All language subtitles for World of Weapons S01E06 The Power of Destruction

THEY ARE THE TOOLSOF 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--

Machnau: 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.

FIREARMS WERE
INTRODUCED IN THE MIDDLE AGES,

AND EVER SINCE THE
MILITARY HAS LABORED

TO SHOOT FASTER AND
MORE EFFECTIVELY.

THE MORE BULLETS THAT HIT
THE ENEMY ON THE BATTLEFIELD,

THE MORE LIKELY THE VICTORY.

BUT THERE IS ONE PROBLEM,

RELOADING THE WEAPONS
IS CUMBERSOME.

IN 1866, HIRAM MAXIM,

AN AMERICAN ENGINEER,
TRIES OUT A RIFLE.

IT IS TEDIOUS TO HAVE TO
RELOAD AFTER EVERY SHOT

AND HIS SHOULDER ACHES
FROM THE HARD RECOIL.

MAXIM, WHO IS AN ELECTRICAL
ENGINEERING SPECIALIST,

HAS AN IDEA.

COULD THE ENERGY FROM THE
RECOIL BE USED TO RELOAD?

IN 1881, HE TRAVELS TO
EUROPE, WHERE SUPPOSEDLY

A FRIEND GIVES HIM A
CRUCIAL PIECE OF ADVICE.

AND HIS
FRIEND TELLS HIM,

"DO YOU KNOW HOW YOU COULD
MAKE SOME REAL MONEY?"

AND HIRAM MAXIM SAYS, "HOW?".

AND MAXIM'S FRIEND SAYS,

"INVENT A WEAPONS SYSTEM
THAT WILL ALLOW EUROPEANS

"TO KILL EACH OTHER FASTER".

AND UNFORTUNATELY,
MAXIM TAKES THIS ADVICE.

AT THAT
MOMENT, EUROPE IS AT PEACE.

BUT IT SEEMS LIKE
ONLY A MATTER OF TIME

BEFORE THE NEXT
GREAT WAR BREAKS OUT.

MAXIM DEBUTS HIS NEW WEAPON.

AS LONG AS THE TRIGGER
REMAINS DEPRESSED,

THE MAXIM GUN FIRES
WITHOUT STOPPING,

ALMOST WITHOUT ANY RECOIL,

SINCE THAT FORCE IS USED
FOR THE RELOADING PROCESS.

WE WANT TO TEST HOW THIS
AUTOMATIC WEAPON WORKS.

KARIN MACHNAU IS A WEAPONS
EXPERT FROM PHOENIX, ARIZONA.

ON THE SHOOTING
RAGE, SHE SHOWS US

AN ORIGINAL MAXIM GUN IN ACTION.

Machnau: THIS GUN WAS ALSO KNOWN

AS THE GRIM REAPER AND
THE DEVIL'S PAINTBRUSH.

IT CHANGED THE WORLD OF
FIREARMS AND WARFARE FOREVER.

A SPECIAL
COMPONENT OF THE WEAPON

IS THE WATER-COOLED BARREL.

Machnau: WE'VE GOT
THE WATER JACKET.

WE HAVE AN AREA THAT
YOU COULD UNSCREW

TO PUT THE WATER INSIDE THE GUN.

IT HELD ABOUT FOUR
LITERS OF WATER.

WHEN THE BARREL GETS VERY HOT,

WHICH IT DOES WITH SUSTAINED
FIRE, THAT WATER WOULD BOIL,

STEAM WOULD COME UP, CONDENSE
THROUGH THE STEAM TUBE

AND COME OUT THROUGH THE
FRONT PART OF THE GUN,

HERE WE HAVE A HOLE.

SO THIS WOULD KEEP THE GUN COOL.

KARIN WANTS TO PUT
THE MACHINE GUN TO THE TEST.

HER TARGET, 10 PAINT CANS.

CAN SHE HIT THEM
ALL IN 10 SECONDS?

Machnau: OKAY, I'M
READY TO FIRE.

IN JUST 10 SECONDS,

KARIN FIRED AROUND 100 SHOTS.

HOW DOES THE RELOAD SYSTEM WORK?

THE RECOIL SLIDES A
CARRIAGE WHICH EJECTS

THE EMPTY CARTRIDGE CASEDOWNWARDS WHILE AT THE SAME TIME

PUTTING A NEW CARTRIDGE
INTO POSITION.

AS LONG AS THE BARREL STAYS COOL

AND THE SHOOTER KEEPS
THE TRIGGER DEPRESSED,

THE FORMER DISADVANTAGE
OF THE RECOIL

NOW PROVIDES THE MOMENTUM
FOR AUTOMATIC RELOADING.

HIRAM MAXIM HAS CREATED THE
FIRST AUTOMATIC MACHINE GUN.

A CARTRIDGE BELT WITH
250 ROUNDS OF AMMUNITION

IS ATTACHED TO THE WEAPON,
AND WITH BELT CHANGES

IT IS POSSIBLE TO SHOOT UP
TO 600 SHOTS PER MINUTE.

SO, IT TOOK THAT KIND
OF FIRE INTO NEW SPACES

AND IT BECAME A KEY TOOL
IN THE LATE 19TH CENTURY

IN THE PACIFICATION OF AREAS
OUTSIDE WESTERN EUROPE.

IN THE SUMMER OF1914, WORLD WAR I BREAKS OUT.

THE MACHINE GUN GIVES THOSE
ON THE DEFENSIVE FRONT

A HUGE ADVANTAGE
OVER THEIR ATTACKERS.

IT IS MAN-PORTABLE.

IF YOU SEPARATE THE BARREL
AND THE FIRING MECHANISM

FROM THE MOUNTING
AND THE AMMUNITION,

YOU CAN CARRY IT
ONE MAN AT A TIME.

THE MACHINE GUN

BECOMES STANDARD ISSUE EQUIPMENT

FOR EVERY EUROPEAN ARMY.

IN THE FIRST WORLD WAREVERYBODY HAS MAXIM GUNS.

THE GERMAN, RUSSIAN, AUSTRIAN,
AND BRITISH MAXIM GUN

ARE ALL BASED ON
THE SAME PATENTS,

THEY ALL LOOK
ESSENTIALLY THE SAME,

THEY ALL DO THE SAME
JOB IN THE SAME WAY.

AND HIRAM MAXIM AND HISCOMPANY GOT THE PATENT FOR THAT

AND THEY TOOK ROYALTIES ON
EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM.

SO, THEY MADE A FORTUNE

OUT OF EVERYBODY ELSE
HAVING MAXIM GUNS.

WITH A MACHINE GUN,

A SINGLE SOLDIER CAN KILL
HUNDREDS OF THE ENEMY

WITH JUST ONE FINGER
ON THE TRIGGER.

