Introduction

Secrets of War is a documentary television series about military history and the secrets of war of the 20th century.

Also known as Sworn to Secrecy: Secrets of War (US), History Exposed (alternative title, US), and Sworn to Secrecy.

Outline

The series premiered on the History Channel in [September] 1998 where it prevailed in the 8 o’clock Sunday evening slot for over two years.

Narrated by Charlton Heston, the series details facts and information derived from rare archival footage, formerly classified documents and messages, coupled with interviews with experts, authors and eyewitnesses from all over the world.

Production

The series was originally conceived as a 26-hour production. The first 13 hours concentrated on World War II, and the vast amount of unknown history kept secret by the British Official Secrets Act and finally revealed from 1975 to the 1990s. The second 13 hours focused on other conflicts of the 20th century. After the success of the first season, Documedia proceeded to expand the series comprehensively to address other wars, battles and intrigues, including contemporary topics as diverse as chemical weapons and spy planes, and theme-oriented episodes like prisoners of war and code breakers.

The series interviewed key participants in all of the important conflicts of the 20th century, including prominent authors with unique perspectives of the clandestine aspects of war. The creators of Sworn To Secrecy worked with the top spies of the era: former Directors of the CIA James Woolsey, Richard Helms and Dr. James Schlesinger; former Chairmen of the KGB Generals Vladimir Semichastny and Alexander Shelepin (Russia); as well as former directors of the MOSSAD Meir Amit and Isser Harel.

As Sworn To Secrecy gained notoriety, other VIPs who usually avoided commenting on the topics explored by the series participated in this unique documentary production, including: Henry Kissinger, Robert McNamara, Dan Quayle, John H. Sununu, James A. Baker III, Jack Valenti, Howard K. Smith, John K. Singlaub, David Eisenhower, Dr. Sergei Khrushchev, Arthur Schlesinger, Jr. and Senator John McCain. Each one-hour episode tells a strong, specific and factual story, backed up by interviews, rare footage, 3D graphics, on-location shooting, historical retracing shots and extensive re-enactments.

Sworn To Secrecy is, among many documentary series of its kind, used in the classrooms of the United States Naval Academy and United States Air Force Academy, and the only military series that American Forces Network (formerly the Armed Forces Radio and Television Service) licenses for American Service men and women on military bases and ships worldwide.

Release

• Unsure of the exact air dates for this documentary series, other than 1998 to 2002, or the order of episodes!
  • TVDB:
    • Suggests the first episode was aired on 13 July 1998, but the air dates of episodes are mixed up as are the episodes.
    • Presents the 65 episodes across 9 seasons (with 5 or 10 episodes per season).
  • Apple TV:
    • Suggests the first episode (of season 01) was aired on 27 February 2000, but states episode 01 of season 03 was aired on 01 January 1997!
    • Presents the 65 episodes across 5 seasons (13 episodes per season).
  • Amazon Prime Video:
    • Suggests the first episode was aired on 01 February 1998, along with the other 64 episodes.
    • Presents the 65 episodes as one season.
  • IMDb:
    • Suggests the first episode was aired in 1998, with episode 02 airing on 07 September 1998.
    • Presents the 65 episodes as one season.
  • Military Gogglebox:
    • We have presented the series as 5 seasons of 13 episodes each for easier reading/indexing.
• DVD Releases (Full Series):
  • Released as Secrets of War: The Complete Series, a 26 episode (1300 minutes) DVD box set by Network (distributor) on 09 May 2011.
    • The first 26 episodes from the 65 episodes aired.
  • Released as Secrets of War, a 9-DVD box set which states “In all, 65 episodes were produced from 1997 to 2001.
    • All 65 episodes with a total running time of 1352 minutes.
  • Released as Secrets of War: The Complete 65 Episode Series, 13 DVD box set on 16 July 2013.
    • All 65 episodes with a total running time of 3250 minutes.
• DVD Releases (related episodes in a themed box set):
  • Secrets of War: Declassified (4 disc set).
  • Secrets of War: Espionage (2 disc set).
  • Secrets of War: Shadows of the Third Reich (2 disc set).
  • Secrets of War: The Cold War (3 disc set).
  • Secrets of War: Vietnam A War Unwanted (1 disc set).
  • Secrets of War: Weapons of War (2 disc set).

