Could A Briefcase Bomb Have Changed The Course Of WWII? | MythBusters

Added: 2026-05-03

[00:00:02]On this episode of Mythbusters, are allied bombers wrecking your dreams of world domination? Adam and Jamie make alternate history [music] as they go back in time to recreate an attempt to assassinate Hitler.

[00:00:16]>> I wouldn't want to be in that room.

[00:00:18]>> No, no, no.

[00:00:19]>> Was a room change the reason this bomb in a briefcase failed first time around?

[00:00:24]>> Peter Zane.

[00:00:26]>> Meanwhile, >> sorry, Carrie. Carrie, Tori, and Grant.

[00:00:30]>> Here we go.

[00:00:31]>> All take one for the team.

[00:00:33]>> How do you feel? A little more alert >> as they test out the myth that you really can slap sense into someone.

[00:00:41]>> This myth sucks.

[00:00:46]>> Who are the Mythbusters?

[00:00:47]>> Hey, Adam Savage.

[00:00:49]>> 70% chance of science.

[00:00:52]>> And Jamie Hinaman.

[00:00:54][screaming] Between them, more than 30 years of special effects experience. Joining them, Tory Bellei.

[00:01:01]>> Oh, they're going to fry my brain.

[00:01:04]>> Grant [music] Imahara >> and Carrie Byron.

[00:01:07]>> Science gets more fun when I get a bigger gun.

[00:01:10]>> They don't just tell the myths, they put them [music] to the test.

[00:01:25]In 1944, a plot was hatched to kill Hitler. And the operation was successful enough to actually get a briefcase full of explosives into a room with Hitler and detonate it while Hitler was in the room.

[00:01:36]>> Okay, >> but the operation was a failure because Hitler did not die in that blast.

[00:01:41]>> So, what went wrong?

[00:01:42]>> Here's the wrinkle. The meeting was originally supposed to happen in a closed underground bunker, but at the last minute, the meeting place was switched to an above ground room with open windows. And conventional wisdom holds that that same blast would have killed Hitler if it had happened [music] in the closed bunker room.

[00:01:58]>> Nice. A little blast from the past, so to speak.

[00:02:02]>> The venue was Hitler's East Prussia headquarters, Wolf's Lair. The wouldbe assassin was Colonel Klaus von Stafenberg, and his weapon of choice was a bomb in a briefcase. But late in the day, the meeting was moved from a fortified bunker to a conference room above ground with conventional doors and windows. Four people were killed in the blast, but Hitler survived with just minor injuries. There are dozens of theories about what went wrong, but the biggest is that it was the change of venue that turned the bomb from lethal to survivable. So, this myth is a tale of two rooms. So, the question here boils down to whether or not an explosion going off in an enclosed space is inherently more deadly than one going off in an open space. Right.

[00:02:49]>> Exactly. Where do you think we should begin?

[00:02:51]>> Well, let's do some research and then start small and work our way up.

[00:02:55]>> Perfect.

[00:02:57]>> History books are helpful, but Jaime's gone the extra mile and sourced actual Nazi photos of the damage incurred in the blast of July 20, 1944. What all these photos of the situation room tell me is that the blast was actually quite severe. And given the fact that Hitler was standing here when the bomb was right nearby and four people actually did die from the blast, Hitler really narrowly escaped death. While Jaime pours over the details, Adam pours paint in a tub full of water. It's a simple experiment that should show what happens when shock waves are contained or released. All he needs now is two model rooms. Now, why is the conventional wisdom that the explosion that did not kill Hitler in the room with windows would have killed him in the bunker? I'm hoping to tease out the reasons for that thinking with this visualization. Before me, the four walls of the bunker. I'm going to drop this little weight into the center. Let's see what happens.

[00:03:59][music] Let's look at the high speed. The idea is that the ripples or waves of water behave much like a percussive blast through air. Awome. My visualization of waves in a closed room worked just the way I hoped. You can see the waves traveling out from the weight that I dropped, hitting the walls, and then bouncing back. They've got nowhere to go. Now, to see if throwing open a few windows really makes much of a difference.

[00:04:26]>> All right, so this is my situation room.

[00:04:28]Each of these spaces is an open window.

[00:04:31]Here is my bomb. Let's see what happens.

[00:04:39]Perfect.

[00:04:40]The highspeed confirms what Adam suspected. That is so cool.

[00:04:44]>> Give a wave half a chance to escape and it takes it. So, what can we surmise from this? We can clearly see in the closed room the waves are contained.

[00:04:52]They do not escape. And we can see in the open room with windows that the waves totally get out.

[00:04:58]>> So, it looks like there's some science to back up the myth. Back at Allied headquarters, Jaime's now gotten his hands on the official Gestapo report of the bombing.

[00:05:08]>> Upper pressure wave destroyed [music] the situation room to a large extent and exited through windows and doors as well as through partition walls. Points of impact of metal fragments not detectable, but splinters of wood and leather fragments are embedded into the wood. The Furer suffered only slight injuries, although in the immediate vicinity of the [music] center of the explosion. So, the facts and the photos are all duly noted for future comparison. Now, you'd have to agree that it's high time they blew something up.

[00:05:44]>> Okay, this is going to hurt me more than hurts you.

[00:05:47]>> Ow.

[00:05:47]>> Oh, you're right. That did hurt.

[00:05:49]>> Ow. What was that for?

[00:05:51]>> I'm preparing you for the next myth, which is that you can slap sense into someone.

[00:05:55]>> Oh, no.

[00:05:56]>> Oh, yes. The idea is that if someone's in a state of confusion or shock, by slapping them, you can get them to focus, hone in their senses, and perform better.

[00:06:08]>> It's a familiar scene from old school Hollywood. Someone flips out and a good sharp slap brings them right back around. It kind of makes sense, what with the shock and the sting. But does it work?

