All language subtitles for World of Weapons S01E08 The Ambush

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.

Machnau: 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!

AMBUSH THE ENEMY.

SOME INSIDIOUS BUT EFFICIENT
INVENTIONS HAVE INFLUENCED

THE OUTCOME OF WARS AND HAVE
BEEN USED FOR CENTURIES.

ONE WEAPON PERILOUS
FOR CAVALRY, THE CALTROP.

YOU CAN'T SMELL THEM,
YOU DON'T KNOW WHERE THEY ARE,

YOU DON'T KNOW
HOW MANY THEY ARE.

THAT'S RUSSIAN ROULETTE!

THE ROMANS
WERE USING CALTROPS

AS EARLY AS TWO
-THOUSAND YEARS AGO.

WHAT ARE THEY AND
HOW DO THEY WORK?

AFTER DOMESTICATED HORSES

BECOME AN INTEGRAL PART
OF THE BATTLEFIELD,

INFANTRY SOLDIERS ARE NO
MATCH FOR ARMED RIDERS.

THE PROBLEM
FOR INFANTRY,

WHEN THEY FACE CAVALRY,

IS THE SPEED WITH
WHICH THE CAVALRY MOVE

AND THE WEIGHT THEY
BRING TO CONTACT.

THE IMPACT
OF A CAVALRY ATTACK

CAN DECIDE THE FATE
OF AN ENTIRE WAR.

AND IT TAKES A
LOT OF DISCIPLINE

TO MAKE FOOT SOLDIERS STAND

WHEN THEY'RE BEING
CHARGED BY HORSEMEN.

THE
MOBILITY AND SPEED

OF CAVALRY ATTACKS WREAK HAVOC.

ANCIENT MILITARY LEADERS TRY
TO FIND WAYS TO COUNTER THEM.

A WEAPON KNOWN AS THE CALTROP

PROVES TO BE AN
INGENIOUS SOLUTION.

MIKE LOADES WANTS TO TAKE ACLOSER LOOK AT THE SMALL WEAPON.

HOW WERE CALTROPS DEPLOYED
ON THE BATTLEFIELD?

THIS VICIOUS,
MATRIX OF IRON SPIKES,

IT'S CALLED A CALTROP.

AND THEY WERE USED
ON THE ANCIENT

AND MEDIEVAL BATTLEFIELD
IN THEIR THOUSANDS,

SCATTERED ALL OVER THE FIELD.

THE THING ABOUT THEM
IS, WHEN YOU THROW THEM,

THEY LAND SPIKE UP.

THEY'RE ALWAYS GONNA LAND WITH

ONE OF THESE SPIKES STICKING UP.

SO, ANYBODY WALKING
THROUGH LONG GRASS

CAN'T SEE THIS AND THE FOOT
DRIVES THROUGH THE SPIKE,

THIS ONE'S GOT A BARB, SO
VERY DIFFICULT TO GET OUT.

VICIOUS AGAINST HORSES, KIND
OF A MEDIEVAL MINEFIELD.

ON HORSEBACK,

SOLDIERS CAN BARELY
SEE THE CALTROPS

AND THEY CAN CAUSE DEEP INJURIES

FOR BOTH HUMANS AND ANIMALS.

217 AD. ROMAN INFANTRY
SOLDIERS ARE FIGHTING

ARMED PARTHIAN RIDERS IN
THE BATTLE OF NISIBIS.

AS THE HORSEMEN
GALLOP TOWARDS THEM,

THE ROMANS FAKE A RETREAT

AND SCATTER TRIBULI
ON THE BATTLEFIELD,

THE ROMAN VERSION
OF THE CALTROP.

THEY CONSIST OF FOUR
SHARP IRON SPIKES.

ROMAN TRIBULI HAVE BARBS,

WHICH ARE LESS COMMON ON
THEIR MEDIEVAL COUNTERPARTS.

IN THOSE SITUATIONS,

THE CALTROP CAN BE VERY
USEFUL TO CONTROL A TERRAIN.

YOU CAN CREATE DEAD
GROUND WHERE NO ONE CAN GO

AND THAT CAN PREVENT
A FLANKING ATTACK

OR THE ENEMY COMING
AROUND BEHIND.

SO THE CALTROP IS USEFUL
TO CONTROL THE GROUND.

TRIBULI
SLOW DOWN CAVALRY ATTACKS

OFTEN CAUSING GREAT
LOSSES OF MEN AND HORSES.

AND THEY ARE EASY TO MAKE.

ANY BLACKSMITH CAN FORGE THEM.

JENS CHRISTIANSEN DEMONSTRATES.

HE HEATS A PIECE OF IRON

THAT HAS BEEN SPLIT
INTO FOUR ARMS,

BENDS THE ENDS AND
FORGES THE SPIKES.

THAT'S IT, THE DEFENSIVE
WEAPON IS READY TO USE.

WHAT A TERRIBLE,
TERRIBLE THING.

SO THIS IS THE ROMAN
VERSION, THE TRIBULUS.

THE BARBS ARE INTIMIDATING.

IF THAT GOES THROUGH YOUR FOOT,OR CERTAINLY A HORSE'S FOOT,

THAT MAN IS OUT OF ACTION,

THAT HORSE IS OUT
OF ACTION FOREVER.

SO BY THE MIDDLE AGES THEY HAD
DISPENSED WITH THESE BARBS.

AND THE TRIBULUS
BECAME THE CALTROP.

IT'S THE SAME THING, DIFFERENT
NAME, BUT WITHOUT THE BARBS.

TRIBULI ARE PART
OF THE STANDARD EQUIPMENT

OF THE ROMAN LEGIONS.

FOR HORSES, STEPPING ON A
CALTROP USUALLY SPELLS DOOM.

THE MOST EFFECTIVE ANIMALS
IN MILITARY HISTORY

HAVE VULNERABLE HOOVES.

HORSES ARE A DECISIVE FACTOR

IN WINNING WARS UP
TO THE 20TH CENTURY.

EVER SINCE MEN HAVE
BEEN WAGING WARS,

ANIMALS HAVE BEEN
AMONG THE VICTIMS.

