All language subtitles for World of Weapons S01E02 Attack From Above

THEY ARE THE
TOOLS OF HUMAN CONFLICT

AND SURVIVAL.

INGENIOUS.

POWERFUL.

DESTRUCTIVE.

FROM THE ANCIENT TO THE MODERN,

WAR WEAPONS COMPRISE AN
EVER-EVOLVING ARSENAL

THAT'S TRANSFORMED COMBAT,

HELPED BUILD EMPIRES, DESTROY
THEM, AND DETER AGGRESSION.

THIS SERIES HIGHLIGHTS
SOME OF THE WORLD'S

MOST IMPORTANT AND
INNOVATIVE WEAPONS

THROUGH UNIQUE EXPERIMENTS.

GETTING READY TO FIRE.

WE EXPLORE
HOW AND WHY THEY WORK.

IT'S LIKE A
NUCLEAR WEAPON.

WHAT PROBLEMSTHEY SOLVED ON THE BATTLEFIELD.

IF THAT GOES OFF,
THIS COULD BE SERIOUS.

AND
GIVE FRESH INSIGHT--

Man 2: LET'S GO!

INTO THEIR ROLE
IN HISTORY.

Man 2: YOU'RE IN
A MINEFIELD, STOP!

FROM ARROWS
TO ROCKETS TO BOMBS,

AERIAL ATTACKS HAVE
BEEN KEY TO WAGING

A SUCCESSFUL MILITARY CAMPAIGN.

IGNITING AN ARROW AND
SHOOTING IT MAY SOUND EASY.

PUTTING ONE ON TARGET
REQUIRES KNOW-HOW.

FIRE HAS BEEN VITAL
TO HUMAN SURVIVAL

FOR SOME 400,000 YEARS.

BUT IT'S A DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD.

WHILE BRINGING LIGHT AND
WARMTH, IT CAN ALSO DESTROY.

FIRE IS ONE OF
THE OLDEST WEAPONS.

IT TERRIFIES PRIMITIVE
CREATURES LIKE HUMANS

AND ALWAYS HAS DONE.

IF YOU WATCH A TROOP OF
CHIMPANZEES RUNNING FROM FIRE

AND YOU WATCH A TROOP OF
HUMANS RUNNING FROM FIRE,

YOU'RE WATCHING THE SAME THING.

WE HAVEN'T LOST THAT
PRIMEVAL FEAR OF FIRE.

INCENDIARY ARROWS

HAVE PROVEN ESPECIALLY EFFECTIVE

IN SIEGES OF CITIES
OR FORTRESSES.

BUT HOW CAN A LIT
ARROW STAY ABLAZE

WHILE SOARING THROUGH THE AIR?

WEAPONS EXPERT MIKE LOADES
IS ABOUT TO FIND OUT

AT THE MEDIEVAL CENTER
IN THE DANISH HARBOR TOWN

OF NYKOBING FALSTER.

SO TODAY WE'RE USED
TO THE IDEA OF

DEATH AND DESTRUCTION

COMING FROM THE SKIES,
OF BOMBS AND MISSILES

RAINING TERROR ON CITIES,
OF CITIES IN FLAMES.

BUT CITIES IN FLAMES,
THAT'S AS OLD AS WHEN MEN

FOUGHT WITH A BOW AND ARROW,

BECAUSE THEY USED
INCENDIARY ARROWS.

UP TO
THE LATE MEDIEVAL ERA,

PEOPLE BUILT THEIR
HOUSES WITH WOOD,

AND COVERED THE
ROOFS WITH STRAW,

MAKING THEM EASY TARGETS
FOR AN INCENDIARY ATTACK.

BUT HOW EASY IS SHOOTING
A FIERY ARROW AT A TARGET?

MIKE WILL GIVE THAT A TRY.

SO, I JUST TIED AN
ORDINARY BIT OF

CLOTH AROUND THIS

TO SEE WHAT IT DOES,
SEE IF IT STAYS ALIGHT.

THE RESULT?

NOT VERY IMPRESSIVE.

NOW, WELL OBVIOUSLY
IT'S NO SURPRISE

THAT IT DIDN'T STAY ALIGHT.

WE COULD BARELY GET IT
ALIGHT TO START WITH.

SO, THEY CLEARLY
HAD A DIFFERENT IDEA

THAN JUST TYING A
BIT OF RAG AROUND IT.

THE SEARCH
TO FIND OUT THE SECRET

BEHIND INCENDIARY
ARROWS LEADS HERE.

BLACKSMITH JENS
CHRISTIANSEN WORKS

ON THE ESSENTIAL PART OF
THE WEAPON, THE IRON HEAD.

IN ORDER FOR A FLAMING
ARROW TO REMAIN LIT

WHEN SHOT IN THE AIR,

THE HEAD HAS TO BE
CAREFULLY FORGED.

IT'S ALWAYS A THRILL TOWORK WITH A BLACKSMITH.

THEY ARE TAKING IRON WHICH
STARTS AS A BIT OF ROCK

IN THE EARTH AND THEN MAKING
THINGS, ELABORATE SHAPES.

HE'S ALSO USING HIS EYE
TO JUDGE THE TEMPERATURE;

HIS EYE IS A THERMOMETER.

THE COLOR OF THE FLAMES
TELLS HIM HOW HOT IT IS

AND HE NEEDS IT TO
BE HOT TO SPLIT IT,

HE NEEDS IT TO BE A
DIFFERENT TEMPERATURE,

HOTTER, TO FORGE IT.

SO HE'S MAKING ALL
SORTS OF JUDGMENTS.

Christiansen: THE
FORGE WELDING OF THE

FOUR PIECES IN THE BASKET,

IT NEEDS TO BE
EXACTLY AT THE POINT.

IF YOU GET THE
HEAT TOO FAR DOWN,

YOU FORGE THE WHOLE
THING INTO A SOLID PIECE

AND YOU CANNOT MAKE THE BASKET.

JENS IS FORMING
A SMALL BASKET OR CAGE,

OUT OF THE FOUR IRON BRANCHES

MEANT TO HOLD
FLAMMABLE MATERIAL.

THIS IS WHAT MAKES AN ORDINARY
ARROW AN INCENDIARY WEAPON.

SO HERE IS THE NEARLY
FINISHED INCENDIARY ARROW.

THIS IS THE CAGE WHICH THE
INCENDIARY MATERIAL GOES INTO.

IT DOESN'T HAVE TO
BE AN EXACT SIZE

BECAUSE IT'S JUST
TO HOLD THINGS.

ALL THAT MATTERS IS THAT THE
SOCKET WILL FIT ON THE ARROW.

IT'S GOT A POINT, SO
IT'S GOING TO STICK

INTO SOMETHING WHEN IT ARRIVES

BECAUSE IT WILL TAKE TIME FOR
THIS TO SET ANYTHING ALIGHT.

BUT THAT'S IT, IT'S
AS SIMPLE AS THAT.

Christiansen: ARE
YOU OKAY WITH THIS?

BEAUTIFUL WORK
AS EVER, JENS.

IT'S SIMPLE, IT'S ELEGANT
AND IT'S INGENIOUS,

THERE CANNOT BE A CRUELER IDEA

THAN KILLING PEOPLE BY
BURNING THEM TO DEATH.

