The figures are stark and almost impossible to comprehend: military deaths estimated between 21-25 million, civilian deaths between 50-55 million. The greatest manmade event in history was also the most lethal, taking far more lives away from the battlefield than on it. “Hell on Earth” tells the story of The Second World War” from a perspective that recognises these overwhelming facts: war as a human experience.
The BBC cameras follow an ever diminishing band of students through 3 years of training and selection.
As the deadliest war in history draws to an end, the bloodshed is far from over. For ten soldiers and civilians caught in this theatre of war's final act, the last days of World War II would change their lives forever. Witness the stories of the courageous men and women whose sacrifice and survival, triumph and tragedy provide unique insight into some of the most terrifying days in history. Their firsthand accounts will take you into Hitler's Bunker, to the scene of Mussolini's capture and murder, and to the horrific discovery of the Nazi's most ghastly secret.
Spanning from the Civil War to modern-day Afghanistan, each episode explores the courageous actions of soldiers, sailors, Marines, and airmen who have earned the Medal of Honor, the nation's highest military recognition.
Archival aerial images, some lost or forgotten until now, are used to build 3-dimensional views of World War II Pacific battle sites. Including commentary by soldiers who fought in them, we revisit eight key battles of that war: Pearl Harbor, Guadalcanal, Tarawa, Saipan, Guam, Leyte, Iwo Jima, and Okinawa
Nazi war criminals are hunted down and put on trail for atrocities committed during WWII. Contains Film of the concentration camps with survivors interviewed. These films follow the rise and fall of Nazism from the Munich beer halls to the Nuremberg War Trials. Includes flashbacks of a variety of Nazi war crimes against humanity.
A detailed look at what happened in Poland during WW2. Featuring interviews with German, Polish and Jewish survivors, it incorporates real footage and reenactments to detail a story that is virtually unknown outside of Poland. They were the first victims.
The series tells the story of several young people who are heading to war zones to perform in theater. In the area, enemy forces mistake one of these young people, Garzin Beghzin, played by Majid Salehi, for the headquarters commander.
It was one of the largest naval engagements ever and a turning point in WWII. The Battle of Midway changed the face of warfare and made victory in the Pacific possible.
Canada at War features dramatic archival footage of the pivotal conflicts that shaped the outcome of World War II. Fascinating eyewitness accounts from both Allied and Axis soldiers place you on the battlefield. Follow Canada's soldiers in the ill-fated raid on Dieppe and the attempt to seize Arnhem.
Horrors of World War I are relived as last survivors tell their tales in this new series.
A unique and harrowing six-part documentary series featuring testimonials from more than 100 WWI veterans. This culmination of interviews captured over the last 15 years has been put together in one series for the first time, along with historic newsreel footage and dramatic reconstructions.
Winner of a Royal Television Society Documentary Award (2009), this breathtaking series is praised for providing a unique historical record of a lost generation.
A look at the week's political events
The most detailed documentary about the Battle of Berlin. Follow the battle day by day with this 18-part series.