THEY ARE OFTEN KILLED
ON THE FRONT LINES

OR WHILE TRANSPORTING
WEAPONS, AMMUNITION AND FOOD.

GERMAN FORCES ALONE LOST
ABOUT 1.5 MILLION HORSES

DURING WORLD WAR ONE.

CANNON, SIEGE ENGINES
HAVE BEEN PULLED BY OXEN

RATHER THAN BY HORSES.

AND THE GREAT
ADVANTAGE OF THE OX IS

WHEN HE'S FINISHED HIS
JOB YOU CAN EAT HIM.

SO ANIMALS ARE ALSO A CRITICAL
PART OF THE FOOD CHAIN

AND THE FACT THAT
THEY'RE MOBILE MEANS IT'S

EASIER TO MOVE AN
ANIMAL FOOD SUPPLY

THAN IT IS A
VEGETABLE FOOD SUPPLY,

WHICH NEEDS ANIMALS TO TOW IT.

THEIR GREAT
MILITARY VALUE

OFTEN MAKES ANIMALS

A TARGET FOR THE ENEMY.

FOR HORSES, STEPPING
ONTO A CALTROP

OFTEN PRODUCES A MORTAL WOUND.

IN BATTLE, SOLDIERS
HAVE NEITHER THE TIME

NOR THE SYMPATHY FOR
A WOUNDED ANIMAL.

MIKE LOADES WANTS TO
FIND OUT IF CALTROPS

ARE REALLY THAT EASY TO DEPLOY.

WHAT I WANT TO FIND OUTIS IN A FIELD OF CALTROPS

WHAT'S THE RUSSIAN ROULETTE,

WHAT'S THE CHANCE OF A
CAVALRYMAN GETTING THROUGH.

I'VE GOT THESE SPONGES
SOAKED IN BLUE PAINT

AND I AM GOING TO HIDE
THEM IN THE GRASS HERE

SO THE HORSES CAN'T SEE THEM.

GET THEM WELL COVERED.

MIKE DISTRIBUTES
THE DUMMY CALTROPS

ACROSS A STAKED-OFF PLOT.

IF YOU WERE DOING
IT IN THE MIDDLE AGES

YOU WOULD JUST SIMPLY BE

THROWING THEM OUT AS
YOU WALK BACK.

YOU COULD GET IT DOWN
REALLY QUITE QUICKLY.

AT TOP SPEED,
FOUR HORSEMEN WILL TRY

TO CROSS THE FIELD UNHARMED.

YOU CAN ALSO SEE
UNDERNEATH ON A HORSE'S FOOT,

HOW VULNERABLE IT IS.

LOOK, THIS IS SOFT.

THIS IS WHERE THE SPIKE OF
THE CALTROP WOULD GO IN;

REALLY CRUEL WEAPON.

CAN THE HORSES
CROSS THE AREA AT FULL SPEED

AND ESCAPE UNSCATHED?

ACTION!

CALTROPS
ARE INSIDIOUS WEAPONS,

INVISIBLE TO AN ATTACKING
HORSE AND RIDER.

IN OUR EXPERIMENT THE
WORST THAT CAN HAPPEN

ARE COLOR STAINS ON HOOVES.

BUT IN WAR, STEPPING
ON A CALTROP

WOULD MEAN GAME
OVER FOR THE HORSE

AND OFTEN FOR THE RIDER AS WELL.

OKAY, LET'S HAVE A LOOK.

I CAN SEE STRAIGHT
AWAY THAT ABSOLOM

HAS FALLEN VICTIM TO A CALTROP.

LOOK AT THAT, YOU CAN SEE THIS
STREAK OF BLUE DOWN HIS LEG.

THE HORSE WOULD BE DOWN,
THE RIDER WOULD BE THROWN,

THEY'RE OUT OF THE BATTLE.

LOOK AT THAT.

ON HIS HIND LEG THIS HORSE AS
WELL AS STEPPED ON A SPONGE,

IT MEANS IT WOULD A
STEP ON THE CALTROP,

EVEN BEING THIS WET I THINK
THAT COULD BE A TRACE.

SO MAYBE YOU SURVIVED.

NOTHING HERE.

BOTH HOOVES ARE CLEAN.

BUT THAT'S TWO HORSES OUT
OF FOUR IN THAT ONE RUN

GOT STRUCK BY CALTROPS.

IMAGINE IF YOU ARE
IN A CAVALRY CHARGE

AND YOUR FELLOWS
GO DOWN AND YOU,

THE CRY WOULD GO UP, CALTROPS!

IT WOULD TAKE A BRAVE
MAN OR A FOOLISH MAN

TO RIDE THEIR HORSE THROUGH,
AND THAT'S RUSSIAN ROULETTE.

OUR
EXPERIMENT HAS SHOWN

THERE IS NO PROTECTION
AGAINST A CALTROP ATTACK.

ONE OF THE FEW IMAGES
DETAILING THE USE OF CALTROPS

IS A MURAL IN THE
CHAPEL OF SCHOÖNENBUCHEN

IN SOUTHERN GERMANY.

IT DEPICTS MERCENARIES ON A RAID

IN THE BLACK FOREST IN 1444.

FARMERS ARE TRYING TO
HINDER THEM WITH CALTROPS.

YOU PUT BASKETS OF
CALTROPS ON A MOUNTAIN PASS

THAT'S THE ONLY WAY
TO GET TO YOUR TOWN,

THEN YOU DECIMATE AN
ARMY BEFORE IT ARRIVES.

YOU PUT BASKETS OF CALTROPS
THROUGH A WOODLAND CAUSEWAY

THEN YOU CAUSE CHAOS
IN AN ATTACKING ARMY.

YOU DON'T EVEN
HAVE TO FIGHT THEM.

THERE ARE FEW
PORTRAYALS OF CALTROPS,

MOST LIKELY BECAUSE THEY
WERE CONSIDERED INHUMANE.

YET OVER THE COURSE OF HISTORY,

MILLIONS OF THEM HAVE
BEEN MANUFACTURED.

AND MEDIEVAL WEAPONS ENGINEERS

CONTINUED TO MODIFY
THE BASIC FORM.

