1
00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:05,100
(dramatic music)

2
00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:07,000
Downloaded from
YTS.MX

3
00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:13,000
Official YIFY movies site:
YTS.MX

4
00:01:45,320 --> 00:01:48,140
The origins of war remain
a subject of great debate.

5
00:01:49,800 --> 00:01:52,380
Some argue that it is a necessary evil,

6
00:01:52,840 --> 00:01:55,740
a means of shaping history
and sparking social change.

7
00:01:56,440 --> 00:02:00,060
Others believe it is simply an
extension of political conflict.

8
00:02:00,760 --> 00:02:05,260
Even Plato theorised that war
was a direct result of human desire.

9
00:02:09,160 --> 00:02:13,340
Regardless of the perspective,
history is undeniably marked by warfare.

10
00:02:14,720 --> 00:02:18,220
Stretching from ancient battles
to the conflicts of the modern era.

11
00:02:30,640 --> 00:02:34,380
By the dawn of the 20th century the
concept of war was well understood.

12
00:02:35,000 --> 00:02:36,974
But nothing could have
prepared the world for

13
00:02:37,040 --> 00:02:40,934
the devastation wrought by the two
most cataclysmic conflicts in history.

14
00:02:41,000 --> 00:02:46,100
(dramatic music)

15
00:02:49,160 --> 00:02:52,254
With the advancements of
the Industrial Revolution, war

16
00:02:52,320 --> 00:02:54,060
took on a terrifying new form.

17
00:02:54,600 --> 00:02:58,260
Submarines prowled beneath
the waves, aerial warfare emerged,

18
00:02:58,680 --> 00:03:01,214
deadly mines lay in wait and, at the

19
00:03:01,280 --> 00:03:03,974
conclusion of the Second
World War, the atomic

20
00:03:04,040 --> 00:03:06,934
bomb introduced an entirely
new level of destruction.

21
00:03:07,000 --> 00:03:12,100
(dramatic music)

22
00:03:25,440 --> 00:03:28,774
Between 1914 and 1918 the First World War

23
00:03:28,840 --> 00:03:32,860
claimed more than 40 million
lives, both military and civilian.

24
00:03:34,000 --> 00:03:38,654
Yet, scarcely two decades later, the
world found itself on the brink once more.

25
00:03:38,720 --> 00:03:43,820
(dramatic music)

26
00:03:59,200 --> 00:04:03,014
The conflict that was supposed to have
been the war to end all wars had failed

27
00:04:03,080 --> 00:04:03,734
in its promise.

28
00:04:03,800 --> 00:04:07,174
And the 1930s saw the ominous rise of

29
00:04:07,240 --> 00:04:12,014
totalitarian regimes that would propel
the globe into yet another brutal war.

30
00:04:12,080 --> 00:04:17,180
(dramatic music)

31
00:04:18,800 --> 00:04:23,700
The Second World War began
in 1939 and lasted until 1945.

32
00:04:24,360 --> 00:04:26,740
The nations of Great Britain
and the Commonwealth,

33
00:04:27,160 --> 00:04:31,220
alongside France and later the United
States, formed the Grand Alliance.

34
00:04:31,520 --> 00:04:34,334
Commonly known as the
Allies, fighting against Nazi

35
00:04:34,400 --> 00:04:38,134
Germany, Imperial Japan
and Mussolini's fascist Italy.

36
00:04:38,200 --> 00:04:42,260
(dramatic music)

37
00:04:42,640 --> 00:04:46,054
Initially, the Soviet Union,
under Joseph Stalin, had

38
00:04:46,120 --> 00:04:47,940
signed a non-aggression pact with Hitler.

39
00:04:49,800 --> 00:04:52,260
But when the German dictator
betrayed this agreement,

40
00:04:52,680 --> 00:04:54,774
the Russians too joined the Allied cause.

41
00:04:54,840 --> 00:04:58,694
(dramatic music)

42
00:04:58,760 --> 00:05:01,454
The war spanned six years, resulting in the

43
00:05:01,520 --> 00:05:06,294
staggering loss of over 50 million
lives, two -thirds of whom were civilians.

44
00:05:06,360 --> 00:05:11,460
(dramatic music)

45
00:05:19,880 --> 00:05:23,334
This programme, using rare
archival footage, will examine

46
00:05:23,400 --> 00:05:27,460
the events that led to the outbreak
of war on September 3rd 1939.

47
00:05:28,120 --> 00:05:30,894
And, more specifically,
how the paths of two

48
00:05:30,960 --> 00:05:34,374
men, Winston Churchill and
Adolf Hitler, helped shape

49
00:05:34,440 --> 00:05:37,214
the contours of this
devastating global conflict.

50
00:05:37,280 --> 00:05:42,380
(dramatic music)

51
00:05:45,760 --> 00:05:48,254
Looking back with the
clarity of hindsight, it

52
00:05:48,320 --> 00:05:50,854
is evident that more
decisive action and better

53
00:05:50,920 --> 00:05:53,734
preparation could have
averted a war that continues

54
00:05:53,800 --> 00:05:56,300
to cast long shadows over world history.

55
00:05:59,200 --> 00:06:01,620
To understand the climate
in which war erupted,

56
00:06:01,840 --> 00:06:03,934
we must step back into the early 20th

57
00:06:04,000 --> 00:06:07,214
century and delve into the
intricate history that preceded it.

58
00:06:07,280 --> 00:06:12,380
(dramatic music)

59
00:06:14,680 --> 00:06:17,180
The First World War left Europe in turmoil,

60
00:06:17,640 --> 00:06:20,894
its economies shattered and
political landscapes transformed.

61
00:06:20,960 --> 00:06:26,060
(dramatic music)

62
00:06:34,760 --> 00:06:38,894
Monarchies crumbled, revolutions
erupted and long-standing institutions

63
00:06:38,960 --> 00:06:39,934
were upended.

64
00:06:40,000 --> 00:06:45,100
(dramatic music)

65
00:06:51,480 --> 00:06:54,814
Mussolini established a
fascist regime in Italy, the

66
00:06:54,880 --> 00:06:58,174
Russian Revolution of
1917 birthed the world's first

67
00:06:58,240 --> 00:07:01,620
communist state, and
Germany, once a proud empire,

68
00:07:01,840 --> 00:07:03,374
was left reeling from defeat.

69
00:07:03,440 --> 00:07:08,540
(dramatic music)

70
00:07:16,240 --> 00:07:20,374
The Treaty of Versailles, signed
in 1919, officially ended the

71
00:07:20,440 --> 00:07:23,060
war but imposed severe
penalties on Germany.

72
00:07:26,160 --> 00:07:28,414
Though the fighting had
ceased on November 11th

73
00:07:28,480 --> 00:07:32,040
1918, it took months to
finalise the terms of peace.

74
00:07:37,080 --> 00:07:38,814
In the opulent Hall of Mirrors at the

75
00:07:38,880 --> 00:07:42,894
Palace of Versailles, American
President Woodrow Wilson, British

76
00:07:42,960 --> 00:07:46,094
Prime Minister Lloyd George
and French Premier Georges

77
00:07:46,160 --> 00:07:49,054
Clemenceau gathered to
shape the post-war world.

78
00:07:49,120 --> 00:07:54,220
(dramatic music)

79
00:07:59,120 --> 00:08:02,460
The treaty stripped Germany
of valuable industrial land,

80
00:08:02,760 --> 00:08:06,134
drastically reduced its
military capability and saddled it

81
00:08:06,200 --> 00:08:07,620
with a crippling war debt.

82
00:08:08,400 --> 00:08:11,534
But rather than ensuring
lasting peace, these measures

83
00:08:11,600 --> 00:08:13,894
plunged Germany into economic ruin.

84
00:08:13,960 --> 00:08:19,060
(dramatic music)

85
00:08:21,960 --> 00:08:24,374
The ultimate humiliation
came in the form of

86
00:08:24,440 --> 00:08:27,974
the infamous War Guilt
Clause, forcing Germany to

87
00:08:28,040 --> 00:08:30,180
accept full responsibility
for the conflict.

88
00:08:30,840 --> 00:08:34,860
When German politicians signed the
treaty, nationalist outrage exploded.

