S8.E18 ∙ Rites of Spring

The evolution of the modern naval warship, from the days of wooden vessels under sail to today's nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, submarines, and missile cruisers.

It was the time of the Cold War and the bloodiest and most lossy military confrontation within it. Vietnam, a country of almost 30 million inhabitants at the time, became the location of a thirty-year period of war from 1945, including the Indochina War (1946 - 1954) and the Vietnam War (1955 - 1975). In the latter war, US warplanes dropped more bombs here than in all World War II locations together. According to official doctrine, the GIs defend an outpost of the free world in Southeast Asia in the distant jungles and swamps. They should stop the advance of communism at any cost. But instead of swiftly victorious, the most powerful military machine in the West is drawn deeper and deeper into a confusing jungle war in the fight against North Vietnam's guerilla fighters, which soon reaches the streets of America. The everyday television news carry the violence down to the living room of the Americans and eventually lead to the largest anti-war demonstrations that Washington has seen until then. The documentary mini-series recounts the background of the tragedy in Southeast Asia.

This eight part series takes an in-depth look at history of warfare. Shot on location around the world, each episode examines various developments in evolution of armed conflict from technological breakthroughs to technical innovations while simultaneously exploring how and why the majority of military campaigns of the pass 3,000 years were fought.

From the Boer War to the present day peacekeeping missions, Australians at War is the most comprehensive visual record ever made of our wartime history. Australian men and women, veterans from all conflicts and witnesses to our past, speak movingly of the events that shaped their lives and those of millions of Australians.

The Iraq War you won't see on the evening news.

The series features the Japanese perspective: Why did Japan fight WWII? What was the Japanese strategy? What was the Japanese objective? What was it like to live in Japan during the years of victory - and the years of complete devastation?