What's on the TV today?

Hi Spider,

I think you've posted a book in the TV thread

Correct, and fixed it.

Haven't been able to get in to change it earlier

Spider

 

23:50 Hrs tonight:

How to make sock puppets of Hitler and Himmler for beginners.

Description:

In the darkest hours of WW2 only one thing could ease the suffering of Soviet forces trapped in the frozen waste-lands of Russia, Sock Puppets. These small items used in the war against moral were more than childrens toys. German troops were known to cry and break down in front of these fearsome weapons of war! Watch how they were made and how the tactics defeated the crack SS troops of the fanatical Himmler!


Enjoy, Donnie.

 

One of Our Mines is Missing


History Channel Sky 529

Fri June 5th at 8:00pm
Sat June 6th at 12:00am

In this unique documentary, actor John Shrapnel transports us to wartime France. He skilfully weaves past events and present perspectives as he outlines the subterranean struggle waged beneath the country’s terrain between 1916 and 1917.

We follow the search for a mine located deep within the bowels of a tactically important, and bitterly contested, area of the country. Rare archive photographs, recently unearthed celluloid material and sophisticated 3D animation, together with unique privately sourced material, provide us with a unique insight into these deadly subterranean skirmishes.

We consider a number of historical perspectives on the controversial actions of the miners and tunnellers on both sides of ‘The Underground War.’ British and German soldiers used stealth and guile, not to mention high explosives, to achieve their objectives.

We also look at the awful psychological and physical toll which these events took on men who suffered entombment, crushing, decapitation and gas poisoning.

Finally, we look to the future, revealing that many of the remaining charges under the old battlefields of the First World Warare becoming increasingly unstable. We speculate over the calamitous consequences which the collapse of these forgotten underground tunnels could produce.

 

Vulcan Bomber: Return to the Skies


We tell the amazing story of the Vulcan Bombers that undertook the near impossible mission of bombing Port Stanley during the Falklands War.

History Channel Sky 529

Fri May 29th at 8:00pm
Sat May 30th at 9:00am

During the Falklands War, a team of Vulcan Bombers staged the longest bombing raid ever attempted. We tell the amazing story of the machines that undertook the near impossible mission of bombing Port Stanley.

The Vulcan was designed in 1947, as the Cold War Iron Curtain hung threateningly over Europe; it first took to the skies in 1953. We trace the dramatic service record of the Royal Air Force’s ‘V’ Bomber division, which was charged with transporting Britain’s nuclear arsenal. We talk to the pilots who flew this sleek yet deadly craft.

The programme features archive footage spanning the Vulcan’s entire dramatic history, including newsreels, amateur video and film shot by the pilots themselves. We also make use of an enormous array of archival sources, including the plane’s original design specification, and orders for construction from the War Office.

We also take viewers inside a fully working cockpit simulator, providing a unique insight into the way Operations Black Buck 1 to Black Buck 6 were carried out.

 

The Battle of the River Plate

History Channel Sky 529
Fri May 22nd at 10:00pm
Sat May 23rd at 11:00am




The Battle of the River Plate took place on 13th December 1939 and was the first major naval engagement of World War II.

At the mouth of the River Plate in Argentina, the British Navy’s South American Division took on the might of the Admiral Graf Spee, Germany’s heavily armoured pocket-battleship.

It was an ambitious move - the Graf Spee was much bigger, faster and more heavily armoured than the British cruisers. Despite this, the British ships managed to inflict heavy damage to the German vessel, the damaged Graf Spee finally limped into the River Plate estuary whilst two of the British cruisers, HMS Achilles and Ajax, patrolled the river mouth to prevent their escape.

Rather than facing capture by the British Navy, or risking further loss of life, on 17th December 1939 Captain Hans Langsdorff decided to scuttle his ship in the River Plate estuary. The crew was taken to Buenos Aires, where they were interned.

Rather than face the wrath of Hitler, Captain Langsdorff committed suicide two days later. Following the war, many of the German sailors settled permanently in South America. In Montevideo, small crosses mark the graves of Graf Spee crew members who had died in the battle.

 

Demob Happy

Mon May 25th at 8:00pm on the History Channel, Sky 531.


In May 1945, the surrender of Germany brought peace to Europe. This programme casts a nostalgic yet historically critical eye over the Allied victory, making use of the evidence and experiences of those who lived through the horror of war.

