War Stories Channel

In 2012 a group of Falklands War veterans returned to the places where they fought. Reliving their experiences, from being called into action to the heat of battle, they face up to the demons that have stayed with them since those fateful weeks in 1982.

In the battle for the Pacific, America waged all out total war on Japan. In doing so they launched bombing missions and fought countless battles overhead. Surprisingly however, it was often the return trip that proved the most fatal. With high winds and moving runways in the form of aircraft carriers, pilots often struggled to judge their approach, resulting in the loss of several planes over board in the process. In these rare archive films we see how difficult this really was, and hear the full story of the Pacific theatre.

In 1941 Stalin refused to believe that Hitler would break the non-aggresion pact he signed just two years previously. And so despite over 90 warnings it would not be until the guns were heard attacking Soviet forces that he would fully respond. But respond he did. Battles Won & Lost looks at why Barbarossa was launched in the first place, and how despite early German success, it was ultimately doomed to fail. Along with Operation Barbarossa, this episode examines more of the great battles of WW2. See the bottom of the description for more detail.

In September 1944 the Allies launched Operation Market Garden. The brainchild of Bernard Montgomery its objective was to punch a hole in the German line and establish the northern end of a pincer movement across the Rhine, that would finally defeat Germany. The outcome however was very different. In this episode of Battles Won & Lost we see how failed communication and poor tactics led to the defeat of Market Garden. Alongside Market Garden we’ll also be looking at several other great battles of the war and examining the outcomes in detail, with everything from ‘The Dunkirk Evacuation’ in 1940 to ‘The Battle Of Berlin’ in 1945.

From September 1941 to January 1944 Leningrad had been under siege from the German army. For four years they were defiant, and this defiance was about to pay off. In this episode of Battles Won & Lost we see how Soviet forces relieved Leningrad after all this time and understand what it was like for those living under this bombardment. Described as “A city of heroes defiant of death, ready to die on their feet because they don’t want to live on their knees” Leningrad was a place where the “supply of courage was never low.”

Six months after the attack of Pearl Harbor came The Battle of Midway. Here the US would come up against a formidable Japanese navy and make Midway one of the most famous battles of WWII. In this episode of Battles Won & Lost we investigate both sides tactics and why despite being outnumbered the US were able to come out victorious.

The destruction of the Anglo-American convoy PQ 17 was one of the worst naval disasters of WWII. Hunted down by German U-Boats, Luftwaffe and the notorious Tirpitz, the 35 merchant ships headed for Arkhangelsk were carrying 700 million dollars worth of cargo, including tanks, aircraft and other supplies. With these supplies all destined for the Soviets to utilise against Hitler’s during Operation Barbarossa, what effect did the destruction of this convoy have for the German war effort, and what might have happened had it reached its destination intact?

The attack on Pearl Harbor is a day that will live in "infamy" said Franklin D. Roosevelt, both for America and the world. Suffering significant losses after the Japanese surprise attack on the island of Honolulu, Pearl Harbor was one of the most significant events in changing the outcome of WWII. But how did it unfold? This episode of Battles Won & Lost examines the famous attack, and the reason it had such a profound effect on the war.

During WWII Japan launched its new war balloon weapon on America. The Fu-Go balloon bomb. Utilising the jet stream, Japanese forces launched these hydrogen filled bombs, floating across the Pacific with the intention of bringing untold destruction to US cities and industry. Also in this episode of World War Weird; The strange U-Boat sighting of WWI, and the real reason behind Hitler's biggest mistake.

In WWII strange lights, later called 'Foo Fighters' were reported by Allies. But what exactly were these strange lights in the sky? Was it the German V2 Rocket, or something even more sinister...? Also in this episode; We hear the true story behind the secret British SS and the famous aristocrat who tried to court Hitler, the amazing story of a US dentist and his secret plan to release killer bats on Japan, and the Polish mass grave that is still unexplained to this day.

