World War I
This section will feature documentaries on World War I. World War I was also known as the Great War. It started in 1914 and ended in 1918. The spark of the war was the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand.
The Battle of Passchendaele - VIDEO UNAVAILABLE
Trench warfare has been established during World War I. Passchendaele seemed to elude recapture by the British. It was the site of the worst battle of World War I. This documentary combines photography, archival footage, and a well-told story. It is a good look at what happened that led up to the Battle of Passchendaele. *Recommended for a high school world history classroom. Recommended for an independent study student.*
The Great War In Numbers - Episode 1 (44:46) Episode 2(45:13) Episode 3 (44:58) Episode 4 (45:09) Episode 5 (45:03) Episode 6 (45:02)
World War I: The Numbers covers the sheer numbers involved in World War I. The Imperial powers were not satisfied with the vast territories and wealth they acquired over decades. So when in 1914, when the heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire was killed the world exploded. This war would kill 18 million people. This war would change world history. *Recommended for a high school world history classroom. Recommended for an independent study student.*
The First Tank Battle - YouTube (44:11)
World War I was the first war where tanks were introduced in warfare. It was the British that introduced the first tanks. The British were determined to end the stalemate of trench water. The Germans did not know what happen. However, they caught up with lethal fire and then with their tanks. How did the first tanks develop? Would they put a stop to trench warfare? This documentary explores the history of the tank and the greatest battles they participated in. *Recommended for a high school world history classroom. Recommended for an independent study student who has an interest in military history.*
World War I - VIDEO UNAVAILABLE
In 1918, the Allied Armies came together to assemble a strike force to finally break the backs of the Germans. The last few months of the war were brutal for the men in the trenches. The biggest problem was to keep the operation a secret. The Germans knew nothing of a coming attack nor did they fear an attack coming. When it did come, it would shatter the German military. *Recommended for a high school classroom. Recommended for an independent study student.*
The Remarkable Story of the Christmas Truce - YouTube (50:31)
It is 1914 and the soldiers on both sides of the Great War are exhausted from fighting. Christmas comes and the British soldiers suddenly hear something in the night sky. It is the German soldiers singing Christmas carols. The Germans are also putting up Christmas trees in the trenches. Morning comes and there is a sense of peace in the air… *Highly recommended for history and independent study students for Christmas Time or when World War I is studied.*
Mata Hari: The Beautiful Spy - YouTube (52:15)
She is charged with high treason. She was a female pay. Her name was Mata Hari. She was an exotic dancer who moved around high society. Then World War I happened and she was charged with treason because of her contacts with the upper echelons of society. What is the truth about Mata Hari? Who was she really? Will she finally reveal her secrets after one hundred years? *Recommended for research purposes and not for a classroom setting.*
The Great War Tour - Episode 1 (45:27) Episode 2 (48:55) Episode 3 (51:24) Episode 4 (49:49)
Norm Christie, a military historian has traveled extensively through the western front of the Great War. This series focuses on the Canadian soldiers that were killed during the Great War. 60,000 Canadians were killed during the Great War. Christie looks at the impact of Canadian soldiers during the Great War. He looks at the sacred sites, missing soldiers and other areas where the Canadians fought. *Skip the first episode. The other three episodes are excellent and should be shown in a Canadian history class.*
The Hidden Secrets of the Battle of Yrpes - YouTube (1:10:25)
Norm Christie examines the Battlefields of Ypres in the Lost Battlefield series. He is exploring the story of the Canadian soldiers that were killed during World War I. The Battle of Mount Sorrel and the Battle of Hill 70 would shape the Canadian Corps. He explores the legacy of the Canadian Corps and its contributions to the Great War. Christie travels to the battlefields of Yrpes to learn about the Canadian contributions to the Great War. *Not recommended for a history class.*
The Kaiser's Pirates - YouTube (52:15)
The story of World War I piracy begins in the port of Kiel in Germany. The ship was called the Wolf. The SMS Wolf was engaging in piracy during World War I. The Grandson of the captain of the ship has been doing research on the ship. In 1916, a ship slipped out of the harbor and went on a voyage. The ship was on an important mission for the Kaiser. She was going to engage in piracy on the high seas during World War I. *Recommended for a history class and for independent study students.*
