The podcast discusses the concept of human torpedoes, which were essentially guided torpedoes piloted by a person who would sacrifice themselves in the process of attacking an enemy ship. The idea originated in Italy in the early 20th century, but it gained significant attention in Poland in the 1930s.
In 1939, a letter published in a Polish newspaper called for volunteers to become "live torpedoes" to sacrifice themselves for their country. The response was overwhelming, with over 3,000 people coming forward to volunteer. However, historians believe that the Polish army did not actually create a human torpedo unit, and that the whole thing might have been a disinformation campaign to intimidate Germany.
Despite this, the podcast highlights the fact that the collective enthusiasm of the Polish people to sacrifice themselves for their country is a testament to their patriotism and love for their homeland. Many of the volunteers went on to participate in defensive battles and underground resistance movements, where they continued to risk their lives for their country.
The podcast also touches on the history of human torpedoes in other countries, including Japan, which is famously associated with kamikaze pilots. However, the main focus of the podcast is on the Polish experience and the surprising level of enthusiasm and patriotism displayed by the Polish people in the face of war.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. The concept of human torpedoes originated in Italy, not Japan.
2. The Italians developed guided torpedoes with a two-person crew that would sit on top of the torpedo, not inside.
3. The Italians used these guided torpedoes to attack an enemy ship on the night of October 31 to November 1, 1918.
4. The attack was successful, but the ship was not the intended target, as it had been handed over to a new state, the Slovenians, Serbs, and Croats, who were neutral.
5. The Italians continued to develop human-guided torpedoes, and other countries, including England, Germany, and Japan, also became interested in the technology.
6. In 1937, a young sailor in Poland wrote a letter to Marshal Rydz-Śmigły offering to give his life as a human torpedo in the event of war.
7. In May 1939, a letter was published in the Polish newspaper Kurier Codzienny calling on people to volunteer as human torpedoes.
8. The letter was not a joke, and the authors were serious about their proposal.
9. The newspaper verified the authenticity of the letter and its authors before publishing it.
10. Over 3,000 people responded to the letter, offering to volunteer as human torpedoes.
11. The volunteers included workers, students, teachers, and even a paralyzed veteran of World War I.
12. The Polish army did not have the resources to develop a human torpedo program at the time.
13. Historians believe that the Polish army may have used the idea of human torpedoes as a form of disinformation to deter the Germans.
14. The accounts of witnesses who claimed to have seen a film about human torpedoes are likely exaggerated or fabricated.
15. Despite the lack of evidence, the story of the human torpedoes remains a testament to the patriotism and willingness of Poles to sacrifice themselves for their country.