Wwi & Wwii Stories DVD Gift Tin

Please note this is a region 2 DVD and will require a region 2 or region free DVD player in order to play. THE GREAT WAR 1914-1918 The Great War ushered in the 20th century. It was The war to end all wars, A senseless slaughter that set the stage for the bloodiest century in human history. Yet, it was more than just a war between nationals. It was a war between what was and what was to be. The old world was dying and the new world had yet to be born. People of all classes saw it was some great cleansing fire that would accelerate this battle and lead to a better world. But when it was over, more than men had died in the mud of the battlefields; the naive dreams of progress, along with the innocence of the pre-world war, faith in God and hope in the future all died in the trenches of Europe. WWI SOMME SECRET TUNNEL WARS Under the trenches and fields of the Somme lies a complex and extensive network of tunnels. Here, beneath the wastes of No Man s Land, British and German miners risked a terrible death in trying to undermine the enemy, laying charges that would wreak death and destruction in the tunnels around them and in trenches above. At least 45,000 British soldiers worked beneath the Somme battlefields. But who were they? With unique access to both British and German workings that have been untouched and unexplored since 1918, we can explore these ghost tunnels, and reveal the lives and stories of the men who built, lived, worked and died in them. WWII D-DAY LANDINGS In the early hours of June 6th, 1944 Allied forces began the greatest military assault ever attempted. They came to Normandy by both air and sea with one objective: to get a toehold on the continent and from there, begin the long campaign that would result in the liberation of Europe and the end of the Second World War. Using personal testimonies, we tell the dramatic stories of the men who took part. The veterans words are illustrated by dramatic archive and colour footage of key locations. By telling their stories in their own words, we get a snap shot of what it was like to be part of the enormous undertaking. BATTLE OF BRITAIN The Battle of Britain, as it became known after the war stands as one of the pivotal moments in Britain s long history. In this programme we look at how the battle evolved into four distinct phases before it fizzled out during the early months of 1941 as the threat of invasion receded and Hitler turned his attention to the impending invasion of Russia. This programme also profiles the aircraft flown by both sides including the Spitfire and Hurricane, Messerschmitt Bf109, Junkers JU88 and many more. VE DAY VICTORY PARADE IN COLOUR It s 1945, war has been raging in Europe and across the World for six years. The people are desperate, cities have been destroyed, sixty million people have been killed and over twenty five million soldiers injured in battle. After the suicide of Hitler on 30th April 1945 during the Battle of Berlin it seemed like the war was finally coming to an end and his successor Grand Admiral Donitz surrendered unconditionally to Western and Russian demands on 7th May 1945. Huge crowds gathered in London the following day to listen to Churchill s announcement that the devastating war in Europe was finally over. This incredibly rare original Technicolor film, shot by Jack Cardiff OBE, shows the victory celebrations in London on Victory in Europe Day, 8th May 1945 plus the London Victory Celebrations of 1946.