All language subtitles for World of Weapons S01E09 Deadly Inventions

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.

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!

THREE
WEAPONS INFLUENCED

THE COURSE OF GLOBAL HISTORY.

THESE DEADLY INVENTIONS
HEIGHTENED BLOODSHED IN BATTLE.

THE FIRST IS AN ANCIENT MISSILE
LAUNCHER KNOWN AS A SCORPIO.

WHAT MAKES IT SO INNOVATIVE?

230 A.D., LOWER SAXONY, GERMANY.

THOUSANDS OF ARMED ROMAN
LEGIONARIES ARE MARCHING SOUTH.

ALONG THE WESTERN END OF
THE HARZ HIGHLAND AREA,

THEY CONFRONT GERMANIC WARRIORS.

THE ATTACKING ROMANS STORM
A HILL AND CLAIM VICTORY.

HOW DID THEY DO IT?

ARCHEOLOGISTS HAVE
BEEN UNEARTHING

REMAINS OF THE
BATTLE SINCE 2008.

THE HARZHORN IS ONE

OF THE MOST PRODUCTIVE
DIG SITES IN GERMANY.

EXPERTS ARE SURPRISED ABOUT
ONE THING IN PARTICULAR,

THE LARGE NUMBER
OF BENT BOLT HEADS.

THEY MUST HAVE HIT THEIR
TARGET AT FULL SPEED.

THE ARCHEOLOGICAL
FINDS FROM THE HARZHORN

SUGGEST THAT THE ROMANS
USED CATAPULTS WITH BOLTS

IN A VERY TARGETED MANNER THERE.

HUNDREDS OF BOLTS WERE FOUND,

STILL BURIED DEEPLY
WITHIN THE GROUND.

EXPERTS WERE ABLE TO
RECONSTRUCT THE TRAJECTORY,

AND BASED ON THE DIRECTION
THE SHOTS WERE FIRED IN,

THEY THINK THE ROMANS
ACTIVELY TRIED TO STOP

A TEUTONIC ATTACK
WITH THOSE CATAPULTS.

THE ROMANS CALL
THEIR BOLT CATAPULT, SCORPIO,

LIKELY BECAUSE ITS FORM

RESEMBLES THE
DANGEROUS ARACHNID.

A LEGION OF 5,000 MEN CARRIES
UP TO 60 OF THESE WEAPONS.

ITS EFFICIENCY MAKES UP FOR
ITS CUMBERSOME SIZE AND WEIGHT.

IN ADDITION TO THE BOLT HEADS
FOUND IN THE EXCAVATIONS,

DETAILED RECORDS BY ROMANENGINEER MARCUS VITRUVIUS POLLIO

REVEAL HOW THE WEAPON
WAS CONSTRUCTED.

HIS WORK ON ANCIENT TECHNOLOGY

AND ENGINEERING SKILLS IS
ASTONISHING TO THIS DAY.

THIS COPY OF HIS 10
BOOKS ON ARCHITECTURE

DATES BACK TO THE 15TH CENTURY.

IN THIS WORK WRITTEN IN
THE FIRST CENTURY B.C.,

HE DESCRIBES THE SCORPIO AS
A WEAPON THAT HAS, QUOTE,

"BEEN INVENTED FOR SAFETY'S SAKE

"AND AS A PROTECTION
AGAINST DANGER."

THERE ARE DEPICTIONS
OF THE SCORPIO

ON ROME'S TRAJAN'S COLUMN
FROM 113 A.D. AS WELL.

IT FEATURES TWO LARGE CYLINDERS

TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT
OF THE ARM'S TRAJECTORY.

HOW DOES THIS WEAPON WORK?

AND WHY DO THE GERMANIC
WARRIORS DREAD THE SCORPIO?

MILITARY HISTORIAN STEPHEN BULL

STUDIES THE ROMAN
ART OF ENGINEERING.

TODAY, HE WANTS TO
CONDUCT AN EXPERIMENT

WITH A SCORPIO BUILT TO
BE HISTORICALLY ACCURATE.

THERE ARE VARIOUS
MODELS, BUT SCORPIOS

ALL HAVE THREE THINGS IN COMMON.

THEY HAVE A SLOT FOR THE BOLT,

SKEINS OF TWISTED SINEW,
AND THROWING ARMS,

A MECHANISM THE ROMANS ADOPTED.

Lambert: WHEN THE ROMANS GOT
HOLD OF GOOD IDEAS,

THEY INVARIABLY IMPROVED THEM.

AND WITH THE SCORPIO, THEY TAKE

A GREEK, HELLENISTIC
THROWING ENGINE

AND THEY TURN IT INTO A
USEFUL BATTLEFIELD WEAPON.

THIS ISN'T JUST A SIEGE MACHINE.

THIS IS NOW A PART OF
THE WAY THE ROMAN ARMY

FIGHTS BATTLE AS WELL AS SIEGE.

SO THEY MAKE IT LIGHTER,
THEY MAKE IT MORE PORTABLE,

THEY MAKE IT EASIER TO
MOVE, AND THEY MAKE IT

MORE EFFECTIVE BY
INCREASING THE POWER

AND INCREASING THE QUALITY
OF THE PROJECTILES.

IT WAS JUST AN ALL
-AROUND UPGRADE.

HOW MUCH IMPACT
DOES THE SCORPIO REALLY HAVE?

AND HOW PRECISELY
CAN IT HIT A TARGET?

DISTANCE TO THE TARGET IN THE
FIRST EXPERIMENT IS 65 FEET.

STEPHEN BULL AND HIS TEAM
PREPARE THE SCORPIO FOR FIRING.

THEY PUSH THE ADJUSTABLE
SLIDER FORWARDS,

PULL THE STRING INTO PLACE,
AND PUSH THE SLIDER BACK AGAIN.

THE LAST STEP IS AIMING THE
ARTILLERY AT THE TARGET.

SO I'M READY WITH THE
BOLT, AND I'M READY TO SHOOT.

NOT BAD, IT'S ON TARGET.

SO THIS HAS BEEN A
PRETTY EFFECTIVE SHOT.

IT'S ACTUALLY GONE ALL
THE WAY INTO A BOARD

A COUPLE OF CENTIMETERS
THICK AND, DOUBTLESS,

YOU CAN SEE THE
END OF THE ARROW,

THE BOLT PROJECTING ON THE
OTHER SIDE OF THE BOARD.

AS A
MOBILE ARTILLERY WEAPON,

THE SCORPIO COMBINES
FIRING POWER AND PRECISION.

