Original subtitles

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.