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Disc 1

Episode 1:Who Got Lucky at Hastings?

An academic uses modern management theory to determine whether William was a better leader than Harold at Hastings in 1066. Meanwhile, an equestrian historian assesses the behavior of horses—herd animals—in battle, and computer experts create 3-D maps of the Hastings area to reveal the secret of William’s success.

Episode 2:Agincourt’s Dark Secrets

Medieval warfare specialists investigate how terrain affected the way the 15th-century Battle of Agincourt was waged, what the rare battlefield artifacts tell us, and just what happens when an English bodkin point meets French armor. A remarkable document written just before the battle may answer the key question—not how did the English win, but how did the French lose?

Episode 3:What Sank the Armada?

The sinking of the Spanish Armada in the summer of 1588 has been attributed to English heroism, Spanish incompetence, and bad weather. Now archaeologists are working with oceanographers, meteorologists, and ship design experts to uncover the real reasons for the Armada’s disaster.

Disc 2

Episode 4:Trafalgar’s Fatal Flaw

New research shows that Britain’s most famous naval triumph, the 1805 Battle of Trafalgar, was anything but inevitable. Far from executing a carefully developed plan, Nelson sailed straight at the enemy broadsides based on little more planning than a recently discovered “back of the envelope” tactical sketch.

Episode 5:Massacre at Waterloo

What went wrong for the French at Waterloo on June 18, 1815? Experts recreate the defensive ridge where Wellington stationed the allied troops, assess the impact of the weather conditions on Napoleon’s artillery, and consider the psychological state of his commander on the ground, Marshal Ney.

Episode 6:The Charge of the Light Brigade

Researchers use satellite technology and archaeological finds to unearth the truth about what happened at Balaklava during the most celebrated battle of the Crimean War. How disastrous was the British cavalry charge—and who were the actual heroes in the defense of Balaklava?

Disc 3

Episode 7:Custer’s Last Stand

Native American eyewitness accounts tell a new story of events during the Battle of the Little Bighorn: of chaos and panic, with no gallant last stand by Custer and his men. Using the methods of crime scene investigation, forensic scientists are uncovering evidence of what really happened.

Episode 8:The Gallipoli Disaster

Historians show how bad maps and worse intelligence produced the catastrophe of Gallipoli in 1915, and geologists reveal how terrain won the battle for the Turks and lost it for the Allies. Modern experts conclude that no amount of leadership, planning, or luck could have saved this doomed military venture.

Episode 9:Vietnam’s Bloody Secret

Veterans from both sides explain how state-of-the-art weaponry and a huge budget failed to overcome the morale and inventiveness of the communist forces. Experts show how America never really understood who it was fighting, what motivated its enemies, or what methods they used.

· 16-page viewer’s guide with articles on the Anglo-Saxons and Normans, the treasure shipGirona, the aftermath of the Crimean War, the history of Kemal Ataturk, and Sunzi’sThe Art of War, and a map of Bonaparte’s battles

· Biographies of major military leaders

· Admiral Lord Nelson’s notable quotes

· The story of “The Charge of the Light Brigade” poem

Packaging: Boxed set

Run Time: 432 minutes

Format: Widescreen

Number of discs: 3

Language: English

Subtitles: No

Color or B&W: Color

CC: No

SDH: Yes

Region Code: 1

Aspect Ratio: 16:9

Rating: NR

“An eye-opening documentary” —The Times(UK)

“Clear, concise, and rich in detail” —The Sunday Times(UK)