THE NEW WEAPONS OF WORLD WAR I

ALSO PRODUCE UNIMAGINABLE
PSYCHOLOGICAL STRESS.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO CONSTANTLYLOOK DEATH IN THE EYE?

AND WHAT IS TRIGGERED
BY KILLING DOZENS

OR EVEN HUNDREDS OF OTHER MEN?

TO TACKLE THISISSUE, TRAINING FOR NEW RECRUITS

INCLUDES A STRONG
PSYCHOLOGICAL COMPONENT.

REPETITIVE DRILLS ARE DESIGNED

TO OVERCOME FEARS
AND INHIBITIONS.

DON'T THINK ABOUT
IT, JUST SHOOT.

Nixon: IT'S ABOUT IMMERSING
PEOPLE WITHIN THAT TRAINING

TO RESPOND AUTOMATICALLY
TO A SITUATION.

TO NOT HAVE THAT HESITATION,

WHICH IS THE FRONTAL
PART OF OUR BRAIN,

RATIONALIZING, SAYING THIS
IS NOT A GOOD THING TO DO.

I'M NOT SUPPOSED
TO BE DOING THIS.

IF YOU CAN MAKE THAT AUTOMATIC,

IF YOU MAKE IT ALMOST
AN ANIMAL REACTION,

THIS OCCURS, I
RESPOND IN THIS WAY.

BUT EVEN
WHEN PULLING THE TRIGGER

BECOMES AUTOMATIC, KILLING
TAKES ITS TOLL ON SOLDIERS,

INCLUDING THOSE
APPARENTLY UNHARMED.

IN WORLD WAR I,
DOCTORS DIAGNOSED

THE SYMPTOMS OF SHELL SHOCK

AS A PHYSICAL REACTION TO
THE NOISES OF CONSTANT FIRE.

AT THE TIME IT IS THOUGHT

THAT LOUD SOUNDS TRIGGER
MINOR CONCUSSIONS.

TODAY IT IS CLEAR THAT WAR

CAN CAUSE SERIOUS
MENTAL DISORDERS.

BUT AFTER THE SECOND WORLD WAR,

MANY RETURNING SOLDIERS SUFFERED

FROM THE PSYCHOLOGICAL
CONSEQUENCES

OF THEIR EXPERIENCES.

Nixon: AFTER WORLD
WAR II, WE HAD MEN

WHO DIDN'T KNOW WHAT
WAS HAPPENING TO THEM.

THEY FELL TO PIECES IF THEYSURVIVED THE WAR AND CAME HOME.

THEIR FAMILIES SUFFERED,

THEIR RELATIONSHIPS SUFFERED,
THEIR HEALTH SUFFERED.

AND IT WAS NOT RECOGNIZED.

AND IF THEY SHOWED WEAKNESS,
THEY WERE CONSIDERED WEAK.

SO, PEOPLE KEPT IT
WITHIN THEMSELVES.

OVER
DECADES, RESEARCH

INTO THE PSYCHOLOGICAL
EFFECTS OF WAR IS NEGLECTED.

WELL-FUNDED STUDIES DO NOT
TAKE PLACE UNTIL THE 1960S.

IN 1980, THE MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS

OF POST-TRAUMATIC
STRESS DISORDER

IS FINALLY ADDED TO TEXTBOOKS.

Nixon: ONCE POST-TRAUMATIC
STRESS DISORDER

BEGAN BEING RECOGNIZED,
MEN WOULD REALIZE

THAT IT WASN'T THEM BEING WEAK.

IT WASN'T THEM HAVING
AN ADVERSE REACTION

THAT NONE OF THEIR
COLLEAGUES HAD.

IT WAS A COMPLETELY
NORMAL REACTION

TO WITNESSING SUCH
TRAUMATIC EVENTS.

AND ONCE THAT WAS RECOGNIZED

AND THEN THEREFORE
TREATMENT COULD FOLLOW,

WE NOW HAVE A SITUATION
WHERE FAMILIES UNDERSTAND

WHAT THEIR HUSBANDS,
SONS, DAUGHTERS NOW,

ARE GOING THROUGH AND RECOGNIZETHAT THEY NEED THAT HELP.

WITH THEINTRODUCTION OF THE MACHINE GUN,

MECHANIZED WARFARE AND THE FEAR

IT INSPIRES REACHES A NEW LEVEL.

THE WEAPON DRAMATICALLY
ALTERS THE PSYCHOLOGY OF WAR.

ENGINEER HIRAM MAXIM'S INVENTION

FOREVER CHANGES THE
WAY THE WORLD FIGHTS.

AND IT COMPLEMENTS A CENTURIES
OLD ONE, THE HAND GRENADE.

AT THE BEGINNING OF WORLD WAR I,

THE INTRODUCTION OF
NEW WEAPONS TECHNOLOGY

FREQUENTLY RESULTS IN FATALERRORS AND AVOIDABLE MASSACRES.

WHEN THE FIRST WORLD
WAR BROKE OUT IN 1914,

THE GREAT ARMIES OF EUROPETHOUGHT THAT THEY WOULD MANEUVER

IN THE CLASSICAL FORM
USING CAVALRY AND INFANTRY,

THEY WOULD SET UP
SET-PIECE BATTLES

IN WHICH WHOLE ARMIES
ENGAGED ON A BROAD FRONT.

IT RAPIDLY BECAME
CLEAR THAT FIREPOWER,

BOTH ARTILLERY FIREPOWER,
INFANTRY FIREPOWER,

AND PARTICULARLY
THE MACHINE GUN,

MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE
FOR MEN TO OPERATE

AS THEY HAD EVEN
50 YEARS BEFORE.

MACHINE GUNS
AND IMPROVED ARTILLERY

CLAIM HIGH LOSSES ON BOTH SIDES.

ATTACKS WITHOUT COVER
ULTIMATELY END IN A BLOODBATH.

AFTER THE DEVASTATING
BATTLE OF THE MARNE,

BOTH SIDES START
DIGGING FOR COVER.

BY THE END OF NOVEMBER, A
CONTINUOUS LINE OF TRENCHES

RUNS ALL THE WAY FROM THE
NORTH SEA TO SWITZERLAND.

MOBILE WARFARE HAS TURNED
INTO TRENCH WARFARE.

WHAT IS THE BEST WAY
TO EFFECTIVELY ATTACK

AN ENEMY HIDDEN IN
TRENCHES AND BUNKERS?

ARTILLERY BECOMES A KEY WEAPON.

THE ONLY WAY TO STRIKE
IS WITH BALLISTIC FIRE.

ON BOTH SIDES, A
SOLID ROW OF GUNS

IS POSITIONED FAR
BEHIND THE TRENCHES.