THIN METAL PIECES ENABLE ITS
RELATIVELY LIGHT CONSTRUCTION.

IN ORDER TO TRANSPORT IT,
THE ROMANS DISASSEMBLE

THE SCORPIO INTO SEPARATE PARTS

AND PUT IT BACK TOGETHER
WHERE THEY WANT TO USE IT.

THE SCORPIO DEPENDED ON
THE PRINCIPLE OF TORSION.

ITS LEVERS WERE EMBEDDED IN
SKEINS OF TIGHTLY TWISTED ROPE.

WHEN THE TRIGGER WAS RELEASED,THAT FORCE WAS RELEASED,

AND THE ARROW SHOT FORWARD
WITH TREMENDOUS POWER.

IN ANCIENT
TIMES, THE TORSION BUNDLES

ARE MADE OF ANIMAL
SINEW OR SOMETIMES

HORSE HAIR BRAIDED INTO BUNDLES.

THEY STORE ENERGY WHEN TWISTED
AND UNLEASH IT UPON FIRING.

OUR SCORPIO RECONSTRUCTION HAS

TWO OF THESE TIGHTLY
TWISTED ROPES

HOUSED IN THE TYPICAL
BRONZE CYLINDERS.

ONE ASSISTANT HAS TO
RETIGHTEN THEM REGULARLY.

IN OUR MODEL, THEY ARE
MADE OF SYNTHETIC FIBERS

THAT ARE MORE WEATHER-RESISTANT

THAN THE ANIMAL SINEW
USED BY THE ROMANS.

IN A FINAL STEP,
STEPHEN BULL INSERTS

A POINTED BOLT WHICH
IS TWO FEET LONG.

Lambert: THE ROMAN EMPIRE HAD
VERY FEW ESSENTIAL WEAPONS.

THE GLADIUS IS ONE OF THEM,
THE PILUM, THINGS LIKE THIS.

THE SCORPIO IS ONE OF THE
WEAPONS THAT HELPS THEM

TO IMPROVE THEIR PERFORMANCE,
AND WE KNOW THAT THEY USE IT

IN SOME VERY INTERESTING PLACES.

IN BRITAIN, IT'S USED TO CAPTURE

SOME VERY LARGE IRON AGE
FORTRESSES ON THE TALL HILLS.

SO IT'S A VERY USEFUL
ARTILLERY PIECE TO BRING UP

FOR ASSAULT OPERATIONS
AND TO USE IN BATTLE.

GAUL, 52 B.C.

FOR FIVE YEARS, ROMAN TROOPS
UNDER GAIUS JULIUS CAESAR

HAVE BEEN SEEKING TO
CONTROL THE REGION.

THEY MUST REPEATEDLY
SUPPRESS GALLIC REVOLTS.

AND NOW, CAESAR IS
FACING A NEW THREAT.

THE GAULS ARE INTENDING TO UNITE

UNDER THEIR LEADER
VERCINGETORIX.

Lambert: VERCINGETORIX IS
SIGNIFICANT BECAUSE HE'S

THE FIRST PERSON TO
PERSUADE ALL OF THE GAULS,

OR ALMOST ALL OF THEM, THAT
UNLESS THEY WANT TO BECOME

PART OF THE UNIVERSAL
ROMAN EMPIRE

AND LOSE THEIR IDENTITY,
THEY'RE GONNA HAVE TO FIGHT.

AND IT'S NO GOOD ONE OF THEM,
ONE OF THE TRIBES FIGHTING.

ALL THE TRIBES HAVE TO FIGHT,

THEY ALL HAVE TO FIGHT TOGETHER,AND THEY HAVE TO BELIEVE

IN SOMETHING MORE THAN
THEIR SMALL TRIBAL GROUPS.

AND HE MAKES ENORMOUS PROGRESS
IN BUILDING THIS SENSE

OF IDENTITY, WHICH
SOME FRENCH PEOPLE

WILL LOOK BACK ON AS THE
BEGINNINGS OF A MODERN FRANCE.

BUT THE
LEGIONNAIRES ARE MERCILESS,

ESPECIALLY WHEN IT COMES
TO DEPLOYING THE SCORPIO.

CAESAR WROTE, "A CERTAIN GAUL
BEFORE THE GATE OF THE TOWN

"WAS PIERCED WITH A DART ON
THE RIGHT SIDE AND FELL DEAD.

"ANOTHER GAUL STEPPED OVER
HIM TO FIGHT IN HIS PLACE.

"HE GOT SHOT BY AN ARROW
FROM A SCORPIO AS WELL."

THE GAULS' RESISTANCE IS
BROKEN AND THEY ARE DEFEATED.

LEGEND HAS IT THAT
AT THE SURRENDER,

THEIR LEADER VERCINGETORIX
WAS FORCED TO LAY DOWN

ALL HIS WEAPONS
AT CAESAR'S FEET.

THE ROMANS, AND THE
SCORPIO, HAD WON THE DAY.

IN BATTLE,

EVERY ROMAN LEGION DEPLOYS
ABOUT 60 SCORPIOS.

ACCORDING TO CAESAR'S ACCOUNTS,
THEY BASICALLY MOWED DOWN

THEIR ENEMIES WITH THE
BOLT-FIRING CATAPULTS.

IT'S SAID THAT ONCE
AIMED, THE WEAPON CAN HIT

THE SAME TARGET WITH EVERY SHOT.

STEPHEN BULL WANTS TO
FIND OUT IF THAT'S TRUE.

THAT WAY, THAT'S IT!

THAT'S OKAY, YEAH.

LOOKS GOOD TO ME!

STEPHEN BULL
HAS HIS MEN AIM THE SCORPIO.

FIRE AT WILL.

AH!

WILL THE NEXT
SHOTS HIT THE SAME SPOT?

SO WE'VE GOT A
COUPLE OF SHOTS

WHICH ARE PRETTY
CLOSE TOGETHER HERE.

THAT'S REASONABLE, MAYBE 45
CENTIMETERS, 50 CENTIMETERS

AWAY FROM THE OTHER
SIDE OF THE GROUP.

AND WE ALSO HAD A
COUPLE OF MISSES.

FOR
THE ANCIENT WORLD,

THIS IS REMARKABLY ACCURATE,

BUT WHAT ABOUT
PENETRATING POWER?

CAN THE SCORPIO BOLTS

ALSO PIERCE THROUGH
ARMOR AND SHIELDS?

WHAT WE HAVE HERE IS A
ONE-MILLIMETER STEEL PLATE.

WE'RE NOT REALLY
GOING FOR ACCURACY.

