All language subtitles for World of Weapons S01E03 Close Combat

THEY ARE THE TOOLS

OF HUMAN CONFLICT AND SURVIVAL.

INGENIOUS,

POWERFUL,

DESTRUCTIVE.

FROM THE ANCIENT TO THE MODERN,

WAR WEAPONS COMPRISE AN
EVER-EVOLVING ARSENAL

THAT'S TRANSFORMED COMBAT,

HELPED BUILD EMPIRES,

DESTROY THEM,

AND DETER AGGRESSION.

THIS SERIES HIGHLIGHTS SOME
OF THE WORLD'S MOST IMPORTANT

AND INNOVATIVE WEAPONS
THROUGH UNIQUE EXPERIMENTS.

I'M READY TO FIRE.

WE EXPLORE
HOW AND WHY THEY WORK.

IT'S LIKE A
NUCLEAR WEAPON.

WHAT PROBLEMS
THEY SOLVE ON THE BATTLEFIELD.

IF THAT GOES OFF,
THIS COULD BE SERIOUS.

AND GIVE
FRESH INSIGHT.

LET'S GO.

INTO
THEIR ROLE IN HISTORY.

YOU'RE IN
A MINEFIELD, STOP!

FROM ANCIENT TIMES,

THE SOLDIER ON THE
BATTLEFIELD HAS RELIED

ON SPECIALIZED
WEAPONS TO SURVIVE

THE MOST IMMEDIATE FORM OF
WARFARE, HAND-TO-HAND COMBAT.

AMONG THESE, THE GLADIUS.

FOR MORE THAN HALF A
CENTURY, THIS SHORT SWORD

WAS THE STANDARD WEAPON
OF ROMAN LEGIONARIES,

A KILLING TOOL THAT
MARKED A WHOLE ERA.

IT'S THE YEAR 200 B.C..

AFTER A BRUTAL BATTLE
AGAINST THE ROMANS,

THE MACEDONIAN WARRIORS WANT
TO BURY THEIR DEAD COMRADES.

A CHRONICLER LATER REPORTS

ON THE TERRIFYING WOUNDS
INFLICTED BY ROMAN SWORDS.

THE MACEDONIANS WERE
ABSOLUTELY HORRIFIED

BY THE DAMAGE THE
ROMANS HAD DONE

TO THE BODIES OF THEIR SOLDIERS.

THESE MEN WEREN'T
COMPLETE ANYMORE.

THIS WAS VERY, VERY SUCCESSFUL

PSYCHOLOGICALLY AS
WELL AS MILITARILY.

THE SHORT SWORDWAS ORIGINALLY DEVELOPED

BY IBERIAN TROOPS THE
ROMANS BATTLED IN SPAIN.

THE ROMANS ADOPTED IT AND
GRADUALLY PERFECTED IT.

THE ROMANS CONQUERED
SPAIN FROM THE CARTHAGINIANS

AND TOOK OVER THE
BASIC SWORD DESIGN,

WHICH WAS IBERIAN
RATHER THAN ROMAN.

SO THIS IS THE ROMANS BEING
THEIR USUAL RELENTLESS,

REMORSELESS, RUTHLESS SELVES.

THEY'VE FOUND
SOMETHING REALLY GOOD

AND THEY'RE GOING TO MAKE
THE VERY BEST USE OF IT.

THE
GLADIUS WAS A WEAPON

MADE FOR HAND-TO-HAND COMBAT.

ALONG WITH RANGED
WEAPONS LIKE THE PILUM,

IT PROVED ESSENTIAL IN BATTLE.

PREVIOUS TYPES OF ROMAN
SWORDS WERE LONG AND THIN.

THEY DIDN'T FIT WITHIN THE
ROMAN COMBAT CONFIGURATION,

THE TESTUDO, OR
TORTOISE, FORMATION.

SWORDS EXPERT STEFAN
ROTH EXPLAINS WHY.

WHEN YOU'RE IN A
ROMAN FORMATION

AND YOU CARRY YOUR
SWORD ON THE LEFT HIP,

YOU'LL STRUGGLE A
LOT TO UNSHEATHE IT.

I'LL SHOW YOU.

THIS WAY I HIT
THE MEN BEHIND ME.

IF I TRY TO MAKE A LEVEL CUT,
I HIT THE MAN NEXT TO ME, TOO.

IT'S LIFE-THREATENING
FOR MY FELLOW COMBATANTS

TO FIGHT NEXT TO ME.

THE WORST CASE WOULD
BE THAT I WOULD HAVE

TO OPEN THE FORMATION TO
DRAW MY SWORD FORWARDS,

MEANING I WOULD OPEN
MYSELF COMPLETELY.

I WOULD CREATE A
GAP FOR THE ENEMIES

TO PENETRATE AND
DESTROY THE FORMATION.

ROTH SETS UP AN
ANCIENT CLOSE COMBAT SITUATION

FIRST USING A LONG SWORD.

AS THE ENEMY APPROACHES,

ROTH REACHES FOR HIS SWORD AND
OPENS HIMSELF UP TO ATTACK.

THAT WOULD BE
THE END OF ME,

A COMPLETE CATASTROPHE.

I'D OPEN THE SHIELD WALL, IN
FACT THAT'S NOT ONLY MY END,

BUT THE END FOR MY
COMRADES AS WELL.

ROTH
EXPLORES HOW HISTORICAL

CUT AND THRUST WEAPONS WERE
DEPLOYED AND MANUFACTURED.

HE'LL SHOW HOW TO
FORGE A GLADIUS

USING TRADITIONAL TECHNIQUES.

HE NEEDS A SPECIAL
RAW MATERIAL TO BEGIN,

A CLUMP OF IRON ORE TO
BE WORKED INTO STEEL.

IN THIS FORM, IT HARDLY LOOKS

LIKE ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT
MATERIALS IN THE WORLD.

ROTH AND HIS APPRENTICE INTEND
TO TURN THIS RED-HOT LUMP

INTO A FINELY-HONED SWORD.

THERE'S A LOT OF
WORK AHEAD OF THEM.

THEY HAVE TO HEAT AND
HAMMER THE MATERIAL

OVER AND OVER AGAIN.

THIS IS HOW IT GETS
INTO THE RIGHT FORM

TO BECOME THE SWORD BLADE.

IN DOING THIS WORK,
ROTH TAKES PART

IN A 3,500-YEAR-OLD TRADITION.

THERE ARE ARCHEOLOGICAL
FINDS OF IRON WEAPONS

AND TOOLS DATING
BACK TO THIS PERIOD.

BACK THEN, THEY TRIGGERED A
GENUINE REVOLUTION IN WARFARE.

FROM 800 B.C. ONWARDS,
THE ROMAN, CELTIC,

AND GERMANIC PEOPLES USED
FURNACES MADE OF CLAY

FOR SMELTING IRON ORE.

