All language subtitles for World.of.Weapons.S01E01 Ranged Weapons

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,

Woman: I'M 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

LET'S GO!

INTO
THEIR ROLE IN HISTORY.

YOU'RE IN A
MINEFIELD STOP.

RANGED
WEAPONS ARE THOSE

THAT STRIKE FROM A DISTANCE.

THEY'RE AMONG THE
EARLIEST TOOLS OF WARFARE

AND HAVE SHAPED WHOLE ERAS.

THE FIRST OF THE RANGED
WEAPONS, THE PILUM.

ANCIENT SOURCES CLAIM
IT WAS A VITAL TOOL

FOR ROME'S IMPERIAL LEGIONS.

THE ORIGINS OF THE PILUM DATE
BACK TO THE DAWN OF HUMANITY.

FOR MORE THAN 400,000
YEARS HUMAN SPECIES,

LIKE NEANDERTHALS, USED
SPEARS FOR HUNTING.

IT WAS A WAY FOR THEM TO KILL
LARGE GAME ANIMALS, LIKE BISON

WHICH WERE AN ESSENTIAL
SOURCE OF FOOD.

DURING THE MID 1990S
IN SCHONINGEN, GERMANY

ARCHEOLOGISTS DISCOVERED
EIGHT WOODEN JAVELINS.

THEY ESTIMATE THESE ARTIFACTS,
MEASURING OVER SIX FEET LONG,

TO BE AT LEAST
300,000 YEARS OLD.

OVER 40,000 YEARS AGO
A NEW SPECIES EMERGED

TO COMPETE WITH
THE NEANDERTHALS.

HOMO SAPIENS, THE MODERN
MAN, THESE RIVALS CARRIED

WOODEN SPEARS THAT THEY
HANDLED WITH GREAT SKILL.

ABOUT 10,000 YEARS LATER,

HOMO SAPIENS HAVE
OUTLIVED NEANDERTHALS,

PERHAPS BECAUSE OF THE VARIETY

OF TOOLS THEY
DEVELOPED FOR HUNTING.

AS HUMANS TRANSITION
FROM NOMADIC HUNTING

AND GATHERING TO FARMING
CONFLICTS ERUPTED

OVER TERRITORY AND
ACCESS TO FOOD.

ANCIENT MEN DEVELOPED
MEANS OF HUNTING

USING SPEARS AND USING THROWINGWEAPONS AND EVENTUALLY BOWS

AND AS SOON AS THEY STARTED
FIGHTING OVER TERRITORY

THEY USE ALL OF THESE
WEAPONS AGAINST OTHER HUMANS

AND THE WEAPONS ARE
NOT DESIGNED PURELY

FOR USE AGAINST OTHER
PEOPLE THEY'RE DESIGNED

FOR USE AGAINST ANIMALS,
THEY'RE HUNTING TOOLS

AND THEY THEN BECOME DIVERGENT,

THEY SPECIALIZE AS MILITARY
OR HUNTING WEAPONS.

OVER TIME
ANCIENT PEOPLE WOULD DEVELOP

MORE SOPHISTICATED
WEAPONRY FOR COMBAT.

MIKE LOADES IS A WEAPONSHISTORIAN FASCINATED BY SPEARS.

SPEARS COME IN ALL
SHAPES AND SIZES,

HEAVY ONES AND VERY
LIGHT ONES LIKE THIS.

A
THROWING SPEAR CARRIES

A DECIDED RISK IN BATTLE.

IF IT MISSES THE TARGET,

IT FALLS INTO THE
HANDS OF THE ENEMY

WHO CAN THEN USE IT
AGAINST THE ATTACKER.

THE RISE OF THE ROMAN
EMPIRE IN THE 6TH CENTURY BC

MARKED THE BEGINNING
OF A NEW CHAPTER

IN THE HISTORY OF THE SPEAR.

THE MOST INGENIOUS,
THE CLEVEREST,

THE MOST DESIGNED SPEAR EVER
MADE WAS THE ROMAN PILUM.

ROMAN
SOLDIERS USED THE PILUM

IN BATTLE FOR MORE
THAN A THOUSAND YEARS.

CASE IN POINT, THE YEAR 52 BC,

THE GAULS IN WESTERN EUROPEREBEL AGAINST THE ROMAN EMPIRE.

THEY DO EVERYTHING IN THEIR
POWER TO DEFEND LUTETIA,

WHICH WILL LATER BECOME PARIS.

FOUR ROMAN LEGIONS
ADVANCE TOWARD THE GAULS.

THE DIFFICULT TERRAIN AND
THE ENEMY'S RESISTANCE

DENIED THEM A SWIFT VICTORY,

BUT IN THE END CESAR'S
LEGIONARIES TRIUMPH

WITH THE AID OF THEIR
MIRACLE WEAPON THE PILIUM.

THE WAY THE ROMANS
FIGHT IS VERY MECHANICAL.

THEY FIGHT AS A FORMATION,
THEY DON'T FIGHT INDIVIDUALLY,

WHEREAS ALMOST ALL THE
PEOPLE THEY FIGHT AGAINST

FIGHT AS INDIVIDUALS AND THE
PILUM IS JUST ONE MORE WAY

OF MAKING SURE THAT THESE
ENTHUSIASTIC WARRIORS

COMING TOWARDS YOU
DON'T HAVE SHIELDS.

BACK THEN
THE BASIC EQUIPMENT

OF THE ROMAN LEGIONARY CONSISTED

OF PROTECTIVE
MAIL, A SHORT SWORD

AND TWO PILLA, THE LENGTH
OF A TYPICAL PILUM,

JUST OVER SIX FEET, ITS WEIGHT
ABOUT FOUR AND A HALF POUNDS.

THE PILUM LOOKS DIFFERENT
THAN OTHER ANCIENT SPEARS

BECAUSE ITS SHAFT HAS
A PYRAMID SHAPED HEAD.

WHAT IS IT FOR,
WHAT'S ITS SECRET?

YIN'S CHRISTIANSEN IS
A BLACKSMITH SKILLED

IN ANCIENT WEAPON
MAKING TECHNIQUES.

HE'S MAKING A PILUM, THE WAYTHE ROMANS DID 2,000 YEARS AGO.

FIRST STEP FORGE THE
HEAD AND THE SHAFT

FROM A PIECE OF METAL.

IT NEEDS TO BE HEATED OVER
1,800 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT

BEFORE YIN'S CAN HAMMER IT
INTO ITS CHARACTERISTIC FORM.

YEAH AND AS YOU
CAN SEE IT'S REALLY, SOMETHING

YOU HAVE TO PUT POWER TO
THAT'S HARD WORK.

YEAH.

I MEAN I WASN'T COUNTINGBUT THAT WAS SEVERAL HUNDRED.

YEAH.

HEAVY, POWER BLOWS AND
WHAT YOU'RE JUST A THIRD?

BUT NOW IT'S JUST GRUNT WORK.

YEAH, YEAH,

WE COULD
USE THE POWER HAMMER.

YEAH, YEAH.

SO, LET'S FINISH IT
LET'S DO THAT.

