Return to Transcripts main page
CNN 10
Russia Says It`s Tested a Hypersonic Missile; Saudi Arabian Women Anticipate Being Able to Drive; America`s Historic and Secretive "Ghost Army"
Aired March 13, 2018 - 04:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CARL AZUZ, CNN 10 ANCHOR: Welcome to CNN 10, where we`re taking you everywhere from the Middle East to the Far East this Tuesday.
I`m Carl Azuz.
And our first story concerns a weapon that said to be hypersonic, meaning it would travel at several times the speed of sound. Russia`s defense
ministry says it`s conducted a successful test of a hypersonic missile. A nation might want to want a weapon like that because in theory, it would
fly fast enough to get through missile defense systems, which are designed to shoot down incoming projectiles.
Russia says its hypersonic missile was launched from a fighter jet that it`s intended to hit targets on land and at sea and that the one it tested
hit a specific spot at a training ground. Russian President Vladimir Putin called the missile invincible and says his country has the greatest nuclear
potential in the world.
But there is some skepticism about whether Russia really has a working hypersonic missile. A U.S. government official says there`s doubt that the
weapon President Putin described was even close to being operational. And that was echoed by U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
JAMES MATTIS, DEFENSE SECRETARY: And I would just tell you that I saw no change to the Russia military capability and each of these systems he`s
talking about that are still years away, I do not see them changing the military balance. They do not impact any need on our side for a change in
our deterrent posture.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
AZUZ: International analysts say President Putin might be promoting his country`s military strength in order to portray himself as a strong leader
in Russia and abroad. Russia has a presidential election scheduled for March 18.
From Russia, we`re taking you to Saudi Arabia, a nation where this June, when it will be allowed to have drivers licenses. It`s a major change for
the absolute monarchy, whose legal system is based on Sharia or Islamic religious law. The government has strict controls over many aspects of
life there, from the economy to the nation`s broadcast media. So, the change had to come from the top.
Not all of the nation`s religious leaders support the change and the kingdom still has guardianship laws which require women to get permission
from their husbands, fathers or other male relatives for many decisions in their lives. But they will not need that permission to drive a car.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Saudi Arabia is the only place on the planet where women cannot drive a car. In June,
though, that will all be history, as women are set to hit the highway. The road to get here has been paved with decades of protests and petitions.
In 1990, 47 women took to the streets, forbidden from riding around Riyadh, they were soon arrested.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I love driving. I wish I can drive in the country, in our country.
ANDERSON: Her wish was not realized. The struggle went on. Women, thousands of them, flouted the authorities.
MANA AL-SHARIF, SAUDI ARABIAN ACTIVIST FOR WOMEN`S RIGHTS: The crime, driving while female.
ANDERSON: Fast forward to two 2011 and prominent activist and author, Manal al-Sharif, was jailed for nine days after she posted this clip of her
in the driver seat on YouTube.
AL-SHARIF: It`s a symbolic act of the women rise, we want to be full citizens. I`m educated, I have a job and I should be able to -- I should
be trusted to drive my own car.
ANDERSON: And last September that trust was extended.
(on camera): An historic day for millions of women and their families here in Saudi Arabia.
(voice-over): The Royal decree issued by King Salman was celebrated by many in the uber conservative country.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: I can`t wait until June.
KHOLOUD ATTAR, SAUDI BUSINESSWOMAN: It feels great, actually, because we have been waiting for this for years.
ANDERSON (on camera): How do you feel?
ATTAR: I haven`t slept from excitement.
ANDERSON: I`ve spoken here who say that they appreciate that change is necessary. But they say things are going so quickly. It`s too fast. To
which you say what?
ATTAR: Which I agree it is going fast, but I appreciate it. I don`t think -- it`s like a Band-Aid. I think if you take it slow is going to hurt much
more longer and it will be hard for people to adopt. I think the fact that they realize that there is a realization that it is necessary to move fast
really helps the development. Because the whole world is going fast and the people who don`t take these fast steps are really left behind.
