Need to Know

The Battle of Berlin was one of the bloodiest battles in history. By its end, over half a million people died, among them one of the twentieth century's most brutal dictators.

The Battle of Hastings is one of the most famous battles in the history of warfare. Two armies met on an English field and fought for an awesome prize. In just one bloody day of battle in 1066, the future course of the English nation was decided.

Employing a new tactical doctrine called blitzkrieg, on the first of September 1939, Germany invaded its neighbor, Poland. At the forefront of this attack was a military machine that would change the face of warfare from Berlin to Baghdad. This is the story of the mighty panzer.

On the June 6, 1944, 146,000 allied troops crossed the English Channel - their mission to free Europe from the tyranny of Hitler and the third reich. This is the story of D-Day.

Early on a French summer's morning in 1916 the British army attacked the Germans in what came to be the bloodiest day in British military history. 100,000 men rose from the security of their trenches into a storm of machine gun, rifle and artillery fire. This is the story of the Battle of the Somme.

The JU-87 Stuka became one of the most feared planes of the second world war. The terrifying noise of its siren was synonymous with death and destruction. With gravity defying dives more intense than a rollercoaster, the Stuka was the plane German pilots wanted to fly.

On January 22, 1879, 139 British soldiers were attacked by 3,500 Zulu warriors in what would become one of the most famous battles in military history. The heroic stand of the defenders earned them the highest British military honors and ensured them immortality. This is the story of the Battle of Rorke's Drift.

The Battle of Waterloo was one of the most important battles in the history of the world. On July 18, 1815, the British and French armies clashed on Belgian fields. The outcome was to shape Europe for the next century.

The U-boat was one of the most efficient killing machines of twentieth century warfare. During the second world war alone, it sank nearly 15 million tons of allied shipping and sent 100,000 allied seamen to a watery grave.

On April 20, 1889, a boy was born in an Austrian village. He would go on to lead a nation to the brink of destruction and leave Europe in ruins. As one of history's most brutal dictators, he would be responsible for the death on millions. This is the story of Adolf Hitler.

On July 20, 1944, a young Nazi officer held the fate of the German nation in his hands. In his briefcase was a bomb and his target was Adolf Hitler. His plan was to kill the German dictator, seize power and save his country from total destruction. This is the story of Operation Valkyrie.

The Battle for Stalingrad was one of the most savage, inhuman and devastating battles in history. In August 1942, the German's launched an attack on a Russian city that proved to be the turning point that led to the allied victory in the second world war. For five months men fought in freezing conditions, house to house, room to room until nearly 1.5 million were dead.

On August 15, 1769, a boy was born on the Mediterranean island of Corsica. As a man he would shape his country's laws, promote education, science, literature and the arts. As a military dictator, he would rule absolutely and plunge the world into war. This is the story of Napoleon Bonaparte.

The Battle of Agincourt was one of the greatest triumphs in the history of British warfare. On October 25, 1415, a sick, depleted and exhausted English army of 6,000 men defeated a French army five times its size.

The Battle of Gettysburg was the bloodiest action of the American Civil War. Only July 1, 1863, 160,000 American soldiers clashed in a battle that over three days would claim over 50,000 casualties and ultimately decided the fate of a nation.

The Battle of Verdun was the longest battle of the first world war. Intended to bleed France white, it reached new heights of misery, destruction and death. For ten terrible months in 1916, Germany and France fought a battle that would leave its mark on both countries for generations to come.

When the history of the second world war was written, The Battle of Britain was described as on the most decisive ever fought. The events in the summer of 1940, prompted the Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, to say, "Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few."

Only eight months after the second world war began, the British army faced annihilation. The dramatic escape of over 330,000 soldiers from the beaches of France in May 1940, would become the stuff of legend. This is the story of Dunkirk.

The Battle of the Bulge was Hitler's final offensive gamble of the second world war and the last chance to turn the tables on the invading allies. Late in 1944 as the war in western Europe entered its finally phase, the German dictator launched an ambitious attack the would decide the fate of Germany and Europe.

On October 13, 1944, two German generals visited a famous German colleague, field marshal and decorated war hero at his family home. He left with them and fifteen minutes later he was dead by suicide at the age of 52. This is the story of field marshal Erwin Rommel.

Early on December 7, 1941, in a surprise air assault, the Japanese bombed a U.S. pacific fleet and its base in Hawaii. President Franklin D. Roosevelt declared the unprovoked attack, "a date which will live in infamy." It was the date that ironically ensured allied victory in the second world war. This is the story of Pearl Harbor.

On November 24, 1864, a boy was born into an Aristocratic French family. He would go on to become one the most influential artists of his generation. His decadent lifestyle inspired his paintings but ultimately led to his death. This is the story of Toulouse Lautrec.

Famous for his often spectacular victories against superior forces, General Robert E. Lee was one of the most celebrated generals in American history. A brilliant tactician, he led the pro-slavery army of the southern states during the bloody American Civil War.

His Antarctic adventures captured the public imagination and shot him to fame. As an explorer he tackled some of the most inhospitable places on earth. As a leader of men, he was resourceful, determined and courageous. This is the story of Sir Ernest Shackleton.

He was one of the most successful military commanders in history. By the time of his death at just 32, he was undefeated in battle. His brilliantly fought campaign secured much of the ancient world for the Greek empire. This is the story of Alexander the Great.