Christiansen: YOU'RE
ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.

AND THERE IT IS,
THE MISSILE IS ARMED

WITH ITS WARHEAD
AND READY TO GO.

ASSYRIANS,
ROMANS, TEUTONS, SARACENS,

ALMOST ALL ANCIENT WARRIORS
USED INCENDIARY ARROWS.

THOSE WHO MASTERED THE ELABORATEMANUFACTURING TECHNIQUE

HAVE A CLEAR
ADVANTAGE IN BATTLE.

AN ARCHER WITH
AN INCENDIARY ARROW

COULD DO THE WORK
OF 50-100 ARCHERS

BECAUSE IF HIS
ARROW STAYS ALIGHT,

IF IT HITS ITS TARGET,
IF THE FIRE STARTS,

THEN THE FIRE WILL SPREAD,
YOU NEED NO MORE ARROWS.

THE ISLAND
OF RHODES, 305 BC,

SCENE OF A BITTER FIGHT OVER
ALEXANDER THE GREAT'S LEGACY.

THOUSANDS OF SOLDIERS
BUILT SIEGE TOWERS

TO ATTACK THE MAIN HARBOR,

BUT THE CITIZENS OF RHODES
DEFEND IT WITH BURNING ARROWS.

THE ATTACKERS' SIEGE
TOWERS WERE SET ABLAZE,

DESTROYING THEM.

THE VICTORS ERECT THE
FAMOUS COLOSSUS OF RHODES

TO HONOR THEIR SUN GOD HELIOS.

THEY OWE THEIR VICTORY
TO INCENDIARY ARROWS.

THE IRON HEAD ON
THE INCENDIARY ARROW

IS ONLY PART OF ITS SECRET.

WHAT'S INSIDE THE
BASKET IS CRITICAL TOO.

MIKE AND JENS KNOW
WHICH SUBSTANCES

ARE BEST TO LOAD THE WEAPON.

THIS KNOWLEDGE OFTEN INFLUENCED

THE OUTCOME OF ANCIENT
AND MEDIEVAL CONFLICTS.

CHEMISTRY DETERMINED
VICTORY OR DEFEAT.

OR RATHER, ALCHEMY.

THAT'S THE NAME OF THIS
SCIENCE IN THE ANCIENT WORLD.

THE EARLIEST WRITTEN REFERENCESTO ALCHEMY ARE FROM EGYPT.

FOR INCENDIARY ARROWS,
KNOWLEDGE OF PITCH,

SULFUR, AND CARBON
WAS ESSENTIAL.

LATER, ALCHEMISTS CONTRIBUTED
TO WEAPONS DEVELOPMENT.

AROUND THE YEAR 1000,
CHINESE ALCHEMISTS,

SEARCHING FOR THE
ELIXIR OF LIFE,

DISCOVER GUN POWDER INSTEAD,

AN EXAMPLE OF HOW SOME
PAST GROUND-BREAKING FINDS

WERE ACCIDENTAL.

COUNTLESS EXPERIMENTS
OVER MANY CENTURIES

PRODUCED A WEALTH OF KNOWLEDGE.

AND THAT'S HOW MIKE AND JENS
KNOW WHAT KIND OF MATERIALS

ARE NEEDED FOR
THEIR IRON BASKET.

THEY'RE AWARE THAT
PITCH, SULFUR, DEADWOOD,

AND HEMP WILL ENSURE
THE ARROW KEEPS BURNING.

BUT THERE'S ALSO ONE
OTHER INGREDIENT.

AND THEN, FOR GOODMEASURE, WE CAN DIP THAT IN TAR.

THE LAST STEP,

NOW, THE WEAPON IS
READY FOR ACTION.

WILL THE TARGET BE SET ABLAZE

BECAUSE OF THE FIERY
MATERIALS IN THE ARROW'S TIP?

MIKE IS READY TO TRY.

SO, THIS IS THE ARROW
THAT I MADE WITH JENS.

SO IT'S GOT THE
SULFUR AT ITS CORE,

AROUND THAT IS THE DEADWOOD

AND THEN ON THE OUTSIDE
IS THE TOE DIPPED IN TAR.

SO, WE'VE GOT THE TAR GOING,
PITCH IS GOING ON THE OUTSIDE,

LET'S SEE HOW IT WILL PERFORM.

HOPEFULLY, THAT'S
GETTING HOT ENOUGH

TO GET THE DEADWOOD LIT INSIDE.

WELL LOOK AT THAT.

IT'S ACTUALLY TAKING!

THAT HOUSE IS GOING TO BURN.

AND IF THIS WAS A NIGHT RAID,

THE SOFT TAP OF THAT
ARROW INTO THAT ROOF,

NO ONE WOULD HAVE HEARD IT, NO
ONE WOULD HAVE SEEN IT COMING

UNTIL THE HOUSE IS FULLY ABLAZE.

IT'S A MOST VICIOUS
FORM OF WARFARE,

A TERRIBLE TERROR ATTACK

TO DRIVE THE CITIZENS
FROM THE CITY,

TO MAKE THEM TURN
AGAINST THEIR OVERLORDS

AND GIVE UP AND OPEN THE GATES.

THE WOODEN
HOUSE WITH ITS STRAW ROOF

WILL BE DESTROYED WITHIN
TWO MINUTES OF MIKE'S SHOT.

AN ELABORATE ARROWHEAD AND
A STICKY INCENDIARY MIX,

A MILLENNIA-OLD TECHNIQUEDEPLOYED IN COUNTLESS CONFLICTS.

IT STARTED AS A
SINGLE INCENDIARY ARROW

AND LOOK AT IT NOW,
LOOK AT THAT BLAZE.

IT WAS A SILENT ATTACK
AND WITHIN MINUTES

THE WHOLE STRUCTURE WAS ABLAZE.

ABSOLUTE TERROR!

FIRE, AN
EFFECTIVE MEDIEVAL WEAPON

THAT'LL NOT ONLY
DESTROY TARGETS ON LAND,

IT'LL ALSO DO THE JOB ON WATER.

FOR CENTURIES, THE BIGGEST
THREATS IN NAVAL WARFARE

AREN'T GRAPPLING HOOKS ORCANNONS, BUT INCENDIARY ARROWS.

MEDIEVAL SHIPS
ARE MADE OF WOOD

AND PITCH AND ARE
HIGHLY FLAMMABLE.

AND A LOT OF THE SAILORS
DURING THE MIDDLE AGES,

COULDN'T SWIM.

SO, THEY FACED A
PRETTY GRIM CHOICE

BETWEEN EITHER DROWNING
OR BURNING TO DEATH.

BY
THE 20TH CENTURY,

THE MODERN CHEMICAL INDUSTRY

HAD DEVELOPED A NUMBER
OF INCENDIARY WEAPONS

INCLUDING THERMITE,
PHOSPHOROUS, AND NAPALM BOMBS,

THAT WREAKED HAVOC ON SOLDIERS,

CIVILIANS, AND THE ENVIRONMENT.

