Documentary DVDs

This definitive ten-part series offers insight and analysis to provide a coherent and strategic military narrative of the worldwide conflict that changed history.

History® is proud to present the definitive collection of documentary programs on World War One. Experience the world-changing events from the birth of what became known as The Great War to the tragic, final day where over 13,000 men died. In the four year period from 1914 - 1918, the war was responsible for over 40 million casualties and over 20 million deaths. Join the brave servicemen of land, sea, and air as they valiantly fought alongside their Allied brothers in this "war to end all wars."<br />
Set includes:<br /><br />Disc 1:
Most Decorated: The Doughboys
Comprised of innocent teenage farm boys, the doughboys in Europe faced a most horrific warfare with machine guns, mustard gas, and artillery shells. New weapons and old tactics turned an infantry charge into an act of mass suicide for the brave young soldiers of WWI.
<br /><em>WWI: Death of Glory<br />World War I was in every way more epochal and earth-shaking than World War II. After World War I, nothing was recognizable. What was rebuilt was a shadow of the greatness and history that had been destroyed.<br />
<em>Secrets of World War I
Experts discuss the political personalities and intolerance behind the "War to End All Wars." Discover the history behind the first weapons of mass destruction, why they were created, and how they were made. Look at documents that were once classified for reasons of national security and discover why they were kept secret until now. <br />
Disc 2:
<em>The First Dogfighters<br />Cinch your goggles and fly with the first great aces of WWI. Experience a time when, with open cockpits and unaided targeting, aces literally saw the whites of their foes' eyes. In canvas-and-wire biplanes, these dashing warriors engaged in classic duels, inventing tactics "on the fly".
<br />Red Baron and The Wings of Death
The legendary World War I flying ace, Manfred von Richthofen, managed 80 kills over WWI Europe. Watch this pioneer of the dogfight as he meets his greatest challenge- a warplane seemingly designed for the express purpose of bringing him down.<br />
Airships
From bombing runs to the high-flying spy balloons that soared out of the reach of enemy planes and guns, see how airships, dirigibles, and zeppelins affected World War I.
<em><br />Mystery U-Boat of WWI
A veteran of the brutal naval battles of World War I, the German submarine UB-107 was discovered on the floor of the North Sea in 1985. An important find itself, it harbored a surprise that would force experts to re-examine the records of the epic conflict. <br />
Disc 3:
<em>World War One: Jutland
What really happened when catastrophe befell the mightiest fleet in the world? See the remarkable new analysis of the epic battle that sent Britain's unconquerable super-deadnoughts to the seafloor.<br />
World War One: The Somme
In just one day almost 60,000 British soldiers were killed or wounded. Why was this first day on the Somme such a disaster for the British?

Halt U-Boats in Zeebrugge<br />Drawing on eyewitness accounts from survivors, expert testimony, rare photos, and military documents from the battle, discover the events of April 22nd, 1918, when a flotilla of British warships led by the cruiser HMS Vindictive set sail for the fortified harbor of Zeebrugge, defended by coastal batteries, a deadly mole, and a seawall bristling with guns.<br />
John J. Pershing: The Iron General
From the fading frontier to the trenches of World War I, follow the career of one of the most important American generals of all time, taking a 128,000-man force and transforming it into a juggernaut of four million soldiers that won a war.

Disc 4:
Dear Home: Letters from World War I<br />It was a conflict the likes of which the world had never seen, embroiling 15 nations and 65 million people, and fought with weapons unprecedented in their power to maim and kill. Drawing in on the  millions of letters written home by American doughboys, nurses, drivers, and clerks; reveals what it was like to fight in the "Great War".

Christmas Truce<br />Amidst the trench warfare that defined World War I, a few days of spontaneous peace broke out. Without a signed treaty, surrender, or armistice, German and Allied soldiers alike were able to share Christmas cheer together.
<br /><em>Last Day of WWI
Discover why more soldiers died on the final day of WWI than on D-Day, as this chilling indictment of the horror and pointlessness of war is captured by rare footage and photos.

WWI: The War To End All Wars is a unique, 10-part, comprehensive look at the war that shaped the 20th Century. Through rare, actual battle footage and rare veteran interviews, The War To End All Wars takes you from the assassination of the Austrian Arch Duke in 1914, to the final desperate battles of 1918. Unique and stunning, you will "go-over-the-top" on the Western Front and witness the carnage in Russia. You''ll take to the skies in the world''s first air war and ride with the legendary Lawrence of Arabia.

This is more than a historical or military account of WWI, it is a riveting and personal account of a defining moment in world history. Never before in the history of the world had so many countries fought on so many far-flung battlefields. Never had so many soldiers lost their lives. Never had there been such an unending hell-on-earth. Never has there been such a remarkable look at ''The War to End All Wars''.

