In October 2001 the United States launched the war against Afghanistan, with the whole world by its side, in an act of self-defence after the attacks of 9/11. Today, the troops of the coalition are gradually packing up. They lost over 3000 soldiers and leave behind a country on the brink of civil war and bloodshed… The official rhetoric has not stood up to the stark reality on the ground. Bin Laden? Found and killed…elsewhere, in Pakistan.
From the very beginning, aviation's pioneers believed that the aircraft's future lay in its military uses. That was where the money lay and so that was where the pioneers pitched their products. The problem was that their designs could barely carry a man more than a few yards and so many military commanders were sceptical about aviation's real potential as a weapon of war. But, by 1918, aviation had proved itself and all countries has burgeoning air forces.
From the very first air show held at Rheims, France in 1909 air shows have been the subject of countless numbers of films. This documentary features the displays that have made air shows so successful and memorable.
They stand watch along the French coast like guardians of the seas from an ancient time. Like the castles that punctuate the territory, the naval forts are the clearly visible vestiges of a time when France had to protect itself from foreign invasions...
Documenting the changing face of tank warfare over the past 100 years, this fascinating documentary is not to be missed by those with an interest in military history and weapon development.
On the 29th of August 1949, the USSR set off their first atomic bomb, just four years after the Americans. The speed with which they achieved this surprised the world. What nobody knew was that it was the result of espionage implemented at the heart of the United States. Stalin was able to obtain all the nuclear discoveries made by scientists who worked on the famous Manhattan Plan. At the centre of the operation was a very unusual female spy, Elizabeth Zaroubin.
Academy Award nominee James Cromwell presents a documentary on the War on Terror’s impact on civil liberties. For the past 15 years, the phrase ‘War on Terror’ has been used to justify everything from mass surveillance and spying to the use of drones to kill suspected terrorists without evidence or trial.
This is an insight to the cavalry’s stables counting 1 250 horses and 350 Horsemen. In the home of the Arab Horse, you can also count diverse breeds such as Shires, Frisians and many other English and German horses. Each one plays a specific role from escorting to parade, everyone has it’s particularities and needs a special care. Follow Jamal, young horsemen who joined the Royal cavalry of the Oman Sultan for the love of his nation and of the Arab Horse.
The United Nations celebrates its 70th anniversary in the fall of 2015. Among other innovations, members of the UN devised the novel concept of “soldiers for peace.” But can peace be enforced militarily? The original mission of the United Nations was to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war by maintaining peace and security between states. Now that terrorists and internal conflicts strike far more frequently than traditional inter-state wars, what does international security mean?
For over 40 years The Red Arrows have been thrilling crowds at air shows both across the UK and internationally. They are quite simply the best at what they do. The Red Arrows, officially the Royal Air Force Display Team, are the public face of the RAF, formally promoting recruitment, as well as providing inspiration to significant numbers of those who join the Royal Air Force.
In 2009, the Emir of Qatar decided to create a mounted guard on horseback. Training 15 young soldiers in record time, with some of whom never having been near a horse, is a real challenge. Thierry Delavaud, former commander of the French Republican Guard, was entrusted with this mission. A human, equestrian and linguistic adventure.
The story of leading Australian surgeon, Associate Prof Munjed Al Muderis, who has pioneered Osseointegration surgery - a controversial procedure for amputees.
Let's dive into mercenaries world, secret fighters and hiring guns for governments and private companies.
A feature-length documentary, walking in the footsteps of the “Diggers”, who in 1942, against all odds, preserved Australia’s freedom. A stunningly filmed, modern telling of the Kokoda story and its significance in the Pacific War. An exploration of the enduring spirit that sustained the Kokoda “Diggers” and which still inspires Australians today. A commemoration of the campaign’s 75th anniversary of the Kokoda Campaign and the significant battles fought in Papua New Guinea.
A groundbreaking program allows prison inmates to care for and train puppies as service dogs for injured veterans.