WILLIAM MILLS, AN ENGINEER
IN BIRMINGHAM, ENGLAND

DEVELOPS A NEW WEAPON.

IN 1915, THE MILLS BOMB

IS INTRODUCED TO
EUROPEAN BATTLEFIELDS.

MILLS' INVENTION IS NO NEW IDEA.

IN THE 16TH CENTURY,

TRANSPORTING CANNONS
IS GRUELING WORK.

SOLDIERS NEED A
LIGHTWEIGHT WEAPON

THAT CAN WRECK HAVOC
WITHOUT TOO MUCH EFFORT.

THE SOLUTION, THE HAND GRENADE.

THE SHAPE
OF THESE VERY EARLY GRENADES

RESEMBLES A POMEGRANATE,
HENCE THE NAME.

THE ROUND,HARD-SKINNED, MULTI-SEEDED FRUIT

INSPIRES THE NAME FOR THE NEW
WEAPON IN THE 17TH CENTURY.

A HOLLOW CLAY JAR IS FILLED

WITH GUN POWDER
AND METAL SLIVERS.

A FUSE IGNITES THE EXPLOSIVE
AND THE SHARP METAL

AND CLAY FRAGMENTS MAKE
THEIR DESTRUCTIVE IMPACT.

17TH AND 18TH CENTURY
ARMIES HAD ELITE SOLDIERS,

CALLED GRENADIERS WHO WERE
GENERALLY BIG, TALL FELLOWS

WHO COULD THROW A
GRENADE A LONG WAY.

WITH
THEIR HAND GRENADES,

THE GRENADIERS STAND
POISED ON THE FRONTLINES.

BUT THE WEAPON ALSO
HAS ITS PITFALLS.

THE GRENADE
HAD TO BE LIT.

IF THE FUSE WENT TOO QUICKLY,

THE GRENADE WOULD BLOW
UP BEFORE IT WAS THROWN.

IF IT GOT DROPPED OR
ANYTHING LIKE THAT,

THINGS COULD GO
WRONG, AND OF COURSE

IF IT WAS RAINING IT
PROBABLY WOULDN'T WORK.

SO IT WAS A RATHER
TEMPERAMENTAL WEAPON.

DURING
THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR,

THE NEXT GENERATION
OF HAND GRENADES

APPEARS ON THE BATTLEFIELD.

AN INNOVATION BY WILLIAM KETCHUM

ELIMINATES THE NEED TO
MANUALLY IGNITE THE WEAPON.

THE IMPACT FUSE IN THE WEAPON'SNOSE TRIGGERS THE EXPLOSION.

IF THE
BOMB LANDS ON ITS SIDE

AND DOESN'T DETONATE,
THEN IT STAYS

RELATIVELY SAFE FOR
A PERIOD OF TIME.

SO OF COURSE, THE OPPONENT
CAN THEN TAKE THE GRENADE

AND THROW IT BACK TO
WHERE IT CAME FROM.

IN 1915,
AN IMPROVED HAND GRENADE

ATTEMPTS TO SOLVE THE PROBLEM.

WITH
HISTORIAN STEPHEN BULL,

WE TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT
WILLIAM MILLS' INVENTION.

IT HAS CONSIDERABLE ADVANTAGES
OVER ITS PREDECESSORS.

IT DOES NOT NEED TO
BE MANUALLY IGNITED

AND THERE IS NO
UNRELIABLE IMPACT FUSE.

THE GRENADE IS CONSTRUCTED
USING A PERFORATED

CAST IRON SHELL AND
FILLED WITH EXPLOSIVES.

THE HAND GRENADE
WAS AN OLD IDEA,

BUT IT RECEIVED A
NEW LEASE OF LIFE

IN THE TRENCHES OF
THE FIRST WORLD WAR.

THE EFFECT OF AN EXPLOSION

IN A CONFINED SPACE
COULD BE DEVASTATING.

THE
FUNCTIONING PRINCIPLE

OF THE HAND GRENADE
IS THAT IN THE MIDDLE

THERE'S A FUSE CONNECTED
TO THE EXPLOSIVE CHARGE.

WHEN THE SAFETY PIN IS PULLED
AND THE LEVER IS RELEASED,

THE TENSION OF THE SPRING

HITS THE STRIKER
TO IGNITE THE FUSE.

SEVEN SECONDS
LATER, IT EXPLODES.

COMBINING PORTABILITY
WITH DESTRUCTIVENESS,

THE HAND GRENADE BECOMES
A STANDARD WEAPON

DURING WORLD WAR I.

ON THE FRONTLINES OF
FLANDERS AND FRANCE,

AN INGENIOUS TRENCH
SYSTEM IS DEVELOPED.

A SUPPORT TRENCH IS DUG
BEHIND THE MAIN TRENCH,

CONNECTED TO ANOTHER PASSAGE

KNOWN AS A COMMUNICATION TRENCH.

THE ENEMY IS ANYWHERE FROM 100
TO A FEW HUNDRED FEET AWAY,

AND THE SOLDIERS CALL THE AREA

SEPARATING THE TWO
SIDES, NO MAN'S LAND.

HAND GRENADES THAT LAND IN
A TRENCH ARE TERRIFYING.

BUT CHANGES TO
TRENCH CONSTRUCTION

ALLEVIATE THEIR
DEVASTATING EFFECTS.

Hausser: IF A
TRENCH IS STRAIGHT,

THEN SHRAPNEL CAN FLY
FAR IN ONE DIRECTION

AND POTENTIALLY HIT SOLDIERS.

SO, THEY THOUGHT IF
THEY DUG THE TRENCHES

IN A ZIG-ZAG SHAPE,
THERE WOULD ALWAYS

BE A CORNER NEARBY WHERE
A SOLDIER COULD HIDE.

AND THEN SHRAPNEL WOULD ONLY FLY

TO THE NEXT CORNER AND
GET STUCK IN THE WALL,

BUT HOPEFULLY IT
WOULDN'T HIT ANYONE.

SOLDIERS
THAT ARE HIT BY FRAGMENTS

OF A HAND GRENADE OFTEN SUFFER
LIFE-THREATENING INJURIES.

ONE OF THE KEY PROBLEMSIN TRENCH WARFARE

IS THE SECONDARY
INFECTION FOLLOWING WOUNDS

BECAUSE OF THE CONTAMINATED
AND DANGEROUS NATURE

OF THE GROUND THAT
YOU'RE FIGHTING OVER.

SLUDGY GROUND,
OVERFLOWING LATRINES,

UNWASHED BODIES AND
DECOMPOSING CORPSES.

EVERYDAY LIFE IN THE TRENCHES

IS YET ANOTHER BURDEN FOR
SOLDIERS DURING THE WAR.

