Watch war documentaries on BBC Select

BBC Select looks at the ever-present shadow of war that has always loomed over human society. From the ancient Roman god of war, to inside the war room of a hypothetical World War Three, these documentaries take a deep dive into conflict.

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A merciless enemy who would stop at nothing to expand its empire, consumed by contempt for the West. A perpetrator of unimaginable war crimes – from cannibalism to crucifixion. How did Japan, a Western-looking nation in the 1920s, become driven by military brutality? Alongside chilling interviews with perpetrators, this eye-opening film questions how the West’s former friend became its feared foe.

Watch Horror in the East and start your free 7-day trial with BBC Select today. Restrictions apply*.

In this BBC history documentary, David Reynolds reassesses Stalin’s role in the life and death struggle between the Nazis and Russia during World War II. Stalin’s name means ‘man of steel’, but the reality of 1941 did not live up to that title. Russia was almost annihilated by Hitler as Stalin lurched from crisis to crisis. How were Churchill and FDR drawn into an alliance with the dictator?

Watch World War Two: 1941 and the Man of Steel on on BBC Select today. Restrictions apply*.

Classicist Bettany Hughes investigates the enduring relationship between violence and worship by following the trail, through time, of the ancient god of war: Mars. In this BBC history documentary, Bettany asks if celebrating war is a way of bringing societies together by creating ‘them’ and ‘us’ and how Romans, and later Christian crusaders, justified bloodshed. But can war ever be justified?

Watch Mars Uncovered and start your free 7-day trial with BBC Select today. Restrictions apply*.

Fascinating, thrilling and at points terrifying. Enjoy privileged access to decision-making where millions of lives are in the balance. In a hypothetical ‘war room’, top military and political experts discuss potential reactions to Russian aggression in Eastern Europe and what diplomatic and military moves could curb them. Can the unthinkable last resort – a nuclear attack – be avoided?

Watch World War Three: Inside The War Room and start your free 7-day trial with BBC Select today. Restrictions apply*.