This is the BBC Series: Explorers - Amundsen Presented by David Attenborough Directed by David Cobham Copyright: BBC Natural History Unit 1976 #Explorers #RoaldAmundsen #DavidAttenborough
Amundsen was, by far, the most competent of all the Antarctic explorers. He well understood that one has to be ruthless to survive in a ruthless environment.
Captain Scott, as a good British, could not bear to cause suffering to dogs or enslave them, so he wrongly decided to use horses. This was a very serious mistake since horses cannot withstand extreme cold. He must have used animals adapted to life in extreme cold and ice and snow, for example Yaks from Tibet (these animals are like cows with a very thick coat of long hair), for example 50 yaks, and English dressed in the way of dressing of the Tibetans in winter, feeding humans and yaks with soybeans, dragged in carts with very wide wheels. Go the humans mounted on the yaks, do not walk or ski dragging heavy sleds since it is exhausted and consumes the reserve fat of the humans, and also eat the yaks: yak that was slow, eat it. Or even better, instead of horses, use about 50 Mongolian camels, perfectly adapted to cold and ice (they can easily endure -40º, they can go 3 months without eating, when they need water they get it by eating ice or snow, they have their feet adapted to snow and ice) and the same: riding camels, not walking or skiing, and eating camels throughout the trip, it can give some rejection, but with a good appetite they seem calves. Even bring a machine to make minced meat and eat camels in the form of hamburgers. And copy the wisdom of primitive peoples adapted to extrem cold: to be dressed in the same clothes that Mongolian shepherds wear during the winter months and to wear a removable yurt, nor a tent
@@NielsChristianNielsen6720 The British traveling to the South Pole, not walking or skiing and dragging a heavy sleigh, which due to its weight, could not carry food for everyone, constantly exposed to terrible weather ... when they could have gone in small carts, totally isolated from the weather, similar to small trailers, heated by paraffin oil stoves, dragged by Mongolian camels, a large number of Mongolian camels, some camels dragging caravan wagons of people and others pulling wide-wheeled carts or sledges (or better: mixed vehicles sleds with retractable wheels and skis) loaded with soybeans, all bearing abundant British and Royal Geographical Society flags, and racing between them on camels for sheer fun and joy
Niels have you ever seen the documentary series Seven Up? In short, it theorizes that the passions and personalities of children at the age of seven can predict what they will become as adults. Sounds like that worked with you. I, too, liked to draw maps as a child. Today, I like to travel. Amundsen was a true hero. Cheers!
@@TheMariepi3 but bare in mind, the British mentality at the time really believed that they are the best in everything. They think anything foreign is of poor standard compare to them.
“Victory awaits him who has everything in order, luck some people call it. Defeat is certain for him who has neglected to take necessary precautions in time; this is called bad luck.” ― Roald Amundsen
@@regragi1My point exactly, so his comment about how someone who fails has not prepared enough is actually incorrect as no one os perfect and also unforeseen circumstances can arise that nobody could be ready for. I mention this because his comments are quite insensitive considering he planned to arrive before another team travelling to the south pole and beat them to their goal and after this happened the other group all died, they had already done the expedition but had to turn back just before their goal and were just returning to complete the last section, meanwhile Amundsen planned to steal their achievement by technicality and slaughtered many dogs in the process.
The mountains, cold, and restless seas of Norway couldn't have made a better set of men for Antarctic/Arctic exploration. They also produce some damned good skippers also. The fact that Norway was a poor country at the time makes this achievement even greater and produced a great sense of national pride.
An amazing recreation of probably the most impossible, successful mission men have ever endured. Hardships and obstacles truly hard to imagine humans could overcome. Praise to these brave men.
@@francisocoruiz6569 The fact that Amundsen used some of the dogs as food for himself, his crew and the rest of the dogs is the argument the British desperately have been clinging to for over 100 years. It's a petty and stupid argument. I watched new documentary about Scott and Amundsen recently and I was very surprised that the Scott's descendants are still very bitter. It's pure and simple pettiness, and I'm pretty confident that Scott would not have liked it. The fact that Scott were planning to eat their ponies, but ended up using them as dog food instead, is fine. Just fine. Of course it is fine! Neither Scott or Amundsen enjoyed the luxury of getting the food and supplies flown in and stored in depots along the route, as modern explorers do.
@@ThomasGabrielsen Thanks for the educated comment, often so hard to find online. It's so sad to read how the British tried everything they could to diminish Amudsen fantastic achievement instead of honouring it and accepting their defeat.