HUMAN EXPOSURE TO
NAPALM, FOR INSTANCE,

CAN RESULT IN SEVERE
BURNS, UNCONSCIOUSNESS,

OR DEATH WITHIN A
MATTER OF SECONDS.

Grabherr: YOU
BASICALLY MEASURE

THE EXPANSION OR THE
PERCENTAGE OF THE BODY SURFACE

THAT'S AFFECTED BY THESE
SEVERE, PROFOUND BURNS.

NAPALM CAN PENETRATE
THE SKIN VERY DEEPLY

DOWN TO THE SUBCUTANEOUS FATTY
TISSUE OR EVEN THE MUSCLES.

IT'S ALREADY CONSIDERED
LIFE-THREATENING

WHEN BURNS ARE SUSTAINED
TO 30% OF THE SKIN SURFACE.

AT 50% THE CHANCE OF
SURVIVAL IS VERY, VERY SLIM.

DURING
THE VIETNAM WAR,

THE WORLD SAW THE GRUESOME
EFFECTS OF NAPALM.

ON JUNE 8TH 1972, NINE-YEAR-OLDVIETNAMESE GIRL, KIM PHUC,

SUFFERED SEVERE
BURNS FROM NAPALM

WHILE FLEEING A SOUTH
VIETNAMESE AIRSTRIKE.

THE PHOTOGRAPH OF
THE NAPALM GIRL

BECAME A SYMBOL FOR THE WAR'S
HORRIFIC COLLATERAL DAMAGE

AND LED AMERICA TO ACCELERATE

ITS WITHDRAWAL
FROM THE CONFLICT.

FOR KIM PHUC, THE
SCARS ON HER SKIN

ARE A PERMANENT REMINDER
OF THE TERRIBLE PAIN

SHE ENDURED ON THAT FATEFUL DAY.

IN 1980, THE UNITED
NATIONS OUTLAWED

THE USE OF NAPALM AGAINST
CIVILIAN POPULATIONS,

THOUGH IT CAN STILL BE USED
AGAINST MILITARY TARGETS.

FOR CENTURIES, THE MOST
IMPORTANT INCENDIARY WEAPONS

WERE FLAMING ARROWS.

BUT THEIR USE ENDS WHEN FIREARMSAPPEAR ON THE BATTLEGROUND.

AT THE TIME, NEW AND
MORE EFFECTIVE WEAPONS

FOR ATTACKING FROM ABOVE ARE
ALREADY AVAILABLE, ROCKETS.

THEIR HISTORY DATES
BACK TO THE MIDDLE AGES

TO A LOCATION IN THE FAR EAST.

THE YEAR IS 1232.

THE MONGOLS ARE ATTACKING THE
JIN EMPIRE IN NORTHERN CHINA.

DURING THE SIEGE OF KAIFENG,

THE CHINESE DEPLOY A
WEAPON THAT THE MONGOLS

HAVE NEVER FACED BEFORE.

A NEW WEAPON, KNOWN
AS GUN POWDER,

THAT ORIGINALLY HAD
ANOTHER PURPOSE.

Junker: THE
CHINESE HAD USED

GUNPOWDER AND FIREWORKS BEFORE,

BUT IN THE PAST ONLY TO
SCARE AWAY EVIL SPIRITS.

IF IT CAN
SCARE AWAY EVIL SPIRITS,

WHY NOT MARAUDING ENEMIES?

THE CHINESE FILL THICK
PAPER TUBES WITH GUNPOWDER,

MOUNT THEM ON BAMBOO
CANES FITTED WITH A FUSE,

AND AIM THEM AT THE
APPROACHING MONGOL HORSEMEN.

THE EFFECT IS POWERFUL.

THE ROCKETS PRODUCE
NOISE AND DENSE SMOKE

CAUSING THE MONGOL
HORSES TO RECOIL IN FEAR.

THE ATTACKERS WITHDRAW.

THE ROCKET IS A
VERY EFFECTIVE WEAPON,

NOT BECAUSE IT KILLS PEOPLE,

BUT BECAUSE IT TERRIFIES HORSES.

AND THE MAIN ENEMY OF
CHINA THROUGHOUT HISTORY

HAS BEEN NOMADIC HORSE ARMIES
COMING DOWN FROM THE NORTH.

THE MONGOLS, THE HUNS.

SO, THE ROCKET IS A REALLY
GOOD WEAPON FOR THE CHINESE

BECAUSE IT ATTACKS THE THINGTHAT MAKES THE ENEMY DANGEROUS:

THEIR MOBILITY, THEIR SPEED,

THEIR ABILITY TO
OUT-MANEUVER THE CHINESE.

TRUGLEBEN
IN CENTRAL GERMANY.

WEAPONS EXPERT, WOLFGANG STABE,

IS BUILDING AN
ADVANCED ROCKET SYSTEM,

ORIGINALLY DEVELOPED
IN 15TH CENTURY KOREA

CALLED HWACHA, THIS WEAPON
IS AN EARLY ARTILLERY DEVICE

TO BE USED ON A BATTLEFIELD.

IT CAN FIRE UP TO 100
MISSILES SIMULTANEOUSLY,

THE FIRST MULTIPLE ROCKET
LAUNCHER IN HISTORY.

WOLFGANG AND HIS TEAM
CREATE THE ROCKETS

THE OLD FASHIONED WAY, MANUALLY.

A PAPER TUBE FILLED
WITH BLACK POWDER

IS ATTACHED TO ORDINARY ARROWS.

WHEN THE BLACK
POWDER IS IGNITED,

THE THERMAL THRUST PUSHES
THE ROCKET FORWARDS

WITH GREAT FORCE
UP TO 1,500 FEET.

IN THIS EXPERIMENT,
WOLFGANG USES BALLOONS

TO REPRESENT THE
ENEMY'S FORMATION.

THE TRICK OF THE KOREAN HWACHA
IS ITS IGNITION MECHANISM.

ONE MAN CAN FIRE 100
ARROWS AT THE SAME TIME.

THE IGNITION
TECHNIQUE IS QUITE SIMPLE,

THIS MAIN FUSE CORD
IGNITES THE FIRST ROW,

IF THAT ONE STARTS TO BURN,

THE SECOND FUSE
IGNITES THE SECOND ROW.

THAT MEANS THE ONES UP HEREWILL ALREADY BE GOING OFF,

PARALLEL TO THIS ROW,

SO THE LAST ONE WILL
BE THAT ONE DOWN THERE.

BUT WILL
WOLFGANG'S HWASHA

WORK IN THIS EXPERIMENT?

]

AT THE END OF THE 16TH CENTURY,

KOREANS ARE BATTLING
A JAPANESE INVASION.

THE JAPANESE SEND THEIR
SAMURAI BATTALIONS,

FIGHTING IN FIXED FORMATIONS,

THE IDEAL TARGET, IN THEORY,

FOR THE HWACHA ROCKET MISSILES.

IN THE TEST, WOLFGANG'S
SUCCESS IS, MODEST.

WELL,
THAT'S A RESULT.

I DIDN'T QUITE HIT THE TARGET,

BUT AT THE END OF THE DAY I'D
SAY IT WAS A DANGEROUS WEAPON.

THE
HWACHA WORKS WELL.

