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The Worst Episodes of The Great War and the Shaping of the 20th Century

Every episode of The Great War and the Shaping of the 20th Century ranked from worst to best. Explore the Worst Episodes of The Great War and the Shaping of the 20th Century!

The Worst Episodes of The Great War and the Shaping of the 20th Century

The Great War and the Shaping of the 20th Century is a 1996 documentary series that aired on PBS. It chronicles World War I over...
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  1. #1 Worst Episode
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    The Great War and the Shaping of the 20th Century Season 1 Episode 1 - Explosion
    7.5/10(23 votes)

    #1 - Explosion

    S1:E1

    Instability in Europe is fueled by Germany's growing militarism, Kaiser Wilhelm II's obsession to match the British Royal Navy, and French and German war plans before the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria triggers combat.

    Director:Carl Byker
    Writers:Jay Winter, Carl Byker, Blaine Baggett

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  2. The Great War and the Shaping of the 20th Century Season 1 Episode 6 - Collapse
    7.5/10(12 votes)

    #2 - Collapse

    S1:E6

    Account of the sudden ending of World War One in 1918, tracing the various causes responsible for Germany's ultimate downfall, including a failed offensive, the Americans joining the Allied Forces and crumbling civilian morale. Archive footage reveals the momentous occasion when the guns fell silent on the 11th hour of November 11, and British and German troops shook hands.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  3. The Great War and the Shaping of the 20th Century Season 1 Episode 8 - War Without End
    7.5/10(12 votes)

    #3 - War Without End

    S1:E8

    Examines the cost of the war and its continuing reverberations through the rest of the 20th century.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  4. The Great War and the Shaping of the 20th Century Season 1 Episode 2 - Stalemate
    7.7/10(19 votes)

    #4 - Stalemate

    S1:E2

    At the start of World War One it was predicted the fighting would be over in a matter of weeks, owing to technical advances in weaponry. But the reality proved entirely different as soldiers dug into the ground to escape artillery, trenches began to spread for miles and the Western Front developed.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  5. The Great War and the Shaping of the 20th Century Season 1 Episode 3 - What if... Total War
    7.8/10(14 votes)

    #5 - What if... Total War

    S1:E3

    An insight into the personal experiences of people caught up in World War One, with diaries and letters shedding light on the conflict. One million women left the home to work in Britain's munitions factories, while soldiers' families lived in dread of receiving a telegram or telephone call bearing bad news.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  6. The Great War and the Shaping of the 20th Century Season 1 Episode 4 - Slaughter
    7.8/10(16 votes)

    #6 - Slaughter

    S1:E4

    The stories of the battles of Verdun, the Somme and Passchendaele, three of World War One's most bloody encounters, using newsreel footage taken at the scene during a time when film was on the verge of becoming a major influence on the public's perception of warfare

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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    The 20 BEST Episodes of The Great War and the Shaping of the 20th Century

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  7. The Great War and the Shaping of the 20th Century Season 1 Episode 5 - Mutiny
    8.1/10(13 votes)

    #7 - Mutiny

    S1:E5

    Account of the despair which swept Europe in 1917, as World War One dragged on into its fourth year with no end in sight. While British doctors struggled to find an effective shell-shock treatment for patients, including poet Wilfred Owen, half of the French army mutinied and Russia was gripped by revolution.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  8. The Great War and the Shaping of the 20th Century Season 1 Episode 7 - Legacy
    8.1/10(10 votes)

    #8 - Legacy

    S1:E7

    Covers the continuing blockade on Germany as the Allies drew up the Treaty of Versailles, with considerable focus on Woodrow Wilson’s role in the Paris Peace Conference.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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Worst Episodes Summary

"Explosion" is the worst rated episode of "The Great War and the Shaping of the 20th Century". It scored 7.5/10 based on 23 votes. Directed by Carl Byker and written by Jay Winter, Carl Byker, Blaine Baggett, it aired on 11/10/1996. This episode scored 0.0 points lower than the second lowest rated, "Collapse".