89
00:08:35,560 --> 00:08:38,054
Among those enraged
was a young soldier named

90
00:08:38,120 --> 00:08:41,974
Adolf Hitler, who would later
brand them the November Criminals.

91
00:08:42,040 --> 00:08:47,140
(dramatic music)

92
00:08:49,280 --> 00:08:52,260
The 1920s saw Germany in dire straits.

93
00:08:52,760 --> 00:08:56,220
Poverty, unemployment and
social unrest gripped the nation.

94
00:08:59,600 --> 00:09:01,894
It was in this atmosphere
of desperation that

95
00:09:01,960 --> 00:09:06,300
Adolf Hitler rose to prominence,
vowing to restore Germany's former glory.

96
00:09:06,880 --> 00:09:11,180
Though Austrian by birth, Hitler
considered Germany his true homeland.

97
00:09:11,800 --> 00:09:13,414
He had fought for the country during the

98
00:09:13,480 --> 00:09:17,254
First World War and had even been
awarded the Iron Cross for bravery.

99
00:09:17,320 --> 00:09:22,054
(dramatic music)

100
00:09:22,120 --> 00:09:24,974
After the war, the German
army, fearing communist

101
00:09:25,040 --> 00:09:28,740
uprisings, tasked him with spying
on the German Workers' Party.

102
00:09:29,200 --> 00:09:32,840
But instead of merely observing,
Hitler became deeply involved.

103
00:09:35,920 --> 00:09:39,094
One evening, after delivering
an impassioned 15-minute

104
00:09:39,160 --> 00:09:41,534
speech, he caught the
attention of the party's

105
00:09:41,600 --> 00:09:43,974
leaders, who quickly
recognised his potential.

106
00:09:44,040 --> 00:09:48,654
(dramatic music)

107
00:09:48,720 --> 00:09:52,094
Hitler's anti-Semitic and
nationalistic rhetoric resonated with

108
00:09:52,160 --> 00:09:55,560
many, and soon the small
party swelled in numbers.

109
00:09:56,440 --> 00:09:58,620
Within days, Hitler was on its committee.

110
00:09:59,240 --> 00:10:02,734
His speeches captivated
audiences, railing against the Treaty

111
00:10:02,800 --> 00:10:05,694
of Versailles, blaming the
Jews for Germany's woes

112
00:10:05,760 --> 00:10:08,254
and denouncing Marxism and communism.

113
00:10:08,320 --> 00:10:13,420
(dramatic music)

114
00:10:18,240 --> 00:10:21,254
Under his leadership,
the party rebranded as the

115
00:10:21,320 --> 00:10:24,860
National Socialist German
Workers' Party, the Nazi Party.

116
00:10:25,560 --> 00:10:29,294
Hitler became its undisputed
leader, or Führer, introducing

117
00:10:29,360 --> 00:10:31,774
the now infamous swastika as its emblem.

118
00:10:31,840 --> 00:10:36,940
(dramatic music)

119
00:10:42,000 --> 00:10:45,334
As Hitler's speeches grew ever
more impassioned, Germany's

120
00:10:45,400 --> 00:10:46,860
economic woes deepened.

121
00:10:47,240 --> 00:10:50,574
With the Allies demanding
reparations, hunger riots erupted

122
00:10:50,640 --> 00:10:52,654
and the country verged on collapse.

123
00:10:52,720 --> 00:10:57,820
(dramatic music)

124
00:11:01,960 --> 00:11:04,974
In 1923, the Nazis attempted a coup in

125
00:11:05,040 --> 00:11:08,820
Munich, but it failed, and Hitler
was imprisoned for treason.

126
00:11:12,720 --> 00:11:16,054
However, rather than
ending his career, his trial

127
00:11:16,120 --> 00:11:19,220
and subsequent imprisonment
only amplified his influence.

128
00:11:20,240 --> 00:11:23,574
His courtroom speeches were
widely published, spreading his

129
00:11:23,640 --> 00:11:26,534
ideology far beyond his
initial base of support.

130
00:11:26,600 --> 00:11:31,700
(dramatic music)

131
00:11:33,880 --> 00:11:37,100
Hitler used his time in
prison to pen Mein Kampf,

132
00:11:37,320 --> 00:11:41,534
a manifesto that laid bare his
extreme nationalist and racist beliefs.

133
00:11:41,600 --> 00:11:46,700
(dramatic music)

134
00:11:47,040 --> 00:11:50,260
He vilified Jews, blamed
them for Germany's decline,

135
00:11:50,560 --> 00:11:53,720
and spoke of conspiracies to
control global finance and media.

136
00:11:56,440 --> 00:11:59,854
He glorified the Aryan
race, demeaning Slavs, Poles

137
00:11:59,920 --> 00:12:03,060
and Russians, and outlined
his vision of Lebensraum,

138
00:12:03,320 --> 00:12:05,254
or living space, for the German people.

139
00:12:05,320 --> 00:12:10,420
(dramatic music)

140
00:12:10,880 --> 00:12:14,060
This expansionist policy
would be pursued through war,

141
00:12:14,400 --> 00:12:19,260
as Hitler openly discussed enslaving
or exterminating entire populations.

142
00:12:19,760 --> 00:12:23,294
He also fixated on
avenging Germany's defeat in

143
00:12:23,360 --> 00:12:26,854
the First World War, particularly
by striking against France.

144
00:12:26,920 --> 00:12:32,020
(dramatic music)

145
00:12:33,440 --> 00:12:39,060
Upon its publication in 1925, Mein
Kampf was not an immediate success.

146
00:12:39,920 --> 00:12:45,500
However, it provided a chilling warning,
one that the world largely ignored.

147
00:12:48,120 --> 00:12:50,380
Hitler, however, was patient.

148
00:12:51,400 --> 00:12:55,060
As Germany's economy
stabilised in the mid-1920s,

149
00:12:55,440 --> 00:12:58,814
public interest in his
extremist rhetoric waned, but

150
00:12:58,880 --> 00:13:00,294
he waited for the right moment.

151
00:13:00,360 --> 00:13:05,460
(dramatic music)

152
00:13:08,360 --> 00:13:11,494
That moment came in 1929, with the Wall

153
00:13:11,560 --> 00:13:14,614
Street crash and the
subsequent Great Depression.

154
00:13:14,680 --> 00:13:19,780
(dramatic music)

155
00:13:22,040 --> 00:13:24,140
The effects on Germany were catastrophic.

156
00:13:24,920 --> 00:13:29,014
Banks collapsed, life savings
vanished, inflation skyrocketed, and

157
00:13:29,080 --> 00:13:30,940
the economy ground to a halt.

158
00:13:35,320 --> 00:13:38,094
In the ensuing desperation,
Hitler and his Nazis

159
00:13:38,160 --> 00:13:41,974
seized their opportunity, infiltrating
the political establishment and

160
00:13:42,040 --> 00:13:43,334
gaining widespread support.

161
00:13:43,400 --> 00:13:48,500
(dramatic music)

162
00:13:54,960 --> 00:13:59,900
On January 30th, 1933, Hitler was
appointed Chancellor of Germany.

163
00:14:00,320 --> 00:14:02,934
As the Nazi SS marched
triumphantly beneath the

164
00:14:03,000 --> 00:14:07,254
towering columns of Berlin's Brandenburg
Gate, thousands of Germans cheered.

165
00:14:07,320 --> 00:14:12,420
(dramatic music)

166
00:14:17,560 --> 00:14:21,734
Josef Goebbels, Hitler's
propaganda mastermind, exulted in his

167
00:14:21,800 --> 00:14:25,180
diary, writing, It is almost like a dream,

168
00:14:25,640 --> 00:14:26,580
a fairy tale.

169
00:14:27,200 --> 00:14:28,820
The new Reich has begun.

170
00:14:29,080 --> 00:14:34,134
(dramatic music)

171
00:14:34,200 --> 00:14:38,340
With Hitler's rise to power, democracy
in Germany was swiftly dismantled.

172
00:14:38,680 --> 00:14:41,374
Civil liberties were stripped
away, freedom of the

173
00:14:41,440 --> 00:14:44,374
press was curtailed, and
political opponents were rounded

174
00:14:44,440 --> 00:14:46,334
up, tortured or executed.