THE CALTROP IS
A SILENT ASSASSIN.

IT HIDES AND WAITS
FOR ITS VICTIMS.

BUT SOMETIMES IT'S
USED MORE ACTIVELY.

WE ACTUALLY HAVE EVIDENCE
OF CALTROPS IN CLAY POTS.

POTS THAT COULD BE DROPPED

FROM THE HEIGHT OF
CITY WALLS OR CASTLES.

BUT YOU WOULD THINK THAT
ONCE THE POT SMASHED

AND THESE CALTROPS
WERE ON THE GROUND

EVERYONE WOULD KNOW
WHERE THEY WERE.

THEY WOULDN'T KNOW
IT WAS A MINEFIELD.

BUT THERE WAS SOMETHING
ELSE IN THE POT.

WHEN
THE POTS BREAK,

NOT ONLY CALTROPS
COVER THE BATTLEFIELD.

THE RESULT IS ONE OF THE FIRST
CHEMICAL WEAPONS IN HISTORY.

THE OTHER INGREDIENT

IN THE POT OF CALTROPS
WAS QUICKLIME.

QUICKLIME IS USED IN
BUILDING MATERIALS

FOR MORTAR, FOR CEMENT.

THIS IS IT WHEN IT'S SET.

THIS IS NOW INERT.

BUT BEFORE IT'S
INERT IT'S A VERY,

VERY DANGEROUS SUBSTANCE
IN POWDER FORM.

THAT'S WHY FOR THIS
DEMONSTRATION

WE ARE USING FLOUR,

NOT THE REAL THING.

QUICKLIME IS MADE FROM CRUSHED
SEA SHELLS AND LIMESTONE

THAT ARE THEN HEATED TO
VERY, VERY HIGH TEMPERATURE.

AND THEN YOU GET THIS SUBSTANCETHAT REACTS WITH WATER,

REACTS WITH ANY
MOISTURE AND IT HAS

A RAPID ACCELERATION
IN TEMPERATURE

AND IT BURNS LIKE ACID.

THE CLAY
POTS FILLED WITH CALTROPS

AND QUICKLIME PROVE TO BE

A EFFICIENT DEFENSIVE
WEAPON IN SIEGES.

YOU GOT IT?

SOMETIMES,
MEDIEVAL DEFENDERS PITCH

MORE THAN SEVERAL
HUNDRED CLAY POTS.

IF THIS WAS
REALLY QUICKLIME

IT WOULD BE A SCENE
OF TRUE TERROR.

THIS DUST WOULD BE GETTING DOWNTHE BACK, BEHIND YOUR ARMOR,

YOU COULDN'T GET AT IT.

IT WOULD BE GETTING
IN YOUR EYES,

EVERYTHING WOULD BE STINGING
AND YOU WOULD BE BLINDED.

QUICKLIME IS
COMPLETELY CAUSTIC FOR HUMANS.

IT IS BASICALLY
AN ACID AND CAUSES

EXTREMELY BAD CHEMICAL BURNS.

IT'S ALSO HIGHLY FLAMMABLE,

SO IF IN ADDITION TO THE
CALTROPS AND QUICKLIME

YOU ADD OTHER HIGHLY
FLAMMABLE SUBSTANCES,

YOU CAN EFFORTLESSLY
MAKE IT ALL CATCH FIRE.

THIS STUFF,
IF IT'S QUICKLIME,

TOUCHING THE MOISTURE IN YOUR
EYES WOULD BURN YOUR EYES OUT,

AND YOU COULD NOT SEE AND YOU
WOULD STAND ON THE CALTROPS.

THIS STRATEGY
STUNNED THE ENEMY,

SLOWED ATTACKS ON
THE BATTLEFIELD

OR PREVENTED THEM ALL TOGETHER.

THE FACT THAT CALTROPS
ARE SO EASY TO MANUFACTURE

MAKES THEM A CHEAP WEAPON.

MODERN CALTROPS AND THEIR
VARIATIONS, LIKE SPIKE STRIPS,

CAN DESTROY CAR TIRES.

POLICE ALL AROUND
THE GLOBE USE THEM.

THEY ARE ONE OF THE FEW WEAPONSIN HISTORY THAT HAVE BEEN

DEPLOYED ALMOST UNALTERED
SINCE THE ROMAN ERA.

OUR NEXT WEAPON IS ALSO
USED TO AMBUSH THE ENEMY.

BUT UNLIKE CALTROPS,

IT'S SUITABLE FOR BOTH
OFFENSE AND DEFENSE.

THE DREYSE NEEDLEGUN.

JULY 3RD, 1866, KOÖNIGGRAÄTZ,
NORTHERN BOHEMIA.

440,000 SOLDIERS OF
THE TWO MOST POWERFUL

STATES IN THE
GERMAN CONFEDERATION

ARE FACING EACH OTHER IN BATTLE.

WHOEVER WINS THIS
WAR WILL GAIN CONTROL

OVER WHAT WE KNOW
TODAY AS GERMANY.

THE AUSTRIAN TROOPS ARE ARMED

WITH TRADITIONAL MUZZLELOADERS,

WHICH HAVE A LIMITED RANGE.

ON THE OTHER SIDE, PRUSSIAN
SOLDIERS ARE EQUIPPED WITH

STATE-OF-THE-ART
BREECH-LOADING GUNS.

THESE WEAPONS WILLREVOLUTIONIZE WARFARE IN EUROPE.

WEAPONS EXPERT WOLFGANG STABE

WANTS TO TEST THIS
WONDER WEAPON FROM 1866.

WHAT MAKES THE
NEEDLEGUN SO INNOVATIVE?

A FASCINATING WEAPON.

IT'S AMAZING WHAT IT CAN DO.

IN
THE 16TH CENTURY,

THE MUSKET BECOMES THE STANDARDWEAPON OF THE INFANTRY.

IT'S AN EFFECTIVE RIFLE

THAT DOMINATES
BATTLEFIELDS FOR CENTURIES.

BUT IT'S RELATIVELY
SLOW TO LOAD.

MUZZLELOADERS ARE
THE ORIGINAL FIREARM.

