ZDF - WWII Battles for Europe (2019) Part 5 Battle of the Scheldt

– German title “Der Zweite Weltkrieg – Schlacht um Europa” –

This compelling eight-part series tells the story of the war in the West's most iconic moments the D-Day landings; the ill-fated airborne operation at Arnhem; the great German offensive in the Ardennes; and the dash to the last bridge over the River Rhine. WWII — Battles for Europe tells the grand narrative through eye-witness veteran testimony from men who served under fire on the front line — some many times over. Each programme conveys the fast-moving life or death nature of one of 8 key battles. In a conflict where boots and winter coats were as important as guns and ammunition, experts will profile the kit of the ordinary soldier, as well as the fearsome weaponry and iconic armoured vehicles. Renowned historians detail the plans and decisions of the generals, and animated strategic maps show us the big picture of each battlefield. Every step is personalised by the testimony of Allied and German veterans who give us a unique insight into the epic events in Western Europe in the final months of the war.

Part 5 Battle of the Scheldt

As the Allies' advance stalls, the Canadians had to seize Hitler's island fortress to open up the vital port of Antwerp and keep the war moving. October 1944 – The Allies face a major supply crisis. Vital fuel and ammunition still has to be landed at the D-Day beaches 300 miles to the rear. When the Belgian port of Antwerp falls into Allied hands intact, it seems the crisis might be over. But first the Allies have to clear the Scheldt Estuary, connecting Antwerp to the sea. With limited manpower and resources, the Canadians must fight across a broken landscape of flooded fields and dykes, against experienced German soldiers.

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