It was the moment that the war changed direction as 156,000 Allied troops landed in Nazi-occupied France and committed Hitler to a war on two fronts. Over 73,000 of those who took part in the operation died in the bloody battle that followed but the beginning of the end of World War Two was in sight. Here's where to watch D-Day: The Unheard Tapes online for free – from anywhere.
| First episode: Sunday, June 2 at 9pm BST |
| Watch free: BBC iPlayer (UK) |
| Use NordVPN to watch any stream |
In a new way of delivering first hand recollections to a modern audience a lifetime later, actors cast to resemble the interviewees at the time of Operation Overlord lip-sync the words of the Allied and German participants that were, thankfully, recorded by historians and collected in museums during the post-war years. These haunting memories are interwoven with dramatic recreations for this show to tell the story of D-Day as it's never been told before.
Among many voices, we hear from young American soldiers in the landing craft as the enemy open fire, Germans ordered to man the defenses on the beach ("A comrade who was only 15 meters in front of me crawled into my bunker," recalls one, "And he screamed, 'Franz, Watch out now! They're coming'") and British troops after crash-landing in the French countryside in gliders. They all add up to create a rich and captivating tapestry about an event that changed history.
Read on as we explain how to watch D-Day: The Unheard Tapes from anywhere in the world.
How to watch D-Day: The Unheard Tapes free online
Unblock any stream with a VPN
If you're keen to watch D-Day: The Unheard Tapes but you're away from home and access to the show is geo-blocked, then you could always use a VPN to access it (assuming you're not breaching any broadcaster T&Cs, of course). You may be surprised by how simple it is to do.
Use a VPN to watch D-Day: The Unheard Tapes from anywhere
Using a VPN is as easy as one-two-three...
1. Download and install a VPN – as we say, our top choice is NordVPN
2. Connect to the appropriate server location – open the VPN app, hit 'choose location' and select the appropriate geographical location
3. Go to the broadcaster's live stream – so, in this case, just head to BBC iPlayer
Can you watch D-Day: The Unheard Tapes in the US?
D-Day: The Unheard Tapes is a co-production between the BBC and the HISTORY Channel and a two-part version of the documentary will premiere on Thursday, June 6 at 8pm ET/PT with back-to-back episodes on the History channel. You can stream the History channel via Sling Orange (50% off your first month) and across major TV providers' VOD platforms.
Brits away from home can use a VPN to watch D-Day: The Unheard Tapes on BBC iPlayer from anywhere.
Can you watch D-Day: The Unheard Tapes in Canada?
There is no word as to when or if D-Day: The Unheard Tapes will arrive in Canada but UK nationals currently traveling in the Great White North can use a VPN to unblock BBC iPlayer and watch the show from anywhere in the world. We recommend NordVPN.
Can you watch D-Day: The Unheard Tapes in Australia?
As with Canada, D-Day: The Unheard Tapes has not been picked up an Australian broadcaster at the time of writing but Brits working or on vacation Down Under can use a VPN to watch BBC iPlayer from abroad. We recommend Nord.
D-Day: The Unheard Tapes episode guide
Episode 1: Allied soldiers take off under cover of darkness as the biggest amphibious invasion in history begins. Gliders and paratroopers drop by nightfall as bombs strike the coast. When dawn breaks, German defenders witness an armada of ships approaching the shore.
Episode 2: Hundreds of thousands of Allied troops land on five beaches along the Normandy coast. Powerful interviews with those who were there lead us through their story of the invasion as it unfolds. American soldiers on Omaha face a blood bath, while Royal Marine commandos encounter chaos at Sword Beach. As night draws in, troops finally make it off the sand, but the threats ahead are even greater.
Episode 3: Soldiers on both sides and French witnesses narrate the story of the bloody battle for Normandy that followed D-Day. Despite the hard-won foothold made on the coast, the Allies still face their greatest challenge. As the British try to take Caen and the Americans attempt to liberate Cherbourg, Nazi troops begin a regime of counterattacks, and the Allies become bogged down amid the dense Normandy hedgerows.
Have any other international broadcasters picked up D-Day: The Unheard Tapes?
Produced by Warner Bros. International Television Production company Wall to Wall Media for BBC Two and BBC iPlayer and co-produced with The History Channel, U.S., D-Day: The Unheard Tapes has been picked up by Canal Plus (France), RTVE (Spain), LA7 (Italy), NPO (The Netherlands), SVT (Sweden), NRK (Norway), DR (Denmark) and Czech Television (Czech Republic).