A fierce WWII battle at sea, unreported for more than 60 years is revealed at the bottom of the Gulf of Thailand in HD underwater video. There lay the US submarine Lagarto and the remains of her 86 crewmen, whose families share how their husbands and fathers' disappearance shaped their lives.
In October 2001 the United States launched the war against Afghanistan, with the whole world by its side, in an act of self-defence after the attacks of 9/11. Today, the troops of the coalition are gradually packing up. They lost over 3000 soldiers and leave behind a country on the brink of civil war and bloodshed… The official rhetoric has not stood up to the stark reality on the ground. Bin Laden? Found and killed…elsewhere, in Pakistan.
Where do the soul-searching images of the First World War come from? Not merely telling the war, but seeing it, showing it in flesh and blood: this is what graphic novels offer us today. Exploring archives and history, the authors in this program converse with the depth of Time. They make First World War live again in our imagination: their drawings are more than strokes. These major artists have made the War the main subject of their graphic tales.
We survey the interwar years, the rise of dictators, Japan’s invasion of China, and the expansion of the Third Reich.
The invasion of Poland causes even the most resistant of powers to declare war.
War explodes across Western Europe.
Germany seeks to neutralise the strength of Britain, the only European country still opposing Hitler, from the air.
The war in Europe is transformed when Hitler unleashes Operation Barbarossa and invades the Soviet Union.
While the Germans are invading Russia, Japan continues to pervade the East and changes the war with an attack on Pearl Harbour.
In 2014 Europe remembered the outbreak of the First World War. The fateful war, which raged for four years and cost 12 million lives, began a century ago in 1914. The catalyst of the disaster was the murder of the Austrian successor to the throne, Franz Ferdinand, and his wife Sophie on 28 June 1914 in Sarajevo. This astonishing documentary conveys the dramatic events on the eve of the First World War.
On the 29th of August 1949, the USSR set off their first atomic bomb, just four years after the Americans. The speed with which they achieved this surprised the world. What nobody knew was that it was the result of espionage implemented at the heart of the United States. Stalin was able to obtain all the nuclear discoveries made by scientists who worked on the famous Manhattan Plan. At the centre of the operation was a very unusual female spy, Elizabeth Zaroubin.
After 11 September 2001, the US government concludes secret agreements with European governments to fight terrorism. CIA will have powers to kidnap and torture suspects. It is a flagrant violation of international treaties and a slap to human rights. When the Washington Post revealed this secret pact in 2005, the Council of Europe instructs Swiss parliamentarian Dick Marty to investigate. This film is the story of this investigation.
ISIS or IS, the so-called Islamic State - DAECH in Arabic - controls today a large territory that stretches over Syria and Iraq. ISIS is not just a terrorist movement, it has become something of an out-law state attracting militants and combatants from around the globe. The jihadist start-up born in Iraq under American occupation became a global corporation of terror which succeeded in making Al Qaeda look outdated.
Attention shocking documentary! My War tells the daily life of Westerners who joined the Kurdish forces to fight Daesh in Syria. Need Glory? Adrenaline? Why leave a peaceful life to go to hell?
Filmed in extremely difficult circumstances, Al Qaeda operatives describe how they planned and prepared for 9/11. Their exclusive interviews provide a rare look at life inside Al Qaeda, into the personality of Osama Bin Laden and Al Zawahiri. Intercut with the interviews is archive of 9/11, some of it never before seen, and footage from hidden cameras. 9/11, as it's never been seen before - through the eyes of Al Qaeda.
This documentary probes the life of Syria's despot, Bashar al-Assad. The country has been in the grip of a bloody civil war for more than six years, and although he's faced challenges from ISIS, the refugee crisis, and foreign governments calling for his removal, Bashar has stayed true to his one goal: to perpetuate his relentless power over Syria.