WE'RE GOING FOR PENETRATION.

LET'S SEE HOW IT DOES.

THAT'S GONE STRAIGHT THROUGH
A MILLIMETER OF STEEL.

THE HEAVY BOLT-HEAD HAS
FOCUSED THE FORCE ON THE POINT.

IT'S NOT COME ALL THE
WAY THROUGH THE WOOD,

BUT IT'S NAILED THE
METAL TO THE WOOD.

IF YOU HAD BEEN WEARING
THIS METAL AS ARMOR,

THE RESULT WOULDN'T
BE VERY PLEASANT.

SO WE'RE GONNA TRY AND GET THE
ARROW OUT OF THE STEEL PLATE.

I THINK IT'LL COME, GIVEN
SOME EFFORT.

YES.

IT APPEARS TO HAVE GONE MAYBE
A CENTIMETER AND A HALF,

SO IT'S GONE THROUGH THE ARMOR

AND THEN MORE THAN
A CENTIMETER BEHIND.

QUITE A NASTY INJURY.

THE SCORPIO
HAS PASSED THIS TEST,

BUT CAN IT PERFORM
EVEN MORE EFFECTIVELY?

SO WE'VE SUCCEEDED
IN PENETRATING

ONE MILLIMETER OF STEEL.

JUST TO MAKE LIFE DIFFICULT
FOR OURSELVES, WE'VE ADDED

A SECOND PLATE TO MAKE IT
TWO MILLIMETERS OF STEEL.

THIS IS GONNA BE A SERIOUS
TEST OF PENETRATION.

HIT THE TARGET, BOTTOM RIGHT.

HOW DEEP DID THE
BOLT HEAD GO INTO THE STEEL?

NOT VERY DEEP.

BUT CERTAINLY THROUGH
BOTH STEEL PLATES.

SO THE FIRST PLATE'S COMES OFF

AND WE CAN SEE THE
SECOND PLATE UNDERNEATH.

THE PENETRATION THROUGH THE
SECOND PLATE IS OBVIOUSLY

NOT AS SERIOUS AS
THE PENETRATION

THROUGH THE FIRST PLATE,

BUT IT'S STILL GONE
ALL THE WAY THROUGH.

SO THIS IS THE FIRST HOLE,
ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE PLATE

AND THIS IS THE SECOND
HOLE, NOT SO DEEP

BUT STILL ALL THE WAY THROUGH

AND I CAN FEEL THE WOOD BEHIND.

BASED ON THE
ARCHEOLOGICAL EXCAVATIONS

AT THE HARZHORN,
EXPERTS ESTIMATE

THAT IT WAS POSSIBLE
TO FIRE DEADLY SHOTS

WITH THE SCORPIO OVER ADISTANCE OF WELL OVER 500 YARDS.

THE ROMANS BUILT THE SCORPIO
FOR SEVERAL CENTURIES.

IT WAS ONE OF THE
MOST EFFICIENT WEAPONS

OF THE ANCIENT WORLD.

OUR NEXT WEAPON IS THE SWORD.

IT IS INTRINSICALLY TIED TO
THE MEDIEVAL WORLD OF KNIGHTS.

BUT THE SWORD IS MORE
THAN JUST A WEAPON OF WAR.

IT IS A STATUS SYMBOL,
THE EPITOME OF POWER,

THE STUFF LEGENDS ARE MADE OF.

955, THE BATTLE OF LECHFIELD,
NEAR AUGSBURG, SOUTH GERMANY.

KING OTTO I DEFENDS THE
CHRISTIAN EAST FRANCIA

AGAINST THE ATTACKING HUNS.

THE EXTREMELY MOBILE
AND LIGHT HUN RIDERS

HAVE TERRORIZED THE
EMPIRE FOR DECADES.

BUT THIS TIME THEY
STAND NO CHANCE.

OTTO'S KNIGHTS PREVAIL.

STEFAN ROTH HAS BEEN
FORGING HISTORICAL MODELS

FOR MORE THAN 20 YEARS,
AND KNOWS THAT SWORDS

ARE FAR MORE THAN JUST
BRUTAL CUTTING WEAPONS.

Roth: FOR ME, PERSONALLY,
MEDIEVAL SWORDS ARE

INCREDIBLY FASCINATING, AND
LONG SWORDS IN PARTICULAR

BECAUSE I KNOW PRECISELY HOW
THESE WEAPONS ARE MANUFACTURED

AND HOW ELABORATE THE
WHOLE FORGING PROCESS IS.

THE EARLIEST FINDS
FROM ARSLANTEPE, IN TURKEY,

DATE BACK MORE THAN 5,000 YEARS.

THIS MEANS THE HISTORY OF
SWORDS IS OLDER THAN WRITING.

THE ROMANS USED THE
SHORT SWORD, THE GLADIUS,

AND A LONGER
VERSION, THE SPATHA.

TEUTONS AND VIKINGS ALSO
PREFERRED THE SPATHA

AND ENSHRINED THEIR
REVERED WEAPON IN LEGENDS.

TO THIS DAY, THE
MYTH OF EXCALIBUR,

THE LEGENDARY SWORD OF
KING ARTHUR, LIVES ON.

IT RESTS WITHIN A STONE AND IS
SAID TO HAVE MAGICAL POWERS.

BUT REAL SWORDS ARE
ALSO THE SUBJECT

OF MANY MYTHS,
LIKE THE ULFBERHT,

A GERMANIC SWORD FROM
THE EARLY MIDDLE AGES.

ARCHEOLOGISTS HAVE
FOUND ABOUT 170 COPIES

OF IT ALL OVER EUROPE.

THEY ALL SHARE ONE
DISTINCTIVE FEATURE,

THE INSCRIPTION ULFBERHT.

Lambert: WHAT WE'RE LOOKING
AT HERE IS A TRADEMARK,

IT'S A BRAND.

IT'S A WAY OF SELLING A PRODUCT

BY SAYING THIS IS
A QUALITY PRODUCT.

EVERYBODY KNOWS THIS
MARK EQUALS GOOD.

PRIZED SWORDS
WERE A STATUS SYMBOL

FOR NOBLEMEN IN THE MIDDLE AGES.

ARCHEOLOGISTS OFTEN FIND
BLADES MARKED ULFBERHT

OF SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER QUALITY.

PERHAPS THESE WERE
JUST CHEAP COPIES

OF THE POPULAR BRAND MADE
AFFORDABLE TO THE MASSES,

WHILE THE MORE ELITE
DEADLY MODELS EVOLVED.

