldiers
689
00:38:42,834 --> 00:38:45,601
and organize guerrilla attacks.
690
00:38:45,767 --> 00:38:49,467
It was also used to detain
Italian fascist loyalists
691
00:38:49,634 --> 00:38:51,267
and German prisoners of war.
692
00:38:53,467 --> 00:38:56,667
Hundreds of these prisoners
were routinely executed
693
00:38:56,834 --> 00:39:01,067
by partisans and buried
in the woods around the camp.
694
00:39:03,367 --> 00:39:06,467
In those moments, of course,
lines were crossed.
695
00:39:06,634 --> 00:39:08,901
It happens everywhere
in the world.
696
00:39:09,067 --> 00:39:12,267
Judgments were summary,
and justice was violent.
697
00:39:12,434 --> 00:39:15,200
And it's a sad part
of the history of Italy.
698
00:39:17,667 --> 00:39:19,868
But you can't ignore
the role partisans
699
00:39:20,033 --> 00:39:21,701
played in the conflict.
700
00:39:21,868 --> 00:39:25,567
They fought doggedly
to win back their homeland.
701
00:39:25,734 --> 00:39:29,767
The Italian partisans
forced the Germans
702
00:39:29,934 --> 00:39:33,300
to get into a close-fought
703
00:39:33,467 --> 00:39:37,267
counterinsurgency campaign
in Northern Italy.
704
00:39:37,434 --> 00:39:41,667
And that is a massive suck
on German combat power.
705
00:39:42,868 --> 00:39:47,868
On April 26, 1945,
the Italian resistance movement
706
00:39:48,033 --> 00:39:51,467
freed the city of Genoa
from German troops.
707
00:39:51,634 --> 00:39:55,501
This was the first time during
World War II that an army corps
708
00:39:55,667 --> 00:39:58,100
surrendered to civilian
partisan forces.
709
00:39:59,968 --> 00:40:04,868
When a German commander has
got to surrender to partisans,
710
00:40:05,033 --> 00:40:07,567
Nazi Germany is humiliated.
711
00:40:09,000 --> 00:40:10,767
Four days later, Adolf Hitler
712
00:40:10,934 --> 00:40:13,567
committed suicide
in his Berlin bunker,
713
00:40:13,734 --> 00:40:15,901
and the war in Europe
was effectively over.
714
00:40:20,100 --> 00:40:22,667
After the war,
the Colonia di Rovegno
715
00:40:22,834 --> 00:40:25,100
went back to being
a camp for children,
716
00:40:26,100 --> 00:40:27,901
this time to help
those suffering
717
00:40:28,067 --> 00:40:29,901
from a vitamin D deficiency
718
00:40:30,067 --> 00:40:31,467
that weakens the bones,
719
00:40:31,634 --> 00:40:33,200
called "rickets."
720
00:40:33,367 --> 00:40:36,267
Exposure to sunlight
was one way to treat it.
721
00:40:37,901 --> 00:40:40,601
It became a happy place
for the children of Genoa
722
00:40:40,767 --> 00:40:43,901
to enjoy the countryside,
to learn new skills,
723
00:40:44,067 --> 00:40:47,133
and most importantly,
to get access to sunshine.
724
00:40:49,601 --> 00:40:51,267
Imagine what it must have
looked like
725
00:40:51,434 --> 00:40:53,167
with all the sunbeds,
726
00:40:53,334 --> 00:40:55,868
all these 500 children here.
727
00:40:57,868 --> 00:41:00,100
But by the 1970s,
the funding had started
728
00:41:00,267 --> 00:41:03,367
to dry up, and it was also
no longer needed.
729
00:41:03,534 --> 00:41:04,901
It became abandoned.
730
00:41:10,067 --> 00:41:13,601
All over Italy are a number
of these deserted colonies
731
00:41:13,767 --> 00:41:16,601
which occupy
beautiful locations.
732
00:41:16,767 --> 00:41:19,667
These are places
potentially worth millions,
733
00:41:19,834 --> 00:41:23,667
but the authorities struggle
to muster the political will
734
00:41:23,834 --> 00:41:25,868
to either bring them
back to life
735
00:41:26,033 --> 00:41:27,200
or knock them down.