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.
Up Next in Season 1
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From Prominent British Upper-Class to...
10 July 1940. The Battle of Britain begins as Nazi Germany launches a massive air campaign against the United Kingdom. While the Royal Air Force resists and the nation stands defiant, one man takes a very different path.
John Amery, born into a prominent British upper-class family and the son of...
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From British Fascist to Nazi Broadcas...
During the Battle of Britain, as German forces attempt to break British resistance, one voice emerges from Berlin aimed directly at British listeners. That voice belongs to William Joyce, a man who would become one of the most notorious Nazi broadcasters of the war.
Raised with strong political ...
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Czech Pilot Who Betrayed the RAF for ...
15 March 1939. Prague falls under German occupation, and Czechoslovakia ceases to exist. While many Czech airmen flee abroad to continue the fight, one pilot takes a darker path.
Augustin Přeučil joins exile forces and later the Royal Air Force (RAF) in Britain — the United Kingdom’s air force, ...