OFF WITH THAT.

BUT EVEN
WITH A MODERN POWER HAMMER

STRIKING 250 BLOWS PER MINUTE,

TURNING A FLAT METAL PIECE
INTO A PILUM HEAD TAKES TIME.

THE PAINSTAKING EFFORT INVOLVEDWITH MAKING A SINGLE PILUM

SHOWS HOW HIGHLY
ADVANCED THE TECHNIQUES

OF ANCIENT BLACKSMITHS WERE.

THE ROMANS PRODUCED THESE
WEAPONS IN MASSIVE NUMBERS.

THE INDUSTRIAL COMPLEX
OF THE ROMAN ARMS INDUSTRY

WAS PHENOMENAL, THE
AVERAGE LEGION IS 4,800,

SO ROUND FIGURES 5,000
PEOPLE IN A LEGION.

ROMAN LEGIONARY CARRIED TWO
OF THESE OVER THE SHOULDER,

SO THAT'S 10,000
TO SUPPLY A LEGION.

SOME BATTLES HAD 20 LEGIONS.

200,000 OF THESE WERE MADE.

WHAT AN EXTRAORDINARY
ACHIEVEMENT.

THE
ROMANS STANDARDIZED

THEIR MANUFACTURING
METHODS MAKING MILLIONS

OF THESE WEAPONS
THROUGHOUT THE CENTURIES.

THE IRON SHAFT OF THE PILUM
IS FIXED WITH TWO BOLTS

ON THE HEAVY WOODEN
POST CALLED A STAVE.

IN THE BATTLE OF
LUTETIA, THE PILUM

GIVES THE ROMAN TROOPS UNDERTITUS LABIENUS A DECISIVE EDGE.

ALTHOUGH THE GAULS ARE
ARMED WITH HEAVY SHIELDS,

THEY CANNOT PROTECT THEMSELVES

FROM THE PENETRATING POWER
OF THE ROMAN JAVELIN.

CAESAR TELLS US
THESE FRONT RANKS

WERE TRANSFIXED BY OUR
JAVELINS BY OUR PILLA.

IN JUST A COUPLE
OF SALVOS OF PILLA,

LABIENUS HAD MANAGED TO
HALT THAT STORM OF GAULS

COMING TOWARDS HIS MEN.

NOT ONLY DID HE
STOP THAT CHARGE,

BUT BY BUILDING A
WALL OF DEAD, OF DYING

IN FRONT OF HIS LINES HE
SLOWED ANY FURTHER CHARGES.

SO THAT MAIN TACTIC OF THE GAULS

WAS NOW THWARTED FOR
THE REST OF THE BATTLE.

DENMARK AND HISTORICALVILLAGE MUSEUM.

MIKE LOADES AND HIS TEAM
PREPARE AN EXPERIMENT

TO SHOW HOW THE
PILUM IS USED AGAINST

AN ATTACKER APPROACHING
AT HIGH SPEED.

WHAT WE'VE SET UP
HERE IS TO IMITATE

THE CHARGE OF A BARBARIAN
AGAINST A ROMAN SHIELD WALL.

SO THIS IS THE BARBARIAN SHIELD,

CARSTEN IS THE BARBARIAN.

SO HE IS GONNA PULL THEIR
SLED AS FAST AS YOU CAN,

CHARGING AT ME AND
THEN SEE IF IT WILL

PENETRATE THIS VERY
STURDY PIECE OF WOOD

AND I THINK WE GOT QUITE
A CHALLENGE ON THERE,

BUT LET'S LET'S GIVE IT A GO.

ACCORDING
TO CAESARS ACCOUNT

OF THE GAELIC WAR

THE PILUM WOULD PIERCE
THE ENEMY'S SHIELDS,

BUT IS THIS ACTUALLY TRUE
OR IS CAESAR EXAGGERATING.

MIKE IS READY TO
SEE FOR HIMSELF.

LOOK AT THAT IT'S JUST
HUNCHED STRAIGHT THROUGH.

IT WAS JUST EFFORTLESS ALMOST.

IT WAS USING HIS
MOMENTUM AGAINST HIM.

THIS BROAD HEAD
HAS PUNCHED THROUGH

AND THEN THIS NARROW FORE SHAFT

BECAUSE IT'S NARROWER THAN THAT

THERE WAS VIRTUALLY
NO FRICTION AGAINST IT

SO IT JUST CAME
STRAIGHT THROUGH.

THE DEMONSTRATION
REVEALS WHY THE ROMANS

PUT SO MUCH WORK
INTO FORGING THE HEAD

OF THE PILUM AND
THE LONG IRON SHAFT.

THIS IS WHAT ALLOWS THE SPEAR

TO PENETRATE THE ENEMY'S SHIELD,

BUT COULD THAT ENEMY
HAVE PULLED THE PILUM OUT

AND USED IT AGAINST
THE ROMAN SOLDIERS?

I MEAN IF I
WAS HOLDING THAT

IT WOULD HAVE REACHED
THE MAN BEHIND,

BUT EVEN IF IT HAD ONLY
GONE THROUGH THAT FAR

THEN IT WOULD HAVE DONE THIS.

YOU CAN SEE HOW THE WEIGHT
OF THIS IS PULLING DOWN.

IF I TRY TO CHARGE FORWARD,

NOW LOOK WHAT HAPPENS
MY SHIELD GETS STUCK.

I CAN'T PULL IT OUT.

SO ALL I DO IS
ABANDON THE SHIELD.

NOW I HAVE TO CONTINUE
MY ATTACK DEFENSELESS.

THE BATTLE OF LUTETIAWAS A BLOODBATH,

BUT THE ROMANS SCORED
A PIVOTAL VICTORY.

IT WAS ANOTHER STEP ON THEIR
WAY TO CONQUERING GAUL.

THE TECHNOLOGICAL
INGENUITY BEHIND

THE PILUM IS A DECISIVE FACTOR.

THE IDEA OF THE PILUM,THAT IT'S A ONE-SHOT WEAPON

THAT YOU CAN ONLY THROW IT ONCE,

ONCE IT'S HIT THE TARGET, IT'S
BENT YOU CAN'T USE IT AGAIN.

OF COURSE THAT MEANS YOU CAN'T
THROW IT BACK AT THE ROMANS,

BUT AFTER THE BATTLE THE
ROMANS WOULD HAVE WON.

THEY'LL PICK UP ALL THE
PILUM, THEY'LL TAKE THEM

TO THE ARMORER,
THEY'LL MEND THEM

AND THEY'LL BE READY
TO USE ANOTHER DAY.

SO THIS IS A VERY NEAT WEAPON.

THE PILUM
IS MUCH MORE EFFECTIVE

THAN AN ORDINARY JAVELIN.

AS IT PIERCES THE ENEMY'S
SHIELDS IT IMMEDIATELY

BECOMES USELESS TO
THEM, A MASTERSTROKE

BY ROMAN WEAPON DESIGNERS.

AFTER THE FALL OF ROME,

THE PILUM DISAPPEARS
FROM THE BATTLEFIELD.