YOU HAVE A MUZZLE THAT'S
CLOSED ON ONE END.

IT'S LOADED WITH BLACK POWDER

OR ANOTHER TYPE OF EXPLOSIVE
AND THEN THE PROJECTILE.

THE PROBLEM IS
YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO

LEAN OVER THE
FIREARM TO RELOAD IT.

EVERYTHING NEEDS
TO BE RAMMED DOWN

INTO THE BARREL REALLY SNUGLY.

THIS RESULTS
IN THE LINE FORMATION.

ALL SOLDIERS FIRE THEIR
WEAPONS SIMULTANEOUSLY.

UNIFORMS IN THE EARLY
MODERN ERA ARE VERY,

VERY COLORFUL BECAUSE YOU
HAVE TO BE ABLE TO TELL APART

THE VARIOUS UNITS
ON THE BATTLE FIELD.

AS A COMMANDER, YOU
NEED TO BE ABLE TO SEE

WHERE WHICH UNIT IS STANDING.

SOLDIERS
STILL FIGHT UNPROTECTED,

OUTFITTED IN COLORFUL UNIFORMS
THAT ARE EASY TO SPOT.

BUT GERMAN INVENTOR
JOHANN NIKOLAUS VON DREYSE

HAS BEEN WORKING ON
A NEW TYPE OF GUN.

BACK THEN, THE WEAPON'S
IGNITION WAS NOT WEATHERPROOF

BECAUSE THE FLINTLOCKS WERE
EXPOSED TO THE ELEMENTS.

IN DREYSE'S MODEL THE
IGNITION IS PROTECTED.

DREYSE BUILDS A CARTRIDGE
THAT CONTAINS A PROPELLANT,

A PROJECTILE AND A
DETONATOR ALL IN ONE PIECE.

THE PRUSSIAN ARMY
STARTS BUYING THIS GUN

IN LARGE QUANTITIES.

BUT IT WILL TAKE
ANOTHER TWENTY YEARS

UNTIL ITS FIRST MAJOR DEBUT.

WOLFGANG STABE RECOGNIZES THE
DREYSE GUN'S PLACE IN HISTORY.

THE LOCK SYSTEM
WAS SO REVOLUTIONARY

THAT IT HAS BEEN
COPIED A MILLION TIMES

AND IT'S STILL USED TODAY.

IT WOULD HAVE BEEN IMPOSSIBLE
TO MANUFACTURE MODERN WEAPONS

WITHOUT THIS CRUCIAL INVENTION.

THE DREYSE
NEEDLEGUN

IS A BREECH-LOADING GUN

WITH A PERCUSSION
LOCK AND CARTRIDGES

DETONATED BY A FIRING PIN.

IT STILL HAS PAPER CASES,

BUT THEY MAKE IT POSSIBLE
TO REFILL THE PROPELLANT,

PROJECTILE AND DETONATOR
IN JUST ONE STEP.

OUR EXPERIMENT BEGINS.

IS THE NEEDLEGUN REALLY
SUPERIOR TO THE MUSKET?

WOLFGANG STABE AND
ANOTHER GUNMAN

ARE INTENDING TO FIND OUT.

WHICH ONE WILL
FIRE FASTER?

THE DREYSE GUN, A
BREECH-LOADING GUN?

OR THE MUZZLELOADER
WHICH IS EASY TO HANDLE.

WE'RE ABOUT TO FIND OUT.

WE'VE GOT ONE MINUTE.

FOR OUR EXPERIMENT,
TINS AND PLASTIC BOTTLES

FILLED WITH LIQUID
SERVE AS TARGETS.

THE TEST IS DESIGNED TO
SHOW WHAT THE AUSTRIANS

HAD TO FACE IN 1866 WHEN THEY
ENCOUNTERED THE PRUSSIANS

AND THEIR NEW GUNS.

FIRE AT WILL!

COMPARED
TO THE DREYSE AND ITS

ALL-IN-ONE CARTRIDGE, LOADING
THE MUZZLE IS TIME-CONSUMING.

THE NEEDLEGUN CLEARLY HAS
THE EDGE IN TERMS OF SPEED.

TIME'S UP.

WOLFGANG STABE HAS MANAGED
THREE SHOTS IN SIXTY SECONDS.

ONE OF THEM HIT THE TARGET.

HIS OPPONENT MANAGES TO LOAD
AND FIRE HIS GUN ONLY ONCE.

I WAS SUPERIOR BY FAR
IN TERMS OF RATE OF FIRE.

THE RAPID
LOADING AND FIRING

OF THE DREYSE NEEDLEGUN
IS A GAME CHANGER

IN BATTLEFIELD TACTICS.

WITH THE HELP OF TWO TEAMS,

WOLFGANG STABE WANTS
TO DEMONSTRATE HOW.

HI EVERYONE.

THANKS FOR BEING HERE TODAY.

WE ARE ABOUT TO CONDUCT
A HISTORICAL EXPERIMENT.

BLUE IS PRUSSIA, THESE
ARE THE AUSTRIANS.

IT'S THE BATTLE BETWEEN
A BREECH-LOADING SYSTEM

AND A MUZZLELOADER SYSTEM.

EVERYONE HAS THE SAME WEAPONS.

THE AUSTRIANS ARE ONLY
ALLOWED TO RELOAD ONCE

AND HAVE TO WAIT 20-30 SECONDS.

THIS IS ABOUT THE TIME IT TOOK

A HISTORICAL
MUZZLELOADER TO RELOAD.

THE PRUSSIANS ARE
ALLOWED TO RELOAD ONCE,

FIRE, RELOAD ONCE, FIRE.

TEAM ORANGE
HAS TO FIRE TOGETHER

AND LOAD WHILE STANDING, JUST
AS THE MUSKETEERS HAD TO DO

UNTIL THE MIDDLE OF
THE NINETEENTH CENTURY.

TEAM BLUE MAY ALSO
TAKE COVER TO RELOAD.

ATTENTION
EVERYONE, GET READY.

THREE, TWO, ONE.

BY FIRING FASTER
AND TAKING COVER TO RELOAD

THE BLUE TEAM SHOULD HAVE
A DISTINCT ADVANTAGE.

