E107 - The German Surrenders

Bletchley Park

History

4.8 • 177 Ratings

🗓️ 1 May 2020

⏱️ 96 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

May 2020

Since first marching into Poland on the 1st September 1939, the German army had conquered most of Europe. But the tide had turned and, as April 1945 began, they were caught between the Western Allies and the vast Red Army of the Soviet Union. The inevitable end was finally in sight, but not before multiple surrenders were signed.

For the Codebreakers of Bletchley Park, after more than 5 and a half years, their work wasn’t over. Not only did they have to keep supplying vital intelligence, but they also looked towards an uncertain future and the threat of a new enemy. It must have been satisfying for the night shift in Hut 6 on the 7th May 1945 as they secretly became some of the first people to learn that the war in Europe was at an end.

With the help of archival recordings and Ultra decrypts from the time, Bletchley Park’s Research Officer, Dr Thomas Cheetham, guides us through the dramatic last days of the Nazi regime.

Very special thanks go to Mr Ben Thomson for voicing our archival documents.

In memoriam, Eileen Younghusband BEM (1921-2016) WAAF Section Officer

Image: PD-USGov-Military-Army

* Producers Note *
Due to the ongoing COVID-19 situation & the podcast team working from home, we have had to record this episode remotely. This means that the audio is not to the high quality we would normally wish it to be. But very much in the make do and mend spirit of WW2 we have improved it the best we can and hope our listeners will understand and still enjoy the episode.

#BPark, #WW2, #BletchleyPark, #VEDay75

Transcript

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0:00.0	This is Mark, the producer of the Bletchley Park podcast.
0:04.9	Before we start this episode, I just wanted to point out that due to the ongoing COVID-19 situation
0:10.5	and the staff of Bletchley Park who are working having to work from home, this means we've had to record this episode remotely.
0:17.8	This does mean that the audio is not quite the high quality that we'd normally wish
0:22.0	it to be. We have of course done everything we can to improve it. It's all been a bit
0:26.6	mate, do or men to get them recorded, but we hope that you, the listeners, will understand
0:31.7	and still enjoy the episode. Thank you. From the home of the codebreakers and the birthplace of modern computing, this is the Bletchley Park podcast.
1:13.8	Welcome to the May 2020 episode of the Bletchley Park podcast.
1:18.9	The German Surrenders.
1:21.0	Since first marching into Poland on the 1st September 1939,
1:25.6	the German army had conquered most of Europe, but the tide had turned
1:29.3	and as April 1945 began, they were caught between the Western Allies and the vast Red Army
1:35.3	of the Soviet Union. The inevitable end was finally in sight, but not before multiple
1:41.3	surrenders were signed. For the Code Breakers of Blecksley Park, after more than five and a half years, their work
1:47.8	wasn't over.
1:49.1	Not only did they have to keep supplying vital intelligence, but they also looked towards
1:53.7	an uncertain future and the threat of a new enemy.
1:57.0	It must have been satisfying for the night shift in Hutt 6 on the 7th of May, 1945, as they
2:02.3	secretly became some of the first people to learn that the war in Europe was at an end.
2:07.6	With the help of archival recordings and ultra decrypts from the time, Bletchley Park's
2:12.9	research officer, Dr Thomas Cheatham, guides us through the dramatic last days of the Nazi regime.
2:20.2	Very special thanks go to Mr Ben Thompson for voicing our archival documents. This is Bletchley Park.
	...

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