IT REQUIRED A
MASSIVE ARMS INDUSTRY

TO PRODUCE THEM IN GREAT NUMBERS

BUT NO EARLY MEDIEVAL
KINGDOM HAD SUCH CAPABILITY.

THE NEXT RANGED
WEAPON, THE LONGBOW.

IN THE MIDDLE AGES IT BECOMES

THE SCOURGE OF MOUNTED KNIGHTS.

WHAT IS ITS SECRET AND WHY
WERE ENGLISH LONGBOW ARCHERS

DREADED BY WARRIORS
ON THE BATTLEFIELD.

BEFORE THE EMERGENCE
OF THE LONGBOW

EURASIAN NOMADS LIKE
THE HUNS INCLUDED

HORSE ARCHERS
AMONG THEIR FORCES.

THEY WERE ELITE
TROOPS WHOSE WEAPON

WAS A COMPACT BOW THEY
SHOT WHILE ON THE MOVE.

THE LONGBOW WAS A
DEVASTATING EVOLUTION

OF THIS EARLIER WEAPON.

AUGUST 26TH, 1346,
CRECY, A SMALL TOWN

NEAR THE NORMAN COAST OF FRANCE.

THE FORCES OF ENGLAND'S
KING EDWARD THE THIRD

FACED THOSE OF HIS FRENCH
ANTAGONIST PHILIP THE SIXTH.

IT WAS THE FIRST MAJOR CLASH
OF THE HUNDRED YEARS WAR,

PITTING ENGLAND AGAINST FRANCE.

THEY FIGHT OVER FRENCH
MAINLAND TERRITORY

AND THE RULE OF FRANCE.

ENGLAND EVEN CLAIMS
THE FRENCH THRONE.

ON PAPER PHILIPS TROOPS
ARE CLEARLY SUPERIOR.

30,000 FRENCH WARRIORS FAR
OUTNUMBER 14,000 ENGLISHMEN,

BUT THE FRENCH HAVE
OVERESTIMATED THEIR

CHANCES OF VICTORY

DURING THE BATTLE THOUSANDS

OF ENGLISH ARROWS
RAIN DOWN ON THEM.

SOME HISTORIANS ESTIMATE
THAT KING EDWARD'S MEN

SHOT UP TO 35,000
ARROWS A MINUTE.

PEOPLE HAVE USED
THE BOW AND ARROW

FOR AT LEAST 10,000 YEARS,

BUT WHY DOES THIS
ANCIENT WEAPON BECOME

SO CRUCIAL AGAIN
IN THE MIDDLE AGES.

ARCHER ANTON WENINGER
KNOWS THE REASON.

THIS
HERE IS AN ENGLISH LONGBOW,

A YEW BOW, IT STANDS OUT FOR

ITS LENGTH AND
PENETRATING POWER.

THIS WEAPON IS
ENORMOUSLY EFFECTIVE,

EVEN AT LONGER DISTANCES.

WHAT FASCINATES ME THE MOST IS
THAT THIS IS A PIECE OF WOOD

THAT IS ABLE TO TRANSPORT
ARROWS INCREDIBLY FAR.

THE
ENGLISH LONGBOW CONSISTS

OF ONE SINGLE PIECE OF
WOOD CALLED A STAVE.

WENINGER SHOWS HOW
MEDIEVAL BOW MAKERS

WOULD HAVE GONE ABOUT
MAKING THIS WEAPON

FROM THE WOOD OF THE YEW TREE.

WHEN YOU LOOK
AT THIS YEW,

YOU CAN SEE THE
SAP WOOD VERY WELL.

THAT'S THE PALE COLORED LAYER

AND THIS IS THE HEARTWOOD.

THE HEART OF THE YEW IS
VERY TOUGH AND DURABLE,

WHILE THE SAP WOOD IS
VERY FLEXIBLE AND ELASTIC.

IN YEW BOWS, THE BELLY, THE
PART THAT FACES THE ARCHER

IS MADE OF CORE WOOD
AND THE SAP IS USED

FOR THE FRONT SIDE OF THE BOW.

THERE IS A LOT OF
TENSION WHEN SHOOTING,

SO THIS PART NEEDS
TO BE BENDING.

THE LONGBOW
IS ESSENTIALLY A SPRING

THAT CONVERTS POTENTIAL ENERGY
WHEN THE BOWSTRING IS DRAWN,

INTO POWERFUL KINETIC ENERGY
WHEN THE STRING IS RELEASED.

IN THE MIDDLE AGES, THEENGLISH BOW MAKING INDUSTRY

NEARLY WIPED OUT THE ENTIRE
EUROPEAN YEW POPULATION

WITH ITS DEMAND FOR THE
WOODEN RAW MATERIAL.

MUCH OF THE TIMBER
FOR ENGLISH LONG BOWS

CAME FROM SOUTHERN GERMANY.

BY THE MIDDLE OF
THE 16TH CENTURY,

THERE WERE HARDLY ANY YEW
TREES LEFT IN THE REGION.

THE CLEAR-CUTTING
LEFT A LASTING MARK.

IN GERMANY TODAY THE YEW TREE
IS AN ENDANGERED SPECIES.

RAW MATERIALS HAVE
ALWAYS BEEN ESSENTIAL

FOR MANUFACTURING WEAPONS.

THE ROMANS NEEDED 30
TONS OF IRON TO EQUIP

ONE SINGLE LEGION FOR BATTLE.

DURING THE ANCIENT ERA
MINING AND SMELTING

FOR THE WEAPONS
INDUSTRY CONTAMINATED

MANY EUROPEAN RIVERS

AIR POLLUTION PRESENTED A
PROBLEM IN ANCIENT ROME.

HUNDREDS OF FURNACES
PRODUCED TOXIC EMISSIONS

GENERATED DURING THE SMELTING
OF COPPER, IRON OR LEAD ORE,

THE MATERIALS THAT WERE LARGELYUSED TO PRODUCE WEAPONS.

YOU ALWAYS WORK
WITH WHAT YOU'VE GOT.

IF YOU CAN PICK IT UP, IT'SBETTER THAN HAVING TO PAY FOR IT

AND IF YOU HAVE CONTROL
AND THE KING OF ENGLAND,

FOR EXAMPLE HAS
OWNERSHIP OF EVERYTHING

UNDER THE GROUND SO
ANYTHING YOU MINE

BELONGS TO THE KING OF ENGLAND,

SO IF YOU NEED IRON,
WHEN IT'S DUG UP,

THE KING OWNS IT AND
HE WILL PAY YOU A FEE

FOR DIGGING IT OUT,
RATHER THAN PAYING YOU

TO ACTUALLY OWN THE
PHYSICAL PROPERTY.

SO MEDIEVAL AND MODERN
STATES HAVE FOUND WAYS

OF CONCENTRATING THEIR RESOURCES

TO MAXIMIZE THEIR ABILITY
TO MANUFACTURE WEAPONS.

BACK IN
HIS SHOP IN AUSTRIA,

WENINGER IS WORKING
ON FINE-TUNING THE

ITS CHARACTERISTIC
ROUND FORM BY NOW.

