Bringing History to Life

In 1933, Adolf Hitler seizes power in Germany, where he has seduced the population with golden promises of a restoration of the Great German Empire. He allies himself with Mussolini's fascist Italy, Stalin's communist Soviet Union and the military dictatorship in Japan, which has the same dreams of grandeur as Germany. In this series, you get a thorough review of World War II - from the birth of fascism through the war's many dramas to the aftermath, where the victors deal with the war's worst criminals.

WELCOME

FLIGHT AND PANIC IN THE EAST • As 1945 began, an ominous report landed on Hitler’s desk: a major Soviet offensive was expected within weeks. The Führer, however, dismissed the news as nonsense and demanded the author be fired. But he was soon to regret his decision as four million Soviet soldiers launched an onslaught on Berlin.

THE HOUR OF REVENGE • As the Red Army surged into Germany, its soldiers exacted a cruel revenge against German civilians. Reports of mass rapes, crucifixions and the murder of infants spread like wildfire through Germany. Hitler ordered that no one was allowed to flee, yet old men, women and children began a dangerous escape.

Generals feared Hitler’s vengeance • Even when defeat was inevitable, German generals fought on without openly questioning Hitler’s increasingly irrational decisions. According to renowned historian Sir Ian Kershaw, this was due not only to a sense of duty, but also because of the fear of personal reprisals.

SACRIFICED FOR HITLER • In 1945, senior Nazis were so desperate that they deployed boys as young as 12 as well as older men to defend Berlin. With his usual theatrical flair, Hitler called the unit the Volkssturm, but the new army unit was merely the reserves’ reserve, and they were now to be sacrificed as cannon fodder in the Nazis’ death throes.

“We couldn’t leave… deserters were shot” • Hans Müncheberg was 15 years old when his headmaster dispatched him to the SS as the Red Army advanced into Germany. Together with his classmates, he was ordered to halt the Soviet encirclement of Berlin in April 1945. His fight lasted until 9th May.

BERLIN’S FINAL DAYS • Around 1.5 million Soviets stood poised to surround Berlin and take the city street by street. Berlin’s last defences numbered around 100,000 men, only half of whom were regular soldiers. Meanwhile, Berliners huddled in the ruins, clinging to the hope of mercy from the enemy. But in Berlin, there would be no mercy.

HITLER’S DOWNFALL • As the Allies crushed Germany, Hitler entrenched himself in the Führerbunker deep beneath Berlin. With him stood a group of devoted aides who had served him for years and would not abandon him in the face of disaster. Down in the bunker, they awaited the inevitable defeat as Hitler’s madness grew.

BATTLE FOR CONTROL IN THE RUINS • In the weeks that led up to Hitler’s death, a power struggle between the Führer’s successors had begun. Göring, Himmler and Bormann were in the mix of those who sought to play a leading role in the new Reich. Even after surrendering, the struggle for control continued. But the Allies had other plans for Germany’s future.

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Bringing History to Life