Ep 24. Super Guns

Secrets of War was a television documentary series that highlighted significant moments in world history through the use of archived footage, interviews, and narration. Its season 1 episode 24 titled Super Guns delved into the history of artillery in the 20th century and how its technology had evolved during the course of World War II.

Starting from the early 1900s, the episode shows how countries around the world began developing artillery pieces that could fire farther and more accurately than ever before. The introduction of tanks during World War I saw artillery become even more important in modern warfare as Mark I tanks could only travel at 4 miles per hour.

As World War II gets underway, small arms fire and close combat began to dominate the battlefield, leaving artillery with less control over land. However, this eventually changed when Germany began development of "Big Bertha," a massive artillery piece capable of firing 2,200-pound shells over nine miles. As Germany wins many battles in this area Its firepower designed to destroy infrastructure rather than taking out military targets, achieving a significant psychological impact on the enemy, forcing them to be at the receiving end of a bombardment that could take out entire cities.

Following Germany's lead in artillery, the Allies (consisting of the United States, Great Britain, and Soviet Union) began designing their own super guns. The episode describes how the United States developed the "Atomic Annie," a 280mm artillery piece that could fire nuclear shells at a range of seven miles. The United Kingdom had its own artillery pieces as well, including "Project Babylon," a super gun that Saddam Hussein later tried to use in Iraq during the 1990 Gulf War.

The Soviet Union was also in the race to develop advanced artillery and had its own projects. A series of projects, classified as names like "Pervenets" (Firstborn) and "Pion" (Pawn), aimed to develop a massive artillery piece that could fire shells over 100 miles. However, most of these projects were never completed due to logistical reasons.

As the war progresses, the episode shows how many of these super guns had both positive and negative effects. The marked improvements meant that artillery was able to lay unparalleled devastation on the enemy. A great cost of life was paid by all sides as brutal as it was effective. The show talks about how artillery could also cause significant collateral damage if not used correctly. The Atomic Annie was utilized in only one test and served as a significant deterrent against invaders at the Korean border but did not see any practical use in combat situations.

The episode's narration underscores how the technology used in developing super guns would go on to influence other areas in combat and beyond. The same knowledge developed to extend the firing range of cannons was later on applied to rockets such as the V2 and other missile programs.

Overall, Secrets of War season 1 episode 24 is an informative and engaging look into the history of artillery and how super guns played a vital role in the outcome of World War II.