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‘Scorched Earth’ has placed itself in the vanguard of military history programming. It is the definitive record of the weapons, warriors and tactics which shaped the face of battle during World War Two. Fascinating archive footage from German and Allied sources forms the basis of the Scorched Earth series, complemented by magnificent animation sequences, illustrative maps and graphics, brand new footage of surviving relics from around the world and interviews with the world’s foremost military historians. Made with the help of The Imperial War Museum (London, England) and The Smithsonian Institute (Washington, USA), ‘Scorched Earth’ is military archaeology at its very best.

7 episodes

Season Premiere

2x01 German Jet Fighters

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In 1944, Hitler ordered the full-scale production of, what he called the Miracle Weapons. A new breed of aircraft designed to change Germany's declining military fortunes. As a result, the first Jet Fighters were unleashed on the world. The potentially devastating ME262 and Arado 234 were underdeveloped and their moderate successes could not prevent the desperate situation which resulted in the introduction of the dangerous ME163 Kommet and the disastrous Heinkel HE162 the Peoples Defender, more dangerous to its pilot than the enemy.Featuring rare archive footage, stunning 3-D computer graphics and rare film of the last surviving jet aircraft, this is a sinister glimpse into what might have been.

2x02 Doodlebug

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HITLER'S TERROR WEAPON:
By 1942 the tide of war had finally started to swing in the favour of the Allied forces. As the industrial might and great cities of Germany suffered as never before, Hitler promised revenge. Soon vengeance weapons were developed and deployed, a turning point in the technological history of warfare. The V1, otherwise known as the Doodle Bug would cause havoc in the streets of Britain's capital. However, as the Allied forces closed in on the Third Reich, in a desperate attempt to stop the onslaught - the V2 was launched for the first time. In the dying days of the Third Reich, who would have believed that such a weapon could have been produced. A weapon, if given more time, that could have completely altered the outcome of the war. Featuring rare archive footage, stunning 3-D computer graphics and rare film of the last surviving rockets, this is a privileged glimpse into the world of Hitler's arsenal.

2x03 Submarine Warfare

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In the late 1800's the father of submarines, Mr John Holland hit upon the idea of powering a submarine with an internal combustion engine and an electric motor. For over a hundred years, since the first semi-successful attempts during the American Civil War, submarine warfare had been fraught with difficulties and failure. In 1901 the Holland I was launched as the first Royal Navy Submarine and submarines have been an integral part of the Navy ever since. The Second World War showed the first widespread use of the these under water vessels and their major advantages. Today nuclear submarines roam the waters all over the world for exploration and to keep the peace. Featuring rare archive footage, stunning 3-D computer graphics and rare film of the last surviving submarines, this is a privileged glimpse into the world of submarine warfare.

2x04 Luftwaffe

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After the German's defeat in World War I the Allies decreed that the menace of the Luftwaffe would never again be a significant threat. Germany were no longer allowed by international law to possess an airforce. Secretly through the 20s and 30s, Germany began to rebuild her military capabilities, first in Russia and then in Italy. The Luftwaffe was reborn. In 1939 Hitler invaded Poland and the German airforce was at the head of his invasion force. During the course of the war the Luftwaffe was slowly ground down, but lack of resources and poor leadership contributed to a steady decline of this once proud fighting force. Featuring rare archive footage, stunning 3-D computer graphics and rare film of the last surviving planes, this is a privileged glimpse into the world of Hitler's airforce.

2x05 Rommel

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DESERT FOX:
The famous Desert Fox of legend, the commander of the German Afrika Korps, a soldier loved by his men and respected by his enemies. Rommel is best remembered for his spectacular successes over the British 8th Army and in particular the capture of Tobruk in 1942; he subsequently drove the British back to El-Alamein. He was withdrawn after the defeat by Montgomery and, his health broken, put in charge of the Channel defenses in 1943. Rommel was implicated in the plot to kill Hitler in 1944, and his subsequent suicide did nothing to diminish his reputation as a formidable soldier and leader.

2x06 Tiger

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GERMAN HEAVY TANKS:
Outnumbered, outgunned and beleaguered on all sides, the German tank forces of the Second World War fought valiantly to the very last. Always too few in numbers, even the superior technology of the Tiger and Panther tanks proved insufficient to defeat the hordes of Shermans and T-34Os, which swamped the Panzer Corps by 1945. Featuring rare archive footage, stunning 3-D computer graphics and rare film of the last surviving Tigers, this is a privileged glimpse into the world of Hitler's tank armies.

2x07 Unknown

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