AND WITH MANY OF THEM FIRING
AWAY ON THE BATTLEFIELD,

THE RESULTING CHAOS
WOULD BE TERRIFYING.

TO BE HONEST,
THIS REALLY SCARES ME.

IF I STOOD HERE AND
ARROWS RAINED DOWN ON ME,

I THINK I'D JUST RUN AWAY.

AND I HAVE NO IDEA
WHERE THEY'LL LAND.

ALL IN ALL QUITE
A POTENT WEAPON.

NOT PERFECTLY ACCURATE,
BUT ONE SINGLE MAN

CAN FIRE 100 ARROWS IN
THE BLINK OF AN EYE.

WOLFGANG'S
HWACHA REPLICA

FIRED ITS ONE 100 ROCKETS.

THEY PROBABLY WOULDN'T HAVE HIT

ATTACKING SAMURAIS
WHERE THEY STOOD.

BUT HAD THEY BEEN
RACING FORWARD,

THEY WOULD'VE MET
A HAIL OF ROCKETS

AND, LIKELY BEEN DECIMATED.

THE HWASHA'S REAL TEST
WILL COME AT THE END

OF THE 16TH CENTURY,
WHEN JAPANESE GENERAL

TOYOTOMI HIDEYOSHI INVADES
THE KOREAN PENINSULA.

THE KOREAN TROOPS FIERCELY
OPPOSE THE JAPANESE

DURING THE LONG IMJIN WAR.

THROUGHOUT THE CONFLICT,

WITH THE HELP OF THEIR HWACHAS,

THE KOREANS SUCCEED IN
STOPPING THE JAPANESE ATTACKS.

HAENGJU, FEBRUARY 1593.

3,000 KOREANS FACE
30,000 JAPANESE SOLDIERS.

WHAT THEY
DID WAS DEFEND THEMSELVES

WITH 40 HWACHAS,

FIRING SEVERAL THOUSAND
ARROWS AT THE JAPANESE.

THEY FLED THE
TERRITORY RESULTING

IN A STUNNING VICTORY
FOR THE KOREANS.

A STUNNING
VICTORY BECAUSE OF THE HWACHA.

IT WAS IN INDIA THAT
WESTERNERS SAW ROCKETS USED

AS A FORMIDABLE WEAPON.

IN THE 18TH CENTURY,

THE ENGLISH ENCOUNTERED
INDIAN ROCKETS.

THESE ARE QUITE POWERFUL,

THEY HAD METAL CASES AND
IF THEY HIT SOMETHING,

LIKE A MAN OR A HORSE, THEY
COULD BE QUITE DANGEROUS.

BRITISH
GENERAL WILLIAM CONGREVE

TOOK AN INTEREST IN
DEVELOPING THE WEAPON,

AND SOON DESIGNS
HIS OWN VERSION.

IT'S A CHEAP, LIGHT,MAN-PORTABLE BOMBARDMENT DEVICE.

UNLIKE AN ARTILLERY PIECE,

WHICH NEEDS A LARGE
CREW TO MOVE IT

AND TO OPERATE IT
BECAUSE IT'S HEAVY.

THE ROCKET, IT'S
A SELF-CONTAINED

FIRE-AND-FORGET WEAPON

ALL YOU NEED IS A
FEW BITS OF WOOD

TO MAKE A RAMP AND
YOU JUST FIRE IT.

THE CONGREVE ROCKET

IS NOT A MULTIPLE MISSILE
LAUNCHER LIKE THE HWACHA.

IT HAD A FUSE THAT
DETONATED THE EXPLOSION

TO RELEASE METAL SHRAPNEL
BEFORE HITTING A TARGET.

IT'S WOLFGANG
STABE'S NEXT PROJECT.

WE'VE
ADAPTED A REAL ROCKET

TO ENSURE THAT IT NO LONGER
POSES A DANGER TO US,

SMALL PARTS MADE OF PLASTIC,
NOT METAL LIKE THE ORIGINAL.

AND FOR THE SHRAPNEL
EFFECT WE USE PEAS,

THEY'RE LESS DANGEROUS.

GUNPOWDER
TRIGGERS THE ROCKET THRUST.

YET WHAT MAKES THIS WEAPON
SO SPECIAL, AND DANGEROUS,

IS THE COMBINATION OF
EXPLOSIVE AND PROPELLANT.

SO TO AVOID MISHAPS, WOLFGANG
HAS BUILT A SAFE VERSION.

THE ROCKET
IS READY

AND IT'S JUST AS
EXPLOSIVE AS THE ORIGINAL

BACK IN THE 19TH CENTURY.

LET'S GO AND WITNESS THE BANG!

BUT IS THERE
A WAY OF FIGURING OUT

HOW HIGH IN THE AIR THE WEAPON
MUST GO BEFORE IT WILL FIRE?

AT WHAT POINT WILL THE
DETONATION TAKE PLACE?

TIME FOR A TEST RUN.

WOLFGANG USES A
REMOTE IGNITION DEVICE

TO BE ON THE SAFE SIDE.

THIS WAY
WE CAN FIRE THE ROCKET

FROM A SAFE DISTANCE,

BECAUSE I DON'T KNOW
WHERE IT WILL GO,

IT COULD ALSO BLOW
UP IN OUR FACES.

THE HOMEMADE
ROCKET IS IN POSITION.

WOLFGANG CONNECTS IT
TO THE IGNITION CABLE.

NOW, IT'S ALL SET.

THREE, TWO, ONE!

AFTER A
SUCCESSFUL TEST FIRING,

WOLFGANG IS READY TO GO AGAIN.

LIFE-SIZED BALLOONS WILL
REPRESENT THE ENEMY WARRIORS.

THE PLAN IS TO HAVE
THE ROCKET LAND

IN THE MIDDLE OF THE
FORMATION, AND EXPLODE.

A
REAL-WORLD EXPERIMENT.

OVER THERE ARE THE
ATTACKERS, OUR BALLOONS,

HERE'S THE ROCKET,
READY TO BE FIRED.

WILL THE
SINGLE CONGREVE ROCKET

BE MORE EFFECTIVE THAN
THE PROJECTILE DOWNPOUR

OF THE KOREAN HWACHA?

ALL
SAFE, I'M COUNTING DOWN.

THREE, TWO, ONE, AND FIRE!

IT WORKS.

WOLFGANG'S TEST ROCKET HITSEXACTLY WHERE IT'S SUPPOSED TO.

IN A REAL BATTLE, IT WOULD'VE
SCATTERED METAL SHRAPNEL

THROUGH THE AIR, NOT PEAS.

IT WENT RIGHT
DOWN INTO THE MIDDLE OF THEM.

AS A SOLDIER YOU PROBABLY
WOULDN'T EVEN NOTICE IT.

AND YOU CAN SEE WHERE
ALL THE SHREDS GO,

IN OUR CASE THE PEAS, AND
THEY DESTROY EVERYTHING

WITHIN A FIVE-METER RADIUS.

NASTY!

UNLIKE
STABE'S REPLICA,

THE 19TH-CENTURY CONGREVE
ROCKET HAS A METAL CASING.

ITS USE IN BATTLE WOULD
PROVE DEVASTATING,

ESPECIALLY WHEN HUNDREDS
ARE FIRED AT A TIME.