THE GROOVES AT THE ENDS
WILL HOLD THE STRING

THAT WENINGER WILL
MANUFACTURE NEXT.

THE STRING IS CRUCIAL TO THE
PERFORMANCE OF THE LONGBOW.

BOW STRINGS WERE
AND OFTEN STILL ARE

MADE OF HEMP, FLAX OR SILK.

TRADITIONALLY
YOU USED NETTLES

OR FLAX STRINGS,
BUT THEY DON'T GROW

AS WELL AS THEY
USED TO ANY MORE.

BACK IN THE MIDDLE
AGES, NETTLES COULD GROW

AS HIGH AS ONE
AND A HALF METERS.

FOR SAFETY REASONS,
WE USE A NYLON STRING

THIS ALSO PROTECTS THE
BOW FROM THE VIBRATIONS

AND WE CAN BE SURE THAT
THE STRING WON'T BREAK.

MEDIEVAL BOWSTRINGS COULD LOSE THEIR TENSION

IF THEY GET WET, SO
BOW MAKERS WOULD APPLY

HEAVY COATINGS OF BEESWAX OR
GLUE TO PROTECT THE STRING.

AS A LAST STEP
WENINGER SHAVES OFF

THIN LAYERS OF WOOD TO
PERFECT THE BOW'S DRAW WEIGHT,

THE FORCE NEEDED TO
PULL THE BOWSTRING.

WHEN HE'S FINISHED HIS
LONGBOW WILL BE READY TO USE.

THE MEDIEVAL LONGBOW,
MADE OF YEW WOOD,

ALMOST SIX FEET LONG,

IT TOOK ABOUT 140 POUNDS
OF FORCE TO PULL THE BOW.

TODAY'S COMPETITIVE
TARGET SHOOTERS

PULL FROM 30 TO 50 POUNDS.

TRAINING WITH THESE WEAPONS
EXACTS A HIGH PHYSICAL TOLL.

THIS
ARCHER HAS A REALLY LARGE

AND OVERSIZED BOW AND MOST
OF THE ARCHERS SUFFERED

FROM SKELETAL
LESIONS ON THE LEFT,

THAT IS THE BOW HAND, THEY
HAD UNDERDEVELOPED SHOULDERS

AND ON THE RIGHT,
WHERE THE DRAW HAND IS,

THE SHOULDER WAS OVER DEVELOPED.

THIS IS SOMETHING ARCHEOLOGISTSFOUND IN SKELETONS.

YOU KNOW IMMEDIATELY IF
SOMEONE WAS AN ARCHER OR NOT.

ON THE BATTLEFIELD,

A WELL-TRAINED MEDIEVAL
ARCHER HAS ONE TACTICAL TASK

TO BREAK THROUGH THE
CLOSED RANKS OF THE ENEMY

WITH TARGETED LONG-RANGE SHOTS,

BUT HOW WELL DOES THIS WORK?

WENINGER WE'LL TEST HIS BOWFROM A DISTANCE OF A 150 YARDS,

A NORMAL RANGE IN
TODAY'S COMPETITIONS.

DIFFERENT FACTORS AFFECT
THE ARROWS TRAJECTORY,

INCLUDING THE CROSS WIND

AND THE VIBRATIONS
WHEN THE ARROW IS SHOT.

Hausser: ALWAYS CREATE
TENSION IN A BOW

BY PULLING BACK THE STRINGS.

ENERGY IS STORED IN
IT DUE TO THIS TENSION

AND ONCE I RELEASE THE STRING

THIS POTENTIAL ENERGY
BECOMES KINETIC ENERGY,

BUT THE MOMENT I RELEASE THE
STRING IT STARTS TO VIBRATE.

JUST THINK OF IT
LIKE A GUITAR STRING

AND THIS VIBRATION
EXPANDS TO THE BOW

AND IF I DON'T PAY
CLOSE ATTENTION

AND HOLD ON TIGHT
TO THE FRONT PART

I WILL GET IT AS A SHOCK
AND I MIGHT MISS MY TARGET.

AS AN EXPERIENCED
ARCHER WENINGER KEEPS

ALL THESE FACTORS IN MIND

WHEN AIMING AND
SHOOTING HIS ARROWS.

FIVE OUT
OF TEN ARROWS

HIT THE TARGET FROM
A 50 METER RANGE.

I'M ACTUALLY QUITE SATISFIED.

MEDIEVAL
ARCHERS WERE

NOT ONLY KNOWN FOR
THEIR PRECISION,

BUT ALSO FOR THEIR
RAPID SHOOTING RATE.

HOW MANY ARROWS A
MINUTE ARE POSSIBLE?

STICKING THE ARROWS IN THE
GROUND IN FRONT OF THE ARCHER

IS ONE TECHNIQUE
THAT PROMOTES SPEED.

SOME MODERN ARCHERS
TRAIN FOR SPEED SHOOTING.

THEY CAN FIRE AN ARROW
EVERY ONE OR TWO SECONDS.

ANCIENT SOURCES ALSO
MENTIONED SPECIAL TECHNIQUES

LIKE HOLDING SEVERAL
ARROWS IN ONE HAND.

THE LONGBOW BECAME
A SIGNIFICANT PART

OF ENGLAND'S MEDIEVAL CULTURE.

KING EDWARD THE THIRD
ISSUED A DECREE IN 1369

THAT REQUIRED HIS MALE SUBJECTSTO TRAIN WITH THE WEAPON.

EVEN SIX
YEAR OLD CHILDREN

WERE DRILLED TO LEARN
HOW TO SHOOT A BOW.

MOST OF THE ARCHERS DIDN'T
GET ANY OLDER THAN 25,

SO THAT WAS THEIR
EXPIRATION DATE IF YOU WILL.

YOUNG PEOPLE WERE ALMOST ABUSED

IN THIS DESIRE TO
PRODUCE GOOD ARCHERS.

BUT THE
WELL-TRAINED ARCHERS

ALSO REPRESENTED A THREAT
TO THE FEUDAL ORDER.

THIS IS A TERRIFYING
WEAPON FOR TWO REASONS,

ONE IT'LL KILL YOU, BUT
MORE IMPORTANTLY IT MEANS

THAT PEASANTS CAN KILL NOBLEMEN.

IT'S CHANGED THE
NATURAL ORDER OF THINGS.

NOBLEMEN IN ARMOR SHOULD BE ABLE

TO KNOCK OVER ALL THE PEASANTS.

NOW ONE PEASANT WITH A
LONGBOW CAN KILL A NOBLEMAN.

SO THIS TERRIFIES AN
ARISTOCRATIC ORDER

THAT BELIEVES THAT
IT HAS SUPERIORITY

BECAUSE OF BIRTH,
BECAUSE OF PRIVILEGE

AND BECAUSE IT HAS THE MONEY
FOR A HORSE AND SOME ARMOR.

SO IT'S A LEVELING WEAPON.

IT TAKES AWAY THE
ADVANTAGE OF PRIVILEGE

AND IT RESTORES IT TO THEADVANTAGE OF SKILL AND PRACTICE.