Very true. Amundsen had the rare mix of balls and an ice cold intelligence. That made him the greatest polar explorer of all time (and his detractors know it).
What these men went through is incredible. Even with all of today’s modern technology, Antartica is a frozen hell. It’s unimaginable how rough it would have been with that less equipment and data. Hats off to the Norwegians. Amundsen made himself as famous as the great composer, Grieg.
He changed his plan last minute and dishoberably set out to userp another group's expedition because he wasn't going to be the first to the north pole. He also mistreated and killed the dogs, that isn't a hero.
Amundsen had achieved the impossible with so little they had and a smallest crew. Flexibility and Eskimo's way are key. Amundsen spent two winters with the Eskimo learning the Eskimo survival skills and in the end it pays handsomely. They ate the dogs but so what? Scott party killed and ate the ponies.
Don't forget he learned from the whalers, sealers, and fisherman of the artic too. It's almost tragic how the British looked at polar exploring like a boy scout trip and did very very little of any kind of experiment or learning from all the people we have listed for there expertise. Scott, Shackleton and Franklin all paid for mistakes in lives. Yes Shackleton. He had another expedition that landed on the other side of Antarctica to put out supply depots as he was going to keep going strait to them and not turn back around if he got to the pole. He didn't make it to the pole and several of the other party waiting for him. The Norwegian lost a few dogs. He was 100% into learning how to survive and how get around safely and quickly in the arctic for most of his early life.
@@theodoresmith5272 You can learn much about British culture from the Scott expedition and the reaction to the fate of the expedition that still lingers on to this day in some quarters (sense of entitlement and exceptionalism, bloated jingoism, class consciousness, poor skills, etc.). And now look at where the two countries stand today in terms of standard of living, education, GDP per capita. I say that as a Brit.
Those who slang off at either Amundsen or Scott are simply showing great ignorance. Antarctica is harsh.. more harsh than many can imagine. These were ALL brave men who went further than anyone before them. They used whatever means they thought best, did their homework and came up with different results. Their inspiration to future generations is still with us. Courage, determination, discipline, honour, humility, ... all these things were evident in both parties. "As you ramble on through life, brother, whatever be your goal.. look always on the doughnut... and not upon the hole." My respect and admiration to them all.
+Horseman Oz The British downplayed the achievement of Amundsen and his companions, and made a hero out of a tyrant. Not many slag these amazing individuals off, but a whole nation tried everything in their power to kill the buzz surrounding this marvelous achievement done by the Norwegians. They had a few percentages of Scotts budget, 1/4 of the manpower. What the British also failed to talk about is that they even brought 33 dogs with them, Amundsen just brought more.
Jian Yang not really, they just got an 8 day blizzard and bad weather. Just think about how many people still die today climbing Everest cause they ware unlucky with the weather. They didn't have satellites for weather prediction. Both made the best plan they could, both reached their goal, one was more effective.
I agree. Amundsen was a trooper. in his search for the northern passage .He wanted to stay another winter to learn more survival skills from the Inuit. while his crew wanted to sail the fuck out of there. 50 below is pretty cold. the Bahamas must of been on there minds. I wonder if these dogs like this cold weather.
pvaz Simply untrue. You can't ignore the fact that horses have nothing to do in that environment. Amundsen used Inuit knowledge and brought ski & dogs along with the mindset fit in and adjust to environment instead of British "Stiff upper lip enduring any hardship or die standing..!
My Norwegian has become rusty during the last few years, but after 10 minutes I started to get use to it the dialects they got. It was really fun to watch this childhood memmory again but now this time 30 years later I understand the dialogs.
The irony that Amundsen left a letter for Scott's party to post to King Harold in case they didn't return to Norway to give their own account - yet Scott's party would be the ones to perish.
I've read Scott's diaries and other books about his expedition and Amundsen just planned his journey much better and carried it out far better as well. People always give credit to the dogs but that was just a small but important part.
Many thanks for posting this - I remember this series very fondly from Sunday evenings when I was a kid... I'm sure it kick-started my interest in exploration in general and polar exploration in particular. This would be my most-wished-for series for the BBC to release on DVD.
the Norwegians not only won the race to the South Pole. but they survived the race to the South Pole. in part due to the fact that they studied the native that we're living in the Arctic at that time they learn how to live and to travel on the continent that made a huge difference between the Norwegians and the britons. Scott and his team did not.