In this outstanding investigation, journalist Murad Batal Shishani uncovers the clandestine international network of Russian assassins dispatched by the Kremlin to liquidate Russia's enemies abroad. Turkey has become a haven for Caucasian and Central Asian Islamist fighters fleeing threats at home. The killings highlight the intrusion of criminal elements into Russian security services, as well as how Istanbul is becoming a secret international battleground.
Why are Europeans, children of immigrants like Coulibaly or the Kouachis brothers, attacking their countries of birth? What leads them to reject the values of the nation in which they grew up, to be reborn as extremists of Al Qaeda and the Islamic State. What role does religion play and which religion? What propaganda and mental mechanisms are being used to convince this generation of killers that they must turn vigilante on behalf of their victimised Muslim world?
War/Peace tells the story of the radical student activists Bill Ayers and Bernardine Dohrn who founded the anti-Vietnam war group "The Weathermen" at the University of Michigan in 1969 and who's members carried out two dozen bombings of government building including an attempt to bomb the United States Capitol, the Pentagon, several major banks and police stations through out the US.
17 years later, Jo Tuffnell faces the man who killed her father with an IRA bomb.
Wayne tries to bring his show in on time while everything that can go wrong does; the fan-favorite, "Jet Truck" prepares for a grudge-match race against a rival pilot; and performer, Julie Clark may be forced to cancel her biggest show of the season.
On the night of June 5th, 1944, a C-47 paratrooper aircraft, nicknamed That’s All, Brother took off from England, to drop Allied fighting men into Normandy, to clear a passage for the tens of thousands of troops lying off the coast. Despite surviving dozens more missions, post war she disappeared. The C-47 that led the invasion armada was either destroyed in Europe, shipped home and broken for parts, or worse still, scrapped and melted.
They say “the process of learning to fly makes you better at… everything.” So while the obvious goal seems to be getting a license, there are actually many other little goals you can achieve and benefit from along the way. Then we introduce a new host: a popular RVer who explores the curious overlap of those who long to explore in the air as well as on the road.
Elite corps of the French army, 56,000 men make up the ranks of the top secret Air Force. What are the precise missions of these soldiers? Air defense, public service missions, operations abroad: yesterday in Ivory Coast, they ensured the safety of the inhabitants during the crisis which divided the country. Today in Mali, they are an integral part of Operation Serval.
By the end of June 1940 Britain stood alone in the war against Nazi Germany. Ahead lay a long hot summer as a battle for national survival was fought in the skies over Britain in full view of the population. Not only did Britain’s fate depend on the outcome of the battle but also the freedom of the rest of Europe and, ultimately, the outcome of the Second World War. Today the Battle of Britain stands as one of the pivotal moments in Britain’s long history
Renown military instructor Bill Wolfe shows the training behind some of the toughest soldiers on the planet.
Cold War Peacemaker is the amazing and unique story of the development of the B-36 very-long-long-range nuclear bomber. From its beginnings during WWII, through construction in a former wild-west cattle town and deployment into the Cold War, the story of the Convair B-36 and how it intimidated the Soviet Union is a fascinating study in politics and technology.
The Devils begin basic training 1942 style.
How can a policeman know if a suspect is lying or not? What makes a good interrogation? In America, an estimated 25% of confessions are thought to be false. The old ‘good cop, bad cop’ trick’ is one of the oldest and most famous interrogation methods in the book. Despite its Hollywood status, the overbearing demeanour of one investigator combined with the seemingly supportive nature of another is an real-life method used in getting confessions out of suspects.
They are a handful of men and women who risk their lives every day to save the lives of others. Discovery of the specialized rescue units of the Ministry of Defense. These high-risk rescue specialists carry out 50,000 interventions per year to help 65,000 victims. The High Mountain Gendarmerie Platoon intervenes on different sites: ice cascades, rapids, underground ... A dangerous job, but not as much as the behavior of some mountain people...