[00:06:22]When I think about this saying, I think about someone who's hysterical, who's on the edge of panic. How are we going to induce panic in each other?

[00:06:29]>> I'm not sure we have to. I mean, I'd like to talk to a trauma expert and find out if there's a way to inhibit the brain, something similar to panic, but a lot easier to achieve.

[00:06:37]>> All right, but as far as the testing goes, the pre-lap and the post slap tests, they have to be a decision-making test because we're not testing IQ here.

[00:06:45]We're testing how you make decisions under pressure.

[00:06:47]>> Exactly. Totally agree. First up, Carrie takes [music] counsel to learn how the body responds to a smack in the chops.

[00:06:55]>> So, what do you think of the myth that you can slap sense into someone?

[00:06:58]>> Well, multiple things happen simultaneously, Carrie, with the intense stimulation.

[00:07:03]You have a signal going from your face to the brain, which then sends a signal to the adrenal gland, which secretes epinephrine. This triggers the fightor-flight reflex. You get an immediate blood flow increase to those vital organs. Your eyes widely dilate.

[00:07:19]So you've [music] got clear and increased vision, so you're ready to make a decision. You could think clearer and you could fight or you can flee. The old fight orflight response isn't exactly unknown here at Mythbusters.

[00:07:32]>> When in peril, I will use one of my co-workers as a human shield.

[00:07:36]>> But how can the guys induce something akin to a sense of panic in order to test out the myth?

[00:07:43]>> Well, you know, there could be a variety of tests. So if someone is compromised in some way, and people can be compromised from hyperothermia or hypothermia, a variety of sources, but to test that, you'd want to find some fine psychoot skill. So the good news is that the team won't have to get hysterical to test the myth. [screaming] Impairment through cold or tiredness or even hunger could inhibit the brain enough to see if a hearty slap can snap them out of it. Back at the shop, Grant and Tori are welding up a storm. They're determined to take [music] the human factor out of the equation by scratchbuilding a face slapping robot.

[00:08:21]When it's done and fine-tuned, this machine will be way more reliable than a random smack from a stranger.

[00:08:29]We have a bungee cord [music] that's attached here. It'll wrap around this rod. Now, we'll wind up the arm and then release it. We don't want to use motors or pistons because, let's face it, we're going to be putting our faces in the way of this slapping hand. We want slaps, not broken jaws. All this mechanical marvel is missing is a hand to hit with.

[00:08:46]So they'll fashion a surrogate forearm from carries.

[00:08:50]>> Deceivingly hairy arms.

[00:08:52]>> They're not hairy. It's like baby down.

[00:08:55]>> It's a process Tori's almost perfected.

[00:08:58]The limb gets shaved, greased, and plastered with dental algenate, which eventually sets to make a mold. In this case, the mold is filled with silicone. And when that sets, they can arm the robot.

[00:09:17]>> Oh goodness. That here, Tori.

[00:09:20]>> But before we do that, we need to find out how hard we slap. And that's where this guy comes in. We're going to slap the force plate, record the data, and use that information to calibrate our machine.

[00:09:31]>> Grant strikes first.

[00:09:32]>> It's going to hurt you more than it hurts me.

[00:09:37]>> Then Tori.

[00:09:38]>> All right. Ready when you are. That looked more like a spank.

[00:09:41]>> And then Carrie [music] steps up to the plate.

[00:09:44]>> Now remember, however hard you slap that thing is how hard you're going to get slapped.

[00:09:48]>> This myth sucks. All right.

[00:09:52]>> Oh, maybe that was too hard. Maybe that was too hard.

[00:09:54]>> Maybe it was, but Grant's in no mood for a doover.

[00:09:58]>> Okay, so Carrie, you hit with 94. I hit with 114. And Tori, you hit with 116. So our average is 108 pounds. That's our target. That's 108 lb of force or 480 Ntons. But will that spark them up or just knock them senseless? It's time for all three to face up to a slap test.

[00:10:20]>> Carrie, we are set. Take a seat in the chair.

[00:10:23]>> Step right up. This is the slapping chair.

[00:10:26]>> It's no comfort to Carrie to know that the hand set to strike is more or less hers.

[00:10:32]>> It's like I picked my own switch off the tree to get spanked with.

[00:10:36]>> All right, Carrie, you ready?

[00:10:37]>> Mhm. I take no pleasure in this whatsoever.

[00:10:41]>> Oh my god.

[00:10:41]>> In three, two, ONE.

[00:10:46]>> Did it hit a little high?

[00:10:48]>> It was the comeback that I think uh >> they get you.

[00:10:51]>> Whoa.

[00:10:53]>> The aim was a ride, but so far the mechanical slap looks right on the money.

[00:10:59]carries followed by Grant >> one >> and then Tori.

[00:11:08]>> Oh, that is really good. [laughter] >> So, what do you think is that? I think it's perfect cuz it gives you just enough shock. It doesn't like knock you out.

[00:11:18]>> And that's just what they wanted. The next step is impairing their brains before slapping. So, one thing we know is there's more pain to come.

[00:11:32]In Valkyrie Boom, we've seen that a sealed room should contain and enhance an explosion better than a room with windows. Now they're ready to do it for real in small scale. Now, in order to test this in small scale, I need two rooms. One that is scaled exactly correctly in all the details to Hitler's underground bunker and another one that's scaled exactly to the above ground room where the explosion actually happened. I'm going to make them out of/in steel plate. They're going to be nice and heavy. And in this way, I won't be blowing them up. I'll just be seeing the difference in the propagation of the shock wave between the two. In search of a definitive yes or no to the myth, the focus is all on the lethal potential of those explosive shock waves. And Adam's in no doubt that both his scale rooms are sturdy enough to survive the ordeal.