Unfortunately, I must agree. Look at the tragic Franklin expedition to find the Northwest Passage in the 1840's. Local Inuit tried to help them but British arrogance and their airs of superiority stopped them from even asking for help, let alone accepting help. Every last man died a miserable death as a result. Fast forward to 1911; the Brits had learned nothing.
Thank you Todd Watkins for pointing out that is indeed Per Theodor Haugen as Amundsen who later went on to portray his brother Leon in "The Last Place on Earth". I thought he looked familiar! Enjoyed this video!
2:08: 'Edward Shackleton'. A surprising lapse, but perhaps this programme was made before the Endurance expedition was truly appreciated as it it today, and his reputation resurrected.
My Great-grandfather, Fintan O'Meeney set out in a coracle from Skibereen to the Antarctic in 1903. His coracle was found drifting in the south Atlantic in 1960. He was believed to be returning home after reaching the South Pole.
I think it is a bit odd to try and compare Scott and Amundsen, and form a firm conclusion on the men themselves. They came from quite different back-grounds and cultures and though they shared a goal, they could hardly have gone about it in such different ways. Both built on experience. Inevitably their different experiences were based in their different back-grounds, and cultures. Amundsen might have failed and died with his men, with some bad luck. A sage might say that one makes one's own luck to a large extent, but that is probably too simple an argument. Both men proved to have their share of natural human faults, and Johansen saw this in Amunden's case. I am half Norwegian, and a tremendous admirer of Nansen, Svedrup [a not so distant relation of mine], and Amundsen. I think that by circumstance Scott was probably best characterised as a tragic figure - caught by circumstances and culture, and who probably really did believe in his ideas, even if the proof of them would show that belief to be wrong. But it could all have been so different if Fate had worked in another way.
Absolutely amazing. I think of events such as these, and there seems to hardly be any comparison in the world we live in today. The allure, much like the danger, has all been stripped from our lives in ways that make these brave men of history seem like giants. A pity Ross and his men never made it back, for them as well as Mr. Amundemsen and his men..
Hey man, are you Norwegian by any chance? I've left a message in response to another comment above under Doppel Banger. Would appreciate hearing your thoughts!
John Kelly - I'm English but that's irrelevant, Scott botched things plain and simple right across the board. Years before,Amundsen had made mistakes too in other expeditions (see the book 'The Last Viking') but learned from them and his S.Pole victory therefore went as smooth as silk. However he wasn't immune to mistakes, as proven by his near-disastrous later attempt to fly to the N Pole when he wrongly assumed flying boats could land on the ice as if it was flat as a pancake.
No man is immune to mistakes, sadly. I would politely disagree that Scott simply botched things as so much of his planning was left irrelevant by Amundsen's decisions, and he was left to improvisational tactics. Scott had 4 years of immediate Polar living/travelling from his previous expedition, which counts for an awful lot.
That fact remains, truly. Unfortunately the truth is a bit more complicated. It's best summarised, for your sake by saying Amundsen knew he was up against Scott. It's arguable to call him conceited, if bit cowardly, by choosing not to alert Scott to the race. He didn't and gained the pole. Scott gained the heroism that Amundsen so desperately craved though. Hence why the Norweigan's exploits became riskier, eventually leading to his death Sent from my iPhone
I think the best animal, which would have been suited to Antarctic conditions, would be the Caribou or Reindeer. The native people of Siberia and The Arctic both use these animals, even in the modern era. They are perfectly designed with padded like snowshoe feet, plus they can provide both transport= pulling sleds and be used for food and their hides for warm clothing. Reindeer herds provide 100% sustainance for many native people all over the world.
Titan Dragon But reindeers can't eat other reindeers, they're plant eaters. You would have to carry food for them and then you wouldn't be able to eat the whole animal at one sitting when one died. The dogs on the other hand can eat another dog that died AND with the amount of dogs Amundsen had even when he returned, the dogs are small enough that the other dogs would finish one dead dog before heading on - therefore you'd never have to add weight for the remaining animals to carry.