THIS ALSO
EXPLAINS WHY MEDIEVAL ARCHERS

INSPIRED A NUMBER
OF HEROIC MYTHS.

THE MOST POPULAR ONE,
THE LEGENDARY ROBIN HOOD.

IN THE FIRST MEDIEVAL BALLADS,

HE'S DESCRIBED AS A HIGHWAYMAN
AN ORDINARY CRIMINAL,

BUT LATER IN 16TH
CENTURY LITERATURE

HE BECOMES AN ALTRUISTIC
OUTLAW WHO TAKES FROM THE RICH

AND GIVES TO THE POOR.

HE WAS ALSO KNOWN AS A HIGHLY
SKILLED LONGBOW ARCHER.

HIS STORY REMAINS POPULAR
TODAY WITH BOOKS, FILMS,

EVEN MUSIC, CELEBRATING
THE HEROIC ROBIN HOOD.

IT'S A MOST
UNLIKELY STORY.

VILLAINS DON'T GIVE
MONEY TO THE POOR,

THEY JUST TAKE IT FROM THE RICH,

BUT HE'S A FOLK HERO WHO
WAS INVENTED AT A TIME

WHEN THE KING IS
OPPRESSING THE PEASANTS

AND TAXING THEM HEAVILY.

SO THE IDEA THAT SOME
MYTHIC FIGURE WOULD ARISE

AND TAKE THE MONEY BACK
THAT THE KING HAS STOLEN

AND GIVE IT TO THE
PEOPLE WHO IT BELONGS TO.

IT'S THE MYTH OF ALL MYTHS

BECAUSE EVERY COUNTRY
HAS A FIGURE LIKE THIS.

IN ENGLAND HE'S ROBIN
HOOD, HE DRESSES

IN GREEN TO HIDE IN THE FOREST

AND HE USES A LONGBOW
AGAINST THE KINGS MEN

WHO WEAR ARMOR AND CARRY SWORDS.

SO HE'S LEVELING
THE PLAYING FIELD.

HE'S A WORKING CLASS HERO.

ENGLISH LONGBOW
ARCHERS POSE A THREAT

TO NOBLEMEN IN REAL LIFE TOO,

WITH ARROW SALVOS
SHOT FROM FAR AWAY.

HOW DOES SUCH A
LONG-RANGE SHOT WORK?

WENINGER WILL NOW
TEST HIS ACCURACY

AT A DISTANCE OF 300 FEET.

HE HAS TO SHOOT HIGH.

I HAVE
TO AIM FAR

ABOVE THE TARGET
UP IN THE FOREST.

THAT IS WHERE MY TARGET IS NOW

AND THIS IS WHERE I
WANT TO GET UP TO.

THE DISTANCE IS
OKAY, BUT THE WIND

IS GIVING ME A HARD TIME TODAY.

NOW I CALCULATED WITH THE WIND,

THE DIRECTION SHOULD BE PERFECT.

AT THIS DISTANCE,

AN ARCHER FACES MANY PROBLEMS.

WENINGER NEEDS TO INCH
TOWARDS THE TARGET.

SINCE WE'RE
NOT FAR OFF.

ALL HIS ARROWS FALL

NEAR THE TARGET PENETRATING
DEEP INTO THE GROUND.

SUCH LONG-RANGE
SHOTS IN A HIGH ARC

DEVELOP AN ENORMOUS FORCE AND
WOULD HAVE PIERCED THE ARMOR

OF FAST APPROACHING KNIGHTS.

THE
ENGLISH LONG BOWS

WERE EVEN STRONGER
THAN THIS BOW YOU KNOW.

THIS ONE IS AT FIFTY POUNDS,

BACK IN THE DAYS THEY
WERE AT 100 TO 120 POUNDS.

THEIR TRAJECTORY IS LOWER,
THEY DID NOT HAVE TO AIM

AS HIGH AS I JUST DID AND
THE ARROWS WERE HEAVIER

THAT MEANS THERE WAS
LESS DRIFT IN THE WIND.

TO
FIND OUT HOW LETHAL

BEING SHOT BY AN ARROW CAN BE

WENINGER SETS UP A TARGET
MADE OF BALLISTIC GELATIN.

FOR THIS TEST HE
ENLISTS THE HELP

OF TRICK SHOT ARTIST
PETER STECHER.

FROM 90 FEET AWAY
STECHER'S ARROW

PLUNGES DEEP INTO THE TARGET.

THE MATERIAL
SIMULATES HUMAN TISSUE

AND SHOWS HOW LONG BOW
ARROWS COULD INJURE A MAN.

10
CENTIMETERS THAT'S VERY DEEP.

Stecher: LET'S SEE HOW
DEEP THAT IS.

THIS HELPS EXPLAIN

THE OUTCOME OF THE
BATTLE OF CRECY

WHERE SEVERAL THOUSAND
FRENCH SOLDIERS WERE KILLED

WHILE THE ENGLISH ONLY
LOST A COUPLE HUNDRED MEN.

THIS DEFEAT WEAKENED THE
FRENCH KINGDOM FOR DECADES.

THE WEAPON CHANGED MILITARY

STRATEGY IN FAVOR
OF THE ENGLISH.

THE LONGBOW IS NOT A
PRECISION INSTRUMENT,

IT'S NOT DESIGNED TO HIT A
SINGLE MAN AT LONG RANGE.

IT'S DESIGNED TO ENGAGE
A LARGE BODY OF MEN

AND ALMOST CERTAINLY
HORSES AS WELL,

MOVING TOWARDS THE LONGBOW MEN

AND THEY WILL FIND
VOLLEYS OF ARROWS

AT THE GREAT MASS OF THE ENEMY.

SO IT'S ABOUT A VERY
LARGE AMOUNT OF FIRE,

SO IT'S QUITE MODERN.

THE LONGBOW,
A DECISIVE WEAPON

IN LATE MEDIEVAL BATTLES.

AFTER YEARS OF TRAINING
THE ENGLISH ARCHERS

HAD A WEAPON TO DEFEAT
THE FRENCH KNIGHTS.

OTHER EUROPEAN RULERS WANTED
TROOPS WITH SUCH POWER,

BUT ONLY THE ENGLISH KING
INVESTED ENOUGH MONEY

AND TIME TO BUILD AN
ARMY OF SKILLED ARCHERS.

YET AS TIME WENT
BY THE LONG BOWS

VALUE AS A MILITARY
WEAPON DECLINED.

AT THE END OF THE MIDDLE
AGES NEW WEAPONS APPEAR

BRINGING NOISE AND SMOKE

AND INTRODUCING A NEW
ERA OF RANGED WARFARE.

THESE NEW WEAPONS
WILL FOREVER CHANGE

THE WAY BATTLES ARE FOUGHT.

ONE OF THE DEADLIEST
MILITARY INVENTIONS

OF THE 19TH CENTURY IS ALSO ONE

OF THE SMALLEST, THE MINIE BALL.