ONE OF THE
THINGS FOR EXAMPLE

THE ROMANS WERE ABLE TO DO AS
THEY EXPANDED THEIR EMPIRE,

THEY GET TO CONTROL
RESOURCE AREAS

WHERE THEY CAN
FIND NEW MATERIALS.

SO THEY'RE STRIPPING OUT
TIMBER FROM THEIR EMPIRE

BECAUSE THEY'VE USED THEIR OWN,

THEY'RE USING IRON FROM SPAIN.

SPANISH IRON HAS BEEN
A VERY SIGNIFICANT PART

OF WEAPONS MANUFACTURING
SINCE THE EARLY IRON AGE.

THE CARTHAGINIANS
USED SPANISH IRON,

THE ROMANS USE SPANISH
IRON TO MAKE THE GLADIUS.

AS YOU EXTEND YOUR
RESOURCE BASE,

YOU CAN PICK UP OTHER WEAPONS,

YOU CAN PICK UP BOTH LOCALIDEAS BUT ALSO LOCAL RESOURCES.

SO ONE OF THE THINGS
YOU'RE CONQUERING

IS THE ABILITY TO
MANUFACTURE WEAPONS.

OVER TIME, THE
WEAPONS INDUSTRY HAS DEVELOPED

MANY SIGNIFICANT INNOVATIONS
IN STEEL PROCESSING.

THE FIRST CAST-STEEL CANNON
WAS DEVELOPED IN ESSEN IN 1847

BY THE GERMAN COMPANY KRUPP.

WHETHER FOR MANUFACTURING
WEAPONS OR FOR CIVIL PURPOSES,

STEEL CASTING WAS A DEMANDING

AND DANGEROUS PROCESS
IN THE 19TH CENTURY.

THE WORKERS WERE
POORLY PROTECTED,

CASTING STEEL AT A TEMPERATURE
OF 2,900 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT.

TODAY, MOST OF THE WORK
INVOLVED WITH STEEL PROCESSING

IS DONE BY MACHINES.

AND GERMANY, ONCE THE WORLD
LEADER IN STEEL PRODUCTION,

NO LONGER DOMINATES
THE INDUSTRY.

CHINA IS THE TOP STEEL
-PRODUCING NATION,

ACCOUNTING FOR ABOUT HALF OF
THE TOTAL OUTPUT IN THE WORLD.

FORGING THE ROMAN GLADIUS
IS DEMANDING, PHYSICAL WORK.

ROTH MUST PAY CLOSE ATTENTION

TO THE MATERIAL
AND ITS PROPERTIES.

FORGING
THE GLADIUS

IS PARTICULARLY DIFFICULT

BECAUSE WE HAVE A VERY
WIDE, FLAT SURFACE.

YOU HAVE TO BE VERY
CAREFUL NOT TO HAMMER

ANY EDGES INTO THE MATERIAL.

THIS COULD CAUSE PROBLEMS
LATER IN THE PROCESS.

SOPHISTICATED
FORGING METHODS

CAN FURTHER IMPROVE THE
QUALITY OF THE STEEL.

ROMAN BLACKSMITHS HAD
DEVELOPED METHODS TO DO THIS.

THE HIGH QUALITY OF THE BLADES
USED IN HAND-TO-HAND COMBAT

WAS NOT ONLY DUE TO THE ROMANS'

EXTRAORDINARY
BLACKSMITHING SKILLS.

THEY ALSO USED A SPECIAL
MATERIAL, NORIC STEEL.

THIS
FERRUM NORICUM

WAS A LITTLE MIRACLE
OF THE CLASSICAL ERA.

IT HAD REMARKABLE PROPERTIES.

IT IS BELIEVED TODAY
THAT THIS RAW MATERIAL

MIGHT HAVE STEMMED FROM A COMET

AND THAT THE COMET
ALREADY CONSISTED

OF A SPECIAL
COMBINATION OF METALS.

WE COULD PRODUCE
THIS METAL TODAY

IN ELABORATE PROCESSES IN
HIGH-TECH BLAST FURNACES,

BUT IT WAS READILY AVAILABLE

TO THE ROMANS AS A
MINERAL IN AUSTRIA.

AT THE END
OF THE FIRST CENTURY B.C.,

THE ROMANS, UNDER
EMPEROR AUGUSTUS,

CONQUERED THE TERRITORY
NOW KNOWN AS AUSTRIA.

THEY USED THE LOCAL ORE
TO MAKE THEIR SWORDS

TOUGHER AND EASIER TO SHARPEN.

THE GLADIUS BECOMES MORE
DURABLE AND MORE PREVALENT.

THE GLADIUS
IS AN EXTRAORDINARY SWORD.

REVOLUTIONARY FOR ITS TIME.

A VERY WIDE BLADE, SOMETIMES
UP TO NINE CENTIMETERS.

THE SWORD HAS A VERY
PROMINENT POINT.

IT IS OF COURSE DOUBLE-EDGED,
YOU CAN USE IT TO CUT.

BUT ACTUALLY, THE POINT IS
MAINLY DESIGNED FOR STABBING.

IT'S A VERY LONG, MEAN WEAPON.

IT'S PRETTY NASTY IF YOU THINK

OF WHAT THEY COULD DO WITH IT.

WITH ITS
WIDE, HARD STEEL BLADE

THE GLADIUS IS ABOUT
19 TO 23 INCHES LONG

AND WEIGHS BETWEEN
2.5 TO 3.5 POUNDS.

IT WILL BECOME THE DOMINANT
CLOSE-COMBAT WEAPON

OF THE ANCIENT WORLD.

BUT WHY IS THE GLADIUS SO
USEFUL IN FORMATION FIGHTING?

HOW DOES IT HELP
THE ROMAN SOLDIERS

KEEP THEIR SHIELD WALL
INTACT ON THE BATTLEFIELD?

ROTH HAS STUDIED THE ROMANS'
USE OF THE SWORD IN COMBAT.

THE ROMANS
FOUND A SOLUTION

TO THE PROBLEM BY WEARING THE
GLADIUS ON THEIR RIGHT SIDE

AND USING A SPECIAL
TECHNIQUE TO DRAW THE SWORD,

SO THAT THEY WOULD NOT PUT
THEIR NEIGHBOR IN DANGER

OR HINDER THEM IN ANY WAY.

WHAT THEY DID WAS GRAB THE SWORD

WITH THEIR HAND TURNED
INWARDS, UNSHEATHE IT,

AND WAIT FOR THE ATTACK.

EXACTLY WHAT THEY NEEDED
IN THIS FORMATION.

NOW,
ANOTHER ENEMY ATTACK.

CAN THE ROMAN
SOLDIERS IN FORMATION,

THIS TIME ARMED WITH
THE GLADIUS, STOP THEM?

THE SOLDIERS CAN
THRUST THEIR SWORDS

WITHOUT OPENING THEIR FORMATION.

THE SHORT, HARD BLADE
ALLOWS THE WARRIORS

TO STRIKE AT THEIR ENEMIES
QUICKLY AND EFFECTIVELY.