The Legend of Manfred von Richthofen - YouTube (52:36)
Manfred von Richthofen was the greatest fighter ace during World War I. He was also considered the most famous fighter pilot of all time. He is credited with 80 air combat victories. He belonged to the landed gentry before becoming a fighter pilot. He would become a brilliant tactician and lead a squadron known as the “Flying Circus.” This “Flying Circus” would be successful. Unfortunately, Richthofen would be shot and killed in 1918, at the age of 25. This is the story of Manfred von Richthofen. *NOT recommended for a history class or research purposes.*
Mines of Ypres - Youtube (44:42)
World War I was going to be the war to end all wars. New technology was introduced such as the airplane and more technologically advanced guns. Gas was introduced. Trench warfare was introduced. This would have been a change to warfare and the soldiers who lived in the trenches would have faced difficult conditions. There was endless mud and the trenches flooded. How did these soldiers endure in these mud pits? *NOT recommended for a history class or research purposes.*
Mount Paterno - YouTube (45:07)
World War I was fought in the Alps. In 1915, some of the most desperate struggles took place in the Alps. A maze of tunnels and caverns were dug in the Dolomite range by both the Italians and the Austrians. Mountain soldiers would fight, climb and die over the peaks of the Dolomites. Heroes would be made among these peaks. The Dolomites were on the front lines in the struggle between the Italians and Austrians. *NOT recommended for a history class or research purposes.*
Drain the Ocean - Ultimate Battleship - YouTube (47:22)
These were the most powerful weapons of war. Nations rushed to build them in order to dominate the seas. The Battle of Jutland in the North Sea was the site of one of the greatest battles of World War I. It was a battle where both sides would claim victory becoming one of the most mysterious battles of World War I. Who really won the Battle of Jutland during World War I? What caused a large fleet to disappear? Why was a Jutland survivor sunk in her own harbor. What secrets will be revealed draining the seas? *Recommended for a history class.*
Guy Martin's World War I Tank - YouTube (58:50)
Lincoln, England was the birthplace of the modern tank. It was during the First World War that this weapon had its debut. Lincoln native Guy Martin is going to rebuild the first tank. He is going to look at the techniques that were used to build these first tanks. Along the way, he will learn about the history of the tank as well as learn about the people who drove them and built them. In five months he will have to build a tank in order to drive the tank on Remembrance Day. So will Guy finish the tank in time? *Good for a history class and because of the experimental aspect, put on your potential for a science class.*
The Secret of the Somme - YouTube (45:18)
The Somme Battle would go down in history as one of the worst battles in World War I. The British Army of Volunteers was destroyed by the German troops. The British troops had been promised easy conquest, but the Germans were a formidable force. However, it was a fatal mistake. The British troops were met with fierce German resistance. The German troops fortified their trenches. The Battle of the Somme would go down in history as one of the most controversial battles in all of history. So what made it so controversial? *NOT RECOMMENDED for a history class.*
Drain the Oceans Killer U-Boats - YouTube (47:25)
Today’s superpowers prize the Submarine. However, this technology would really come into its own during World War I. It would become the ultimate stealth weapon during this conflict. Three British Royal Navy ships disappear. What happened to cause these ships to disappear? How does a large ship disappear in twenty minutes? Why was this large ship targeted? How do the Allies Strike back against this new weapon? *Good for a history class and because of the experimental aspect, put on your potential for a science class.*
Great Scuttle: The Sinking of the German Fleet - YouTube (53:37)
After World War I, the Germans faced losing their entire naval fleet. The Dreadnoughts were some of the most expensive warships ever built. They were on the cutting edge of technology. Everyone wanted more of them and the cheapest way was to acquire them from the defeated German Navy. The Admiral of the German Fleet was left with an impossible choice: let the Allied forces take their ships or destroy them. What will this admiral do? Learn about what happened in the aftermath of the World War I. *Put on your potential documentary list.*
Last Voices of World War I
Call to Arms - YouTube (47:25)
