The Rest Is Classified 18. Attack on Greenpeace: France’s Nuclear Bomb (Ep 1)
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Feb 10, 2025 In the 70s and 80s, France's nuclear testing in the Pacific sparked outrage among environmentalists. Greenpeace, with its fearless Rainbow Warrior, took on this battle, leading to a dramatic espionage mission. A covert French operation aimed to infiltrate and sabotage the ship using limpet mines. Tensions escalated as the activists faced a deadly game of cat and mouse with French intelligence. The shocking sinking of the Rainbow Warrior not only highlighted the dangers of state-sponsored sabotage but also the heavy costs of political maneuvering in the name of national security.
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French Secret Agent's Mission
- Jean-Luc Kister, French secret agent, was ordered to sink the Rainbow Warrior.
- He and his team were surprised by the target, a pacifist movement.
France's Nuclear Tests
- In the 1980s, France conducted nuclear tests in the South Pacific atoll of Mururoa.
- Though seemingly remote, the tests raised concerns due to the proximity of inhabited islands.
The Rainbow Warrior
- The Rainbow Warrior, Greenpeace's flagship, was an old fishing vessel converted for activism.
- It served as a symbol of their direct action approach against whaling, sealing, and nuclear testing.
