Obscure WWII Facts

Before her DNA work, Rosalind Franklin worked for British intelligence building bridges for the advancing Allied armies. She developed techniques to reinforce pontoon bridges with local materials. Her engineering allowed Patton's army to cross the Rhine 48 hours ahead of schedule. She was decorated but never mentioned it, focusing on her later scientific breakthrough.

Vivian Bullwinkel was the sole survivor of the Bangka Island Massacre. When Japanese executed 12 Australian nurses, she played dead in the water, then escaped. She spent 3 years in POW camps, secretly treating fellow prisoners. She refused to identify her attackers after the war, saying "I'm going to forget." She founded the Australian Army Nursing Service.