CONGREVE KEEPS
DEVELOPING THESE WEAPONS

TO MAKE THEM MORE ACCURATE,
WITH MORE ACCURATE CHARGES,

BY MOVING THE STICKS
SO IT'S CENTRAL

RATHER THAN ON ONE SIDE.

AND INCREASING THE
SIZE SO IT CAN CARRY

A PAYLOAD OF SEVERAL KILOSINCENDIARY OR EXPLOSIVE WARHEAD.

AND THESE WILL BE
USED RIGHT THE WAY

THROUGH THE 19TH CENTURY
IN BRITAIN'S WARS OF EMPIRE

AS THE ONLY WAY OF
GETTING HEAVY WEAPONS

ONTO TARGET IN DIFFICULT AREAS.

CONGREVE
ROCKETS WERE USED

IN THE BATTLE OF
LEIPZIG IN 1813,

THE LARGEST MILITARY
ENCOUNTER OF THE 19TH CENTURY,

INVOLVING MORE THAN
600,000 SOLDIERS.

WHILE NAPOLEON IS ATTACKINGTHE PRUSSIANS AND THEIR ALLIES,

A BRITISH ROCKET BRIGADEPROVIDES SUPPORT AGAINST FRANCE.

THE EFFECT OF
THESE EARLY ROCKETS

ON THE BATTLEFIELD
IS SO IMPRESSIVE,

IT INSPIRES ONE OF HISTORY'S
BEST-KNOWN NATIONAL ANTHEMS.

CONGREVE'S ROCKETS
ACHIEVED NOTORIETY

IN THE AMERICAN NATIONAL ANTHEM

"THE STAR-SPANGLED BANNER,"

WHICH REFERS TO THE
"ROCKET'S RED GLARE"

AND THE "BOMBS IN THE AIR."

WRITTEN BY FRANCIS SCOTT KEY,

WHO WATCHED THE BRITISH
BOMBARD BALTIMORE

WITH ROCKETS AND MORTARS IN 1814

AND HE WROTE THE PIECE
THE NEXT MORNING,

WHEN ALL OF THESE
INCENDIARY FIREWORKS

HAD FAILED TO DRIVE THE
AMERICANS OUT OF BALTIMORE.

THEY PUT THE ROCKET INTO
THE HEART OF EVERY AMERICAN,

BECAUSE THEY ALL KNOW THE WORDS.

ROCKETS CAN BE
MORE THAN INCENDIARY WEAPONS.

ONE AMERICAN
ENGINEER AND INVENTOR

SAW ANOTHER PURPOSE
FOR THE TECHNOLOGY.

PHYSICIST ROBERT GODDARD
CLAIMED AS EARLY AS 1919

THAT ROCKETS HAD THE POTENTIAL

TO TRANSPORT HUMANS TO THE MOON.

NO ONE BELIEVES HIM,

UNTIL GODDARD LAUNCHES
THE FIRST ROCKET,

FUELED WITH GASOLINE
AND LIQUID OXYGEN.

AFTER SEVERAL INITIAL FAILURES,GODDARD'S ROCKET LAUNCHES,

LIKE THIS ONE IN NEW MEXICO
IN 1930, ARE SUCCESSFUL.

HE FINDS THAT WHEN USING
A LIQUID PROPELLANT,

THE RECOIL MECHANISM CAN
EVEN WORK IN A VACUUM.

THAT MEANS, IN SPACE.

ROBERT GODDARD DIDN'T LIVE
TO SEE THE FIRST ROCKET

LAUNCH INTO OUTER SPACE.

HE DID, HOWEVER,
SET THE STANDARDS.

LIQUID PROPELLANT
IS HERE TO STAY.

ROCKET TECHNOLOGY ACCELERATED
DURING WORLD WAR II.

PEENEMUNDE, ON THE BALTIC
SEA COAST OF GERMANY.

SCIENTISTS DESIGN NEW
WEAPONS FOR HITLER.

THEY DEVELOPED THE FIRST

FUNCTIONING CRUISE
MISSILE IN HISTORY.

IT'S CALLED THE
V-1, A FLYING BOMB,

WITH WINGS AND PULSE-JET ENGINE.

THE V-1 IS A WEAPON AIMED

TO TERRORIZING THE
PEOPLE OF LONDON.

IT HAS A FUEL
SUPPLY LIMIT,

WHICH MEANS WHEN IT'S
FLOWN A CERTAIN DISTANCE

IT CUTS OUT AND CRASHES.

THAT DISTANCE IS FROM THE
LAUNCH BASE TO CENTRAL LONDON,

SO THEY'RE USED
TO BOMBARD LONDON.

AND QUITE QUICKLY
THE BRITISH WORK OUT

THESE THINGS ARE SLOW
AND QUITE CUMBERSOME.

AND THE BEST THING TO DO

IS TO GET SOME FIGHTER
PLANES UP THERE

AND LITERALLY TIP THEM OVER.

SO THE BRITISH
FIGHTERS FLY ALONGSIDE

AND LITERALLY JUST LIFT
THE WING AND TIP THIS THING

OUT OF BALANCE AND IT
CRASHES TO THE GROUND

IN THE FIELDS BEFORE
IT GETS TO LONDON.

A MORE TERRIFYING
SUCCESSOR SOON FOLLOWS

THE WINGED BOMB THAT BEARS
THE NAME VENGEANCE WEAPON 1.

THE ENGINEER BEHIND THE NEW
WEAPON IS WERNHER VON BRAUN.

HIS ROCKET HAS CAN REACH AN
ALTITUDE OF 100 KILOMETERS,

OR 62 MILES ABOVE THE EARTH.

AT THE TIME, THIS WAS AN
UNPRECEDENTED ACHIEVEMENT.

THE V-2 IS OPERATIONAL
BY SEPTEMBER, 1944.

WHILE THE V-1 COULD BE HEARD,

AND SIRENS COULD
WARN THE POPULATION,

THE SUPERSONIC V-2
STRUCK LONDON SILENTLY,

CLAIMING ABOUT 8,000 LIVES

THOUGH THE DEATH TOLL
COULD'VE BEEN HIGHER.

FORTUNATELY, THE
BRITISH HAVE WORKED OUT

THE BEST ANSWER TO THIS IS
TO MISREPORT THE IMPACTS.

SO, THEY'RE
REPORTING THE IMPACTS

AS BEING MUCH FURTHER AWAY
THAN THEY ACTUALLY ARE.

AND SO, THE GERMANS
ADJUST THEIR TARGETING

AND FIRE THEM INTO FIELDS,

BECAUSE THE GERMANS CAN'T
GET ANY RECONNAISSANCE

OVER BRITAIN TO SEE
WHERE THEY'RE IMPACTING.

THEY'RE READING NEWSPAPERS

AND THE NEWSPAPERS ARE
NOT TELLING THE TRUTH.

BUT THE V-2

DOESN'T ONLY CLAIM
LIVES IN ENGLAND.

PRISONERS IN GERMANY'S
DORA-MITTELBAU

CONCENTRATION CAMP

ARE FORCED TO BUILD THE WEAPON
UNDER INHUMANE CONDITIONS.

