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Season 2016

  • S2016E01 What Caused the First World War?

    • February 3, 2016
    • YouTube

  • S2016E02 Valley Forge, 1777 (The American Revolution)

    • March 2, 2016
    • YouTube

    When the Continental Army made camp at Valley Forge during the American Revolution, times were tough. The winter was bitter cold, there was disease and hunger.

  • S2016E03 The Boston Tea Party 1773, (The American Revolution)

    • March 6, 2016
    • YouTube

    The American Colonials were becoming angry at British taxation . Samuel Adams and the Sons of Liberty decided to show them how angry, by throwing British tea into the water!

  • S2016E04 Pearl Harbor (1941)

    • March 13, 2016
    • YouTube

    On December 7, 1941 hundreds of Japanese fighter planes attacked the American naval base at Pearl Harbor near Honolulu, Hawaii.

  • S2016E05 The Great wall of China (World Wonder)

    • April 23, 2016
    • YouTube

    Let's visit a world wonder, the Great Wall of China! The great wall as you know it however, came from the much later Ming dynasty. It was built from the 14th to the 17th centuries A.D to defend China from Mongolians and Manchurianss. Today the Great wall is a popular tourist destination and visitors like to pose for pictures, admire the views and walk along the wall.

  • S2016E06 Battles of Lexington and Concord April 19, 1775, (The American Revolution)

    • May 17, 2016
    • YouTube

    Battles of Lexington and Concord - April 19, 1775 The Battles of Lexington and Concord were the first military engagements of the American revolutionary war.

  • S2016E07 What was life like in the trenches of World War I?

    • May 23, 2016
    • YouTube

    What was life like in the trenches of World War I? Soldiers lived in narrow trenches dug into the ground. The conditions were horrible. Lets have a look.

  • S2016E08 Who was the Red Baron?

    • June 5, 2016
    • YouTube

    Who was the Red Baron? Manfred von Richthofen is the most famous fighter pilot ace of world war I.

  • S2016E09 The Battle of Verdun (1916)

    • June 13, 2016
    • YouTube

    The battle of Verdun was the longest and costliest battle in world history, lasting from February 21 to December 18, 1916. Almost a year!

  • S2016E10 First World War tech: The tank

    • YouTube

    Aired June 25, 2016 First World war technology. The tank. The first tanks arrived in Europe on August 30th 1916 and on September 15th, 36 tanks made an attack at the Somme.

  • S2016E11 The California Gold Rush 1849 (The Wild West)

    • September 29, 2016
    • YouTube

    Not many Americans lived in California, but that soon changed. By 1849 thousands upon thousands of people arrived in search of gold.

  • S2016E12 The History of...LEGO cartoon

    • YouTube

    Aired October 6, 2016 The History of Lego! How did lego, one of the most beloved toys for children and adults around the world, begin?

  • S2016E13 A Brief Overview of World War II

    • October 14, 2016
    • YouTube

    The war in Europe began in September 1939 when Nazi Germany, under Adolf Hitler, invaded Poland.

  • S2016E14 The Blitz (1940-41)

    • YouTube

    Aired October 21, 2016 The Blitz - 7 September 1940 – 21 May 1941 German bombers attacked British cities, ports and industrial areas. This was known as the ‘the Blitz’ a short form of the German word 'Blitzkrieg' (meaning lightning war).

  • S2016E15 The Salem Witch Trials (1692)

    • October 29, 2016
    • YouTube

    Its time for a Halloween special! In Salem Village, Massachusetts, February 1692, Betty Parris, age 9 and Abigail Williams, age 11, the daughters and niece of Reverend Samuel Parris became ill. Their health failed to improve and they went into constant fits, so a doctor called William Griggs was called in. His diagnosis? bewitchment.

  • S2016E16 The Treaty of Versailles, What Did the Big Three Want? 1/2

    • November 3, 2016
    • YouTube

    World War I officially came to an end with the signing of the Treaty of Versailles on June 28, 1919. 32 countries had come together in Paris in January 1919 to hold a conference which would make peace after the First World War. It would be dominated by the ‘big three’: - David Lloyd George, representing Britain, Georges Clemençeau representing France and Woodrow Wilson representing the USA.

  • S2016E17 The Treaty of Versailles, Terms of the Treaty 2/2

    • November 5, 2016
    • YouTube

    Part 2 on the The Treaty of Versailles

  • S2016E18 A Short History of the Poppy

    • November 8, 2016
    • YouTube

    The Poppy is a symbol of remembrance worn every November to commemorate members of the armed forces who gave their lives in war.