175
00:14:46,400 --> 00:14:51,500
(dramatic music)

176
00:14:53,440 --> 00:14:57,014
The persecution of Jews
intensified, as Nazi paramilitary

177
00:14:57,080 --> 00:15:00,414
forces enforced boycotts on
Jewish businesses and burned

178
00:15:00,480 --> 00:15:01,654
books deemed un-German.

179
00:15:01,720 --> 00:15:06,854
Many of Germany's brightest
minds, scientists, artists, and

180
00:15:06,920 --> 00:15:11,134
intellectuals fled the country,
including Albert Einstein, Sigmund

181
00:15:11,200 --> 00:15:12,974
Freud, and Marlene Dietrich.

182
00:15:13,040 --> 00:15:17,734
(dramatic music)

183
00:15:17,800 --> 00:15:20,494
Within mere days, Germany
had begun its transformation

184
00:15:20,560 --> 00:15:24,494
into a totalitarian police
state, where individual freedoms

185
00:15:24,560 --> 00:15:26,300
were systematically eradicated.

186
00:15:27,000 --> 00:15:29,334
The world watched in alarm, but few could

187
00:15:29,400 --> 00:15:31,854
foresee the unprecedented
horrors that lay ahead.

188
00:15:31,920 --> 00:15:37,020
(dramatic music)

189
00:15:52,080 --> 00:15:54,614
Support for Hitler continued to grow at an

190
00:15:54,680 --> 00:15:57,774
alarming rate, with rallies
reaching unprecedented sizes.

191
00:15:57,840 --> 00:16:02,334
(dramatic music)

192
00:16:02,400 --> 00:16:05,294
When 87-year-old
President Hindenburg died on

193
00:16:05,360 --> 00:16:08,974
the 2nd of August 1934,
Hitler swiftly assumed

194
00:16:09,040 --> 00:16:13,800
presidential powers, making himself
the unchallenged Führer of Germany.

195
00:16:18,320 --> 00:16:22,294
Matters worsened in 1935,
when, in direct violation

196
00:16:22,360 --> 00:16:25,974
of the Treaty of Versailles,
Hitler bolstered the German army.

197
00:16:26,040 --> 00:16:29,974
As he methodically expanded
his military thousands of

198
00:16:30,040 --> 00:16:33,294
miles away, another dictator
pursued similar ambitions.

199
00:16:33,360 --> 00:16:38,460
(dramatic music)

200
00:16:39,360 --> 00:16:44,340
In October 1935, Italian leader
Mussolini invaded Abyssinia,

201
00:16:44,800 --> 00:16:48,494
aiming to enhance his political
prestige and establish new colonies.

202
00:16:48,560 --> 00:16:53,494
(dramatic music)

203
00:16:53,560 --> 00:16:56,694
Despite public outcry in Britain,
Stanley Baldwin's government

204
00:16:56,760 --> 00:16:59,574
failed to act, potentially
emboldening Hitler.

205
00:16:59,640 --> 00:17:04,740
(dramatic music)

206
00:17:20,720 --> 00:17:23,660
When Hitler marched into
the industrially rich Rhineland,

207
00:17:24,000 --> 00:17:26,014
territory lost by Germany
after the First World

208
00:17:26,080 --> 00:17:30,054
War, on 7th March 1936, the world watched

209
00:17:30,120 --> 00:17:32,134
as Britain and France failed to respond.

210
00:17:32,200 --> 00:17:36,094
(dramatic music)

211
00:17:36,160 --> 00:17:38,974
Hitler later admitted, If
the French had marched

212
00:17:39,040 --> 00:17:41,014
into the Rhineland, we would have had to

213
00:17:41,080 --> 00:17:43,414
withdraw with our tail
between our legs, for

214
00:17:43,480 --> 00:17:47,260
our military resources were wholly
inadequate for even a moderate resistance.

215
00:17:48,120 --> 00:17:52,014
He even contemplated suicide
had Britain and France intervened.

216
00:17:52,080 --> 00:17:56,894
(dramatic music)

217
00:17:56,960 --> 00:17:59,500
But with no repercussions,
he pressed forward.

218
00:18:00,520 --> 00:18:02,894
That summer, as the
world gathered in Berlin

219
00:18:02,960 --> 00:18:06,894
for the 1936 Olympic Games,
Hitler continued plotting.

220
00:18:06,960 --> 00:18:12,060
(dramatic music)

221
00:18:17,840 --> 00:18:20,654
With the outbreak of the
Spanish Civil War, Hitler and

222
00:18:20,720 --> 00:18:23,494
Mussolini supported General
Franco's fascist regime.

223
00:18:23,560 --> 00:18:27,774
(dramatic music)

224
00:18:27,840 --> 00:18:30,940
In November, Hitler signed
an alliance with Japan,

225
00:18:31,280 --> 00:18:32,620
forming a dangerous coalition.

226
00:18:36,680 --> 00:18:39,934
Japan, deeply affected by
the Great Depression, sought

227
00:18:40,000 --> 00:18:44,574
to secure vital resources, escalating
its conflict with China from 1931.

228
00:18:44,640 --> 00:18:49,740
(dramatic music)

229
00:18:52,200 --> 00:18:55,094
The battle at Marco Polo Bridge in 1937

230
00:18:55,160 --> 00:18:59,054
marked the start of full-scale
war between China and Japan.

231
00:18:59,120 --> 00:19:04,220
(dramatic music)

232
00:19:12,160 --> 00:19:15,540
Despite its vast population,
China lacked military strength,

233
00:19:15,760 --> 00:19:17,260
giving Japan the upper hand.

234
00:19:18,200 --> 00:19:21,420
Meanwhile, Hitler set his
sights on further expansion.

235
00:19:25,520 --> 00:19:27,900
In a secret conference
with his military chiefs,

236
00:19:28,160 --> 00:19:31,060
he announced plans to seize
Austria and Czechoslovakia,

237
00:19:31,520 --> 00:19:33,940
exploiting France and
Britain's perceived weaknesses.

238
00:19:37,480 --> 00:19:40,374
His army commanders, Blomberg
and Fritsch, were alarmed

239
00:19:40,440 --> 00:19:44,174
at his aggressive intentions, but
challenging him had become perilous.

240
00:19:44,240 --> 00:19:47,854
Soon after, both were
removed from their positions

241
00:19:47,920 --> 00:19:49,500
under humiliating circumstances.

242
00:19:50,800 --> 00:19:55,814
By 1938, with no opposition,
Hitler forced Austria into unification.

243
00:19:55,880 --> 00:20:00,374
(dramatic music)

244
00:20:00,440 --> 00:20:04,020
Following months of Nazi
propaganda, German troops marched in,

245
00:20:05,960 --> 00:20:08,134
and the Austrian Chancellor, after a heated

246
00:20:08,200 --> 00:20:11,100
argument with Hitler, was
coerced into submission.

247
00:20:13,240 --> 00:20:15,014
Not a single shot was fired.

248
00:20:15,080 --> 00:20:20,180
(dramatic music)

249
00:20:20,880 --> 00:20:24,654
This left neighbouring Czechoslovakia
vulnerable, and Hitler wasted

250
00:20:24,720 --> 00:20:26,734
no time declaring it his next target.

251
00:20:26,800 --> 00:20:31,900
(dramatic music)

252
00:20:33,880 --> 00:20:36,454
At a Nazi congress in Berlin, 20,000

253
00:20:36,520 --> 00:20:39,334
Nazis cheered as he
threatened war over the region.

254
00:20:39,400 --> 00:20:44,500
(dramatic music)

255
00:20:44,800 --> 00:20:46,694
Those who had established
the Treaty of Versailles

256
00:20:46,760 --> 00:20:50,014
now recognised that
decisive action was necessary.

257
00:20:50,080 --> 00:20:54,934
(dramatic music)

258
00:20:55,000 --> 00:20:58,174
With Prime Minister Stanley
Baldwin retired, Neville Chamberlain

259
00:20:58,240 --> 00:21:01,454
took office, advocating
a strong anti-war stance.