WHEN U.S. FORCES
LIBERATE THE CAMP,

THEY ENCOUNTER GRISLY SIGHTS.

MORE THAN 20,000 PRISONERS
LOST THEIR LIVES,

WORKING AS SLAVES IN SUPPORT
OF THE ROCKET PROGRAM.

AFTER THE WAR, VON BRAUN
ESCAPES PROSECUTION

FOR BUILDING THE WEAPON.

HE COMES TO THE U.S. AND
DEVELOPS MORE POTENT ROCKETS.

AND THEN WE HAVE
A ROCKET ARMS RACE

IN WHICH THE TWO
SUPERPOWERS GO AROUND

BOASTING THAT THEIR MISSILE

IS BIGGER THAN THE
OTHER GUY'S MISSILE.

OCTOBER 4TH, 1957.

THE SOVIET UNION SENDS THE FIRST

MANMADE SATELLITE INTO SPACE.

THE MESSAGE IS CLEAR, WE CAN
ATTACK ANY PLACE ON EARTH

WITH A ROCKET LIKE THIS.

DURING THE COLD
WAR, EAST AND WEST

COULD HAVE ANNIHILATED THEIR
ENEMIES SEVERAL TIMES OVER

WITH THEIR ARSENAL
OF NUCLEAR BOMBS.

WHAT ARE THEY
TELLING US?

YOU KNOW, THIS IS OVERT DISPLAY.

LOOK AT ME, LOOK
AT WHAT I CAN DO.

WHAT YOU WOULD'VE DONE IN
THE OLD DAYS WITH A BIG ARMY

AND A LARGE NAVY AND
SOME FABULOUS AIRPLANES,

YOU NOW DO WITH A ROCKET.

THE ROCKET IS YOUR
STAND UP SYMBOL.

A
SYMBOL THAT'S BECOME

ONE OF THE BIGGEST
THREATS OF OUR TIME.

THE GREATEST SUFFERING IN
THE WARS OF THE 20TH CENTURY

HASN'T BEEN CAUSED BY ROCKETS,

BUT INSTEAD BY AERIAL BOMBS.

MANY TONS OF EXPLOSIVES
HAVE BEEN DROPPED

FROM ATTACKING PLANES.

SOMETIMES, IN THEIR WAKE,WHOLE CITIES HAVE BEEN RAVAGED.

THE HISTORY OF BOMBING BEGINS

IN THE ITALIAN WAR OF
INDEPENDENCE IN 1849.

VENICE FIGHTING AGAINST AUSTRIA.

AUSTRIAN FIELD MARSHAL JOSEF
RADETZKY FACES A PROBLEM.

HE CAN'T REACH VENICE
WITH HIS CURRENT ARSENAL.

THE AUSTRIAN CANNON BALLS
END UP IN THE WATER.

IN THE SUMMER OF 1849
COMES A SOLUTION,

ATTACHING EXPLOSIVES TO BALLOONSTHAT HOVER OVER THE CITY.

IT'S HISTORY'S FIRST
AIRBORNE BOMB ATTACK.

I DON'T THINK IT'S EVEN
POSSIBLE TO IMAGINE THE TERROR

THAT WENT THROUGH PEOPLE'S MINDS

WHEN A BOMB DROPPED FROM ABOVE.

IT'S COMING FROM THE
SKY, WHERE DO WE GO?

THERE'S NOWHERE TO RUN,
THERE'S NO PLACE TO HIDE.

IT'S FALLING ON EARTH AND WE
CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT.

AND FOR THAT TO HAVE
HAPPENED FOR THE FIRST TIME,

SO PEOPLE DIDN'T
KNOW WHAT IT WAS,

PEOPLE DIDN'T KNOW HOW
TO PROTECT THEMSELVES.

AT THE TIME
OF AUSTRIA'S AERIAL ATTACK,

CHOLERA AND FAMINE
ENGULF VENICE.

THE BALLOON BOMBS ARE
THE TIPPING POINT,

AND THE CITY SURRENDERS.

AIRPLANES OFFER MORE
ACCURACY THAN BALLOONS.

AT THE BEGINNING OF
THE 20TH CENTURY,

POWERED AIRCRAFT
MAKE THEIR DEBUT.

IN DECEMBER 1903,
THE WRIGHT BROTHERS

HAVE THEIR BIG BREAKTHROUGH.

THEIR FIRST FLYING
MACHINE FLOATS IN THE

AIR FOR 59 SECONDS

IT CATCHES THE MILITARY'S
ATTENTION IN NO TIME.

WITHIN EIGHT YEARS
COMES THE FIRST

AERIAL BOMBARDMENT FROM A PLANE.

LIEUTENANT GIULIO
GAVOTTI IS A PILOT

IN THE ITALIAN-TURKISH
WAR IN LIBYA.

ON NOVEMBER 1ST, 1911,

HE FLINGS FOUR GRENADES
FROM HIS AIRPLANE.

THEY EXPLODE, BUT
WITHOUT CASUALTIES.

IN 1912, BULGARIAN CAPTAINSIMEON PETROV REFINES THE IDEA.

HE MAKES THE BOMB MORE
AERODYNAMICALLY EFFECTIVE.

THE MORE CLEVER YOU
WERE IN DESIGNING THE FINS

AND THE NOSECONE OF THE BOMB,
THE MORE ACCURATE IT WOULD BE,

THE MORE LIKELY IT WAS TO HIT
THE TARGET YOU WERE AIMING AT

RATHER THAN JUST LAND
ON THE GROUND SOMEWHERE.

SO, BOMB DESIGN IS NOT JUSTABOUT THE THING THAT GOES BANG,

IT'S ABOUT THE BIT THAT GETS IT

TO THE GROUND ACCURATELY
AND PRECISELY.

NOW,
THE NEXT EXPERIMENT.

HISTORIAN STEPHEN
BULL WILL DEMONSTRATE

THE BOMB-DROPPING METHODS
OF WORLD WAR I PILOTS.

THESE ARE COPIES
OF SOME OF THE BOMBS

FROM THE FIRST WORLD WAR.

AND THE WEIGHT IS
PROBABLY AS MUCH

AS ONE MAN CAN
HANDLE CONVENIENTLY.

IF YOU GO MUCH
HEAVIER THAN THIS,

YOU'RE GONNA NEED
BETTER TECHNOLOGY.

SO HOW
PRECISELY CAN A BOMB

BE HAND-DROPPED FROM A PLANE?

WHAT ARE THE CHANCES IT'LL
LAND WHERE IT'S AIMED?

SO JUST HOW EASY IS IT TOHIT A TARGET ON THE GROUND

FROM A MOVING AIRCRAFT

BY THROWING A BOMB OVER
THE SIDE OF A PLANE?

WE'RE ABOUT TO FIND OUT.

A CROSS ON
AN AIRFIELD IS THE TARGET.

THE IDEA IS SIMPLE.

FROM AN AIRCRAFT SIMILAR
TO A WORLD WAR I PLANE,

THEY'LL DROP A BOMB
OUT OF AN OPEN DOOR.

AN EXPERIENCED CREW
PROVIDES SUPPORT.

