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.

I'M READY TO FIRE.

WE EXPLORE HOW AND WHY THEY WORK.

IT'S LIKE A NUCLEAR WEAPON.

WHAT PROBLEMS THEY SOLVE 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!

FROM ANCIENT TIMES,

THE SOLDIER ON THE BATTLEFIELD HAS RELIED

ON SPECIALIZED WEAPONS TO SURVIVE

THE MOST IMMEDIATE FORM OF WARFARE, HAND-TO-HAND COMBAT.

AMONG THESE, THE GLADIUS.

FOR MORE THAN HALF A CENTURY, THIS SHORT SWORD

WAS THE STANDARD WEAPON OF ROMAN LEGIONARIES,

A KILLING TOOL THAT MARKED A WHOLE ERA.

IT'S THE YEAR 200 B.C..

AFTER A BRUTAL BATTLE AGAINST THE ROMANS,

THE MACEDONIAN WARRIORS WANT TO BURY THEIR DEAD COMRADES.

A CHRONICLER LATER REPORTS

ON THE TERRIFYING WOUNDS INFLICTED BY ROMAN SWORDS.

THE MACEDONIANS WERE ABSOLUTELY HORRIFIED

BY THE DAMAGE THE ROMANS HAD DONE

TO THE BODIES OF THEIR SOLDIERS.

THESE MEN WEREN'T COMPLETE ANYMORE.

THIS WAS VERY, VERY SUCCESSFUL

PSYCHOLOGICALLY AS WELL AS MILITARILY.

THE SHORT SWORDWAS ORIGINALLY DEVELOPED

BY IBERIAN TROOPS THE ROMANS BATTLED IN SPAIN.

THE ROMANS ADOPTED IT AND GRADUALLY PERFECTED IT.

THE ROMANS CONQUERED SPAIN FROM THE CARTHAGINIANS

AND TOOK OVER THE BASIC SWORD DESIGN,

WHICH WAS IBERIAN RATHER THAN ROMAN.

SO THIS IS THE ROMANS BEING THEIR USUAL RELENTLESS,

REMORSELESS, RUTHLESS SELVES.

THEY'VE FOUND SOMETHING REALLY GOOD

AND THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE THE VERY BEST USE OF IT.

THE GLADIUS WAS A WEAPON

MADE FOR HAND-TO-HAND COMBAT.

ALONG WITH RANGED WEAPONS LIKE THE PILUM,

IT PROVED ESSENTIAL IN BATTLE.

PREVIOUS TYPES OF ROMAN SWORDS WERE LONG AND THIN.

THEY DIDN'T FIT WITHIN THE ROMAN COMBAT CONFIGURATION,

THE TESTUDO, OR TORTOISE, FORMATION.

SWORDS EXPERT STEFAN ROTH EXPLAINS WHY.

WHEN YOU'RE IN A ROMAN FORMATION

AND YOU CARRY YOUR SWORD ON THE LEFT HIP,

YOU'LL STRUGGLE A LOT TO UNSHEATHE IT.

I'LL SHOW YOU.

THIS WAY I HIT THE MEN BEHIND ME.

IF I TRY TO MAKE A LEVEL CUT, I HIT THE MAN NEXT TO ME, TOO.

IT'S LIFE-THREATENING FOR MY FELLOW COMBATANTS

TO FIGHT NEXT TO ME.

THE WORST CASE WOULD BE THAT I WOULD HAVE

TO OPEN THE FORMATION TO DRAW MY SWORD FORWARDS,

MEANING I WOULD OPEN MYSELF COMPLETELY.

I WOULD CREATE A GAP FOR THE ENEMIES

TO PENETRATE AND DESTROY THE FORMATION.

ROTH SETS UP AN ANCIENT CLOSE COMBAT SITUATION

FIRST USING A LONG SWORD.

AS THE ENEMY APPROACHES,

ROTH REACHES FOR HIS SWORD AND OPENS HIMSELF UP TO ATTACK.

THAT WOULD BE THE END OF ME,

A COMPLETE CATASTROPHE.

I'D OPEN THE SHIELD WALL, IN FACT THAT'S NOT ONLY MY END,

BUT THE END FOR MY COMRADES AS WELL.

ROTH EXPLORES HOW HISTORICAL

CUT AND THRUST WEAPONS WERE DEPLOYED AND MANUFACTURED.

HE'LL SHOW HOW TO FORGE A GLADIUS

USING TRADITIONAL TECHNIQUES.

HE NEEDS A SPECIAL RAW MATERIAL TO BEGIN,

A CLUMP OF IRON ORE TO BE WORKED INTO STEEL.

IN THIS FORM, IT HARDLY LOOKS

LIKE ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT MATERIALS IN THE WORLD.

ROTH AND HIS APPRENTICE INTEND TO TURN THIS RED-HOT LUMP

INTO A FINELY-HONED SWORD.

THERE'S A LOT OF WORK AHEAD OF THEM.

THEY HAVE TO HEAT AND HAMMER THE MATERIAL

OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

THIS IS HOW IT GETS INTO THE RIGHT FORM

TO BECOME THE SWORD BLADE.

IN DOING THIS WORK, ROTH TAKES PART

IN A 3,500-YEAR-OLD TRADITION.

THERE ARE ARCHEOLOGICAL FINDS OF IRON WEAPONS

AND TOOLS DATING BACK TO THIS PERIOD.

BACK THEN, THEY TRIGGERED A GENUINE REVOLUTION IN WARFARE.

FROM 800 B.C. ONWARDS, THE ROMAN, CELTIC,

AND GERMANIC PEOPLES USED FURNACES MADE OF CLAY

FOR SMELTING IRON ORE.

ONE OF THE THINGS FOR EXAMPLE

THE ROMANS WERE ABLE TO DO AS THEY EXPANDED THEIR EMPIRE,

THEY GET TO CONTROL RESOURCE AREAS

WHERE THEY CAN FIND NEW MATERIALS.

SO THEY'RE STRIPPING OUT TIMBER FROM THEIR EMPIRE

BECAUSE THEY'VE USED THEIR OWN,

THEY'RE USING IRON FROM SPAIN.

SPANISH IRON HAS BEEN A VERY SIGNIFICANT PART

OF WEAPONS MANUFACTURING SINCE THE EARLY IRON AGE.

THE CARTHAGINIANS USED SPANISH IRON,

THE ROMANS USE SPANISH IRON TO MAKE THE GLADIUS.

AS YOU EXTEND YOUR RESOURCE BASE,

YOU CAN PICK UP OTHER WEAPONS,

YOU CAN PICK UP BOTH LOCALIDEAS BUT ALSO LOCAL RESOURCES.

