Showing posts with label History Channel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label History Channel. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
The World Wars (2014)
An assassination in Sarajevo sparks a global war. For the next 30 years, deadly fighting rages across Europe, Africa, China and the Pacific. Hitler. Churchill. De Gaulle. MacArthur. Patton. Stalin. Mussolini. We know them as legends. But they first learn what it will take to rise to greatness as young soldiers, fighting for their lives on the frontlines.
Heroes of War: Poland (2014)
2014 marks the 75th anniversary of the beginning of World War II. This new series takes us back to a time when ordinary people became extraordinary heroes, freedom fighters, spies and code-breakers, often in deadly battles with Nazi forces.
Set in Poland, which was home to some of the war's worst atrocities, Heroes of War uncovers tales of heroism and sacrifice from a number of unsung heroes of World War II. Featuring interviews with the few remaining eyewitnesses, access to newly released documents, re-enactment and archive footage, it reveals the true and, until now, hidden stories of heroism during wartime.
Part 1: Witold Pilecki
The series begins with the extraordinary story of Witold Pilecki, the “Auschwitz Volunteer” who stepped into a German roundup one day in order to see for himself the conditions at the new concentration camp outside Warsaw, known to Poles as Oswiecim. He not only survived the experience but after nearly three years escaped to report the facts to London and eventually to write the story in excruciating detail. Executed in 1948 by Poland’s Russian-controlled secret police
Part 2: Cichociemni
The second program tells the story of the Cichociemni, the Special Operations commandos who trained in Scotland and who were parachuted into Poland and other German-occupied countries to support local resistance groups under the control of the London-based Polish government in exile.
Part 3: Cracking Enigma
The third episode takes up the story of how the British broke the “Enigma” encryption machines of the German armed forces using the knowledge gained by Poland in the 1930s. Working for the Cypher Bureau of the Polish General Staff, and using only encrypted messages, mathematician Marian Rejewski and two colleagues reverse-engineered an Enigma machine and built a “cryptologic bomb” to translate messages
Part 4: Zegota
Less known today is Zegota, an underground organization with cells in Warsaw, Krakow, Vilnius, and Lwow that helped thousands of Jews survive the German occupation. Contrary to the well-established belief in Polish anti-Semitism, Poland was the only country in occupied Europe to have such an organization.
Part 5: Krystyna Skarbek
Finally, one of the best spies in WW2 gives us the astonishing story of Krystyna Skarbek, whose father was a Polish aristocrat and her mother a Jewish banking heiress. She and her second husband were en route to Nairobi where he was to assume a diplomatic post when the war broke out. They immediately changed course and sailed from Cape Town to England and once there she immediately displayed her remarkable gift for persuasion by overcoming the obvious objections. She wasn’t British! She was Polish! She was Jewish! And worst of all, she was a woman! Skarbek made her way home to Poland by way of still-neutral Hungary, crossing the mountainous frontier in December 1939 with the help of a Polish Olympic skier. Captured by the Gestapo, she gained her release and that of a comrade by biting her tongue until it bled, then feigning a tubercular cough. Later she worked in France for the Special Operations Executive,
Set in Poland, which was home to some of the war's worst atrocities, Heroes of War uncovers tales of heroism and sacrifice from a number of unsung heroes of World War II. Featuring interviews with the few remaining eyewitnesses, access to newly released documents, re-enactment and archive footage, it reveals the true and, until now, hidden stories of heroism during wartime.
Part 1: Witold Pilecki
The series begins with the extraordinary story of Witold Pilecki, the “Auschwitz Volunteer” who stepped into a German roundup one day in order to see for himself the conditions at the new concentration camp outside Warsaw, known to Poles as Oswiecim. He not only survived the experience but after nearly three years escaped to report the facts to London and eventually to write the story in excruciating detail. Executed in 1948 by Poland’s Russian-controlled secret police
Part 2: Cichociemni
The second program tells the story of the Cichociemni, the Special Operations commandos who trained in Scotland and who were parachuted into Poland and other German-occupied countries to support local resistance groups under the control of the London-based Polish government in exile.
