Filming the First World War: Jonathan Lewis and Hew Strachan point out the daunting challenges and exciting opportunities involved in producing a new major TV series.(Today's History)

THE FIRST WORLD WAR, as a subject for television, has acquired a lot of baggage over the past forty years. Our film researcher, Alison McAllan, was told by some colleagues on starting out that her task would be easy, because there wasn't a lot of footage to chose from and, of what there is, virtually none is genuine.

These myths have their counterparts in the military history: Germany single-handedly started it; the British came in because of 'plucky little Belgium'; the Germans followed the Schlieffen plan; the men were lions led by donkeys; and it was all a tragic waste. It is as ...

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