[00:12:25]>> I got to tell you, this is the heaviest scale model I've ever built.

[00:12:33]Come on in. Right here.

[00:12:36]Now, there's no question that blowing stuff up is best done [music] outdoors.

[00:12:40]And you know, it's a big day on the bomb range when explosives experts Frank Doyle and Jeene Nelson [music] are both there to help out. Today's aim is simple, to compare the percussive power [music] of identical charges in each of the rooms. This is an exact 16 scale model of the room the Valkyrie bombing happened in. Hitler was standing right here. The explosives are right here and they failed to kill him when they went off. But this is not where it was all supposed to go down. The original meeting was scheduled not to happen in this room, but in Hitler's underground bunker, of which this is an exact 16th scale model of. Now, the conventional wisdom is if Hitler had been in this room when the bomb had gone off, he would have died. That's what we're here to find out.

[00:13:25]>> When we set off an explosive, other than shrapnel, the thing we're worried about is known as a pressure wave. Now, this is a moving wall of pressure that's radiating outward from the explosion.

[00:13:35]What kills is an increase in that kind of pressure that somebody experiences when they're near a blast?

[00:13:42]Now, the question we're trying to answer is that if we set off an explosive in an enclosed room like a bunker, will we contain that blast and see an increased amount of pressure and therefore an increased lethality more so than what we would see in an open room like a conference room where the pressure can escape through windows and doors. The business end of our testing today will be performed by this, a pressure transducer. This will be placed at a precise distance from the center of the blast and it converts the mechanical energy of the blast shock wave into an electrical impulse which will allow us to carefully measure [music] and compare the two blasts we're doing today. Providing the boom for both rooms is a blasting cap. For a test on this scale, JD and Frank have chosen two robust yet cheeky number 10s.

[00:14:30]>> It's right there for 1 in off the ground.

[00:14:32]>> Okay, if that's 1 in, let's mark it and tape it. JD and Frank are ensuring the setup's exactly the same when the time comes to prime the bunker.

[00:14:41]>> Jamie, the cap's in place.

[00:14:43]>> Excellent.

[00:14:44]>> Hopefully safe behind the screen, Jamie counts down to the open room blast.

[00:14:49]>> In three, two, one.

[00:14:54]>> Nice.

[00:14:55]>> Let's go look at the data.

[00:14:56]>> Okay, >> now remember the rooms are to scale, but the charge isn't. We're not looking for damage, but the measure of pressure induced by the blast.

[00:15:06]>> So, what's the [music] data say?

[00:15:08]>> In the conference room, we got a peak pressure of 14 PSI.

[00:15:12]>> Excellent. Let's do the other one.

[00:15:14]>> Okay.

[00:15:14]>> So, it's off to the bunker. And just like the first room, this lodge needs a lid.

[00:15:20]>> It sounds like we're sitting in a crypt.

[00:15:22]>> Well, that's kind of the whole idea. And with the roof welded tight, Jamie screws in the pressure transducer. This time around, it's a contained explosion. And if the theory is correct, we should see a higher PSI in here.

[00:15:36]>> There we go.

[00:15:38]>> Now, JD and Frank ever so carefully insert [music] the explosive. When they're done, we're almost ready to blow.

[00:15:47]>> In three, two, one.

[00:15:54]Just like last time, the steel shell muffled the blast. But the drama is all in the data.

[00:16:01]>> What happened in the bunker?

[00:16:02]>> In the bunker, we got a peak pressure of 55 PSI. Almost four times the pressure we got in the conference room. Wow.

[00:16:10]That's a result.

[00:16:11]>> It is.

[00:16:12]>> As predicted, this potentially lethal pressure wave would do a lot more damage in the bunker, which is really good news for the myth. I think there really might be something to this one. I Where do you want to go from here?

[00:16:24]>> Let's stop screwing around and ramp things up.

[00:16:27]>> Go full scale.

[00:16:28]>> Yep.

[00:16:31]>> With the robot primed for action, the next step in the slap some sense myth is to run a series of tests. First with the subject as normal, then impaired in some way, then impaired again and slapped.

[00:16:44][screaming] The man in the hot seat is Grant. Simply because this face under pressure was far and away the funniest.

[00:16:52]And here's what he's going to face. For a slapsense myth experiment, we have four tasks to challenge Grant. We're going to test his reflexes, calculation, coordination, and visual and communication skills. And to make sure that slap effect doesn't wear off, each of these tasks will only be about a minute long.

[00:17:10]>> We'll get to the slap shortly. First up, Grant attempts all four tasks [music] to give us an unimpaired baseline before we uh fetter his faculties.

[00:17:20]>> So, this is how the reflex challenge is going to work. Grant will stand here on this great.

[00:17:25]>> All right, you got it.

[00:17:26]>> Now, above him are stars that are held up by electromagnets. [music] And these stars will drop one at a time.

[00:17:33]And his challenge is to catch stars before they hit the ground.

[00:17:37]>> Five. Six. He's amazing.

[00:17:40]>> Seven. Eight. What do you think?

[00:17:42]>> Well done. Eight out of eight. On to the next challenge.

[00:17:45]>> All right.

[00:17:47]>> So, for the coordination challenge, it'll be a good oldfashioned shooting gallery.

[00:17:51]>> One with these air powered rifles firing corks.

[00:17:54]>> Two. I'll have 60 seconds to load the rifle target.

[00:17:59]>> Three. And shoot all six targets. Four.

[00:18:06]>> All right. You shot five out of six.

[00:18:09]Well done.

[00:18:10]>> Thank you. Tests three and four are a bit more cerebral. First, a communication challenge as he and a blindfolded Tori try to replicate a pattern.

[00:18:21]>> Two tips of the triangles tips. [music] Okay, we're done.

[00:18:24]>> And then a quickfire math test.

[00:18:27]>> 30 plus.

