Two bombs went off in Auckland’s Waitematā Harbour under the cover of darkness. By morning, the destruction of the Greenpeace ship Rainbow Warrior – used to protest nuclear testing in the Pacific – was plain for all to see.

Many New Zealanders still find it hard to believe, but for those involved in planting the bombs on behalf of the French Government, the attack on July 10, 1985, was intended only as a blunt warning to the protesters. Then the death of Fernando Pereira, 40-years-ago today, changed everything.

What followed in the days and weeks afterwards was a tale of lies, spies and political manoeuvring, as New Zealand authorities fought to catch those responsible, and their French counterparts tried to cover their tracks.

In a new six-part series from the NZ Herald and Bird of Paradise Productions, Rainbow Warrior: A Forgotten History re-examines the events leading up to the terror attack and the subsequent fallout on either side of the world. We explore the real reasons behind France’s attack, hear from those involved in all parts of the story, and examine if, four decades later, the world has learned anything about nuclear weapons.