War and Civilization

Season 1

This eight part series takes an in-depth look at history of warfare. Shot on location around the world, each episode examines various developments in evolution of armed conflict from technological breakthroughs to technical innovations while simultaneously exploring how and why the majority of military campaigns of the pass 3,000 years were fought.

Where to Watch War and Civilization • Season 1

8 Episodes

First Blood
E1
First BloodA look at the origins of modern warfare, when ancient Greek soldiers marched in formations called phalanxes. Also: Alexander the Great's foray into Asia Minor in the 4th century B.C. Narrated by Walter Cronkite..
Empires and Armies
E2
Empires and ArmiesThe empires of ancient Rome and China, begun before the birth of Christ, which were hubs of cultural development despite being terribly violent. Also: fighting barbarians at their borders; and the legacies of these empires. Narrated by Walter Cronkite.
Horse Warriors
E3
Horse WarriorsA look at the impact that horses had on warfare, which enabled Attila the Hun and Genghis Khan to rule over vast territories. Also: building fortifications of stone; and the rise of the samurai in Japan. Narrated by Walter Cronkite.
Gunpowder
E4
Gunpowder"Gunpowder" forever changed the way wars were fought, both in an army's weapons and methods of defense. Also: arming ships with cannons; and the spread of European domination. Narrated by Walter Cronkite.
Revolution
E5
RevolutionEngland gains a stronghold in America after the Seven Years' War in 1763, but is eventually challenged, and defeated, by a new nation. Also: revolution in France; and the rise of Napoleon. Narrated by Walter Cronkite.
Blood and Iron
E6
Blood and IronThe Industrial Revolution creates more mechanized warfare, as trains and mass-produced weapons are tested in the Crimea and the American Civil War. Also: a united Germany; and war correspondents report from the front. Walter Cronkite narrates.
War Machines
E7
War MachinesIncluded: America fulfills its "manifest destiny"; colonialism expands in Africa and India; and World War I spawns the tank and the airplane. Also: the Russo-Japanese War; and World War II rises from the ashes of its predecessor. Walter Cronkite narrates.
The Price of War
E8
The Price of War"The Price of War" looks at the end of World War II and the atomic bomb, and the tension of the Cold War. Also: fighting communism in Korea and southeast Asia; and the fear of nuclear annihilation. Narrated by Walter Cronkite.