Secrets of War Series

• Series 01 (1998):
  • Episode 01: German Intelligence in WWII.
  • Episode 02: The Ultra Enigma.
  • Episode 03: Women Spies in Word War II.
  • Episode 04: Weapons of the Shadow War.
  • Episode 05: Nazi Gold.
  • Episode 06: The Battle of the Atlantic.
  • Episode 07: Sitzkrieg: The Phony War.
  • Episode 08: The Battle of Britain.
  • Episode 09: Tools of Deception.
  • Episode 10: Rommel’s Enigma.
  • Episode 11: Secret Weapons of the Third Reich.
  • Episode 12: D-Day Deceptions.
  • Episode 13: The French Resistance.

• Series 02 (1999):
  • Episode 01: The Invasion of Panama.
  • Episode 02: The Gulf War: Steel Rain.
  • Episode 03: The Gulf War: Secrets in the Sand.
  • Episode 04: Spies in the Sky.
  • Episode 05: Korea: Behind the Bamboo Curtain.
  • Episode 06: Cold War: The Strangelove Factor.
  • Episode 07: Korea: Stalin’s Secret Air War.
  • Episode 08: Vietnam: Alpha Strike.
  • Episode 09: Vietnam: Hidden in Plain Sight.
  • Episode 10: WWI: Germany’s Secret Gambles.
  • Episode 11: Super Guns.
  • Episode 12: Vietnam: Special Operations.
  • Episode 13: Shadows of the Six Day War.

• Series 03 (2000):
  • Episode 01: Stalin’s Spies.
  • Episode 02: O.S.S.
  • Episode 03: Breaking the Japanese Code.
  • Episode 04: Bio-Chemical Weapons.
  • Episode 05: The Holocaust Secret.
  • Episode 06: Hitler’s Secrets.
  • Episode 07: The Hunt for Atomic Secrets.
  • Episode 08: Roosevelt’s Spymasters.
  • Episode 09: Japan: The Invasion That Never Was.
  • Episode 10: Israeli Intelligence.
  • Episode 11: Cold War: Inside the CIA.
  • Episode 12: Cold War: Inside the K.G.B.
  • Episode 13: British Secret Intelligence in WWII.

• Series 04 (2001):
  • Episode 01: The Wizard War.
  • Episode 02: Battlefield Deceptions.
  • Episode 03: Spy Planes.
  • Episode 04: Mao’s Secrets.
  • Episode 05: Churchill’s Gambles.
  • Episode 06: Nazi Propaganda.
  • Episode 07: The Balkans Tinderbox.
  • Episode 08: Prisoners of War, Part One – The Barbed Wire Front.
  • Episode 09: Prisoners of War, Part Two – Battle for the Mind.
  • Episode 10: Prisoners of War, Part Three – Code of Conduct.
  • Episode 11: The Cambridge Five.
  • Episode 12: Psychological Warfare.
  • Episode 13: Secret Submarines in WWII.

• Series 05 (2002):
  • Episode 01: Hirohito’s War.
  • Episode 02: Vietnam: Johnson’s Battleground.
  • Episode 03: Hitler’s Last Days.
  • Episode 04: Cold War: Eisenhower’s Operatives.
  • Episode 05: Cold War: The Kennedy Years.
  • Episode 06: Cold War: Nixon’s Secrets.
  • Episode 07: Cold War: Krushchev’s Regime.
  • Episode 08: The Gulf War: Architects of Desert Storm.
  • Episode 09: Cold War: Cuba’s Communist Revolution.
  • Episode 10: Mussolini’s Henchmen.
  • Episode 11: Vietnam: Ho Chi Minh’s Revolution.
  • Episode 12: Cold War: Brezhnev’s Kremlin.
  • Episode 13: Gulf War: Iraq’s Secrets.