THE ROMANS CREATED
A PERFECT WEAPON

FOR KILLING PEOPLE AT
VERY CLOSE QUARTERS.

IT HAD A SHARP POINT AND
TWO VERY SHARP BLADES,

SO WHICHEVER WAY YOU USED IT,

IT WAS GOING TO DO
A LOT OF DAMAGE.

PEOPLE HAVE COMPARED THE ROMAN
ARMY TO A MINCING MACHINE.

IT LITERALLY CHOPPED
UP THE OPPOSITION

AND IT INFLICTED TERRIBLE
INJURIES ON THEM,

WHICH BOTH DISABLED THEM
AND DEMORALIZED THEM.

THE GLADIUS,

A SHORT SWORD THAT
CONQUERED THE ANCIENT WORLD.

COPIED FROM THE
IBERIANS IN SPAIN,

PERFECTED OVER CENTURIES,HARDENED THROUGH SPECIAL STEEL.

WITH THE GLADIUS IN THEIR HANDS,

THE ROMAN LEGIONS EXPANDED
THE REACH OF THEIR EMPIRE.

IN THE BEGINNING OF
THE THIRD CENTURY B.C.,

THEY RULED OVER THE
MAJORITY OF THE KNOWN WORLD.

DURING ITS GOLDEN AGE,

THE ROMAN EMPIRE STRETCHED
FROM WHAT'S KNOWN TODAY

AS GREAT BRITAIN TO THE
COASTS OF THE BLACK SEA.

FOR MORE THAN 500 YEARS,

THE ROMANS HAD THE MOST POWERFULARMY IN THE ANCIENT WORLD.

THAT ARMY SERVED AS THE BACKBONE

OF THE EMPIRE'S POWER
MILITARILY AND POLITICALLY.

THROUGHOUT THE EMPIRE,

THE ROMAN MILITARY
ORGANIZATION WAS THE SAME.

THEY TRAINED EACH
SOLDIER IN A LEGION

TO FIGHT AND DEFEND
AS PART OF A UNIT.

NEITHER THE CELTS
NOR THE TEUTONS

WERE PARTICULARLY GOOD AT
FIGHTING IN A COHERENT GROUP.

THEY TENDED TO FIGHT AS
A MASS OF INDIVIDUALS,

WHEREAS THE ROMANS
FOUGHT AS A SOLID

PROFESSIONAL BODY
OF TRAINED MEN.

AND THIS HAS BEEN THE GREAT
ADVANTAGE OF DISCIPLINED,

PROFESSIONAL ARMIES
THROUGHOUT HISTORY.

IT'S NOT THEIR NUMBERS, IT'S
NOT NECESSARILY THEIR SKILL,

OR THEIR STRENGTHS, IT'S THECOHESION WITH WHICH THEY FIGHT.

DURING
MONTH-LONG CAMPAIGNS,

ROMAN LEGIONARIES HAVE TO
FUNCTION LIKE COGS IN A WHEEL.

THEY BUILD THEIR CAMPS
ACCORDING TO A SET PLAN

AND GOVERNED BY FIXED RULES.

AN EXPERIENCED LEGIONARY

WOULD ALWAYS FIND HIS
WAY IN ANY IMPERIAL CAMP.

EVERY
ROMAN IMMEDIATELY KNOWS

TO WHOM HE HAS TO REPORT,

WHERE TO FIND THE
COMMANDANT'S TENT,

WHERE TO FIND THE
SHRINE OF THE STANDARDS,

AND WHERE TO FIND HIS TENT.

THIS SHOULD NOT
BE UNDERESTIMATED.

THE SKILL AND
EFFICIENCY OF ROMAN ENGINEERS

IS REFLECTED IN
THE INFRASTRUCTURE

THEY BUILT IN NEWLY
CONQUERED PROVINCES.

MANY OF THEIR ROADS, AQUEDUCTS,

AND BRIDGES FOR INSTANCE
ARE STILL IN USE.

OF COURSE,
THE ROMAN EMPIRE

HAS LEFT ITS MARKS, SOME OF
WHICH CAN STILL BE SEEN TODAY.

THE ROMANS PERFECTED THE
ENTIRE ENGINEERING SYSTEM.

WE HAVE STREETS AND
BRIDGES BUILT BY THE ROMANS

THAT YOU CAN STILL USE
IN SPAIN, FOR EXAMPLE.

YOU CAN DRIVE OVER
THEM WITH A MODERN CAR,

THEY CAN WITHSTAND THIS.

IN ORDER
TO MOVE THEIR TROOPS

AND ORDNANCE QUICKLY,

THE ROMANS BUILT AN
UNPRECEDENTED ROAD NETWORK

THROUGH THEIR VAST EMPIRE.

AT ITS LARGEST EXPANSE,

THE NETWORK WAS OVER
52,000 MILES LONG.

SOME TRACES OF THE EMPIRE
ARE STILL VISIBLE TODAY.

SOME MODERN STREETS RUN EXACTLY

WHERE THE ROMAN
ROADS USED TO BE.

THE WAY THE ROMANS MANUFACTUREDAND USED THE GLADIUS

IS ANOTHER INSTANCE

OF THEIR SUPERIOR
TECHNOLOGY AND ORGANIZATION.

IT REMAINS A PIVOTAL WEAPON
UNTIL THE END OF THE EMPIRE.

MANY OF THE ROMANS'
INGENIOUS INVENTIONS

FALL OUT OF USE AS
THE ANCIENT WORLD

GIVES WAY TO THE MIDDLE AGES.

DURING THE MEDIEVAL ERA,
THE NEED AROSE FOR A WAY

TO COMBAT ARMOR-CLAD
KNIGHTS ON HORSES.

THE MOST EFFICIENT
WEAPON AGAINST THEM

IS WIDELY UNKNOWN
TODAY, THE WAR HAMMER.

SAN ROMANO, NORTHERN
ITALY, JUNE 1ST, 1432.

THE TROOPS OF FLORENCE ANDSIENA ENGAGE IN A FIERCE BATTLE.

THEIR KNIGHTS ARE IN FULL
ARMOR AND FIGHT FOR HOURS.

IN THE END, THE FLORENTINES
EMERGE VICTORIOUS.

THE BATTLE WAS IMMORTALIZED
THANKS TO A PICTURE

BY FLORENTINE
PAINTER PAOLO UCELLO.

IT SHOWS A KNIGHT
SWINGING HIS WAR HAMMER,

A RARE ARTISTIC
DEPICTION OF THIS WEAPON.

THE MEDIEVAL CENTER AT
THE VILLAGE OF NYKOBING,

A PLACE TO EXPLORE THE
SECRETS OF THE WAR HAMMER

AND FIND OUT WHY
IT'S BEEN NEGLECTED.

MODERN BOOKS AND FILMS
ALMOST ALWAYS DEPICT KNIGHTS

WITH THEIR TYPICAL LONG SWORD.

