The Siege

On 20th November 1979, at 5:30am, hundreds of heavily armed men took over the Grand Mosque of Mecca. Within minutes, they transformed Islam's holiest shrine into a fortress - and a trap for almost 100,000 pilgrims inside. This was the beginning of the Siege of Mecca. The leader of the insurgents was 42-year-old Bedouin preacher and former National Guard corporal Juhayman Al Utaybi. He and his group demanded the immediate abdication of the Saudi Royal Family, the expulsion of all foreigners and the Kingdom's return to the pure Islam of the first generations.

It's known as the Alamo of the ancient world, the story of a band of Jewish rebels and their final stand against the Roman Army. The siege of Masada, recorded nearly 2,000 years ago by Jewish military leader Flavius Josephus, is more than a tale of resistance against impossible odds. It's part of the founding narrative of Israel. But how much of it is true? We take a look at the events that inspired the CBS television miniseries "The Dovekeepers" and go to the site of the mountain fortress itself, uncovering new truths about this epic conflict.

"The most appalling and barbaric struggle in history." – Professor John Erickson
On June 22nd 1941 three huge German Army Groups launched a surprise attack on Soviet Russia. The most barbaric, drawn-out and brutal struggle in history was about to be played out to the death. This military documentary looks at the savage fighting on the Eastern Front during the Second World War, as Nazi Germany confronted the Soviet Union.
History is always written by the victors, but this documentary focuses on the other side of the coin..

On 22nd June 1941, Adolf Hitler launched Operation Barbarossa–the Nazi invasion of Soviet Russia. Four million troops, backed by 19 panzer divisions, fought their way east, confident of total victory within a just few short months. They were wrong.

From foot soldiers to fighter pilots, step into the shoes of those who fought for one of the largest armies in history. This series highlights ordinary foot soldiers, intelligence officers, mine pickers, gunners, tank men, marines, alpine and airborne raiders and fighter and attack aviation pilots whose role in the Allied victory over the Nazis played a crucial part in the war effort. Using the latest computer graphics and technology, viewers witness the combat equipment design, tactics and strategy of conducting a battle. Rare newsreel shots and the reconstruction of the events allow viewers to feel they are being transported back to the battlegroud, allowing them to see war through a soldier's eyes.

Throughout history, Vikings waged war from the seas, notoriously ruthless and with their own set of rules. The Viking expansion was unprecedented in the veracity of its spread.

This harrowing documentary tells the story of one of the longest and most terrible sieges in the history of human warfare.

Britain would have lost her empire and the war in 1942 had Axis forces beaten the British army in the Middle East. Tim Collins re-investigates Britain’s critical desert campaign, and the controversial battle tactics needed to take on the unbeaten Panzer army in total war, preventing Hitler from gaining Egypt, Iraq and the oilfields. Foreshadowing current world events, this oil-rich region was crucial to the war effort. These are the World War II battles that shaped the Middle East, and created the world in which we live today.

Join Dr. Monty Dobson on the expedition to uncover America's archaeological history. The series follows Monty as he explores archaeological sites along America's ever shifting frontier and uses these sites as touch points to tell America's story.