6. Hitler Was Caught Dancing On Film After France Surrendered
This hoax is very much of its time, but it's fascinating to note just how far the ability to doctor footage has come. Back in 1940, a ceremony in Compiegne, France was held so that Hitler could accept the surrender of the French government. The ceremony was being filmed, and upon accepting France's surrender, Hitler can be seen taking a small, jaunty step backwards. When countries around the world were shown the footage, however, they saw slightly more than just a small step. The reel showed what appeared to be Hitler doing a smug little dance, as if immaturely mocking France (and the world at large) for his victory. The footage was shown in many cinemas in various Allied countries, as these were often used to update the public on the current state of the war. Understandably, it caused a huge amount of public outrage. The hoax went undisputed throughout the war until afterwards, when it transpired that a man named John Grierson (who is often considered the father of British and Canadian documentary film) had doctored the footage and caused it to loop repeatedly. This made Hitler's step backwards appear as if he was actually dancing.