Three years after WWII, an ex-SS Officer led a team of divers on the hunt for hidden Nazi gold along the coast of Corsica. Believed to have been stashed for Nazi high command, is there really hidden tresures in these caves, or has the SS officer made it all up? Also in this episode; The amazing story of Stalin's kamikaze canines, the British bomber rats, and the mysterious New York advertisement that seemed to warn citizens about Pearl Harbour before it even happened.

In WWII, the Churchill and the British Secret Service devised a plan to dupe Hitler. Named Operation Mincemeat, a team of spies, including James Bond author Ian Fleming, prepare a dead body that would be ‘found’ by Nazi spies, upon which are vital documents on the Allied invasion plan, intended to fool Hitler. But would such a crazy idea work…?

Operation Quicksilver was part of the larger scale Operation Fortitude in WWII. It's objective; to create a distraction which would allow the Normandy landings to succeed. But with not enough men to stage a decoy landing in the Pas-de-Calais, Churchill and Eisenhower had to invent a whole army, down to the finest details. But would it work...?

The Abwehr was Nazi Germany’s secret service during WWII. But unknown to Hitler, its leader Wilhelm Canaris was a double agent, leaking key information to Churchill and the Allies, making sure his spies were always caught and plotting to kill Hitler himself. Also in this episode; Did Churchill let Pearl Harbor happen? And the amazing story of the British magicians who fooled Rommel in North Africa.

The Medal of Honor is the highest and most prestigious military decoration that may be awarded to recognize American soldiers throughout the US Air Force, Army and Navy as well as the US Coast Guard and the recently formed US Space Force. In this episode we see just how the Medal of Honor came to be invented and why it has become the most distinguished medal among US service people.

The pride of Russia, the Amber Room was a room in the Catherine Palace near St Petersburg, covered in highly valued amber, gold and mirrors. But in WWII when the Nazi's came looking the room was dismantled and taken back to Germany. But ever since its whereabouts are unknown? Where did it go and who took it there? Also in this episode; the two million ton ice ship that would destroy German U-Boats, a B-17 that landed all by itself, and the strange UFO signtings in WWI.

During WWII the Nazi's didn't trust anyone, not even their own party leaders. So in 1939 Reinhard Heydrich took control of Salon Kitty, one of Berlin's most notorious high-class brothels. Here they would listen in to their own party members and visiting dignitaries like like Joachim von Ribbentrop and Mussolini's son-in-law. But little did they know that the British were also listening....

During the US assault on Guadalcanal there were strange sounds and words coming across the radio for US soldiers. Had one of their radios been taken by the Japanese enemy? Was it some secret code? It was in fact their own men...Navajo men, known as code talkers.

In 1944, D-Day can only succeed if Nazi Germany are kept in the dark, in particular about the whereabouts of their top leaders like Bernard Montgomery. So the Allies devise a plan…to clone Monty, or rather trick the Nazi’s into believing he is somewhere else. But how will they do it…?

The SS Death's Head Rings of WWII were born out of the Nazi's obsession with Nordic mythology and the occult. In particular that special rings are able to grant power to their wearers. With Himmler's as their figure head, each member of the SS is issued with a Death's Head Ring. But in 1944 production was halted, and Himmler ordered that all remaining rings were to be sealed inside a hill near Wewelsburg. To this day the rings have not been found...

This is the story of the 93rd bomb group of WWII. The most travelled, most colourful, most efficient, most highly decorated bomb group of WWII. Their base was called Hardwick Aerodrome 104. This story is dedicated to those who called Hardwick home during the dark days of WWII.

The story of Rasputin is legendary. A favourite of the Tsar and Tsarina of Russia, he amazing didn't die from being poisoned, and was eventually shot in the head and found floating in the River Nevka. But does this famous story have a secret? Was it in fact a British agent that pulled the trigger..?

After Operation Barbarossa in 1941, Russia was poised on the edge of an abyss. The Nazi war machine had swept across Russia in an unstoppable wave of tanks, aircraft and highly trained men. Now Moscow and Leningrad were under threat, and the most prized city of all, and the one that held Stalins name...Stalingrad.

When Mussolini came to power in 1933 Hitler has sought close ties with the fascist dictator, knowing that one day he may come in useful. Obsessed with empires, glory and themselves, they seemed a perfect fit. But their supposed pact of steel wouldn't last forever...