Part 3: Cracking Enigma
The third episode takes up the story of how the British broke the “Enigma” encryption machines of the German armed forces using the knowledge gained by Poland in the 1930s. Working for the Cypher Bureau of the Polish General Staff, and using only encrypted messages, mathematician Marian Rejewski and two colleagues reverse-engineered an Enigma machine and built a “cryptologic bomb” to translate messages
Part 4: Zegota
Less known today is Zegota, an underground organization with cells in Warsaw, Krakow, Vilnius, and Lwow that helped thousands of Jews survive the German occupation. Contrary to the well-established belief in Polish anti-Semitism, Poland was the only country in occupied Europe to have such an organization.
Part 5: Krystyna Skarbek
Finally, one of the best spies in WW2 gives us the astonishing story of Krystyna Skarbek, whose father was a Polish aristocrat and her mother a Jewish banking heiress. She and her second husband were en route to Nairobi where he was to assume a diplomatic post when the war broke out. They immediately changed course and sailed from Cape Town to England and once there she immediately displayed her remarkable gift for persuasion by overcoming the obvious objections. She wasn’t British! She was Polish! She was Jewish! And worst of all, she was a woman! Skarbek made her way home to Poland by way of still-neutral Hungary, crossing the mountainous frontier in December 1939 with the help of a Polish Olympic skier. Captured by the Gestapo, she gained her release and that of a comrade by biting her tongue until it bled, then feigning a tubercular cough. Later she worked in France for the Special Operations Executive,
Friday, May 9, 2014
* 10 Things You Dont Know About (Series): The White House
Did you know that President John F. Kennedy was a bodybuilder, Roman ruler Caligula loved to gamble and drug kingpin Pablo Escobar burned millions in cash to keep warm? In the series 10 Things You Don’t Know About, author and maverick historian David Eisenbach reveals intriguing and provocative details about some of history’s most fascinating individuals and groups. Tune in each week to explore the lives of historical figures ranging from Abraham Lincoln to the members of the Rat Pack, discovering what your textbooks never told you.
The White House might be the most recognizable home in the entire world. But as a Washington, D.C. native, Henry Rollins knows there's far more to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue than meets the eye. From dissecting the shape of the Oval Office to uncovering why a brothel once operated on White House grounds, Henry uncovers the most thought-provoking details about the Executive Mansion.
The White House might be the most recognizable home in the entire world. But as a Washington, D.C. native, Henry Rollins knows there's far more to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue than meets the eye. From dissecting the shape of the Oval Office to uncovering why a brothel once operated on White House grounds, Henry uncovers the most thought-provoking details about the Executive Mansion.
* 10 Things You Dont Know About: (Sample)
Did you know that President John F. Kennedy was a bodybuilder, Roman ruler Caligula loved to gamble and drug kingpin Pablo Escobar burned millions in cash to keep warm? In the series 10 Things You Don’t Know About, author and maverick historian David Eisenbach reveals intriguing and provocative details about some of history’s most fascinating individuals and groups. Tune in each week to explore the lives of historical figures ranging from Abraham Lincoln to the members of the Rat Pack, discovering what your textbooks never told you.
* 10 Things You Dont Know About (Series): Presidential Assassinations
Did you know that President John F. Kennedy was a bodybuilder, Roman ruler Caligula loved to gamble and drug kingpin Pablo Escobar burned millions in cash to keep warm? In the series 10 Things You Don’t Know About, author and maverick historian David Eisenbach reveals intriguing and provocative details about some of history’s most fascinating individuals and groups. Tune in each week to explore the lives of historical figures ranging from Abraham Lincoln to the members of the Rat Pack, discovering what your textbooks never told you.
Four American Presidents have lost their lives to some of the most notorious madmen in all of history. But Henry Rollins is discovering that there are some strange and wild tales of assassination that you just don’t know about. Whether it's failed attempts and medical oddities, or brain-busting conspiracies and savage gun battles, Henry has his crosshairs trained on the most shocking facts surrounding presidential assassins.