Opal Mariell Food supplies were still needed and carried for not just the dogs, but also for the humans. They simply did not just rely on one dog dying after another as a reliable food source.Yes, this did happen. But not as a first resort or option.Besides, dog liver's are toxic if consumed. Besides the more dogs you lose, the less dogs you have to pull sleds carrying vital supplies to survive such a harsh journey. If you run out of dogs, then that is extra weight that must be carried by the only one's left= humans.Besides, even today Caribou herds are raised in large numbers by native people in harsh environments like Siberia. They completely rely on their Caribou herds for survival. The Caribou are used for transportation, both ridden and used to pull sleds full of supplies, and they also slaughter Caribou when necessary for food as well as clothing. Caribou can also carry as well as pull heavy loads. A huge team of Caribou would have been enough to haul food supplies for both animal and human.Less Caribou would have been required to pull heavy loads, versus needing more dogs to pull the same amount of weight. Plus they are physically suited to harsh cold environments and can survive on low or 0 levels of food for extended periods of time. They are a reliable source for both food and clothing. In fact dogs and Caribou would have made a good combination as well. Caribou are a tough, amazing animal that cope and survive extremely well in harsh, cold climates. That is why I think they would have been a great option or choice. Certainly far better than Scott's decision to take ponies and dogs. Besides, it's just my thoughts on the subject. Everybody else is entitled to their own as well.
Duck. When reading about Scott's effort, and when watching this film I keep thinking of using musk ox to pull sledges. They enjoy -29 degree weather, and I would assume they have good footing like your caribou and reindeer. Maybe the musk ox would have been too slow and/or require too much food.
+toppop100 cruelty against animals is among the worst things I can imagine, same with whale hunting. My granddad and uncle worked at South Georgia and they were of a totally different generation. To them, it was food... to bad nobody imagined that whales take a long time to multiply again.
While it mostly smooth riding and skiing to the pole, but it's not easy as many think. 1) while his starting point might be shorter, but on entirely unknown ground (Scott had advantage of known ground until 88°23 south). 2) even when planning to the smallest detail, things still went wrong for Amundsen group (shoes that quite uncomfortable, stumbled into crevasse twice, and false start that almost cost him and his team their lives.
So, I am assuming that you are related, or should I say a descendant of the director? Either that you you have aged remarkably well! I have never seen this series before, but I found this to be a most intriguing film. Roald Amundson was by all accounts a most brilliant strategist.
Yes, to save his enemy. The Italian Umberto Nobile. Can you imagine the bitterness Amundsen felt, portayed as a villain because of his methods and the tragic end for Scotts team overshaddowed his victory. Wander if there still is a nuclear powerplant in antartica ? The americans rule, due the union
Anyone even notice all the losers are glorified, and most documentaries barely mention the norwegians. They are better but more humble. Scot and Peary cared more about fame than their families.
north west passage, they were all heros, cook, scot, amunson, franklin, hilary, loads more and they should be for there acheivments, hero's of the past, the summit of everest must of been a challenge when you were exhausted
I´ve read the book "The Worst Journey in the World" wich tells details about the deadly journey of Scott. The disappointment of Scott seemed to be one of the reasons he died. They suffer so much, deals to bad planning, and lost the journey for so few days he, weak and bitter, had no strenghs to return. One of most shocking momment to me was, when retouning, starving and tired, one of the members of the crew, knowing there werent enough supplies to the group, just went out of the tent in a tempest weather, sacrificing himself to let food for those remaining. Other times, when honor and loyalty meant something
Amundsen acted correctly using dogs, but Scott did not want to use dogs because a Brit does not like "mistreating dogs." And he made the mistake of using horses, not suitable for such a journey. Scott must have used Mongolian camels, two-humped camels that can withstand -40 degrees Celsius, that can go 2 or 3 months without eating and that if they need water they can eat snow or ice to get it. Of these camels, he must have used about 50 camels, and the humans do not go walking but riding on the camels. And the camels drag sleds or very wide wheeled carts loaded with soy bean (which would serve as food for both camels and humans), and of course, occasionally eat a camel. The scene would be apotheosis, there would be photos in which the British expeditionaries would be seen on a large number of camels raising the British flag at the south pole
The sad picture of Scott and his companions standing next to the Norwegian tent is a familiar one, but what did Scott intend to leave behind if the British expedition had been the first to the South pole? For example, did they actually have a spare tent with them?