ONCE THE BOMB MODELS ARE LOADED,

THEY'LL ASCEND TO AN
ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 1,200 FEET.

SO, WE ARE INSIDE THE
BOMBING AIRCRAFT NOW.

THIS IS AN ANTONOV AN-2 BIPLANE,

SO ITS CHARACTERISTICS
ARE QUITE SIMILAR

TO SOME OF THE FIRST
WORLD WAR AIRCRAFT.

THE
PLANE GAINS ALTITUDE

AND REACHES A SPEED
OF 90 MILES AN HOUR.

THEY GOT THE BOMB
READY IN POSITION.

THEY'RE LOOKING FOR THE CROSS,
I'M LOOKING FOR THE CROSS.

BOMB'S AWAY!

I'M TRYING TO SEE
WHERE IT'S LANDING.

I'M REALLY NOT SURE HOW
CLOSE TO THE TARGET WE WERE.

THE BOMB
WAS SUCCESSFULLY DROPPED,

BUT HAS IT HIT THE TARGET?

SO, ACCORDING
TO AN EYE WITNESS

THE BOMB IS ROUND
ABOUT HERE SOMEWHERE.

AH!

THIS IS THE REMAINS
OF THE PLASTER

AND THE CENTRAL SECTION
OF THE BOMB AND THE FINS.

AND IT'S ACTUALLY
EMBEDDED IN THE GROUND,

I WOULD HAVE THOUGHT
20-30 CENTIMETERS.

YEAH, AND THERE IS THE NOSE
OF THE BOMB AND THE FINS,

REALLY ARE NO LONGER FINS.

SO, IT'S COMPLETELY MANGLED.

IF IT HAD BEEN
FULL OF EXPLOSIVES

YOU WOULDN'T EVEN
HAVE THIS MUCH LEFT.

QUITE A MESS.

STEPHEN BULL'S BOMB

HAS HIT THE GROUND ABOUT
270 FEET OFF TARGET.

I THINK WE'VE DONE
REASONABLY WELL.

BUT EVEN SO, IF THIS
WAS A SMALL GROUP OF MEN

WE'D BEEN AIMING AT,
WE'D HAVE MISSED IT.

HITTING
A TARGET BY EYE ALONE

IS ALREADY A HUGE CHALLENGE,

EVEN IN THE BEST
WEATHER CONDITIONS.

IF THERE ARE STORM WINDS,
IT'S ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE.

WEATHER HAS ALWAYS
BEEN A DECISIVE FACTOR

FOR MILITARY STRATEGY.

PRIOR TO THE 1944 D-DAY
LANDING OPERATION IN NORMANDY,

THE ALLIES WAITED TO START
THE LIBERATION OF EUROPE.

THE U.S. METEOROLOGISTS
PREDICTED

A HIGH-PRESSURE
SYSTEM FOR JUNE 6TH,

A GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY SINCE
THE GERMANS EXPECTED RAIN.

THE ALLIES INVADE, AND
SURPRISE THE GERMAN FORCES.

DESPITE LARGE LOSSES, THE
ALLIED LANDING IS SUCCESSFUL.

WEATHER ALSO PLAYED A MAJOR ROLE

IN THE OUTCOME OF MEDIEVAL WARS.

MANY COMMANDERS AVOID GOING
TO BATTLE IN RAINY CONDITIONS.

A MUDDY BATTLEGROUND CAN
BRING AN ARMY TO A STANDSTILL.

THE INABILITY TO
CONTROL THE WEATHER

IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST
FRUSTRATING AND DRAINING

AND PSYCHOLOGICALLY
DAMAGING ASPECTS OF WAR.

BUT HOW WELL

CAN YOU FACTOR IN
WIND AND WEATHER?

BULL WANTS TO GIVE THE
MANUAL BOMB-DROP ANOTHER TRY.

THIS TIME TAKING THE
WIND INTO ACCOUNT.

WHAT YOU MAY NOT REALIZE

IS THAT THE BOMB WILL
BE LEAVING THE AIRCRAFT

AT THE SAME SPEED AS
THE AIRCRAFT IS MOVING.

SO, WE'RE GONNA HAVE
TO JUDGE CAREFULLY

THE DISTANCE BETWEEN THE
RELEASE AND THE TARGET.

THEY PLACE A
WHITE CROSS 1,200 FEET AWAY

FROM THE TARGET CROSS.

THE BOMB HAS TO BE
DROPPED OVER THIS POSITION

TO LAND ON THE TARGET.

ACCORDING TO CALCULATIONSREGARDING ALTITUDE, SPEED,

AIR RESISTANCE, AND
THE WEIGHT OF THE BOMB,

THIS IS THE PERFECT
PLACE TO RELEASE IT.

I'M VERY CLOSE
TO A 400-METER DROP

AND I JUST DON'T WANT
TO GET ANY CLOSER.

THEY'RE LOOKING FOR THE CROSS.

THE WHITE CROSS

IS NOW DIRECTLY
UNDERNEATH THE PLANE.

BOMB'S AWAY!

I REALLY DON'T KNOW
WHERE THEY'VE GONE YET.

DID
THE BOMB GET CLOSER

TO THE TARGET THAN
THE FIRST TRY?

IT'S TIME TO FIND OUT!

BACK ON SOLID GROUND,
HISTORIAN STEPHEN BULL

SEARCHES FOR THE
MANUALLY-DROPPED BOMB.

FINDING IT ISN'T EASY.

I'VE GOT ONE,
I'VE GOT A BOMB!

I CAN FEEL THE TAIL FINS.

IT'S ABOUT HALF A METER DOWN.

THIS BOMB LANDED

ABOUT 150 FEET FROM THE TARGET,

AN IMPROVEMENT OVER
THE FIRST DROP.

CAN I PULL IT OUT?

IT'S BURIED SO HARD AND SO DEEP.

LET'S TRY TO GET IT OUT.

WE'LL NEED TWO MEN,
THREE MEN AND A SPADE.

OKAY.

THE
DUMMY BOMB HAS PLUNGED

DEEP INTO THE
GROUND, NOSE FIRST.

OKAY, WE'VE BEEN USING
A STRONG GUY AND A SHOVEL

AND IT'S AN HOUR LATER AND WE
STILL CAN'T SHIFT THIS BOMB.

BUT WE CAN BE SURE
THAT IT WAS ONE

THAT WAS PUT HERE BY
MEANS OF CALCULATION.

BUT DURING THE FIRST WORLD WAR

IT WAS BOTH LUCK AND JUDGMENT.

IT ISN'T
UNTIL WORLD WAR II

THAT AERIAL BOMBING
BECOMES MORE ACCURATE.

MAKING USE OF TARGETED DIVES,

BOMBERS ARE ABLE TO
HIT THEIR TARGETS

WITHIN A COUPLE OF FEET.

IMPROVED TARGETING DEVICES,

AND THE NEW STRATEGY
OF CARPET-BOMBING,

ARE GAME CHANGERS

WITH BIGGER PLANES AND AN
INCREASING NUMBER OF BOMBS,

THE GERMAN LUFTWAFFE
ATTACK CITY CENTERS

AND INDUSTRIAL ZONES.