ANDERSON (voice-over): Something this man doesn`t want to happen in his country. Saudi Arabia`s young ambitious Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman
is credited with driving this forward. All part of the road ahead for Saudi Arabia, a multifaceted vision to bring the kingdom up to speed by
2030.
And with this change, women will no longer be passengers simply along for the ride.
Becky Anderson, CNN, Abu Dhabi.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
AZUZ: Major changes also taking place in China. Its presidency used to be limited to a pair of back to back terms of five years each. Now, there is
no limit. It`s a constitutional change that also applies to the country`s vice presidency. That means that President Xi Jinping and the person he
chooses as his V.P. could rule China for decades.
Another constitutional change has led to the creation of an all-powerful anticorruption agency that will have a level of power similar to China`s
supreme court. China is a communist county. Its main political party has no significant opposition. So, the vote to make these changes was mostly
symbolic.
It`s been criticized by some western analysts as a return to more oppressive, single person rule in China. The country`s government
controlled media calls that ignorant of China`s reality.
But the government has also clamped down on dissent across the Internet in China. People there say it`s removed any negative reactions to the
constitutional changes and gone after keywords like emperor and disagree.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
AZUZ (voice-over): Ten-second trivia:
Which of these conflicts occurred after "The War to End All Wars"?
World War II, U.S. Civil War, Napoleonic Wars, or War of 1812?
"The War to End All Wars" was another term for World War I and the only one of these conflicts that came after that was World War II.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
AZUZ: More than 16 million Americans served in the Second World War, between 1941 and 1945. And one particular unit of about 1,100 U.S. troops
had a unique mission to make it appear like there were thousands more.
Our next subject today is about the 23rd Headquarters Special Troops. They were also known as America`s "Ghost Army", but they weren`t known to the
public for decades, because like its missions themselves, the "Ghost Army" was kept secret.
In fact, its specialty involved keeping secrets and faking large scale military movements, with the goal of deceiving the German Army.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIIFED MALE: We`ve tapped into their radios.
UNIDENTIIFED MALE: We can confirm two divisions.
UNIDENTIIFED MALE: Confirmed. We have an aerial visual.
UNIDENTIIFED MALE: Copy?
UNIDENTIIFED MALE: Yes, yes, we can hear them moving in.
REPORTER: Only none of what the Germans thought they could see or hear was real.
During World War II, a secret division of the U.S. army, now known as the "Ghost Army", conducted over 20 tactical operations, which resulted in
saving tens of thousands of lives.
The mission? To trick the enemy into thinking that their unit of 1,000 men was actually two divisions of 30,000 men.
But the "Ghost Army" wasn`t made up of traditional soldiers. The majority were actors, designers, advertisers, and artists who had been recruited
from the top art and design schools around the country.
And this army of artists used their creativity for an infantry of illusion.
Engineers developed inflatable tanks which the artists would then paint. These tanks could condense down to fit into a portable bag and inflate on
demand, much like a bouncy castle.
Audio engineers used large speakers to play sound effects of tanks and marching soldiers, which had been pre-recorded at Fort Knox. This marching
army could be heard from miles away.
Along with fake radio messages sent into the signals of the enemies, they would also send actors dressed as generals and officers into local towns to
spread false information and rumors.
It wasn`t until 1996, when information about the "Ghost Army" was declassified that the world finally knew about these masters of
misdirection, the unsung heroes of World War II.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
AZUZ: Two words, penguin and selfie, "10 Out of 10".
An explorer named Eddie Gault recently left behind a camera at a penguin colony in Antarctica. So, an emperor penguin waddled over to have a look
and it`s not long before a friend comes over to photo-bomb it. Well, why shouldn`t they get their close up? They`re already wearing tuxedos. And
then as if they`re asked what they think about selfies in general? Nope, probably think those are for the birds.
Hey, at least they weren`t camera shy. Of course, they`d started march of the penguins, so they`ve already been on air if not in it. And who needs
to be king of Instagram when you`re already the emperor of Antarctica?
I`m Carl Azuz penguining all day for CNN 10.
END