Fatherland is a controversial coming-of-age documentary set in the remote South African bush. It follows a group of Afrikaner boys over 9 days at a military camp in the spirit of their fathers before them. The film follows three particular boys and Col. Franz Jooste -an ex-SADF soldier that fought for his country pre 1994 – and focuses on the conflicting views developed by the boys.
Examine the history of organizations from the Green Berets WWII paratroopers through to Seal Team 6 the British SAS and private contractors like Black Water and Brown and Root.
A feature-length documentary, walking in the footsteps of the “Diggers”, who in 1942, against all odds, preserved Australia’s freedom. A stunningly filmed, modern telling of the Kokoda story and its significance in the Pacific War. An exploration of the enduring spirit that sustained the Kokoda “Diggers” and which still inspires Australians today. A commemoration of the campaign’s 75th anniversary of the Kokoda Campaign and the significant battles fought in Papua New Guinea.
The documentary drama tells the story of the only man who survived the wreckage of the World War II Submarine HMS Perseus, which sank unnoticed in 1941. With the help of a team of historians, famous underwater wrecks researcher, writer and professional diver Richie Kohler tries to understand why a simple submariner got involved in the transportation of a secret cargo as part of the high-end spy games between the Axis and the Alliance.
A detailed report of the Holocaust in Romania. During World War II, two trains were loaded with Jews. Where they will be taken? To their deaths. Four survivors of Romanian Holocaust tell us what happened in Iasi during the Pogrom, a horror which took place on June 29, 1941. Over 13,000 people died in that single day, a day which has become known as Black Sunday in remembrance of those who lost their lives.
Where is the Western Front? Why did two vast armies dig in, extending lines of trenches from the Channel ports almost to the Alps? All of this happened in the first weeks of the war so that by mid-September the German attack had faltered on the Marne and the situation became stalemated. This is the battlefield that the ANZACS, withdrawn from Gallipoli, entered at the beginning of 1916.
Industrial warfare at its most terrifying, gas, tanks, machine guns, barbed wire, the ANZACS find themselves fully acquainted with the texture of war on the Western Front in a series of murderous battles at Pozières where the Australians lose 12,000 men. At Flers in the battle of the Somme the New Zealanders experience great success advancing 2.5 kilometres but the price was high the loss of 2,000 casualties.
It is 1917 and the ANZACS are involved in the seminal battles of Bullecourt, Ypres, Messines and Menin Road. The year starts for the Australians with success but when the Germans counter-attack the Australians are overwhelmed at a place called Bullecourt, a significant German breakthrough seems imminent.
One of the most notorious killing fields of WWI - Passchendaele. We walk where the battalions fought and where the artillery sank in liquid mud. In the midst of the battle one of Australia’s greatest soldiers, then Lieutenant Colonel Leslie Morshead, wrote "things are bloody, very bloody". The losses were enormous - on October 12th the New Zealand Division lost 2,800 men, the bloodiest day in that country’s military history.
The German’s launched the massive Operation Michael on an 80 kilometre front on March 21st 1918, the greatest offensive of the war. We hear stories of desperate defence and the crumbling of the Allied line, we meet great characters like New Zealand’s most famous soldier Richard Travis, the unorthodox "king of no-man’s land". And we reach what is, for many, the defining moment in Australia’s war: Villers-Bretonneux.
Discover in a new and powerfully dynamic way the events that took place on the Western Front battlefields during World War I.
On the 8th June 1982, at the height of the Falklands War, 53 men lost their lives and hundreds were injured in Argentine air attacks on British ships Sir Galahad and Sir Tristram. 32 of those men were Welsh Guards - some of them no more than boys.
Lest we forget what on Anzac Day? Mythology? Or history? Kate Aubusson goes on a quest asking is it just sepia-tinted anecdotes of ANZAC spirit and derring-do or the real stories of ANZACS and WW1 based on fact and evidence?
