Nazi Spy Who Betrayed America: Herbert Hans Haupt & Operation Pastorius
Spies & Intelligence in WWII [collection]
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13m
11 December 1941. Nazi Germany declares war on the United States, expanding the conflict into a global war. Behind this move, German intelligence prepares a secret sabotage campaign on American soil.
At the centre is Herbert Hans Haupt—a German-born, Chicago-raised American citizen who turns against the country that gave him a new life.
Recruited by the Abwehr, Haupt joins Operation Pastorius, a mission to destroy factories, railroads, and key infrastructure across the United States. In June 1942, German agents land by submarine, carrying explosives and false identities, ready to begin their operation.
But the plan quickly collapses. Mistakes, loose talk, and a shocking confession to the FBI expose the entire network before any attack is carried out.
What follows is a nationwide manhunt, a secret military tribunal ordered by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, and one of the most controversial espionage cases of World War II.
This documentary explores Herbert Hans Haupt’s path from immigrant to saboteur—and the consequences of betrayal in wartime America.
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