BBC - Gladiators of World War II (2002) Part 1 Waffen-SS

The ultimate success or failure of many of the battles of World War II boiled down to men and machines locked in a fight to the death. But behind the scenes of these epic struggles were highly organised and highly disciplined servicemen and women who have now passed into the annals of military history. Special regiments, squadrons and naval services, together with clandestine forces and formations, gave the vast, overall fighting forces of World War II an extra edge in the most pivotal battles. Gladiators of World War II examines the establishment and background of the greatest fighting forces of the Second World War. Each program examines a different unit, dissecting its command structure, military objectives, battle formations and its success or failure in applying its tactics and strategy to each of the major theatres in which it fought. This series also examines, in the light of newly released information and recently discovered rare archive film, some of the individual stories of the men and women who were members of these fighting bodies. The stories of these warriors have seldom beer told before. These are the stories of the Gladiators of World War II.

Part 1: Waffen-SS

Originally created as Hitler's personal household troops, the Waffen-SS grew into a formidable fighting force during World War 2. It gained a reputation second to none for its tenacity in combat, but also for brutality, which made it the subject of numerous Allied war crimes investigations.

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