[00:18:28]>> For this exercise, there is a time limit, which poses no problem as he nails three from three. With his brain firing on all cylinders, Grant scored predictably well. Now it's time to dial down his faculties. And according to Dr. Sanders, one of the best and simplest [music] ways is to put him on ice.

[00:18:49]>> Oh, what is this?

[00:18:53]>> So, we're going to chill you, >> right? We're going to leave you in here for a half hour until the cold takes effect on your body. Then we'll pull you out and have you run the tests, and that'll be our control.

[00:19:02]>> That's right.

[00:19:03]>> After taking his temperature.

[00:19:05]>> Okay, we have a starting temperature of 97.1.

[00:19:09]Chill out. All right. Chill out. Oh, very funny.

[00:19:13]>> They leave Grant to shiver and speculate.

[00:19:16]>> Now, I've been in really cold temperatures. The first thing that starts to go is your motor skills. And the second thing that goes is your judgment.

[00:19:26]>> When the half hour's up, Grant lost 7° of body temperature. Technically, that's verging on hypothermia. So, let's see if the doctor was right. If the cold has impaired him as much as a panic attack.

[00:19:38]Okay. Coordination.

[00:19:40]>> You ready for this challenge?

[00:19:41]>> I'm ready. Stay frosty.

[00:19:42]>> All right.

[00:19:43]>> He starts with the targets. Last time he was five from six.

[00:19:50]>> This time it's three.

[00:19:52]>> All right. On to the next challenge.

[00:19:55]>> Next up is the math test. And those numbers aren't tripping off the tongue like last time.

[00:20:00]>> 5 + 8 is uh 33.

[00:20:04]>> It's like he's been drinking. It's 210.

[00:20:08]Wrong.

[00:20:08]>> With time running out, he scored nothing.

[00:20:12]>> All right, time's up. Move on to the next challenge.

[00:20:15]>> Gosh, coordination now.

[00:20:17]>> Yeah, it almost seems cruel, but that's science for you.

[00:20:22]>> One, two, >> two out of eight. Last time we got eight out of eight, >> so hopes [music] are not high for the last test.

[00:20:34]>> Okay. Uh, >> the seconds tick by >> uh to the right. Up. Uh, sorry. [music] >> Flip it clockwise. Clockwise. Uh, >> and there's more than one pattern emerging.

[00:20:47]>> Rotate clockwise. And got it >> time. All right. Well, the results of the control test are you're definitely compromised.

[00:20:56]>> In fact, impaired Grant was trounced by non-impaired Grant. And now for the fun stuff. [screaming] Time to stick you back in the freezer for a half hour, bring you out, slap you, and do the test again.

[00:21:09]>> Grant's warmed up during testing, so it's back to the freezer to inhibit his brain again.

[00:21:15]>> All right, back in the hole for you.

[00:21:16]>> Once he's sufficiently impaired, we'll see if we can actually slap some sense into him.

[00:21:22]>> Now, if Gran thought that last test sucked because he had to sit in the chill for half an hour, this next one is really going to make him mad cuz he's going to get slapped across the face every time he has to do a task. And 30 mind and body numbing minutes later.

[00:21:35]>> You ready for the test?

[00:21:40]>> All right, Grant, have a seat in the slapping machine. Okay. Okay.

[00:21:45]>> Oo, you are cold.

[00:21:47]>> All right. You ready to get some [music] scents slapped into you?

[00:21:49]>> Mhm. Here we go.

[00:21:55]>> All right. On to the reflexes test.

[00:21:57]There's no time to lose [music] as they don't want the cold or the slap to wear off.

[00:22:02]>> Here we go.

[00:22:03]>> How do you feel? A little more alert.

[00:22:04]Yeah, it's not as bad as I thought it would be.

[00:22:07]>> You could have fooled me. Still, let's see if that smack in the chops made a difference.

[00:22:14]One, two, three, four, five. Pretty good. On to the next test.

[00:22:23]>> But first, it's back in the truck for a top up. It's a method they'll repeat between each [music] test. First, the rechill, then the slap.

[00:22:34]>> All right, quick to the next challenge.

[00:22:37]>> On to math.

[00:22:39]>> On the math quiz, well, it's hard to be sure, but he does seem more focused than last time.

[00:22:44]>> Minus 10 is 70 / 2 is 35.

[00:22:49]>> And that's time. Not as good as the practice, but better than the control.

[00:22:52]>> You got one out of three.

[00:22:54]>> Off to the chill and the slapping. It's fun to watch, but let's spare a thought for the man with his face on the line.

[00:23:00]>> I'm starting to feel bad for him.

[00:23:02]>> Me, too. Just a little.

[00:23:07]>> On to the test.

[00:23:09]>> Let's go.

[00:23:10]>> Right about now, Carrie and Tori are thankful that the gun only shoots corks.

[00:23:15]>> Our expert said that the physiological response to getting slapped is the fightor-flight adrenaline rush that you get. I'm pretty sure that's what I had because when I got slapped, I was ready to like jump up and hit something.

[00:23:30]>> So, with one last long shiver and a hopefully restorative slap, Grant once again consorts with the enemy.

[00:23:38]>> You're sounding a lot more focused. It's good. I like where you're going. [music] Rotate back counterclockwise.

[00:23:43]>> But is he on track to beat the last time trial? Only Carrie knows for sure.

[00:23:48]>> Yeah.

[00:23:49]>> Okay, there we have it. Not as good as the practice, but better than the control.

[00:23:54]>> I definitely felt better. I mean, I don't know what it is. There's something about the pain, but it like sort of it takes your brain and like squeezes it.

[00:24:03]>> The results are as clear as ice. When Grant was part crippled by [music] cold, his performance fell off across the board. After the slap, he bounced back, but not far enough to match his unimpaired baseline. I wasn't surprised that Grant got better after being slapped because I I I've felt that slap and there's a lot of adrenaline that just rushes into you and you really are brought back into the moment.