OVER THE COURSE
OF THE MIDDLE AGES,

SIMPLE ARMOR EVOLVES
INTO TOUGHER PLATE ARMOR.

KNIGHTS NO LONGER NEED
SHIELDS BUT CAN USE

BOTH HANDS TO SWING A
LONGER, HEAVIER SWORD.

AND THEY HAVE TO
BECAUSE THEIR OPPONENTS

ARE ALSO CLAD IN MASSIVE
IRON SUITS OF ARMOR.

AROUND THE SAME TIME BUT ON
THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD,

IN JAPAN, SAMURAI WARRIORS FIGHT

WITH THE KATANA, ANOTHER
TWO-HANDED SWORD.

Lambert: IT'S A VERY, VERY
AGGRESSIVE WEAPON.

YOU ATTACK UNTIL
YOU KILL THE ENEMY,

AND THE STROKES YOU
USE TO KILL THE ENEMY,

WHICH THE JAPANESE
STILL TEACH IN KENDO,

MOSTLY INVOLVE CHOPPING
OFF THE HEAD AND RIGHT ARM.

STEFAN ROTH HAS
STUDIED MANY KINDS OF SWORDS.

THE KATANA IS KNOWN
AS THE MASTERPIECE

OF FAR EASTERN
WEAPONS TECHNOLOGY.

THE BLADE IS CURVED,

SINGLE-EDGED, AND 25
TO 30 INCHES LONG.

THE LONG SWORD,
ON THE OTHER HAND,

HAS A BROAD, DOUBLE-EDGED BLADE

WITH A VERY SHARP POINT AND
MEASURES 32 TO 47 INCHES.

THE HISTORICAL FORGING TECHNIQUE

IS BASICALLY THE SAME FOR BOTH.

STEFAN ROTH FOLDS THE SCORCHING
-HOT IRON BARS SEVERAL TIMES

IN ORDER TO OBTAIN STEEL WHICH
IS AS RESILIENT AS POSSIBLE.

Roth: THIS FOLDING
PROCESS IS A CLEANING PROCESS.

WE HAVE TO GET RID
OF THE SLAG, ASHES,

AND CHARCOAL THAT REMAIN
WITHIN THE MATERIAL.

IF I WANT TO FORGE
A SWORD, I NEED

THE BEST MATERIAL I
CAN GET, AND OF COURSE,

I AM TRYING TO MAKE IT
AS REFINED AS POSSIBLE,

IN ORDER TO OBTAIN STEEL THAT
IS RELATIVELY HOMOGENOUS.

AT THE OUTSET,
THE CARBON MOLECULES

WITHIN THE STEEL ARE
NOT DISTRIBUTED EQUALLY.

BY FOLDING THE STEEL REPEATEDLY,

HE CAN REARRANGE THEM
IN A MORE UNIFORM WAY.

SOME SAMURAI FANS BELIEVE
MEDIEVAL JAPANESE BLACKSMITHS

HAD BETTER STEEL AND
SUPERIOR FORGING TECHNIQUES.

ROTH IS NOT CONVINCED.

HE FEELS EUROPE'S SWORD
MANUFACTURERS COULD COMPETE

WITH THEM AND, IN SOME CASES,
PRODUCE EVEN BETTER WEAPONS.

Roth: WHEN IT COMES
TO STABILITY,

EUROPEAN LONG SWORDS
TOTALLY OUTPERFORM

THEIR JAPANESE COUNTERPARTS.

FOR EXAMPLE,
BECAUSE THE BLADE IS

COMPLETELY HARDENED THROUGHOUT,

THIS IS NOT THE CASE
FOR JAPANESE SWORDS.

THIS CAN BE
DONE BY HEATING THE STEEL,

THEN QUICKLY SUBMERGING
IT IN WATER TO COOL IT.

THE METAL BECOMES MUCH HARDER.

Roth: THIS MEANS
THE JAPANESE SWORD CANNOT

WITHSTAND IMPACTS FROM THE SIDE.

IT BENDS, IT
DOESN'T BOUNCE BACK.

THIS SWORD HAS A
RHOMBIC SECTION.

DEPENDING ON HOW
THICK THE BLADE IS,

IT IS TECHNICALLY
ALMOST LIKE A CROWBAR

THAT YOU PLACE ON THE ARMOR
WHERE YOU INTEND TO PENETRATE,

AND THEN, WELL, FOR THE
MAN WEARING THE ARMOR,

THIS IS ANYTHING
BUT COMFORTABLE.

THE DIRECT
COMPARISON SHOWS BOTH SWORDS

ARE ABOUT A QUARTER-INCH THICK,

BUT THE LONG SWORD HAS
A RHOMBIC CROSS-SECTION.

THIS MAKES IT MORE RIGID.

HOW WELL DO THE SWORDS PERFORM?

STEFAN ROTH WANTS TO FIND OUT.

HE'S WITH KATANA WARRIOR
ALEXANDER MANTHEY,

WHO IS AN EXPERT IN
ASIAN MARTIAL ARTS.

CAN THE LONG SWORD CUT THROUGH
A 1/16-INCH METAL PLATE?

AND HOW WILL THE
JAPANESE KATANA PERFORM?

THE RESULT OF THE LONG
SWORD/KATANA COMPETITION,

THE KATANA CUTS THROUGH
ONLY HALF OF THE STEEL.

WITH HIS LONG SWORD,
STEFAN MANAGES

TO SEVER THE ENTIRE STEEL PLATE.

OUR NEXT TEST, HOW WELL
DO BOTH WEAPONS PENETRATE?

THE KATANA PIERCES THE
STEEL PLATE WITH ITS POINT.

Roth: THE EUROPEAN SWORD IS

OF COURSE PREDESTINED
FOR PENETRATING

BECAUSE IT IS LONG, POINTED
AND, MOST OF ALL, STRAIGHT.

THIS MEANS THE ENERGY CAN
BE DIRECTED AT ONE POINT.

YOU CAN SEE VERY NICELY HOW DEEP

THE BLADE HAS
PENETRATED THE METAL.

JUST IMAGINE YOU'D
HAVE A KNIGHT WEARING

ARMOR OF MAYBE NOT
THE BEST QUALITY.

IT COULD VERY WELL BE POSSIBLE

THAT THE SWORD GOES THROUGH IT.

THE LONG SWORD
EASILY OUTPERFORMS THE KATANA.

TO THIS DAY, THE
PREVAILING BELIEF IS

THAT THE SAMURAI
BATTLE TECHNIQUES

ARE SUPERIOR TO THOSE
OF MEDIEVAL KNIGHTS.

