Defending Europe

How a small Finnish force beat the Red Army in the Second World War, and how Finns are preparing for war now, with nuclear bunkers and urban warfare.

Discovering how France constructed ingenious fortifications, on a massive scale, to defend itself against attacks from the east.

The story of how the Netherlands, locked in a constant battle with water, has harnessed this threat to become a powerful European player.

How Britain has defended its coastline for nearly a thousand years since the Norman invasion – seeing off threats from Napoleon to Hitler.

The story of how Poland, one of the most invaded countries in Europe, has survived against all the odds.

The impressive fortifications and defensive strategies used during Spain’s dramatic history of conflict, from the Middle Ages to the Civil War.