[00:24:26]>> I have to say that I am starting to believe that there's something to being able to slap sense into someone.

[00:24:33]>> The myth looks plausible, but have we gone far enough to prove the point?

[00:24:37]There's still room to ramp this one up.

[00:24:40]And the bonus for Grant [music] is he'll get his revenge.

[00:24:47]Well, so far so good. Our small scale test seems to be supporting the theory.

[00:24:50]>> Yep.

[00:24:51]>> I think it's time to go full scale, ramp things up.

[00:24:54]>> I totally agree. I've got an idea about that.

[00:24:56]>> Okay.

[00:24:56]>> Since the conventional wisdom is basically [music] that all things being equal, the enclosed explosion is deadlier. Let's make all things equal.

[00:25:03]Let's [music] get two identically sized shipping containers and dress them both precisely the same. Same amount of explosives, same briefcase, [music] same conference table that Hitler was standing at in each container. Except in [music] one we cut windows in it and in the other we bury it underground. Then we detonate the same amount of explosives in each and see what we get.

[00:25:22]>> I love it.

[00:25:23]>> Great.

[00:25:24]>> So, it's back to the bomb range to put this myth of the two rooms at Wolf's Lair to the ultimate test.

[00:25:31]>> For this test, the role of our underground bunker and our above ground conference room will be played by a pair of truck containers. These truck containers. Now, if you'll excuse me, I got to take one, put it into position, and cut some windows out of it.

[00:25:44]>> It's a point of pride here on the show that when the going gets tough, we don't send out for the contractors. It's agreed that the best way to make a shipping container, more like an underground bunker, [music] is to slip it tight inside a 12t deep dirt trench. And Jamie's the man for the job. Now that we've covered care and feeding of the hinaman, it's important to talk about stimulation.

[00:26:06]The hineman is never happier than when the Heineman is simply digging a big hole. So give your Heinman the opportunity to dig a large hole, preferably with farm equipment.

[00:26:16]>> Oh yeah, >> that's what I call a Heinman in its element.

[00:26:21]>> Now let's see a savage in his. Hauling the soontobe situation room to its last resting place is a delicate operation.

[00:26:30]That container weighs 2 1/2 tons, but Adam drops it pretty much on a dime.

[00:26:36]That doesn't look bad. I mean, it's not gorgeous, but not bad. It's pretty good.

[00:26:42]>> Well, there's still time enough to spruce up the old place. Item number one on the job sheet is to mark up and carve out some windows.

[00:26:52]>> Oh, that's nice.

[00:26:54]Let's open the whole place up.

[00:26:56]>> Okay, so we can all give thanks that this man [music] never became a dentist, but you have to admit he gets the job done.

[00:27:05]>> [laughter] >> You can never tell whether those things open in or out.

[00:27:10]>> Back in the trenches, Jamie measures the depth and the breadth of his bunker burial plot.

[00:27:16]>> Perfect.

[00:27:18]Meanwhile, Adam adds a little ray of sunshine to a scene that's doomed to disaster.

[00:27:23]>> Isn't that nice? I just thought with all the Nazis around, it seemed a little dark.

[00:27:28]>> Next on the schedule is glazing the windows. And there's no harm in taking a shortcut.

[00:27:34]>> I know what you're saying. You're saying, Adam, I'm pretty sure the Germans had more sophisticated window technology than duct tape. And I agree.

[00:27:44]That's not what this test is about, though. This is a purely relative test.

[00:27:49]Testing an explosion in an enclosed space versus an open space. This is literally window dressing.

[00:27:56]>> So, with the stage kind of set, [music] let's turn to the props. The first thing they need is a conference table times two.

[00:28:04]>> Well, this may look like one giant table. It is right now, but soon we're going to cut it in half and make two testing tables out of it. Back in the shop, Adam bent over backwards to build a near-perfect copy of the table destroyed at Wolf's.

[00:28:20]These are my period accurate Hitler conference table oak legs. This is what the explosive had to get through on its way to Hitler. And now [snorts] for my next trick, I am going to saw an ordinary table in half. So nothing up his sleeve, not much under his hat, and no trick photography.

[00:28:42]And now, by the laws of mathematics, I have taken one table and cleaved it into two tables. [laughter] Over at Hineman's Hole, Jaime's been weaving his own kind of magic. The building's been slotted as neat as you please, into the trench.

[00:28:58]>> What's good now? [music] It's packed in and covered with earth to simulate Hitler's bunker in the woods. With preparations going so well, you can't help feeling that something somewhere is going to crack.

[00:29:12]Surprisingly, it's not Adam's windows, but Jamie's container.

[00:29:17]Oh, >> it's just what you don't want to hear at the end of a long day's labor.

[00:29:22]>> I just heard it crunch.

[00:29:24]>> Oh, no. Have we opened it up yet?

[00:29:26]>> No. Oh, crimey.

[00:29:29]That would suck. And that would be an understatement.

[00:29:36]>> You hear that?

[00:29:37]>> Yeah.

[00:29:38]>> I don't want to go in there.

[00:29:39]>> No.

[00:29:40]>> It seems the problem stems back to supply as they discover this container is part fiberglass and not nearly as strong as the other one.

[00:29:48]>> Oh, dude.

[00:29:49]>> I know.

[00:29:50]>> What do we do?

[00:29:52]>> Get another one.

[00:29:54]>> It's a setback. All right. And with the fullscale testing set for tomorrow morning, someone needs to do something and do it fast. Must suit.

[00:30:05][music] >> Okay, so Grant's test showed that slapping made a difference.