Artillery is known as the King of Battle and for over 100 years it has played a pivotal role in combat. In this fascinating episode we learn how artillery works, what ammunition it fires and how it plays an important role in modern combat. We join gunners preparing for deployment to Iraq and Afghanistan who are on exercise.
In the Vietnam War the USAF discovered that 90% of their casualties occurred during pilots first 10 missions. So a specialized training exercise was developed to provide pilots with the same combat missions they could expect in their first 10 missions. The results are incredible.
Hand-to-hand combat, it is every soldiers greatest fear. At the Army Combatives School in Fort Benning, Georgia, they teach soldiers how to fight to survive. Teach them skills that are beyond UFC...skills that kill!
Today nuclear subs dominate the seas...yet their biggest threat is a diesel submarine. The modern diesel submarine is capable of a wide range of capabilities and it is known for its incredible stealth. We learn more about why they are so lethal in the dark depths of the Norwegian Fiords while on a NATO exercise inside a modern diesel submarine.
Modern tanks are the equivalent of chariots on the battlefields of today. In Iraq and Afghanistan they are soldiers saviors or an enemy's nightmare. We join tank crews from several nations as they train for deployment to overseas hotspots. This is the extreme edge of firepower!
Silent, covert, deadly; they are every battle commander's secret weapon. Snipers are the long range killers on the battlefield. We travel to several renowned sniper schools to see them train, learn about their advanced technology weapons and unique field craft.
House-to-house combat is one of the most brutal and intense types of land warfare. Recent conflicts in Bosnia, Somalia and Iraq have reinforced the need for training in this specialized skill set. At urban warfare training facilities throughout the world, we learn first-hand what it takes to survive!
Air-to-air combat is one the principle war fighting skills a new pilot must learn. At a massive international air exercise we join crews from several countries as they learn the basics of air combat and what it takes to survive. We also learn about the technology of modern fighter jets.
Airborne soldiers are known as force multipliers because of their unique capabilities. Dropped behind enemy lines they can secure bridges or conduct ambushes. We learn more about what it takes to be a paratrooper at two of the best airborne schools in the world.
In the field of honor there is one group that stands above the rest, combat medics. They are there to help aid the wounded soldier, even if it is under heavy fire. We travel to several medic schools and participate in their training exercises to learn what it takes to save lives and make a difference for their comrades.
Every soldier, sailor and airmen has to pass one hurdle before coming a member of the military - basic training. This episode examines the physical and psychological tests and training that occur in basic training. The training that takes civilians and molds them into the warriors of the future!
Examine the history of organizations from the Green Berets WWII paratroopers through to Seal Team 6 the British SAS and private contractors like Black Water and Brown and Root.
See what it feels like to be “inside the heads” of special police personnel and how their use of military-style strategies and equipment allows them to save lives.
After the fall of the Soviet Union many countries remained in dispute. In 1994 a bitter conflict broke out between the Chechen independence movement and the Russian army.
The British Empire's legacy in Northern Ireland is well known but there is an untold story of the firefights and CQBs exchanged between the IRA the British army and the elite SAS.
The U.S. raid on Panama is recreated focusing on the reflexes of the Delta Force team from the moment they entered the prison to their extraction from the roof by helicopter.
A look at the legendary JTF sniper teams and their use in Afghanistan alongside the British SAS and the US Delta Force at “the sharp end of the spear.”
Take a historical journey to the beginnings of the modern S.W.A.T. team developed in the rural area north of Los Angeles.
Learn how snipers were used in the Bosnian War and the tactics devised to combat them.
A more contemporary look at a day in the life of a group of civilian army contractors and how their role has evolved on the modern battlefield.
From the elite ex-special forces personnel who guard heads of state and the two person teams that protect CEOs in dangerous regions modern-day bodyguards must be well versed in CQB.
Terry Schappert looks at the counter-terrorism training and tactics used since the September 11 2001 attacks.