SO ONE OF THE THINGS YOU'RE CONQUERING

IS THE ABILITY TO MANUFACTURE WEAPONS.

OVER TIME, THE WEAPONS INDUSTRY HAS DEVELOPED

MANY SIGNIFICANT INNOVATIONS IN STEEL PROCESSING.

THE FIRST CAST-STEEL CANNON WAS DEVELOPED IN ESSEN IN 1847

BY THE GERMAN COMPANY KRUPP.

WHETHER FOR MANUFACTURING WEAPONS OR FOR CIVIL PURPOSES,

STEEL CASTING WAS A DEMANDING

AND DANGEROUS PROCESS IN THE 19TH CENTURY.

THE WORKERS WERE POORLY PROTECTED,

CASTING STEEL AT A TEMPERATURE OF 2,900 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT.

TODAY, MOST OF THE WORK INVOLVED WITH STEEL PROCESSING

IS DONE BY MACHINES.

AND GERMANY, ONCE THE WORLD LEADER IN STEEL PRODUCTION,

NO LONGER DOMINATES THE INDUSTRY.

CHINA IS THE TOP STEEL -PRODUCING NATION,

ACCOUNTING FOR ABOUT HALF OF THE TOTAL OUTPUT IN THE WORLD.

FORGING THE ROMAN GLADIUS IS DEMANDING, PHYSICAL WORK.

ROTH MUST PAY CLOSE ATTENTION

TO THE MATERIAL AND ITS PROPERTIES.

FORGING THE GLADIUS

IS PARTICULARLY DIFFICULT

BECAUSE WE HAVE A VERY WIDE, FLAT SURFACE.

YOU HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL NOT TO HAMMER

ANY EDGES INTO THE MATERIAL.

THIS COULD CAUSE PROBLEMS LATER IN THE PROCESS.

SOPHISTICATED FORGING METHODS

CAN FURTHER IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF THE STEEL.

ROMAN BLACKSMITHS HAD DEVELOPED METHODS TO DO THIS.

THE HIGH QUALITY OF THE BLADES USED IN HAND-TO-HAND COMBAT

WAS NOT ONLY DUE TO THE ROMANS'

EXTRAORDINARY BLACKSMITHING SKILLS.

THEY ALSO USED A SPECIAL MATERIAL, NORIC STEEL.

THIS FERRUM NORICUM

WAS A LITTLE MIRACLE OF THE CLASSICAL ERA.

IT HAD REMARKABLE PROPERTIES.

IT IS BELIEVED TODAY THAT THIS RAW MATERIAL

MIGHT HAVE STEMMED FROM A COMET

AND THAT THE COMET ALREADY CONSISTED

OF A SPECIAL COMBINATION OF METALS.

WE COULD PRODUCE THIS METAL TODAY

IN ELABORATE PROCESSES IN HIGH-TECH BLAST FURNACES,

BUT IT WAS READILY AVAILABLE

TO THE ROMANS AS A MINERAL IN AUSTRIA.

AT THE END OF THE FIRST CENTURY B.C.,

THE ROMANS, UNDER EMPEROR AUGUSTUS,

CONQUERED THE TERRITORY NOW KNOWN AS AUSTRIA.

THEY USED THE LOCAL ORE TO MAKE THEIR SWORDS

TOUGHER AND EASIER TO SHARPEN.

THE GLADIUS BECOMES MORE DURABLE AND MORE PREVALENT.

THE GLADIUS IS AN EXTRAORDINARY SWORD.

REVOLUTIONARY FOR ITS TIME.

A VERY WIDE BLADE, SOMETIMES UP TO NINE CENTIMETERS.

THE SWORD HAS A VERY PROMINENT POINT.

IT IS OF COURSE DOUBLE-EDGED, YOU CAN USE IT TO CUT.

BUT ACTUALLY, THE POINT IS MAINLY DESIGNED FOR STABBING.

IT'S A VERY LONG, MEAN WEAPON.

IT'S PRETTY NASTY IF YOU THINK

OF WHAT THEY COULD DO WITH IT.

WITH ITS WIDE, HARD STEEL BLADE

THE GLADIUS IS ABOUT 19 TO 23 INCHES LONG

AND WEIGHS BETWEEN 2.5 TO 3.5 POUNDS.

IT WILL BECOME THE DOMINANT CLOSE-COMBAT WEAPON

OF THE ANCIENT WORLD.

BUT WHY IS THE GLADIUS SO USEFUL IN FORMATION FIGHTING?

HOW DOES IT HELP THE ROMAN SOLDIERS

KEEP THEIR SHIELD WALL INTACT ON THE BATTLEFIELD?

ROTH HAS STUDIED THE ROMANS' USE OF THE SWORD IN COMBAT.

THE ROMANS FOUND A SOLUTION

TO THE PROBLEM BY WEARING THE GLADIUS ON THEIR RIGHT SIDE

AND USING A SPECIAL TECHNIQUE TO DRAW THE SWORD,

SO THAT THEY WOULD NOT PUT THEIR NEIGHBOR IN DANGER

OR HINDER THEM IN ANY WAY.

WHAT THEY DID WAS GRAB THE SWORD

WITH THEIR HAND TURNED INWARDS, UNSHEATHE IT,

AND WAIT FOR THE ATTACK.

EXACTLY WHAT THEY NEEDED IN THIS FORMATION.

NOW, ANOTHER ENEMY ATTACK.

CAN THE ROMAN SOLDIERS IN FORMATION,

THIS TIME ARMED WITH THE GLADIUS, STOP THEM?

THE SOLDIERS CAN THRUST THEIR SWORDS

WITHOUT OPENING THEIR FORMATION.

THE SHORT, HARD BLADE ALLOWS THE WARRIORS

TO STRIKE AT THEIR ENEMIES QUICKLY AND EFFECTIVELY.

THE ROMANS CREATED A PERFECT WEAPON

FOR KILLING PEOPLE AT VERY CLOSE QUARTERS.

IT HAD A SHARP POINT AND TWO VERY SHARP BLADES,

SO WHICHEVER WAY YOU USED IT,

IT WAS GOING TO DO A LOT OF DAMAGE.

PEOPLE HAVE COMPARED THE ROMAN ARMY TO A MINCING MACHINE.

IT LITERALLY CHOPPED UP THE OPPOSITION

AND IT INFLICTED TERRIBLE INJURIES ON THEM,

WHICH BOTH DISABLED THEM AND DEMORALIZED THEM.

THE GLADIUS,

A SHORT SWORD THAT CONQUERED THE ANCIENT WORLD.