260
00:21:01,520 --> 00:21:05,534
As Britain prepared for
possible conflict, with gas

261
00:21:05,600 --> 00:21:09,414
masks distributed and sandbags
filled, Chamberlain flew to

262
00:21:09,480 --> 00:21:11,934
Germany in an attempt to negotiate peace.

263
00:21:12,000 --> 00:21:17,100
(dramatic music)

264
00:21:17,200 --> 00:21:21,614
On 28th September 1938,
four world leaders, French

265
00:21:21,680 --> 00:21:26,054
Premier Edouard Daladier,
Mussolini, Hitler and Chamberlain met

266
00:21:26,120 --> 00:21:28,614
in Munich to discuss Czechoslovakia's fate.

267
00:21:28,680 --> 00:21:33,780
(dramatic music)

268
00:21:39,800 --> 00:21:42,814
With memories of the First
World War still fresh, Chamberlain

269
00:21:42,880 --> 00:21:45,940
and Daladier, desperate to
prevent another global conflict,

270
00:21:46,320 --> 00:21:50,174
conceded Czechoslovakian territory
to Hitler, believing his assurance

271
00:21:50,240 --> 00:21:52,614
that this was his final demand in Europe.

272
00:21:52,680 --> 00:21:57,780
(dramatic music)

273
00:21:58,760 --> 00:22:01,894
Returning to Britain with Hitler's
signed promise, Chamberlain

274
00:22:01,960 --> 00:22:04,180
was met with public
and political celebration.

275
00:22:05,080 --> 00:22:07,534
However, one voice of dissent stood out.

276
00:22:07,600 --> 00:22:11,894
(dramatic music)

277
00:22:11,960 --> 00:22:12,940
Winston Churchill.

278
00:22:14,000 --> 00:22:15,934
He had long warned of Hitler's threat and

279
00:22:16,000 --> 00:22:19,574
condemned the Munich Agreement,
famously stating, Britain and

280
00:22:19,640 --> 00:22:22,260
France had to choose
between war and dishonour.

281
00:22:22,640 --> 00:22:24,900
They chose dishonour, they will have war.

282
00:22:27,280 --> 00:22:29,300
Churchill's fears were soon realised.

283
00:22:30,320 --> 00:22:36,014
On 15th March 1939, without
warning, Hitler invaded Czechoslovakia.

284
00:22:36,080 --> 00:22:40,540
(dramatic music)

285
00:22:47,280 --> 00:22:49,974
The Munich Agreement had
been a missed opportunity to halt

286
00:22:50,040 --> 00:22:53,420
Nazi expansion, and with
Germany now even stronger,

287
00:22:53,880 --> 00:22:55,894
Hitler turned his gaze eastward to Poland.

288
00:22:55,960 --> 00:23:00,420
(dramatic music)

289
00:23:00,960 --> 00:23:04,574
That summer, Germany
began a relentless campaign for

290
00:23:04,640 --> 00:23:07,414
the return of Danzig
and the Polish Corridor,

291
00:23:07,480 --> 00:23:09,054
lost under the Treaty of Versailles.

292
00:23:09,120 --> 00:23:13,580
(dramatic music)

293
00:23:18,680 --> 00:23:22,734
Before advancing, Hitler
secured Soviet support, despite his

294
00:23:22,800 --> 00:23:24,100
disdain for communism.

295
00:23:28,240 --> 00:23:30,734
Foreign Minister Ribbentrop
was sent to Moscow to

296
00:23:30,800 --> 00:23:33,060
finalise a non-aggression pact with Stalin.

297
00:23:36,120 --> 00:23:38,060
The world saw the writing on the wall.

298
00:23:38,600 --> 00:23:40,574
Hitler was preparing for his next move.

299
00:23:40,640 --> 00:23:45,100
(dramatic music)

300
00:23:47,360 --> 00:23:50,694
Having seized the Rhineland,
Austria and Czechoslovakia with

301
00:23:50,760 --> 00:23:55,180
little resistance, Hitler assumed
Britain and France would remain passive.

302
00:23:56,120 --> 00:23:59,774
But on 1st September 1939, when Nazi troops

303
00:23:59,840 --> 00:24:03,340
invaded Poland, the Allies
were bound by treaty to respond.

304
00:24:04,920 --> 00:24:07,140
Britain and France issued an ultimatum.

305
00:24:07,880 --> 00:24:11,214
If German troops did not withdraw
immediately, war would be declared.

306
00:24:11,280 --> 00:24:15,740
(dramatic music)

307
00:24:24,640 --> 00:24:29,420
The deadline was 11am on
Sunday, 3rd September 1939.

308
00:24:33,520 --> 00:24:36,254
When no response came,
Neville Chamberlain addressed the

309
00:24:36,320 --> 00:24:39,374
British people, announcing that
Britain was at war with Germany.

310
00:24:39,440 --> 00:24:43,900
(dramatic music)

311
00:24:44,080 --> 00:24:46,414
The hours following this
declaration were extraordinary.

312
00:24:46,480 --> 00:24:49,774
Londoners enjoying their Sunday
morning were suddenly ushered

313
00:24:49,840 --> 00:24:52,974
into shelters as air raid
sirens blared across the capital.

314
00:24:53,040 --> 00:24:57,500
(dramatic music)

315
00:24:58,280 --> 00:25:00,774
Fortunately, it was a false alarm, but the

316
00:25:00,840 --> 00:25:04,934
fear was real, as memories of
the First World War loomed large.

317
00:25:05,000 --> 00:25:09,460
(dramatic music)

318
00:25:16,080 --> 00:25:21,254
By the end of the day, with concerns
of a Nazi assault mounting, 1.5 million

319
00:25:21,320 --> 00:25:25,174
evacuees – children, expectant
mothers and women with

320
00:25:25,240 --> 00:25:26,974
infants – were sent to the countryside.

321
00:25:27,040 --> 00:25:31,500
(dramatic music)

322
00:25:34,800 --> 00:25:37,060
The evacuationwas efficiently managed.

323
00:25:37,520 --> 00:25:40,780
Each child was tagged with their
name, address and school number.

324
00:25:41,360 --> 00:25:45,614
They carried gas masks, basic toiletries
and, if they had one, an overcoat.

325
00:25:45,680 --> 00:25:50,140
(dramatic music)

326
00:25:58,560 --> 00:26:01,774
The process, however, was
deeply distressing, as families

327
00:26:01,840 --> 00:26:04,414
parted with no certainty of
their children's destinations.

328
00:26:04,480 --> 00:26:08,940
(dramatic music)

329
00:26:14,920 --> 00:26:19,540
That same day, the first casualties of
war were not in the cities, but at sea.

330
00:26:23,240 --> 00:26:26,860
The SS Athenia, carrying
over 1,000 passengers,

331
00:26:27,280 --> 00:26:29,780
including women and
children, from Dublin to Canada,

332
00:26:30,120 --> 00:26:34,014
was attacked by a German
U-boat, killing 112 people.

333
00:26:34,080 --> 00:26:38,540
(dramatic music)

334
00:26:38,680 --> 00:26:42,334
Any prospect of a peaceful resolution
with Hitler now seemed impossible.

335
00:26:42,400 --> 00:26:46,860
(dramatic music)

336
00:26:53,120 --> 00:26:55,220
But there was one significant development.

337
00:26:55,880 --> 00:26:59,134
Winston Churchill, the fiercest
critic of appeasement, was

338
00:26:59,200 --> 00:27:01,014
appointed First Lord of the Admiralty.

339
00:27:01,080 --> 00:27:05,540
(dramatic music)

340
00:27:11,880 --> 00:27:14,974
The Royal Navy, relieved
by his return, famously

341
00:27:15,040 --> 00:27:17,260
signalled its fleet with a simple message.

342
00:27:18,160 --> 00:27:19,140
Winston is back.

343
00:27:20,160 --> 00:27:22,860
For Churchill, this was a pivotal moment.

344
00:27:23,920 --> 00:27:26,574
Born at Blenheim Palace
in Oxfordshire to aristocratic

345
00:27:26,640 --> 00:27:30,134
parents, Lord Randolph Churchill
and American heiress Jenny

346
00:27:30,200 --> 00:27:33,620
Jerome, his early life had
been fraught with difficulties.

