The Norwegian Heavy Water Sabotage That Stopped Hitler's Bomb

At the heavy water plant in Vemork, Norway — perched on a cliff above a 1,400-foot gorge — the Norwegian Resistance carried out two separate sabotage missions. First, four commandos parachuted in, then skied for 18 days across frozen terrain to reach the plant. They planted explosives and destroyed the heavy water production cells. The Germans attempted to ship remaining supplies by ferry. Resistance member Knut Haukelid boarded the ferry and placed a bomb in the hull. The ferry sank in the deepest part of the lake, taking the last supplies of Nazi Germany's atomic program with it. The 14 civilian passengers who drowned had no idea what was in the cargo.