Rare footage, state-of-the-art colorization and newly uncovered documents are used in this examination of the strategies and battles of World War II.

Release Date

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World War II in Colour Season 1 released on September 4, 2009.

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S01E01 Aired September 04, 2009

The Gathering Storm

Just years after World War I, Germany and other nations are in an economic depression. Leader approval ratings of Germany, Italy, Japan and Spain are shallow, giving the rise to military dictators along with their parties. Years after Adolf Hitler becomes Chancellor of Germany, he and his generals plot the invasion of Poland.

S01E02 Aired September 04, 2009

Lightning War

The Germans develop a new military tactic known as Blitzkrieg. The Nazis use Blitzkrieg, dominating land and air warfare, allowing them to take Poland and conquer France in matters of weeks.

S01E03 Aired September 09, 2009

Britain at Bay

July 1940, Britain is standing on its last legs while being pummelled by Germany. Though Hitler has better soldiers and a more powerful air force, critical errors of the Luftwaffe allow Britain to regain strength and start pushing back.

S01E04 Aired September 18, 2009

Hitler Strikes East

After the unsuccessful attempt to defeat the British, Hitler focuses his attention on the Soviet Union. This proves to be quite a military gamble.

S01E05 Aired September 25, 2009

Red Sun Rampant

On 7 December 1941, the Japanese bomb the U.S. Fleet in Pearl Harbor. The United States officially enters World War II starting with the Pacific Front.

S01E06 Aired October 02, 2009

The Mediterranean and North Africa

After success in North Africa and Greece, Allies push Benito Mussolini's forces all the way back to Italy. Italy is then knocked out of the war, Mussolini is deposed, and the Allies start to put real pressure on Nazi Germany.

S01E07 Aired October 09, 2009

Turning the Tide

The Allies and the Axis are searching for a final blow to each other to end the war. While the Allies try out strategic fire bombing, Hitler tries cutting off American supply lines with submarines. Right now this is a stalemate.

S01E08 Aired October 16, 2009

The Soviet Steamroller

After Hitler's gamble in the East fails, failing to defeat Stalingrad and Moscow, the Soviet Union, with its vast resources and armies, starts to slowly push back and grow. Hitler is now on the defence on ⅔ of his fronts.

S01E09 Aired October 23, 2009

Overlord

After careful planning and tremendous secrecy but more importantly the lack of Hitler's attention, the Allies successfully breach mainland Western Europe through the Normandy landings. After thousands of lives are lost to the operation, the Allies are able to start the liberation of Western Europe.

S01E10 Aired October 30, 2009

Closing the Ring

The Allies are now on the offensive on all three fronts. As their forces push through Europe soldiers start uncovering Hitler's death camps. This was the Allies' first concrete knowledge of the Holocaust.

S01E11 Aired November 06, 2009

The Island War

An aggressive war is being waged against the Japanese. The United States is now starting to use a new tactic of island-hopping, resulting in the slow crumbling of the Japanese air force and navy.

S01E12 Aired November 13, 2009

Victory in Europe

From three sides, the British, Americans, and Soviets are starting to shred through what is left of the Third Reich. As the Nazi forces see their final days, Hitler commits suicide, and the Allies begin dividing up Europe.

S01E13 Aired November 20, 2009

Victory in the Pacific

The Americans wipe out Japan's air force through a strategy of island-hopping. As the Americans face the decision of what to do with mainland Japan, President Truman calls to bomb Hiroshima and Nagasaki with nuclear weapons. Japan had no choice but to surrender, and the Cold War begins.