TOGETHER WITH STUNTMAN JOAKIM,

WEAPONS EXPERT MIKE LOADES
IS PREPARING AN EXPERIMENT.

THEY SET UP A TYPICAL
BREAST-PLATE MADE FROM STEEL,

AN INTEGRAL PART OF
LATE MEDIEVAL ARMOR.

THE MAIN JOB OF
THIS IS TO DEFLECT.

JOAKIM
HAS TO BECOME A KNIGHT

FOR THE EXPERIMENT.

HE WILL ATTACK HIS OPPONENT
RIDING ON HIS HORSE

IN FULL ARMOR, JUST
LIKE IN THE MIDDLE AGES.

THE ARMING-UP PROCESS
TAKES ALMOST 30 MINUTES

AND INVOLVES JOAKIM

PUTTING ON 15 SEPARATE
PIECES, ONE BY ONE:

HE CAN'T DO IT
WITHOUT MIKE'S HELP.

FIRST COMES CHAIN MAIL,
FOLLOWED BY A PADDED JACKET

MADE OF LINEN, AND THEN
PLATE ARMOR ON TOP OF IT.

THE POINT OF THE LAYERS
IS TO PROTECT THE KNIGHT

FROM THE DANGERS THAT MAY
ARISE DURING A BATTLE.

BUT IS THE KNIGHT WEARING
FULL ARMOR MOBILE?

OF COURSE, YOU CAN
TELL A DIFFERENCE

BECAUSE YOU ARE
WEARING APPROXIMATELY

BETWEEN 20 TO 25 KILOS MORE.

BUT OF COURSE, IT'S
MADE TO SUPPORT THE WAY

YOUR BODY IS SUPPOSED
TO BE MOVING.

SO, IF I FALL TO THE GROUND,

THERE IS THIS BIG MISCONCEPTIONTHAT YOU CAN'T GET UP AGAIN.

BUT OF COURSE, YOU
CAN BECAUSE IN BATTLE

YOU COULD GET TORN
OFF YOUR HORSE

AND THEN YOU WOULD BE
LYING ON THE GROUND.

BUT OF COURSE YOU
NEED TO GET UP AGAIN

SO YOU CAN PROTECT YOURSELF.

CAN
JOAKIM'S LONG SWORD

DAMAGE THE ARMORED
DUMMY IN THE RING?

TIME TO FIND OUT!

THE ARMOR WITHSTANDS THE ATTACK.

THE SWORD BLADE EVEN BREAKS.

WHAT I COULD SEE
JUST BY OBSERVATION

WAS THAT THE SHAPE OF THE
ARMOR, IT DEFLECTED IT.

THAT SWORD DIDN'T DELIVER
FULL FORCE INTO THE MAN.

SO
IF THE LONG SWORD

CAN'T DENT THE KNIGHT'S
ARMOR, THE QUESTION BECOMES,

IS THERE A WEAPON THAT CAN?

KILLING WITHOUT BEING KILLED.

THE LEADING MOTIVE OF WARFARE
IS AS OLD AS HUMAN HISTORY.

SINCE THE DAWN OF TIME,MEN GOING INTO BATTLE

HAVE THOUGHT OF WAYS OF
PROTECTING THEMSELVES

AGAINST THE ENEMY'S WEAPONS.

IT'S A NATURAL HUMAN RESPONSE.

AND THEY BEGIN BY USING
READILY AVAILABLE MATERIALS,

LEATHER, WOOD, AND INCREASINGLY

AS METAL BECOMES MORE
COMMONLY AVAILABLE,

PIECES OF METAL ARE STUDDED
ONTO THE LEATHER DEFENSES

AND THEN THE DEFENSES
THEMSELVES BECOME METAL.

IN THE
EARLY MIDDLE AGES,

THE KNIGHTS OFTEN
RELY ON CHAIN MAIL.

LARGE PLATE ARMOR CAN
ONLY BE MANUFACTURED

ONCE METALWORKING HAS IMPROVED.

BUT PROTECTIVE ARMOR, WHICH
CAN WEIGH OVER 50 POUNDS,

HAS A DOWNSIDE.

THE PROBLEM HAS ALWAYSBEEN BALANCING OFF

THE ADVANTAGE OF PROTECTION

AGAINST THE DISADVANTAGE
OF WEIGHT AND IMMOBILITY.

YOU COULD BE
PERFECTLY PROTECTED,

BUT ALSO PERFECTLY IMMOBILE ANDTHEREFORE PERFECTLY USELESS.

PLATE
ARMOR HAS TO BE MADE

SPECIFICALLY FOR
THE MAN WEARING IT

IN ORDER TO FIT PERFECTLY.

THIS TAKES SEVERAL MONTHS,

AND NOT EVERYONE CAN
AFFORD CUSTOM-MADE ARMOR.

THIS IS WHY ARMOR ALSO
HAS HIGH SYMBOLIC VALUE.

IT'S A VISIBLE SIGN OF THE
KNIGHT'S SOCIAL STATUS.

THE FULL SUIT OF ARMORIS A STATUS SYMBOL.

IT SAYS, "LOOK AT ME,
I'M VERY IMPORTANT.

"I'M SO IMPORTANT, I'M PROTECTED

"WHEREAS YOU ARE UNIMPORTANT
AND NOT PROTECTED."

ELITIST,
SELF-CENTERED, VIOLENT,

THE IDEA OF THE NOBLE
KNIGHT IS A MYTH.

OF COURSE,
WE ALWAYS HAVE THIS IDEA

OF THE CHIVALROUS
KNIGHT WHO'S HONEST,

WHO HELPS THE POOR AND
ALWAYS TELLS THE TRUTH.

UNFORTUNATELY, REALITY OFTEN
LOOKED QUITE DIFFERENT,

IF NOT CONTRARY TO THAT.

KNIGHTS ALSO DISPLAYED
SELF-SERVING BEHAVIOR;

THEY WAGED WAR AGAINST
AND AMONGST EACH OTHER.

BUT
MIGHT IT BE TRUE

THAT KNIGHTS WERE
SUPERIOR FIGHTERS?

WERE THEY SUPER
WARRIORS IN ARMOR

THAT NO ONE COULD TAKE
DOWN ON THE BATTLEFIELD?

THAT NO WEAPON COULD HARM?

BY THE MID-14TH CENTURYTHEY HAD DEVELOPED

THE ABILITY TO MAKE
LAGER PLATES OF STEEL

AND THAT ENABLED THEM
TO MAKE LARGE SURFACES,

PLATE ARMOR, YOU
CAN COVER THE BODY.

IT WAS VERY DIFFICULT TO DEFEAT.

THE WAR HAMMER WAS
DEVELOPED SPECIFICALLY

TO DEFEAT PLATE ARMOR.

