The Century of Warfare

Did You Know?

• The DVD bonus documentary, credited as 1994, includes information up to the capture of Saddam Hussein in December 2003 and the Madrid train bombings of 11 March 2004.
• The bonus documentary was narrated by Gerrard McArthur and used computer simulations to recreate battles.
• The DVD set has 7 discs, a 1.33:1 aspect ratio, and is rated NR (Not Rated).

Summary

The series aims to survey world conflict from 1900 through the Gulf War of 1990/91, covering major wars, inter-war periods, military build-ups, and lesser-known theatres. According to the official website, military and historical archives from the USA, Japan, Britain, Germany, France, Italy, and Russia were assembled for the production.

Reception

Critical response to the series was mixed. One review praised it for presenting complex material in an understandable and interesting manner, calling it an insightful and thorough look at the violent 20th century. Another described it as a patchwork of edited footage offering nothing new, with no battlefield tours, though it noted the images were historically relevant and excellent. A third review considered it a fine introduction but found some matters oversimplified and the result less than satisfactory, adding that any viewer who subsequently reads more about the Holocaust, nuclear war politics, or misuses of power would count as a victory for the producers. A more negative review called it an interminable, low-budget 1993 British production relying on public domain footage, library music, and a monotonous narrator, making an interesting subject pedestrian and dull. The episode covering 1943–45 in the Balkans and Yugoslavia (Episode 14) may contain errors: Josip Broz Tito was not Serbian but born to Croatian and Slovenian parents; the Chetnik movement was based in Serbia, not Croatia; and the flag colours depicting the partisans were incorrect.