[00:30:10]>> Yeah, but you know what? I don't think we were thorough enough. I mean, yeah, we put him in the cold and that inhibited his brain, but I think we could add a couple of more things. Maybe sleep deprivation or even hunger.

[00:30:21]>> No.

[00:30:22]>> Yeah. And I think there wasn't enough consequence to his errors. I think we need to do something like um a gun range test, like a police training test where you have to make quick split-second decisions.

[00:30:30]>> Okay, perfect. But I have one change.

[00:30:32]This time I administer the test and you two get slapped.

[00:30:35]>> No, that's [music] a that's a terrible idea.

[00:30:37]>> Yeah, I think we should take a vote on that one. All in favor of Grant.

[00:30:40]>> All in favor of Tory and Carrie.

[00:30:43]>> Producer voted. She gets the override.

[00:30:46]You two are getting slapped.

[00:30:47]>> So they'll both go a whole day without food or sleep. And of course, spend some time in the deep freeze. This should [music] inhibit their brain function as much as hysterical panic without actually inducing it. And taking the test to a shooting range means they'll be forced to make quickfire decisions with potentially serious consequences.

[00:31:08][music] Okay, so this is our twominute shooting drill course that we're going to be putting our frozen, tired, and starving Tory and Carrie through. When we say go, random targets will flip over. good and bad. They will have to choose only the bad guy and not shoot the good guy.

[00:31:26]>> They'll each have 30 rounds and on Grant's command, they'll advance twice down the room to complete the test.

[00:31:32]>> After they're done here, our police officer, Corporal Stanowitz, will take down all the targets and score them, and we'll see how well they did.

[00:31:40]>> As said, they've got two kinds of targets. The good guys >> Oh, hello. Who do we have here? Is this a male M? Oh, no, it's me.

[00:31:50]and a scary amalgam of the bad and the ugly.

[00:31:57]As for the weapons, now these guns are in fact real guns, but they've been specially modified with a different barrel that [music] allows them to fire these rounds, which are training rounds.

[00:32:08]They're markers. They're called SIMs.

[00:32:10]They're filled with paint so you can identify where they hit.

[00:32:13]>> Carrie and Tori are called on to help reassemble the robot. And after a day of deprivation, they're exhausted and starving. And Grant's not making it easy.

[00:32:23]>> Hey, so how many times did I get slapped yesterday?

[00:32:26]>> That looks good. Oh my gosh.

[00:32:29]>> Is that a triple?

[00:32:30]>> Mhm.

[00:32:31]>> Then it's into the ice truck for 30 [music] minutes to consolidate their incapacity.

[00:32:39]>> I kind of felt bad for Gray. I don't feel bad for him anymore.

[00:32:43]>> I know. The hamburger. I'm I'm turning on him. That's just cruel.

[00:32:47]>> That is just cruel.

[00:32:48]>> But Grant [music] has good reason to up the ante.

[00:32:51]>> As far as this experiment goes, there's a big difference between being just cold and being cold, tired, and hungry. Cuz if you're running around and you're cold, you can get warmer. But you can't get less tired without sleeping and less hungry without eating something. To be scrupulous, Carrie and Tori first ran the course yesterday when they were still hail and hearty. They both fired 30 rounds and missed just once. So, that's [music] our uninhibited baseline.

[00:33:23]Now, it's time to find out just how impaired they've become. Starting with Carrie.

[00:33:28]>> Eyes on.

[00:33:30]Pick up your firearm.

[00:33:32]>> I am really tired from [music] tensing.

[00:33:35]I am freezing cold. I am starving. Ready >> and begin.

[00:33:41]>> I think I'm getting a headache.

[00:33:43]>> So, she's less than her usual bubbly self, but will it impair her performance?

[00:33:49]>> Going through the course was a lot harder than I thought it was going to be because I was shaking so much that I couldn't hold my gun straight [music] and um I was it's it's it's like I can't concentrate. It was just my my head is tired. I can't I can't focus.

[00:34:06]At the end of the test, Carrie [music] at least hasn't shot any good guys, but the rounds she got off were really a case of hit and miss.

[00:34:14]>> You fired a total of 19 rounds and eight of them were hits.

[00:34:17]>> It's like an F.

[00:34:19]>> Yeah, but bear in mind, I mean, you were tired, hungry, and cold. You're supposed to be impaired.

[00:34:24]>> Mission accomplished.

[00:34:25]>> All right, let's go get Tori.

[00:34:28]>> Hungry, tired, and chilled. Not in a good way. Tori takes up the challenge.

[00:34:34]Being inside that freezer truck was miserable. My fingers are getting numb.

[00:34:38]I'm starting to shiver. Um, I can feel my muscles tightening up, you know, just to stay warm. And I'm thinking to myself, if I can't even feel my fingers, how am I going to feel the gun in order to pull the trigger?

[00:34:51]>> Reloaded.

[00:34:52]>> Well, he does get to grips with the gun.

[00:34:55]But just how many of those paint filled bullets have hit the targets?

[00:35:00]>> She had a bad day. Okay, John. So, how did Tori do?

[00:35:03]>> He did really well. Not only did we get all of the shots on target, but he grouped them together very well.

[00:35:09]>> Now, on the overall course, how did I do?

[00:35:11]>> Well, we counted him up. He didn't hit any of the good guys. He got off 24 rounds, and we had [music] 21 hits.

[00:35:17]>> There's not much in it, but just like Carrie, he did worse when affected by hunger and cold and no sleep for a day.

[00:35:26]Now, we're ready to find out once and for all if a slap makes a difference.

[00:35:35]Yesterday did not end well for Adam and Jamie. Oh, >> but with a new up to code container secured and currently being reinstalled, it's all back on track. That gives Adam a chance to explain his [music] amazing design for the real stars of the show. A pair of high tech faux furers. In any explosion, there's pretty much two things that are going to kill you. One is the pressure wave and two is the shrapnel. And we'll be measuring both using this big block of urethane foam.