: THEY HAD
TO WEAR THEIR CLOTHES

ALL THE TIME AND WORSE STILL,

THEY ALSO HAD TO
KEEP THEIR BOOTS ON.

THAT MEANT THAT CONDITIONS
WERE IDEAL FOR FUNGUS TO GROW.

AND BACTERIA ALSO GREW AND THE
SKIN BECAME REALLY MACERATED

AND STAYED MOIST AND WAS QUITE
FRAGILE AND VERY VULNERABLE.

THE LACK OF HYGIENE

MAKES IT VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE

TO TREAT A HAND GRENADE
INJURY IN THE TRENCHES.

: THESE
FRAGMENTS OFTEN HAD

VERY SMALL PARTICLES,
SO THAT MEANT

EVEN IF YOU HAD A TINY WOUND,

IT COULD EASILY BECOME INFLAMED

BECAUSE OF UNHYGIENIC
CONDITIONS.

AND IF YOU DIDN'T HAVE
THE RIGHT MEDICATION,

THEN YOU COULD GO FROM
BARELY HAVING A WOUND AT ALL

TO HAVING A SERIOUS
INJURY THAT GETS INFECTED.

AND THE INFECTION CAN THEN
SPREAD TO LYMPH VESSELS,

TO BLOOD VESSELS AND CAN
EVEN LEAD TO BLOOD POISONING.

IF A SHRAPNEL
WOUND DOES HEAL,

IT'S ONLY A MATTER OF TIME
BEFORE THE NEXT ATTACK.

IN 1917, THE BRITISH MILLSBOMB GOES INTO MASS PRODUCTION.

THE GERMANS ARE ALSO DEVELOPING

THEIR OWN COMPLETELY
DIFFERENT HAND GRENADE.

WHILE THE MILLS GRENADE
LOOKS LIKE AN EGG,

THE GERMAN VERSION
INCLUDES A WOODEN STICK.

AND IT FUNCTIONS DIFFERENTLY.

THE BRITISH HAND GRENADE
IS A FRAGMENTATION WEAPON.

THE GERMAN IS AN EXPLOSIVE.

HISTORIAN STEPHEN BULL WANTS
TO EXPLORE THE DIFFERENCES

BETWEEN THESE TWO
TYPES OF GRENADE.

THE HEAD OF THE STICK GRENADE
HOLDS OVER THREE OUNCES

MORE EXPLOSIVE MATERIAL
THAN THE EGG VERSION.

THE DIFFERENCE IS THE
FORCE OF THE EXPLOSION,

NOT THE RADIUS OF THE
PROJECTILE FRAGMENTS.

IT NEEDS TO HAVE
PINPOINT ACCURACY

AND THE GERMAN
GRENADE'S WOODEN STICK

IS SUPPOSED TO HELP WITH THAT.

SO THESE ARE
THE TWO GRENADES

THAT WE WILL BE TESTING.

THEY ARE BOTH TIME-FUSED MODELS.

THIS ONE IS THE SOVIET F1, A
SIMILAR DESIGN TO THE MILLS.

THIS ONE IS THE GERMAN M24,

STIELHANDGRANATE,
OR STICK GRENADE.

DIFFERENT PHILOSOPHIES,
BUT IS ONE BETTER

THAN THE OTHER, AND WHY?

WHICH
GRENADE WILL STEPHEN BULL

BE ABLE TO LAND CLOSER TO
HIS TARGET IN JUST ONE THROW?

HE TRIES OUT THE
MILLS BOMB FIRST.

QUITE SMALL IN THE HAND,
LIKE A LARGE EGG REALLY.

PULL THE PIN, AND
WE'RE READY TO GO.

THE GRENADE LANDS

ABOUT 16 FEET FROM THE TARGET.

NOT BAD, A
REASONABLE THROW,

BUT IT'S A LITTLE
SHORT OF THE TARGET.

THE MAIN EFFECT OF
THIS, OF COURSE,

WOULD BE THE FRAGMENTATION.

DOES
THROWING THE STICK GRENADE

GET A BETTER RESULT?

IT LANDS DIRECTLY ON OUR TARGET.

SO THAT WAS A
GOOD LONG THROW,

ALL THE WAY TO THE TARGET.

IT SEEMS THAT THAT LONG STICK

GIVES YOU A BIT OF EXTRA
LEVERAGE FOR A LONG THROW.

THE
EXPLOSION WOULD HAVE

DANGEROUS CONSEQUENCES
FOR THE ENEMY.

BUT THE SHARP FRAGMENTS
OF THE EGG HAND GRENADE

WOULD ALSO BE DEVASTATING.

THE M24 GAVE ME
A LONGER THROW

BECAUSE ITS HANDLE GAVE
ME GREATER LEVERAGE.

BUT THIS WAS A WEAPON FOR BLAST,

ESSENTIALLY A WEAPON
FOR USE IN THE OPEN.

THE SOVIET F1 IS
PERHAPS A LITTLE HANDIER

BUT NOT QUITE SUCH A LONG THROW.

ITS MAIN EFFECT
WAS FRAGMENTATION

AND PREFERABLY IN
ENCLOSED AREAS.

SO, THESE ARE BOTH GOOD GRENADES

BUT THEY'RE DESIGNED
FOR DIFFERENT PURPOSES.

BOTH
TYPES OF HAND GRENADE

MAKE THEIR MARK IN WORLD WAR I.

TO A LESSER EXTENT,
THEY CONTINUE

TO BE USED DURING WORLD WAR II.

THE SECOND WORLD WAR
IS NOT SUCH A GREAT WAR

FOR THE HAND GRENADE
BECAUSE WARS TEND

TO BE NOW MUCH MORE
MOBILE, MUCH MORE FLUID.

THERE ARE STILL TRENCHES
AND BUNKERS TO BE CLEARED,

BUT THEY ARE ONLY PART OF RATHERTHAN THE WHOLE OF THE WAR.

DURING WORLD WAR I,
300 MILLION HAND GRENADES

ARE PRODUCED BY THE
GERMAN SIDE ALONE,

FOLLOWED BY 70 MILLION
IN WORLD WAR II.

BUT THE REPERCUSSIONS OF
THEIR USE REMAIN THE SAME.

THOSE WHO SURVIVE
A SHRAPNEL WOUND

OFTEN MUST RESORT TO AMPUTATIONTO AVOID DEATH BY GANGRENE.

FOR DECADES, RESEARCHERS
HAVE SOUGHT IN VAIN

TO FIND A CURE FOR GANGRENE.

IN 1928, SCOTTISHBACTERIOLOGIST ALEXANDER FLEMING

ACCIDENTALLY DISCOVERS
THAT PATHOGENS

NO LONGER MULTIPLY WHEN INCLOSE VICINITY TO A MOLD FUNGUS.