IS IT POSSIBLE
A SIMPLE HAMMER COULD BE USED

AS A WEAPON AGAINST WELL-TRAINEDAND WELL-PROTECTED KNIGHTS?

THE FIRST DOCUMENTED
EVIDENCE OF WAR HAMMERS

DATES BACK TO THE 11TH CENTURY.

THE WEAPON COMES IN
DIFFERENT LENGTHS

UP TO SIX FEET AND
WEIGHING UP TO 30 POUNDS.

MIKE LOADES AND STUNTMAN JOAKIM

WILL NOW TEST THE EFFECT
OF A WAR HAMMER BLOW

TO SOLID MEDIEVAL PLATE ARMOR.

THAT WAS CHILLING TO SEETHAT FORCE GOING THROUGH IT.

IT JUST GOES TO SHOW THAT
HOWEVER INGENIOUS MAN IS,

HOWEVER MUCH HE INVENTS NEW
ARMOR AND NEW PROTECTION,

ANOTHER MAN CAN INVENT
WHAT WILL DEFEAT IT

AND IT WAS THE WAR HAMMER
THAT DEFEATED ARMOR.

THE HANDLE
OF THE WAR HAMMER

SERVES AS AN EXTENDED ARM.

I HAVE TO STRIKE OUT WITH
THE WEAPON HEAD LIKE THIS

IN ORDER TO GAIN
ANY MOMENTUM AT ALL,

AND IT IS VERY HEAVY,

I NEED A LOT OF STRENGTH
TO MAKE IT MOVE.

BUT ONCE I'VE
MANAGED TO DO THAT,

THE MOMENTUM IS ENORMOUS,
AN IMMENSE WEIGHT,

WITH PERHAPS EVEN GREAT SPEED.

HITTING A TARGET CAN RELEASE

A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF ENERGY.

IN THE
TEST, THE PLATE ARMOR

DEFLECTS PART OF THE IMPACT
ENERGY OF THE WAR HAMMER BLOW.

NOT ALL OF IT THOUGH,
THE REST IS TRANSFERRED

DIRECTLY TO THE BODY,
WITH FATAL CONSEQUENCES.

WHAT THE WAR HAMMER DOES

IS IT DOESN'T TRY
AND BREAK THE ARMOR.

IT SENDS THE POWER
THROUGH THE ARMOR.

AND BLOW AFTER BLOW AFTER
BLOW WOULD WEARY A MAN.

BUT THAT'S JUST
BLOWS TO THE BODY.

WHAT WOULD A WEAPON LIKE THIS
DO WITH A BLOW TO THE HEAD?

IF TWO
KNIGHTS FACE EACH OTHER,

AND IF ONE OF THEM HAS
ALREADY LOST HIS HORSE,

THE WAR HAMMER OFFERS
AN ADDITIONAL ADVANTAGE.

THE HORSE-RIDING ATTACKER
CAN USE THE BLUNT WEAPON

TO HIT HIS OPPONENT FROM ABOVE.

BRUTAL VIOLENCE
SIMULATED IN THIS TEST.

STUNTMAN JOAKIM STRIKES
THE DUMMY WITH FULL FORCE.

THE EXPERIMENT GIVES AN IDEA

OF HOW VICIOUS MEDIEVAL
BATTLES MUST HAVE BEEN.

THAT WAS A COLOSSAL,
POWERFUL BLOW.

REALLY WELL-AIMED, YOU
DID A GOOD JOB THERE.

IT'S CREATED QUITE A DIMPLE,

THAT REALLY HAS
DAMAGED THIS HELMET.

SUCH BLOWS
CAN BREAK A MAN'S NECK,

POSSIBLY LEAVE HIM
STUNNED OR WORSE.

YOU CAN
LOSE CONSCIOUSNESS,

AND I IMAGINE WHEN
YOU'RE IN A BATTLE,

IT MIGHT NOT BE THE
BEST MOMENT TO PASS OUT.

OBVIOUSLY, THERE
WILL BE CONSEQUENCES.

BUT WHAT CAN HAPPEN,
EVEN WITH PROTECTION,

EVEN IF THE KNIGHT
IS WEARING A HELMET,

IS INTERNAL BLEEDING
IN THE HEAD.

NOT
EVEN A STEEL HELMET

CAN FULLY PROTECT
AGAINST THE WAR HAMMER.

IT IS A FATAL WEAPON FOR
KNIGHTS ON THE BATTLEFIELD.

THE BATTLE OF TOWTON, ENGLAND,
IN 1461 IS A CASE IN POINT.

ARCHEOLOGICAL EXCAVATIONS HAVE
UNEARTHED COUNTLESS SKULLS

THAT HAVE BEEN SMASHED
IN BY WAR HAMMERS.

BUT THE WEAPON IS
NOT ONLY RUTHLESS

WHEN WIELDED BY A HORSEMAN.

ON THE REVERSE SIDE
OF THE HAMMER-HEAD,

THERE'S AN IRON SPIKE THAT'S
SLIGHTLY CURVED DOWNWARDS,

CALLED A RAVEN'S BEAK.

THE WARRIOR ON FOOT CAN
USE THE RAVEN'S BEAK

TO PENETRATE THE ARMOR PLATES,

THE CURVED SPIKE
SERVING AS A HOOK

THAT CAN RIP THE ENEMY
RIDER FROM HIS HORSE.

THE WAR HAMMER ALSO POSSESSES
UNFORESEEN SOCIAL POTENTIAL

AS A WEAPON OF THE
ORDINARY PEOPLE.

IT'S USED TO LITERALLY PULL

THE ARMOR-WEARING NOBLEMAN
DOWN FROM HIS HIGH HORSE.

EVERY BLACKSMITH'S
SHOP HAS A HAMMER.

A HAMMER IS NOT A
SOPHISTICATED WEAPON.

AND THEY HAD LEARNED
THAT THIS WAS THE WAY

TO FIGHT THESE MEN
IN THEIR ARMOR.

JUNE 1524.

THE PEASANT'S WAR RAGES
IN SOUTHERN GERMANY.

THOUSANDS OF POOR TENANT FARMERS

REBEL AGAINST THE
LANDED NOBILITY.

THEIR SYMBOL IS
THE RAINBOW FLAG.

THEY DEMAND LOWER TAXES
AND AN END TO SERFDOM.

THE PEASANTS SUMMARIZE
THEIR GRIEVANCES

IN THE TWELVE ARTICLES,

A DOCUMENT THAT WAS REJECTED
BY THE FEUDAL LORDS.

IN THE CONFLICTS THAT
FOLLOW, THE WAR HAMMER BECAME

ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT
WEAPONS OF THE PEASANTS.

MOSTLY, BECAUSE IT'S
SO EASY TO MAKE.

BUT IN THE END,

THE WAR HAMMER DOESN'T LEAD
THE PEASANTS TO VICTORY.

THE NOBILITY DEFEATS THEM WITH
ARMORED KNIGHTS AND CANNONS.

THE ERA OF BLACK POWDER BEGINS.