  • S2016E19 Infantry Weapons of WWI

    • November 11, 2016
    • YouTube

    The first world war saw many varied weapons being used by soldiers. Let's look at what was manufactured and being used on the battlefield.

  • S2016E20 The Space Race (1955-1975)

    • November 14, 2016
    • YouTube

    The Cold War saw a competition between the world’s two great powers–the democratic, capitalist United States and the communist Soviet Union. Both sides would fight to have the best technology in space and who could achieve the ‘firsts’.

  • S2016E21 Thanksgiving (1621)

    • November 20, 2016
    • YouTube

    Thanksgiving is an important holiday in America and Canada.

  • S2016E22 WWI Factions: The Ottoman Army

    • November 22, 2016
    • YouTube

    Faction: The Ottoman Army The First World War

  • S2016E23 WWI Factions: The German Army

    • November 23, 2016
    • YouTube

    Faction: The German Army The First World War

  • S2016E24 WWI Factions: The Austro-Hungarian Army

    • November 26, 2016
    • YouTube

    Faction: The Austro-Hungarian Army The First World War

  • S2016E25 WWI Factions: The British Army

    • November 27, 2016
    • YouTube

    Faction: The British Army The First World War

  • S2016E26 Infantry weapons of WWII

    • December 1, 2016
    • YouTube

    The second world war saw many varied weapons being used by soldiers. Let's look at what was manufactured and being used on the battlefield.

  • S2016E27 WWI Factions: The U.S. Army

    • December 3, 2016
    • YouTube

    Faction: The U.S. Army The First World War

  • S2016E28 WWI Factions: The French Army

    • December 4, 2016
    • YouTube

    Faction: The French Army The First World War

  • S2016E29 WWI Factions: The Italian Army

    • December 6, 2016
    • YouTube

    Faction: The Italian Army The First World War

  • S2016E30 WWI Factions: The Russian Army

    • December 8, 2016
    • YouTube

    Faction: The Russian Army The First World War

  • S2016E31 The First day of the Somme (1916)

    • December 11, 2016
    • YouTube

    The First day of the Somme 1 July 1916 British soldiers moved across no man's land, on the 1st of July at 7:30 in the morning. They were soon hit by machine guns and explosive shells as they progressed towards the German line. The advance was soon halted because of barbed wire and heavily defended trenches.

  • S2016E32 WWI Factions: The Canadian Army

    • December 13, 2016
    • YouTube

    Faction: The Canadian Army The First World War

  • S2016E33 First World War tech: Zeppelins

    • December 21, 2016
    • YouTube

    First World War tech: Zeppelins When a German aristocrat Brigadier General Ferdinand Zeppelin retired from the army in 1891, he devoted himself to the study of aeronautics. His proposals to the government for a lighter-than-air flying machine were rejected in 1894, but nevertheless he would invest all his money into a company producing airships. By 1898 Zeppelin had constructed his first airship.

  • S2016E34 Christmas Truce (1914)

    • December 23, 2016
    • YouTube

    On Christmas Eve 1914, on the western front, British soldiers heard German troops in the opposite trenches singing carols.

  • S2016E35 WWI Factions: The Serbian Army

    • December 26, 2016
    • YouTube

    Faction: The Serbian Army The First World War

  • S2016E36 Hitler's Rise to Power (1930-1934)

    • YouTube

    Aired December 30, 2016 Hitler’s rise to power can be attributed to several factors which he used to his advantage to gain power legitimately. Germany's humiliating defeat during World War I was fresh in the minds of the German people and economic problems were hitting the country hard. As a powerful, rhetorical speaker he would attract a wide following of Germans desperate for change... This video will look at the later parts of Hitler's rise to power from Chancellor of Germany to Führer.

  • SPECIAL 0x1 100,000 Subscribers! (Community Episode)

    • March 16, 2017

  • SPECIAL 0x2 200k Subscribers! Community Q and A. Silver play button and We answers your questions!

    • July 5, 2017

Season 2017

  • S2017E01 First World War tech: Chlorine Gas & Gas Masks

    • January 2, 2017
    • YouTube

    First world war technolgy: Chlorine Gas In 1914 a chemist called Fritz Haber offered his knowledge to the German Army. He soon began experimenting with chlorine gas to be used in trench warfare. In April 1915, 150 tons of lethal chlorine gas was used by the German forces against the French Army at Ypres. Note: For the first attack at Ypres the Germans actually delivered the gas from cylinders using the wind, instead of shells as it looks in the video!