HOW REAL.

JUST IMAGINE HOW MUZZLELOADERS

USED TO SHOOT BACK IN THE DAYS,

THEY ALL FIRED THEIR
GUNS AT THE SAME TIME.

IT MAYBE TOOK A WELL
-TRAINED SHOOTER

20 SECONDS TO FIRE ONE SHOT.

THEY'RE AN EASY TARGET.

HIT!

ONE MAN DOWN.

TEAM BLUE IS STILL INTACT.

ZERO HITS.

THEY'RE BENDING DOWN AND
ARE MUCH HARDER TO HIT.

HIT!

OH, THIS DOESN'T LOOK
GOOD AT ALL FOR THEM.

TEAM
BLUE WINS EASILY.

ON THE 19TH CENTURY BATTLEFIELD,

THE BREECH-LOADING TECHNIQUE
STILL HAS A FEW BUGS,

BUT SOON TURNS OUT TO BE
A PIONEER DEVELOPMENT.

ONLY THE GENERALS STILL
HAVE THEIR RESERVATIONS.

YOU HAVE TO
IMAGINE THE GENERALS

AS VERY CONSERVATIVE PEOPLE.

NEVER CHANGE A WINNING TEAM,
NEVER CHANGE A WINNING WEAPON.

THEY WERE ALSO WORRIED THAT
INTRODUCING NEW GUN SYSTEMS

LIKE THE DREYSE NEEDLEGUN

WOULD MAKE THE
AMMUNITION USE SKYROCKET.

HOWEVER, THE
BATTLE OF KOÖNIGGRAÄTZ IN 1866

PUTS ANY DOUBTS TO REST.

A WOODED HILL, KNOWN
AS SWIEP FOREST,

IS A KEY POSITION
FOR THE PRUSSIANS.

THE LONGER RANGE OF THE
AUSTRIAN MUZZLELOADERS

OFFERS NO ADVANTAGE IN
THE WOODED ENVIRONMENT.

THE PRUSSIANS FIRE THEIR
DREYSA GUNS FROM COVER.

BY NIGHTFALL, 13,000
AUSTRIANS ARE DEAD OR MISSING.

THE PRUSSIANS ONLY
LOSE ABOUT 2,000 MEN.

THIS BECOMES THE
BATTLE-WINNING WEAPON IN 1866

AND IT TRANSFORMS THE WAY
THE REST OF THE WORLD LOOKS

AT INFANTRY FIREPOWER.

ALL OF A SUDDEN THERE IS A NEW
WAY OF FIGHTING WITH INFANTRY

AND IT INVOLVES
BREECHLOADING, RIFLED WEAPONS.

NEW WEAPONS
TECHNOLOGY OFTEN LEADS TO

FUNDAMENTAL CHANGES IN WARFARE.

IT'S UP TO THE GENERALS
TO ORGANIZE THEIR

BATTLEFIELD TACTICS AROUND
THE LATEST ADVANCEMENT.

THE 17TH CENTURY SERVES
AS AN EXAMPLE OF THIS.

THE BAYONET REPLACES THE PIKE
AND LEADS TO THE INTRODUCTION

OF WHAT IS CALLED
LINE FORMATION.

INFANTRY UNITS FORM
TWO TO THREE RANKS.

THE LINES OF SOLDIERS CAN
BE OVER 3,000 FEET LONG.

ON COMMAND, ALL WEAPONS
ARE FIRED SIMULTANEOUSLY,

KNOWN AS VOLLEY FIRE.

INFANTRY BATTLES IN
THE AGE OF THE MUSKET

WERE FOUGHT BY
PLATOONS, REGIMENTS,

AND WHOLE ARMIES OF MENSTANDING IN TWO AND THREE LINES

EXCHANGING VOLLEYS OF
LEVELED FIRE, NOT AIMED FIRE.

SOLDIERS WERE NOT TRAINED
TO AIM AT THE ENEMY,

THEY WERE TRAINED TO LEVEL,

TO POINT THEIR MUSKET DEAD
AHEAD TOWARDS THE ENEMY.

AND YOU FIRED AS MANY
ROUNDS AS POSSIBLE

AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE,

HOPING THAT YOU WOULD DO
MORE DAMAGE TO THE ENEMY

THAN THEY WOULD DO TO YOU.

PRECISION WAS NOT AN ISSUE,

THIS WAS ABOUT MASSES OF BULLETS

BEING FIRED AS
QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE.

THE RATE
OF FIRE AND RANGE OF THE

DREYSA NEEDLEGUN ALLOWS
BATTLES TO BECOME MORE MOBILE.

AS A RESULT, SOLDIERS
DEVISE NEW TACTICS.

MOVEMENT DURING BATTLE BECOMES
INCREASINGLY DANGEROUS.

ANOTHER REASON FOR THIS IS
THAT AN OLD DESIGN CAN NOW BE

MANUFACTURED AT AN INDUSTRIAL
SCALE; THE LANDMINE.

EL-ALAMEIN, EGYPT, 1942.
THE GERMAN AFRICA CORPS

UNDER THEIR COMMANDER
ERWIN ROMMEL

HAS PUSHED THROUGH
TUNISIA AND REACHED EGYPT.

BRITISH TROOPS ARE INTENDING
TO STOP THE GERMAN ADVANCE

NEAR EL-ALAMEIN, ABOUT
62 MILES FROM ALEXANDRIA.

THE DESERT BATTLEFIELD
OFFERS VIRTUALLY NO COVER

AND THEREFORE LENDS ITSELF
TO THE USE OF LANDMINES.

BOTH SIDES HIDE MORE THAN 17
MILLION LANDMINES IN THE SAND.

THE MODERN LANDMINE
WAS INVENTED AS A PART OF

A DEFENSIVE SYSTEM TO
PREVENT THE ENEMY ATTACKING.

RATHER LIKE THE
MEDIEVAL CALTROP,

IT'S AN ANTI-ATTACK SYSTEM.

THE
BRITISH MINE FIELD

LIMITS ROMMEL'S TANK TROOPS,

WHO ALSO LACK SUPPLIES
AND AIR SUPPORT.