[00:36:06]This will in fact be our Hitler standing at the conference table. And it will have a pressure transducer placed in the center of the chest front and back to measure the blast pressures coming off the explosion. And because it's a big block of foam, it is ideal for measuring the shrapnel injuries that might have been sustained because anything, any piece of wood and splinter that flies off this explosion is going to stick right in this foam and give us a really good idea of the kind of injuries that Hitler might have sustained. For Adam's design to work properly, the sensors and the wires need protection, hence the two metal plates. If all goes to plan, the chest [music] sensor will measure the initial blast wave of the bomb, and the back sensor will register shock waves that reverberate off the wall. All right, I think our shrapnel collectors are ready for testing. It's back to the bomb range to hopefully show if in some alternative universe, the bomb in the bunker would have killed Hitler. They'll begin by blowing up the situation room and see if the damage matches the [music] actual event in 1944. The explosive was a plastic explosive of the era very similar to C4 and it was placed in a leather briefcase. There was about a kilo of it which ended up on the floor next to this table leg. Now when the blast went off, there were 24 people in the room and four eventually died.

[00:37:28]Hitler sustained splinters to his leg.

[00:37:31]He had a broken wrist and he had a perforated eard drum. That's the situation we're going to test.

[00:37:38]>> Once again, for our full scale control test, we'll be using these same PCB transducers to read the exact PSI of this blast. Our Hitler phone cutout has one mounted both in his front [music] and his back, and they will transmit the data from this explosion all the way through their wires to David at his computer.

[00:37:55]>> When it's over, David Harding from National Instruments should have the definitive data. But just to be on the safe side, >> in addition to our electronic data point about the glass pressure in this experiment, we are also going to grab an analog data point with this one of our handy little burst discs. [music] This is set at 100 PSI. And if this bursts, it equals death.

[00:38:15]>> And it doesn't get much clearer than that. With all the equipment in place and checked, JD and Frank measure out an historically precise chunk of C4.

[00:38:25]>> 975 g. Let's pack it up. Yeah, that's perfect.

[00:38:30]That's good to go.

[00:38:32]>> Inside the room, the last act of sedition is to connect the explosive to a firing mechanism in the safety bunker.

[00:38:39]Back in the day, von Stafenberg used a timed chemical release to detonate the bomb, but the method makes no difference.

[00:38:48]>> There's a lot writing on the result. To validate the upcoming bunker test, they need this blast to be almost identical to the real one that failed to kill Hitler. Situation room control explosion in three, two, ONE.

[00:39:10]>> BOOM.

[00:39:12][laughter] >> I wouldn't want to be in that room.

[00:39:15]>> No, not even at all.

[00:39:16]>> It's hard to imagine anyone surviving this, but that's what they're hoping.

[00:39:21]>> Look, we got a new doorway.

[00:39:23]>> Watch out for some nails.

[00:39:25]>> It did what it said it would do to the floor. Or there's a hole there.

[00:39:29][laughter] >> Wow, look at that. Mr. Hitler's in three rather large chunks.

[00:39:36]>> Oh, and I see intact burst discs.

[00:39:38][music] >> Absolutely. Look at that. It's totally intact.

[00:39:42]>> So, they know the blast was less than 100 PSI. And [music] Hitler is actually a lot healthier than he looks.

[00:39:49]>> Wow. I mean, it really is clear that while he might have taken a lot of damage from splinters in his lower half, his head completely untouched. Yeah, that's what the Gestapo report said that he had splinters in his legs, but from the waist up, he's pretty well intact.

[00:40:03]Well, >> so that supports the uh the Bristus that it's a survivable blast. We know from history that Hitler survived it. So, KUDOS ON A GOOD CONTROL. BOOM.

[00:40:11]>> In fact, it looks like a great control.

[00:40:14]But will David's figures confirm the non-kill?

[00:40:18]>> So, David, what are we getting?

[00:40:20]>> We had an average of 18 PSI for just over a millisecond, which is definitely survivable. I'll be darn.

[00:40:28]>> All of our data shows that our Hitler could have totally survived this blast despite the fact that when we watched it blow up, we all thought, "Oh crap, this couldn't have gone better."

[00:40:43]Now the question is, what will happen [music] in the underground bunker when we contain that blast wave?

[00:40:51]>> [music] >> A slap in the face can be painful, surprising, and downright disturbing.

[00:40:57]But can it really be used to focus [music] your brain?

[00:41:00]>> I know I'm a much better shot than that.

[00:41:02]>> We're about to find out. With their impaired baselines already in the bag, Tori and Carrie are ready to get slapped for science. Exhausted, cold, and starving, their brain function is much like a person in panic.

[00:41:16]>> Sorry, Carrie.

[00:41:20]Okay. All right. Good. Good. How you feeling? Like I just got smacked.

[00:41:27]>> Okay.

[00:41:27]>> But will she improve or implode? Let's begin the testing.

[00:41:32]>> Ready and begin.

[00:41:34]>> And let Carrie handle the commentary.

[00:41:37]>> Getting slapped really refocus me. And I I I feel like that slap is a lot harder than when we calibrated it originally. I don't know if I'm just really cold, extremely irritated, starving, but I felt really focused.

[00:41:53]>> All right, let's get you scored.

[00:41:55]>> And then I want a sandwich.

[00:41:56]>> The sandwich can wait, but the score can.

[00:41:59]>> All right, it looked better to me, but what was the score?

[00:42:02]>> She did really well. She got off a total of 22 rounds and 16 on target. So, a very big improvement.

[00:42:08]>> Nice.

[00:42:08]>> And no good, guys. Very good.

[00:42:10]>> Carrie scored well enough to [music] well and truly prop up the myth. Now it's all down to Tori.

