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,

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.

RIGHT IN THE HEART.

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.