The Century of Warfare

1993 - 1994

The Violent Century

18th October 1993

Episode 1

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

25th October 1993

Episode 2

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

1st November 1993

Episode 3

Harrowing photos and rare footage show the grim reality of trench warfare on the Western Front.

War of the Eagles

8th November 1993

Episode 4

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

15th November 1993

Episode 5

Naval warfare in World War I, from submarine attacks and supporting forces on land to the Battle of Jutland.

Aces High

22nd November 1993

Episode 6

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

29th November 1993

Episode 7

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

6th December 1993

Episode 8

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

13th December 1993

Episode 9

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

20th December 1993

Episode 10

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

27th December 1993

Episode 11

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

3rd January 1994

Episode 12

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

10th January 1994

Episode 13

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

17th January 1994

Episode 14

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

24th January 1994

Episode 15

Follow the preparations for D-Day and the course of the war in Europe after the successful invasion.

The End in Europe

31st January 1994

Episode 16

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

7th February 1994

Episode 17

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

14th February 1994

Episode 18

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

21st February 1994

Episode 19

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

28th February 1994

Episode 20

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

Episode 21

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

14th March 1994

Episode 22

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

21st March 1994

Episode 23

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

28th March 1994

Episode 24

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

Episode 25

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

11th April 1994

Episode 26

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.

Top Cast

Documentary War & Politics

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.

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Full Cast

Robert Powell Image

Robert Powell

Full Crew

DeWolfe

Sound

Jonathan Martin

Executive Producer

Philip Nugus

Executive Producer

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