FIRE ARMS AND THE RISE
OR PROFESSIONAL ARMIES

MAKE KNIGHTS AND THEIR WEAPONS,

LIKE THE WAR HAMMER, OBSOLETE.

THE EARLY MODERN ERA
SEES THE DEVELOPMENT

OF NEW CLOSE-COMBAT WEAPONS.

ONE OF THEM IS STILL
USED TODAY: THE BAYONET.

IT HAS A DOUBLE EFFECT, BOTH
PHYSICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL.

MUSKETS, EARLY FIREARMS,

INACCURATE, CUMBERSOME
TO RE-LOAD,

AND OFTEN USELESS AFTER A FEW
SHOTS BECAUSE THEY OVERHEAT.

BY THE MID-17TH CENTURY,

RESOURCEFUL
MUSKETEERS FIND A WAY

TO TACKLE THE PROBLEM
IN BAYONNE, FRANCE,

THE CITY WHICH GIVES
THE WEAPON ITS NAME.

BY ATTACHING A KNIFE BLADE
ONTO THE MUSKET BARREL,

THE BAYONET IS BORN.

THE RANGED WEAPON IS NOW
READY FOR HAND-TO-HAND COMBAT.

HISTORIAN AND WEAPONS
EXPERT STEPHEN BULL

SHOWS HOW TO COMBINE
MUSKET AND BAYONET.

SO, THIS IS
THE PLUG BAYONET.

IT'S AN EXTREMELY SIMPLE WEAPON.

IT'S BASICALLY A KNIFE
BLADE WITH A WOODEN HANDLE.

AND THE WOODEN HANDLE JUST FITS

INTO THE BARREL OF THE MUSKET.

SO, LET'S SEE THAT.

HERE'S THE MUSKET,
THE PLUG BAYONET,

STRAIGHT INTO THE BARREL.

THEN I CAN CONFRONT
MY ENEMY LIKE THIS.

THE PLUG BAYONET

WAS NAMED AFTER THE CORK
USED TO CLOSE WINE BARRELS.

THE WOODEN HANDLE
ON THE STRAIGHT,

LEAF-SHAPED STEEL BLADE

IS ADJUSTED TO FIT THE
DIFFERENT MUSKET CALIBERS.

BUT WHILE A HIGHLY
EFFECTIVE WEAPON,

INSERTING THE BAYONET
POSED A PROBLEM.

BUT CAN I DO THIS QUICKLY,ON THE FIELD OF BATTLE?

THIS IS A QUESTION WE'RE
GOING TO ASK OURSELVES.

THE ADVERSARY IS
PREPARING FOR AN EXPERIMENT.

TOGETHER WITH HIM,
STEPHEN WILL DEMONSTRATE

USING THE PLUG BAYONET
IN CLOSE COMBAT

TO SEE HOW WELL IT WORKS
BECAUSE QUICK REACTIONS

ARE ESSENTIAL TO A
SOLDIER'S SURVIVAL.

SO NOW I'M GETTING
SLIGHTLY NERVOUS,

I'M GONNA BE CHARGED
AT 15 METERS.

MY OPPONENT IS
GOING TO BE VICTOR.

AND VICTOR WILL TAKE HIS MUSKET

AND IN BATTLE IF HE
GETS TO ME FIRST,

I'M GOING TO BE HIT
WITH THIS THING.

SO LET'S SEE WHAT HAPPENS.

THIS TEST WILL
SIMULATE A BATTLE SITUATION

IN EARLY MODERN TIMES.

STEPHEN MUST INSERT
THE PLUG BAYONET

INTO THE MUSKET BARREL
QUICKLY, OR ELSE.

ONE METER, TWO
METERS, THREE, FOUR,

FIVE, SIX, MORE NERVOUS.

14, 15.

THE
CLOSER THE ENEMY IS,

THE HIGHER THE
MUSKET'S ACCURACY.

STEPHEN WANTS TO TRY THE
MUSKETEERS' TECHNIQUE

AT A DISTANCE OF ABOUT 45 FEET.

AFTER TAKING HIS LAST SHOT,

WILL HE BE ABLE TO
FIT THE PLUG BAYONET

INTO THE BARREL IN TIME?

OR WILL HIS OPPONENT
REACH HIM FIRST?

THE ENEMY ATTACKER IS FASTER.

MUSKETEER STEPHEN
WOULD BE DEFENSELESS

IN A HAND-TO-HAND BATTLE NOW.

MEANWHILE, IN HIS HASTE,

HE INJURES HIMSELF
WITH THE BAYONET.

SO WE'VE DISCOVERED
ONE OF THE DISADVANTAGES

OF TRYING TO USE A PLUG
BAYONET VERY QUICKLY.

AND THAT IS, IF YOU GRAB
HOLD OF THE BLADE VERY FAST,

IT ACTUALLY CUTS YOUR FINGERS.

SO REALLY, WE NEED A BETTER TECHNOLOGY THAN THE PLUG BAYONET

TO MAKE THE SYSTEM WORK,
BAYONET AND MUSKET TOGETHER.

A MORE
SOPHISTICATED BAYONET

IS NOT LONG IN COMING.

AT THE END OF
THE 17TH CENTURY

A NEW DEVICE WAS INTRODUCED.

THIS IS THE SOCKET
OR RING BAYONET.

AND AS YOU CAN SEE, IT FITSAROUND THE MUZZLE OF THE WEAPON.

SO THAT YOU CAN STILL
CONTINUE TO FIRE

EVEN WITH THE BAYONET IN PLACE.

THIS IS QUITE A BREAKTHROUGH.

RENOWN
FRENCH GENERAL

AND MILITARY ENGINEER, VAUBAN,

INVENTS THE SOCKET
BAYONET IN 1669.

FROM THAT YEAR ON, IT'S
DEPLOYED IN EUROPEAN WARS

FOR MORE THAN TWO CENTURIES,

TAKING THE LIVES OF
COUNTLESS SOLDIERS.

LEIPZIG, GERMANY,
IN OCTOBER 1813.

RUSSIAN, AUSTRIAN, PRUSSIAN,

AND SWEDISH TROOPS FACE
FRANCE AND ITS ALLIES.

SABERS AND BAYONETS
PLAY A CRUCIAL ROLE

IN HAND-TO-HAND COMBAT.

BAYONETS ALSO PROVE EFFICIENT

IN FENDING OFF CAVALRY ATTACKS.

THEY REPLACE THE PIKE,
THE LONG WOODEN LANCE

THAT HAD BEEN USED
IN BATTLE UNTIL THEN.

THE PIKE WAS ESSENTIALTO DEFEND THE MUSKETEERS

AGAINST CAVALRY, BECAUSE
THEY COULDN'T LOAD

AND FIRE FAST ENOUGH
TO HOLD OFF CAVALRY.

