Europe's Secret Armies: Resistance

Resistance to the German occupation of France began in 1940, but at first it was disorganised and spontaneous.

In this episode we tell the story both of the growth of small pockets of resistance throughout Germany and the plot at the centre of power that led to the failed attempt to assassinate Adolf Hitler on the 20th of July 1944.

The Polish people were among the first to feel the full heart-stopping force of the German Wermacht.

This episode tells the story of the mistakes and miscalculations made by both the British and German armies as they fought for control of the Island and how the 'mountain men' of Crete played a crucial role in the allied fight back.

After the German invasion of 1940, the Norwegian government fled to London, leaving the country in the hands of the collaborator Quisling.

A thrilling exploration of the stories behind the resistance and partisan groups that formed to fight a hated oppressor. These were civilian armies; made up of ordinary men and women left with no other option but to go underground to strike back.