  • S2017E02 WWI Factions: The Indian army

    • January 8, 2017
    • YouTube

    Faction: The Indian Army The First World War

  • S2017E03 D-Day (1944)

    • January 15, 2017
    • YouTube

    By June 6th 1944, the Allies had landed 150,000 men in Normandy. The five beaches were secure and the troops were pushing inland.

  • S2017E04 George Washington (1732-1799) President of the USA

    • January 22, 2017
    • YouTube

    George Washington was born on 22 February 1732 in Westmoreland County, Virginia, into a family of prosperous farmers. He began his career as a professional surveyor in 1749 at the age of 17 and was quickly appointed surveyor of Culpeper County, Virginia, his first public office.

  • S2017E05 WWI Factions: The Australian Army

    • January 26, 2017
    • YouTube

    Faction: The Australian Army Australia’s regular army was formed in 1901 with all males of combat age required to undertake military training regularly. When the first world war began, Australia immediately offered to supply Britain with 20,000 troops. While the regular army was organised for home defence a new overseas force called the ‘Australian Imperial Force’ or the AIF was created.

  • S2017E06 WWI Tanks: FT-17 Light Tank

    • January 31, 2017
    • YouTube

    The FT-17 Light tank (First World War Tech)

  • S2017E07 The Berlin Wall (1961 - 1989)

    • YouTube

    Aired February 5, 2017 The Berlin wall would become a symbol of ideological division and suppression of human rights during the Cold War.

  • S2017E08 Battle of Stalingrad (1942-43)

    • February 15, 2017
    • YouTube

    As the Germans advanced towards Stalingrad in the Summer of 1942, the war came to the locals of the city and evacuation was slow to the speed of the Wehrmacht’s advancement.

  • S2017E09 U.S. MARINE (Vietnam war)

    • February 20, 2017
    • YouTube

    The first American ground forces deployed against the viet cong and the NVA were the US Marines, who came ashore at Da nang on the coast of South Vietnam on March 8th 1965.

  • S2017E10 Weird Weapons and Equipment of WWI

    • February 23, 2017
    • YouTube

    The first world war saw modern weaponry used on a immense scale. Out of this came unique technological advancements in weapons and equipment, but also primitive designs reminiscent of earlier eras of warfare.

  • S2017E11 WWI Tanks: Tank Mk I Heavy Tank

    • February 24, 2017
    • YouTube

    The Tank Mark I Heavy Tank

  • S2017E12 German Stormtrooper (World War I)

    • March 1, 2017
    • YouTube

    Infantry Units: German Stormtrooper, World War One German officers and NCOs would start to experiment with new assault tactics. This would lead to the creation of elite ‘Stormtroopers’ or Sturmtruppen who would spearhead the German offensive of march 1918 known as ‘Kaiserschlacht’

  • S2017E13 The Russian Revolution (1917)

    • March 5, 2017
    • YouTube

    The year is 1917. Millions of Russians had been either killed or wounded. The Russian people were angry at Tsar Nicholas II for getting Russia into the war.

  • S2017E14 British SAS (World War II)

    • March 10, 2017
    • YouTube

    Special Forces unit: British SAS, World War Two The Special Air Service was formed by David Stirling in 1941. Its purpose was to act as a desert raiding airborne force unit that would secretly fight behind enemy lines in the North African Campaign. The first unit of the SAS, of around 60 men was called the "L" Detachment, Special Air Service Brigade. This name was used to confuse the Axis into thinking it was a much larger paratrooper regiment.

  • S2017E15 WWI Tanks: A7V Tank

    • March 14, 2017
    • YouTube

    Germany was unusually slow to realise and develop a tank, considering that in 1916, the British and the French had introduced tanks on the battlefield.

  • S2017E16 WWII Factions: The German Army

    • March 21, 2017
    • YouTube

    Faction: The German Army WWII In 1935, Hitler, Fuhrer of Nazi Germany violated the Treaty of Versailles by rebuilding the German army’s strength by bringing in military conscription and rearmament. The German armed forces as a whole, previously known as the Reichswehr now became the Wehrmacht. This was the Heer - Army, the Kriegsmarine - Navy and the Luftwaffe - Air force.

  • S2017E17 Harlem Hellfighters (World War I)

    • March 27, 2017
    • YouTube

    The 369th Infantry Regiment was constituted on 2nd June 1913 in the New York Army National Guard as the 15th New York Infantry Regiment. And would become known as the first ‘African-American regiment’ to serve with the American Expeditionary Forces during World War I.

  • S2017E18 WWI Tanks: Saint-Chamond

    • March 30, 2017
    • YouTube

    One rival company based at Saint Chamond started to develop its own tank design under technical director Colonel Émile Rimailho.