THE BATTLE COMES TO
AN END IN AUTUMN 1942.

THE GERMANS HAVE TO RETREAT.

SIX MONTHS LATER, HITLER
LOSES HIS WAR IN NORTH AFRICA.

THE LEGACY OF THIS CAMPAIGN

LIES DEEP WITHIN THE
NORTH AFRICAN DESERT.

EXPERTS ESTIMATE THAT
ABOUT 1/5 OF THE LANDMINES

BURIED WORLDWIDE LIE
IN THE DESERT AREA

AROUND THE LIBYAN
-EGYPTIAN BORDER.

THE PURPOSE
OF LANDMINES IS TO

STOP THE ENEMY USING
A PIECE OF GROUND

AND THAT WORKS BOTH AS
AN ABSOLUTE BARRIER,

BUT IT CAN ALSO
WORK AS A CHANNEL.

YOU CREATE MINEFIELDS
WHICH OBLIGE THE ENEMY

TO GO THROUGH A PARTICULAR ZONE

WHERE YOU MAY HAVE TARGETED
ALL OF YOUR ARTILLERY,

WHERE YOU MAY BE READY
WITH OTHER FORMS OF DEFENSE

TO MEET THEIR ATTACK.

IN WORLD WAR II,

LANDMINES BECOME
AN EFFICIENT MEANS

TO SLOW DOWN THE
ENEMY'S APPROACH.

THE DEADLY LEGACY OF THIS TACTIC

CLAIMS VICTIMS IN THE FORMER
WAR ZONES TO THIS DAY.

STEPHEN BULL WANTS TO LEARNMORE ABOUT THIS WEAPON THAT COST

HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF
LIVES IN THE 20TH CENTURY.

SO, THIS IS A SECOND WORLDWAR TYPE ANTI-PERSONNEL MINE.

ONE OF THE MOST VICIOUS
WEAPONS EVER INVENTED.

THIS IS A BOUNCING BETTY.

THE SORT OF WEAPON
EVERYBODY WANTS TO BAN NOW.

LIKE MOST
LANDMINES THE BOUNCING BETTY'S

DETONATOR IS
TRIGGERED BY PRESSURE.

AFTER A SHORT DELAY, THE
MINE IS LAUNCHED INTO THE AIR

AND DETONATES AT A HEIGHT
OF ABOUT THREE FEET.

THIS MAGNIFIES THE
EFFECT OF THE MINE.

BUT WHAT MADE MINES
POSSIBLE WAS THE FUSES,

THE WAYS THEY WERE INITIATED.

AND THIS IS A
SURPRISINGLY LONG STORY.

THE
STORY DATES BACK

TO THE 11TH CENTURY IN CHINA.

THE CHINESE DISCOVER THAT
A MIXTURE OF SALTPETER,

CARBON AND SULFUR CAN EXPLODE.

GUNPOWDER IS BORN.

INITIALLY USED FOR FIREWORKS,
IT'S ADOPTED BY THE MILITARY.

IN 1368, AN EARLY
VERSION OF THE LANDMINE

MAKES ITS DEBUT
IN INNER MONGOLIA.

THE EXPLOSIVE DEVICES CONSIST
OF HOLLOWED OUT CONTAINERS

WEIGHING TWELVE POUNDS.

A SPECIAL TYPE OF FUSE,

BLACK POWDER WRAPPED
IN THIN SILK PAPER,

TRIGGERS THE EXPLOSION.

IT'S EASY TO MAKE,
BUT NOT RELIABLE.

IN THE CENTURIES THAT FOLLOW,
CONCEALED EXPLOSIVES ARE USED

MANY TIMES TO DEFEND
FORTS AND CASTLES.

BUT THE ATTACKERS ARE NOW
ALSO USING SIMILAR WEAPONS.

THE TIME-CONSUMING YETDEVASTATING SIEGE WAR TACTIC

REQUIRES SOLDIERS WHO
ARE ALSO ENGINEERS.

THE IDEA IS TO BUILD
A TUNNEL, OR A MINE,

UNDERNEATH THE ENEMY'S
FORTIFICATION WALLS,

FILL IT UP WITH EXPLOSIVES
AND DETONATE IT.

THE TURKS DO THIS DURING
THE SIEGE OF VIENNA IN 1529.

SEVERAL TIMES, VIENNA IS
CLOSE TO BEING CONQUERED

THANKS TO THE WORK OF
THE OTTOMAN ENGINEERS.

THEIR EXPLOSIVES CAUSE
SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE

TO THE WALLS OF THE
AUSTRIAN CAPITAL.

THE DEFENDERS ARE FORCED TO
COME UP WITH COUNTERMEASURES.

THEY SET UP LISTENING
POSTS TO DETECT VIBRATIONS

CREATED BY THE MINING
OF THE TUNNELS.

IF THEY FIND A
TURKISH MINE TUNNEL,

THE DEFENDERS FILL IT WITH WATER

OR ATTACK THE ENEMY UNDERGROUND.

AS EARLY AS THE
MID-16TH CENTURY,

GUNSMITH SAMUEL ZIMMERMAN
FROM AUGSBURG, GERMANY,

DEVELOPS A MECHANICAL SYSTEM
FOR SELF-DETONATING MINES.

HE COMBINES THE IGNITION
MECHANISM OF A MUSKET

WITH AN EXPLOSIVE.

THE WEAPON SEEMS TO
HAVE ENORMOUS POTENTIAL.

BUT IT IS NOT RELIABLE

AND CANNOT BE PRODUCED
ON A LARGE SCALE.

IN 1862, LANDMINES
PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE

IN THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR.

IN THE BATTLE OF YORKTOWN,

CONFEDERATE TROOPS

UNDER BRIGADIER GENERAL
GABRIEL J RAINS

BURY LARGE NUMBERS OF LANDMINES

WITH SIMPLE MECHANICAL FUSES.

IT'S ESSENTIALLY A
WEAPON OF THE DEFENSE,

IT'S A RELATIVELY SIMPLE WEAPON,

AND BECAUSE THE CONFEDERACY
IS ON THE DEFENSIVE,

IT'S MUCH MORE EFFECTIVE
FOR THEM THAN THE UNION,

WHICH IS LARGELY
AN OFFENSIVE ARMY.

