German Bombers & Bombing Raids of WW2 - 1942-1945

The bombing campaigns of World War II were the one element of the air war that had a strategic significance, on a par with the ground movements of infantry and the blockade-related activities of both sides on the high seas. It was this use of air power, first deployed to a significant extent in the 1940s, that was to have a lasting influence on geopolitics for decades to come. Previously, bombing from the air was looked upon as a form of sabotage—an irritant and a hindrance, but not a map-changing strategic factor in the course of a war. However, once bombing was carried out extensively against industrial, military, and civilian targets, it had the power to change battle lines, and ultimately to determine the outcome of a war.
The first use of bombing in the war was as a tactical weapon, by the Germans in the invasion of Poland. The early bombers were converted transports that were originally designed to be transformed into bombers: the Junkers JU86 and JU88, the Dornier Do 17, and the Heinkel He-111, all used in the invasion of Poland. All these aircraft had been tested in the Spanish Civil War and had been found to be vulnerable to attack from the aft and forward directions. The remedy was to create gunner’s nests in “greenhouse” type nests, which were to become common in later bombers of both sides.

Roaring Glory Warbirds: F4U Corsair

Embark on an aerial adventure in the Marines's most famous World War II fighting plane in this two-part installment of the "Roaring Glory Warbirds" series. Warbird pilot Steve Hinton leads an exciting tutorial on the technical aspects of the Vought F4U Corsair, with help from Gregory "Pappy" Boyington and his Black Sheep squadron. Extras for the aviation enthusiast include an original F4U training film from the WWII era.

Panzer III Medium Tank

The Panzer III emerged as one of the formative images of German military success in the newsreels produced by the Propaganda Ministry, documenting the Blitzkrieg victories of the early war years. While proving adequate to the task of countering allied armor in France and the Western desert, the fateful encounter with the superior Soviet T-34 tank, following the invasion of Russia in 1941, revealed the technical shortcomings of the Panzer III.

Its days as a battle tank were numbered, but the Panzer III could still be seen serving in the East as a command tank until 1944, and in other secondary theaters such as Norway until Germany’s surrender.

D-Day to VE-Day - From the Rhine to Victory

The Germans are in retreat as the net slowly tightens around the once-proud Reich. The Russian onslaught, constant day-and-night-time bombing from the British and Americans and encroaching ground forces have sealed Germany's fate.
May 1945 brings total surrender and sparks memorable celebrations across the world contains
- The great Russian offensive
- Allied forces cross the Rhine the freeing of POWs and concentration camp horrors
- Final campaign in Italy and the death of Mussolini
- The meeting on the Elbe. The bombing and the fall of Berlin Euphoric celebrations around Europe
- The return of exiled governments. The Potsdam conference
- London victory celebrations. The Royal Family and Churchill on the balcony at Buckingham Palace

German Frontier - The Battle of St Vith

By late 1944, the Western Allies were infected with the over-confidence that flowed from the sweeping victories they had gained since the Breakout from Normandy and that by December had carried them to the very borders of the Third Reich. They were confident that the war would soon be over, but they were sadly mistaken. On December 16, German forces launched a massive attack through the Ardennes, the opening blows of Operation Watch on the Rhine, known to history as the Battle of the Bulge.

Kriegsmarine: The German Navy of WWII

Hitler promised his naval commanders that there would be no war in Europe before 1942. Accordingly, plans were laid for the best naval force in the world. So when Hitler precipitated the Second World War in 1939, only a fraction of the planned naval power was available and Germany did not even possess one aircraft carrier and despite having the battleships Bismarck and Tirpitz, the Kriegsmarine was always on the back foot, crippled by superior opponents and strangled by bureaucratic neglect at home.

Enemy Fighters

During the bloody conflict of World War II, and to protect their rapidly moving troops and later to defend against the devastating Allied bombing, the Germans and Japanese deployed superb fighters, such as the BF 109, FW 190 and the Zero for supremacy of the skies. These and many others, including the earlier operational jets and rocket fighters are seen in unique action footage in this comprehensive DVD which showcases the might of the fighter arm of the Axis powers.

Airborne Warfare: German Parachute Divisions

The sudden and dramatic appearance of German paratroops brought a new and unexpected dimension to the nature of warfare during the Second World War. These new warriors of the air, the Fallschirmjager, were to make critical contributions to some of the most famous battles of the conflict. An enduring legend was created thanks to the Fallschirmjager's dogged defence of Monte Casino and successful invasions of Crete and Norway. With the use of computer graphics and rare archive footage, this film pays homage to a remarkable fighting force.

Stalemate in Italy: Assault on the Gustav Line

Churchill described Italy as "the soft underbelly of Europe”. Words he would live to regret, as the supposed swift campaign deterioratd into almost 2 years of hard fought encounters against a skilful, battle-hardened and determined enemy.The deployment of crack troops, including the 1st SS Division and the Hermann Goering Division, and Italy’s naturally defensive geography ensured that the Allies would be denied their speedy victoy.The fighting in the Gustav Line, at Anzio and in particular, at Monte Cassino have come to epitomise the dogged determination of the Allies’ elusive enemy.

Partisans: The War Behind the Lines

A look at the civilian groups who risked their lives for their country. Features the French Resistance, the partisans of Yugoslavia and the resistance groups of Russia.