COPIED FROM THE IBERIANS IN SPAIN,

PERFECTED OVER CENTURIES,HARDENED THROUGH SPECIAL STEEL.

WITH THE GLADIUS IN THEIR HANDS,

THE ROMAN LEGIONS EXPANDED THE REACH OF THEIR EMPIRE.

IN THE BEGINNING OF THE THIRD CENTURY B.C.,

THEY RULED OVER THE MAJORITY OF THE KNOWN WORLD.

DURING ITS GOLDEN AGE,

THE ROMAN EMPIRE STRETCHED FROM WHAT'S KNOWN TODAY

AS GREAT BRITAIN TO THE COASTS OF THE BLACK SEA.

FOR MORE THAN 500 YEARS,

THE ROMANS HAD THE MOST POWERFULARMY IN THE ANCIENT WORLD.

THAT ARMY SERVED AS THE BACKBONE

OF THE EMPIRE'S POWER MILITARILY AND POLITICALLY.

THROUGHOUT THE EMPIRE,

THE ROMAN MILITARY ORGANIZATION WAS THE SAME.

THEY TRAINED EACH SOLDIER IN A LEGION

TO FIGHT AND DEFEND AS PART OF A UNIT.

NEITHER THE CELTS NOR THE TEUTONS

WERE PARTICULARLY GOOD AT FIGHTING IN A COHERENT GROUP.

THEY TENDED TO FIGHT AS A MASS OF INDIVIDUALS,

WHEREAS THE ROMANS FOUGHT AS A SOLID

PROFESSIONAL BODY OF TRAINED MEN.

AND THIS HAS BEEN THE GREAT ADVANTAGE OF DISCIPLINED,

PROFESSIONAL ARMIES THROUGHOUT HISTORY.

IT'S NOT THEIR NUMBERS, IT'S NOT NECESSARILY THEIR SKILL,

OR THEIR STRENGTHS, IT'S THECOHESION WITH WHICH THEY FIGHT.

DURING MONTH-LONG CAMPAIGNS,

ROMAN LEGIONARIES HAVE TO FUNCTION LIKE COGS IN A WHEEL.

THEY BUILD THEIR CAMPS ACCORDING TO A SET PLAN

AND GOVERNED BY FIXED RULES.

AN EXPERIENCED LEGIONARY

WOULD ALWAYS FIND HIS WAY IN ANY IMPERIAL CAMP.

EVERY ROMAN IMMEDIATELY KNOWS

TO WHOM HE HAS TO REPORT,

WHERE TO FIND THE COMMANDANT'S TENT,

WHERE TO FIND THE SHRINE OF THE STANDARDS,

AND WHERE TO FIND HIS TENT.

THIS SHOULD NOT BE UNDERESTIMATED.

THE SKILL AND EFFICIENCY OF ROMAN ENGINEERS

IS REFLECTED IN THE INFRASTRUCTURE

THEY BUILT IN NEWLY CONQUERED PROVINCES.

MANY OF THEIR ROADS, AQUEDUCTS,

AND BRIDGES FOR INSTANCE ARE STILL IN USE.

OF COURSE, THE ROMAN EMPIRE

HAS LEFT ITS MARKS, SOME OF WHICH CAN STILL BE SEEN TODAY.

THE ROMANS PERFECTED THE ENTIRE ENGINEERING SYSTEM.

WE HAVE STREETS AND BRIDGES BUILT BY THE ROMANS

THAT YOU CAN STILL USE IN SPAIN, FOR EXAMPLE.

YOU CAN DRIVE OVER THEM WITH A MODERN CAR,

THEY CAN WITHSTAND THIS.

IN ORDER TO MOVE THEIR TROOPS

AND ORDNANCE QUICKLY,

THE ROMANS BUILT AN UNPRECEDENTED ROAD NETWORK

THROUGH THEIR VAST EMPIRE.

AT ITS LARGEST EXPANSE,

THE NETWORK WAS OVER 52,000 MILES LONG.

SOME TRACES OF THE EMPIRE ARE STILL VISIBLE TODAY.

SOME MODERN STREETS RUN EXACTLY

WHERE THE ROMAN ROADS USED TO BE.

THE WAY THE ROMANS MANUFACTUREDAND USED THE GLADIUS

IS ANOTHER INSTANCE

OF THEIR SUPERIOR TECHNOLOGY AND ORGANIZATION.

IT REMAINS A PIVOTAL WEAPON UNTIL THE END OF THE EMPIRE.

MANY OF THE ROMANS' INGENIOUS INVENTIONS

FALL OUT OF USE AS THE ANCIENT WORLD

GIVES WAY TO THE MIDDLE AGES.

DURING THE MEDIEVAL ERA, THE NEED AROSE FOR A WAY

TO COMBAT ARMOR-CLAD KNIGHTS ON HORSES.

THE MOST EFFICIENT WEAPON AGAINST THEM

IS WIDELY UNKNOWN TODAY, THE WAR HAMMER.

SAN ROMANO, NORTHERN ITALY, JUNE 1ST, 1432.

THE TROOPS OF FLORENCE ANDSIENA ENGAGE IN A FIERCE BATTLE.

THEIR KNIGHTS ARE IN FULL ARMOR AND FIGHT FOR HOURS.

IN THE END, THE FLORENTINES EMERGE VICTORIOUS.

THE BATTLE WAS IMMORTALIZED THANKS TO A PICTURE

BY FLORENTINE PAINTER PAOLO UCELLO.

IT SHOWS A KNIGHT SWINGING HIS WAR HAMMER,

A RARE ARTISTIC DEPICTION OF THIS WEAPON.

THE MEDIEVAL CENTER AT THE VILLAGE OF NYKOBING,

A PLACE TO EXPLORE THE SECRETS OF THE WAR HAMMER

AND FIND OUT WHY IT'S BEEN NEGLECTED.

MODERN BOOKS AND FILMS ALMOST ALWAYS DEPICT KNIGHTS

WITH THEIR TYPICAL LONG SWORD.

TOGETHER WITH STUNTMAN JOAKIM,

WEAPONS EXPERT MIKE LOADES IS PREPARING AN EXPERIMENT.

THEY SET UP A TYPICAL BREAST-PLATE MADE FROM STEEL,

AN INTEGRAL PART OF LATE MEDIEVAL ARMOR.

THE MAIN JOB OF THIS IS TO DEFLECT.

JOAKIM HAS TO BECOME A KNIGHT

FOR THE EXPERIMENT.

HE WILL ATTACK HIS OPPONENT RIDING ON HIS HORSE

IN FULL ARMOR, JUST LIKE IN THE MIDDLE AGES.

