World War II in Colour - Season 1
Season 1
Episodes
The Gathering Storm
What were the factors that led to the rise of the militaristic dictatorships in Germany, Italy, Spain and Japan, so soon after WWI, 'the war to end all wars'?
Lightning War
The Blitzkrieg allowed Germany to overrun Poland and France within weeks. How did this radical military tactic catch the Allies totally unprepared?
Britain at Bay
How close did Britain come to defeat by the Nazis? How did the RAF, code breakers and spies combined to hold the German war machine at bay?
Hitler Strikes East
Was Hitler's invasion of Russia the greatest military gamble of all time? A swift attack would ensure victory - Germany had only to avoid a prolonged conflict. This covers Operation Barbarossa on 22 June 1941 to the Battle of Kursk on 5 July 1943.
Red Sun Rampant
On December 7th, 1941, WWII changed dramatically as Japanese planes swooped in for a surprise attack on the U.S. Pacific Fleet in Pearl Harbor. A conflict that had been fought almost entirely in Europe was now to be fought worldwide. The attack on Pearl Harbour brought the "sleeping giant" of America into the war and saw the emergence of the aircraft carrier as the pre-eminent weapon of the seas. For the next 6 months, Japan continues to have successful attacks. However, by the end of the battle for Guadalcanal in Feb 1943, they were completely on the defensive.
The Mediterranean & North Africa
Mussolini wanted to recreate the Roman Empire, but proved to be a poor military strategist. His incompetence contributed to Hitler's defeat.
Turning the Tide
Nazi submarines tried to cut supply lines across the Atlantic, while the Allies firebombed German cities. But was either action decisive in ending the war?
The Soviet Steamroller
Russia was Hitler's graveyard. See how his undefeated armies were smashed by the seemingly limitless resources of the Soviet war machine.
Overlord
How close did D-Day come to failure? Despite meticulous planning, deception plans and specialised equipment its success was always balanced on a knife-edge.
Closing the Ring
By late summer 1944, the Allied forces in north-west Europe were thrusting towards the German border. Paris and Antwerp were liberated, but then supply problems brought the advance to a halt. Meanwhile, Stalin had halted his main thrust towards Germany. The Battle of the Bulge saw Hitler take his last gamble, throwing his reserve forces against the oncoming Allies in the Ardennes. How successful were his tactics?
The Island War
The war in the Pacific against Japan was a savage hand-to-hand, island-to-island struggle, fought by new specialist fighting units like the valiant Chindits. By the spring of 1943, the Pacific war had reached a turning point. The United States had stopped the Japanese advance, now it launched a two-pronged attack to drive it back. To achieve this, the U.S. Navy had to pioneer new forms of warfare.
Victory in Europe
In Germany, Allied forces uncover the horrors of Belsen and Buchenwald, before pushing towards Berlin, where Hitler clings to power in his last desperate days.
Victory in the Pacific
With Germany beaten, the Allies turned their attention to Japan, who made them pay for every inch of gained ground. How was this last, great foe overcome?
Recently Updated Shows
Gold Rush
Gold Rush follows six men who, in the face of an economic meltdown, risk everything - their families, their dignity, and in some cases, their lives - to strike it rich mining for gold in the wilds of Alaska. Inspired by his father Jack, Todd Hoffman of Sandy, Oregon, leads a group of greenhorn miners to forge a new frontier and save their families from dire straits. While leasing a gold claim in Alaska, Todd and his company of newbies face the grandeur of Alaska as well as its hardships, including an impending winter that will halt operations and the opportunity to strike gold. In an effort to keep the operation running, the team takes fate into their own hands with a make or break venture that will change their lives forever.
The Neighborhood
The Neighborhood telling about what happens when the friendliest guy in the Midwest moves his family to a neighborhood in Los Angeles where not everyone looks like him or appreciates his extreme neighborliness. When Dave Johnson and his family arrive from Michigan, they're unfazed that their new dream home is located in a community quite different from their small town. However, their opinionated next-door neighbor, Calvin Butler, is wary of the newcomers, certain that they'll disrupt the culture on the block. Dave realizes that fitting into their new community is more complex than he expected, but if he can find a way to connect with Calvin, they have an excellent chance of making their new neighborhood their home.
Ancient Aliens
Ancient Aliens explores the controversial theory that extraterrestrials have visited Earth for millions of years. From the age of the dinosaurs to ancient Egypt, from early cave drawings to continued mass sightings in the US, each episode in this hit History series gives historic depth to the questions, speculations, provocative controversies, first-hand accounts and grounded theories surrounding this age old debate. Did intelligent beings from outer space visit Earth thousands of years ago?
