We Fired the Martini-Henry | Rifle of the Zulu War

Was it the mud? Was it the longbow? Or were French battlefield decisions the real reason they lost? Join medieval historian Matt Lewis as he breaks down the battlefield tactics that shaped the legendary Battle of Agincourt. From Henry V’s calculated use of terrain to the deadly efficiency of the English longbow men, Matt reveals how strategy, not just luck, secured one of the most astonishing victories in medieval history. You can now become a History Hit member right here on the original video platform! Join for access to a new exclusive documentary every week, and access to over 160+ of our documentaries presented by world-renowned historians like Dan Snow, Eleanor Janega, Tristan Hughes, Mary Beard, Matt Lewis and more.

What were the assassination attempts that nearly killed Hitler during World War II? We look at the devastating near misses, from Georg Elser’s lone-wolf bomb attempt to the high-stakes military conspiracy of the 20 July Plot: Operation Valkyrie. You can now become a History Hit member right here on the original video platform! Join for access to a new exclusive documentary every week, and access to over 160+ of our documentaries presented by world-renowned historians like Dan Snow, Eleanor Janega, Tristan Hughes, Mary Beard, Matt Lewis and more.

Dan Snow investigates the world-changing events of April 19th 1775. On April 19th 1775, the first muskets were fired in the American War of Independence - the famous "shot heard round the world". In this special History Hit film, Dan Snow explores the key sites where it happened on this day - Battle Green, Lexington; The Old North Bridge, Concord; and the Battle Road that saw the British redcoats fight their way back to Boston under constant attack from provincial militia. Dan meets the archaeologists and military historians who are unearthing fascinating new evidence revealing exactly what happened, uncovering musket balls untouched since they were fired, working out where and how some of the famous firefights occurred, discovering battle damage in historic houses and making comparisons with detailed tests on the firing range. As dusk fell on April 19th an uneasy peace had turned into all-out war - find out how it happened as experts unravel the momentous events of a day that changed world history. You can now become a History Hit member right here on the original video

Dan Snow meets celebrated military historian Saul David at the National Archives to dig into the top secret documents that tell the story of the incredible planning that went into D-Day. Hidden in the archives for decades, these papers and photographs reveal meticulous preparations coupled with extraordinary acts of heroism by men and women, researching the Normandy beaches and creating a web of deception that kept German forces guessing where the landings were coming. Using everything from midget submarines to double cross codes, they gave the men assaulting the beaches a fighting chance of success. You can now become a History Hit member right here on the original video platform! Join for access to a new exclusive documentary every week, and access to over 160+ of our documentaries presented by world-renowned historians like Dan Snow, Eleanor Janega, Tristan Hughes, Mary Beard, Matt Lewis and more.

Are these the best World War Two air combat scenes in movies? War historian, NATO Advisor and presenter of History Hit’s Warfare podcast James Rogers reviews scenes from films about World War Two that show aerial combat. First up, he reviews scenes from Memphis Belle (1990) which depict the famed B-17F being attacked by a fleet of German planes, praising the film for its historical accuracy in telling the story of the iconic bomber. Next, he rates the scene from Dunkirk (2017) where a dogfight takes place over the English Channel. While he likes the film, he points out that there are a few factual inconsistencies, including the lack of diversity in the actors chosen to portray pilots. James then reviews the Japanese surprise attack from Pearl Harbour (2001), so important in history as it was the trigger for drawing the United States into the war. James praises the film for its accuracy in showing the level of destruction enacted on the harbour. Next, it’s the ending scene from Saving Private Ryan (1998) where Tom Hanks faces off against a

Could You Survive as a Spitfire Pilot in World War Two? Arguably the most famous British fighter aircraft in history, the Spitfire, also called Supermarine Spitfire, was the most widely produced and strategically important British single-seat fighter of World War Two. Over 22,000 Supermarine Spitfires were built during the course of the Second World War. The iconic fighter aircraft won immortal fame during the summer months of 1940 by helping to defeat the German air attacks, proving an overwhelming match for the Luftwaffe's Messerschmitt 109's during the Battle of Britain. The original prototype, designed by engineer Reginald Joseph Mitchell CBE, made its first flight four years earlier as Britain’s industry geared up to re-arm against the threat from Nazi Germany. From the beginning pilots recognised it as a thoroughbred combining a perfection of design with superb handling characteristics. In this video, History Hit presenter Luke Tomes visits the Battle of Britain Airshow at Imperial War Museums Duxford to learn about the battle that cemented the Spitfire’s place in history, the pilots who flew in them during the Second World War