THE ARMING-UP PROCESS TAKES ALMOST 30 MINUTES

AND INVOLVES JOAKIM

PUTTING ON 15 SEPARATE PIECES, ONE BY ONE:

HE CAN'T DO IT WITHOUT MIKE'S HELP.

FIRST COMES CHAIN MAIL, FOLLOWED BY A PADDED JACKET

MADE OF LINEN, AND THEN PLATE ARMOR ON TOP OF IT.

THE POINT OF THE LAYERS IS TO PROTECT THE KNIGHT

FROM THE DANGERS THAT MAY ARISE DURING A BATTLE.

BUT IS THE KNIGHT WEARING FULL ARMOR MOBILE?

OF COURSE, YOU CAN TELL A DIFFERENCE

BECAUSE YOU ARE WEARING APPROXIMATELY

BETWEEN 20 TO 25 KILOS MORE.

BUT OF COURSE, IT'S MADE TO SUPPORT THE WAY

YOUR BODY IS SUPPOSED TO BE MOVING.

SO, IF I FALL TO THE GROUND,

THERE IS THIS BIG MISCONCEPTIONTHAT YOU CAN'T GET UP AGAIN.

BUT OF COURSE, YOU CAN BECAUSE IN BATTLE

YOU COULD GET TORN OFF YOUR HORSE

AND THEN YOU WOULD BE LYING ON THE GROUND.

BUT OF COURSE YOU NEED TO GET UP AGAIN

SO YOU CAN PROTECT YOURSELF.

CAN JOAKIM'S LONG SWORD

DAMAGE THE ARMORED DUMMY IN THE RING?

TIME TO FIND OUT!

THE ARMOR WITHSTANDS THE ATTACK.

THE SWORD BLADE EVEN BREAKS.

WHAT I COULD SEE JUST BY OBSERVATION

WAS THAT THE SHAPE OF THE ARMOR, IT DEFLECTED IT.

THAT SWORD DIDN'T DELIVER FULL FORCE INTO THE MAN.

SO IF THE LONG SWORD

CAN'T DENT THE KNIGHT'S ARMOR, THE QUESTION BECOMES,

IS THERE A WEAPON THAT CAN?

KILLING WITHOUT BEING KILLED.

THE LEADING MOTIVE OF WARFARE IS AS OLD AS HUMAN HISTORY.

SINCE THE DAWN OF TIME,MEN GOING INTO BATTLE

HAVE THOUGHT OF WAYS OF PROTECTING THEMSELVES

AGAINST THE ENEMY'S WEAPONS.

IT'S A NATURAL HUMAN RESPONSE.

AND THEY BEGIN BY USING READILY AVAILABLE MATERIALS,

LEATHER, WOOD, AND INCREASINGLY

AS METAL BECOMES MORE COMMONLY AVAILABLE,

PIECES OF METAL ARE STUDDED ONTO THE LEATHER DEFENSES

AND THEN THE DEFENSES THEMSELVES BECOME METAL.

IN THE EARLY MIDDLE AGES,

THE KNIGHTS OFTEN RELY ON CHAIN MAIL.

LARGE PLATE ARMOR CAN ONLY BE MANUFACTURED

ONCE METALWORKING HAS IMPROVED.

BUT PROTECTIVE ARMOR, WHICH CAN WEIGH OVER 50 POUNDS,

HAS A DOWNSIDE.

THE PROBLEM HAS ALWAYSBEEN BALANCING OFF

THE ADVANTAGE OF PROTECTION

AGAINST THE DISADVANTAGE OF WEIGHT AND IMMOBILITY.

YOU COULD BE PERFECTLY PROTECTED,

BUT ALSO PERFECTLY IMMOBILE ANDTHEREFORE PERFECTLY USELESS.

PLATE ARMOR HAS TO BE MADE

SPECIFICALLY FOR THE MAN WEARING IT

IN ORDER TO FIT PERFECTLY.

THIS TAKES SEVERAL MONTHS,

AND NOT EVERYONE CAN AFFORD CUSTOM-MADE ARMOR.

THIS IS WHY ARMOR ALSO HAS HIGH SYMBOLIC VALUE.

IT'S A VISIBLE SIGN OF THE KNIGHT'S SOCIAL STATUS.

THE FULL SUIT OF ARMORIS A STATUS SYMBOL.

IT SAYS, "LOOK AT ME, I'M VERY IMPORTANT.

"I'M SO IMPORTANT, I'M PROTECTED

"WHEREAS YOU ARE UNIMPORTANT AND NOT PROTECTED."

ELITIST, SELF-CENTERED, VIOLENT,

THE IDEA OF THE NOBLE KNIGHT IS A MYTH.

OF COURSE, WE ALWAYS HAVE THIS IDEA

OF THE CHIVALROUS KNIGHT WHO'S HONEST,

WHO HELPS THE POOR AND ALWAYS TELLS THE TRUTH.

UNFORTUNATELY, REALITY OFTEN LOOKED QUITE DIFFERENT,

IF NOT CONTRARY TO THAT.

KNIGHTS ALSO DISPLAYED SELF-SERVING BEHAVIOR;

THEY WAGED WAR AGAINST AND AMONGST EACH OTHER.

BUT MIGHT IT BE TRUE

THAT KNIGHTS WERE SUPERIOR FIGHTERS?

WERE THEY SUPER WARRIORS IN ARMOR

THAT NO ONE COULD TAKE DOWN ON THE BATTLEFIELD?

THAT NO WEAPON COULD HARM?

BY THE MID-14TH CENTURYTHEY HAD DEVELOPED

THE ABILITY TO MAKE LAGER PLATES OF STEEL

AND THAT ENABLED THEM TO MAKE LARGE SURFACES,

PLATE ARMOR, YOU CAN COVER THE BODY.

IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO DEFEAT.

THE WAR HAMMER WAS DEVELOPED SPECIFICALLY

TO DEFEAT PLATE ARMOR.

IS IT POSSIBLE A SIMPLE HAMMER COULD BE USED

AS A WEAPON AGAINST WELL-TRAINEDAND WELL-PROTECTED KNIGHTS?

THE FIRST DOCUMENTED EVIDENCE OF WAR HAMMERS

DATES BACK TO THE 11TH CENTURY.

THE WEAPON COMES IN DIFFERENT LENGTHS

UP TO SIX FEET AND WEIGHING UP TO 30 POUNDS.

MIKE LOADES AND STUNTMAN JOAKIM

WILL NOW TEST THE EFFECT OF A WAR HAMMER BLOW

TO SOLID MEDIEVAL PLATE ARMOR.