Amundsen was some kid , there’s no denying it, as was Scott. The endless rankling these days against Robert Scott is based on a lot of hooey about him not taking more dogs. Hacks like Roland Huntford, a so called polar expert have gone further in an all out character assassination of the man, based on spurious arguments and very very dodgy assumptions. Of course it wasn’t that simple. The fact that their return journey though horrible was right on schedule. Many factors contributed to Amundsen’s success, not just good planning as he rather arrogantly put it. Timing was a factor true but Scott rightly chose not to compete with Amundsen’s race for glory. Bear in mind the temperatures were 30 degrees colder at the pole on Scott’s arrival. The depots for the return journey were sufficient, if only just, but the British were planning for another year on ice for exploration. The weather did kill them in the end. An unpredictable early end to the polar summer. This documentary does not cover Amundsen’s own return journey which though 30 days ahead were almost as horrendous near the end. They all took risks but as Scott so honestly put it “they turned out against us”.
Both explorers appeared to be very good planners. The rare, bad turn of weather seemed to sink Scott, as well as the quality of their polar clothing and lack of dog teams. The argument about Admundsen not telling Scott about his plan to race to the pole until the last minute not being fair seems patently absurd. There had been a race to get to the South Pole for years before. Admundsen's choice to use dog teams was the superior, faster method. Also, his men lived in ice and snow conditions year round, as they were Norwegian, and they were winter hardened. And perhaps since they did not win the pole, some part of them gave up hope in the terrible return conditions. Being second was still an incredible achievement. The loss was in their deaths.
True, but try not to be deceived by hindsight although it is easy when you don't know the facts; Scott didn't prepare for a race as there wasn't supposed to be one. His ponies and manpower were used because while they were slower, he saw them as being easier to use, more humane and more reliable (The snow machines were not reliable, admittedly). While there were no 'rules', as it were, Scott spent several years believing that he would be able to take his time and be precarious in the crossing of the continent, and so, prepared for this accordingly. He even went to seek advice from Roald Amundsen, who quite literally hid behind his couch and pretended he wasn't home. Amundsen was aware of Scott's plans although he played the mute and planned an all out race in secret. When Scott discovered this (en route to Antarctica when all planning had been finalized, all cheques written etc) it placed him into a hugely unfair position, as while he had a majority of men with intrinsically scientific reasons for going to the continent, the pressure from the Navy and British state was for him to obtain glory for Britain. This contradicted all of his Polar trek plans, and he was left to take risks that he had understandably not prepared for. Risks that in hindsight, appear like blunders, but the truth is rarely so convenient, not if you are educated.
John Kelly ive read accounts of scotts expedition, while im no expert on the subject I do know that ponies are not suited to arctic conditions, i take your point he didnt want them for speed, but surely he must have realised the ponies would suffer greatly in those conditions and would prove useless, there's no need to insinuate I'm not educated, the man and his team died, something drastic went wrong
as for your humane comment about the ponies, i presume your referring to Amundsens inhumane treatment of his dogs, well Scott planned on slaughtering the ponies as needed too
No one is saying you're not educated, but people need to educate themselves before making comments on complicated issues. It's far too easy to assume Scott was a blundering moron who didn't have a logistical bone in his body. He had been awarded a hugely important position in the greatest empire the world had seen which does not happen by chance. He had to earn the trust of some of the world's most powerful men to both carry this expedition as well as justify the financial costs. If Scott had know there was going to be a race, he would have planned accordingly. Also, Scott's ponies came from Manchuria; an incredibly cold part of the world which feels the full effects of Siberian winds during winter. The ponies were noted for their ability to travel well through snow. Oates, the cavalry expert, changes his mind on several occasions with regards to healthy they were; however this may have been due to a personal dislike of Scott. What's noted in his diary is that following a discussion between both Scott and he, in which Captain Scott commended his work, Oates privately conceded that the ponies were in fact largely sound in terms of health. However, weather conditions took a bizarrely severe turn and meteorological records found that the coldness of that year was totally unprecedented. It is this unfortunate fact that seems to have contributed largely to the demise of both ponies and men.
Amundsen was, by far, the most competent of all the Antarctic explorers. He well understood that one has to be ruthless to survive in a ruthless environment.
Would you kill your own dog? Your comment an apologist joke
I saw this series as a kid. Spent a lot of time drawing maps of imaginary landscapes, and ended up studying Geography.. today teaching that subject.