BOMBS RAIN DOWN ON WARSAW,
ROTTERDAM, AND COVENTRY.

THEN THE BRITISH AND
AMERICAN BOMBERS STRIKE BACK.

BOTH SIDES ARE HIT HARD.

ENTIRE CITIES SOON LAY IN
ASHES, HOUSES BURN TO RUBBLE.

ALL TOLD, 600,000 PEOPLE DIE.

THE KILLING OF CIVILIANS
IS NOT COLLATERAL DAMAGE,

IT'S PART OF THE MILITARY PLAN.

COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF OF THE
BRITISH BOMBER COMMAND,

ARTHUR HARRIS, WANTED
TO DEMORALIZE THE

GERMAN POPULATION

MORAL
BOMBING IS USED

IN A TARGETED
MANNER TO DEMORALIZE

CIVILIAN POPULATIONS
ON BOTH SIDES.

HUMAN LOSSES WERE
CONSCIOUSLY FACTORED IN

AS A MEANS TO ACHIEVE
ONE'S MILITARY OBJECTIVES.

THE ALLIES'
BOMBARDMENTS ARE NOT ACCURATE.

HOWEVER, DROPPED ON
DENSELY POPULATED CITIES,

THE DOWNPOUR OF
BOMBS HITS BUILDINGS

WITHOUT PRECISE
TARGET CALCULATIONS.

THERE'S A DEADLY STRATEGY
BEHIND THE AERIAL ATTACKS.

FIRST, DROP EXPLOSIVE
BOMBS TO DEMOLISH THE ROOFS

AND WINDOWS OF APARTMENT
BUILDINGS AND HOUSES.

THEN FOLLOW THIS
WITH PHOSPHOROUS

AND THERMITE INCENDIARY SHELLS

THAT MAKE THE NOW-UNPROTECTED
BUILDINGS CATCH FIRE.

FIRE-FIGHTING SQUADS
RACING TO THE SCENE

ENCOUNTER SOME BOMBS
WITH TIME FUSES.

EXTINGUISHING THE FIRES AMID
EXPLOSIONS CAN BE DEADLY.

IN THE SUMMER OF 1943,

HAMBURG, GERMANY IS HIT
BY OPERATION GOMORRAH.

BRITISH BOMBERS INITIALLY
TARGET THE CITY CENTER,

AND THE PORT,
BEFORE MOVING EAST,

STRIKING A WORKING
CLASS NEIGHBORHOOD.

HAMBURG IS A RAGING INFERNO.

MORE THAN 30,000 PEOPLE DIE.

I CAN SEE HOW PEOPLE,
IF THEY'RE BEING BOMBED,

WANT THE WAR TO END,

AND THEY WANT THE WAR
TO END IMMEDIATELY.

HOWEVER, WHAT HAPPENS GENERALLY

IS THAT PEOPLE BUILD UP
MORE ANGER AND RESENTMENT

AGAINST THE ENEMY.

IF THEY'VE LOST
THEIR LOVED ONES,

IF THEY'RE BEING
BOMBED CONTINUALLY,

ALL IT DOES IS
CREATE MORE ANGER,

MORE TRAUMA, AND MORE DESPAIR.

BUT THE ALLIES FAIL

IN ATTEMPTING TO WEAKEN GERMAN
MORALE BY STRATEGIC BOMBING.

DESPITE CONSTANT BOMBARDMENTS,
THE PEOPLE PERSEVERE.

ESSENTIALLY,
THE INCOMPETENCE

OF STRATEGIC BOMBING

EARLY IN THE WAR
LED TO A REDUCTION

IN THE MORAL STANDARDS
OF TARGETING.

SOMETHING THAT NO
SOLDIER ON THE GROUND

WOULD THINK WAS ACCEPTABLE, THERANDOM KILLING OF CIVILIANS,

BECAME STANDARD PRACTICE FOR
AIR FORCES, ALL AIR FORCES.

ANYBODY, "WE'LL JUST
DROP SOME BOMBS.

"ONCE YOU GET THERE, BOMB THEM."

THE DESTRUCTION
REACHES A NEW CLIMAX

WITH A SERIES OF FIRE
BOMBING RAIDS OVER JAPAN.

TOKYO, MARCH 9TH 1945.

BOMBS PUMMEL THE CITY.

OVER 100,000 PEOPLE DIE,

MORE THAN IN THE
NUCLEAR BOMBINGS OF

HIROSHIMA AND NAGASAKI

TIME AND TIME AGAIN SINCE 1945,

MILITARY STRATEGIES
INCLUDE AIRBORNE ATTACKS,

SOMETIMES RELENTLESSLY.

WHETHER VIETNAM,
SYRIA OR ELSEWHERE,

THE AERIAL BOMB REMAINS
THE STANDARD WEAPON

FOR THE ATTACK FROM ABOVE.

HOWEVER, THE AIRPLANES
CARRYING THE BOMBS CHANGE.

PILOTS ARE REMOVED
FROM THE COCKPIT.

NOW COMES THE DRONE,
AN UNMANNED AIRCRAFT,

THAT CAN SILENTLY DROP
BOMBS UPON COMMAND.

AND THERE'S A REASON FOR THIS.

PILOTS ARE FALLIBLE,

THEY'RE VERY EXPENSIVE
TO CARRY IN AIRPLANES,

THEY DOUBLE THE SIZE
OF THE AIRPLANE,

THEIR LIFE-SUPPORT SYSTEMS
EAT UP SPACE AND BURN FUEL.

THE FACT THAT WE'VE TAKEN
THE PILOT OUT OF THE AIRPLANE

DOESN'T CHANGE ANYTHING.

IT'S STILL A HUMAN CHOICE.

DURING AN
ATTACK, THE DRONE PILOTS

ARE LOCATED IN THE SAFE
CONFINES OF COMMAND CENTERS,

SITUATED FAR FROM
THE WAR ITSELF.

THAT PERSON WHO'S
OPERATING THAT MACHINERY

STILL HAS TO HAVE
THAT MORAL DILEMMA,

AND STILL HAS TO TRY AND
JUSTIFY THEIR ACTIONS

TO THEMSELVES IN ORDER TO GO

THROUGH THAT
PSYCHOLOGICAL PROCESS

OF DEALING WITH
THE ACT OF KILLING,

WHICH IS ESSENTIALLY
STILL WHAT IT IS.

THE DRONE
PILOTS SEE WHAT HAPPENS

AFTER THE BOMB HAS BEEN DROPPED.

AND THEY KNOW THAT THEY WERE
THE ONES TO PUSH THE BUTTON.

DRONES DON'T
KILL PEOPLE,

PEOPLE KILL PEOPLE
USING DRONES.

THAT'S WHERE WE ARE.

IF WE TIP OVER AND GIVE
ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

A ROLE IN MAKING
THOSE DECISIONS,

THAT'S A WHOLE DIFFERENT THING.

BUT WE HAVEN'T GOT
THERE AND I DON'T THINK

WE'RE GOING THAT WAY, JUST YET.

THE
ATTACK FROM ABOVE,

FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS,

HUMANS HAVE RAINED FIRE FROM
THE SKIES UPON THEIR ENEMY.

AS YET, THERE'S NO END IN SIGHT.