THAT WAS CHILLING TO SEETHAT FORCE GOING THROUGH IT.

IT JUST GOES TO SHOW THAT HOWEVER INGENIOUS MAN IS,

HOWEVER MUCH HE INVENTS NEW ARMOR AND NEW PROTECTION,

ANOTHER MAN CAN INVENT WHAT WILL DEFEAT IT

AND IT WAS THE WAR HAMMER THAT DEFEATED ARMOR.

THE HANDLE OF THE WAR HAMMER

SERVES AS AN EXTENDED ARM.

I HAVE TO STRIKE OUT WITH THE WEAPON HEAD LIKE THIS

IN ORDER TO GAIN ANY MOMENTUM AT ALL,

AND IT IS VERY HEAVY,

I NEED A LOT OF STRENGTH TO MAKE IT MOVE.

BUT ONCE I'VE MANAGED TO DO THAT,

THE MOMENTUM IS ENORMOUS, AN IMMENSE WEIGHT,

WITH PERHAPS EVEN GREAT SPEED.

HITTING A TARGET CAN RELEASE

A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF ENERGY.

IN THE TEST, THE PLATE ARMOR

DEFLECTS PART OF THE IMPACT ENERGY OF THE WAR HAMMER BLOW.

NOT ALL OF IT THOUGH, THE REST IS TRANSFERRED

DIRECTLY TO THE BODY, WITH FATAL CONSEQUENCES.

WHAT THE WAR HAMMER DOES

IS IT DOESN'T TRY AND BREAK THE ARMOR.

IT SENDS THE POWER THROUGH THE ARMOR.

AND BLOW AFTER BLOW AFTER BLOW WOULD WEARY A MAN.

BUT THAT'S JUST BLOWS TO THE BODY.

WHAT WOULD A WEAPON LIKE THIS DO WITH A BLOW TO THE HEAD?

IF TWO KNIGHTS FACE EACH OTHER,

AND IF ONE OF THEM HAS ALREADY LOST HIS HORSE,

THE WAR HAMMER OFFERS AN ADDITIONAL ADVANTAGE.

THE HORSE-RIDING ATTACKER CAN USE THE BLUNT WEAPON

TO HIT HIS OPPONENT FROM ABOVE.

BRUTAL VIOLENCE SIMULATED IN THIS TEST.

STUNTMAN JOAKIM STRIKES THE DUMMY WITH FULL FORCE.

THE EXPERIMENT GIVES AN IDEA

OF HOW VICIOUS MEDIEVAL BATTLES MUST HAVE BEEN.

THAT WAS A COLOSSAL, POWERFUL BLOW.

REALLY WELL-AIMED, YOU DID A GOOD JOB THERE.

IT'S CREATED QUITE A DIMPLE,

THAT REALLY HAS DAMAGED THIS HELMET.

SUCH BLOWS CAN BREAK A MAN'S NECK,

POSSIBLY LEAVE HIM STUNNED OR WORSE.

YOU CAN LOSE CONSCIOUSNESS,

AND I IMAGINE WHEN YOU'RE IN A BATTLE,

IT MIGHT NOT BE THE BEST MOMENT TO PASS OUT.

OBVIOUSLY, THERE WILL BE CONSEQUENCES.

BUT WHAT CAN HAPPEN, EVEN WITH PROTECTION,

EVEN IF THE KNIGHT IS WEARING A HELMET,

IS INTERNAL BLEEDING IN THE HEAD.

NOT EVEN A STEEL HELMET

CAN FULLY PROTECT AGAINST THE WAR HAMMER.

IT IS A FATAL WEAPON FOR KNIGHTS ON THE BATTLEFIELD.

THE BATTLE OF TOWTON, ENGLAND, IN 1461 IS A CASE IN POINT.

ARCHEOLOGICAL EXCAVATIONS HAVE UNEARTHED COUNTLESS SKULLS

THAT HAVE BEEN SMASHED IN BY WAR HAMMERS.

BUT THE WEAPON IS NOT ONLY RUTHLESS

WHEN WIELDED BY A HORSEMAN.

ON THE REVERSE SIDE OF THE HAMMER-HEAD,

THERE'S AN IRON SPIKE THAT'S SLIGHTLY CURVED DOWNWARDS,

CALLED A RAVEN'S BEAK.

THE WARRIOR ON FOOT CAN USE THE RAVEN'S BEAK

TO PENETRATE THE ARMOR PLATES,

THE CURVED SPIKE SERVING AS A HOOK

THAT CAN RIP THE ENEMY RIDER FROM HIS HORSE.

THE WAR HAMMER ALSO POSSESSES UNFORESEEN SOCIAL POTENTIAL

AS A WEAPON OF THE ORDINARY PEOPLE.

IT'S USED TO LITERALLY PULL

THE ARMOR-WEARING NOBLEMAN DOWN FROM HIS HIGH HORSE.

EVERY BLACKSMITH'S SHOP HAS A HAMMER.

A HAMMER IS NOT A SOPHISTICATED WEAPON.

AND THEY HAD LEARNED THAT THIS WAS THE WAY

TO FIGHT THESE MEN IN THEIR ARMOR.

JUNE 1524.

THE PEASANT'S WAR RAGES IN SOUTHERN GERMANY.

THOUSANDS OF POOR TENANT FARMERS

REBEL AGAINST THE LANDED NOBILITY.

THEIR SYMBOL IS THE RAINBOW FLAG.

THEY DEMAND LOWER TAXES AND AN END TO SERFDOM.

THE PEASANTS SUMMARIZE THEIR GRIEVANCES

IN THE TWELVE ARTICLES,

A DOCUMENT THAT WAS REJECTED BY THE FEUDAL LORDS.

IN THE CONFLICTS THAT FOLLOW, THE WAR HAMMER BECAME

ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT WEAPONS OF THE PEASANTS.

MOSTLY, BECAUSE IT'S SO EASY TO MAKE.

BUT IN THE END,

THE WAR HAMMER DOESN'T LEAD THE PEASANTS TO VICTORY.

THE NOBILITY DEFEATS THEM WITH ARMORED KNIGHTS AND CANNONS.

THE ERA OF BLACK POWDER BEGINS.

FIRE ARMS AND THE RISE OR PROFESSIONAL ARMIES

MAKE KNIGHTS AND THEIR WEAPONS,

LIKE THE WAR HAMMER, OBSOLETE.

THE EARLY MODERN ERA SEES THE DEVELOPMENT

OF NEW CLOSE-COMBAT WEAPONS.

