Original version

BBC Four

Knowledge, arts, music and culture from the UK and the world.

BBC Four reflects arts, music and culture with an ambitious range of intellectually and culturally enriching programmes, taking an expert and in-depth approach to its subjects.

BBC 4

BBC Four HD

The Great War

Michael Redgrave

The Great War: Episode 11: Hell Cannot Be So Terrible

Documentaries

Factual: History

Episode 11

Episode 11: Hell Cannot Be So Terrible

Hell Cannot Be So Terrible

BBC Two - The Great War, Hell Cannot Be So Terrible

A look at the Battle of Verdun in 1916, one of the bloodiest clashes known to history.

Classic series about WWI. This episode looks at the Battle of Verdun, one of the bloodiest clashes in history, which lasted for ten months during 1916.

In 1964, the BBC broadcast one of its most important and ambitious series ever. The Great War was to be the definitive account of the world-shattering events of 1914-1918. The eleventh part of this 26-part classic series looks at Verdun, one of the bloodiest battles known to history, continuing with almost non-stop violence for ten months during 1916. The French and Germans suffered over 700,000 casualties, and when the war ended, some 150,000 unidentified corpses were collected from the battlefield. In 1962, Lord Montgomery commented: 'I doubt if the French army ever recovered from Verdun; it certainly had not by 1940'.

BBC Two

Knowledge, drama, comedy and the arts for a broad adult audience.

BBC Two is a lively channel of depth and substance, carrying a range of knowledge-building programming complemented by great drama, comedy and arts.

Classic BBC documentary series about the world-shattering events of 1914-1918

Classic BBC documentary series, first broadcast in 1964, narrated by Sir Michael Redgrave and with the voices of Sir Ralph Richardson and Marius Goring

Accessibility links

Programme Index

The Great War

Episode 11: Hell Cannot Be So Terrible

Contributors

Genres

Formats

Series

BBC Four

About BBC Four