347
00:27:34,320 --> 00:27:36,900
Estranged from his parents
and struggling in school,

348
00:27:37,320 --> 00:27:40,460
Churchill found his calling in
the military and later in politics.

349
00:27:41,280 --> 00:27:44,494
Now, with war engulfing
Europe, his leadership would

350
00:27:44,560 --> 00:27:46,454
soon be tested like never before.

351
00:27:46,520 --> 00:27:50,980
(dramatic music)

352
00:28:00,840 --> 00:28:03,734
Yet Churchill was no
stranger to controversy, having

353
00:28:03,800 --> 00:28:06,734
switched political parties
multiple times and being blamed

354
00:28:06,800 --> 00:28:08,694
for the disaster at Gallipoli in the First

355
00:28:08,760 --> 00:28:11,814
World War, cutting short
his tenure at the Admiralty.

356
00:28:11,880 --> 00:28:16,340
(dramatic music)

357
00:28:22,240 --> 00:28:24,420
Following Gallipoli, he was demoted.

358
00:28:24,960 --> 00:28:27,414
After years in the political
wilderness, it seemed

359
00:28:27,480 --> 00:28:31,220
as though his career had ended and
that Winston was destined for retirement.

360
00:28:34,520 --> 00:28:38,020
But everything changed
on 3rd September 1939.

361
00:28:38,800 --> 00:28:42,080
His country desperately needed
his blunt style of leadership.

362
00:28:42,760 --> 00:28:45,720
And being who he was,
Churchill rose to the occasion.

363
00:28:48,480 --> 00:28:51,860
After all, he had been right
about Hitler's wicked plans.

364
00:28:52,320 --> 00:28:57,214
In the nation's eyes, he was the man
for the job, first at the Admiralty and

365
00:28:57,280 --> 00:28:57,880
then beyond.

366
00:28:57,946 --> 00:29:02,340
(dramatic music)

367
00:29:04,400 --> 00:29:06,774
As the British adapted
to curfews and nightly

368
00:29:06,840 --> 00:29:08,700
blackouts, little seemed to happen.

369
00:29:09,200 --> 00:29:11,580
The only casualties were
road accidents and falls,

370
00:29:11,920 --> 00:29:14,774
as car headlights and streetlights
were completely blacked out.

371
00:29:14,840 --> 00:29:19,300
(dramatic music)

372
00:29:23,800 --> 00:29:26,174
A lull in activity even led to confused

373
00:29:26,240 --> 00:29:30,454
evacuees returning home, as war
and danger felt like a distant concern.

374
00:29:30,520 --> 00:29:34,980
(dramatic music)

375
00:29:36,920 --> 00:29:39,654
Aircraft were sent over
Germany, but rather than

376
00:29:39,720 --> 00:29:42,934
dropping bombs, they released
millions of leaflets informing

377
00:29:43,000 --> 00:29:46,534
civilians and soldiers alike
about the evils of the Nazi regime.

378
00:29:46,600 --> 00:29:51,060
(dramatic music)

379
00:29:53,120 --> 00:29:55,294
It was thought this
might intimidate the Nazis

380
00:29:55,360 --> 00:29:58,860
by demonstrating Germany's
vulnerability to air raids.

381
00:30:00,960 --> 00:30:03,454
But many dismissed this
as a pointless confetti

382
00:30:03,520 --> 00:30:06,420
war, futile against such a ruthless enemy.

383
00:30:07,920 --> 00:30:11,014
In fact, between the outbreak of war and

384
00:30:11,080 --> 00:30:14,460
the year's end, this period
became known as the Phony War.

385
00:30:18,240 --> 00:30:20,820
For British civilians, war seemed distant.

386
00:30:21,240 --> 00:30:23,700
But in Poland, it was a different reality.

387
00:30:27,640 --> 00:30:30,260
The nation was being
annihilated by Nazi forces,

388
00:30:30,560 --> 00:30:33,534
and its people desperately
needed Western Allied support.

389
00:30:33,600 --> 00:30:38,060
(dramatic music)

390
00:30:42,200 --> 00:30:45,060
Hitler's commanders showed
no mercy in their assault.

391
00:30:48,080 --> 00:30:51,414
Fields and forests quaked as
armoured columns thundered

392
00:30:51,480 --> 00:30:54,294
through the terrain, destroying
everything in their path.

393
00:30:54,360 --> 00:30:58,820
(dramatic music)

394
00:31:01,120 --> 00:31:04,854
Overhead, the Luftwaffe raised
buildings and roads, sending

395
00:31:04,920 --> 00:31:05,974
civilians scattering.

396
00:31:06,040 --> 00:31:10,500
(dramatic music)

397
00:31:23,240 --> 00:31:26,494
This new military tactic
was called Blitzkrieg, or

398
00:31:26,560 --> 00:31:29,454
lightning strike, allowing
the Nazis to attack with

399
00:31:29,520 --> 00:31:32,174
speed and surprise, rather
than being bogged down

400
00:31:32,240 --> 00:31:35,534
in trench warfare, a lesson
learned from the First World War.

401
00:31:35,600 --> 00:31:40,060
(dramatic music)

402
00:31:42,760 --> 00:31:45,694
The British and French had wrongly
assumed Poland could hold out

403
00:31:45,760 --> 00:31:49,014
for two to three months before
requiring military assistance.

404
00:31:49,080 --> 00:31:53,540
(dramatic music)

405
00:31:55,200 --> 00:31:57,934
Huge numbers of civilians
perished as terror bombings

406
00:31:58,000 --> 00:32:02,374
devastated Poland, with the Nazis
brutally massacring many Poles.

407
00:32:02,440 --> 00:32:06,614
(dramatic music)

408
00:32:06,680 --> 00:32:10,254
Operation Tannenberg claimed
20,000 lives, with shootings

409
00:32:10,320 --> 00:32:13,100
at 760 mass execution sites.

410
00:32:15,320 --> 00:32:17,454
But these atrocities
were only the beginning of

411
00:32:17,520 --> 00:32:20,014
the horrors that would unfold
in the Second World War.

412
00:32:20,080 --> 00:32:24,540
(dramatic music)

413
00:32:26,480 --> 00:32:29,334
Hoping for Western aid,
Polish militia and civilian

414
00:32:29,400 --> 00:32:31,614
volunteers courageously defended Warsaw.

415
00:32:31,680 --> 00:32:36,140
(dramatic music)

416
00:32:45,080 --> 00:32:48,294
Meanwhile, the British Expeditionary
Force was swiftly deployed

417
00:32:48,360 --> 00:32:50,414
to France, with half a million British and

418
00:32:50,480 --> 00:32:52,694
French troops waiting
at the Maginot Line along

419
00:32:52,760 --> 00:32:54,854
the German border for the order to strike.

420
00:32:54,920 --> 00:32:59,380
(dramatic music)

421
00:33:02,400 --> 00:33:04,140
But the command never came.

422
00:33:04,880 --> 00:33:07,294
Allied leaders believed
they were still unprepared for

423
00:33:07,360 --> 00:33:10,054
war, and hesitated to advance into Germany.

424
00:33:10,120 --> 00:33:14,580
(dramatic music)

425
00:33:16,240 --> 00:33:18,294
Little did they know, there were no tanks

426
00:33:18,360 --> 00:33:21,054
left on the German
defensive line, the Siegfried

427
00:33:21,120 --> 00:33:24,334
Line, as the Nazis prioritised
Poland's destruction.

428
00:33:24,400 --> 00:33:28,860
(dramatic music)

429
00:33:30,040 --> 00:33:33,180
Had the Allies acted then, the
war might have been cut short.

430
00:33:33,800 --> 00:33:36,854
Tragically, intelligence
came too late, and the brave

431
00:33:36,920 --> 00:33:38,414
Poles were steadily crushed.

432
00:33:38,480 --> 00:33:42,940
(dramatic music)

433
00:33:47,640 --> 00:33:49,260
Worse was yet to come.