  • S2017E19 The Cuban Missile Crisis (1962)

    • April 6, 2017
    • YouTube

    The Cuban missile crisis was the moment during the Cold War when the two superpowers: the United States and the Soviet Union came close to nuclear war.

  • S2017E20 WWI Aircraft: Sopwith Camel

    • April 12, 2017
    • YouTube

    The British Sopwith Camel was developed by the Sopwith Aviation Company as a successor to the Sopwith pup, which had become outpaced by the new German fighters that emerged in the skies.

  • S2017E21 Otto von Bismarck (1815–1898) / German Unification

    • April 17, 2017
    • YouTube

    Figures in History: Otto von Bismarck (1815–1898) Otto von Bismarck was responsible for transforming a collection of small German states, unifying them into the German empire, and becoming its first chancellor. His diplomacy of realpolitik and powerful rule gained him the nickname of the "Iron Chancellor."

  • S2017E22 Great Pyramid of Giza

    • April 19, 2017
    • YouTube

    Great Pyramid of Giza Ancient Egypt, 2580–2560 BC (4th dynasty)

  • S2017E23 WWI Factions: The Bulgarian Army

    • April 22, 2017
    • YouTube

    Faction: The Bulgarian Army The First World War

  • S2017E24 Secret Cold War Gadgets

    • April 27, 2017
    • YouTube

    The Cold war was a time of espionage between the CIA and KGB and other organisations. Technology played a key role in an agent's inventory, gadgets were well disguised and portable some were even deadly.

  • S2017E25 U.S. B-17 Bomber Crewman (World War II)

    • May 3, 2017
    • YouTube

    Airforce Unit: US B-17 Bomber Crewman World War Two The United States Army Air force was made up of volunteers mostly in their late teens to early twenties from every part of the US. Bomber crews would receive extensive training at American air bases before being sent overseas for combat duty. A B-17 would typically have a crew of 10 including: a pilot who was the flight commander, a co-pilot, a bombardier and a navigator, a radio operator, a flight engineer, two waist gunners, a tail gunner and a ball- turret gunner.

  • S2017E26 Chauchat Light Machine Gun - Worst machine gun ever?

    • May 9, 2017
    • YouTube

    Learn history online by signing up for a free 7-day trial at http://www.americanhighschool.org Chauchat Light Machine Gun The First World War The ‘Chauchat’ or "Fusil Mitrailleur Modele 1915 CSRG" was the standard machine rifle or light machine gun of the French Army during World War I. Country of Origin: France Caliber: 8×50mmR Lebel Weight: 9KG /20lb Rate of Fire: 250 RPM Range: 1000 m / 3300ft

  • S2017E27 First World War tech: Dreadnoughts

    • May 11, 2017
    • YouTube

  • S2017E28 WWII Factions: The British Army

    • May 15, 2017
    • YouTube

    Faction: The British Army Before the war had started, Britain had a small professional army, sacrificing manpower for superior mobility and technology over the enemy. There was also a Territorial Army which was poorly trained and supplied.

  • S2017E29 WWI Factions: The Greek Army

    • May 11, 2017
    • YouTube

    Faction: The Greek Army The First World War When the First World War had begun, Greek prime minister, Eleftherios Venizelos favoured an alliance with the Entente powers in comparison to King Constantine I who favoured supporting Germany as he was married to the Kaiser's sister.

  • S2017E30 The Winter War (1939-40)

    • May 24, 2017
    • YouTube

    The ‘Winter War’ of 1939-1940 or the Russo-Finnish War was fought between the Soviet Union and Finland.

  • S2017E31 Vietcong Guerilla (Vietnam war)

    • May 26, 2017
    • YouTube

    The Vietcong would raid villages, and eliminate government appointed village leaders. They would ambush the enemy on roads and launch attacks on US military advisors.

  • S2017E32 Imperial Japanese Army Infantryman (World War II)

    • May 31, 2017
    • YouTube

    Infantry Unit: Imperial Japanese Army Infantryman, World War Two Training would be a tough process of hardening of mind, spirit, and body. During wartime, training could last only three months. An emphasis was put on bayonet fighting, which drew upon a belief in the Emperor and the ancient samurai warriors. The bayonet being a modern version of the samurai sword.

  • S2017E33 National Service (1949-63)

    • June 5, 2017
    • YouTube

    After world war two in a rapidly changing world, young men were called up in Britain to become peacetime conscripts and do national Service.