BUT IS IT REALLY TRUE?

STEFAN ROTH AND ALEXANDER
MANTHEY WANT TO COMPARE

THE PERFORMANCE OF BOTH WEAPONS.

THE SINGLE-EDGED
KATANA IS FIRST.

ALEXANDER CUTS
THROUGH THE ROLLED MAT

FOUR TIMES WITHOUT ANY EFFORT.

THE DOUBLE-EDGED
EUROPEAN LONG SWORD

PERMITS ANOTHER
METHOD OF SWORDPLAY,

WHICH COULD POSSIBLY GIVE
IT A SLIGHT ADVANTAGE.

Roth: THE DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN THE SINGLE-EDGED

AND THE DOUBLE-EDGED SWORDS IS
THAT HE HAS TO TURN HIS HAND.

WE HAVE A NATURAL HAND POSITION

AND MAYBE ONLY
SAVE A MILLISECOND.

BUT IN BATTLE, A
REAL-LIFE BATTLE,

THIS COULD MEAN LIFE OR DEATH.

IN REALITY, THE
TWO SWORDS NEVER ACTUALLY MET

BLADE TO BLADE ON
THE BATTLEFIELD,

BUT THEIR OBJECTIVES
WERE DOCUMENTED.

BOOKS ON COMBAT
TECHNIQUES HIGHLIGHT

THE SOPHISTICATION OF
EUROPEAN SWORDPLAY.

ONE IS THE ITALIAN
FIOR DI BATTAGLIA,

THE FLOWER OF BATTLE, FROM
THE EARLY 15TH CENTURY.

THE BOOKS MAINLY FEATURE
THE METHODS USED IN DUELS

OR EXHIBITION FIGHTS
AND ARE QUITE BRUTAL.

Nixon: I THINK THE DEPICTIONS
OF THE VIOLENCE

THAT WERE USED WITH
THE LONG SWORDS

IN THE MIDDLE AGES WAS
COMPLETELY VERY BARBARIC.

IF WE COMPARE TO
MODERN TIMES, HOWEVER,

I DON'T THINK THAT THEY WERE
NECESSARILY ANY MORE BARBARIC

THAN THINGS THAT WE'VE
SEEN IN RECENT YEARS.

WE'VE SEEN LEVELS OF TORTURE
OVER THE PAST HUNDRED YEARS

THAT ARE JUST AS BARBARIC
AS THE THINGS WE SEE

IN THE MIDDLE AGES,
SO I THINK IT WAS

JUST A DIFFERENT TIME,
WITH DIFFERENT WEAPONS

THAT COULD DO HORRIFIC
AMOUNTS OF HARM.

THE
CODEX WALLERSTEIN IS

ANOTHER MARTIAL ARTS MANUALDATING BACK TO THE 15TH CENTURY.

IT DEPICTS THE VERSATILITY OF
LONG SWORDS, BUT IT ALSO SHOWS

HOW MERCILESS THE
FIGHTING TECHNIQUES WERE.

FOR EXAMPLE, THE
HALF-SWORD THRUST.

THE SWORD IS HELD
LIKE A BILLIARD CUE

AND THRUST INTO THE GAPS
OF THE OPPONENT'S ARMOR.

THE NAMES OF OTHER TECHNIQUES
SPEAK FOR THEMSELVES,

MOUTH BLOW, MURDER STRIKE,
OR TESTICLE STRIKE.

IN THE LATE MIDDLE AGES, THE
LONG SWORD IS LESS COMMON

ON THE BATTLEFIELD BUT
PLAYS AN IMPORTANT ROLE

IN JUDICIAL DUELS
BETWEEN KNIGHTS.

IN THESE TRIALS BY COMBAT, THE
OUTCOME IS SEEN AS A JUDGMENT

BY GOD AND THE WINNER
PROCLAIMED TO BE TRUTHFUL.

THE KATANA ALSO HOLDS A
PARTICULAR SYMBOLIC VALUE

FOR THE SAMURAI.

OVER TIME, THE LETHAL
MILITARY WEAPON BECOMES

AN OBJECT OF CULTURAL
SIGNIFICANCE.

Lambert: THE SWORD IS SOMETHINGOF ENORMOUS MYTHIC SIGNIFICANCE

ACROSS ALL CULTURES, BUT
IN SOME PARTICULARLY.

FOR JAPAN, THE SWORD IS THEULTIMATE EXPRESSION OF IDENTITY,

BOTH AS A PERSONAL POSSESSION
AND AS A WAY OF REPRESENTING

WHO THE JAPANESE THINK THEY ARE.

SWORDS REMAIN
DREADED CLOSE-COMBAT WEAPONS

WELL INTO THE MODERN ERA.

THEY SERVED AS
SIDEARMS FOR SOLDIERS

WHO CARRIED FIREARMS,
PIKES, AND BAYONETS.

AND THE MEDIEVAL WONDER
WEAPON LIVES ON TO THIS DAY.

IT'S STILL INCLUDED IN FULL
DRESS CEREMONIAL UNIFORMS

AND USED MORE ACTIVELY IN
THE POPULAR SPORT OF FENCING.

BUT AFTER THE
INTRODUCTION OF FIREARMS,

STEADY IMPROVEMENTS MAKE RIFLES

THE DOMINATING WEAPON
OF AN ENTIRE ERA.

ONE GROUND-BREAKING
DESIGN IS THE HENRY RIFLE.

1861, THE ONSET OF
THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR.

THE STANDARD WEAPON
OF THE UNION NORTH

IS THE SPRINGFIELD RIFLE,

A MUZZLELOADER
WITH HIGH ACCURACY.

BUT THE RELOADING PROCESS IS
CUMBERSOME AND TIME-CONSUMING.

THE SOLUTION IS A
SIMPLE INVENTION

CALLED THE HENRY RIFLE,

WHICH GREATLY INCREASES
THE RATE OF FIRE.

A SHOOTING RANGE NEAR
GOTHA, THURINGIA, GERMANY.

WOLFGANG STABE BUILDS AND
COLLECTS HISTORICAL FIREARMS.

THERE IS NO 19TH-CENTURY WEAPON

THAT FASCINATES HIM
QUITE LIKE THE HENRY.

I FEEL LIKE
A PIONEER IN THE WILD WEST.

THIS WEAPON WAS A GAME-CHANGER

NOT ONLY FOR THE
AMERICAN CONTINENT.

IT'S MADE WORLD HISTORY.