434
00:33:49,760 --> 00:33:52,654
On 17th September, the Soviet Red Army, 800

435
00:33:52,720 --> 00:33:56,494
,000 strong, marched into
eastern Poland, fulfilling Stalin's

436
00:33:56,560 --> 00:33:58,454
agreement with Hitler
to divide the country.

437
00:33:58,520 --> 00:34:02,980
(dramatic music)

438
00:34:08,680 --> 00:34:11,294
Hundreds of miles west,
Warsaw held out until

439
00:34:11,360 --> 00:34:15,054
disease, starvation and
exhaustion forced its surrender.

440
00:34:15,120 --> 00:34:19,580
(dramatic music)

441
00:34:22,440 --> 00:34:25,340
The Polish capital was
utterly reduced to rubble.

442
00:34:26,040 --> 00:34:29,100
On 28th September, its
defenders were marched out,

443
00:34:29,200 --> 00:34:31,214
as the Nazis triumphantly marched in.

444
00:34:31,280 --> 00:34:35,740
(dramatic music)

445
00:34:45,920 --> 00:34:49,494
In Poland’s aftermath, Chamberlain's
vague address in the Commons failed

446
00:34:49,560 --> 00:34:53,654
to inspire confidence, while Churchill's
resolute words captivated Britain.

447
00:34:53,720 --> 00:34:58,180
(dramatic music)

448
00:35:00,240 --> 00:35:02,900
Even Hitler saw Churchill
as Britain's true leader,

449
00:35:03,320 --> 00:35:05,934
particularly after Poland's
fall, and attempted to broker

450
00:35:06,000 --> 00:35:09,414
peace, appealing to Churchill's
faction rather than Chamberlain's.

451
00:35:09,480 --> 00:35:13,940
(dramatic music)

452
00:35:17,840 --> 00:35:19,894
Although Britain and
France had failed to save

453
00:35:19,960 --> 00:35:23,334
Poland, they now fully understood
Hitler's imperial ambitions

454
00:35:23,400 --> 00:35:24,974
and prepared for their own defence.

455
00:35:25,040 --> 00:35:29,500
(dramatic music)

456
00:35:36,040 --> 00:35:39,574
After war was declared, Britain's
National Service Act made men

457
00:35:39,640 --> 00:35:45,500
aged 18 to 40 eligible for conscription
into the Army, Navy or Air Force.

458
00:35:46,400 --> 00:35:49,054
Many also volunteered throughout 1939.

459
00:35:49,120 --> 00:35:53,580
(dramatic music)

460
00:35:56,400 --> 00:36:01,294
Mobilisation extended beyond
Europe, as Indians, Cypriots, Australians

461
00:36:01,360 --> 00:36:06,294
and New Zealanders trained while
Canada provided military and financial aid.

462
00:36:06,360 --> 00:36:10,374
(dramatic music)

463
00:36:10,440 --> 00:36:14,294
Soon, soldiers, airmen,
ships and supplies poured into

464
00:36:14,360 --> 00:36:18,414
Britain from across the Commonwealth
to support the fight against Nazi Germany.

465
00:36:18,480 --> 00:36:22,940
(dramatic music)

466
00:36:24,960 --> 00:36:29,294
Despite this, many European
nations remained neutral, reluctant

467
00:36:29,360 --> 00:36:32,054
to risk their economies
or sever ties with Germany.

468
00:36:32,120 --> 00:36:36,580
(dramatic music)

469
00:36:38,560 --> 00:36:42,420
The United States wished to avoid
sending troops into overseas conflicts,

470
00:36:47,760 --> 00:36:52,940
but Roosevelt's Neutrality Act of
1939 permitted US arms to aid the Allies.

471
00:37:00,520 --> 00:37:03,374
Norway and Denmark also
sought neutrality, as they

472
00:37:03,440 --> 00:37:07,254
had in the First World War, but
events would soon drag them into battle.

473
00:37:07,320 --> 00:37:11,780
(dramatic music)

474
00:37:18,600 --> 00:37:21,334
While Britain remained
largely peaceful on land, the

475
00:37:21,400 --> 00:37:23,134
situation at sea was far deadlier.

476
00:37:23,200 --> 00:37:27,660
(dramatic music)

477
00:37:28,680 --> 00:37:31,854
A German submarine
torpedoed the aircraft carrier HMS

478
00:37:31,920 --> 00:37:36,534
Courageous, killing 550 men,
including the captain, who

479
00:37:36,600 --> 00:37:37,734
refused to leave the bridge.

480
00:37:37,800 --> 00:37:42,260
(dramatic music)

481
00:38:00,320 --> 00:38:04,020
Yet under Churchill's leadership,
the Royal Navy fought back fiercely.

482
00:38:04,600 --> 00:38:09,214
While the phony war continued at home,
at sea, Hitler was left in no doubt of

483
00:38:09,280 --> 00:38:10,454
Britain's naval strength.

484
00:38:10,520 --> 00:38:14,694
(dramatic music)

485
00:38:14,760 --> 00:38:18,980
However, Hitler was not the only
aggressor seeking territorial gains.

486
00:38:19,960 --> 00:38:22,614
Just two months after
securing Poland, the Soviet

487
00:38:22,680 --> 00:38:25,814
Union struck again,
drawing Finland into the war.

488
00:38:25,880 --> 00:38:30,340
(dramatic music)

489
00:38:31,800 --> 00:38:34,814
Despite their pact with
Hitler, Stalin's regime feared

490
00:38:34,880 --> 00:38:38,214
Germany, France or
Britain might use Finland as

491
00:38:38,280 --> 00:38:40,100
a launching point against Leningrad.

492
00:38:44,440 --> 00:38:47,334
Under their agreement,
Finland was assigned to the

493
00:38:47,400 --> 00:38:50,814
Soviet sphere of influence,
and Stalin's forces were

494
00:38:50,880 --> 00:38:53,214
eager to claim what they considered theirs.

495
00:38:53,280 --> 00:38:57,494
(dramatic music)

496
00:38:57,560 --> 00:39:02,014
In autumn 1939, the Soviets
demanded Finland move

497
00:39:02,080 --> 00:39:04,780
its border 25 kilometres from Leningrad.

498
00:39:05,480 --> 00:39:11,014
When Finland refused, Stalin ordered
an invasion on 30 November 1939.

499
00:39:11,080 --> 00:39:15,540
(dramatic music)

500
00:39:15,840 --> 00:39:17,740
Overpowering Finland seemed easy.

501
00:39:18,280 --> 00:39:20,740
Soviet troops outnumbered the Finns 4 to 1,

502
00:39:21,040 --> 00:39:23,934
their tanks 200 to 1 and aircraft 30

503
00:39:24,000 --> 00:39:24,600
to 1.

504
00:39:25,400 --> 00:39:28,534
But Stalin's forces faced a
tougher battle than expected.

505
00:39:28,600 --> 00:39:33,060
(dramatic music)

506
00:39:38,680 --> 00:39:41,454
The winter of 1939 was one of Finland's

507
00:39:41,520 --> 00:39:45,320
harshest, with temperatures
plunging to minus 20 degrees Celsius.

508
00:39:45,920 --> 00:39:49,054
Soviet troops, recruited from
Russia's south, were unaccustomed

509
00:39:49,120 --> 00:39:50,014
to such conditions.

510
00:39:50,080 --> 00:39:54,540
(dramatic music)

511
00:40:02,840 --> 00:40:05,334
In contrast, the Finns
used their knowledge of

512
00:40:05,400 --> 00:40:08,094
the terrain, deploying
swift ski troops in white

513
00:40:08,160 --> 00:40:09,774
camouflage to ambush the enemy.

514
00:40:09,840 --> 00:40:16,974
Despite shortages of
weapons and supplies, the Finns

515
00:40:17,040 --> 00:40:19,254
struck Soviet troops
as they huddled by their

516
00:40:19,320 --> 00:40:21,174
fires and seized enemy provisions.

517
00:40:21,240 --> 00:40:25,700
(dramatic music)

518
00:40:30,600 --> 00:40:34,780
Finnish snipers exploited the
Soviets' dark uniforms against the snow.

519
00:40:35,320 --> 00:40:39,774
One, a farmer by trade, killed 542 Red

520
00:40:39,840 --> 00:40:44,694
Army soldiers, earning the title of
deadliest sniper in military history.