Operation Overlord is arguably WWII’s most important Allied offensive. For Hitler it was his worst nightmare. It was the offensive that would turn the tide of history and mark the beginning of the end for the Nazi regime and Hitler’s reich. Led by Supreme Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force, Dwight D. Eisenhower and Winston Churchill it would see over 150,000 allied troops enter occupied France, landing on the famous beachheads of Normandy and being dropped behind enemy lines.

Invasion of France, Battle of Kursk, Iwo Jima, Siege of Tobruk, Operation Crusader, Operation Barbarossa, Battle Of The Coral Sea, The Arakan Offensive, Rommel’s Offensives, Invasion of Sicily, The Normandy Landings, The Dunkirk Evacuation, Japanese Invasion Of Malaya, The Battle Of River Plate, Operation Market Garden, Battle Of Syria, The Battle Of Berlin, The Battle Of Stalingrad, The Battle Of Singapore, The Anzio Landing, The Battle Of Monte Cassino, The Battle Of The Philippine Sea and The Battle Of Britain.

Since Stalingrad and Kursk the image of invincibility had faded from the German army. Buoyed by victory a revitalised Red Army began to pay back the Wehrmacht in brutal, swift and ceaseless attacks.

The Battle of France was one of the most defining moments at the start of WWII. With Hitler's blitzkrieg storming through Luxembourg, Belgium and eventually France, the Vichy Government were forced to surrender, with the British being pushed dangerously close to defeat on the beaches of Dunkirk.

In WWII, Hitler's U-Boats wreaked havoc on allied shipping, with Churchill saying after the war "The only thing that ever really frightened me during the war was the U-boat peril." So just how much devastation did they cause and how were the allies able to beat back the dominance of these 'Wolfpacks'...?

In 1945 Allied intelligence hear rumours of a top secret Nazi base near Silesia. The bases name...Der Riese. Here the Nazi high command would attempt to create a wonder weapon. But the true origins of what this was is still being debated today...

After the Battle of France came the Battle of Britain. With British forces licking their wounds after Dunkirk, it was only a matter of time before Hitler launched his invasion on the island nation, in a move that would surely confirm his victory in the war. But Britain wasn't going to give in without a fight...

Prior to WWII, the secret Japanese society known as the League of Blood wanted to start a world war. Little did they know one was just around the corner. But how did they plan to start it? Assassinating Charlie Chaplin of course...

The unfortunate fate of the world's first tank, which failed to make it onto the battlefield, and the case of the Japanese soldier who continued fighting - until 1974.

The true story of Franz Stigler, a German Luftwaffe pilot in the Second World War who risked his own life to save the crew of an American B-17 bomber.

While Nazi scientists were conducting brutal experiments in an attempt to create an Aryan master race, a team of zoologists were overseeing their own bizarre science trials.

A program set up by the Special Operations Executive, the forerunner to MI6, to undermine German and Japanese officers by spraying them with a foul-smelling substance.

Why Hitler had to have this holy Roman artifact, the Göring brother who rescued jews during the Holocaust and the sinister experiments governments carried out on their own people. Learn about all this and more in this episode of World War Weird.

Stuck inside the Sobibor death camp, Leon Feldhendler hatches an escape plan to free himself and hundreds of others from their Nazi oppressors.

The RAF is the oldest independent air force in the world. In its long and illustrious history it's proven to be a decisive factor in many battles. In the latter half of the 20th century the RAF continued to make innovations that maintained its status as one of the deadliest air forces in the world.

Louis Blériot changed the world when he flew across the English Channel in 1909. What was once considered little more than a toy was now seen as an instrument of warfare. The cross channel flight exposed Britain's air vulnerability, and to remedy this they created the world's first independent air force.

Despite it being forbidden for soldiers at the time, Yorkshire man Frank Meakin kept a diary while fighting in the first world war. His words now give us an unprecedented insight into what it was like on the front lines during the Battle of the Somme.