THE WEAPON IS NAMED

AFTER AMERICAN GUNSMITH
BENJAMIN TYLER HENRY.

THE MAGAZINE HOLDS
15 CARTRIDGES.

ONE ADDITIONAL ROUND CAN
BE LOADED IN THE BARREL.

THE RIFLE WEIGHS
OVER EIGHT POUNDS.

THE BARREL IS 20 INCHES LONG.

THE MOST IMPORTANT
DETAIL, IT CAN BE RELOADED

WITH A LEVER LOCATED
BELOW THE BARREL.

Haäuser: WHEN YOU
PULL THE LEVER,

THE EMPTY CARTRIDGE IS EJECTED

AND THE NEXT ROUND IS
BROUGHT INTO POSITION.

SO YOU ONLY NEED ONE MOVEMENT
TO OPERATE THE WEAPON

WITH GREATER EASE
AND RELIABILITY.

I PUSH
THE LEVER DOWN

AND A NEW CARTRIDGE IS
LOADED FROM THE MAGAZINE

INTO THE CHAMBER,
USING A SPRING.

AND NOW IT'S IN THE
CHAMBER, AS EASY AS THAT.

NOW I CAN FIRE,
RELOAD, AND FIRE AGAIN.

HERE'S HOW THE
HENRY REPEATING RIFLE WORKS.

THE LEVER ACTION TRANSPORTS A
NEW CARTRIDGE INTO THE BARREL.

AT THE SAME TIME, IT
EJECTS THE EMPTY SHELL.

THE HAMMER THEN
FIRES THE CARTRIDGE.

THIS WEAPON
WAS A MASTERSTROKE.

THIS IS A TUBULAR MAGAZINE.

WE HAVE A SPRING THAT TRANSPORTS
THE PROJECTILE PROPERLY,

AND YOU TURN THE
BARREL AT THE FRONT.

SO THIS WHOLE THING IS
THE TUBULAR MAGAZINE,

AND IT CAN TAKE
A LOT OF BULLETS.

THE
HENRY IS NOT THE FIRST

LEVER-ACTION REPEATING
RIFLE, BUT THE AMMUNITION

USED BY ITS PREDECESSORS
IS OFTEN UNPREDICTABLE.

SOMETIMES, WHEN
FIRING THE WEAPON,

THEY HIT THE PERCUSSION
CAP OF THE CARTRIDGE

IN FRONT, CAUSING IT TO IGNITE.

THAT MEANS THAT THE WHOLE
MAGAZINE GOES OFF AT ONCE

AND BLASTS THE
WEAPON COMPLETELY.

THIS LEADS TO BAD ACCIDENTS,
SOMETIMES EVEN FATAL.

THE HENRY'S IMPROVED

PERCUSSION CAP ELIMINATES

THE MALFUNCTION, AND THE
RIFLE RISES TO PROMINENCE

DUE TO ITS REPEATER
MECHANISM, WHICH ALLOWS

CARTRIDGES TO BE
RELOADED VERY QUICKLY.

THE MAGAZINE ON THE HENRY RIFLE
HAS A GAP ON THE LOWER SIDE,

A GUIDANCE BAR
FOR THE PUSH BOLT,

BUT IT'S A DESIGN FLAW,
ALLOWING MUD TO ENTER

THE MAGAZINE, A
DISASTER IN BATTLE.

AND THERE'S MORE.

THEY
SOON REALIZED

THAT THE TUBULAR
MAGAZINE IS A WEAK SPOT.

IF THE WEAPON FALLS, THE
MAGAZINE CAN BE DENTED,

IT'S MADE OF
RELATIVELY THIN METAL,

AND THEN I CAN'T RELOAD
THE WEAPON ANYMORE

AND CAN NO LONGER
SHOOT, OBVIOUSLY.

NEVERTHELESS,

COMPARED TO THE MUZZLELOADER
MUSKETS OF ITS ERA,

THE HENRY RIFLE IS A
MAJOR LEAP FORWARD.

BENJAMIN TYLER HENRY KNOWS
IF HIS RIFLE IS SUCCESSFUL

WITH THE MILITARY,
HE'LL MAKE A FORTUNE.

HE FILES A PATENT
APPLICATION FOR THE RIFLE

ON OCTOBER 16TH, 1860,
ABOUT FIVE MONTHS

BEFORE THE OUTBREAK OF THE
CIVIL WAR, A WISE DECISION.

IF A NEW WEAPONS TECHNOLOGY
PROVES SUCCESSFUL,

EVERYONE WILL TRY TO COPY
IT, INCLUDING THE ENEMY.

BUT NOW, NEW LEGISLATION
IS IN PRACTICE

IN THE FORM OF PATENT LAW.

THE EARLIEST EVIDENCE
OF PATENT LAW

TRACES BACK TO ANCIENT GREECE.

IN THE 15TH CENTURY, IT BECOMES
A RECURRING TOPIC IN EUROPE.

THE LEGAL DEFINITION
OF PATENT LAW

DEVELOPS IN THE
EARLY 19TH CENTURY

AND HAS CLOSE TIES TO
WEAPONS PRODUCTION.

Lambert: JUST BEFORE THE AGE OF
INDUSTRIALIZED MASS-PRODUCTION

REACHES HAND WEAPONS,
RIFLES, PISTOLS,

INTELLECTUAL
PROPERTY LAW CHANGES

SO THAT IT'S POSSIBLE
TO PROTECT THE DESIGN,

THE INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, IN
THE CONSTRUCTION OF A WEAPON,

NOT THE WEAPON
ITSELF BUT THE DESIGN

AND THE PRINCIPLES
ON WHICH IT'S BASED.

WEAPONS DESIGNERS
NOW BECOME MILLIONAIRES.

SAMUEL COLT APPLIES FOR A PATENT

WITH HIS REVOLVER MECHANISM
IN THE MID-19TH CENTURY.

OTHER MANUFACTURES ARE NOT
ALLOWED TO COPY HIS DESIGN.

ONE COMPETITOR
DESIGNS A REVOLVER

WITH A HORIZONTALLY
-PLACED MAGAZINE

THAT TURNS LIKE A RECORD.

THE AMMUNITION IS PLACED
IN SIX HOLES ON THE SIDES.

THE TURRET PISTOL
DOES NOT INFRINGE

SAMUEL COLT'S PATENT RIGHTS.

BUT IT IS A THREAT
TO THE SHOOTER.

THE CARTRIDGES SOMETIMES
FIRE INTO ALL DIRECTIONS.