521
00:40:44,760 --> 00:40:49,220
(dramatic music)

522
00:40:52,880 --> 00:40:56,494
The world was captivated by
Finland's plight and its ghost-like

523
00:40:56,560 --> 00:40:58,980
warriors gliding through wintry forests.

524
00:41:00,080 --> 00:41:03,014
The struggle against the
Soviets united Finland, a

525
00:41:03,080 --> 00:41:05,014
nation once torn by civil war.

526
00:41:05,080 --> 00:41:09,540
(dramatic music)

527
00:41:12,480 --> 00:41:17,014
Christmas 1939 saw Finns
rally together, determined to

528
00:41:17,080 --> 00:41:22,174
defend their homeland, while
in Britain families gathered

529
00:41:22,240 --> 00:41:25,774
for festive dinners, wondering
if war would reach their shores.

530
00:41:25,840 --> 00:41:30,300
(dramatic music)

531
00:41:31,040 --> 00:41:35,054
As 1940 dawned, the naval
conflict began affecting daily life.

532
00:41:35,120 --> 00:41:39,294
(dramatic music)

533
00:41:39,360 --> 00:41:42,414
As Britain depended on
food imports, German U

534
00:41:42,480 --> 00:41:46,380
-boat attacks made it increasingly
difficult for cargo ships to deliver goods.

535
00:41:48,120 --> 00:41:51,774
Bacon, sugar and butter became
the first items to be rationed.

536
00:41:51,840 --> 00:41:56,300
(dramatic music)

537
00:41:56,400 --> 00:41:59,374
Ration books with coupons
ensured fair distribution as

538
00:41:59,440 --> 00:42:00,894
Britain felt war's impact.

539
00:42:00,960 --> 00:42:05,420
(dramatic music)

540
00:42:09,320 --> 00:42:12,334
A major threat to British
merchant ships was the formidable

541
00:42:12,400 --> 00:42:17,654
German battleship Graf Spee, which
had sunk nine Allied vessels in 1939.

542
00:42:17,720 --> 00:42:22,180
(dramatic music)

543
00:42:23,400 --> 00:42:25,974
The British and French
navies organised eight task

544
00:42:26,040 --> 00:42:27,820
forces to track down the raider.

545
00:42:28,640 --> 00:42:31,094
The resulting chase
ended in a dramatic battle

546
00:42:31,160 --> 00:42:35,294
off Argentina's coast, delivering
Britain a much-needed morale boost.

547
00:42:35,360 --> 00:42:39,820
(dramatic music)

548
00:42:44,880 --> 00:42:48,654
Though the navy had managed to sink
the Graf Spee, another issue remained.

549
00:42:48,720 --> 00:42:51,974
The 300 British prisoners
captured from the ship

550
00:42:52,040 --> 00:42:56,100
sunk by the Nazis, who had been
transferred to the German vessel Altmark.

551
00:42:58,320 --> 00:43:01,374
Under Winston Churchill's
command, the Admiralty ordered the

552
00:43:01,440 --> 00:43:03,780
destroyer HMS Cossack to rescue them,

553
00:43:05,080 --> 00:43:08,100
eventually tracking the Altmark
to a fjord in neutral Norway.

554
00:43:11,760 --> 00:43:14,934
The Cossack pursued,
ran alongside, and after an

555
00:43:15,000 --> 00:43:18,694
intense battle with hand-to-hand
combat, the prisoners were freed.

556
00:43:18,760 --> 00:43:23,220
(dramatic music)

557
00:43:26,280 --> 00:43:28,814
Returning home with the
rescued men, the Cossack's

558
00:43:28,880 --> 00:43:30,700
crew received a jubilant welcome.

559
00:43:32,480 --> 00:43:35,734
In London, Churchill celebrated
the navy's triumph, further

560
00:43:35,800 --> 00:43:37,620
increasing his popularity in Britain.

561
00:43:40,520 --> 00:43:44,094
With Chamberlain's government
continuing to falter, Churchill became

562
00:43:44,160 --> 00:43:46,860
the obvious leader to counter
Adolf Hitler's ambitions.

563
00:43:50,240 --> 00:43:53,780
Amidst this, the Allies pressed
on with their plan to aid Finland.

564
00:43:56,760 --> 00:43:59,654
However, by the 15th of March, the heavily

565
00:43:59,720 --> 00:44:02,014
bombed-out Finns could wait no longer and

566
00:44:02,080 --> 00:44:03,860
chose to make peace with the Red Army.

567
00:44:04,520 --> 00:44:06,980
The new frontier, as
demanded by the Soviets,

568
00:44:07,280 --> 00:44:11,334
was established, forcing 200,000
Finns to abandon their homes.

569
00:44:11,400 --> 00:44:15,860
(dramatic music)

570
00:44:19,640 --> 00:44:22,094
The failure to aid
Finland led to widespread

571
00:44:22,160 --> 00:44:26,460
discontent in Britain and France,
with Allied leaders blamed for inaction.

572
00:44:27,480 --> 00:44:29,854
Five days after Finland
signed the Moscow Peace

573
00:44:29,920 --> 00:44:32,174
Treaty, the French Premier was replaced.

574
00:44:32,240 --> 00:44:36,974
And Neville Chamberlain's fate became
clear as his critics grew in Parliament.

575
00:44:37,040 --> 00:44:41,500
(dramatic music)

576
00:44:44,160 --> 00:44:46,580
Finland's fall shook not
only Britain and France,

577
00:44:46,680 --> 00:44:50,660
but also their Scandinavian neighbours,
who now questioned their neutrality.

578
00:44:53,720 --> 00:44:55,894
Both the Germans and
the Allies turned their

579
00:44:55,960 --> 00:44:59,454
focus to Norway, strategically
valuable and an outlet

580
00:44:59,520 --> 00:45:02,614
for Swedish iron ore, essential
to Hitler's war machine.

581
00:45:02,680 --> 00:45:07,140
(dramatic music)

582
00:45:11,960 --> 00:45:14,374
Churchill urged troops
to be sent there, but

583
00:45:14,440 --> 00:45:17,614
Chamberlain's government
refused to act, once again letting

584
00:45:17,680 --> 00:45:18,974
Hitler seize the advantage.

585
00:45:19,040 --> 00:45:23,500
(dramatic music)

586
00:45:28,240 --> 00:45:31,054
The Nazi invasion of
Denmark and Norway proved

587
00:45:31,120 --> 00:45:34,400
the devastating skill and
organisation of the German military.

588
00:45:37,320 --> 00:45:40,660
Ironically, the Allies had
expected a land advance,

589
00:45:41,160 --> 00:45:44,640
believing Germany would avoid
confronting the superior Royal Navy.

590
00:45:44,880 --> 00:45:46,934
But the Nazis did exactly that.

591
00:45:47,000 --> 00:45:51,460
(dramatic music)

592
00:45:53,520 --> 00:45:58,854
On the 9th of April, 1940, Germany
launched its assault, catching everyone off

593
00:45:58,920 --> 00:45:59,520
guard.

594
00:46:02,440 --> 00:46:06,134
Denmark surrendered immediately,
with minimal losses, but Norway

595
00:46:06,200 --> 00:46:07,774
resisted as long as possible.

596
00:46:07,840 --> 00:46:11,814
(dramatic music)

597
00:46:11,880 --> 00:46:15,734
Against Germany's relentless
tactics, however, its defence was

598
00:46:15,800 --> 00:46:16,740
nearly impossible.

599
00:46:17,720 --> 00:46:20,980
Before British, French and
Norwegian forces could coordinate,

600
00:46:21,480 --> 00:46:25,214
the Germans seized key coastal
positions, pushing as far as Narvik.

601
00:46:25,280 --> 00:46:29,740
(dramatic music)

602
00:46:34,640 --> 00:46:37,734
In London, when news
confirmed Churchill's warnings had

603
00:46:37,800 --> 00:46:41,180
been right, the cabinet at
first struggled to believe it.