  • S2017E34 WWII Factions: The U.S. Army

    • June 10, 2017
    • YouTube

    Faction: The U.S. Army Before the war had started the US army was a small professional force. When Germany overran Poland within a matter of weeks in 1939, a greater urgency was put on building up the numbers in the Army already envisioned by the Rainbow plan. In 1940 the United States introduced selective conscription requiring registration of all men between 21 and 35 and by 1941 the US Army had grown to 1,500,000 men.

  • S2017E35 WWII Tanks: Light Tank M3 'Stuart'

    • June 14, 2017
    • YouTube

    WWII Tanks: Light Tank M3 'Stuart' The M3 was designed to be more than just an infantry support tank, and could be used for scouting.

  • S2017E36 Heckler & Koch G11 - Assault Rifle (Prototype Weapon)

    • June 18, 2017
    • YouTube

    Heckler & Koch G11 Assault Rifle (Prototype Weapon) The H&K G11 series started development in the late 1960’s when the West German government decided to replace the G3 series of rifles. They would be intended for the Bundeswehr and other NATO partners.

  • S2017E37 Gunslingers of the Wild West

    • June 20, 2017
    • YouTube

    Gunslingers - The Wild West -4 Mini stories. From 1850 to 1890 the Old west had little in the way of government law or police. Men would carry guns on them to protect themselves: some were outlaws, and some were the lawmen who tried to stop them. Good aim and speed with a gun and a willingness to pull the trigger would make them famous. Today we call them gunfighters or gunslingers, but back then they were called gunmen or shootists.

  • S2017E38 APS Underwater Assault Rifle

    • June 23, 2017
    • YouTube

    APS Underwater Assault Rifle Avtomat Podvodny Spetsialnyy The APS rifle was developed by Vladimir Simonov along with the SPP-1 Pistol during the 1970’s in the Soviet Union so that it's frogmen could have the ability to to shoot underwater.

  • S2017E39 The Wright Brothers, First Successful Airplane (1903)

    • June 29, 2017
    • YouTube

    Human Achievements / Firsts Wilbur Wright was born on April 16, 1867, Millville, Indiana and Orville Wright was born on August 19, 1871, Dayton, Ohio. Both brothers were pioneers credited with inventing the first airplane.

  • S2017E40 The Samurai

    • July 2, 2017
    • YouTube

    The Samurai The samurai warrior trained by serving under his master and following a strict code called bushido - ‘the way of the warrior’.

  • S2017E41 Hungarian Uprising, Budapest (1956)

    • July 6, 2017
    • YouTube

    A rise of protests by students and workers waving Hungarian flags with the communist emblem in the centre cut out arose in Budapest, erupting into active fighting in October 1956.

  • S2017E42 Dunkirk Evacuation (1940)

    • July 11, 2017
    • YouTube

    Thousands of British and French troops sat on the beaches waiting for a rescue attempt. Evacuation began on the 29th of May by the Royal Navy and civilian fishing and lifeboats pressed into service known as ‘little ships’.

  • S2017E43 Hellriegel 1915 (Secret Weapon)

    • July 16, 2017
    • YouTube

    Hellriegel 1915 (Secret Weapon) The Standschütze Hellriegel 1915 was an Austro-Hungarian prototype submachine gun developed in 1915. Little is known about this weapon.

  • S2017E44 M3/M3A1 Grease Gun

    • July 20, 2017
    • YouTube

    In 1941 the US Military began looking for an alternative for the Thompson submachine guns. In December of 1942 they adopted a new submachine gun, the M3. Built from an all steel construction using mainly stamped parts, it fired from an open bolt and had simple controls.

  • S2017E45 Panzer Crewman (World War II)

    • July 25, 2017
    • YouTube

    German Panzer Crewman Panzerwaffe World War II In the early parts of World War two, Germany had fewer armoured vehicles than their enemies. Early tank designs such as the light Panzer I tank were technologically inferior. The tank commander and his crew however, were highly skilled and well trained. Panzer crewmen wore close fitting black uniforms, known as Panzer wraps inspired by the traditional uniform of the Brunswick Hussars. The headgear was a beret which worked as a soft padded crash helmet or a black field cap.

  • S2017E46 Char 2C Super Heavy Tank (Behemoth)

    • July 31, 2017
    • YouTube

    The Char 2C was designed during the latter half of the First World War in an effort to break the stalemate of trench warfare.

  • S2017E47 The Colosseum, Rome

    • August 6, 2017
    • YouTube

    The Colosseum is located in Rome, Italy. Also known as the Flavian Amphitheatre,it is an oval amphitheatre, and the largest ever built. The arena hosted a variety of blood sports as entertainment. with ceremonies and shows that lasted for 100 days. The schedule for the day consisted of men hunting dangerous animals and executions of criminals, but the main event would be the gladiatorial combat. Ancient writers wrote about mock sea battles or naumachiae before the Hypogeum was developed . It is speculated that hydraulic mechanisms were used to flood the arena rapidly for such naval battles.