The RAF was in jeopardy following The Great War. Many were questioning the need for a permanent airforce and they had to innovate to prove their worth. The destructive inventions that followed changed warfare forever.

'Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few' - Winston Churchill's immortal words after his country was victorious in the Battle of Britain. In this documentary we dive into the reasons why Hitler and the Nazi Luftwaffe were unable to gain control of the skies.

From ineffective bombing runs in the First World War to flattening entire cities in the Second World War. This is the full story of how bombers developed over time to become the ultimate destructive force from above.

Do you love Battlezone? Well then sit back and settle in for this marathon which takes you through Allied newsreels from 1943 and 1944. In these key years the Allies pushed their advantage and defeat began to feel inevitable for Hitler and Nazi Germany.

The Short S. 25 Sunderland was a British flying boat patrol bomber. Its three decades of service makes it one of the RAF's most successful aircraft.

Whether spies or soldiers, airborne forces are incredibly important. This is the story of how planes were developed to deploy them where they need to be, and then safely retrieve them from hostile environments.

Scarred from the horrors of World War One, many countries came together and founded the League of Nations in 1920. Their principal mission was to maintain world peace, however, their attempts to do so inadvertently made World War Two inevitable.

WWI was the first truly mechanized war. All sides began with strategies from the Napoleonic Wars, resulting in troops being unprepared for the destructive new technologies such as Maxim machine gun and the Mark I Tank.

The North African desert campaign of World War II gave rise to the Desert Rats. Machines in this campaign were the Matilda II tank, Rolls Royce armored car, the Panzer III, 88mm anti-tank gun and the American M3 Grant tank. These war machines were able to prove their worth at the Second Battle of El Alamein.

In WWII, tanks, ships, and aircraft were well known, but there was also a whole fleet of lesser known vehicles such as the Jeep, the amphibious DUKW and a legendary American GI and his Harley motorbike.

In WWI, the Corps of Royal Engineers invented the Geophone, a device to detect enemy tunnelers. In WWII, they drove converted tanks that created bridges and cleared minefields, and made mobile robots that defused bombs.

Hollywood actor Sean Bean tells the story of Waterloo, one of history’s most decisive battles. In this series he draws on the eye-witness accounts of soldiers who fought at Waterloo to tell the story of the dramatic events of 18 June 1815 as they were experienced by the ordinary soldiers who fought it. He pieces together the chronology of the battle and visits some of the legendary places where the outcome was decided, including the buildings at Hougoumont which witnessed some of the heaviest fighting. He also meets descendants of some of the soldiers who fought at Waterloo, to discover how they remember the achievements of their ancestors.

In any war, information is key. Examine the machines used to capture, transmit, and analyze vital combat information, featuring SOE agents and their equipment, spies stealing Royal Navy blueprints, and a daring submarine mission.

At the height of the cold war, a tank standoff at Checkpoint Charlie in Berlin threatened to trigger an all out nuclear war. In this documentary, we examine the machines on the ground that day the as well as the machines that were built to fight in a world ravaged by nuclear weapons.

The Vietnam War. The Americans used their abundance of jet fighters, helicopters, and river patrol boats to try and stop the continuous stream of supplies and North Vietnamese fighters coming down the trail.

The Cold War. East and West developed weapons that could destroy the world. Examine the origins of the Arms Race and the first use of nuclear weapons that ended World War II, featuring, amongst others, the Titan II Intercontinental Ballistic Missile and the Corona spy satellite.

The first of this four part series begins in the Second World War, in jungles of the Pacific. As Japan shocks the world with the speed of its advance, the Allies scramble to halt what seems to be an unstoppable force. Amidst it all, the men on the ground struggle with another far more formidable opponent - the jungle itself.

By the end of 1942 the tide of the war in the Pacific is turning. Guadalcanal and the island hopping campaigns shift the balance as the Allies advance toward victory over Japan. We explore the aftershocks of the Second World War as new leaders applied jungle warfare tactics to new struggles for independence in the Malayan Emergency and the First Indochina War.