FLEMING, TOGETHER WITH
BIOCHEMIST ENRST CHAIN

AND PATHOLOGIST HOWARD FLOREY,

FINALLY DEVELOP THEIR FIRST
ANTIBIOTIC, PENICILLIN.

THE ACTIVE INGREDIENT
PREVENTS GROWING BACTERIA

FROM COMPLETING
THEIR CELL WALLS,

EFFECTIVELY STOPPING
THEM FROM SPREADING.

TESTING PROVES THAT THE
NEW DRUG IS EFFECTIVE

BUT THE BRITISH GOVERNMENT

IS UNABLE TO TAKE ON
THE COSTLY PRODUCTION.

IN 1942, AFTER JOINING THE WAR,

THE UNITED STATES
STARTS MASS PRODUCTION.

: THE NEED
FOR PENICILLIN AT THE FRONT

LED TO IT TO BECOMING
A TOP PRIORITY

FOR THE PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY

AND THEY ACTIVELY
PUSHED THIS RESEARCH,

BECAUSE IT WAS ALSO A
HUGE MARKET FOR THEM.

THE
ANTIBIOTIC IS AMERICA'S

SECOND MOST IMPORTANT PROJECT,
AFTER THE ATOMIC BOMB.

LARGE ADVERTISEMENTS PROCLAIM,

THANKS TO PENICILLIN,
HE WILL COME HOME.

THE GERMANS AND RUSSIANS DON'T
HAVE ACCESS TO THE DRUG YET.

AND AS A RESULT, HIGH NUMBERS

OF THEIR MEN DIE FROM INFECTION,

A STRATEGIC ADVANTAGE
FOR THE ALLIES.

PEOPLE DON'T
DIE OF DISEASE,

THEY GET KILLED IN BATTLE.

WHETHER THAT'S MORALLY UPLIFTING

OR MORALLY BANKRUPT
I DON'T KNOW,

BUT IT DOES CHANGE THE
WAY THAT WARS LOOK.

WARS ARE NOW ABOUT
MEN DYING IN BATTLE

AND THAT'S SLIGHTLY
EASIER TO SELL

BECAUSE IT'S HEROIC
TO DIE IN BATTLE.

IT'S NOT HEROIC TO
DIE OF DIPHTHERIA.

AFTER THE
WAR, THE EXPENSIVE RESEARCH

ALSO BENEFITS THE
CIVILIAN POPULATION

AND SOON REACHES
THE ENTIRE WORLD.

WHAT WE'RE LOOKING AT
IS, ADVANCING ON TWIN TRACKS,

WE'RE FINDING NEW WAYS
OF KILLING PEOPLE

IN CONFINED SPACES

AND GIVING THEM
HORRIFIC INJURIES,

WHICH MAY BECOME CONTAMINATED,

AT THE SAME TIME
WE'RE FINDING WAYS

OF DEALING WITH THOSE
CONTAMINATIONS

AND HEALING PEOPLE.

AND FOR ALL ARMIES,

THE HAND GRENADE CONTINUES TO
BE STANDARD ISSUE EQUIPMENT.

AFTER 1945,

IT IS USED IN PRACTICALLY
EVERY ARMED CONFLICT.

IT CONTINUES TO BE
A VERY USEFUL MEANS

OF DOING A JOB THAT
NOTHING ELSE DOES.

YOU HAVE A SYSTEM OF FIGHTING
IN WHICH YOU'RE GOING

INTO INDIVIDUAL BUILDINGS AND
CLEARING INDIVIDUAL ROOMS,

AND THE HAND GRENADE IS STILL

THE WEAPON OF CHOICE
TO CLEAR THE ROOM.

A HAND
GRENADE IS ALSO DEVELOPED

FOR POLICE, MINUS
THE FATAL FRAGMENTS.

STUN OR SMOKE GRENADES
ARE HURLED AT CRIMINALS

AND SOMETIMES DEMONSTRATORS.

THEIR USE REMAINS CONTROVERSIAL.

A LEGENDARY VERSION OF
THE WEAPON OWES ITS NAME

TO SOVIET FOREIGN MINISTER
VYACHESLAV MOLOTOV.

DURING THE RUSSO
-FINNISH WAR OF 1939,

FINNISH SOLDIERS TOSSED
GAS-FILLED BOTTLES

AT THEIR SOVIET ATTACKERS,CALLING THEM MOLOTOV COCKTAILS.

THE ORIGINAL
HAND GRENADE

WAS A HOMEMADE BOMB AND
THE MOLOTOV COCKTAIL

IS A LATER VERSION
OF THE HOMEMADE BOMB.

IT'S A CLASSIC SOLUTION TO
THE PROBLEM OF RESISTANCE

AGAINST ARMED FORCE WHEN
YOU HAVE NO WEAPONS.

YOU HAVE TO MAKE A WEAPON

OUT OF SOMETHING
THAT ISN'T A WEAPON.

AND THROUGHOUT HISTORY
HUMAN INGENUITY

HAS RESULTED IN THE CONVERSION
OF PERFECTLY ORDINARY THINGS

INTO WEAPONS IN TIMES OF NEED.

IS A REFLEX AS OLD AS MANKIND.

THE ONLY THING THAT HAS
CHANGED IS WHAT WE THROW.

IN THE TRENCH WARFARE
OF WORLD WAR I,

THE DEFENSE GENERALLY
HAS THE ADVANTAGE.

THE RESULT IS YEARS OFBLOODSHED WITH LITTLE PROGRESS.

BUT THAT CHANGES WITH
THE NEXT DEVELOPMENT

IN WEAPONS TECHNOLOGY, THE TANK.

IN THE SECOND HALF
OF THE 19TH CENTURY,

MILITARY TECHNOLOGY MAKES
A GIANT LEAP FORWARD.

THE INVENTION OF THE
COMBUSTION ENGINE

PLAYS A CRUCIAL ROLE
IN WEAPONS DEVELOPMENT.

IN 1906, IN AUSTRIA-HUNGARY,
THE FIRST TANK IS INTRODUCED,

WITH A ROTATING TURRET INTENDEDFOR BOTH ATTACK AND DEFENSE.

BUT ITS FOUR-WHEEL
DRIVE ISN'T RELIABLE

ON THE BATTLEFIELDS.

A SPARK OF INSPIRATION
COMES FROM AGRICULTURE.

AT THE BEGINNING OF
THE 20TH CENTURY,

TRACTORS ARE BUILT
WITH ROTATING TRACKS,

A SYSTEM THE MILITARY
QUICKLY ADOPTS.

WHEN WORLD WAR I ERUPTS,

BRITISH NAVAL SECRETARY
WINSTON CHURCHILL

ADVOCATES FOR THE
CONSTRUCTION OF TANKS.