Four American Presidents have lost their lives to some of the most notorious madmen in all of history. But Henry Rollins is discovering that there are some strange and wild tales of assassination that you just don’t know about. Whether it's failed attempts and medical oddities, or brain-busting conspiracies and savage gun battles, Henry has his crosshairs trained on the most shocking facts surrounding presidential assassins.
Tuesday, May 6, 2014
* World War I - The Great War (2009)
The definitive collection of documentary programs on World War One. Experience the world-changing events from the birth of what became known as The Great War to the tragic, final day where over 13,000 men died. From the first dogfighters and the Red Baron, to the battle of The Somme, John J. Pershing, The Iron General and the Last Day of WWI. In the four year period from 1914 - 1918, the war was responsible for over 40 million casualties and over 20 million deaths. Join the brave servicemen of land, sea, and air as they valiantly fought alongside their Allied brothers in this "war to end all wars."
Part 1: Most Decorated : The Doughboys
Comprised of innocent teenage farm boys, the doughboys in Europe faced a most horrific warfare with machine guns, mustard gas, and artillery shells. New weapons and old tactics turned an infantry charge into an act of mass suicide for the brave young soldiers of WWI.
Part 2: WWI Death of Glory - Part One
Its names are loaded with irony. "The Great War" saw chivalry and honor on the battlefield replaced by technology and firepower that swept millions to their deaths. "The War to End All Wars" was followed less than 25 years later by an even deadlier conflict. WORLD WAR I: THE DEATH OF GLORY shows how this epic struggle had a more profound effect on civilization than any other war in history. New countries had to be built on the ruins of a continent. It was the end of kings, empires and innocence, and the beginning of weapons like the U-boat, the machine gun, the tank and poison gas. Graphic footage captures the horrors of trench warfare in battles like Verdun, where over one million men died. Riveting commentary from leading experts details the awesome effects of new technology on the battlefield, and the revolutionary changes that the end of the war brought.
Part 3: WWI Death of Glory - Part Two
World War I was in every way more epochal and earth-shaking than World War II. After World War I, nothing was recognizable. What was rebuilt was a shadow of the greatness and history that had been destroyed. Visit the killing fields where history was made, and relive the horrors of the conflict through period commentary and archival artifacts. From the fateful shot fired by Gavrilo Princip to the birth of the modern world and warfare, this is the story of WORLD WAR I: THE DEATH OF GLORY.
Part 4: Secrets of World War I
Experts discuss the political personalities and intolerance behind the "War to End All Wars." Discover the history behind the first weapons of mass destruction, why they were created, and how they were made. Look at documents that were once classified for reasons of national security and discover why they were kept secret. We uncover the forgotten story of the secret deals government mistakes political intolerance and America's role in the war. We mine formerly guarded vaults and archives worldwide reviewing once top-secret footage and declassified materials to search for the facts behind the thrilling stories with which we've become familiar.
Part 5: The First Dogfighters
Ever imagine what it would be like to participate in the most historic air battles of all time? Imagine no more. DOGFIGHTS puts you in the cockpit to re-create famous air-to-air engagements. Computer graphics, animation, firsthand accounts, and archival footage make these thrilling and dangerous dogfights all too real. Travel back to the dawn of air combat, WWI, when dogfighting was at its purest. Experience a time when, with open cockpits and unaided targeting, aces literally saw the whites of their foes' eyes. In canvas-and-wire biplanes, these dashing warriors engaged in classic duels, inventing tactics as they flew. In THE FIRST DOGFIGHTERS, cinch your goggles and fly with the first great aces of WWI. Witness as Ernst Udet goes one-on-one with Georges Guynemer. See how Werner Voss faced down an entire squadron of British aces. And watch American ace Arthur Raymond Brooks engage in the dogfight of his life. Join these daring young men in their flying machines in THE FIRST DOGFIGHTERS!