IF YOU COULD GIVE THEM
A SELF-DEFENSE WEAPON,

ESSENTIALLY THEIR
OWN FORM OF PIKE,

YOU COULD REDUCE THE NEED
FOR THE DEFENSIVE ELEMENT

AND INCREASE YOUR FIREPOWER.

ATTACKING
WITH ONE SINGLE WEAPON

AND SECURING THE DEFENSE.

IN THE BATTLE OF LEIPZIG,
ALL SIDES USE THE BAYONET.

OVER 90,000 OUT OF 600,000
MEN LOSE THEIR LIVES,

MANY OF THEM IN CLOSE COMBAT.

THE BATTLE PROVED
A DECISIVE DEFEAT

FOR FRENCH EMPEROR NAPOLEON.

FROM THE 19TH CENTURY ON,FIREARMS BECOME MORE EFFICIENT,

BATTLE DISTANCES BECOME GREATER,

HAND-TO-HAND COMBAT
BECOMES RARER.

BUT THE BAYONET STILL SERVES
A PURPOSE ON THE BATTLEFIELD

LARGELY BECAUSE OF ITS
PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECT.

THERE IS A WAY TO EXPLORE
THIS EFFECT IN AN EXPERIMENT.

KARIN RUTTGERS IS
A NEUROBIOLOGIST.

SHE'LL MEASURE THE
PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECT

OF A BAYONET ATTACK
ON SEVERAL VOLUNTEERS.

FOR SAFETY REASONS,

THE VOLUNTEERS WILL WEAR
VIRTUAL REALITY GLASSES.

WE KNOW
TODAY THAT WATCHING FILMS

WITH THESE VIRTUAL
REALITY GLASSES,

WE EXPERIENCE SIMILAR EMOTIONS

TO THOSE WE HAVE IN REAL LIFE.

THIS IS WHY WE EVEN USE THEM
TO TREAT ANXIETY DISORDERS.

OUR SUBCONSCIOUS SIMPLY
CANNOT DIFFERENTIATE

BETWEEN REALITY AND FANTASY.

OUR COGNITIVE, CONSCIOUS SELF
CAN MAKE THIS DIFFERENTIATION,

BUT OUR SUBCONSCIOUS
FEELS THE SAME FEAR.

SO IT'S ALL VERY REALISTIC.

TWO
SCENES WILL TAKE PLACE

IN THE VIRTUAL REALITY SETTING.

IN THE FIRST, THE
PARTICIPANTS WILL FACE

A WORLD WAR I SOLDIER
AIMING AT THEM WITH A RIFLE.

IN THE SECOND SCENARIO,

THE SOLDIER APPROACHES
WITH A BAYONET.

WILL THE PARTICIPANTS'
REACTION BE DIFFERENT?

THE FIRST ROUND STARTS UNDER
DR RUTTGERS' WATCHFUL EYES.

SHE'LL MEASURE THE HEART
RATE AND SKIN RESISTANCE

OF EACH PARTICIPANT AND ANALYZETHEIR REACTIONS IN DETAIL.

THESE PARAMETERS WILL
DETECT ANY SENSE OF FEAR.

PUTTING ON THE VIRTUAL
REALITY GLASSES,

THE FIRST PARTICIPANT IS
PLUNGED INTO WORLD WAR I.

SHE WAS NOT TOLD WHAT
TO EXPECT BEFOREHAND

AND HAS DIFFICULTY ADJUSTING
TO THE WAR-LIKE SETTING.

THEN THE FIRST SCENARIO BEGINS.

OKAY, WE
COULD SEE HOW SHE MOVED BACK.

RUTTGERS
SHOWS THE SCENE

TO A TOTAL OF 10 PARTICIPANTS.

LIKE THE FIRST ONE,

THEY'RE GIVEN NO
INSTRUCTIONS BEFOREHAND.

THE SUBJECTS HAVE NO IDEA WHAT
THEY'RE ABOUT TO ENCOUNTER.

THEIR REACTIONS ARE SIMILAR,

THEY ALL EXPERIENCE
A MOMENT OF FEAR.

IN THE FIRST
ROUND THEY ALL FROZE

AND WAITED FOR WHAT
WAS TO COME NEXT.

THEY WERE LESS RELAXED,
DEFINITELY TENSE,

BUT WERE NOT TERRIFIED YET.

THE SECOND ROUND,

NOW, THE VIRTUAL SOLDIER IS
ATTACKING WITH HIS BAYONET.

WILL THE PARTICIPANTS
REACT DIFFERENTLY

IN THE SIMULATED CLOSE
-COMBAT SITUATION?

Can: I FELT AFRAID FOR
A BRIEF MOMENT.

HE LOOKED ME DIRECTLY IN THE EYE

AND THAT FELT UNCOMFORTABLE.

Leon: THAT WAS
FRIGHTENING

BECAUSE HE DIDN'T STOP BUT
RAN DIRECTLY TOWARDS ME.

WHAT YOU ACTUALLY WANT TO DO

IS TO GET OUT OF HIS WAY
SOMEHOW AND RUN AWAY.

THERE WE COULD
CLEARLY SEE THE MOVE BACK.

THE TRENCH WARFARE
SITUATION IS NIGHTMARISH.

A SCREAMING SOLDIER WITH
A BAYONET ON THEIR FIREARM

CLEARLY INCREASES THE TENSION.

YOU CAN SEE
AN ENORMOUS SPIKE HERE.

YOU CAN SEE HOW SHE
ORIENTED HERSELF,

SHE MOVED AROUND A LOT
IN THE ROOM AS WELL.

THEN SHE CALMED DOWN, AND
THEN, ALL OF A SUDDEN,

THE SOLDIER APPEARED AND
SHE BECAME VERY NERVOUS.

IT WAS VERY, VERY
FRIGHTENING AND SCARY,

AND I FELT KIND OF DEFENSELESS.

THE URGE
TO ESCAPE THE SITUATION

IS THE COMMON RESPONSE
OBSERVED IN THE EXPERIMENT.

AGAIN, THIS FEAR CAN BE SEEN
BY WAY OF THE MEASURED CURVE.

YOU DEFINITELY
FEEL A LOT MORE SCARED.

AND WHEN HE STARTED TO SCREAM,

I REALLY JUST
WANTED TO GET AWAY.

THE PARTICIPANTS
RATED THEIR EMOTIONAL STATE

ON A SCALE BEFORE THE EXPERIMENT

AND AFTER EACH VIRTUAL
-REALITY SCENARIO.

USING THIS SUBJECTIVE DATA

AND THE MEASUREMENTS OF HEART
RATE AND SKIN RESISTANCE,

DOCTOR RUTTGERS ARRIVES
AT A FIRM CONCLUSION.

THE DATA
CLEARLY SHOWS

THAT THE TENSION ROSE BY 140%
IN THE BAYONET SITUATION,

WHEREAS IT ONLY INCREASED BY
75% IN THE RIFLE SCENARIO.