IT DECIDES LIFE AND
DEATH ON THE BATTLEFIELD

AND ALSO LEADS TO
SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS

IN MEDICAL CARE FOR SOLDIERS.

WHAT'S SO SPECIAL ABOUTTHIS NEW KIND OF AMMUNITION?

BEFORE THE MINIE BALL ARRIVED

IN THE MIDDLE OF
THE 19TH CENTURY,

COMBAT TACTICS WERE SIMPLE.

THE SOLDIERS MOVED IN CLOSED
RANKS TOWARDS ONE ANOTHER

AND THEN SHOT AT THEIR
ENEMIES WITH MUSKETS,

FIRING A ROUND LEAD BALL.

THESE WEAPONS
WERE QUITE POWERFUL.

THEY DID A LOT OF DAMAGE
IF THEY HIT THE HUMAN BODY,

BUT THEY WERE NOT ACCURATE
BEYOND ABOUT 50 PACES,

ABOUT 40 METERS AND
THEY TENDED TO BE FIRED

NOT AT TARGETS, BUT
THEY WOULD BE LEVELED

AS A PLATOON OF SOLDIERS
WOULD LEVEL THEIR MUSKETS

TOWARDS THE TARGET AND
FIRE THEM ALL AT ONCE

HOPING THAT SOME OF THE
ROUNDS WOULD HIT THE TARGET.

BEYOND 100 YARDS YOU
WOULD MADE A LOT OF NOISE,

YOU MIGHT HIT A FEW THINGS

AND YOU MIGHT
FRIGHTEN THE HORSES,

BUT THAT'S ABOUT IT.

SO THIS IS A WEAPON
WHICH LACKS RANGE.

THE MINIE BALL
WILL END MUSKET WARFARE.

SUMMER, 1853, RUSSIAN TROOPS
INVADE THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE.

THE CRIMEAN WAR BEGINS.

THE FIRST MEDIA WAR IN HISTORY.

PHOTOGRAPHER ROBERT FENTON
HAS A MOBILE DEVELOPMENT LAB.

HIS PHOTOS DOCUMENT THE
EVERYDAY LIFE OF THE SOLDIERS.

TELEGRAPH LINES SPREAD THE NEWSEVERYWHERE ON THE CONTINENT

WITHIN THE BLINK OF AN EYE.

FRANCE AND ENGLAND FIGHT SIDE

BY SIDE WITH THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE.

IN THE BATTLE OF INKERMAN,

ON NOVEMBER 5TH, 1854 THEY
USED THE NEW MINIE BALL

AGAINST THE RUSSIAN TROOPS AND
SCORED AN IMPORTANT TRIUMPH.

ON A FIRING RANGE NEAR
GOETHE, IN CENTRAL GERMANY,

WE WANT TO UNCOVER THE
SECRET BEHIND THE MINIE BALL

AND FIND OUT HOW IT COULD MAKE

ROUND LEAD AMMUNITION
OBSOLETE SO QUICKLY.

THE DIFFERENT SHAPE OF
THIS NEW TYPE OF AMMUNITION

IMMEDIATELY CATCHES THE EYE.

WOLFGANG STABE IS AN
HISTORICAL WEAPONS EXPERT.

HE KNOWS HOW SIGNIFICANTLY
THE NEW AMMUNITION

AFFECTED WARFARE IN
THE 19TH CENTURY.

THE MINIE BALL

HAS TRANSFORMED HISTORY BECAUSE
IT WAS MANUFACTURED IN A WAY

THAT ALLOWED MUCH
HIGHER PRECISION.

IN 1846 FRENCH
OFFICER CLAUDE-ETIENNE MINIE

INVENTS A REVOLUTIONARY BULLET

WHICH REQUIRES A
SPECIAL RIFLE BARREL.

THE MINIE BALL IS NOT ROUND,

WHICH WAS THE SHAPE
OF BULLETS BEFORE.

IT'S CONICAL IN FRONT,
JUST OVER AN INCH LONG

AND WEIGHING SLIGHTLY
MORE THAN AN OUNCE.

A TINY PROJECTILE WITH
A DRAMATIC IMPACT.

MINIE DESIGNED

THE BALL IN SUCH A
WAY THAT IT BECAME

THE BASIS FOR ALL
MODERN BULLETS.

BUT WHAT
MADE MINIE'S AMMUNITION

BETTER THAN THE
EXISTING LEAD BALLS?

STABE WILL DO AN
EXPERIMENT SHOOTING

FROM A DISTANCE OF 150 FEET.

I'LL SHOOT
10 TIMES

AND SEE HOW SIGNIFICANT
THE DISPERSION IS.

FIRST HE
PUTS IN THE GUNPOWDER

AND THEN A ROUND LEAD
BALL WRAPPED IN WADDING

WHICH SEALS THE GAS BEHIND
THE PROJECTILE IN THE BARREL.

HE PICKS A BROWN BESS
FOR THE EXPERIMENT,

A STANDARD MUSKET USED BY

THE BRITISH ARMY IN
THE 18TH CENTURY.

YOU CAN HIT
THE TARGET,

BUT THERE IS SOME
SIGNIFICANT DISPERSION.

THE BROWN BESS
HAS A FLINTLOCK MECHANISM

WHICH CREATES A SPARK THAT
IGNITES THE GUNPOWDER,

WHICH THEN IN TURN IGNITES
THE MAIN CHARGE IN THE BARREL.

TWO IGNITIONS IN A ROW,

BUT THE MUSKET IS
PRONE TO BREAKDOWNS.

THAT'S TYPICAL

FOR FLINTLOCK WEAPONS,
THE IGNITION OFTEN FAILS.

THE GUNPOWDER MAKES
EVERYTHING MESSY

AND THE FLINT, THAT'S HERE,

STOPS SUBMITTING
SPARKS AT SOME POINT

AND YOU HAVE TO REPLACE IT.

THEY OFTEN MALFUNCTION

THE FIRING
EXPERIMENT CONTINUES

WITH A NEW FLINT, A
NEW IGNITION CHARGE,

BUT THE MUSKET
STILL HAS PROBLEMS.

I CAN
BARELY TOUCH IT.

IT'S GETTING HOTTER AND HOTTER.

IT'S GETTING HARD AS A CHARGE

BECAUSE THE BARREL IS
INCREASINGLY BLOCKED.

IT NEEDS TO BE
CLEANED THOROUGHLY.

ALL RIGHT LET'S TRY
AND FIRE THE LAST SHOT.

STABE'S LAST
SHOT ALSO MISSES THE TARGET.

I THINK
IT'S ASTONISHING

THAT YOU CAN HIT
THIS TARGET AT ALL.

EIGHT SHOTS HIT IT, TWO MISSED,

BUT YOU CAN ALREADY SEE HOW
MUCH DISPERSION THERE IS.

THAT'S WHY THE MUSKET
HAS NO FIXED SIGHT.

FROM A MILITARY POINT OF VIEW
IT WAS LIKE A SCATTER SHOT.

THEY PASSED THE FIRING
LINE, SAID FIRE,

HOPING THAT SOMEONE
WOULD HIT THE TARGET.