[00:42:16]>> Okay, man. How you feeling?

[00:42:19]>> Uh, cold, disoriented, uh, a little foggy in the head. Okay.

[00:42:33]All right. Let's do this. Let's do this.

[00:42:35]Damn.

[00:42:37]>> So, with barely a pause between slapping and shooting.

[00:42:41]>> All right. Just like before, let me know when you're ready.

[00:42:46]All right. Ready? Okay. And begin.

[00:42:49]>> Grant starts the test that will hopefully settle this once and for all.

[00:42:54]>> I am so surprised at how different I felt before the slap and then after the slap. We've been in the freezer for a half hour. I got slapped and instantly I feel awake and alive and I felt like I moved through the course a lot better.

[00:43:10]>> Okay, John. So, what are the results?

[00:43:12]>> Really good. Tory got off a total of 27 shots, 26 on target.

[00:43:17]>> And that right there is a clear-cut result. They never got back to their unimpaired baselines, but [music] that's not the benchmark. The myth is that slapping revives an impaired mind and body.

[00:43:29]>> Well, if we put your results, my results, and his results all together, I think we can call this myth confirmed.

[00:43:34]>> Yeah, we were all compromised, and yet all of us had significant improvement after being slapped. Who would have thought a simple slap would help you to focus and improve your ability?

[00:43:45]>> Confirmed. Confirmed.

[00:43:45]>> Confirmed.

[00:43:52]>> Has this happened to you? [music] Are allied bombers wrecking your dreams of world domination with their pesky bombs interrupting your meetings? Have you considered that the problem might [music] be that you're meeting above ground? Well, have we got a solution for you. After making their five easy payments, they've got the container they wanted. It's been partially buried to behave like a bunker, but they're careful to make sure the fittings, the props, and the [music] explosives are precisely the same as they were in the last test.

[00:44:22]>> Thank you, sir. This is a relative test, and that means that all the variables are identical except for one. We've got the same type and quantity of explosives. We've got the same table.

[00:44:33]We've got the same dummy. We've got the same sensors, including the burst discs.

[00:44:38]The only thing that is different is the room. It's the same size, but it's contained. So, when we see a pressure wave, it doesn't have anywhere to go.

[00:44:47]Well, Peter Zane, I think that uh just about do it.

[00:44:51]>> Everything's buttoned down.

[00:44:52]>> Everything's buttoned down. All the sensors are in place.

[00:44:55]>> You think we're going to kill Hitler this time?

[00:44:57]>> Yes.

[00:44:58]>> Ah, cool. Well, let's seal it up.

[00:45:00]>> The closest thing they have to a weak point is the front door. So Jaime, perhaps recalling his days building the transcontinental railroad, decides to buttress the bunker with railroad ties.

[00:45:12]Now to briefly retread the trail of destruction that brought us to this epic moment.

[00:45:17]>> Now we know from our small scale testing that a confined explosion will yield a higher blast pressure than an unconfined explosion. And in our full-scale baseline, [music] we exactly replicated the actual attempt on Hitler's life and showed that it was completely survivable. But would anyone stand a ghost of a chance in an underground bunker with close to a kilo of high explosive? To confirm the myth, they need to kill Hitler beyond any shadow of a doubt.

[00:45:43]>> In three, two, one.

[00:45:50]>> Uhoh.

[00:45:52]>> I think the doors are open.

[00:45:55]>> We've exposed the creamy center.

[00:45:58]Well, the bunker still looks intact, though.

[00:46:00]>> It does. Let's uh approach it gingerly.

[00:46:03][laughter] >> The bomb blew the sleepers 150 ft, so it's no surprise that inside it's a train wreck. But there's one more shock wave to come.

[00:46:16]>> Dude, the first totally intact.

[00:46:21]>> Wow. I would not have called it. Look at this place.

[00:46:24]>> It does look like the guys have blown their deposit. Look at the devastation here. There's nothing left in here but splinters.

[00:46:31]>> But the crucial stats on [music] survivability rest with David.

[00:46:35]>> What' we get?

[00:46:36]>> We got an average of 30 PSI for just over 1 millisecond.

[00:46:40]>> That's it. That's it. It was survivable.

[00:46:43]>> I'll be darned.

[00:46:44]>> It's pretty close to an unbelievable result. While a pressure wave as low as 15 PSI could be lethal, it would have to last for at least 30 milliseconds. And this blast didn't come close.

[00:46:57]>> People ask us all the time if we come up with results on the show that surprise us. And here is actually a fantastic example. We are gobsmacked. We went into this explosion pretty much feeling guaranteed that Hitler was going to die.

[00:47:10]And all of our data shows the opposite, that this was a survivable blast. Now, I hear what you're saying. You're wondering, "Oh, is your bunker actually the same size as Hitler's bunker?" No, it's smaller. Hitler's bunker was bigger than this, which means that if the blast had happened in Hitler's bunker, the blast pressures would have very likely been even [music] lower, making that blast even more survivable.

[00:47:37]>> That was surprising, huh?

[00:47:38]>> Totally surprising. I was convinced that Hitler was going to die. Let's go.

[00:47:44]>> They should have used more explosives.

[00:47:46]>> That's your answer for everything.

[00:47:50]And I love these results. If you were standing where Hitler was in relation to the blast, you would have survived whether that blast occurred in the bunker or in the situation room.

[00:48:00]>> Yeah. The myth that Hitler only survived because of the change of venue is totally busted.

[00:48:04]>> Totally. Totally and completely busted.

[00:48:06]Now, if the bomb had been at his feet, as was the original plan, we might have a completely different story.

[00:48:12]>> The placement of the bomb, the quantity of the explosives, much more important than the room. [music] >> Yeah. I just love the counterintuitive conclusions.

[00:48:20]>> I do too.

[00:48:25][music]