The First World War: The War to End All Wars
January. 01,1991Seasons & Episode
Action The full industrial might of nation states backed millions of fighting men in a war which saw casualty figures on a colossal scale beyond any previous experience. As well as the slaughter in the trenches the whole fabric of society was caught up in a process which destroyed almost an entire generation of young men.
In the summer of 1914 the Nations of Europe had entered into a conflict of unforeseen and unprecedented savagery. From the Balkans storm center the winds of war had blown outward engulfing nation after nation. For over 40 years prior a balance of power remained in Europe with Russia to the east, Germany in the middle, and England to the west.
Kaiserschlacht or Kaiser's Battle, the German spring offensive in 1918, was the last significant German offensive of World War One. It saw the first major deployment of Stormtrooper units on the Western Front and their innovative tactics led to the breaking of the trench war stalemate for the first time in four years.
From concept through to design, construction and deployment, Great German Aircraft of World War One explores the stories behind the famous German Fighters and bombers of the First World War. Illustrious names such as Fokker, Junkers, Halberstadt, Gotha, and Albatross all developed and built aircraft and were constantly trying to stay one step ahead of the Allied air forces.
Through fascinating and at times shocking archive footage the programs in this series tells the stark story of the First World War, which even 100 years later remains a visceral national memory. The evolution from trench warfare to utilizing tanks and airplanes changed the shape of military campaigns forever.