NOW THE MINIE BALL.

IT NEEDS TO BE
GREASED BEFORE FIRING,

OTHERWISE IT WOULD SCRATCH ALONG

INSIDE THE BARREL AND
LEAVE LEAD TRACES.

THE THICK LAYER OF GREASE AND
THE CHARACTERISTIC GROOVES

OF THE PROJECTILE PREVENTS THIS.

TO MATCH THE AMMUNITION,
STABE USES AN ENFIELD RIFLE

THAT WAS INTRODUCED TO
THE ENGLISH ARMY IN 1852.

THE
MINIE BALL IS EASIER TO CHARGE

THAN THE ROUND BALL
WITH THE WADDING.

AND TARGETING
IS MUCH EASIER TOO

BECAUSE UNLIKE THE MUSKET,

THE ENFIELD RIFLE HAS A SIGHT.

THEY'RE MUCH
CLOSER TOGETHER.

IT'S CLEARLY MORE ACCURATE.

WHILE
HITTING THE TARGET

WITH THE MUSKET IS
A MATTER OF LUCK,

STABE SHOOTS WERE ACCURATELY
USING THE MINIE BALLS.

YOU CAN
CLEARLY SEE

THAT THE MINIE BALL IS SUPERIOR.

ALL THESE SHOTS WOULD
HAVE BEEN DEADLY.

THE EVALUATIONSHOWS THAT USING THE MINIE BALL

STABE HITS THE TARGET SEVEN OUT

OF TEN TIMES PERFECTLY
OR ALMOST PERFECTLY.

HE CAN ONLY SCORE THREE
HITS WITH THE LEAD BALL,

THE OTHER SHOTS ARE
WIDELY DISPERSED.

THE MINIE BALL WAS
DESIGNED TO HIT A TARGET

FROM A DISTANCE OF
SEVERAL HUNDRED FEET.

THIS IS ONLY POSSIBLE
IN COMBINATION

WITH ANOTHER INVENTION.

THE RIFLED BARREL WAS INVENTED
LONG BEFORE THE MINIE BALL,

PRESUMABLY IN THE
LATE 15TH CENTURY.

THE IDEA WAS THAT
THE GROOVES MACHINED

INTO THE INTERNAL BARREL WALLS

IMPART SPIN TO THE PROJECTILE.

THE SPINNING MOTION
STABILIZES THE TRAJECTORY.

THERE ARE DIFFERENT WAYS TOMANUFACTURE RIFLED BARRELS.

HISTORICALLY THE GROOVES
WERE CUT INTO THE BARREL

THROUGH A COMPLEX PROCESS.

TODAY, THEY'RE USUALLY
FORMED WITH A HAMMER.

THIS IS HOW THE MECHANISM WORKS.

THE EXPLOSION OF THE GUNPOWDER
GENERATES A GAS CLOUD,

WHICH DRIVES THE
PROJECTILE FORWARD.

MINIE'S BALL HAS A
CONICAL HOLLOW IN ITS BASE

WHICH EXPANDS UNDER THE
PRESSURE OF THE EXPLOSION

AND SEALS THE BARREL PERFECTLY.

DUE TO THE SPIRAL GROOVES,
THE BULLET STARTS SPINNING.

Hausser: THE STRONGER
THE SPIN,

THE BIGGER AN
EXTERNAL FORCE MUST BE

TO DIVERGE THE TRAJECTORY
OF THE PROJECTILE.

THIS MEANS THE SPIN
ENSURES A STABLE TRAJECTORY

AND IF YOU WERE TO SHOOT
THESE BULLETS WITHOUT SPINS

THE DISTRIBUTION OF THE
MASS WOULD BE SO IMBALANCED

THAT THE MINIE BALL WOULD
JUST TUMBLE AND FLIP OVER.

AS EARLY
AS THE 16TH CENTURY

MUSKETEERS STARTED
USING SPECIALLY DESIGNED

SMALL WOODEN TUBES
THAT WERE FILLED WITH

THE PRECISE AMOUNT
OF POWDER CHARGE.

IN THE 17TH CENTURY, THE
FIRST PAPER CARTRIDGES

WERE INVENTED THAT FURTHER
AIDED THE CHARGING PROCESS.

IN ONE CASE, THEY
CONTAINED THE GUNPOWDER

AND THE LEAD PROJECTILE.

THE NEXT LEAP FORWARD
WAS THE INTEGRATION

OF ALL COMPONENTS IN
ONE METAL CARTRIDGE.

TWO FRENCH GUNSMITHS
ACHIEVED THIS BREAKTHROUGH,

FIRST BEING CASIMIR LEFAUCHEUX
WITH HIS PINFIRE CARTRIDGE,

THE SECOND, WEAPON
INVENTOR LOUIS FLOBERT.

THESE CARTRIDGES ALMOST
LOOKED LIKE MODERN AMMUNITION.

THE METAL CARTRIDGE
WAS A CRUCIAL ADVANCE

IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF FIREARMS

BECAUSE THE CARTRIDGE
BROUGHT TOGETHER

THE FOUR ELEMENTS IN ONE PLACE.

IT CONTAINED THE
BULLETS OR PROJECTILE,

IT CONTAINED THE MAIN CHARGE
WHICH LAUNCHED THE PROJECTILE,

IT CONTAINED THE CAP WHICH
INITIATED THE MAIN CHARGE

AND FINALLY THE CASE ITSELF.

A HUNDRED YEARS
AGO JOHN MOSES BROWNING,

AN AMERICAN FIREARMS DESIGNER,

DEVELOPED AMMUNITION
WITH A LARGE CARTRIDGE

AND A SLIM POINTED PROJECTILE.

TO THIS DAY BROWNING'S
DESIGN, BARELY CHANGED,

IS STILL USED IN COMBAT.

BULLETS VARY IN THEIR
IMPACT ON THE HUMAN BODY.

SOME OF THEM HAVE
SUCH DAMAGING EFFECTS

THAT THEY HAVE BEEN
INTERNATIONALLY BANNED.

SO NOW IS HOW

POWERFUL THIS MINIE
BALL IS COMPARED

TO A ROUND BALL AND THE
MODERN NATO CARTRIDGE.

I'LL SHOOT AT THIS
BALLISTIC BLOCK.

IT'S A VERY SPECIAL GEL,
IT SHOWS ME THE REAL IMPACT

OF A BULLET ON A HUMAN BODY.

EACH
TYPE OF AMMUNITION

NEEDS THE RIGHT RIFLE

FOR THE LEAD BULLET,
STABE USES THE OLD MUSKET.

THE BULLET GOES STRAIGHT
THROUGH THE BALLISTIC BLOCK

AND EXITS AT THE BACK.

FOR THE NATO CARTRIDGE, STABE
USES A SEMI-AUTOMATIC RIFLE.

THE CARTRIDGE HAS BEEN PART
OF THE STANDARD EQUIPMENT

OF WESTERN ARMIES
FOR ALMOST 50 YEARS.

SAME THING HERE, THE BULLET
GOES STRAIGHT THROUGH.