THANKS TO PATENT LAW,
TODAY'S ARMAMENT BUSINESS

IS FLOURISHING AROUND THE GLOBE.

EVERY YEAR, DEFENSE
SPENDING WORLDWIDE

AMOUNTS TO ABOUT
$1.7 TRILLION U.S.

AT THE SHOOTING
RANGE NEAR GOTHA,

WOLFGANG STABE WANTS TO FIND
OUT HOW FAST HE CAN FIRE

10 SHOTS WITH BENJAMIN TYLER
HENRY'S PATENTED RIFLE.

SO I
INSERT NINE CARTRIDGES,

REPEAT THEM ONCE, MAKING
THE WHOLE THING SAFE,

RELEASING AGAIN, AND
THEN I OPEN THE WEAPON

AND PLACE THE 10TH
CARTRIDGE INTO IT.

AND NOW, 10 SHOTS OF RAPID FIRE.

THE TIMER WILL STOP

AFTER THE LAST SHOT
HAS BEEN FIRED.

WE NEEDED
8.8 SECONDS,

LESS THAN ONE SECOND PER SHOT.

THAT'S FANTASTIC.

MORE THAN
ONE SHOT PER SECOND,

IN THE 19TH CENTURY,
THIS WAS A QUANTUM LEAP.

THE HENRY RIFLE SHOULD
BE AN ENORMOUS ADVANTAGE

FOR THE UNION ARMY.

BUT THE HIGH RATE OF FIRE
CONCERNS THE GENERALS.

THEY WORRY THAT
CARTRIDGES WILL BE SHOT

TOO FAST, THE
AMMUNITION CONSUMPTION

WILL BE TOO HIGH,
AND THE RAILWAYS

WILL NOT BE ABLE TO
RESUPPLY QUICKLY ENOUGH.

THE WEAPON
HAD ENORMOUS FIREPOWER.

THAT MEANS TROOPS NEEDED
A LOT OF AMMUNITION,

WHICH WAS EXPENSIVE, AS
WAS THE WEAPON ITSELF,

SO THE AMERICAN GENERALS
WERE REALLY HESITANT.

THEY ONLY BOUGHT
1,700 OF THE HENRY

BECAUSE THEY WERE
WORRIED THEY COULDN'T

GET HOLD OF ENOUGH AMMUNITION.

SOLDIERS
WHO CAN AFFORD IT

BUY A HENRY ON THEIR OWN,

HOPING THAT IT WILL INCREASE
THEIR CHANCES OF SURVIVAL.

BY THE END OF THE WAR,

ABOUT 7,000 OF THESE
RIFLES ARE IN USE.

DURING THE SAME PERIOD,
MORE THAN ONE MILLION

SPRINGFIELD MUZZLELOADERS
ARE MANUFACTURED.

WHICH RIFLE IS MORE RELIABLE?

WEAPONS EXPERT WOLFGANG
STABE WANTS TO SEE

HOW THE REPEATING RIFLE
COMPARES TO MUZZLELOADERS.

FOUR EXPERIENCED SHOOTERS ARE
COMPETING IN TEAMS OF TWO.

IN TURQUOISE, THE NORTHERN
STATES WITH THE HENRY RIFLE.

IN RED, THE SOUTHERN STATES
WITH SPRINGFIELD MUSKETS,

THE PREDOMINANT WEAPON
IN THE U.S. CIVIL WAR.

HOW MANY TARGETS WILL THE TEAMS

BE ABLE TO HIT IN TWO MINUTES?

SO, EVERYTHING
SAFE, WE CAN BEGIN.

THIS IS THE TIMER.

WE'LL START IT IN A MOMENT.

GIVE IT YOUR BEST
SHOT, I'LL DO THE SAME.

WE WANT TO WIN.

LIVE EXPERIMENT,
NORTH VERSUS SOUTH.

BOTH GROUPS HAVE
TO LOAD THEIR WEAPONS FIRST.

THE NORTHERNERS WITH THE HENRY
RIFLES CAN LOAD 10 SHOTS.

THE SOUTHERNERS WITH
THE MUZZLELOADERS

CAN LOAD JUST ONE AT A TIME.

TURQUOISE IS IN THE LEAD.

THE REPEATER RIFLE IS
FASTER AND THEIR SHOTS

ACTUALLY HIT A COUPLE
OF THE TARGETS.

THE SOUTHERNERS IN RED HAVE
TO RELOAD AFTER EVERY SHOT,

BUT THEIR MUSKETS
ARE MORE ACCURATE.

Romy: THERE'S
SO MUCH SMOKE,

YOU CAN HARDLY SEE ANYTHING,
BUT I'M GLAD WE HIT SOMETHING.

THIS IS A PRETTY COOL
EXPERIENCE, IT'S GREAT.

Stefan: THE
FIRST ONE WENT

RIGHT THROUGH AND HIT
ONE OF THE TARGETS.

I'M NOT SURE ABOUT THE SECOND
BECAUSE, LIKE ROMY JUST SAID,

THERE IS JUST TOO MUCH SMOKE
AND YOU CAN'T SEE WELL.

A SOLDIER
FIRES A LOT,

BUT DOES HE ACTUALLY
HIT SOMETHING?

THE RESULT
OF THE RIFLE COMPETITION,

THREE OUT OF FIVE SHOTS FIRED

BY THE MUZZLELOADER
GROUP WERE A HIT.

THE HENRY RIFLE SHOOTERS FIRED
25 SHOTS AND HAVE 10 HITS.

WE FIRED A LOT,
BUT IF YOU EXTRAPOLATE THAT,

WE ACTUALLY PERFORMED WORSE
BECAUSE WE LET OURSELVES

GET CARRIED AWAY AND FIRED
QUICKLY INSTEAD OF AIMING WELL.

THE OTHERS TOOK THEIR TIME.

THEY KNEW THEY WERE
SLOWER, BUT IN THE END,

IF YOU LOOK AT THE
OUTCOME, THEY FIRED BETTER.

BASED ON
THE TOTAL NUMBER OF HITS,

THE HENRY RIFLE PREVAILS
OVER THE MUZZLELOADER.

THE PSYCHOLOGICAL ADVANTAGE IS
THAT SOLDIERS FEEL CONFIDENT

IN BATTLE WHEN THEY CAN
FIRE FASTER AND MORE OFTEN.

Nixon: THE SIDE THAT HAS
THE SUPERIOR WEAPONS

WILL HAVE A SENSE OF
POWER, THAT WE ARE

THE STRONGER ENEMY AND
WE CAN OVERTAKE YOU.