When war was declared in 1914, millions of British men signed up for the war believing that it would be a quick war. These men rode on a wave of patriotic euphoria believing that the war would be an adventure. However, the reality of the war started to settle in. Soldiers from World War I were interviewed and now these voices have been brought together for the first time in a documentary series. Now those voices are silent. *Recommended for a history class and for research purposes.*
Battle of the Somme - YouTube (47:39)
The Battle of the Somme was one of the most bloody battles of World War I. By November 1916, over 150,000 troops had lost their lives on this front. At the start of the battle, there were high hopes that one big push would finally end the war. The British carefully planned with the French for a mass attack. Plans would be blown up and changed. However, that did not happen and many lives were lost. The veterans of this battle recall this battle. *Recommended for a history class and for research purposes.*
Saving the Wounded - YouTube (47:40)
The British military prided itself on the quality of medical care it could offer its wounded soldiers. This was the legacy of Florence Nightingale. However, that legacy would be challenged with the arrival of modern weapons. Thousands of nurses and doctors were sent to the front-line hospital. In the four years of fighting thousands of soldiers were wounded or killed which would put these caretakers under strain that even Florence Nightingale could not anticipate. *Recommended for a history class and for research purposes.*
The Home Front - YouTube (47:23)
It was not just the soldiers, doctors, and nurses who suffered during the Great War. Many families were left behind and they would witness Zeppelin raids, food shortages, and constant worries. Would the news of their loved ones come to them through a telegram? News from the front would oftentimes change these families forever. Now the people that survived the home front of World War I take their turn and speak. *Recommended for a history class and for research purposes.*
Horror in the Mud - YouTube (47:52)
It is 1917, and Arras and Passchendaele are on the horizon. The British would attack the Germans at Arras and the battle would see some of the highest daily casualty rates. The ware also shifts to the air and the Red Baron takes to the skies. Then in the summer, the British advanced for Passchendaele. Countless soldiers would drown in the mud and Passchendaele would soon become synonymous with the horror of mechanized warfare. There was a sense that the soldiers were living on borrowed time. *Recommended for a history class and for research purposes.*
The Boys of 1918 - YouTube (47:40)
World War I is drawing to an end. The Germans are launching one last major offensive to try to win. In spring many conscripts are sent to the front to replace those who had lost their lives. Thousands were taken prisoner of war by the Germans. These prisoners of war would endure months of hardship. At the same time, the Russian Revolution ended Russia’s involvement in the war. Who would emerge from the war? *Recommended for a history class and for research purposes.*
Lusitania
Lusitania: Terror at Sea - YouTube (1:30:05)
This docu-drama is about the sinking of the Lusitania during World War I. It tells the story of the sinking from Professor Holbein’s perspective. This docu-drama brings together the story of the passenger and the British Admiralty. It tells what happened during the voyage, the decisions that were made to not warn the ship, and what happened during the sinking. *Recommended for a high school classroom. Recommended for an independent study student.*
Lusitania - YouTube (52:37)
This is an older documentary on the Lusitania. This documentary came out in 1994 and features the last known Lusitania survivors. The survivors tell their stories about the ship and how they survived the sinking. They also discuss their theories about why she sank so fast. It also features Bob Ballard, who was trying to discover why she sank so fast. Did the contraband on the ship explode and cause the ship to sink? *Recommended for an independent study student.*
Deep Wreck Mysteries
HMS Audacious - YouTube (50:05)
Today, deep sea divers are going to investigate the British battleship “HMS Audacious.” It was declared unsinkable and went into battle during World War I. She struck a mine and the men onboard her fought to keep her alive. It was a secondary, mysterious explosion that sent her down to the bottom of the Irish Sea. The wreck lies 14 miles off the tip of Ireland. So what caused this second explosion that sent her to the bottom? *Recommended for a history and science classroom.*
SS Armenian - YouTube (49:31)
The year is June 1915. The SS Armenian is carrying 1400 mules for the battlefields of Europe. A U-boat spots the ship and fires. Twenty-nine Americans are killed and the mules are sent to the bottom of the sea. Americans already outraged by the Lusitania sinking are made even angrier. The sinking of this ship would cause a second international incident between Germany and the United States. Now a team of divers plans to locate the wreck of the ship off Cornwall. Will these divers be successful? *Recommended for independent study students and for the history classroom.*
