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All Seasons

Season 1

  • S01E01 Great Britain

    • September 5, 1989
    • BBC One

    A detailed account of the lead up to the British involvement in World War II featuring historical footage, evidence and interviews with surviving members of government, society and contemporaries.

  • S01E02 Germany

    • September 12, 1989
    • BBC One

    Series looking at the events that led up to World War II. Charles Wheeler examines events on the German side.

  • S01E03 USSR

    • September 19, 1989
    • BBC One

    Documentary series looking at the events that led up to World War II. Charles Wheeler examines the role of the Soviet Union in the war, and Stalin's relationship with Hitler.

  • S01E04 Italy

    • September 26, 1989
    • BBC One

    A detailed account of the lead up to the Italian involvement in World War II featuring historical footage, evidence and interviews with surviving members of government, society and contemporaries.

  • S01E05 France

    • October 3, 1989
    • BBC One

    Episode five of a series narrated by Charles Wheeler, which looks at the events leading up to World War II. In this programme, he discusses the economic and political problems France faced in the aftermath of victory in World War I and asks why this led to another invasion during World War II.

  • S01E06 Japan

    • October 10, 1989
    • BBC One

    A detailed account of the lead up to the Japanese involvement in World War II featuring historical footage, evidence and interviews with surviving members of government, society and contemporaries.

  • S01E07 USA

    • October 17, 1989
    • BBC One

    A detailed account of the lead up to the American involvement in World War II featuring historical footage, evidence and interviews with surviving members of government, society and contemporaries.

  • S01E08 Global War

    • October 24, 1989
    • BBC One

    The final episode of the documentary series giving a country-by-country account of the origins of WWII, written and narrated by Charles Wheeler. Using archive footage and eyewitness accounts, the final episode documents how Germany's desire for expansion in eastern Europe, starting with Poland, developed into a worldwide conflict.