IN THE LAST ROUND, STABE USES

A MINIE BALL TO
SHOOT AT THE TARGET.

THE MINIE, WHICH DATES
BACK MORE THAN 150 YEARS,

CAUSES THE MOST DAMAGE.

A DIRECT COMPARISON.

ON THE LEFT, THE LEAD BULLET.

ON THE RIGHT, THE
NATO CARTRIDGE.

IN THE MIDDLE, THE MINIE BALL.

OF THE THREE, IT'S
THE MOST POWERFUL.

IF YOULOOK CLOSELY AT A BULLET WOUND,

YOU CAN SEE A LARGE AREA

WHERE THE TISSUE
HAS BEEN DESTROYED.

THIS WAS ALSO TRUE IF
THE BULLET HIT A BONE,

IT WAS SIMPLY SPLINTERED.

THAT MEANS THE WOUNDS
WERE REALLY, REALLY BIG,

THE BONES WITHIN WERE SPLINTERED

AND IN THE PAST IT WAS
EXTREMELY DIFFICULT

TO DO ANYTHING, TO
OPERATE FOR EXAMPLE.

THE
HORRIFIC WOUNDS INFLICTED

BY THE NEW MINIE BALL HAVE
AN UNSEEN CONSEQUENCE.

THE BATTLE OF
SOLFERINO TAKES PLACE

IN THE SECOND ITALIAN WAR
OF INDEPENDENCE IN 1859.

AUSTRIA FIGHTS THE
ITALIANS AND THE FRENCH.

SWISS BUSINESSMAN HENRY DUNANT

SEES FIRSTHAND THE
CARNAGE OF THE MINIE BALL.

ALMOST 40,000 DEAD AND WOUNDED
LIE ON THE BATTLEGROUND.

TOGETHER WITH VOLUNTEERS,

DUNANT ORGANIZES MAKESHIFT
FIRST AID FOR THE WOUNDED.

IT'S THE BEGINNING OF A MOVEMENT

THAT WOULD BECOME
KNOWN AS THE RED CROSS.

FROM 1864 ON, A PREDECESSOR
OF THE GERMAN RED CROSS

PROVIDES CARE IN THE WARS
OF GERMAN UNIFICATION.

DURING THE LATE 19TH CENTURY,

NATIONS DISCUSS HOW TO
MAKE WARS MORE HUMANE

FOCUSING ON HELPING THE WOUNDED

AND SETTING UP BINDING
RULES FOR WARFARE.

IN 1899 THE HAGUE CONVENTION
ISSUED FORMAL STATEMENTS

GOVERNING THE CONDUCT OF
WAR, A MILESTONE ON THE WAY

TO HUMANITARIAN
INTERNATIONAL LAW.

ITS IMPACT HOWEVER
REMAINS LIMITED.

THE ULTIMATE ANSWER
TO THE HAGUE CONVENTION

WAS THAT EVERYBODY BROKE IT

IN THE FIRST WORLD WAR,
SOME MORE THAN OTHERS

AND THEY BROKE IT
BECAUSE THE ALTERNATIVE

WAS TO BE DEFEATED
AND RULES ARE RULES,

BUT WHEN YOU'RE UP AGAINST IT

THE OPPORTUNITY TO CHEAT A
LITTLE IS QUITE ATTRACTIVE.

IT'S A VERY HUMAN THING.

DURING
THE 20TH CENTURY

MILLIONS DIED IN
THE TWO WORLD WARS

AND OTHER ARMED CONFLICTS.

THE SOCIETIES OF
THE 21ST CENTURY

ARE NO LONGER
WILLING TO SACRIFICE

ENTIRE GENERATIONS
OF YOUNG SOLDIERS.

NATIONS SEEK TO
DEVELOP RANGED WEAPONS

WHICH MINIMIZE THE DANGER
FOR THEIR SOLDIERS.

THERE'S A
TEMPTATION TO THINK

THAT WE CAN SANITIZE WARFARE,

THAT WE CAN MAKE IT
SUCH A ONE SIDED PROCESS

THAT IT LOOKS REMARKABLY
LIKE A VIDEO GAME.

WE SIT AT A LONG DISTANCE
PRESS SOME BUTTONS

AND THE BAD GUYS GO AWAY

AND THAT ISN'T THE GAME
THE BAD GUYS WANT TO PLAY.

WE HAVE TO ACCEPT THAT
DISTANCE IS A GREAT ADVANTAGE,

PRECISION IS A GREAT ADVANTAGE,

BUT BATTLES ARE WON ULTIMATELY
WHEN THE ENEMY IS DEFEATED

AND IF HE WON'T
COME OUT TO PLAY,

YOU WILL HAVE TO GO AND GET HIM

AND THAT MEANS GETTING
CLOSER AND CLOSER AND CLOSER

TO THE PLACE WHERE
HE WANTS YOU TO BE.

NEVERTHELESS,
MUCH EFFORT AND MONEY

IS PUT INTO THE DEVELOPMENT
OF NEW RANGED WEAPONS.

SOMETIMES THEY
LOOK LIKE THEY COME

STRAIGHT FROM A
SCIENCE-FICTION MOVIE.

FOR EXAMPLE, THE RAILGUN WHICH
USES ELECTROMAGNETIC FORCE

TO LAUNCH HIGH
VELOCITY PROJECTILES

OVER GREAT DISTANCES

THE US NAVY IS TESTING IT.

THE FIRST PHASE IS STATIONARY,

BUT THE LONG-TERM GOAL
IS TO OPERATE THE WEAPON

FROM SHIPS OR GROUND VEHICLES.

THE PATENT FOR THE
RAILGUN WAS FILED IN 1918,

BUT IT TOOK ALMOST
A HUNDRED YEARS

FOR THIS TECHNOLOGY
TO BE READY TO USE.

THE NOVEL TECHNOLOGY
EXCEEDS THE LIMITATIONS

OF CONVENTIONAL FIRE WEAPONS.

FOR PHYSICAL REASONS
CONVENTIONAL WEAPONS

CANNOT FIRE A PROJECTILE FASTERTHAN 1.2 MILES PER SECOND,

BUT THE RAILGUN FIRES
ALMOST FOUR TIMES AS FAST.

TODAY IT CAN
ACCURATELY HIT A TARGET

OVER A HUNDRED MILES AWAY.

IT WAS MANY CENTURIES BEFORE

THIS FUTURISTIC WEAPON WAS BORN.

THE FIRST RANGED
WEAPONS LIKE THE PILIUM

WERE USED AT DISTANCES
OF A COUPLE OF FEET.

OVER THE CENTURIES THE BATTLE
DISTANCE HAS INCREASED.

IN A TEST SETTING,
THE RAILGUN PROJECTILE

EASILY PENETRATES
SEVERAL STEEL PLATES,

BUT IT HAS A DOWNSIDE.

IT USES A LOT OF
POWER TO GENERATE

THE ENORMOUS
PROJECTILE VELOCITY.

WHETHER THE RAILGUN
WILL CHANGE WARFARE

IN THE FUTURE
REMAINS TO BE SEEN.