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The evolution of weapons during WWII

8pm NAZI MEGA WEAPONS History - Uncover the engineering feats that sparked a technological revolution and changed warfare forever.

https://youtu.be/OerZy5o73rISUPER TANKS - Hitler’s megalomaniac impulses lead him to demand the construction of the largest tank the world had ever seen — a mobile fortress weighing 180 tons. But even this colossus doesn't satisfy his thirst, as he requests a 1,000-ton land battleship. This is the story of the engineers tasked with fulfilling that dream, and an arms race that resulted in the evolution of super-guns and tanks.9pm WORLD WAR II: THE PRICE OF EMPIRE - History - Two conflicts at opposite sides of the globe lead to a new political map of the modern world. https://youtu.be/cnQLr2z8cQ8STALEMATE - Germany seeks to neutralize British strength from the air, "the Battle of France is over" Churchill broadcasts, "the Battle of Britain has begun." It is a victory for the Allies, the only one with almost the whole of the European continent now under Nazi control and Germany, moving to reinforce the Italians, beginning to turn the tide in favor of the Axis in North Africa where Rommel arrives and drives the Allies back. In China Imperial Japanese forces control most of the eastern coastal area but suffer heavy casualties. 10pm CHURCHILL'S TOY SHOP - History - The history of Military Defense 1, a secret military research institute created by Winston Churchill during WWII.

Designing a bomb in CHURCHILL'S TOY SHOP
Credit APT
Designing a bomb in CHURCHILL'S TOY SHOP

Although Great Britain had pledged to defend Poland against a German invasion during the Second World War, it quickly became apparent to Prime Minister Winston Churchill that his country was woefully unprepared for a large-scale war effort. With limited time and resources available, Churchill set up Military Defense 1, a secret research institute dedicated to developing new weapons as quickly as possible. Much to the chagrin of the existing military establishment, the department reported directly to Churchill as they invented, tested, and facilitated what would become critical implements of the British arsenal. https://youtu.be/UsS01Z816vQFeaturing rare archival photos and interviews with some of the men who worked in MD1 or used their ingenious weapons in the field, CHURCHILL'S TOY SHOP explores this fascinating but little-known aspect of World War II.  

Copyright 2018 WLRN 91.3 FM

Mia Laurenzo is a 30-year veteran of public television in Miami. She began her career learning every aspect of video production. Currently she is a writer, producer, on-air host and promotions coordinator for TV, radio and the web. Her experiences include producing for a series, special events and historical documentaries. As a native Floridian, she is a perfect fit for South Florida's Storyteller Station, WLRN. She has produced award winning, nationally distributed documentaries like Journey to the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade where one year she followed a high school band and a clown as they prepared for the big day and the next year, she had the privilege of being a clown herself. Previously, she produced Weird Florida: On the Road Again, a sequel to the highly successful show Weird Florida: Roads Less Traveled, where the cast and crew travel over 1,500 miles searching the Sunshine State’s weirdest and wackiest places. On a more serious note and what she considers to be her most important work, she produced Out of Darkness, Into Light, a documentary on child sexual abuse,which delved into the lives of three adult survivors, a show in which she was awarded her first of two Emmys.