Military History & Warfare Videos Hacker News Recommends

documentary#67

Mechanical Computer (All Parts) - Basic Mechanisms In Fire Control Computers

Excelsior10000

“It illustrates the problems and solutions near perfectly, and I've watched it way too many times.”

13 HN recommenders · 2014–2025

tutorial#145

U.S. NAVY BASIC MECHANISMS OF FIRE CONTROL COMPUTERS MECHANICAL COMPUTER INSTRUCTIONAL FILM 27794

PeriscopeFilm

“I especially like the section on differential gears, demonstrating their use as computing units”

11 HN recommenders · 2018–2026

documentary#210

The Secret War

Sergio IQ

“It's very long, very detailed but well presented - in a style that assumes you aren't stupid.”

4 HN recommenders · 2019–2025

documentary#214

This Is What Winning Looks Like (Full Length)

VICE

“I highly recommend the 2013 documentary”

7 HN recommenders · 2014–2023

lecture#257

Tiedustelueverstin arvio Venäjästä | 3.12.2018

fin_topsu

“is fantastic since its from 2018 but still 100% valid”

14 HN recommenders · 2022–2024

lecture#481

Secret History of Silicon Valley

Computer History Museum

“my favorite introduction to the valleys history was Steve Blanks The Secret History of Silicon Valley. It's well worth the hour”

6 HN recommenders · 2010–2026

podcast#483

David Fravor: UFOs, Aliens, Fighter Jets, and Aerospace Engineering | Lex Fridman Podcast #122

Lex Fridman

“this is a great interview interesting in its own right, even without the UFO part”

8 HN recommenders · 2020–2022

documentary#540

The Battle of Midway 1942: Told from the Japanese Perspective (1/3)

Montemayor

“This youtube series telling the Battle of Midway from Japanese perspective”

7 HN recommenders · 2019–2022

other#609

Threads (1984) ORIGINAL TRAILER [HD 1080p]

HD Retro Trailers

“should be mandatory viewing for all people in positions of power”

5 HN recommenders · 2019–2024

talk#676

The Secret History of Silicon Valley

Google TechTalks

“This is an eye opening perspective on some history "hidden in plain sight" of the origins of Silicon Valley.”

5 HN recommenders · 2008–2016

explainer#824

Gimbal UFO - A New Analysis

Mick West

“The summary video is concise and only 20 minutes long. I challenge you to watch all of it and respond specifically.”

8 HN recommenders · 2022–2025

documentary#974

Operation InfeKtion: How Russia Perfected the Art of War | NYT Opinion

New York Times Opinion

“This New York Times video explains it very well”

3 HN recommenders · 2019–2022

lecture#985

Nuclear 101: How Nuclear Bombs Work Part 1/2

Belfer Center

“I highly recommend the "Nuclear 101: How Nuclear Bombs Work" lectures by Matthew Bunn”

4 HN recommenders · 2018–2024

explainer#1005

Super Pointy Sprint Missile - 0 to Mach 10 in 15 Seconds - 100Gs & 6000°F

Dark Footage

“It's a great overview of the development of the Sprint though, worth watching if it's of interest.”

3 HN recommenders · 2021–2024

other#1020

Slaughterbots

Stop Autonomous Weapons

“see Stuart Russell's compelling short film”

4 HN recommenders · 2018–2026

commentary#1192

Nuclear Weapons: Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)

LastWeekTonight

“John Olivers episode on it is also amazing.”

4 HN recommenders · 2014–2026

documentary#1241

War - Part Two: Anybody's Son Will Do (1 of 6)

Ingsoc75

“This documentary explains in great detail the nature of military basic training and its psychological component”

3 HN recommenders · 2013–2017

other#1289

Sci-Fi Short Film “Slaughterbots” | DUST

DUST

“which depicts exactly this in harrowing detail”

5 HN recommenders · 2021–2026

interview#1415

The Future of War, and How It Affects YOU (Multi-Domain Operations) - Smarter Every Day 211

SmarterEveryDay

“It's an insightful how-and-why explanation for those wondering why there aren't more conscientious objectors”

4 HN recommenders · 2019–2022

lecture#1435

Richard Feynman Lecture -- "Los Alamos From Below"

The Quagmire

“He gives an incredible account of his time there in the lecture (and almost stand-up-comedy act)”

3 HN recommenders · 2018–2023

documentary#1458

Desert Storm - The Air War, Day 1 - Animated

The Operations Room

“I highly recommend watching this series about it, no one has dug into history like the Operations Room channel”

2 HN recommenders · 2021–2026

interview#1543

CIA Officer in Charge of Taking Down the AQ Khan Network | James Lawler | Ep. 125

The Team House

“if you want to hear someone who actively ran another incredibly successful nuclear non proliferation operation inside of CIA”

2 HN recommenders · 2022–2024

lecture#1548

Why our generals were more successful in World War II than in Korea, Vietnam or Iraq/Afghanistan

UC Berkeley Events

“Possibly the best analysis of this I have yet seen is the video”

3 HN recommenders · 2018–2024

documentary#1573

A4 / V2 Rocket in detail: Turbopump

Astronomy and Nature TV

“this series of videos is definitely worth watching”

3 HN recommenders · 2019–2022

lecture#1619

Kursk: The Epic Armored Engagement (2013)

The National WWII Museum

“I highly recommend it”

3 HN recommenders · 2018–2023

documentary#1647

Dropping the Bomb: Hiroshima & Nagasaki

Shaun

“Here's a thoroughly nuanced analysis of the causes and motivations leading to the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki”

3 HN recommenders · 2020–2025

tutorial#1668

Celestial Navigation (instruction video)

NathanielsCAD

“I love these military training movies, they're so good at teaching complex concepts.”

