This documentary sees military historian Alex Churchill travelling through Germany and the Belgian battlefields, retracing the opening weeks of the First World War - a blood battle that took place before the trenches, barbed wire and gas we typically think of when we think "First World War" - instead, this was a battle that saw modern weapons being used on the battlefield up against old fashioned, Napoleonic military tactics that had tragic consequences for both sides.
It's also a battle that took place before the British had even arrived on the continent. It's the story of little Belgium who stood up against German aggression, and who were able to slow up the German war machine for several weeks, allowing French and British forces to arrive to finally stop the Germans from capturing Paris.
Up Next in Interviews
-
The Mayans
In today's episode Dan is joined by David Freidel, often regarded as the real life Indiana Jones, to talk through the history of the Mayans and some of his own discoveries in that area.
-
Operation Margin: The Augsburg Raid
In April 1942 the Second World War hung in the balance. Nazi Germany had occupied most of Europe and its seemingly unstoppable armed forces were driving deeper and deeper into Russia and North Africa. To add to Allied worries, German U-Boats were threatening to cut off Britain’s supply lines in t...
-
The Peterloo Massacre with Robert Poole
The Peterloo Massacre was a critical moment in the reform movement at the start of the 19th century. Thousands of people gathered at St Peter's Fields near Manchester to protest for an expansion of the franchise. The local magistrates summoned yeomanry to dispel what they saw as a riot, but as th...
21 Comments