Part 6: Red Baron and the Wings of Death
The legendary World War I flying ace, Manfred von Richthofen, managed 80 kills over WWI Europe. Watch this pioneer of the dogfight as he meets his greatest challenge- a warplane seemingly designed for the express purpose of bringing him down. April 1917: the most feared pilot of World War I is at the controls of the best fighter plane of the day. A 24-year-old legend at the top of his game, Manfred von Richthofen is up against a new generation of enemy aircraft designed to break the supremacy of the German Albatros, the Sopwith Triplane. It will demand all of the Red Baron's considerable skill just to survive.
Part 7: Mystery U-Boat of WWI
A veteran of the brutal naval battles of World War I, the German submarine UB-107 was discovered on the floor of the North Sea in 1985. An important find itself, it harbored a surprise that would force experts to re-examine the records of the epic conflict. Join John Chatterton and the DEEP SEA DETECTIVES as they descend 100 feet into cold and murky waters to explore this remarkable site. Entwined in the remains of the submarine is the wreck of the British steamship Malvina, which was supposedly sunk a week after the UB-107, and thirty miles away! Historians and divers help piece together the clues left behind by these ghosts of World War I.
Part 8: WWI : The Battle of Jutland
World War I: Jutland. May 1916. The British Grand Fleet, unchallenged since the Battle of Trafalgar, is moored in the peaceful harbor of Scapa Flow off the north coast of Scotland. The global dominance of the British Royal Navy is seemingly assured. But this is all about to change. The Battle of Jutland between Britain and Germany was the largest naval action of all time. It was a confrontation that the British wanted. An opportunity to unleash their lethal super weapons of the day--the great ships they called Dreadnoughts--and to prove that Britain did still rule the waves. Yet, in the cold grey waters of northern Europe, the showdown ended in carnage on a scale few could have imagined. Today, the ships with their vast gun turrets and thousands of shells still litter the seabed. Now, using the latest modern science, we try to determine what went wrong. Why was Jutland so disastrous for the British Royal Navy? And could it be, that in losing the battle, they won the naval war?
Part 9: WWI : The Somme
In just one day almost 60,000 British soldiers were killed or wounded. Why was this first day on the Somme such a disaster for the British? World War I, trenches and barbed wire ran across the entire continent of Europe from the Mediterranean to the North Sea. At 7:30am on July 1st, 1916, after a devastating artillery bombardment lasting more than a week, 100,000 British soldiers waited in their trenches ready to advance on the German lines. They'd been told to expect minimal resistance, but as they picked their way slowly across no-man's-land, guns opened fire. Shells burst overhead, and waves of men were machine-gunned down. It was a military catastrophe of unprecedented proportions. Filmed on the battlefield itself, in laboratories and on firing ranges - archaeologists, military historians, and other experts from disciplines as diverse as metallurgy and geology investigate the factors and conduct tests to replicate and understand the factors that turned one terrible day into the bloodiest in the history of the British Army.
Part 10: John J Pershing : The Iron General
He took a 128,000-man force and transformed it into a juggernaut of 4 million soldiers that won a war. His was a face made for monuments, and a life worthy of them. He was arguably more responsible for transforming America into an international power than anyone else. John J. Pershing started his career as an Indian fighter on the frontier. He ended it as the greatest war hero America had ever seen. In between was enough triumph and tragedy for several lives. This searching profile pieces together a portrait of an ambitious, driven man haunted by a searing tragedy--the loss of his wife and three daughters killed in a fire. Military historians detail how he transformed a tiny, 128,000-man force into an army of four million men, and then led it to victory in the greatest battle America had ever fought--the Meuse Argonne offensive in October 1918. That Pershing was no tactical genius is clear, but his crude force made up in numbers what they lacked in strategy. John Pershing, the senior U.S. Army General of World War I, was granted the rank of "General of the Armies" in 1919 in recognition of his performance as the commander of the American Expeditionary Force. "General of the Armies" of the United States is the highest possible land-based rank in the United States military hierarchy. From the fading frontier to the trenches of World War I, follow the career of one of the most important American generals of all time.