We remember the celebrations that marked the war’s end, revealing how the news was received by people at home, troops abroad and those still held in prison camps. For others there was no respite as they continued the war against Japan.

The end of hostilities did not mean an instant demob for Britain's armed forces. It would be months or even years before some families could be re-united, and many former servicemen and women found it difficult to return to the mundane routine of "civvy street."

The programme examines how people set about rebuilding their lives in the austerity of post-war Britain. It looks at the defeat of Churchill and the rise to power Attlee's Labour government. And it explores why, despite all the traumas and hardship, many remember the war for its spirit of comradeship seldom seen today.

 

Drama of Dresden

Thu May 28th at 7:00pm Military History Channel 531


As the Second World War drew to a close, the German city of Dresden was disfigured beyond all recognition by the bombs of Britain’s Royal Air Force. This explosive documentary paints a vivid and affecting picture of the destruction of Dresden.

In February 1945, Dresden was one of the most beautiful cities in the world; a hotbed of arts and culture overflowing with baroque and rococo architecture. It had been a leading centre of the Romantic movement, and also served as the hub of the German opera scene.

Unknown to its residents, the city was teetering on the edge of destruction. In just one night and one day, Britain's Royal Air Force unleashed the first wave in a deadly storm of thousands of tonnes of incendiary bombs. By April 17, British and American forces had heaped over 4,000 bombs upon Dresden, effectively reducing the beleaguered city to rubble.

Accounts of the damage vary from source to source. It is generally agreed that at least 25,000 people were killed, yet some estimates place the figure as high as 135,000. Many of Dresden’s famous landmarks, such as the Zwinger Palace and the Hofkirche were terribly damaged. The ruins of the Frauenkirche were left in their deconstructed state for many years as a war memorial.

Debate also rages concerning the morality and efficacy of the bombing. British and American politicians maintained that the raid was a military necessity. The allies aimed to prevent the German army from using the city as a base of operations. They also hoped to disrupt the use of Dresden for munitions manufacture, as well as eliminating the German army’s ability to reinforce a counter-attack against Marshall Konev's extended line. They also argued that that the city’s proximity to anti-aircraft defences and military units meant that it was not ‘undefended’. Furthermore, German participation in the Battle of the Bulge had exploded the myth that the war would soon be over.

The claim that the raids hastened the end of the war is an extremely contentious one. Writers like Günter Grass and Gregory H. Stanton have labelled the bombing a ‘war crime’, drawing a moral parallel between the destruction of Dresden, Hiroshima and Nagasaki; and the heinous crimes of the Nazis. They argue that awareness of the enormous civilian cost of the attack should have outweighed any military considerations. Dresden did not have a military garrison; most of its industry was in the outskirts, rather than the targeted city centre.

The human tragedy of February 1945 cannot be disputed. This documentary is based on 300 interviews with survivors. Sebastian Dehnhardt portrays the destruction of Dresden in the form of a ‘real-time’ historical reportage. As the attacks unfold chronologically, they are counter pointed by the accounts of British pilots and Dresden residents. Their recollections form the basis for the visual reconstruction of the bomb attacks. We experience the atmosphere of tension and dread which permeated every corner of British headquarters, and evoke the panicked mood of Dresden’s disintegrating streets.

 

Monday, 25th May Channel 4 at 9.20pm.

The forgotten story of Winston Churchill's darkest decision:

To destroy the French Battle Fleet rather than trust the French government's promise never to hand them over to Hitler.

 

I was just about to go to bed and a documentray has just started that is absolutely brilliant.

Sink The Manchester

It's repeated at 0100 on the History Channel +1 (Channel 530).

Well worth recording for the interviews and the original fighting footage from the Convoys in the Med!

Cheers
Andy

 

Found these programs on Uk Digital Channel BBC4 for the 6th June 2009:-

19-00 - D-Day 65
19-15 - News 44
19-30 - D-Day 65
19-45 - D-Day, Turning the Tide
20-35 - D-Day 65
20-50 - D-Day, Secret maps
21-20 - D-Day 65
21-30 - D-day to Berlin

I could not find any description concerning content.

 

Saving Pvt Ryan just started on Sky 1 ... Hurry ... Hurry ... They've just landed!

 

Part 2 of D-Day to Berlin is about to start on BBC2

 

Part 2 of D-Day to Berlin is about to start on BBC2

Yeah ... Andy, flicking between the two.