ON SEPTEMBER 15TH,
1916, THEY'RE READY.

IN NORTHERN FRANCE, DURING
THE BATTLE OF THE SOMME,

THE FIRST BRITISH TANKS
ARE PUT INTO ACTION.

THE HULKING BEASTS CAN ONLY
MOVE AT A WALKING PACE.

THE MARK I WEIGHS
CLOSE TO 28 TONS.

DEPENDING ON THE DESIGN,
ITS EIGHT MAN CREW

OPERATES EITHER TWO CANNONS
OR FOUR TO SIX MACHINE GUNS.

AT FULL THROTTLE, THE
SIX-CYLINDER GAS ENGINE

CAN BARELY REACH
FOUR MILES PER HOUR.

49 OF THE WORLD'S FIRST BATTLE
TANKS ARE SET TO BE DEPLOYED.

BUT ON THEIR FIRST MISSION,
THERE ARE ALREADY PROBLEMS.

IT HAS RELATIVELY
LOW-POWERED GASOLINE ENGINE,

WHICH GIVES OFF FUMES
INSIDE THE VEHICLE.

THE MACHINE ITSELF IS
UNBELIEVABLY UNRELIABLE,

SO LESS THAN HALF THE VEHICLES

ARE GOING TO MAKE
IT TO THE START LINE

AND ACTUALLY GET GOING
ON THE DAY OF BATTLE.

IT REALLY IS ONLY SUITABLE
FOR GOING A SHORT DISTANCE

AT WALKING PACE OVER TO
THE ENEMY'S TRENCHES.

THAT'S ALL IT'S
EVER GOING TO DO.

THE LOUD
AND MASSIVE VEHICLE

NEVERTHELESS
TERRIFIES THE ENEMY.

GERMAN SOLDIERS WERE
ABSOLUTELY FLABBERGASTED

BY THIS MECHANICAL THING
CRAWLING TOWARD THEM

WHICH SEEMED TO BE BULLETPROOF.

THE FIRST TIME YOU SAW
ONE THEY WERE TERRIFYING,

THE SECOND TIME THEY
WERE FRIGHTENING,

AND THE THIRD TIME THEY
WERE SLIGHTLY PREDICTABLE.

THE ARMOR ITSELF

ISN'T THICK ENOUGH TO PROVIDE

TOO MUCH PROTECTION AGAINST
DIRECT ARTILLERY FIRE.

AND THE GERMANS QUICKLY REALIZED

THAT IF THEY MOVED CLOSE
ENOUGH TO THE TANKS

THEY COULD FIRE THROUGH
THE OBSERVATION SLITS,

AND THEY COULD SET THE
FUEL TANKS ON FIRE.

THE TANK'S
DEBUT ISN'T ENOUGH

TO END THE WAR, BUT IT
IS A CONVINCING IDEA.

NOW EVERY ARMY IN THE
WORLD WANTS TANKS,

EVEN THE GERMANS WHO
ARE FORBIDDEN TO DO SO

BY THE 1919 PEACE TREATY.

THEY PROCEED ANYWAY
AND BEFORE LONG,

HITLER'S GERMAN
WEHRMACHT IS EQUIPPED

WITH ENTIRE ARMIES OF TANKS.

SEPTEMBER 1ST, 1939.

GERMAN TANKS ENTER POLAND
AND WORLD WAR II BEGINS.

THE ERA OF THE SO-CALLED
BLITZ WARS IS UNDERWAY,

AND TANKS ARE A DECISIVE WEAPON.

THE GERMANS QUICKLY
OVERPOWER HALF OF EUROPE.

BY THE END OF JUNE IN 1940,
HITLER CONTROLS PARIS.

TWO DECADES EARLIER, THE
FRENCH AND THE GERMANS

HAD FOUGHT IN THE
TRENCHES FOR YEARS.

NOW THE WESTERN CAMPAIGN
TAKES ONLY SIX WEEKS.

THE ENEMY
COULDN'T RESPOND,

BECAUSE EVERY TIME
THEY RESPONDED,

THE GERMANS HAD ALREADY MOVED.

SO SLOW LUMBERING RESPONSES,

FROM THE BRITISH AND THE
FRENCH IN PARTICULAR,

MEANT THAT BY THE TIME THEY
REALIZED WHAT HAD HAPPENED,

IT WAS OVER AND THEY
WERE ALREADY RETREATING.

ONE YEAR LATER,

GERMAN TROOPS INVADE
THE SOVIET UNION.

HITLER BELIEVES THAT
VICTORY WILL BE SWIFT

THANKS TO THE LIGHTNING
SPEED OF HIS TANK ATTACKS.

AT FIRST, IT SEEMS AS IF ALL
IS GOING ACCORDING TO PLAN.

BUT SOVIET LEADERSHIP RECOVERS
FROM THE INITIAL SHOCK.

A COUNTERATTACK IS
ALREADY BEING PREPARED

AND IT COMES IN THE FORM

OF GROUNDBREAKING
WEAPONS TECHNOLOGY.

IT'S NEARLY 19 FEET LONG,

10 FEET WIDE AND WEIGHS 26 TONS.

ITS WIDE TRACKS MAKE
THE SOVIET T-34 MOBILE

EVEN IN DIFFICULT TERRAIN.

THE 10 FOOT LONG CANNON
PROVIDES FIREPOWER

SUPERIOR TO THE GERMAN MODELS.

AND AT FULL SPEED,
THE STEEL COLOSSUS

CAN TRAVEL UP TO
34 MILES PER HOUR.

WEAPONS EXPERT STEPHEN BULL

WANTS TO TAKE A CLOSER
LOOK AT THE T-34.

IN 1941, THE
STRENGTH OF ITS ARMOR

TOOK THE GERMANS
COMPLETELY BY SURPRISE.

AROUND THE FRONT HERE, THEARMOR WAS 45 MILLIMETERS THICK.

BUT BECAUSE IT WAS
SO WELL SLOPED,

A SHELL HAD SO PASS THROUGH
60 MILLIMETERS OF ARMOR.

HOW DOES
IT FEEL TO DRIVE A T-34?

WITH AN EXPERIENCED TANK CREW,

STEPHEN TESTS IT
OUT ON THE TERRAIN.

SO THE T-34 HAD
A CREW OF FOUR MEN.

THERE GOES THE
DRIVER, THE GUNNER,

THE LOADER, AND LAST BUT
NOT LEAST, THE COMMANDER.

THIS POST-WAR
VERSION OF THE T-34

IS STILL COMPLETELY ROAD-READY.

FROM THE OUTSIDE,
THE TANK SEEMS HUGE,

BUT INSIDE, SPACE
IS QUITE LIMITED.

