The Great War

The Battle of Verdun exemplified the war of attrition waged by both sides. Listen to soldiers' recollections of conflict and view panoramas of trench life.

Check the schedules for programme times or find out more about the series.

Explore a year-by-year account of major events.

The First Shots by Richard van Emden

The first shots of World War One occurred near a small Belgian village in August 1914. Discover the little-told prologue to war.

The Origins of Conflict by Gary Sheffield
The First Battle of the Atlantic by Gary Sheffield
Tannenberg - Gallipoli - Verdun
The Somme - Passchendaele - The Marne

The Middle East During World War One
by David R Woodward

Chart the demise of an empire and the dramatic shifts in the balance of power following the Allied campaigns in the region.

Germany on the Western Front by Martin Kitchen
Australia: Birth of a Nation by Peter Stanley
India and the Western Front by David Omissi

War, Revolution and Civil War in Russia
by Jonathan Smele

Events on the Eastern Front had a profound effect on the region; chart this turbulent episode in the forging of post-tsarist Russia.

Charlie's War by Alex Francis
Ireland in the War by Keith Jeffery
The British West Indian Regiment by Glenford Howe

Pals Battalions by Bruce Robinson

Follow the experiences of men who volunteered with their friends, colleagues and kin.

Women and Employment by Joanna Bourke
War and the Media by Stephen Badsey

Lions Led by Donkeys? by Gary Sheffield

A reassessment of the view that the human devastation of World War One was caused by incompetent leadership.

Shell Shock by Joanna Bourke
Shot at Dawn by Peter Taylor-Whiffen
Women and the Military by Joanna Bourke

The Birth of Total War by Stephen Badsey

Analysis of the complex relationship between the Allied powers.

Cousins at War by Theo Aronson
A New Enemy by Dan Cruickshank
The Versailles Peace Treaty by Ruth Henig
The Ending of World War One, and the Legacy of Peace by Martin Kitchen

Researching Archives
by Peter Francis

Find out how to get started when researching the archives for family and military records.

How to Read a War Memorial by Peter Caddick-Adams
Boesinghe: The Forgotten Battlefield by Paul Reed

The War in Headlines

Read Daily Mirror headlines following key events of the war.

Declaration of war - Battle of Ypres - Battle of Jutland - Battle of the Somme - Tank takes a factory - Hindenburg Line - Armistice

Discover more about the personal experience of battle and the emergence of a British standing army.

Towards a Standing Army by Richard Holmes
Women at War by Peter Caddick-Adams
War Art: The Frontline by Roger Tolson
War Art: Daily Lives by Roger Tolson

Movies

Photographs, dramatised diaries and interviews with veterans explore key themes of World War One.

The Western Front Animation

Follow the battles of Ypres, Verdun and the Somme in detail.

Soldiers' Stories Gallery

Dramatised diaries, letters and memories of those who fought.

Human Face of War Gallery

Discover the effects of war on the people who fought, and on those who were left behind.

The War at Sea

Explore the key battles and themes of British sea power during World War One.

Trench Virtual Tours

Tour a 3-d model of a trench system, and explore photo panoramas of reconstructed trenches.

Tour of the Somme

Visit the Somme battlefield with Richard Holmes, and explore the key events of the area.

A Soldier's Tale

Explore the campaigns and battles of a soldier by examining military memorabilia.

World War One: Curriculum Bites

A website for 14- to 16-year-olds, examining the experiences of those who lived through World War One.