The Century of Warfare
The Century of Warfare is a 26 part British TV documentary first released in 1993 and shown on A&E Television Networks. It was narrated by Robert Powell, and produced by Nugus/Martin Productions Ltd, and coincided with another Powell/Nugus-Martin project called Great Crimes and Trials.
Episodes
The Violent Century
THE CENTURY OF WARFARE opens with a look at the defining characteristics of modern war and the development of the weapons that revolutionized combat.
The World Goes to War
Explore the factors that led to the outbreak of World War I and see why efforts to prevent the coming conflict failed.
Blood and Mud
Harrowing photos and rare footage show the grim reality of trench warfare on the Western Front.
War of the Eagles
Three empires clash on the Eastern Front, until the Russian Revolution topples the Czar and the nation withdraws from the fight.
Battle Fleets and U Boats
Naval warfare in World War I, from submarine attacks and supporting forces on land to the Battle of Jutland.
Aces High
See how the plane became a weapon, fly with the pioneers of military aviation, and relive the exploits of legendary pilots like the Red Baron.
War to end all War
The entry of the United States helped bring World War I to a close, but the harsh conditions of the Versailles Treaty paved the way for a greater conflict to come.
Enter the Dictators
The years between the World Wars were marked by the rise of totalitarian states in Europe and a growing militancy in the Far East.
The War Clouds Gather
Conflicts in China, Spain and Africa presaged the horrors to come, while Hitler cemented his power and prepared for his bloody campaign of aggression.
Blitzkrieg
Germany's invasion of Poland introduced the world to a new brand of warfare. Less than a year later, the fall of France left Britain to face Hitler essentially alone.
Britain Stands Alone
The extraordinary heroism demonstrated by British citizens and soldiers and a vital lifeline from across the Atlantic kept England from falling into Nazi clutches.
Sand and Sea War
In and around the Mediterranean, Monty battled Rommel, American doughboys got their first real combat experience, and the Italian campaign gave the Allies a foothold in Europe.
Hitler Turns East
Operation Barbarossa--the largest land invasion ever mounted--sent 3 million German troops and 3,300 tanks into the Soviet Union.
The Long Road Back
Defeated at Stalingrad and denied entry to Moscow, the Wehrmacht embarked on a two-year delaying action as it retreated to Germany.
Normandy to the Rhine
Follow the preparations for D-Day and the course of the war in Europe after the successful invasion.
The End in Europe
As Germany was squeezed in the vice of the Allied advance, the Big Three met at Yalta to plan for the aftermath of war.
Oriental Blitzkrieg
Analyze the forces that drove Japan to war and relive the initial victories that gave the Imperial forces an air of invincibility.
Jungle and Ocean
The American island-hopping campaign drove the Japanese from their Pacific strongholds, but it would take a weapon of a different order bring the war to an end.
The War at Sea
This sweeping overview of World War II's naval engagements includes footage from Atlantic convoys, major Pacific battles and the amphibious landing at Normandy.
Air War
Fly in a B-17 on a harrowing daylight bombing raid, see how British aviators staved off the Luftwaffe, and watch as carrier-based fighters battle Zeros in the skies over Midway.
Iron Curtain
Divided at the end of World War II, Europe was a potential flashpoint for 40 years as the superpowers maintained an uneasy peace built on deterrence.
Oriental Communism
From the withdrawal of the old Colonial powers to the conflict in Korea, instability, regional conflicts and the boiling over of Cold War tensions marked much of the 20th century in Asia.
Wars in Peace
The perennial problems of civil war, terrorism and bilateral wars have taken on a new urgency in the years since the end of the Cold War, and the international community is struggling to deal with them.
Vietnam
It was a war that proved that might and money do not lead inevitably to victory, and its harsh lessons forced America to rethink its role in the world.
War in the Middle East
From Israel's continual battles to defend itself to inter-Arab squabbles and the role of oil, trace the many conflicts that have shaken this tumultuous region.
Gulf Wars and the Future
The Allied victory over Iraq showed showcased a new generation of weapons and tactics, but evolving threats--particularly from weapons of mass destruction--require a new approach to deterrence.