AND THEREFORE, YOU'RE
INFERIOR TO US,

SO THEY WILL FEEL
CONFIDENT AND POWERFUL,

WHICH WILL MAKE THEM
STRONGER AND GIVE THEM

MORE ENTHUSIASM TO BE ABLE TO
GO ON AND TAKE THEIR ENEMY.

FOR FOUR YEARS,

THE CIVIL WAR TEARS
AMERICA APART.

ROUGHLY 620,000 PEOPLE
LOSE THEIR LIVES.

ON JUNE 23RD, 1865, THE LAST

OF THE SOUTHERN
TROOPS SURRENDER.

IT'S A DEFINING MOMENT
IN U.S. HISTORY.

AFTER THE WAR, REPEATER
RIFLES GAIN IN POPULARITY.

AN ADVANCED VERSION OF THEHENRY IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER.

THE WINCHESTER IS
SUPPOSED TO MAKE UP

FOR THE DOWNSIDES
OF ITS PREDECESSOR.

SO THE SUCCESSOR,
LIKE ALL NEW DESIGNS,

THE FIRST MODELS
HAVE THEIR FLAWS,

THERE ARE STILL
CONSTRUCTION ISSUES,

BUT THEY SOON FOUND
OUT THAT SOMETHING

WASN'T RUNNING SMOOTHLY
AND QUICKLY MODIFIED IT.

SO THIS IS THE
TECHNICAL SUCCESSOR,

THE YANKEE RIFLE, MANUFACTURED
BY WINCHESTER IN 1866.

AND THE DIFFERENCES
WERE QUITE SIMPLE.

YOU SEE A FRONT STOCK
HERE, WHICH PROTECTS ME

FROM THE HEAT OF THE BARREL,

AND OF COURSE YOU SEE
THE TUBULAR MAGAZINE.

THEY SOON FOUND OUT THAT THE
MAGAZINE WAS EASILY DAMAGED

AND THEN YOU COULDN'T
FIRE IT ANYMORE.

IT WASN'T GOOD FOR ANYTHING
ANYMORE, SO THEY CHANGED IT.

AND THERE'S ANOTHER
NOVELTY, AND THAT IS

THAT YOU CAN LOAD IT
FROM HERE, ON THE SIDE.

THAT MEANS IF I
TAKE THE WEAPON NOW,

I AM ABLE TO RELOAD
IT FROM COVER HERE.

I DON'T HAVE TO TAKE THAT OFF,

LIKE THIS, IF I WANT TO RELOAD.

WAY TOO COMPLICATED, THAT MEANS

THIS DESIGN THAT THEY
CAME UP WITH IN 1866

WAS TRULY AN INGENIOUS WEAPON.

EVENTUALLY,
THE 1873 MODEL WILL BECOME

THE MOST SUCCESSFUL
RIFLE OF ITS TIME

AND WILL LATER BE FEATURED
IN MANY WESTERN MOVIES.

THIS IS DUE TO THE FACT
THAT WEAPONS DESIGNER,

OLIVER WINCHESTER, ACTIVELY
AIDED IN CREATING THE MYTH.

Lambert: WINCHESTER IS
A CANNY OPERATOR,

RATHER LIKE SAMUEL COLT.

HE'S NOT THE ENGINEER,
HE'S THE MARKET MAN.

HE INVENTS THE IDEA THAT THIS
IS THE GUN THAT WON THE WEST.

HE CREATES A MYTHOLOGY
ABOUT THE WINCHESTER

AS SOMETHING SPECIAL,
SOMETHING DEFIANTLY AMERICAN,

SOMETHING UNIQUE IN PARTICULAR.

THE HEYDAY OF THE
HENRY RIFLE IS SHORT-LIVED.

ONLY 14,000 ARE
MADE AS THE MARKET

BECOMES FLOODED WITH
SUCCESSOR MODELS.

TODAY, ORIGINAL HENRY RIFLES
ARE SOUGHT-AFTER COLLECTIBLES.

WHICH DEADLY INVENTIONS WILL
MARK THE WARS OF THE FUTURE?

WITH FIREPOWER NOW OPTIMIZED,
IT SEEMS LIKE ROBOTS ARE

ABOUT TO TAKE THE LEAD,
AUTONOMOUS BATTLE MACHINES

THAT MAKE IT POSSIBLE TO FIGHT
WARS WITHOUT LOSING SOLDIERS.

Lambert: OF COURSE,
IN THE FUTURE,

THE GUN MAY BE IN THE HANDS

OF AN AUTONOMOUS ROBOTIC DEVICE,

WHICH WILL MAKE REASONED
CHOICES ABOUT WHO TO KILL.

AND EVEN THEN, IT WILL STILL BE

THE HUMAN THAT'S
DRIVING THE PROCESS

BECAUSE THE PROGRAM WILL
HAVE BEEN WRITTEN BY A HUMAN.

WE'RE NOT YET IN A WORLD
WHERE MACHINES KILL PEOPLE.

NOT
YET, BUT MANY ARMIES

ARE ALREADY EXPERIMENTING
WITH AUTONOMOUS MACHINES

FOR TRANSPORTING HEAVY LOADS
OR TO CARRY OUT OTHER TASKS.

Lambert: THIS MOVE TOWARDS
AUTONOMOUS WEAPONS,

TOWARDS WEAPONS THAT WE CAN FIRE

WITHOUT HAVING TO ACTUALLY GET

PHYSICALLY INVOLVED IN
BATTLE, IS INEVITABLE.

WE HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY
SO WE WILL DO THIS.

SCIENCE FICTION ISN'T
SCIENCE OR FICTION.

IT'S PROBABLY WHERE WE'RE GOING.

FIRST TESTS
HAVE SHOWN THAT MACHINES

ARE ALREADY ABLE TO KEEP
UP WITH HUMAN BEINGS

IN MANY SITUATIONS, AND
SOMETIMES EVEN OUTDO THEM.

BUT IT'S STILL A
HUMAN WHO DICTATES

EVERY ACTION A ROBOT TAKES.

THE ADVANCES IN ARTIFICIAL
INTELLIGENCE, HOWEVER,

WILL HAVE AN IMPACT ON WARFARE.

WILL LIFE AND DEATH DECISIONS
BE MADE BY A MICROCHIP?

FROM A TECHNICAL POINT OF
VIEW, AUTONOMOUS DRONE SWARMS

WILL SOON BE ABLE
TO FIND AND ATTACK

TARGETS WITHOUT HUMAN GUIDANCE.

THE FUTURE HAS ALREADY BEGUN.