Trench warfare has been established during World War I. Passchendaele seemed to elude recapture by the British. It was the site of the worst battle of World War I. This documentary combines photography, archival footage, and a well-told story. It is a good look at what happened that led up to the Battle of Passchendaele. *Recommended for a high school world history classroom. Recommended for an independent study student.*
The Great War In Numbers - Episode 1 (44:46) Episode 2(45:13) Episode 3 (44:58) Episode 4 (45:09) Episode 5 (45:03) Episode 6 (45:02)
World War I: The Numbers covers the sheer numbers involved in World War I. The Imperial powers were not satisfied with the vast territories and wealth they acquired over decades. So when in 1914, when the heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire was killed the world exploded. This war would kill 18 million people. This war would change world history. *Recommended for a high school world history classroom. Recommended for an independent study student.*
The First Tank Battle - YouTube (44:11)
World War I was the first war where tanks were introduced in warfare. It was the British that introduced the first tanks. The British were determined to end the stalemate of trench water. The Germans did not know what happen. However, they caught up with lethal fire and then with their tanks. How did the first tanks develop? Would they put a stop to trench warfare? This documentary explores the history of the tank and the greatest battles they participated in. *Recommended for a high school world history classroom. Recommended for an independent study student who has an interest in military history.*
World War I - VIDEO UNAVAILABLE
In 1918, the Allied Armies came together to assemble a strike force to finally break the backs of the Germans. The last few months of the war were brutal for the men in the trenches. The biggest problem was to keep the operation a secret. The Germans knew nothing of a coming attack nor did they fear an attack coming. When it did come, it would shatter the German military. *Recommended for a high school classroom. Recommended for an independent study student.*
The Remarkable Story of the Christmas Truce - YouTube (50:31)
It is 1914 and the soldiers on both sides of the Great War are exhausted from fighting. Christmas comes and the British soldiers suddenly hear something in the night sky. It is the German soldiers singing Christmas carols. The Germans are also putting up Christmas trees in the trenches. Morning comes and there is a sense of peace in the air… *Highly recommended for history and independent study students for Christmas Time or when World War I is studied.*
Mata Hari: The Beautiful Spy - YouTube (52:15)
She is charged with high treason. She was a female pay. Her name was Mata Hari. She was an exotic dancer who moved around high society. Then World War I happened and she was charged with treason because of her contacts with the upper echelons of society. What is the truth about Mata Hari? Who was she really? Will she finally reveal her secrets after one hundred years? *Recommended for research purposes and not for a classroom setting.*
The Great War Tour - Episode 1 (45:27) Episode 2 (48:55) Episode 3 (51:24) Episode 4 (49:49)
Norm Christie, a military historian has traveled extensively through the western front of the Great War. This series focuses on the Canadian soldiers that were killed during the Great War. 60,000 Canadians were killed during the Great War. Christie looks at the impact of Canadian soldiers during the Great War. He looks at the sacred sites, missing soldiers and other areas where the Canadians fought. *Skip the first episode. The other three episodes are excellent and should be shown in a Canadian history class.*
The Hidden Secrets of the Battle of Yrpes - YouTube (1:10:25)
Norm Christie examines the Battlefields of Ypres in the Lost Battlefield series. He is exploring the story of the Canadian soldiers that were killed during World War I. The Battle of Mount Sorrel and the Battle of Hill 70 would shape the Canadian Corps. He explores the legacy of the Canadian Corps and its contributions to the Great War. Christie travels to the battlefields of Yrpes to learn about the Canadian contributions to the Great War. *Not recommended for a history class.*
The Kaiser's Pirates - YouTube (52:15)
The story of World War I piracy begins in the port of Kiel in Germany. The ship was called the Wolf. The SMS Wolf was engaging in piracy during World War I. The Grandson of the captain of the ship has been doing research on the ship. In 1916, a ship slipped out of the harbor and went on a voyage. The ship was on an important mission for the Kaiser. She was going to engage in piracy on the high seas during World War I. *Recommended for a history class and for independent study students.*
The Legend of Manfred von Richthofen - YouTube (52:36)
