World War II is one of the most harrowing and impactful events in human history. Our imaginations may be captured by the sweeping military battles, but the story of war is the story of humans, everyday people trying to do their bit in a world falling apart around them.
In France, for instance, you'll find a young, unassuming mother who became the leader of the largest and most important Allied spy network in occupied France. In Poland, a brilliant, young mathematician successfully broke Germany's Enigma code, laying the groundwork for the famed British codebreaking operation at Bletchley Park. In Belgium, a 23-year-old nurse from Brussels created an escape line that smuggled hundreds of shot-down British and American airmen out of enemy territory and back to freedom.
These men and women of courage and conscience helped change the course of history. Unsung Heroes of World War II: Europe is your chance to meet these and other everyday heroes who have never been given the credit they deserved. Taught by historian Lynne Olson, author of seven acclaimed books about World War II, these 12 scintillating lectures offer a trove of stories across Europe and America that you likely have never heard before.
With a storyteller's true gift for setting a scene and an eye for interesting details, Professor Olson takes you into the shadows of history to introduce you to some of the most courageous figures in the war - all of whom did their best to defeat tyranny and restore freedom in their own countries and the world at large.
