简介：DebatesabouttheBBC’srolewerejustasvolatileinthe1940sastheyaretoday:BernardMontgomerycalledit‘thefourtharmofwar’whileWinstonChurchilllabelledit‘theenemywithinthegates’.Inthistwo-partseries,JonathanDimblebyuncoversthestoryofhowtheBBCfoughtHitler–andWhitehall–withauniqueinsightintooneofthestory’sleadingplayers–hisfather,RichardDimbleby. Attheoutbreakofwar,theBBCwasverynearlyshutdownbutDimblebyrevealshowthesuccessofNaziGermany’spropagandabroadcasts–listenedtobyuptosixmillionathome-goadeditintoaction.ThoughtheBBChadnonewsgatheringcapabilitybeforethewar,RichardDimblebywasamongthepioneerswhoovercameheavycensorshiptobringthesoundsofwarintohomeswiththefirstbattlefieldrecordings.TheBBCbecameapowerfulforceforresistanceinEuropeandakeymeansofcodedcommunicationwithresistancegroups.AndwherebeforetheBBC’sidiomhadbeenuniversally‘RP’,resolutelyNorthernvoiceslikethoseofJBPriestleyandWilfredPicklesweredeployedtouniversalacclaim. Evenattheendofthewar,battleswerestillbeingfoughtaboutwhattobroadcast.ItwasonlyRichardDimbleby’sthreattoresignthatcausedhisunflinchingreportfromtheBelsenconcentrationcamptobeallowedonair.…