MOST OF THE
CONFEDERATE MINES

DO NOT DETONATE.

THE UNION ARMY USES
CAPTURED ENEMY SOLDIERS

TO DETECT THE DEVICES.

LANDMINES ARE NOT
BATTLE-WINNING WEAPONS YET.

THE BLACK POWDER IS
NOT WEATHERPROOF.

THE FUSE MECHANISM
IS TOO UNRELIABLE.

IN 1867, SWEDISH INVENTOR
ALFRED NOBEL MAKES A DISCOVERY

THAT ADVANCES
LANDMINE EFFICIENCY.

AFTER COUNTLESS SETBACKS
HE EVENTUALLY DEVELOPS

AN EXPLOSIVE THAT IS MORE
STABLE THAN BLACK POWDER

AND ALSO RELEASES MORE ENERGY.

THE NAME OF HIS
INVENTION, DYNAMITE.

DUE TO THE HIGH DEMAND
IN WORLD WAR ONE,

THE GREAT POWERS
START MANUFACTURING

LARGE QUANTITIES OF LANDMINES.

PRODUCTION REACHES A
PEAK DURING THIS TIME.

BETWEEN THE TWO WORLD
WARS, MINES ARE IMPROVED.

IN WORLD WAR II, PLENTY
OF THEM ARE USED,

MOSTLY IN THE SOVIET
UNION AND IN NORTH AFRICA.

HISTORIANS ESTIMATE THAT
ABOUT 300 MILLION TANK MINES

AND A MUCH LARGER NUMBER

OF SMALLER ANTI-PERSONNEL
MINES WERE DEPLOYED.

WEAPONS EXPERT STEPHEN BULL
WANTS TO CONDUCT A TEST

ON A TRAINING AREA.

WHICH TACTIC DID THE TROOPS USE?

MOST LANDMINES ARE
SET OFF BY PRESSURE.

A CAP OR A DETONATOR IS
CRUSHED AND THE MINE EXPLODES.

THE AMOUNT OF PRESSURE REQUIREDVARIES ACCORDING TO PURPOSE.

ANTI-PERSONNEL MINES REQUIRE
VERY LITTLE PRESSURE,

AN ANTI-TANK MINE AN
AWFUL LOT OF PRESSURE.

THE T42
IS AN ANTI-TANK MINE

WITH A DIAMETER OF ONE FOOT
AND A HEIGHT OF FOUR INCHES.

ITS TRIGGER WEIGHT
IS 462 POUNDS.

THE S35 IS AN ANTI-PERSONNEL
MINE WITH A DIAMETER

OF ONLY FOUR INCHES.

SIX POUNDS IS ENOUGH TO SET OFFTHE PRESSURE FUSE MECHANISM.

STEPHEN BULL: KICKS
OFF THE EXPERIMENT.

11 ASSISTANTS HAVE
TO PLANT LANDMINES

IN ACCORDANCE WITH A PLAN
USED IN WORLD WAR II.

SO WELCOME TO MY
TRAINEE MINE TECHNICIANS.

OUR JOB TODAY IS TO LAY A
MINEFIELD ACROSS THIS TRACK.

TWO MINES A PERSON AND
MOVE AWAY TO THE LEFT.

THANK YOU.

STEPHEN BULL IS
FOLLOWING THE GERMAN FORCES'

TECHNICAL MANUAL 514/4 FOR
THE PLACEMENT OF MINES.

SO I'M GOING TO
GIVE YOU NUMBERS

AND PLEASE REMEMBER
YOUR NUMBERS.

SO ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE,

SIX, SEVEN, EIGHT,

NINE, 10, 11.

AND I'D LIKE YOU TO
MOVE INTO POSITION

AT TWO METER INTERVALS, RIGHT
ON THE FAR SIDE OF THIS TRACK.

DO YOU UNDERSTAND?

All: YES.

OKAY. PLEASE TAKE
YOUR POSITIONS.

SO, I WOULD LIKE ODD
NUMBERS TO TAKE ONE PACE

INTO THE TRACK AND
PREPARE TO LAY YOUR MINES.

EVEN NUMBERS, STAY
WHERE YOU ARE, PLEASE.

SO NOW WE'RE GOING TO DIG AHOLE, ABOUT 10 CENTIMETERS DEEP,

SO JUST THE TOP PART OF THE MINE

IS SHOWING ABOVE THE GROUND.

WHATEVER YOU DO, DO
NOT REMOVE THE PIN YET.

WE'RE GOING TO REMOVE THE
PINS TO ACTIVATE THE MINES

AT THE END OF OUR JOB, OKAY?

OUR DUMMY
MINES BASICALLY WORK

LIKE ANTI-PERSONNEL MINES

EXCEPT THE FUSE MECHANISMDOESN'T SET OFF AN EXPLOSION

BUT A COLORED CLOUD INSTEAD.

SOON, THE MINES ARE
HIDDEN IN THE GROUND,

EACH SPACED AT A
WIDTH OF FIVE FEET

AND LENGTH OF THREE
FEET FROM EACH OTHER.

THESE PATTERNS ARE INTENDED TOFORM AN IMPENETRABLE BARRIER.

ANTI-TANK MINES ARE PLACED
IN THREE CONSECUTIVE ROWS,

THREE TO SIX FEET
APART FROM EACH OTHER.

THE CHANCES OF CROSSING THESE
LINES UNHARMED ARE SLIM.

IN THE LARGEST MINE
BATTLE OF WORLD WAR II

IN EL-ALEMIN, EGYPT, BOTH
SIDES USED MILLIONS OF MINES.

ERWIN ROMMEL, WHO HAD UNDERGONE

SPECIAL MINE CLEARING TRAINING,

HAD HIS MEN PLANT WHAT IS
CALLED A DEVILS GARDEN,

A MINE FIELD MAZE,
SHAPED LIKE A HORSESHOE.

IT'S EASY TO DRIVE INTO
THEM BUT ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE

TO ESCAPE WHEN UNDER FIRE.