Part 11: Dear Home : Letters from World War I
It was a conflict the likes of which the world had never seen, embroiling 15 nations and 65 million people, and fought with weapons unprecedented in their power to maim and kill. Drawing in on the millions of letters written home by American doughboys, nurses, drivers, and clerks; reveals what it was like to fight in the "Great War". The real story of World War I wasn't told in official reports. It came in battered, dirty envelopes more often than not marked "Somewhere in France." These letters were filled with stories of everyday life, of battles and boredom, loneliness and longing, and fear and fatigue. SAVE OUR HISTORY: DEAR HOME: LETTERS FROM WWI tells the story of war through the eyes of the American men and women soldiers who lived through it. It recounts, in their own words, the hopes and dreams, fears and frustrations of those men and women who were on the front lines of the First World War.
Part 12: Christmas Truce
WWI began in August 1914, and by December all thoughts of quick victory had faded. Fighting was most fierce in a thin strip of land called the Western Front. A system of trenches separated Allies from Germans, with the area in between known as No Man's Land. Amidst the trench warfare that defined World War I, a few days of spontaneous peace broke out. On Christmas Eve, an astonishing event began--up and down the Western Front, Allied and German soldiers met peacefully in No Man's Land. Without a signed treaty, surrender, or armistice, German and Allied soldiers alike were able to share Christmas cheer together. Actor Ioan Gruffud narrates a feature-length look at the fabled Christmas truce, filled with eyewitness accounts.
Part 13: Last Day of WWI
Discover why more soldiers died on the final day of WWI than on D-Day, as this chilling indictment of the horror and pointlessness of war is captured by rare footage and photos. At 11am on November 11, 1918, World War I ended victory was assured and final territory agreed upon. How is it possible, then, that more soldiers died on this day than on D-Day? Based on Joseph Persico s book 11th Month, 11th Day, 11th Hour: Armistice Day, 1918, World War I and Its Violent Climax (2004), THE LAST DAY OF WORLD WAR I focuses on the little-known events of the war s Armistice Day, revealing the outrageous excuses Allied leaders found to send 13,000 men to their deaths against a defeated enemy. Some leaders desired promotion, others retribution, while one commander chose to capture a town solely so that he could bathe. Despite the devastating human toll, nothing was gained and the territories taken on this day were eventually returned to Germany. Penetrating and provocative, THE LAST DAY OF WORLD WAR I reveals the untold story of gratuitous 11th-hour bloodshed that cost the lives of thousands of Allied heroes.
Part 1: Most Decorated : The Doughboys
Comprised of innocent teenage farm boys, the doughboys in Europe faced a most horrific warfare with machine guns, mustard gas, and artillery shells. New weapons and old tactics turned an infantry charge into an act of mass suicide for the brave young soldiers of WWI.
Part 2: WWI Death of Glory - Part One
Its names are loaded with irony. "The Great War" saw chivalry and honor on the battlefield replaced by technology and firepower that swept millions to their deaths. "The War to End All Wars" was followed less than 25 years later by an even deadlier conflict. WORLD WAR I: THE DEATH OF GLORY shows how this epic struggle had a more profound effect on civilization than any other war in history. New countries had to be built on the ruins of a continent. It was the end of kings, empires and innocence, and the beginning of weapons like the U-boat, the machine gun, the tank and poison gas. Graphic footage captures the horrors of trench warfare in battles like Verdun, where over one million men died. Riveting commentary from leading experts details the awesome effects of new technology on the battlefield, and the revolutionary changes that the end of the war brought.
Part 3: WWI Death of Glory - Part Two
World War I was in every way more epochal and earth-shaking than World War II. After World War I, nothing was recognizable. What was rebuilt was a shadow of the greatness and history that had been destroyed. Visit the killing fields where history was made, and relive the horrors of the conflict through period commentary and archival artifacts. From the fateful shot fired by Gavrilo Princip to the birth of the modern world and warfare, this is the story of WORLD WAR I: THE DEATH OF GLORY.