Episodes:

1. With Flags Waving<BR>2. The Battle of the Frontiers
3. The Taxis of the Marne<BR>4. A War of Chemicals and Engineering
5. Flyboys<BR>6. Citadel
7. Distant Fronts
8. Revolt
9. Changing Tide
10. End Game<P>Bonus features include historic WWI photo slide show.

WWI began in August 1914, and by December all thoughts of quick victory had faded. Fighting was most fierce in a thin strip of land called the Western Front. A system of trenches separated Allies from Germans, with the area in between known as No Man's Land. On Christmas Eve, an astonishing event began--up and down the Western Front, Allied and German soldiers met peacefully in No Man's Land. Actor Ioan Gruffud narrates a feature-length look at the fabled Christmas truce, filled with eyewitness accounts.

No Description Available.
Genre: Documentary<br><b>Rating: NR<br><b>Release Date: 25-APR-2006
Media Type: DVD

3 DVD COLLECTIBLE EMBOSSED TIN! It began as a regional conflict and escalated into a war of empires that covered the earth. Here for the first time on DVD is the complete 26 volume CBS News series, "The Complete Story of World War I". Narrated by Robert Ryan, this documentary series is more than just the history of this global conflict, it is also a photo album of the early 20th Century. Meet the men and machines that fought the war and witness every major battle and event of this global struggle. No other collection offers such a complete overview of one of histories most destructive conflicts.

"Blood and Oil - The Middle East in World War I" examines the devastating conflict and Western political intrigue that laid the foundation for wars, coups, revolts and military interventions in the Middle East. After the end of World War I, most of the Ottoman Empire was carved up into "spheres of influence," controlled mostly by the British and French. The remaining territories became the modern state of Turkey in 1923 - after a five-year struggle by Turkish nationalists against Western domination. Written and produced by Marty Callaghan ("Archives of War," "Remember Pearl Harbor: America Taken by Surprise"), this feature-length documentary film follows conflict from the Ottoman Empire's entry into the Great War in October 1914 to the Allied victory and declaration of the new Turkish Republic in 1923, and the hostilities that have plagued the region since. The 112-minute DVD also features extended expert commentary.

Ride into Aqaba with Lawrence of Arabia. Stand with Patton as his tanks lead the Allied breakout from the coast of Normandy. Patrol the nighttime jungles of Vietnam... A CENTURY OF WARFARE explores the pivotal battles, profiles the commanders and chronicles the myriad ways in which war has shaped the modern world. The 26 hour-long episodes in this monumental set feature an encyclopedic collection of archival film dating back to 1896, creating an unforgettable visual record of every major military engagement from the precursors of World War I to the liberation of Kuwait. THE HISTORY CHANNEL is proud to present this epic, landmark series, now available in its entirety and presented on DVD for the first time ever. DVD volumes:

Volume 1: (3 hours, 28 minutes):
--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. <br> --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. <p> Volume 2: (3 hours, 28 minutes) <br> --Battle Fleets and U-Boats: Naval warfare in World War I, from submarine attacks and supporting forces on land to the Battle of Jutland. <br> --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. <br> --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. <br> --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.

Volume 3: (3 hours, 28 minutes)
--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. <br> --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. <p> Volume 4: (3 hours, 28 minutes)
--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. <br> --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. <p> Volume 5: (3 hours, 28 minutes)
--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. <p> Volume 6: (2 hours, 36 minutes)
--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.

Volume 7: (2 hours, 36 minutes)
--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 War 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.

Nominated for 4 Academy Awards including Best Picture, Clint Eastwood's Letters from Iwo Jima tells the untold story of the Japanese soldiers who defended their homeland against invading American forces during World War II. With little defense other than sheer will and the volcanic rock of Iwo Jima itself, the unprecedented tactics of General Tadamichi Kuribayashi (Ken Watanabe, The Last Samurai) and his men transform what was predicted to be a swift defeat into nearly 40 days of heroic and resourceful combat. Their sacrifices, struggles, courage and compassion live on in the taut, gripping film Rolling Stone calls "unique and unforgettable." It is the powerful companion piece to Flags of Our Fathers.

Both comprehensive and intimate, THE WORLD WARS: THE COMPLETE HISTORY OF WWI AND WWII is a survey of some of history s most critical engagements, a broad collection of documentary programming that details the world-changing events of World War I and World War II, including the battles and strategies, the men and machines, and the horror and heroism that marked these epic conflicts. Experience in WWI: The Great War the birth of the 'War To End All Wars' and the tragic, final day on November 11, when over 13,000 men died. In the four-year period from 1914-1918, the war was responsible for over 40 million casualties and over 20 million deaths. And see the momentous triumphs and most bitter defeats of the second World War in Ultimate Collections: World War II, an anthology of the most significant war of the 20th century featuring original archival footage, interviews with military experts and historians, and gripping reenactments. <br><br>BONUS FEATURES: Bonus Blunders 'Battle of the Bulge,' 'Bridge Too Far,' 'Bomb Plot To Kill Hitler,' and 'The Scattering of Convoy PQ17'