CAMBRAI & KAISERSCHLACHT | Documentary

Product Details

• UPC: 5034504103573
• Genre: Documentary, War
• Number of discs: 1
• Studio: Eagle Rock Entertainment Ltd
• Release date: 2001

Overview

"Cambrai & Kaiserschlacht" is a two-part documentary that tells the story of two battles in the latter stages of the First World War that saw a change of tactics move away from the attritional trench warfare that had dominated most of the war. The Battle of Cambrai in late 1917 saw the first large scale deployment of tanks as a tactical weapon, while Kaiserschlacht or Kaiser's Battle, the German spring offensive in 1918, saw the first major deployment of Stormtrooper units on the Western Front and their innovative tactics led to the breaking of the trench war stalemate for the first time in four years.

The documentary features archive footage and provides an insightful look into the events leading up to these battles, as well as their impact on the war and the world.

Product Specifications

• Format: DVD
• Region: All Regions
• Aspect Ratio: 4:3
• Sound: Dolby Digital Stereo
• Run Time: 96 minutes (approx.)
• Picture Format: NTSC
• Colour Mode: B & W
• Disk Format: DVD-9

Scene Selection

1. The Battle of Cambrai
2. The First Use of Tanks
3. Further Experiments with Tanks
4. The Success of Tanks at Cambrai
5. The Legacy of Cambrai
6. Kaiserschlacht or Kaiser's Battle
7. The First Major Deployment of Stormtrooper Units
8. The Breaking of the Trench War Stalemate
9. The Faltering of the German Offensive
10. The Allied Counter Offensive

Special Features

• Scene Selections

Interesting Facts

• The Battle of Cambrai saw the first large scale deployment of tanks as a tactical weapon, with over 400 tanks used in the battle.
• The success of tanks at Cambrai was limited, but they paved the way for further development and the domination of tanks on the battlefield for the rest of the century.
• Kaiserschlacht or Kaiser's Battle was the last significant German offensive of World War One, with the German Army suffering heavy losses and ultimately failing to achieve their objectives.
• The innovative tactics of the Stormtrooper units led to the breaking of the trench war stalemate for the first time in four years, but the impetus of their attack eventually faltered and the Allied counter offensive would ultimately bring the war to a close.

From Backside:

These two programmes tell the story of two battles in the latter stages of the First World War that saw the change of tactics move away from the attritional trench warfare that had dominated most of the war. The Battle of Cambrai in late 1917 saw the first large scale deployment of tanks as a tactical weapon. The first, very limited, use of tanks had been on the Somme the previous year and further experiments had taken place earlier in 1917 but at Cambrai these new fighting machines were used in substantial numbers for the first time. Their success was limited but they paved the way for further development and the domination of tanks on the battlefield for the rest of the century. Kaiserschlacht or Kaiser's Battle, the German spring offensive in 1918, was the last significant German offensive of World War One. It saw the first major deployment of Stormtrooper units on the Western Front and their innovative tactics led to the breaking of the trench war stalemate for the first time in four years. Eventually however the impetus of their attack faltered and the Allied counter offensive would ultimately bring the war to a close.