Part 4: Secrets of World War I
Experts discuss the political personalities and intolerance behind the "War to End All Wars." Discover the history behind the first weapons of mass destruction, why they were created, and how they were made. Look at documents that were once classified for reasons of national security and discover why they were kept secret. We uncover the forgotten story of the secret deals government mistakes political intolerance and America's role in the war. We mine formerly guarded vaults and archives worldwide reviewing once top-secret footage and declassified materials to search for the facts behind the thrilling stories with which we've become familiar.
Part 5: The First Dogfighters
Ever imagine what it would be like to participate in the most historic air battles of all time? Imagine no more. DOGFIGHTS puts you in the cockpit to re-create famous air-to-air engagements. Computer graphics, animation, firsthand accounts, and archival footage make these thrilling and dangerous dogfights all too real. Travel back to the dawn of air combat, WWI, when dogfighting was at its purest. Experience a time when, with open cockpits and unaided targeting, aces literally saw the whites of their foes' eyes. In canvas-and-wire biplanes, these dashing warriors engaged in classic duels, inventing tactics as they flew. In THE FIRST DOGFIGHTERS, cinch your goggles and fly with the first great aces of WWI. Witness as Ernst Udet goes one-on-one with Georges Guynemer. See how Werner Voss faced down an entire squadron of British aces. And watch American ace Arthur Raymond Brooks engage in the dogfight of his life. Join these daring young men in their flying machines in THE FIRST DOGFIGHTERS!
Part 6: Red Baron and the Wings of Death
The legendary World War I flying ace, Manfred von Richthofen, managed 80 kills over WWI Europe. Watch this pioneer of the dogfight as he meets his greatest challenge- a warplane seemingly designed for the express purpose of bringing him down. April 1917: the most feared pilot of World War I is at the controls of the best fighter plane of the day. A 24-year-old legend at the top of his game, Manfred von Richthofen is up against a new generation of enemy aircraft designed to break the supremacy of the German Albatros, the Sopwith Triplane. It will demand all of the Red Baron's considerable skill just to survive.
Part 7: Mystery U-Boat of WWI
A veteran of the brutal naval battles of World War I, the German submarine UB-107 was discovered on the floor of the North Sea in 1985. An important find itself, it harbored a surprise that would force experts to re-examine the records of the epic conflict. Join John Chatterton and the DEEP SEA DETECTIVES as they descend 100 feet into cold and murky waters to explore this remarkable site. Entwined in the remains of the submarine is the wreck of the British steamship Malvina, which was supposedly sunk a week after the UB-107, and thirty miles away! Historians and divers help piece together the clues left behind by these ghosts of World War I.
Part 8: WWI : The Battle of Jutland
World War I: Jutland. May 1916. The British Grand Fleet, unchallenged since the Battle of Trafalgar, is moored in the peaceful harbor of Scapa Flow off the north coast of Scotland. The global dominance of the British Royal Navy is seemingly assured. But this is all about to change. The Battle of Jutland between Britain and Germany was the largest naval action of all time. It was a confrontation that the British wanted. An opportunity to unleash their lethal super weapons of the day--the great ships they called Dreadnoughts--and to prove that Britain did still rule the waves. Yet, in the cold grey waters of northern Europe, the showdown ended in carnage on a scale few could have imagined. Today, the ships with their vast gun turrets and thousands of shells still litter the seabed. Now, using the latest modern science, we try to determine what went wrong. Why was Jutland so disastrous for the British Royal Navy? And could it be, that in losing the battle, they won the naval war?
Part 9: WWI : The Somme
In just one day almost 60,000 British soldiers were killed or wounded. Why was this first day on the Somme such a disaster for the British? World War I, trenches and barbed wire ran across the entire continent of Europe from the Mediterranean to the North Sea. At 7:30am on July 1st, 1916, after a devastating artillery bombardment lasting more than a week, 100,000 British soldiers waited in their trenches ready to advance on the German lines. They'd been told to expect minimal resistance, but as they picked their way slowly across no-man's-land, guns opened fire. Shells burst overhead, and waves of men were machine-gunned down. It was a military catastrophe of unprecedented proportions. Filmed on the battlefield itself, in laboratories and on firing ranges - archaeologists, military historians, and other experts from disciplines as diverse as metallurgy and geology investigate the factors and conduct tests to replicate and understand the factors that turned one terrible day into the bloodiest in the history of the British Army.