Part 3 of this 4 part series begins with Konfrontasi - a conflict between Indonesia and Malaysia which centres on fighting in the jungles of Borneo. We then turn to what was arguably the most televised jungle war in history, the Second Indochina War, known in Vietnam as the American War. A war in which the US sought to stand as the 'guardians at the gate' against the spread of communism in South East Asia.

Explore the final years of the war in Vietnam, which saw the United States and her Allies confront the brutal realities of loss and withdrawal from a jungle war.

During the Second World War, the allies' key objective was to crack the German army's encrypted communications code. Without a doubt, the key player in this game was Alan Turing, an interdisciplinary scientist and a long-forgotten hero.

In the final year of WWI, Allied forces faced the daunting task of breaking through the heavily fortified Hindenburg Line. Among them were the ANZACs, who played a crucial role in the decisive assault that ultimately led to victory. Facing fierce resistance and overwhelming odds, the ANZACs fought with unparalleled bravery and determination, overcoming seemingly insurmountable obstacles to achieve victory.

Nearing the end of The Great War, Germany decided to pool all of its resources for a hue offensive to try and win the war before America joined the conflict. This huge offensive was very ambitious and the daring plan at first seemed to work. However this offensive would prove to be their undoing.

In this episode, the history hunters dive into the personal archive of decorated RAF pilot, Group Captain Peter Casement. By looking at his diaries, photos and mementos we can piece together what life was like for a WW2 pilot.

In this episode, the history hunters come across an auction for a collection of items belonging to a WW1 pilot. The items were found in a house clearance and tell the incredible story that was destined to be thrown away.

From the brutal street-to-street fighting in Stalingrad to the final battle in Berlin, we delve into the key battles of the Second World War that brought the downfall of Hitler and the Nazi regime.

In this episode, the History Hunters take a closer look at the iconic Pickelhaube helmets worn by German soldiers at the start of World War I and a Spitfire exhaust that was discovered buried under sand.

In this episode, the History Hunters uncover a huge haul of more than a thousand medals. By sorting through this collection, they find some amazing stories behind medals awarded from the Victorian to the present day.

In this episode, the History Hunters take a look at a Blunderbuss, the Sawback Bayonet and other rare military antiques.

In this episode, the History Hunters take to the antiques markets to find interesting and unique objects that tell us interesting stories about the past. What will they find and what hidden history will these items hide?

Germany had very few geopolitical allies leading into World War II. For various reasons, these alliances were doomed to fail from the outset, and Germany would ultimately pay dearly for the partnerships they forged with the Axis Powers.

Step into the heroic footsteps of the "Big Red One," the legendary 1st Infantry Division of the U.S. Army. Their relentless presence during WW2 was felt everywhere from the North African to the beaches of Normandy.

Throughout the Second World War, Hitler was obsessed with the idea of a "Wunderwaffe", or wonder-weapon. This obsession led to Germany having some of the most advanced weaponry and vehicles on the battlefield, however, was this focus actually detrimental to their war effort?

The 1st Airborne Division also known as the "Red Devils" were an elite fighitng force in WW2. This documentary looks at how a similar German unit inspired the creation of the 1st Airborne and how they became one of the bravest units of WW2.

The Pacific Theatre of WW2 was fought over a huge area of sea and islands in the Pacific Ocean. This unique terrain meant that most battles depended on naval and aerial operations as oppose to ground operations. These 3 documentaries take a look at 3 important aerial operations of the conflict and how they affected the outcome of the war.

Did Hitler's heavy narcotic use play a role in his murderous regime, as well as fuel an already delusional character? Did Hitler's appetite for mind-altering substances give the Allies crucial leverage to defeat the Nazi regime?

After Mussolini's forces proved to be too weak to stop the British Eighth Army (the Desert Rats), Hitler was forced to send in the Afrika Korps, under Erwin Rommel (the Desert Fox), as reinforcements.

During the Second World War, Germany unleashed some of the largest guns the world has ever seen. However, these giant weapons were as flawed as they were powerful. Could they have actually harmed the Nazi war effort?

Hitler, Goering, Goebbels, Himmler and Borrmann. These are some of the most infamous men of the Nazi Regime, yet it was their own selfishness and dysfunction that left their grand vision in ruin at the climax of the Second World War.

