As difficult as it is to admit, the Germans probably produced the finest small arms of World War II. The Luger has become an icon. And some of them were actually too fine. At the beginning of the war, machine guns were limited to the MG34. But it was so carefully made that it was a nuisance. Each hand-machined part was individually inspected and stamped before use. In a word, it was over-engineered. And it was expensive, so like the Thompson submachine gun, it was gradually replaced by a cheaper, simpler, and even more effective machine gun.
It isn't especially pleasant to watch a review like this. Weapons are made for only one purpose after all -- to kill someone else, preferably a lot of someone elses.
Yet they fascinate many of us too. We find ourselves curious about them, the way a doctor is curious about disease, or a driver is curious about a gory highway accident. People are normally supposed to get along without murdering each other, and men don't bite dogs.
The documentary includes newsreel footage, combat photography, and a few talking heads, at least one of them a participant on the German side. At one hour (minus time for commercials) it squeezes in just enough detail. Nicely done by the History Channel.