ONE OF THEM IS STILL USED TODAY: THE BAYONET.

IT HAS A DOUBLE EFFECT, BOTH PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL.

MUSKETS, EARLY FIREARMS,

INACCURATE, CUMBERSOME TO RE-LOAD,

AND OFTEN USELESS AFTER A FEW SHOTS BECAUSE THEY OVERHEAT.

BY THE MID-17TH CENTURY,

RESOURCEFUL MUSKETEERS FIND A WAY

TO TACKLE THE PROBLEM IN BAYONNE, FRANCE,

THE CITY WHICH GIVES THE WEAPON ITS NAME.

BY ATTACHING A KNIFE BLADE ONTO THE MUSKET BARREL,

THE BAYONET IS BORN.

THE RANGED WEAPON IS NOW READY FOR HAND-TO-HAND COMBAT.

HISTORIAN AND WEAPONS EXPERT STEPHEN BULL

SHOWS HOW TO COMBINE MUSKET AND BAYONET.

SO, THIS IS THE PLUG BAYONET.

IT'S AN EXTREMELY SIMPLE WEAPON.

IT'S BASICALLY A KNIFE BLADE WITH A WOODEN HANDLE.

AND THE WOODEN HANDLE JUST FITS

INTO THE BARREL OF THE MUSKET.

SO, LET'S SEE THAT.

HERE'S THE MUSKET, THE PLUG BAYONET,

STRAIGHT INTO THE BARREL.

THEN I CAN CONFRONT MY ENEMY LIKE THIS.

THE PLUG BAYONET

WAS NAMED AFTER THE CORK USED TO CLOSE WINE BARRELS.

THE WOODEN HANDLE ON THE STRAIGHT,

LEAF-SHAPED STEEL BLADE

IS ADJUSTED TO FIT THE DIFFERENT MUSKET CALIBERS.

BUT WHILE A HIGHLY EFFECTIVE WEAPON,

INSERTING THE BAYONET POSED A PROBLEM.

BUT CAN I DO THIS QUICKLY,ON THE FIELD OF BATTLE?

THIS IS A QUESTION WE'RE GOING TO ASK OURSELVES.

THE ADVERSARY IS PREPARING FOR AN EXPERIMENT.

TOGETHER WITH HIM, STEPHEN WILL DEMONSTRATE

USING THE PLUG BAYONET IN CLOSE COMBAT

TO SEE HOW WELL IT WORKS BECAUSE QUICK REACTIONS

ARE ESSENTIAL TO A SOLDIER'S SURVIVAL.

SO NOW I'M GETTING SLIGHTLY NERVOUS,

I'M GONNA BE CHARGED AT 15 METERS.

MY OPPONENT IS GOING TO BE VICTOR.

AND VICTOR WILL TAKE HIS MUSKET

AND IN BATTLE IF HE GETS TO ME FIRST,

I'M GOING TO BE HIT WITH THIS THING.

SO LET'S SEE WHAT HAPPENS.

THIS TEST WILL SIMULATE A BATTLE SITUATION

IN EARLY MODERN TIMES.

STEPHEN MUST INSERT THE PLUG BAYONET

INTO THE MUSKET BARREL QUICKLY, OR ELSE.

ONE METER, TWO METERS, THREE, FOUR,

FIVE, SIX, MORE NERVOUS.

14, 15.

THE CLOSER THE ENEMY IS,

THE HIGHER THE MUSKET'S ACCURACY.

STEPHEN WANTS TO TRY THE MUSKETEERS' TECHNIQUE

AT A DISTANCE OF ABOUT 45 FEET.

AFTER TAKING HIS LAST SHOT,

WILL HE BE ABLE TO FIT THE PLUG BAYONET

INTO THE BARREL IN TIME?

OR WILL HIS OPPONENT REACH HIM FIRST?

THE ENEMY ATTACKER IS FASTER.

MUSKETEER STEPHEN WOULD BE DEFENSELESS

IN A HAND-TO-HAND BATTLE NOW.

MEANWHILE, IN HIS HASTE,

HE INJURES HIMSELF WITH THE BAYONET.

SO WE'VE DISCOVERED ONE OF THE DISADVANTAGES

OF TRYING TO USE A PLUG BAYONET VERY QUICKLY.

AND THAT IS, IF YOU GRAB HOLD OF THE BLADE VERY FAST,

IT ACTUALLY CUTS YOUR FINGERS.

SO REALLY, WE NEED A BETTER TECHNOLOGY THAN THE PLUG BAYONET

TO MAKE THE SYSTEM WORK, BAYONET AND MUSKET TOGETHER.

A MORE SOPHISTICATED BAYONET

IS NOT LONG IN COMING.

AT THE END OF THE 17TH CENTURY

A NEW DEVICE WAS INTRODUCED.

THIS IS THE SOCKET OR RING BAYONET.

AND AS YOU CAN SEE, IT FITSAROUND THE MUZZLE OF THE WEAPON.

SO THAT YOU CAN STILL CONTINUE TO FIRE

EVEN WITH THE BAYONET IN PLACE.

THIS IS QUITE A BREAKTHROUGH.

RENOWN FRENCH GENERAL

AND MILITARY ENGINEER, VAUBAN,

INVENTS THE SOCKET BAYONET IN 1669.

FROM THAT YEAR ON, IT'S DEPLOYED IN EUROPEAN WARS

FOR MORE THAN TWO CENTURIES,

TAKING THE LIVES OF COUNTLESS SOLDIERS.

LEIPZIG, GERMANY, IN OCTOBER 1813.

RUSSIAN, AUSTRIAN, PRUSSIAN,

AND SWEDISH TROOPS FACE FRANCE AND ITS ALLIES.

SABERS AND BAYONETS PLAY A CRUCIAL ROLE

IN HAND-TO-HAND COMBAT.

BAYONETS ALSO PROVE EFFICIENT

IN FENDING OFF CAVALRY ATTACKS.

THEY REPLACE THE PIKE, THE LONG WOODEN LANCE

THAT HAD BEEN USED IN BATTLE UNTIL THEN.

THE PIKE WAS ESSENTIALTO DEFEND THE MUSKETEERS

AGAINST CAVALRY, BECAUSE THEY COULDN'T LOAD

AND FIRE FAST ENOUGH TO HOLD OFF CAVALRY.

IF YOU COULD GIVE THEM A SELF-DEFENSE WEAPON,

ESSENTIALLY THEIR OWN FORM OF PIKE,

YOU COULD REDUCE THE NEED FOR THE DEFENSIVE ELEMENT

AND INCREASE YOUR FIREPOWER.