What do you think of the series, D-Day to Berlin, hosted by the "Pub Landlord" Al Murray? Personally, I was quite surprised at the way he came across, he seems to have a genuine enthusiasm and passion for WW2 & D-Day. He travels through and covers the important battle for Normandy, speaking to Veterans where possible (pity about the US Jeep he drives), but at least he seems genuine.

 

I thought it was crap.....I got bored with it by the time I got to the V-weapons one I keep trying to force myself to watch the rest but can't be bothered.

Sorry

 

I thought it was crap.....I got bored with it by the time I got to the V-weapons one I keep trying to force myself to watch the rest but can't be bothered.
Sorry

No problem Andy I know what you're saying ... It is a bit like Michael Palin's tour of 'summit or other', some celebs don't suit the change to documentary style stuff. I did keep expecting Al Murray to bleat out, "Pint for the fellas, glass of white wine for the ladies!" But I did find the events and battles that where covered in the series interesting. It probably was aimed at a more mainstream audience. "France ... What's good about France? It's full of French!" ... Sorry ... "Dunkirk? Nofing wrong wiv dat ... They can't beat you if dey can't catch you!" Shut up Al !!

 

I swear to god I'm not winding you up but I have all the Palin stuff and I love em.

I think that's the problem with Al Murray-I was expecting his humour. I think he went to Cambridge and studied history before becoming a comedian.

Andy

 

Occupation

Tuesday, 21:00 on BBC One

During the British invasion of Iraq in April 2003, three soldiers from the same unit come under cross-fire in a Basra flat. While there, an explosion has huge consequences for an Iraqi girl, and will radically shape the lives of Danny, Mike and Hibbs over the coming years.

Failing to adjust to civilian life in Manchester, each man is inspired to return to Basra; one for money, one for love, and one because he passionately believes in the mission to rebuild Iraq. They return, later that year, to a Basra awash with billions of US dollars, creating a boom-time for private military contractors.

The drama charts their interwoven journeys from the invasion of Iraq to the present, and shows how these three friends, united in battle, are torn apart by the aftermath.


BBC - BBC One Programmes - Occupation


Powerful drama that spans the five years following the invasion of Iraq in 2003. Following the lives of three soldiers and friends as they deal with the war in Iraq and life back home.


James Nesbitt is in it so you know it will be good !

The following 2 parts will be shown on the Wednesday and Thursday of the same week

 

Highlights from Horse Guards Parade in London on June 13, when the Queen's Colour of the Irish Guards was trooped to mark the monarch's official birthday. Presented by Huw Edwards.



Diane...It's The IG's honour this year but for some weird reason they aren't showing it in Northern Ireland.

 

Sahara - Humphrey Bogart.

Had not seen it for a while. Still a good movie.

 

Auschwitz: The Forgotten Evidence

Tue June 16th at 10:00pm





When an Allied photo-reconnaissance plane flew over southern Poland in the summer of 1944, it took extraordinary images of the Nazi’s most evil extermination camp of them all - Auschwitz.


From these aerial photos it is possible to see in detail how the SS organised their factory of death, in which 12,000 people were being murdered daily. But the photos were never analysed at the time and were simply filed away.


Using these photos as a unique starting point, this programme takes an entirely new look at the Holocaust by asking what did the Allies know about the Nazi extermination camp? When did they find out about it? And, most importantly, what could they have done to stop the killing?


These photos are remarkable and chilling to look at. The gas chambers and the crematoria are clearly visible. In one of the photos, a train has just arrived and the SS guards are separating the fit looking new arrivals from the young, the old and the less fit who will be gassed and burned immediately.


So as not to panic the new arrivals and to encourage them to go quietly to the gas chambers, the SS even planted parks and gardens by the railway and these too can clearly be seen from the photos. On another, smoke is seen rising from the back of one of the gas chambers because the numbers of bodies to be burned were too many for the crematoria to cope with and the bodies were being burnt in open pits.


Prime Minister Winston Churchill was appalled by reports of the killing at Auschwitz. He called it, "probably the greatest and most horrible crime ever committed in the whole history of the world". He implored the RAF to bomb the camps but nothing was done.


This film explores the whole debate about what could be done to bomb the camps looking at all the options that were available at the time and asks the crucial question - why did the Allies not do something to stop the killing at Auschwitz?