Great Blunders of World War II

Tragic mistakes that changed the course of WWII. 'Hitler's Luftwaffe': When the Russians pulled their industry back deep into their heartland, the Luftwaffe found that its lack of long-range heavy bombers meant it could no longer strike back effectively. 'The Pilot Who Bombed London': In 1940, the Luftwaffe seemed to be winning the Battle of Britain with its attacks on RAF fighter bases. Then one pilot, off course and confused, dropped his bombs on London. 'British Bombing Assault on Berlin': Determined to bomb the Third Reich into submission, Sir Arthur 'Bomber' Harris waged a grim campaign against Berlin in 1943. However the capital proved too tough a nut to crack. 'A Bridge Too Far':In order to break the stalemate and bring about an early end to the war, the taking of four bridges in the Eindhoven area of Holland was critical. Arnhem proved a bridge too far. 'USS Indianapolis': When USS Indianapolis was torpedoed on her return from the highly secretive delivery of an atomic bomb, no-one realised that her crew were drowning in shark-infested waters. 'HMS Hood': When HMS Hood was hit in action against the Bismarck in 1941, design flaws became tragically apparent. She went down so quickly that her crew had no chance of survival.