ATTACKING WITH ONE SINGLE WEAPON

AND SECURING THE DEFENSE.

IN THE BATTLE OF LEIPZIG, ALL SIDES USE THE BAYONET.

OVER 90,000 OUT OF 600,000 MEN LOSE THEIR LIVES,

MANY OF THEM IN CLOSE COMBAT.

THE BATTLE PROVED A DECISIVE DEFEAT

FOR FRENCH EMPEROR NAPOLEON.

FROM THE 19TH CENTURY ON,FIREARMS BECOME MORE EFFICIENT,

BATTLE DISTANCES BECOME GREATER,

HAND-TO-HAND COMBAT BECOMES RARER.

BUT THE BAYONET STILL SERVES A PURPOSE ON THE BATTLEFIELD

LARGELY BECAUSE OF ITS PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECT.

THERE IS A WAY TO EXPLORE THIS EFFECT IN AN EXPERIMENT.

KARIN RUTTGERS IS A NEUROBIOLOGIST.

SHE'LL MEASURE THE PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECT

OF A BAYONET ATTACK ON SEVERAL VOLUNTEERS.

FOR SAFETY REASONS,

THE VOLUNTEERS WILL WEAR VIRTUAL REALITY GLASSES.

WE KNOW TODAY THAT WATCHING FILMS

WITH THESE VIRTUAL REALITY GLASSES,

WE EXPERIENCE SIMILAR EMOTIONS

TO THOSE WE HAVE IN REAL LIFE.

THIS IS WHY WE EVEN USE THEM TO TREAT ANXIETY DISORDERS.

OUR SUBCONSCIOUS SIMPLY CANNOT DIFFERENTIATE

BETWEEN REALITY AND FANTASY.

OUR COGNITIVE, CONSCIOUS SELF CAN MAKE THIS DIFFERENTIATION,

BUT OUR SUBCONSCIOUS FEELS THE SAME FEAR.

SO IT'S ALL VERY REALISTIC.

TWO SCENES WILL TAKE PLACE

IN THE VIRTUAL REALITY SETTING.

IN THE FIRST, THE PARTICIPANTS WILL FACE

A WORLD WAR I SOLDIER AIMING AT THEM WITH A RIFLE.

IN THE SECOND SCENARIO,

THE SOLDIER APPROACHES WITH A BAYONET.

WILL THE PARTICIPANTS' REACTION BE DIFFERENT?

THE FIRST ROUND STARTS UNDER DR RUTTGERS' WATCHFUL EYES.

SHE'LL MEASURE THE HEART RATE AND SKIN RESISTANCE

OF EACH PARTICIPANT AND ANALYZETHEIR REACTIONS IN DETAIL.

THESE PARAMETERS WILL DETECT ANY SENSE OF FEAR.

PUTTING ON THE VIRTUAL REALITY GLASSES,

THE FIRST PARTICIPANT IS PLUNGED INTO WORLD WAR I.

SHE WAS NOT TOLD WHAT TO EXPECT BEFOREHAND

AND HAS DIFFICULTY ADJUSTING TO THE WAR-LIKE SETTING.

THEN THE FIRST SCENARIO BEGINS.

OKAY, WE COULD SEE HOW SHE MOVED BACK.

RUTTGERS SHOWS THE SCENE

TO A TOTAL OF 10 PARTICIPANTS.

LIKE THE FIRST ONE,

THEY'RE GIVEN NO INSTRUCTIONS BEFOREHAND.

THE SUBJECTS HAVE NO IDEA WHAT THEY'RE ABOUT TO ENCOUNTER.

THEIR REACTIONS ARE SIMILAR,

THEY ALL EXPERIENCE A MOMENT OF FEAR.

IN THE FIRST ROUND THEY ALL FROZE

AND WAITED FOR WHAT WAS TO COME NEXT.

THEY WERE LESS RELAXED, DEFINITELY TENSE,

BUT WERE NOT TERRIFIED YET.

THE SECOND ROUND,

NOW, THE VIRTUAL SOLDIER IS ATTACKING WITH HIS BAYONET.

WILL THE PARTICIPANTS REACT DIFFERENTLY

IN THE SIMULATED CLOSE -COMBAT SITUATION?

Can: I FELT AFRAID FOR A BRIEF MOMENT.

HE LOOKED ME DIRECTLY IN THE EYE

AND THAT FELT UNCOMFORTABLE.

Leon: THAT WAS FRIGHTENING

BECAUSE HE DIDN'T STOP BUT RAN DIRECTLY TOWARDS ME.

WHAT YOU ACTUALLY WANT TO DO

IS TO GET OUT OF HIS WAY SOMEHOW AND RUN AWAY.

THERE WE COULD CLEARLY SEE THE MOVE BACK.

THE TRENCH WARFARE SITUATION IS NIGHTMARISH.

A SCREAMING SOLDIER WITH A BAYONET ON THEIR FIREARM

CLEARLY INCREASES THE TENSION.

YOU CAN SEE AN ENORMOUS SPIKE HERE.

YOU CAN SEE HOW SHE ORIENTED HERSELF,

SHE MOVED AROUND A LOT IN THE ROOM AS WELL.

THEN SHE CALMED DOWN, AND THEN, ALL OF A SUDDEN,

THE SOLDIER APPEARED AND SHE BECAME VERY NERVOUS.

IT WAS VERY, VERY FRIGHTENING AND SCARY,

AND I FELT KIND OF DEFENSELESS.

THE URGE TO ESCAPE THE SITUATION

IS THE COMMON RESPONSE OBSERVED IN THE EXPERIMENT.

AGAIN, THIS FEAR CAN BE SEEN BY WAY OF THE MEASURED CURVE.

YOU DEFINITELY FEEL A LOT MORE SCARED.

AND WHEN HE STARTED TO SCREAM,

I REALLY JUST WANTED TO GET AWAY.

THE PARTICIPANTS RATED THEIR EMOTIONAL STATE

ON A SCALE BEFORE THE EXPERIMENT

AND AFTER EACH VIRTUAL -REALITY SCENARIO.

USING THIS SUBJECTIVE DATA

AND THE MEASUREMENTS OF HEART RATE AND SKIN RESISTANCE,

DOCTOR RUTTGERS ARRIVES AT A FIRM CONCLUSION.

THE DATA CLEARLY SHOWS

THAT THE TENSION ROSE BY 140% IN THE BAYONET SITUATION,

WHEREAS IT ONLY INCREASED BY 75% IN THE RIFLE SCENARIO.

SO WE COULD SHOW THAT THE BAYONET

IS TWICE AS FRIGHTENING AS THE FIREARM ALONE.