  • S2017E48 Korean Soldier Fighting on D-Day (Strange Stories of World War II)

    • August 9, 2017
    • YouTube

    Yang Kyoungjong was forced to fight in three different foreign armies before he was finally captured by U.S. paratroopers.

  • S2017E49 WWII Factions: The Red Army

    • August 11, 2017
    • YouTube

    After the Russian revolution in 1917, the new Soviet government formed a Workers’ and Peasants’ Red Army. By 1941 the red army was 4.8 million strong with 2.9 million were deployed at western military districts. The Conscription age was 18.

  • S2017E50 Beretta Model 1918, The first true SMG?

    • August 15, 2017
    • YouTube

    The Beretta Model 1918 did not require production of many new parts which was beneficial to Italy’s poor industrial capabilities. The Model 1918 design was one side of the dual weapon Villar Perosa, set in a shortened wooden Carcano stock, and given a trigger and folding bayonet.

  • S2017E51 The Gulf of Tonkin Incident (1964)

    • August 20, 2017
    • YouTube

    The Gulf of Tonkin incident or the USS Maddox incident is the event responsible for America’s entry into the Vietnam war.

  • S2017E52 WWII Factions: The Italian Army

    • August 23, 2017
    • YouTube

    The Italian Army during the second world war was a Royal Army with King Victor Emmanuel III as Commander-in-Chief . However dictator and Prime Minister Mussolini and the facist party were in true control of the Italian Army even if he had to ask permission from the king. The Italian Royal Army had tested itself during the conquest of Ethiopia from 1935 to 1936, the Spanish Civil War from 1936 to 1939, and the invasion of Albania in 1939.

  • S2017E53 U.S. Prohibition (1920-33)

    • August 26, 2017
    • YouTube

    Prohibition began in the United States in January 1920, after the 18th Amendment became effective, making the manufacture and sale of alcohol now illegal.

  • S2017E54 Inventions: The Tesla Coil

    • August 31, 2017
    • YouTube

    The inventor Nikola Tesla had dreamed of supplying the world with electricity wirelessly. Tesla developed a device in 1891 which could produce bolts of high voltage electricity, known as the Tesla Coil. The device has a primary coil which passes a current onto a secondary coil, creating a high voltage and low current, which shoots out a lightning like discharge.

  • S2017E55 SMLE MKIII & SMLE MKIII*

    • September 4, 2017
    • YouTube

    Short Magazine Lee Enfield Mark III The SMLE was a shortened and modernized version of the Lee Metford and Lee Enfield MLE. Its size was beneficial to the military providing one service rifle instead of a mixture of rifles and carbines. It would serve Britain throughout both World Wars and for the commonwealth throughout the 20th century.

  • S2017E56 Fedorov Avtomat, The First Assault Rifle?

    • September 6, 2017
    • YouTube

    The Fedorov Avtomat was a groundbreaking design that was ahead of it’s time. Developed by Captain Fedorov first as a semi automatic rifle and then a fully automatic rifle, the fedorov avtomat was submitted to trials in 1913 and was finally adopted in 1916.

  • S2017E57 The US Army & German Wehrmacht VS Waffen SS - Battle for Castle Itter 1945

    • September 11, 2017
    • YouTube

    On 5 May 1945, a few days after Hitler’s suicide, American soldiers under command of US Army Captain John C. "Jack" Lee, Jr. teamed up with a number of Wehrmacht soldiers under German major, Josef Sepp Gangl who was opposed to the Nazis to rescue VIP prisoners from Castle Itter .

  • S2017E58 WWII Factions: The Japanese Army

    • September 18, 2017
    • YouTube

    During the 1920s, the Imperial Japanese Army expanded greatly in its number of men and military spending. The Imperial Japanese Army was victorious early on in the Pacific theatre. As the war progressed and the situation became more desperate for the army, Japanese soldiers started to use more sacrificial tactics.

  • S2017E59 The Soldier Bear (Strange Stories of World War II)

    • September 23, 2017
    • YouTube

    A brown Syrian bear was given to a new Polish Army, setting up in the Middle east in 1942. The 22nd Artillery Supply Company of the Polish II Corps would name him ‘Wojtek’ by the soldiers and soon he would become a morale boosting mascot for the troops.

  • S2017E60 The Brusilov Offensive (1916)

    • September 27, 2017
    • YouTube

    In 1916 the Russians would launch a summer offensive to support the British and French efforts on the Western front.