Manfred von Richthofen was the greatest fighter ace during World War I. He was also considered the most famous fighter pilot of all time. He is credited with 80 air combat victories. He belonged to the landed gentry before becoming a fighter pilot. He would become a brilliant tactician and lead a squadron known as the “Flying Circus.” This “Flying Circus” would be successful. Unfortunately, Richthofen would be shot and killed in 1918, at the age of 25. This is the story of Manfred von Richthofen. *NOT recommended for a history class or research purposes.*
Mines of Ypres - Youtube (44:42)
World War I was going to be the war to end all wars. New technology was introduced such as the airplane and more technologically advanced guns. Gas was introduced. Trench warfare was introduced. This would have been a change to warfare and the soldiers who lived in the trenches would have faced difficult conditions. There was endless mud and the trenches flooded. How did these soldiers endure in these mud pits? *NOT recommended for a history class or research purposes.*
Mount Paterno - YouTube (45:07)
World War I was fought in the Alps. In 1915, some of the most desperate struggles took place in the Alps. A maze of tunnels and caverns were dug in the Dolomite range by both the Italians and the Austrians. Mountain soldiers would fight, climb and die over the peaks of the Dolomites. Heroes would be made among these peaks. The Dolomites were on the front lines in the struggle between the Italians and Austrians. *NOT recommended for a history class or research purposes.*
Drain the Ocean - Ultimate Battleship - YouTube (47:22)
These were the most powerful weapons of war. Nations rushed to build them in order to dominate the seas. The Battle of Jutland in the North Sea was the site of one of the greatest battles of World War I. It was a battle where both sides would claim victory becoming one of the most mysterious battles of World War I. Who really won the Battle of Jutland during World War I? What caused a large fleet to disappear? Why was a Jutland survivor sunk in her own harbor. What secrets will be revealed draining the seas? *Recommended for a history class.*
Guy Martin's World War I Tank - YouTube (58:50)
Lincoln, England was the birthplace of the modern tank. It was during the First World War that this weapon had its debut. Lincoln native Guy Martin is going to rebuild the first tank. He is going to look at the techniques that were used to build these first tanks. Along the way, he will learn about the history of the tank as well as learn about the people who drove them and built them. In five months he will have to build a tank in order to drive the tank on Remembrance Day. So will Guy finish the tank in time? *Good for a history class and because of the experimental aspect, put on your potential for a science class.*
The Secret of the Somme - YouTube (45:18)
The Somme Battle would go down in history as one of the worst battles in World War I. The British Army of Volunteers was destroyed by the German troops. The British troops had been promised easy conquest, but the Germans were a formidable force. However, it was a fatal mistake. The British troops were met with fierce German resistance. The German troops fortified their trenches. The Battle of the Somme would go down in history as one of the most controversial battles in all of history. So what made it so controversial? *NOT RECOMMENDED for a history class.*
Drain the Oceans Killer U-Boats - YouTube (47:25)
Today’s superpowers prize the Submarine. However, this technology would really come into its own during World War I. It would become the ultimate stealth weapon during this conflict. Three British Royal Navy ships disappear. What happened to cause these ships to disappear? How does a large ship disappear in twenty minutes? Why was this large ship targeted? How do the Allies Strike back against this new weapon? *Good for a history class and because of the experimental aspect, put on your potential for a science class.*
Great Scuttle: The Sinking of the German Fleet - YouTube (53:37)
After World War I, the Germans faced losing their entire naval fleet. The Dreadnoughts were some of the most expensive warships ever built. They were on the cutting edge of technology. Everyone wanted more of them and the cheapest way was to acquire them from the defeated German Navy. The Admiral of the German Fleet was left with an impossible choice: let the Allied forces take their ships or destroy them. What will this admiral do? Learn about what happened in the aftermath of the World War I. *Put on your potential documentary list.*
Last Voices of World War I
Call to Arms - YouTube (47:25)
When war was declared in 1914, millions of British men signed up for the war believing that it would be a quick war. These men rode on a wave of patriotic euphoria believing that the war would be an adventure. However, the reality of the war started to settle in. Soldiers from World War I were interviewed and now these voices have been brought together for the first time in a documentary series. Now those voices are silent. *Recommended for a history class and for research purposes.*