Production & Filming Details

• Director(s):
  • Aleksandr Ivankin … (4 episodes, 1998-2000).
  • Chip Proser … (2 episodes, 1998).
  • J.V. Martin … (2 episodes, 2001).
  • Tom Jennings … (1 episode, 2001).
  • Michael Kase … (unknown episodes).
• Producer(s):
  • Alan Beattie … executive producer (64 episodes, 1998-2002).
  • Robert Beemer … supervising producer / coordinating producer / producer (64 episodes, 1998-2002).
  • Chris Chesser … executive producer (64 episodes, 1998-2002).
  • John Corry … supervising producer / segment producer / producer / producer (64 episodes, 1998-2002).
  • Chip Proser … supervising producer / producer (64 episodes, 1998-2002).
  • Ioanna Vassiliadis Willis … coordinating producer (13 episodes, 1998-2002).
  • Marcus Segal … segment producer / associate producer / excutive in charge of production / executive in charge of production (13 episodes, 1998-1999).
  • Michael Kase … segment producer / associate producer (11 episodes, 1998-2002).
  • Deborah Blum … producer (7 episodes, 1998-2002).
  • Tamara Phillips … associate producer (7 episodes, 2000-2001).
  • Maya Toidze … producer (6 episodes, 1998-2001).
  • Chris Mortensen … producer (6 episodes, 1998).
  • Ron Frank … producer (6 episodes, 2000).
  • William F. Northrop … producer (6 episodes).
  • Athan Katsos … segment producer / associate producer (5 episodes, 1998).
  • Manny Madla … segment producer / producer (5 episodes, 1998).
  • Lauren Lee … associate producer / segment producer (5 episodes).
  • Peter Krajewski … segment producer / associate producer (4 episodes, 1998).
  • Wayne Weiss … producer (4 episodes).
  • Charles Hayes … producer (3 episodes, 1998).
  • Steve Holstrom … associate producer (3 episodes, 1998).
  • David M. Barsky … producer (3 episodes).
  • Gordon Forbes III … producer (3 episodes).
  • Deborah Klose … segment producer (3 episodes).
  • Rich Fox … post podruction coordinator (2 episodes, 1998).
  • Mindy Pomper … post production supervisor (2 episodes, 1998).
  • Michael R. Duffy … segment producer (2 episodes, 2001).
  • Aleksandr Ivankin … producer (2 episodes, 2001).
  • Tom Jennings … contributing producer / producer (2 episodes, 2001).
  • J.V. Martin … producer (2 episodes, 2001).
  • Carey Ann Strelecki … associate producer (2 episodes, 2001).
  • George Barber … additional field producer / producer: Great Britain (2 episodes).
  • Dale Bell … producer (2 episodes).
  • Michael B. Christy … producer (2 episodes).
  • Tim Evans … producer / producer (2 episodes).
  • Stephen Faigenbaum … producer (2 episodes).
  • James Cooper … associate producer (1 episode, 1998).
  • Luke Ellis … associate producer (1 episode, 1998).
  • Robert Ennis … producer (1 episode, 1998).
  • Jan Kaplan … associate producer (1 episode, 1998).
  • Bonnie Kirkland Landry … associate producer (1 episode, 1998).
  • Andrea Scharf … segment producer (1 episode, 1998).
  • Todd Antonio Somodevilla … post production (1 episode, 1998).
  • Gary Tarpinian … producer (1 episode, 1998).
  • Matt Thompson … associate producer (1 episode, 1998).
  • Henri Zix … associate producer (1 episode, 2000).
  • Geoffrey Miller … producer (1 episode, 2001).
  • Nathalie Borgers … associate producer (1 episode).
  • Kathryn Christy … producer (1 episode).
  • Emunah Cohen … associate producer (1 episode).
  • Jonathon Daves … segment producer (1 episode).
