World War II: The Epic Saga

There are few who agree on the actual origins of war. Some see it as a necessary evil, paving the way for social change. Others see it as simply an extension of political discussion. Despite the concept of war being a familiar phenomenon to many by the beginning of the 20th century, nobody was prepared for the utter devastation caused by two of the most terrible conflicts the world had ever seen.

In 1939, the aggressive Nazi regime had cast its shadow to the north, south, east, and west, toppling countries like dominoes beneath the onslaught of its invincible military machine. By June, 1940, Germany had invaded every country on its border and beyond. And as Hitler marched victoriously into Paris, there was only one thorn left in his side: Great Britain.

Despite the thousands of military engagements between 1939 and 45, all worthy of note, there are certain dates forever emblazoned on the public consciousness. From the Battle of Britain to Pearl Harbor, El Alamein to D-Day, there are many to choose from. But if it's overcoming impossible odds in the face of overwhelming adversity you're looking for, then the subject of this program, the beaches of Dunkirk, has to be the most fascinating of them all.

As the last of the British and French troops were saved from the beaches of Dunkirk in June 1940, the future looked bleak for the Allies after the early skirmishes of the Second World War. Soon afterwards, Hitler and his Nazi stormtroopers had marched into Paris as France fell. And for the German Fuhrer, the United Kingdom, only separated from continental Europe by the English channel, became his next target.

The early years of World War II saw Nazi Germany dominate Europe. By the end of 1941, as Adolph Hitler continued to build his empire, events in the Pacific took on their own momentum as Imperial Japan and America became locked in battle, after the bombing of the US Naval fleet at Pearl Harbor. As the smoke and flames rose from the naval base in Hawaii, America and its president, Franklin D Roosevelt, could no longer remain on the sidelines of the war that had been waging in Europe for over two years and on December the 7th, 1941, the hostilities were transformed into a global conflict.

When Adolf Hitler led the German nation into the most terrible war humanity had ever seen, a conflict that would result in an unthinkable loss of life spreading far into the east and penetrating beyond the borders of the west, few would have believed such a meteoric rise to global dominance by any nation was possible. United with Fascist Italy and Imperial Japan, Nazi Germany would form an axis of evil to battle against the allied forces of great Britain and the Commonwealth, France and later Russia followed by America.