2 HN recommenders · 2021–2025

documentary#1756

America's Iron Giants - The World's Most Powerful Metalworkers

Machine Thinking

“I first learned about these presses several years ago from the YouTube channel Machine Thinking which is excellent and unfortunately infrequent.”

3 HN recommenders · 2019–2024

talk#1805

Daniel Suarez: The kill decision shouldn't belong to a robot

TED

“I often plug Daniel Suarez's great Kill Decision talk and book”

3 HN recommenders · 2013–2025

talk#1808

University of Texas at Austin 2014 Commencement Address - Admiral William H. McRaven

Texas Exes

“Worth the whole watch”

3 HN recommenders · 2017–2026

explainer#1933

How Kodak Exposed Nuclear Testing

Veritasium

“Veritasium did an eye opening vid on how fallout blew across the country and was ruining Kodak's film on the East Coast.”

3 HN recommenders · 2021–2025

documentary#1984

The Fallen of World War II

Neil Halloran

“does a great job of giving a sense of what the proportions are of relative tragedies in terms of loss of life.”

3 HN recommenders · 2020–2025

documentary#1990

America's Nerve Gas Arsenal

Peter Klusman

“If you're interested in this type of stuff this documentary is incredible and apparently won an Emmy.”

2 HN recommenders · 2017–2020

comedy#2159

Pentagon Wars - Bradley Fighting Vehicle Evolution

66NOVA66

“It's a great example of how trying to design a product that works well for every stakeholder in every scenario leads to a Frankenstein of a product”

3 HN recommenders · 2014–2024

lecture#2195

OODA Loop & Evolutionary Epistemology of John Boyd by Chuck Spinney

52 Living Ideas

“It shows the thinking method behind the OODA Loop--Evolutionary Epistemology”

3 HN recommenders · 2021–2025

commentary#2225

No, The Tank Is Not Dead.

The Chieftain

“I'd recommend this video by a former Abrams commander and tank historian who presents this argument far better than I can.”

5 HN recommenders · 2022

documentary#2423

ARROWS vs ARMOUR - Medieval Myth Busting

Tod's Workshop

“I believe the video from Tod's Workshop with actual experimentation is a must see”

2 HN recommenders · 2020–2025

documentary#2424

Always/Never: The Quest for Safety, Control, and Survivability - Part 1

Sandia National Labs

“I highly recommend this three-part series produced by Sandia National Laboratory”

2 HN recommenders · 2021–2026

news#2528

Soyuz Launch Escape Tower System

Bruno Leal

“here is a neat video of a launch escape system working as intended during Soyuz T-10-1”

1 HN recommenders · 2011–2018

explainer#2604

How Corruption Destroys Armies - Theft, Graft, and Russian failure in Ukraine

Perun

“Both these videos are long, but they had a lot of interesting ideas and insight on this topic”

2 HN recommenders · 2022–2023

explainer#2605

The US Military’s Massive Global Transportation System

Wendover Productions

“Wendover Productions has a great video about the insane amount of logistics”

2 HN recommenders · 2022–2025

explainer#2616

Why Japan had NO Chance in WW2

Military History Visualized

“One of the best visualizations I've come across of just how dominant the US industrial base was in the 1940s under full mobilization.”

3 HN recommenders · 2020–2023

documentary#2795

How I Boarded a US NAVY NUCLEAR SUBMARINE in the Arctic (ICEX 2020) - Smarter Every Day 237

SmarterEveryDay

“you will enjoy Destin's series on Smarter Every Day spending time on a US fast attack submarine”

2 HN recommenders · 2020–2022

explainer#2871

This 1970s tank simulator drives through a tiny world

Tom Scott

“This tank simulator from the 1970s is a great example of early VR”

2 HN recommenders · 2024–2025

other#2974

🏆Award Winning🏆 CGI 3D Animated Short Film: "LAST DAY OF WAR" by Dima Fedotov | TheCGBros

TheCGBros

“I think that scifi shorts have the duty and power to show us the paths that certain developments entail.”

1 HN recommenders · 2018–2023

other#3005

A Time-Lapse Map of Every Nuclear Explosion Since 1945 - by Isao Hashimoto

aConcernedHuman

“It really puts into perspective just how many nukes have gone off for purposes other than to kill people.”

2 HN recommenders · 2013–2025

explainer#3012

Defeating Microwave Weapons! - Part 1

Tech Ingredients

“made an instructional video about how microwaves work and how to defend against them”

2 HN recommenders · 2022–2025

other#3068

Eisenhower Farewell Address (Best Quality) - 'Military Industrial Complex' WARNING

Ewafa

“Eisenhower's 1961 Farewell Address is misinterpreted by many and totally forgotten by others. Please listen”

2 HN recommenders · 2018–2023