SO WE COULD SHOW
THAT THE BAYONET

IS TWICE AS FRIGHTENING
AS THE FIREARM ALONE.

ONCE YOU
STRUCK FEAR IN YOUR ENEMY

YOU HAVE POWER OVER THEM THEN.

ANY WEAPON THAT GIVES A SOLDIER

AN ADDITIONAL SENSE
OF CONTROL AND POWER

IS GOING TO HAVE A HUGE
PSYCHOLOGICAL EFFECT ON THEM

AND HOW THEY GO INTO WAR, HOW
THEY FEEL ABOUT THEIR ENEMY.

AND IN THE SITUATION
OF A BAYONET,

THEY'RE CARRYING
SOMETHING THAT CAN KILL,

BECAUSE THIS ALSO
HAS THE BULLET,

BUT CAN ALSO STRIKE FEAR

INTO THE PERSON THAT
THEY'RE FIGHTING.

AMONG ALL
THE CLOSE-COMBAT WEAPONS

ON THE BATTLEFIELD,
THE BAYONET STIRS UP

THE MOST PRIMAL
EMOTION IN A SOLDIER.

IT BRINGS THAT
VISCERAL, ANCIENT FEAR

THAT UNSETTLES THE
NERVES OF TROOPS,

THAT PERSUADES
PEOPLE TO SURRENDER.

IT'S A WEAPON OF TERROR.

THE
IDEA OF WEAKENING

THE OPPONENTS' PSYCHOLOGICAL
MINDSET IS NOT NEW.

ANCIENT WARRIORS
COPIED THE LOUD CRIES

AND ROARS OF ATTACKING
ANIMALS WITH HORNS,

DRUMS, AND WAR CRIES
BEFORE THE BATTLE.

IN WORLD WAR II, FIGHTER
AIRCRAFT WERE EQUIPPED

WITH SIRENS TO SPREAD
FEAR AND TERROR.

AIRSTREAM-ACTIVATED SIRENS WEREFITTED DIRECTLY ONTO BOMBS.

THEY AMPLIFIED THE NATURAL
SOUND OF THE FALLING MISSILES

AND MADE THE EXPERIENCE
EVEN MORE TRAUMATIZING.

IN WARFARE ANY
ADVANTAGE IS POSITIVE.

THE PSYCHOLOGY OF
WAR IS, IF POSSIBLE,

PERSUADE THE ENEMY
TO DO WHAT YOU WANT

WITHOUT HAVING TO FIGHT,

THAT WAY YOU DON'T
GET KILLED AT ALL

AND YOU CAN DO WHAT
YOU LIKE WITH THEM

WHEN THEY'VE SURRENDERED.

Soldier: FIX BAYONETS.

STILL, TO THIS DAY,

WAR CRIES ARE PART OF
THE BAYONET TRAINING.

MILITARY TRAINING
FOCUSES ON OVERCOMING

OUR NATURAL INHIBITION TO KILL.

THE WAR CRY SPEAKS TO OUR
MOST ANCIENT INSTINCTS.

OFTEN WE'LL SEE
PEOPLE CHANTING THINGS

LIKE "KILL, KILL KILL."

SO IT'S GETTING THE
ADRENALINE READY

BUT IT IS ALSO
DESENSITIZING THEM

TO COMMIT ACTS OF VIOLENCE
WHICH GOES AGAINST

WHAT THEY HAVE PROBABLY
BEEN BROUGHT UP TO DO.

SO, IT'S ALMOST LIKE TRAINING
SOMEBODY TO BE ABLE TO KILL,

TO BE ABLE TO INFLICT
HARM ON SOMEBODY,

BY GOING THROUGH THIS PROCESS
OF DESENSITIZING THEM.

Soldiers: ON GUARD,
ON GUARD, ON GUARD!

HAND-TO-HAND COMBAT

IS WARFARE AT ITS MOST VISCERAL.

THAT WAS TRUE BACK IN THE
DAYS OF THE ROMAN GLADIUS,

AND IT'S STILL TRUE TODAY.

THE IRAQ WAR HAS SHOWN
THAT, IN MODERN CONFLICTS,

SOLDIERS SHOOT MOST OF
THEIR ENEMIES AT LONG RANGE.

BUT THE WORST
PSYCHOLOGICAL PROBLEMS

ARISE FROM CLOSE
-QUARTER FIGHTING,

WITH ITS EFFECTS
LASTING LONG AFTERWARDS.

IN THE FUTURE, THE
SOLDIER IS INTENDED

TO BECOME A PERFECTLY-PROTECTED

AND TECHNICALLY-ENHANCED
CLOSE-QUARTER COMBAT MACHINE

WITH EQUIPMENT REMINISCENTOF ROBOTS: THE EXOSKELETON.

THERE ARE DIFFERENT MODELS,

SOME OF THEM CAN CATCH BULLETS.

OTHERS ENABLE SOLDIERS TO CARRY

UP TO 200 POUNDS
FOR SEVERAL HOURS.

IN THE 21ST CENTURY
WE'VE MOVED AWAY

FROM JUST THINKING ABOUT
PROTECTION AND HUMAN MOBILITY.

WE'RE STARTING NOW TO THINK
ABOUT USING AN EXOSKELETON,

WHICH WILL BOTH
PROTECT THE WEARER

AND ALSO ENHANCE
THEIR PHYSICAL PROWESS

SO THEY CAN MOVE
FASTER, JUMP HIGHER,

AND CARRY ON
FUNCTIONING FOR LONGER.

THE
LOAD OF THE EQUIPMENT

IS SHIFTED ONTO
WEARABLE METAL DEVICES

AND ELECTRONIC MOTORS,

WHICH AUGMENT THE SOLDIER'S
PHYSICAL ABILITIES.

THE SOLDIER OF THE FUTURE,
HALF-MAN, HALF-MACHINE?

WHAT WE'RE DOING
IS WE'RE MAKING

ONE OF THE CLASSIC TRADE-OFFS
IN THE HISTORY OF WAR

BETWEEN NUMBERS AND QUALITY.

WE'RE STARTING TO SAY,
"MAYBE HAVING A FEW

"HIGHLY EXPENSIVE SUPERWARRIOR FIGURES IN EXOSKELETONS

"MIGHT BE MORE
EFFECTIVE THAN HAVING

"A VERY LARGE NUMBER OF
ORDINARY FOOT SOLDIERS,

"AND THAT THIS MAY
BE THE WAY AHEAD."

SO WE HAVE TO BE VERY CAREFUL

THAT WE'RE NOT PURSUING
A FALSE PREMISE HERE

THAT A SMALL NUMBER OF
MECHANICALLY-ENHANCED SOLDIERS

REPLACING THE SAME VALUE INMORE CONVENTIONAL FORCES.

BUT DESPITE ALL
TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENTS

IN WEAPONS-MAKING, WAR
WILL REMAIN ARMED CONFLICT

THAT'S VIOLENT,
POWERFUL, AND LETHAL.