Quick Summary
How Canadian tanks closed off an escape route for German soldiers
About This Program
With thousands of German soldiers trapped in the Falaise Pocket, a small Canadian tank squadron tries to close off the escape route
More information
Tonight’s “Falaise Trap” pulls viewers into the closing days of the Normandy campaign. The episode opens with a map of the Falaise Pocket, where hundreds of German divisions are hemmed in by Allied forces. It then follows a Canadian tank squadron tasked with sealing the last gap in the encirclement. Viewers see the crews loading up, the roar of Sherman guns, and the tense advance across shattered villages. Archival footage shows desperate German troops scrambling for any road that leads out, while the Canadians dig in, laying mines and calling in artillery. Interviews with veterans add a human touch, recalling the cold mornings and the sound of shells that never stopped. The documentary stitches together battlefield reports, personal letters, and modern reenactments to illustrate how a handful of tanks helped cut off Hitler’s retreat. By the hour’s end the pocket collapses, sealing a decisive Allied victory and marking the beginning of the end for Nazi occupation in Western Europe.
Hitler's Last Stand broadcasts on National Geographic Channel at 3:00pm, Monday, 15 December 2025. (Subtitles)

