The Great Underground War
A five-part series that explores the forgotten story of the incredible engineering feats and secret survival techniques of five legendary battles fought underground during World War I.
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Seasons & Episodes
1. The Mines of Ypres
The British successfully used a mining technique known as 'clay kicking' to plant mines under German tunnels during three battles in Flanders. 500,000 soldiers were killed for 900 metres of gains.
2. Monte Paterno
A personal account of the tragic battles that unfolded amid the sharp gullies and ravines of the Dolomites, requiring men to perform the nearly impossible: excavate and tunnel through solid granite in freezing weather.
3. Vauquois, Hill of Death
For three years, the Germans and French blow each other up with massive explosions, using a maze of underground galleries and tunnels. This story is told through the preserved diaries of Herman Hoppe, a German engineer who built many of the tunnels.
4. Col di Lana
Exploring trenches and tunnels and interviewing descendants of the Austrians and Italians who fought under and above the treacherous terrain of the Dolomite mountains.
5. The Secret of the Somme
An exploration of newly discovered fortresses, dugouts, and bunkers tells the story of the innovative German engineering that made defenses resistant to massive bombardments.