ONCE YOU STRUCK FEAR IN YOUR ENEMY

YOU HAVE POWER OVER THEM THEN.

ANY WEAPON THAT GIVES A SOLDIER

AN ADDITIONAL SENSE OF CONTROL AND POWER

IS GOING TO HAVE A HUGE PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECT ON THEM

AND HOW THEY GO INTO WAR, HOW THEY FEEL ABOUT THEIR ENEMY.

AND IN THE SITUATION OF A BAYONET,

THEY'RE CARRYING SOMETHING THAT CAN KILL,

BECAUSE THIS ALSO HAS THE BULLET,

BUT CAN ALSO STRIKE FEAR

INTO THE PERSON THAT THEY'RE FIGHTING.

AMONG ALL THE CLOSE-COMBAT WEAPONS

ON THE BATTLEFIELD, THE BAYONET STIRS UP

THE MOST PRIMAL EMOTION IN A SOLDIER.

IT BRINGS THAT VISCERAL, ANCIENT FEAR

THAT UNSETTLES THE NERVES OF TROOPS,

THAT PERSUADES PEOPLE TO SURRENDER.

IT'S A WEAPON OF TERROR.

THE IDEA OF WEAKENING

THE OPPONENTS' PSYCHOLOGICAL MINDSET IS NOT NEW.

ANCIENT WARRIORS COPIED THE LOUD CRIES

AND ROARS OF ATTACKING ANIMALS WITH HORNS,

DRUMS, AND WAR CRIES BEFORE THE BATTLE.

IN WORLD WAR II, FIGHTER AIRCRAFT WERE EQUIPPED

WITH SIRENS TO SPREAD FEAR AND TERROR.

AIRSTREAM-ACTIVATED SIRENS WEREFITTED DIRECTLY ONTO BOMBS.

THEY AMPLIFIED THE NATURAL SOUND OF THE FALLING MISSILES

AND MADE THE EXPERIENCE EVEN MORE TRAUMATIZING.

IN WARFARE ANY ADVANTAGE IS POSITIVE.

THE PSYCHOLOGY OF WAR IS, IF POSSIBLE,

PERSUADE THE ENEMY TO DO WHAT YOU WANT

WITHOUT HAVING TO FIGHT,

THAT WAY YOU DON'T GET KILLED AT ALL

AND YOU CAN DO WHAT YOU LIKE WITH THEM

WHEN THEY'VE SURRENDERED.

Soldier: FIX BAYONETS.

STILL, TO THIS DAY,

WAR CRIES ARE PART OF THE BAYONET TRAINING.

MILITARY TRAINING FOCUSES ON OVERCOMING

OUR NATURAL INHIBITION TO KILL.

THE WAR CRY SPEAKS TO OUR MOST ANCIENT INSTINCTS.

OFTEN WE'LL SEE PEOPLE CHANTING THINGS

LIKE "KILL, KILL KILL."

SO IT'S GETTING THE ADRENALINE READY

BUT IT IS ALSO DESENSITIZING THEM

TO COMMIT ACTS OF VIOLENCE WHICH GOES AGAINST

WHAT THEY HAVE PROBABLY BEEN BROUGHT UP TO DO.

SO, IT'S ALMOST LIKE TRAINING SOMEBODY TO BE ABLE TO KILL,

TO BE ABLE TO INFLICT HARM ON SOMEBODY,

BY GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS OF DESENSITIZING THEM.

Soldiers: ON GUARD, ON GUARD, ON GUARD!

HAND-TO-HAND COMBAT

IS WARFARE AT ITS MOST VISCERAL.

THAT WAS TRUE BACK IN THE DAYS OF THE ROMAN GLADIUS,

AND IT'S STILL TRUE TODAY.

THE IRAQ WAR HAS SHOWN THAT, IN MODERN CONFLICTS,

SOLDIERS SHOOT MOST OF THEIR ENEMIES AT LONG RANGE.

BUT THE WORST PSYCHOLOGICAL PROBLEMS

ARISE FROM CLOSE -QUARTER FIGHTING,

WITH ITS EFFECTS LASTING LONG AFTERWARDS.

IN THE FUTURE, THE SOLDIER IS INTENDED

TO BECOME A PERFECTLY-PROTECTED

AND TECHNICALLY-ENHANCED CLOSE-QUARTER COMBAT MACHINE

WITH EQUIPMENT REMINISCENTOF ROBOTS: THE EXOSKELETON.

THERE ARE DIFFERENT MODELS,

SOME OF THEM CAN CATCH BULLETS.

OTHERS ENABLE SOLDIERS TO CARRY

UP TO 200 POUNDS FOR SEVERAL HOURS.

IN THE 21ST CENTURY WE'VE MOVED AWAY

FROM JUST THINKING ABOUT PROTECTION AND HUMAN MOBILITY.

WE'RE STARTING NOW TO THINK ABOUT USING AN EXOSKELETON,

WHICH WILL BOTH PROTECT THE WEARER

AND ALSO ENHANCE THEIR PHYSICAL PROWESS

SO THEY CAN MOVE FASTER, JUMP HIGHER,

AND CARRY ON FUNCTIONING FOR LONGER.

THE LOAD OF THE EQUIPMENT

IS SHIFTED ONTO WEARABLE METAL DEVICES

AND ELECTRONIC MOTORS,

WHICH AUGMENT THE SOLDIER'S PHYSICAL ABILITIES.

THE SOLDIER OF THE FUTURE, HALF-MAN, HALF-MACHINE?

WHAT WE'RE DOING IS WE'RE MAKING

ONE OF THE CLASSIC TRADE-OFFS IN THE HISTORY OF WAR

BETWEEN NUMBERS AND QUALITY.

WE'RE STARTING TO SAY, "MAYBE HAVING A FEW

"HIGHLY EXPENSIVE SUPERWARRIOR FIGURES IN EXOSKELETONS

"MIGHT BE MORE EFFECTIVE THAN HAVING

"A VERY LARGE NUMBER OF ORDINARY FOOT SOLDIERS,

"AND THAT THIS MAY BE THE WAY AHEAD."

SO WE HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL

THAT WE'RE NOT PURSUING A FALSE PREMISE HERE

THAT A SMALL NUMBER OF MECHANICALLY-ENHANCED SOLDIERS

REPLACING THE SAME VALUE INMORE CONVENTIONAL FORCES.

BUT DESPITE ALL TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENTS

IN WEAPONS-MAKING, WAR WILL REMAIN ARMED CONFLICT

THAT'S VIOLENT, POWERFUL, AND LETHAL.