The Great War in Numbers Descent into Hell (Season 1, Episode 3)
TV Episode | 45 min | Documentary, History, War

The Great War in Numbers

Descent into Hell (Season 1, Episode 3)

TV Episode | 45 min | Documentary, History, War

By January 1916 the war had become a stalemate. Millions had died and yet no side had achieved a decisive breakthrough. Austria-Hungary tripled the size of its armies to five million men. Germany doubled its forces to seven million. And in...See moreBy January 1916 the war had become a stalemate. Millions had died and yet no side had achieved a decisive breakthrough. Austria-Hungary tripled the size of its armies to five million men. Germany doubled its forces to seven million. And in Britain men were volunteering to fight at the rate of up to 33,000 a day. 1916's Descent into Hell began at the French fortress city of Verdun. Entire villages were wiped off the map and both sides suffered over 300,000 casualties. At sea the British and German fleets fought the greatest naval battle in history, off the Jutland peninsula in the North Sea. Thousands died, but again no side achieved a crushing victory. And on the Western Front the newly recruited Pals battalions led the attack at 7.30am on 1st July 1916. A day that has gone down as the blackest day in the history of the British Army. Written by AnonymousB See less

Contacts

+ Add

Become a member to see contact information for Descent into Hell.

Cast	+ Add Cast
9 cast members

Name	Known for
John Heffernan Narrator (voice) Narrator (voice) See fewer	Eye in the Sky (2015)
Sascha Auerbach Self - Historian, University of Nottingham (as Dr Sascha Auerbach) Self - Historian, University of Nottingham (as Dr Sascha Auerbach) See fewer	Mysteries of the Abandoned: Hidden America (2022)
Alexandra Churchill Self - Author, Somme Self - Author, Somme See fewer	Secret Histories
Rob Johnson Self - Historian, University of Oxford (as Dr Rob Johnson) Self - Historian, University of Oxford (as Dr Rob Johnson) See fewer	The Great War in Numbers (2017)
Spencer Jones Self - Author, Courage without Glory (as Dr Spencer Jones) Self - Author, Courage without Glory (as Dr Spencer Jones) See fewer	Hell on Earth: WWII (2022)
Joshua Levine Self - Author, Forgotten Voices Self - Author, Forgotten Voices See fewer	Dunkirk (2017)
Andrew Robertshaw Self - Author, Somme 1916 (as Andy Robertshaw) Self - Author, Somme 1916 (as Andy Robertshaw) See fewer	Wonder Woman (2017)
Guy Walters Self - Author, The Voice of War Self - Author, The Voice of War See fewer	Titanic: The Final Voyage (2025)
Benjamin Ziemann Self - Historian and Author (as Professor Benjamin Ziemann) Self - Historian and Author (as Professor Benjamin Ziemann) See fewer	The Great War in Numbers (2017)