  • S2017E61 The Industrial Revolution (18-19th Century)

    • October 1, 2017
    • YouTube

    Introduction to some of the elements of the Industrial Revolution, more on this subject to come! The economic developments of the 1800s saw the development of agrarian and handicraft economies in Europe and America transform into industrial urbanised ones. The term to describe this phenomenon would be known as the ‘Industrial Revolution’ and was first used by French writers, but made popular by English economic historian Arnold Toynbee.

  • S2017E62 The WWII Japanese Soldier Who Didn’t Surrender Until 1974

    • October 6, 2017
    • YouTube

    Strange Stories of WWII Hiroo Onoda was a Japanese intelligence officer in the Imperial Japanese Army, who refused to surrender until decades after World War II had ended.

  • S2017E63 Plague Doctor

    • October 9, 2017
    • YouTube

    The Plague Doctor's costume was designed to protect you from what was thought of as "evil" smells or bad air which was seen as the cause of infection at the time. This is now known as the medically obsolete ‘Miasma theory’.

  • S2017E64 Stahlhelm M1916 (World War I)

    • October 14, 2017
    • YouTube

    For Germany, it’s early war helmet was the leather spike helmet called the pickelhaube which was expensive, offered little protection and was unsuitable for the trenches. In 1916 the pickelhaube was replaced by the more practical steel helmet called the Stahlhelm. The Germans were the first to test a steel helmet but the slow to introduce it on the battlefield.

  • S2017E65 The Vietnam War Draft

    • October 18, 2017
    • YouTube

    A need for more manpower upon America’s deeper involvement in the Vietnam war in 1965, made President Johnson bring in conscription. Now young men who were not considering military service, would consider whether they might get picked to fight in the Vietnam conflict across the globe.

  • S2017E66 Medieval Punishments

    • October 22, 2017
    • YouTube

  • S2017E67 Weimar Republic: The Freikorps

    • October 27, 2017
    • YouTube

    As the First World War ended and Germany had been defeated, paramilitary groups emerged. The Friekorps formed from German soldiers returning home from the war. Their beliefs were nationalist, anti-treaty of Versailles and anti-communist.

  • S2017E68 The Great Plague of London (1665-66)

    • October 30, 2017
    • YouTube

  • S2017E69 U.S. Paratrooper (World War II)

    • November 3, 2017
    • YouTube

  • S2017E70 Brodie Helmet / Helmet, steel, Mark I (World War I)

    • November 6, 2017
    • YouTube

    The British Helmet in World War I John L. Brodie had invented and patented a design in 1915, called the Helmet, steel, Mark one or 'Brodie helmet' after its inventor.

  • S2017E71 RAF Fighter Pilot (World War II)

    • November 7, 2017
    • YouTube

    RAF pilots consisted of British volunteers who were an average age of 20. 1 in 10 pilots were from commonwealth nations such as Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. While others came from occupied nations in Europe, including: Czechs, Poles, French and Belgians. The Polish made up the largest amount of foreign volunteers, followed by New Zealand, Canada and Czechoslovakia.

  • S2017E72 M1928/A1 Thompson

    • November 11, 2017
    • YouTube

    The design by General John J. Thompson was complicated yet reliable. It utilized the Blish Lock to delay the opening of the bolt when fired which made the M1928 Thompson a delayed blowback firearm.

  • S2017E73 Elizabeth I (1533-1603) Queen of England

    • November 13, 2017
    • YouTube

    During Elizabeth's reign, England saw a golden age of progress.

  • S2017E74 Tunnel Rats (The Vietnam war)

    • November 16, 2017
    • YouTube

    To clear out the dangerous enemy tunnels, brave infantrymen from Australia, New Zealand, South Vietnam and the United States volunteered for this unenviable job. They would gain the nickname ‘tunnel rats’

  • S2017E75 WWII Factions: The Chinese Army

    • November 20, 2017
    • YouTube

    China is quite complicated in WW2: The military arm of the KMT was known as the National Revolutionary Army. The Chinese Civil War would begin in 1927 and see the formation of the other largest faction -the Communists which would oppose the KMT. Its military force was the Chinese Red Army.

  • S2017E76 Bill Gates co-founder of Microsoft (1955 -)

    • November 21, 2017
    • YouTube

    Bill Gates Co-founder of Microsoft and philanthropist Gates and Allen then established Microsoft on April 4, 1975, with Gates as the CEO. The name was a blend of "micro-computer" and "software". While Gates oversaw the business he would also continue to write code himself and review it before it shipped.

