DVD Review: Secrets of World War II

By Jeff Swindoll Nov 13, 2007, 14:09 GMT

During the chaos and destruction of WWII, ordinary men and women from all walks of life were thrown into fearsome, real-life situations worthy of any Hollywood movie -- the only difference is that this series every story is true. Ordinary GIs and US Air Force and Navy personnel suddenly found themselves flying against the Japanese in China, jungle fighting in Burma and being dropped by submarine on enemy coasts at ...more

This 1998 BBC series covers all the hidden aspects of World War II in this extremely interesting series.  

Each 52-minute story covers a specific story from World War II and the secret or mystery that is behind it.  These documentaries are narrated by actor Robert Powell and feature some extremely interesting subjects.  The series is presented over three double-sided discs with the last two episodes appearing on a single sided disc. 

The Corpse that Fooled the Axis: Little did the Germans know that the body they discovered on the coast of Spain in 1943 was part of one of the most elaborate hoaxes of 
World War II.

They Flew to China: Between 1941 and 1943 some of America’s most talented fighter pilots flew for Nationalist China against the Japanese. They became known as the ‘Flying Tigers’ and with the name a legend was born.

Adolf Hitler’s Last Days: With access to Eva Braun’s personal photograph album, this program reconstructs the final days in the Dictator's underground lair, and in particular it examines the possibility of escape for the selected few.

How Germany was Bombed to Defeat: One thousand bomber raids flown by the US Air Force by day and the same by Britain’s RAF by night. The result was a firestorm which destroyed German cities, industry and communications; raids which involved much personal bravery and the use of secret technology. 

Secret Mission to North Africa: After numerous adventures, a small number of American officers managed to rendezvous with their submarine on the North Africa coast in 1942 and relay back to Eisenhower information which would save thousands of British and American lives.

The End of the Scharnhorst: She was faster than any British battleship, but in what was to become known as ‘The Battle of the North Cape’, the Scharnhorst was about to meet her destiny at the hands of Admiral Fraser in one of the most exciting naval engagements ever.

When Hitler Invaded America: In June 1942 two German U-Boats landed secret agents on Long Island and at Jacksonville, Florida. Their aim was sabotage… but their methods left a lot to be desired! 

The RAF versus the V-2: Hitler’s ultimate goal was to produce a rocket capable of carrying an atomic weapon weighing five tons. Fortunately, the Royal Air Force discovered his plan and set about destroying his dream.

The Bruneval Raid: In 1942 a reconnaissance Spitfire photographed a strange shaped piece of German apparatus in a Normandy field. It turned out to be a sophisticated German radar system whose secrets had to be discovered.

Japan’s Last Secret Weapon: Had it not been winter, North America’s vast western forests, farms and cities might have been decimated by a secret weapon sent in thousands across the Pacific by the Japanese in 1944.

What Really happened to Rommel: He was nicknamed the ‘Desert Fox’ and highly decorated by Hitler. However, Rommel was not in sympathy with the Nazi party and may have been involved in the plot to kill Hitler. Did the legendary German General commit suicide or was he murdered?

The Minehunters: One of the most feared weapons of World War II was the mine. Some were laid by ship and submarine, others by aircraft. Of all of these the most lethal was the magnetic mine, and the race to counter it was one of the most crucial of the war. 

Cracking the Enigma Secret: By early 1940, British codebreakers at Bletchley Park, working with information from the Poles, had begun to crack the German military codes produced on the Enigma cipher machine. Once this had been achieved, the challenge was how to prevent the Germans from finding out their codes had been broken.

The Nazi Plundering of Europe: Throughout occupied Europe the Nazis systematically plundered the continent’s museums, galleries, and private collections. At the war’s end, a massive effort was mounted by the Allies to locate the missing art treasures and return them to their rightful owners. But even today many great objects are still unlocated.

Human Torpedoes: In 1941 four Italian frogmen used their two-man underwater ‘chariots’ to place explosive charges on two British battleships in Alexandria Harbour. They were the first of many brave men to use these unconventional weapons. 

Confusion was their Business: The exciting story of the emergence of Special Forces such as the British SAS and the US Rangers.

The Secrets of the Battle of the Bulge: In 1944 as Hitler faced defeat he tried one last gamble of an offensive on the Western Front. The result was the ‘Battle of the Bulge’. But what the Germans did not know was the Allies were decoding their radio messages.

Merrill’s Marauders: America’s answer to fighting behind Japanese lines in the jungle was to deploy a highly trained unit called Merrill’s Marauders.

The Greatest Sea/Air Battle in History: There have been larger land battles and more protracted air campaigns than Okinawa but this was a combined operation, unparalleled in size, scope and ferocity. 

The Amazing Colonel Doolittle: The citizens of Japan could not believe their eyes when the Americans dared to fly an audacious bombing mission against Tokyo only a few months after Pearl Harbor. 

Above Us -the Enemy (Secrets of the Submarine War): The underwater war saw many innovations and a rapid increase in electronic technology, which eventually enabled the Allies to achieve ultimate victory.

Destroy the German Oil Fields: Amazing new footage has become available which shows the raid by the US Air Force against the Ploesti oil fields in Rumania which supplied 60 percent of Hitler’s oil in 1943.

The Secrets behind the Battle of Guadalcanal: Hundreds of sailors, eight ships and two American Admirals were to be lost in actions where valor overcame many mistakes on both sides - leading to the defeat of the Japanese Admiral Yamamoto.

Home Run from Colditz: The Germans said it was impregnable but the confines of Colditz were to inspire some of the most legendary escapes of all time.

The Real Heroes of Telemark: In 1943 as the Germans were producing ‘heavy water’ to build their atomic bomb, the Norwegian resistance launched a daring raid against the Norsk Hydro plant. 

The Cruise of the Secret Raiders: The fascinating story of the secret heavily armed cargo ships deployed by the Germans which were in reality designed to sink allied merchant ships as well as refueling German U-Boats and warships.

The Secrets of World War II is presented in fullscreen.  There are no special features since the documentaries are the special features. 

Really quite an intriguing collection of documentaries that cover fascinating historical events from the big WW II.  History buffs and those of like mind will find this extremely interesting.  

Secrets of World War II is now available at Amazon. As of yet, this version of the DVD is not available in the UK. Visit the DVD database for more information.