The 101st Airborne Division, otherwise known as "The Screaming Eagles" or "The Band of Brothers" were integral to the allied strategy in WW2. Known for their daring parachute jumps into enemy territory, their unparalleled bravery wrote their name into the history books. This documentary takes a look at the history of the unit as well as some of their most daring missions.

In a world of rapidly changing technology, the concept of stealth in warfare has changed significantly since WW2. This documentary delves into the world of covert operations and strategic strikes, the range of stealth technology, from the simple concept of camouflage suit, to radar-reduction capabilities.

In pursuit of their Aryan dream, the Nazis were encumbered by an ideological war from within that would undermine their ability to succeed in World War II, and ultimately led to the deaths of millions of the world's citizens.

Explore the origins of America's elite special operations soldiers, the Rangers. Trace their formation back to the early days of the war and delve into their most famous battles, such as the assault on Pointe du Hoc during the Normandy Invasion, the intense firefight at Brest, and the arduous campaign in Italy. Witness the audacious missions and incredible achievements that cemented the Rangers' legacy as an elite force.

The US Eighth Air Force are a unit that will live on in infamy. A unit that saw some of the fiercest aerial fighting of WW2 and proved themselves time and time again. This documentary tells their story through the words of seasoned veterans who served in its ranks.

With the increasing destructive output of weapons, countermeasures had to be developed. As the nature of ware has changed over time, we see modern applications of destructive measures in smaller-scale developments.

From the devastating attack on Pearl Harbor that began the war, to the Battle of Midway that saw the tide turn in America's favour, and finally to the Battle of Okinawa and the last major conflict of the war. This Battles Won & Lost compilation brings you the pivotal battles and moments that ultimately led to the Allied victory in the Pacific Theater of World War II.

From the game-changing Higgins Boat to the M2 Bradley tank and the Black Hawk helicopter, uncover the story of the remarkable vehicles that transformed warfare for the US Military.

Maneuverability, speed, and efficiency. The pace of tactical responses, button-click warfare, and lightning-fast strikes are all defined by developments in the agility of machinery. This machinery has evolved to such a degree through the pressure of global warfare, that it is almost unrecognisable today.

From the simple yet devastating canons that wrecked havoc during WW1, to the self-propelled howitzers that annihilate the battlefield today, we take a look at how artillery has evolved over the years.

Germany had very few geopolitical allies leading into World War II. For various reasons, these alliances were doomed to fail from the outset, and Germany would ultimately pay dearly for the partnerships they forged with the other Axis Powers.

For the first three years of the war, the U.S. Infantry had two very different missions to win 'Hearts & Minds' and to 'Search & Destroy'. Join U.S. combat cameramen as they are choppered in alongside the troops to capture the fighting on assault operations including Starlight, Cedar Falls and Masher.

On January 30, 1968, the Viet Cong launched the massive Tet offensive, including an audacious attack on the American Embassy in Saigon. Unearthed from secret film archives, this series unveils never-before-seen footage captured by American military cameramen. With access to 20,000 unedited reels the raw and unfiltered reality of the war is revealed.

Using never before seen footage from the Vietnam War, this documentary looks at the complicated lives of American soldiers fighting the conflict. Often fighting a war they didn't understand that was strongly opposed by their fellow countrymen, soldiers had to juggle the issue of morality along with processing the horrific things they saw every day.

Off the northern coast of Ireland, a massive shipwreck has laid unseen for decades. Now that divers are finally able to reach her, they can uncover the secret of how the HMS Audacious met her bitter end in World War I.

On June 6th 1944 the Allies landed their forces in occupied Europe, signalling the beginning of the final phase of WW2. This also signalled to the long suffering French resistance to step up their guerrilla war against the Nazi invaders, knowing that help would soon be on the way.

Operation Fortitude - Churchill's ingenious idea to create a fake invasion force, comprised of inflatable tanks, ships and trucks, designed to outwit Hitler. This covert plan aimed to lead German forces to expect an Allied invasion at Calais, diverting attention from the true target – Normandy.