Part 10: John J Pershing : The Iron General
He took a 128,000-man force and transformed it into a juggernaut of 4 million soldiers that won a war. His was a face made for monuments, and a life worthy of them. He was arguably more responsible for transforming America into an international power than anyone else. John J. Pershing started his career as an Indian fighter on the frontier. He ended it as the greatest war hero America had ever seen. In between was enough triumph and tragedy for several lives. This searching profile pieces together a portrait of an ambitious, driven man haunted by a searing tragedy--the loss of his wife and three daughters killed in a fire. Military historians detail how he transformed a tiny, 128,000-man force into an army of four million men, and then led it to victory in the greatest battle America had ever fought--the Meuse Argonne offensive in October 1918. That Pershing was no tactical genius is clear, but his crude force made up in numbers what they lacked in strategy. John Pershing, the senior U.S. Army General of World War I, was granted the rank of "General of the Armies" in 1919 in recognition of his performance as the commander of the American Expeditionary Force. "General of the Armies" of the United States is the highest possible land-based rank in the United States military hierarchy. From the fading frontier to the trenches of World War I, follow the career of one of the most important American generals of all time.
Part 11: Dear Home : Letters from World War I
It was a conflict the likes of which the world had never seen, embroiling 15 nations and 65 million people, and fought with weapons unprecedented in their power to maim and kill. Drawing in on the millions of letters written home by American doughboys, nurses, drivers, and clerks; reveals what it was like to fight in the "Great War". The real story of World War I wasn't told in official reports. It came in battered, dirty envelopes more often than not marked "Somewhere in France." These letters were filled with stories of everyday life, of battles and boredom, loneliness and longing, and fear and fatigue. SAVE OUR HISTORY: DEAR HOME: LETTERS FROM WWI tells the story of war through the eyes of the American men and women soldiers who lived through it. It recounts, in their own words, the hopes and dreams, fears and frustrations of those men and women who were on the front lines of the First World War.
Part 12: Christmas Truce
WWI began in August 1914, and by December all thoughts of quick victory had faded. Fighting was most fierce in a thin strip of land called the Western Front. A system of trenches separated Allies from Germans, with the area in between known as No Man's Land. Amidst the trench warfare that defined World War I, a few days of spontaneous peace broke out. On Christmas Eve, an astonishing event began--up and down the Western Front, Allied and German soldiers met peacefully in No Man's Land. Without a signed treaty, surrender, or armistice, German and Allied soldiers alike were able to share Christmas cheer together. Actor Ioan Gruffud narrates a feature-length look at the fabled Christmas truce, filled with eyewitness accounts.
Part 13: Last Day of WWI
Discover why more soldiers died on the final day of WWI than on D-Day, as this chilling indictment of the horror and pointlessness of war is captured by rare footage and photos. At 11am on November 11, 1918, World War I ended victory was assured and final territory agreed upon. How is it possible, then, that more soldiers died on this day than on D-Day? Based on Joseph Persico s book 11th Month, 11th Day, 11th Hour: Armistice Day, 1918, World War I and Its Violent Climax (2004), THE LAST DAY OF WORLD WAR I focuses on the little-known events of the war s Armistice Day, revealing the outrageous excuses Allied leaders found to send 13,000 men to their deaths against a defeated enemy. Some leaders desired promotion, others retribution, while one commander chose to capture a town solely so that he could bathe. Despite the devastating human toll, nothing was gained and the territories taken on this day were eventually returned to Germany. Penetrating and provocative, THE LAST DAY OF WORLD WAR I reveals the untold story of gratuitous 11th-hour bloodshed that cost the lives of thousands of Allied heroes.
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