BRITISH TANK DRIVERS
DREADED THIS TACTIC.

STEPHEN BULL WANTS TO FIND OUT

IF IT'S POSSIBLE TO CROSS
A MINE FIELD UNHARMED.

SO, HE PUTS THE ASSISTANTS
INTO TWO GROUPS.

ONE GROUP HAS PLANTED THE MINES.

THE OTHER GROUP HAS NO
IDEA OF THEIR PRESENCE.

ARE WE OKAY?

LET'S GO!

QUICKLY, QUICKLY!

STOP, STOP, STOP!

YOU'RE IN A MINEFIELD!

STOP!

THAT CERTAINLY GAVE A
FEW PEOPLE SURPRISES.

ONLY SIX FEET INTO
THE FIELD, TWO MINES GO OFF.

IN REALITY, THE EXPLOSIONS
WOULD LIKELY HAVE CAUSED

SEVERE HARM TO EVERYONE.

I JUST HEARD IT,
BUT I GOT SO SCARED

THAT I JUST HAD TO
RUN FASTER AND FASTER.

Woman: THE FIRST INSTINCT
IS YOU WANT TO RUN.

TO RUN FAST.

TO STAY ALIVE.

ONE MENACING
FEATURE OF LANDMINES

IS THAT THEY ARE INVISIBLE.

IT'S A FACTOR THAT WEIGHS
HEAVILY ON SOLDIERS' MINDS.

THERE'S A SERIOUS
MESSAGE HERE,

AND THAT IS HOW DANGEROUS
MINES WERE ON THE BATTLEFIELD

AND THEIR EFFECT OF SLOWING
ARMIES DOWN, OF CAUSING PANIC,

OF CAUSING OCCASIONAL
CASUALTIES.

IT ALL ADDS UP TO AN EFFECTIVE,NASTY AND CUNNING WEAPON.

PLANTING
MINES IS RELATIVELY EASY

AND INEXPENSIVE.

CLEARING A MINE FIELD
IS MORE DIFFICULT.

IN THE AFTERMATH OF
CONFLICTS AND WARS

MINEFIELDS OFTEN POSE PROBLEMS
BECAUSE THERE ARE NO MAPS

INDICATING WHERE THEY
HAVE BEEN PLACED.

THERE ARE
STILL LANDMINES

IN THE FALKLAND ISLANDS

FROM THE 1982 WAR.

ALL OVER SOUTHERN AFRICA
THERE ARE LANDMINES

IN POST-COLONIAL CONFLICTS.

THEY'RE IN VIETNAM.

PEOPLE ARE STILL BEING
KILLED BY LANDMINES.

THERE
ARE SEVERAL TECHNIQUES

TO CLEAR MINE FIELDS.

BESIDES MANUAL METHODS
WITH DETECTORS,

ANIMALS CAN ALSO HELP, LIKE
SPECIALLY TRAINED RATS.

IF IT'S FINANCIALLY FEASIBLE,

MACHINES CAN ALSO DO
THIS DANGEROUS JOB.

ACCORDING TO
ESTIMATES OF THE UN,

MORE THAN 100 MILLION LAND MINES

WERE STILL BURIED
WORLDWIDE IN THE MID-1990S.

CELEBRITIES ALSO GET INVOLVED
IN THE CAMPAIGN AGAINST MINES,

LIKE PRINCESS DIANA.

IN AUGUST 1997, SHE VISITED
MINE VICTIMS IN BOSNIA.

IN DECEMBER 1997, THE
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY

REACHES AN HISTORIC AGREEMENT.

121 STATES SIGN
THE OTTAWA TREATY,

THE CONVENTION ON THE
PROHIBITION OF

ANTI-PERSONNEL MINES.

32 STATES STILL HAVE YET TO
SIGN THE TREATY TO THIS DAY.

AMONG THEM ARE NORTH
AND SOUTH KOREA,

INDIA, ISRAEL, RUSSIA
AND THE UNITED STATES.

THE PROBLEM WITH THE
BAN IS, IT'S NOT UNIVERSAL.

THE KINDS OF PEOPLE WHO WOULD
HAVE USED MINES IN THE PAST

ARE HIGHLY UNLIKELY TO
STOP USING THEM NOW.

IF THE CIRCUMSTANCES ARE RIGHT
PEOPLE WILL USE THESE THINGS.

BECAUSE THEY WORK.

THESE
RELICS OF PAST WARS

STILL CLAIM VICTIMS TODAY.

EVERY TWENTY TO THIRTY MINUTES

SOMEONE STEPS ONTO A LANDMINE
SOMEWHERE IN THE WORLD.

AN AGE-OLD WEAPON,

LETHALLY IMPROVED BY
MODERN TECHNOLOGY,

AND DEPLOYED COUNTLESS TIMES

AS A RESULT OF
INDUSTRIAL MANUFACTURING.

THE RACE TO THE PERFECT
ATTACK FROM COVER

IS LIKELY TO BECOME INCREASINGLYESSENTIAL IN THE FUTURE.

NEW TECHNIQUES ARE BEING
DEVELOPED THAT AIM AT

CONCEALING ANYTHING FROM THE
ENEMY'S EYES, EVEN TANKS.

SPECIAL CAMOUFLAGE SYSTEMS
FOR VEHICLES ALREADY EXIST.

THEY MAKE VEHICLES INVISIBLE
AT LEAST TO INFRARED CAMERAS.

THIS IS POSSIBLE THANKS
TO THERMO REFLECTORS

THAT CHANGE THEIR TEMPERATURE
WITH THE BLINK OF AN EYE.

YOU NEED 1,000 OF THESE PANELS

IN ORDER TO MAKE
A TANK DISAPPEAR.

SENSORS ON BOARD
CREATE A HEAT IMAGE

THAT MATCHES THE SURROUNDINGS.

IT'S MORE LIKE A CHAMELEON
THAN A TRADITIONAL TANK.

COMPARABLE STEALTH
TECHNOLOGY FOR SOLDIERS

IS ALREADY BEING DEVELOPED.

IT'S THE NEXT GENERATION
OF ATTACKS FROM COVER.