  • Devon Dibble … associate producer (1 episode).
  • Alan Gordon … producer (1 episode).
  • Jack Hurley … associate producer (1 episode).
  • Bill Katz … producer (1 episode).
  • Robert Kirk … producer (1 episode).
  • Frank Kosa … contributing producer (1 episode).
  • Rob Lihani … associate producer (1 episode).
  • Jim Morris … associate producer (1 episode).
  • Chris Pechin … field producer (1 episode).
  • Emma Webster … producer (1 episode).
  • Natalia Wieczorek … field producer (1 episode).
• Writer(s):
  • Deborah Blum … (writer) (7 episodes, 1998-2002).
  • Aleksandr Ivankin … (written by) (6 episodes, 1998-2001).
  • Chris Mortensen … (written by) (6 episodes, 1998).
  • William F. Northrop … (written by) (6 episodes).
  • Chip Proser … (story and written by) (5 episodes, 1998).
  • Ron Frank … (written by) (4 episodes, 2000).
  • Wayne Weiss … (written by) (4 episodes).
  • Charles Hayes … (written by) (3 episodes, 1998).
  • Gordon Forbes III … (written by) (3 episodes).
  • John Corry … (written by) (2 episodes, 1998).
  • J.V. Martin … (written by) (2 episodes, 2001).
  • Robert Beemer … (writer) (2 episodes).
  • Dale Bell … (written by) (2 episodes).
  • Michael B. Christy … (written by) (2 episodes).
  • Stephen Faigenbaum … (written by) (2 episodes).
  • Manny Madla … (written by) (2 episodes).
  • Jan Kaplan … (additional writing) (1 episode, 1998).
  • Gary Tarpinian … (written by) (1 episode, 1998).
  • Tom Jennings … (written by) (1 episode, 2001).
  • Geoffrey Miller … (written by) (1 episode, 2001).
  • Maya Toidze … (written by) (1 episode, 2001).
  • Kathryn Christy … (written by) (1 episode).
  • Alan Gordon … (writer) (1 episode).
  • Bill Katz … (written by) (1 episode).
  • Robert Kirk … (written by) (1 episode).
  • Emma Webster … (written by) (1 episode).
• Music:
  • Ramón Balcázar … (65 episodes, 1998-2002).
  • Eric Hester … (2 episodes, 1998).
• Cinematography:
  • Peter Krajewski … (2 episodes).
  • Chip Proser … (1 episode, 1998).
• Editor(s):
  • Manny Madla … (19 episodes, 1998-2001).
  • John Bininger … (18 episodes, 1998-2002).
  • Molly Tobitt … (5 episodes, 1998).
  • Tim Toidze … (4 episodes, 1999-2001).
  • Shelly Stocking … (4 episodes, 2000).
  • Phil Russman … (3 episodes, 1998).
  • Steve Pomerantz … (2 episodes, 1998).
  • Ron Frank … (2 episodes, 2000).
  • Jeff Caldwell … (2 episodes).
  • David Kalish … (2 episodes).
  • Lauren Lee … (2 episodes).
  • Nathan Miles … (2 episodes).
  • Evan Landis … (1 episode, 1998).
  • Jane McCord … (1 episode, 1998).
  • Igor Shevtzov … (1 episode, 1998).
  • Irina Vigdortchik … (1 episode, 1998).
  • Otto Chung … (1 episode, 1999).
  • Alex Shuper … (1 episode, 1999).
  • Thomas Dugan … (1 episode).
  • Mathias Laisbo … (1 episode).
  • Matt Stevenson … (1 episode).
• Production:
  • Documedia Group.
• Distributor(s):
  • Documedia Group (1998) (USA) (VHS).
  • History Channel (1998) (USA) (TV) (all media).
  • Pearson Television International (1998) (World-wide) (all media).
  • The Fremantle Corporation (1998) (World-wide) (all media).
  • Mill Creek Entertainment (DVD).
• Release Date: 1998 to 2002.
• Rating: TV-14.
• Running Time: 50-53 minutes (per episode, with adverts) and 65 hours (total running time).
• Country: US.
• Language: English.

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