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USS Nautilus -- 20,000 Leagues Under the Ice [60min]

In 1958, in utter secrecy, the black hull of the world's first nuclear submarine, USS Nautilus, voyaged beneath the ice of the North Pole and entered into legend. 'Nautilus 90 degrees North' flashed the telegram, informing the world of the boat's historic undersea crossing -- a message that would sink home both in Washington and Moscow -- hinting at American technical genius and the tilting of strategic power. That voyage was captured on disc and long forgotten. Now Charles Wheeler, speaking with the Nautilus captain and crew, reveals a hidden history of adventure and political intrigue at the limits of human knowledge.
Read entire article at BBC Radio 4 "Archive Hour"