The People’s Republic of China now plays a central role in global politics, economics and diplomacy – more than it ever has before. Its president, Xi Jinping openly espouses the model forged by former Chairman, Mao Zedong, known as the Great Helmsman. But what do we really know about Mao? And how does his legacy relate to Xi’s ‘China Dream’? This 3-part documentary series explores Mao Zedong, his beliefs and his methods. It shows how these have shaped Xi’s philosophy and the reality of today’s China. Mao had set China on the road to true sovereignty, freeing it from the humiliation of foreign domination. Xi is now completing that journey towards the strong Middle Kingdom and cultural predominance that Mao aimed for – while sweeping under the carpet the unthinkable victims and costs of Mao’s rule. The story arc of Mao’s astonishing biography provides varied and profound insights into the ideals, strategies and ambitions of today’s People’s Repub
A Total War is all encompassing, a war without boundary or limitation. It is a war of material and morale. A war that mobilizes, destroys and displaces civilian populations. The Second World War was a war in which massive armies advanced, confronting whole populations with impossible choices. The manufacture of weapons transformed industry and the workforce; area bombing campaigns reduced cities to rubble; sieges doomed populations to starvation; racial policies sponsored campaigns of genocide. Told through archive footage and expert interviews, we learn how WWII shattered the boundaries between home-front and battlefield.
A look back at a cruel conflict, the Franco-Prussian War (1870-71), which changed the political geography of Europe and sowed the seeds of a deep antagonism between France and Germany that culminated in two world wars. Excerpts from the diaries of the witnesses, photographs and painted panoramas tell the truth about a forgotten war.
Exploring the buildings that were built to defend Britain from a German invasion during World War II. From coastal defences, to secret bases, travel across Britain looking at the buildings that were built to fight Hitler and his advancing army.
Embark in a journey through some of the most beautiful cities in the world in this documentary series. Each episode features a new city and explores the many things that make it the legendary place it is today.
An elegantly produced documentary divided into eight parts and running nearly seven hours in length, The Romanovs beautifully encapsulates the epic story of the Russian Dynasty over the course of over three hundred years.
The end of the Continuation War in 1944 on the Karelian Isthmus. The story of the men who cook food on the front lines – the kitchen crew. The series also tells the story of Tauno's family during the war. The children are small and his wife is in the final stages of pregnancy. Tauno's daughter, Hilka, provides insight into a child's experience of war.
The history of China's Tsinghua University, starting from the beginning of the 20th century, whose several generations of presidents and graduates have devoted themselves to make their country more prosperous.