Battle of the Somme - YouTube (47:39)
The Battle of the Somme was one of the most bloody battles of World War I. By November 1916, over 150,000 troops had lost their lives on this front. At the start of the battle, there were high hopes that one big push would finally end the war. The British carefully planned with the French for a mass attack. Plans would be blown up and changed. However, that did not happen and many lives were lost. The veterans of this battle recall this battle. *Recommended for a history class and for research purposes.*
Saving the Wounded - YouTube (47:40)
The British military prided itself on the quality of medical care it could offer its wounded soldiers. This was the legacy of Florence Nightingale. However, that legacy would be challenged with the arrival of modern weapons. Thousands of nurses and doctors were sent to the front-line hospital. In the four years of fighting thousands of soldiers were wounded or killed which would put these caretakers under strain that even Florence Nightingale could not anticipate. *Recommended for a history class and for research purposes.*
The Home Front - YouTube (47:23)
It was not just the soldiers, doctors, and nurses who suffered during the Great War. Many families were left behind and they would witness Zeppelin raids, food shortages, and constant worries. Would the news of their loved ones come to them through a telegram? News from the front would oftentimes change these families forever. Now the people that survived the home front of World War I take their turn and speak. *Recommended for a history class and for research purposes.*
Horror in the Mud - YouTube (47:52)
It is 1917, and Arras and Passchendaele are on the horizon. The British would attack the Germans at Arras and the battle would see some of the highest daily casualty rates. The ware also shifts to the air and the Red Baron takes to the skies. Then in the summer, the British advanced for Passchendaele. Countless soldiers would drown in the mud and Passchendaele would soon become synonymous with the horror of mechanized warfare. There was a sense that the soldiers were living on borrowed time. *Recommended for a history class and for research purposes.*
The Boys of 1918 - YouTube (47:40)
World War I is drawing to an end. The Germans are launching one last major offensive to try to win. In spring many conscripts are sent to the front to replace those who had lost their lives. Thousands were taken prisoner of war by the Germans. These prisoners of war would endure months of hardship. At the same time, the Russian Revolution ended Russia’s involvement in the war. Who would emerge from the war? *Recommended for a history class and for research purposes.*
Lusitania
Lusitania: Terror at Sea - YouTube (1:30:05)
This docu-drama is about the sinking of the Lusitania during World War I. It tells the story of the sinking from Professor Holbein’s perspective. This docu-drama brings together the story of the passenger and the British Admiralty. It tells what happened during the voyage, the decisions that were made to not warn the ship, and what happened during the sinking. *Recommended for a high school classroom. Recommended for an independent study student.*
Lusitania - YouTube (52:37)
This is an older documentary on the Lusitania. This documentary came out in 1994 and features the last known Lusitania survivors. The survivors tell their stories about the ship and how they survived the sinking. They also discuss their theories about why she sank so fast. It also features Bob Ballard, who was trying to discover why she sank so fast. Did the contraband on the ship explode and cause the ship to sink? *Recommended for an independent study student.*
Deep Wreck Mysteries
HMS Audacious - YouTube (50:05)
Today, deep sea divers are going to investigate the British battleship “HMS Audacious.” It was declared unsinkable and went into battle during World War I. She struck a mine and the men onboard her fought to keep her alive. It was a secondary, mysterious explosion that sent her down to the bottom of the Irish Sea. The wreck lies 14 miles off the tip of Ireland. So what caused this second explosion that sent her to the bottom? *Recommended for a history and science classroom.*
SS Armenian - YouTube (49:31)
The year is June 1915. The SS Armenian is carrying 1400 mules for the battlefields of Europe. A U-boat spots the ship and fires. Twenty-nine Americans are killed and the mules are sent to the bottom of the sea. Americans already outraged by the Lusitania sinking are made even angrier. The sinking of this ship would cause a second international incident between Germany and the United States. Now a team of divers plans to locate the wreck of the ship off Cornwall. Will these divers be successful? *Recommended for independent study students and for the history classroom.*
List Updated on November 30, 2024
