Storyline

An eight-part chronicle of armed conflict from the beginning of recorded history to modern times, exploring the political and cultural motivations for---and consequences of---warfare.

First Aired

1998-08-02
Last Aired

1998-09-20
Creator
Genre

Documentary
Seasons

1
Episodes

8
Status

Ended
Language

English
Network

TLC

Keywords:

civilization

Stream and watch War and Civilization

Season 1

1. First Blood

A look at the origins of modern warfare, when ancient Greek soldiers marched in formations called phal...More

A look at the origins of modern warfare, when ancient Greek soldiers marched in formations called phalanxes. Also: Alexander the Great's foray into Asia Minor in the 4th century B.C. Narrated by Walter Cronkite..Less

52mins 1998-08-02

2. Empires and Armies

The empires of ancient Rome and China, begun before the birth of Christ, which were hubs of cultural d...More

The empires of ancient Rome and China, begun before the birth of Christ, which were hubs of cultural development despite being terribly violent. Also: fighting barbarians at their borders; and the legacies of these empires. Narrated by Walter Cronkite.Less

52mins 1998-08-09

3. Horse Warriors

A look at the impact that horses had on warfare, which enabled Attila the Hun and Genghis Khan to rule...More

A look at the impact that horses had on warfare, which enabled Attila the Hun and Genghis Khan to rule over vast territories. Also: building fortifications of stone; and the rise of the samurai in Japan. Narrated by Walter Cronkite.Less

52mins 1998-08-16

4. Gunpowder

"Gunpowder" forever changed the way wars were fought, both in an army's weapons and methods of defense...More

"Gunpowder" forever changed the way wars were fought, both in an army's weapons and methods of defense. Also: arming ships with cannons; and the spread of European domination. Narrated by Walter Cronkite.Less

52mins 1998-08-23

5. Revolution

England gains a stronghold in America after the Seven Years' War in 1763, but is eventually challenged...More

England gains a stronghold in America after the Seven Years' War in 1763, but is eventually challenged, and defeated, by a new nation. Also: revolution in France; and the rise of Napoleon. Narrated by Walter Cronkite.Less

52mins 1998-08-30

6. Blood and Iron

The Industrial Revolution creates more mechanized warfare, as trains and mass-produced weapons are tes...More

The Industrial Revolution creates more mechanized warfare, as trains and mass-produced weapons are tested in the Crimea and the American Civil War. Also: a united Germany; and war correspondents report from the front. Walter Cronkite narrates.Less

52mins 1998-09-06

7. War Machines

Included: America fulfills its "manifest destiny"; colonialism expands in Africa and India; and World ...More

Included: America fulfills its "manifest destiny"; colonialism expands in Africa and India; and World War I spawns the tank and the airplane. Also: the Russo-Japanese War; and World War II rises from the ashes of its predecessor. Walter Cronkite narrates.Less

52mins 1998-09-13

8. The Price of War

"The Price of War" looks at the end of World War II and the atomic bomb, and the tension of the Cold W...More

"The Price of War" looks at the end of World War II and the atomic bomb, and the tension of the Cold War. Also: fighting communism in Korea and southeast Asia; and the fear of nuclear annihilation. Narrated by Walter Cronkite.Less