  • S2017E77 The Battle of Passchendaele (1917)

    • November 23, 2017
    • YouTube

    The Battle of Passchendaele, also known as the Third Battle of Ypres was one of the largest battles of the first world war.

  • S2017E78 What was 'Fragging'? (The Vietnam War)

    • November 25, 2017
    • YouTube

    As the Vietnam war became more controversial and morale dipped, a disturbing new phenomenon emerged in the U.S. military called ‘fragging’.

  • S2017E79 WWII Tanks: Tiger I - Heavy Tank

    • November 28, 2017
    • YouTube

    The legendary German Tiger I has a reputation as a machine feared by the allies, combining lethal firepower and excellent armour.

  • S2017E80 Attack of the Dead Men (Strange Stories)

    • November 30, 2017
    • YouTube

    In 1915 the Osowiec Fortress on the Eastern Front would see a shocking event, of men reanimating from a gas attack that should have killed them..

  • S2017E81 The Man who Fought with a Longbow and a Sword in WWII

    • December 4, 2017
    • YouTube

    John Malcolm Thorpe Fleming Churchill was born in Hong Kong, and graduated from the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst in 1926. He would later earn the nickname “Mad Jack” or “Fighting Jack” for fighting with a longbow, bagpipes, and a sword in World war two.

  • S2017E82 GULAGS (The Cold War)

    • December 5, 2017
    • YouTube

    Gulags or ‘Main Administration of Corrective Labor Camps’ were forced labor camps in the Soviet Union, created under Vladimir Lenin after the Russian Revolution but made famous during the Stalin era.

  • S2017E83 Ford Model T (Mass Produced Car)

    • December 7, 2017
    • YouTube

    In 1913, at Highland park, Michigan, Henry Ford’s Model T revolutionised a moving assembly line on a mass scale, as standardised car parts were added on by workers who were trained to perform one task.

  • S2017E84 The Tet Offensive (1968)

    • December 8, 2017
    • YouTube

    As celebration of the lunar new year, the ‘tet’ is an important holiday to Vietnamese people. In January 1968, the North Vietnamese and Communist Viet Cong forces would use the event to their advantage to strategically launch an offensive when the enemy’s guard was down.

  • S2017E85 WWII Factions: The Polish Army (The Polish Armed Forces in the West)

    • December 12, 2017
    • YouTube

    After the Polish defeat in 1939 to German forces, many polish soldiers and civilians flocked to western europe to ensure they could continue the fight. They would form ‘the Polish Armed Forces in the West’ therefore emphasising a continuity of Poland and hope of liberation.

  • S2017E86 U.S. Infantry Weapons (Vietnam War)

    • December 14, 2017
    • YouTube

  • S2017E87 Schwerer Gustav - Rail Super Gun (Behemoth)

    • December 17, 2017
    • YouTube

    The Schwerer Gustav was the largest artillery gun ever made.

  • S2017E88 Yuri Gagarin, First Human in Space (1961)

    • December 19, 2017
    • YouTube

    At age 27 on the morning of 12 April 1961, cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin, was helped into his spacesuit and made his way to the launch pad. He climbed into the Vostok spacecraft, wondering if he would return back to earth, but was calm.

  • S2017E89 The French Resistance (World War II)

    • December 22, 2017
    • YouTube

    Resistance soon took place in different ways after Charles de Gaulle encouraged the fight to continue after the impending German occupation. Groups such as the Maquis - were men and women who avoided Vichy France’s forced labor by hiding in the mountains. They used violent means and guerrilla warfare tactics, attacking the Milice and the German occupiers and sabotaging their communication lines and vehicles.

  • S2017E90 Ice Ship (Secret Weapon of WWII)

    • December 23, 2017
    • YouTube

  • S2017E91 The Battle of the Bulge (1944-45)

    • December 25, 2017
    • YouTube

    The Battle of the Bulge was the largest battle fought by the Americans in World War II.

  • S2017E92 The Trebuchet

    • December 28, 2017
    • YouTube

    The Trebuchet was similar to a giant catapult or stave sling, and launched heavy stones into enemy castles or walls.

  • S2017E93 Drip Rifle (Weird Weapons)

    • December 30, 2017
    • YouTube

    During the evacuation of Gallipoli by the Allies, which started in December 1915, an ingenious invention was constructed on the battlefield by ANZAC forces to deceive the ottoman enemy into thinking a large force was still firing back at them, when in reality the rifles were shooting without a person pulling the trigger!

  • SPECIAL 0x3 Youtube Sponsor Announcement!

    • April 19, 2018

  • SPECIAL 0x4 1 Million Subscribers Celebration

    • June 11, 2018

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