Narrow Escapes of World War II episode 6: How Erich Von Manstein's miraculous escape from the Red Army later became the basis for NATO's defence plans. By the spring of 1943, the German army is on the run across southern Russia. Gen. Erich von Manstein has plans for a new, highly mobile form of defensive warfare that might reverse the course of the war in the…
Secrets of World War II episode 11: The underwater war saw many innovations and a rapid increase in electronic technology, which eventually enabled the Allies to achieve ultimate victory. It was the only thing that truly frightened Winston Churchill. Silently patrolling the cold, gray waters of the Atlantic, the German U-boat almost sank Great Britain's chances for victory. How could the U-boat nearly sever England's lifeline?…
The Prussian king Frederick the Great was one of the greatest warriors and leaders in modern European history, achieving greatness through the Seven Years War and lauded as a philosopher and cultured 'Prince of the Enlightenment'. Yet the reputation of both Frederick and his Prussia was to be tarnished by association with Hitler's Nazi regime. Historian Christopher Clark re-examines the life and achievements of…
Hitler's Steel Beast: At the end of the 1930s, Hitler ordered the construction of a special train, under the code name "Amerika", that could transport him around safely and appease his growing paranoia. Hitler had a few iconic pieces of transportation, from a famous Mercedes to the SSS Horst Wessel sailing vessel, but his headquarters train was one of the most famous during…
Spitfire: an epic, sweeping tale of determination, vision and courage, this documentary is the story of an aircraft that was forged in competition, shaped as the war clouds gathered, and refined in the white heat of combat. Told in the words of the last-surviving World War II veterans, with stunning contemporary and historical aerial footage, Spitfire explores how an extraordinary plane became an international…
Apocalypse Stalin: Who was Stalin? The man who defeated Nazism? The 'Little Father of the Peoples'? Or the greatest criminal of his time? Part 1: Demon Episode covers Joseph Stalin's early life and his early political activities which resulted in his rose to power with the help of Lenin. June 1941 Hitler has thrown himself into a fight to the death against Stalin.…
The Invasion - The Outbreak of World War II: On 1 September 1939, Hitler started the most fatal war in world history. With the invasion of Poland, he did not only aim at destroying the military force of the neighboring country but also at depriving its people of their livelihood. The German-Polish two-part series reconstructs how the Fuhrer triggered a chain of events sparking a global…
Vienna was the capital of the Habsburg dynasty and home to the Holy Roman Emperors. From here, they dominated middle Europe for nearly 1,000 years. In this series, historian Simon Sebag Montefiore describes how the Habsburgs transformed Vienna into a multi-national city of music, culture and ideas. Napoleon, Hitler, Mozart, Strauss, Freud, Stalin and Klimt all played their part. Vienna: Empire, Dynasty and Dream ep. 1…