604
00:46:42,200 --> 00:46:45,334
Due to Chamberlain's
hesitation, Norway was lost before

605
00:46:45,400 --> 00:46:47,974
any real defence could
be mounted, leaving the

606
00:46:48,040 --> 00:46:49,980
Nazis dangerously close to Britain.

607
00:46:50,880 --> 00:46:53,894
Though Hitler's ships suffered
constant attacks, the Germans

608
00:46:53,960 --> 00:46:55,460
pressed forward relentlessly.

609
00:46:56,120 --> 00:46:58,574
The British public and
politicians alike were outraged

610
00:46:58,640 --> 00:47:02,760
by Chamberlain's government's failures
over Norway, sparking fierce debate.

611
00:47:08,200 --> 00:47:10,334
In Parliament, it was
clear the Prime Minister

612
00:47:10,400 --> 00:47:13,660
had lost the people's confidence,
and with honour, he resigned.

613
00:47:17,040 --> 00:47:20,020
On the 10th of May,
1940, Winston Churchill,

614
00:47:20,200 --> 00:47:23,254
at 65, became leader
of a coalition government

615
00:47:23,320 --> 00:47:25,340
set to guide Britain through the war.

616
00:47:25,960 --> 00:47:28,140
To a relieved nation, there was no doubt,

617
00:47:28,640 --> 00:47:30,454
Churchill was the right man for the job.

618
00:47:30,520 --> 00:47:34,980
(dramatic music)

619
00:47:38,440 --> 00:47:41,220
At last, Hitler faced a
formidable adversary.

620
00:47:42,040 --> 00:47:45,534
As Churchill assumed office,
his inaugural speech signalled

621
00:47:45,600 --> 00:47:48,174
to Germany that success
would no longer come easily.

622
00:47:48,240 --> 00:47:52,700
(dramatic music)

623
00:48:00,480 --> 00:48:06,340
He declared, I have nothing to
offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat.

624
00:48:06,800 --> 00:48:08,940
You ask, what is our policy?

625
00:48:09,840 --> 00:48:14,894
I can say it is to wage war by
sea, land and air with all our might,

626
00:48:14,960 --> 00:48:18,494
and with all the strength that God
can give us, to wage war against a

627
00:48:18,560 --> 00:48:22,134
monstrous tyranny never
surpassed in the dark, lamentable

628
00:48:22,200 --> 00:48:23,860
catalogue of human crime.

629
00:48:24,480 --> 00:48:25,980
That is our policy.

630
00:48:26,800 --> 00:48:28,860
You ask, what is our aim?

631
00:48:29,240 --> 00:48:30,580
I can answer in one word.

632
00:48:30,880 --> 00:48:31,740
It is victory.

633
00:48:32,040 --> 00:48:33,420
Victory at all costs.

634
00:48:33,840 --> 00:48:35,380
Victory in spite of all terror.

635
00:48:35,880 --> 00:48:38,960
Victory, however long
and hard the road may be.

636
00:48:39,280 --> 00:48:41,534
For without victory, there is no survival.

637
00:48:41,600 --> 00:48:46,060
(dramatic music)

638
00:48:51,600 --> 00:48:54,214
Even as Churchill spoke
these now legendary words

639
00:48:54,280 --> 00:48:56,654
in Parliament, the very threat he warned of

640
00:48:56,720 --> 00:48:59,140
was closing in on
Britain at alarming speed,

641
00:48:59,520 --> 00:49:01,734
sweeping through the
Netherlands and the Low Countries.

642
00:49:01,800 --> 00:49:06,260
(dramatic music)

643
00:49:08,600 --> 00:49:12,860
Nazi forces struck Holland, Belgium
and Luxembourg simultaneously,

644
00:49:13,400 --> 00:49:15,540
leaving destruction
and death in their wake.

645
00:49:15,880 --> 00:49:18,894
As cities crumbled and
civilians fled, German troops

646
00:49:18,960 --> 00:49:22,054
cut a path towards their
long-time enemy, France.

647
00:49:22,120 --> 00:49:26,580
(dramatic music)

648
00:49:28,960 --> 00:49:32,014
Hitler had anticipated this
confrontation, but knew his

649
00:49:32,080 --> 00:49:33,694
army was smaller than the French.

650
00:49:33,760 --> 00:49:37,974
(dramatic music)

651
00:49:38,040 --> 00:49:41,774
However, by employing
blitzkrieg tactics, he once again

652
00:49:41,840 --> 00:49:44,380
breached enemy lines with remarkable speed.

653
00:49:47,320 --> 00:49:52,060
This time, having learned from past
mistakes, the Allies responded immediately.

654
00:49:53,040 --> 00:49:56,774
British and French forces
swiftly mobilised, advancing to

655
00:49:56,840 --> 00:49:58,894
meet the Belgian army and form a solid

656
00:49:58,960 --> 00:50:01,614
defensive line from the
English Channel to Switzerland.

657
00:50:01,680 --> 00:50:06,140
(dramatic music)

658
00:50:08,320 --> 00:50:11,180
Yet the southern flank collapsed
against German pressure.

659
00:50:12,240 --> 00:50:14,734
Within days, the entire BEF and half the

660
00:50:14,800 --> 00:50:16,614
French army found themselves encircled.

661
00:50:16,680 --> 00:50:21,140
(dramatic music)

662
00:50:25,400 --> 00:50:28,374
By the 12th of May, German
troops had entered France.

663
00:50:28,440 --> 00:50:32,780
By the next day, a 50-mile gap had
formed between French divisions.

664
00:50:36,800 --> 00:50:38,974
The Luftwaffe had
inflicted heavy losses on the

665
00:50:39,040 --> 00:50:41,534
RAF, while the French Air Force was nearly

666
00:50:41,600 --> 00:50:44,454
annihilated, only three
days into the battle.

667
00:50:44,520 --> 00:50:48,980
(dramatic music)

668
00:50:49,760 --> 00:50:52,694
As a million refugees
fled in panic, Holland

669
00:50:52,760 --> 00:50:55,574
had fallen, Belgium was
crumbling, and on the

670
00:50:55,640 --> 00:50:58,334
16th of May, French
Commander-in-Chief General

671
00:50:58,400 --> 00:51:01,174
Maurice Gamelin admitted
to the Anglo-French War

672
00:51:01,240 --> 00:51:03,174
Council that he had no remaining reserve.

673
00:51:03,240 --> 00:51:07,860
It was a dire moment for France,
and the situation was rapidly worsening.

674
00:51:08,840 --> 00:51:10,694
By the 20th of May, the Germans had

675
00:51:10,760 --> 00:51:13,860
reached the coast, effectively
severing the Allied forces.

676
00:51:14,680 --> 00:51:17,054
The Allies now risked
losing the entire British

677
00:51:17,120 --> 00:51:20,254
expeditionary force, trapped
against the sea and surrounded.

678
00:51:20,320 --> 00:51:24,780
(dramatic music)

679
00:51:28,720 --> 00:51:31,614
Exhausted British troops faced
relentless attacks and were

680
00:51:31,680 --> 00:51:32,814
driven back to Dunkirk.

681
00:51:32,880 --> 00:51:37,340
(dramatic music)

682
00:51:39,040 --> 00:51:41,380
The loss of thousands of
soldiers seemed inevitable,

683
00:51:41,840 --> 00:51:44,014
and Hitler was convinced
victory was at hand.

684
00:51:44,080 --> 00:51:46,814
France lay exposed, awaiting occupation.

685
00:51:46,880 --> 00:51:50,614
(dramatic music)

686
00:51:50,680 --> 00:51:54,294
Yet despite Hitler's impressive
conquests, he had miscalculated

687
00:51:54,360 --> 00:51:57,294
Churchill's resolve and the
resilience of the British people.

688
00:51:57,360 --> 00:52:01,820
(dramatic music)

689
00:52:02,880 --> 00:52:06,460
What followed was one of history's
most astonishing rescue operations.

690
00:52:07,560 --> 00:52:09,060
The phony war had ended.

691
00:52:10,000 --> 00:52:12,860
With Europe in turmoil under
Hitler's relentless offensive,

692
00:52:13,320 --> 00:52:15,300
the battle for Dunkirk had begun.

693
00:52:19,480 --> 00:52:23,940
(dramatic music)