IT'S LIKE A TIGHT LITTLEOVEN, A NOISY TIGHT LITTLE OVEN.

AND THE REASON I'M WEARING THIS

IS BECAUSE I'M
EXPECTING THAT MY SKULL

WILL BE BANGING AGAINST THEINSIDE OF THE ARMOR ANY MOMENT.

IN MY LEFT HAND I
HAVE THE LANYARD

TO PULL THE MECHANISM
OF THE MAIN GUN

AND THERE SHOULD
BE A MACHINE GUN

OVER MY LEFT HAND SHOULDER.

DUTIES INSIDE
THE T-34 ARE CLEARLY ASSIGNED.

YOU'RE NOW DOWN IN
THE FOURTH GUNNER SEAT,

LOOKING BACK UP AT ME, FROM THEPOSITION NEXT TO THE DRIVER.

JUST BELOW YOU IS
THE ESCAPE HATCH,

SO IF IT GETS BAD YOU COULD
DROP OUT THROUGH THE FLOOR.

HOPEFULLY WE WON'T
NEED TO DO THAT.

NOW IT
HEADS ONTO THE TERRAIN.

CAN THE T-34 HANDLE THE COURSE
AND OVERCOME THE OBSTACLES?

THE COMMANDER
SUPERVISES THE EXERCISE.

NO PROBLEM FOR THE
STEEL COLOSSUS.

DURING WORLD WAR II, THE
SOVIET UNION MANUFACTURES

MORE THAN 50,000 T-34 TANKS,
TWICE AS MANY AS GERMANY.

HITLERS WEHRMACHT AIMS TO
COMPENSATE FOR THE SHORTAGE

IN NUMBERS BY CREATING A
TECHNICALLY SUPERIOR MODEL.

IN 1942, A NEW TANK CALLEDTIGER GOES INTO MASS PRODUCTION.

AT 26 TONS, THE T-34
RUNS AT A SPEED

OF MORE THAN 31 MILES PER HOUR

AND IS EXTREMELY MANEUVERABLE.

THE TIGER IS MORE
THAN TWICE AS HEAVY

AND CAN ONLY GO
18 MILES PER HOUR

BUT IT COMES WITH MUCH
STRONGER WEAPONRY.

IN A ONE ON ONE BATTLE, IT
WOULD HAVE THE ADVANTAGE.

SUMMER 1943.

THE GERMANS PREPARE
FOR A MAJOR ATTACK

ON THE FRONT IN KURSK, ROUGHLY
300 MILES SOUTH OF MOSCOW.

THE SOVIETS GETINTELLIGENCE OF THIS OPERATION

AND PREPARE FOR IT AND THEY USE
MINEFIELDS, ANTI-TANK TRAPS,

AND A WHOLE SERIES OF SYSTEMS

TO CHANNEL THE GERMAN ATTACKINTO PREDEFINED KILLING GROUNDS

WHERE THEY CAN MASS
THEIR OWN TANKS.

JULY 12TH, 1943.

THE CLIMAX OF THE
BATTLE OF KURSK.

MORE THAN 7,000 TANKS
AND TWO MILLION SOLDIERS

TAKE PART IN THE BIGGEST TANK
CONFRONTATION OF WORLD WAR II.

THE GERMAN TANKS
HAVE AN ADVANTAGE

IN LONG RANGE FIREPOWER.

THE RUSSIANS HAVE AN ADVANTAGE

IN MOBILITY AND CLOSE
QUARTERS FIGHTING.

SO THEY SET UP BATTLES
THAT SUIT THEIR TANKS

RATHER THAN THE GERMAN TANKS.

IT IS
HITLER'S LAST ATTEMPT

TO DEFEAT THE SOVIET
ARMY IN A PIVOTAL BATTLE.

THE LARGEST TANK
BATTLE IN HISTORY IS OVER

AND SO IS THE GERMAN OFFENSIVE
AGAINST THE SOVIET UNION.

THIS IS THE LAST BATTLE
WHERE THE GERMANS ATTACK.

FROM NOW ON THE
SOVIETS WILL ATTACK

AND THE GERMANS WILL DEFEND.

THE
ERA OF VICTORIES

WON BY TANK ATTACKS HAS ENDED.

CONSTANT IMPROVEMENTS
IN ANTI-TANK WEAPONS

AND AIR ATTACKS HAVE TURNED
THE HUNTERS INTO THE HUNTED.

TO COMPETE, THE SUCCESSORS

OF THE OLD WORLD WAR II
TANKS MUST MODERNIZE.

T-84 OPLOT IS THE LATEST
GENERATION OF RUSSIAN TANKS.

SINCE 2009 THEY'VE BEEN PART

OF THE UKRAINIAN ARMY'S ARSENAL.

FORMER MILITARY PERSONNEL ASSIST

THE MALYSHEV WEAPONS
FACTORY BY PERFORMING TESTS

AT A TRAINING SITE IN
KHARKIV, EASTERN UKRAINE.

SO, THIS IS THE OPLOT, THELATEST SUCCESSOR TO THE T-84.

AND IT'S GOT SOME
AMAZING FEATURES.

IT'S GOT EXPLOSIVE
-REACTIVE ARMOR

AND IT'S GOT 125 MILLIMETER GUN.

A SMOOTHBORE SO THAT IT
CAN ACTUALLY FIRE MISSILES.

BUT PERHAPS MOST AMAZINGLY
IT'S A FLYING TANK.

IT MOVES AT 70 KILOMETERS
AN HOUR ON THE ROAD.

STEPHEN
BULL WANTS TO TEST

WHETHER THE 50 TON TANK
CAN REALLY PULL THIS OFF.

A MILITARY TRUCK GOES FULL
THROTTLE OVER THE TERRAIN.

BUT IT SOON BECOMES
CLEAR THAT THE T-84 OPLOT

CAN NOT ONLY CATCH
UP WITH THE TRUCK,

IT CAN ALSO EASILY PASS IT.

BUT HOW DESTRUCTIVE IS
THIS KIND OF MODERN TANK?

STEPHEN BULL AND OUR TEAM
ARE HERE FOR THE TANK'S TEST.

THE FRONT OF THE
CURRENT CONFLICT

IN EASTERN UKRAINE IS
ABOUT 200 MILES AWAY.

SO THE GUYS HAVE
JUST BOMBED UP THE TANK

AND THEY'VE PUT IN THREE ROUNDS

AND THESE ARE TWO-PART ROUNDS.

THE PROJECTILE IS FIN-STABILIZED

AND BEHIND IT IS THE
MAIN CHARGE OF EXPLOSIVE.

THE TARGET
IS A SOLID STONE WALL.

THE TEAM ALSO SETS UP EXPLOSIVEGASOLINE DRUMS BEHIND IT.

THE GUN AIMS TO HIT THE TARGET

FROM A DISTANCE OF 1,800 YARDS.

AT THAT DISTANCE, THE TANK
RELIABLE HITS ITS TARGET.

WELL, THAT WAS A
GUT-SHAKING SHOT.

YOU COULD SEE THE FLASH.

I COULD CERTAINLY FEEL THEPRESSURE GOING THROUGH MY HEAD.

I'M GLAD THEY WARNED ME
TO KEEP MY MOUTH OPEN,

'CAUSE OTHERWISE I'M QUITE SURE

SOMETHING WOULD
POP INSIDE THERE.

SO THIS WRECKAGE HERE IS
WHAT'S LEFT OF THE TARGET.

AND YOU CAN SEE
IT'S STILL BURNING,

SO I'M NOT GONNA GO
ANY CLOSER THAN THIS.

BECAUSE IF THAT GOES OFF,
THIS COULD BE PRETTY SERIOUS.

BUT HOW
DOES THE MODERN TANK

HANDLE UNEVEN TERRAIN?

STEPHEN BULL GOES
ALONG FOR THE RIDE.

THE OBSTACLE, TWO CAR WRECKS.

THE 51 TON T-84 SLIDESEFFORTLESSLY OVER THE VEHICLES.

IN THE NEXT TEST, THE TANK
FACES A BURNING ROADBLOCK.

THE TANK SEEMS TO MAKE IT
THROUGH THE FLAMES WITH EASE.

BUT IN REALITY, IT
CAN ONLY WITHSTAND

A BLAZING FIRE FOR A
SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME.

I WON'T BE DOING
THAT AGAIN IN A HURRY.

WHEN YOU WERE INSIDE
SOME OF THE SMOKE

AND A FEW OF THE EMBERS
WERE BEING SUCKED IN

THROUGH SOME OF THE
FILTRATION SYSTEM.

AND I COULD FEEL IT GETTING
VERY SMOKY IN THERE.

I'M VERY GLAD THAT HE GOT
THE LID OPEN WHEN HE DID.

IT CERTAINLY WASN'T PLEASANT.

A TANK
THAT OFFERS ITS CREW

FULL PROTECTION IS AN ILLUSION.

IN FACT, TANKS ARE AS
POWERFUL AS THEIR MYTH

ONLY WHEN THEY ARE
USED AGAINST CIVILIANS,

IN 1953 IN EAST
BERLIN, 1968 IN PRAGUE,

OR IN OTHER PLACES
WHERE DICTATORSHIPS

ACT AGAINST THEIR OWN PEOPLE.

TODAY, AS A TOOL OF SUPPRESSION,

TANKS ARE STILL
THE IDEAL WEAPON.

IT'S A POWERFUL
MECHANICAL BEAST

WHICH THREATENS YOUR SECURITY.

IT ALSO MAKES YOU
LOOK BIG AND STRONG.

IT'S THE WAR ELEPHANT
OF THE MODERN WORLD.

THEY'RE SYMBOLS OF POWER
AS WELL AS BEING POWERFUL.

THE ROLE OF LARGE

AND POWERFUL MILITARY
EQUIPMENT AS A DETERRENT

HAS LONG SINCE SHIFTED TO
OTHER TYPES OF WEAPONS.

IN 2002, AMERICAN WEAPONS
ENGINEERS DEVELOPED

WHAT IS KNOWN AS THE
MOTHER OF ALL BOMBS,

A 30 FOOT LONG BOMB

WITH AN EXPLOSIVE CHARGE
OF 11 TONS OF TNT.

THE IDEA IS OF COURSE
THAT NUCLEAR WEAPONS

CAN DO IT BIGGER AND BETTER
THAN ANYTHING CONVENTIONAL,

BUT YOU'RE NOT
ALLOWED TO USE THEM

WITHOUT STARTING A WORLD WAR.

SO, LET'S BUILD THE
BIGGEST ONE WE CAN

SHORT OF A NUCLEAR WEAPON.

15 YEARS
AFTER ITS DEVELOPMENT,

THE MOTHER OF ALL BOMBS IS
USED FOR THE FIRST TIME.

ON APRIL 13TH, 2017,
IT TARGETS A SITE

OF THE TERRORIST MILITIA

OF THE ISLAMIC STATE
IN AFGHANISTAN.

EVERY BUILDING WITHIN A 500
FOOT RADIUS IS DESTROYED.

THE ATTACK GETS THE HEADLINE,

BUT THE ACTUAL MILITARY
GAIN IS CONTROVERSIAL.

WHAT DOES IT ADD TO
THE ARSENAL OF THE WORLD?

VERY LITTLE.

THERE IS A SENSE IN WHICH
MILITARY ORGANIZATIONS

COMPETING WITH EACH OTHER.

THAT'S NOT A COMPETITION
WITH ANYBODY ELSE,

THAT'S INTERNAL, AND
THAT'S ABOUT THEIR SHARE

OF THE BUDGET VOTED
THROUGH IN WASHINGTON.

SO, HAVING THAT BOMB MAKES
THEM LOOK GOOD IN WASHINGTON

AND I SUSPECT THAT'S
LARGELY WHAT'S BEHIND THIS.

THIS RIVALRY ALSO
PLAYS OUT INTERNATIONALLY.

RUSSIA'S MILITARY DEBUTS
THE MALE COUNTERPART,

THE FATHER OF ALL BOMBS.

IN 2007, RUSSIAN
STATE TELEVISION

BROADCASTS AN ALLEGED
TEST OF THE VACUUM BOMB.

BUT IN THIS CASE AS WELL, THE
BOMB HAS A GREAT SYMBOLIC USE

AS PROPAGANDA THAN AS
AN ACTUAL MILITARY TOOL.

Hausser: DURING
THE EXPLOSION,

THE OXYGEN IN THE AIR BURNS
TO CREATE AN IMMENSE VACUUM.

AND THE PRESSURE IN THESURROUNDING AREA DROPS ABRUPTLY.

SO IF I'VE ALREADY INHALED
AND THE AIR IN MY LUNGS

IS AT NORMAL
ATMOSPHERIC PRESSURE,

THEN IT SUDDENLY EXPANDS
AND MY LUNGS BURST.

FOR
THOUSANDS OF YEARS,

ARMS RACES HAVE BEEN A
DANGEROUS ASPECT OF WAR.

AND DESPITE ANY ASSURANCES
THAT NEW WEAPONS

ARE ONLY INTENDED TO
DETER AN OPPONENT,

THEY ARE OFTEN STILL USED,

UNLEASHING THEIR FULL
POWER OF DESTRUCTION.