Captain Scott, as a good British, could not bear to cause suffering to dogs or enslave them, so he wrongly decided to use horses. This was a very serious mistake since horses cannot withstand extreme cold. He must have used animals adapted to life in extreme cold and ice and snow, for example Yaks from Tibet (these animals are like cows with a very thick coat of long hair), for example 50 yaks, and English dressed in the way of dressing of the Tibetans in winter, feeding humans and yaks with soybeans, dragged in carts with very wide wheels. Go the humans mounted on the yaks, do not walk or ski dragging heavy sleds since it is exhausted and consumes the reserve fat of the humans, and also eat the yaks: yak that was slow, eat it. Or even better, instead of horses, use about 50 Mongolian camels, perfectly adapted to cold and ice (they can easily endure -40º, they can go 3 months without eating, when they need water they get it by eating ice or snow, they have their feet adapted to snow and ice) and the same: riding camels, not walking or skiing, and eating camels throughout the trip, it can give some rejection, but with a good appetite they seem calves. Even bring a machine to make minced meat and eat camels in the form of hamburgers. And copy the wisdom of primitive peoples adapted to extrem cold: to be dressed in the same clothes that Mongolian shepherds wear during the winter months and to wear a removable yurt, nor a tent
@@TheMariepi3 Good thoughts. Could make for a great alternate history story, where the British outsmarted the Norwegians.
@@NielsChristianNielsen6720 The British traveling to the South Pole, not walking or skiing and dragging a heavy sleigh, which due to its weight, could not carry food for everyone, constantly exposed to terrible weather ... when they could have gone in small carts, totally isolated from the weather, similar to small trailers, heated by paraffin oil stoves, dragged by Mongolian camels, a large number of Mongolian camels, some camels dragging caravan wagons of people and others pulling wide-wheeled carts or sledges (or better: mixed vehicles sleds with retractable wheels and skis) loaded with soybeans, all bearing abundant British and Royal Geographical Society flags, and racing between them on camels for sheer fun and joy
Niels have you ever seen the documentary series Seven Up? In short, it theorizes that the passions and personalities of children at the age of seven can predict what they will become as adults. Sounds like that worked with you. I, too, liked to draw maps as a child. Today, I like to travel. Amundsen was a true hero. Cheers!
@@TheMariepi3 but bare in mind, the British mentality at the time really believed that they are the best in everything. They think anything foreign is of poor standard compare to them.
“Victory awaits him who has everything in order, luck some people call it. Defeat is certain for him who has neglected to take necessary precautions in time; this is called bad luck.” ― Roald Amundsen
This philosophy can apply to most things in life , do your homework & plan😅.
So what about his later expedition where he disappeared and was never found? Did he not prepare enough then?
@@wendyHew maybe, because no one is perfect
@@regragi1My point exactly, so his comment about how someone who fails has not prepared enough is actually incorrect as no one os perfect and also unforeseen circumstances can arise that nobody could be ready for. I mention this because his comments are quite insensitive considering he planned to arrive before another team travelling to the south pole and beat them to their goal and after this happened the other group all died, they had already done the expedition but had to turn back just before their goal and were just returning to complete the last section, meanwhile Amundsen planned to steal their achievement by technicality and slaughtered many dogs in the process.
The mountains, cold, and restless seas of Norway couldn't have made a better set of men for Antarctic/Arctic exploration. They also produce some damned good skippers also. The fact that Norway was a poor country at the time makes this achievement even greater and produced a great sense of national pride.
An amazing recreation of probably the most impossible, successful mission men have ever endured. Hardships and obstacles truly hard to imagine humans could overcome. Praise to these brave men.
Don’t know if ppl noticed but that’s Sir David Attenborough 🌏
you really cant blame a man for studying the terrain and adapting everything in order to win and live, the man was beyond his years
Yes apart from the dog genocide.
@@francisocoruiz6569 "The dogs exceeded all our expectations" - Roald Amundsen
In India they say the same of you eating cows..
@@francisocoruiz6569 The fact that Amundsen used some of the dogs as food for himself, his crew and the rest of the dogs is the argument the British desperately have been clinging to for over 100 years. It's a petty and stupid argument. I watched new documentary about Scott and Amundsen recently and I was very surprised that the Scott's descendants are still very bitter. It's pure and simple pettiness, and I'm pretty confident that Scott would not have liked it.
The fact that Scott were planning to eat their ponies, but ended up using them as dog food instead, is fine. Just fine. Of course it is fine! Neither Scott or Amundsen enjoyed the luxury of getting the food and supplies flown in and stored in depots along the route, as modern explorers do.
@@ThomasGabrielsen Thanks for the educated comment, often so hard to find online. It's so sad to read how the British tried everything they could to diminish Amudsen fantastic achievement instead of honouring it and accepting their defeat.
A young Attenborough as well,what a nice surprise!
For an old docu-drama, it has a gritty, realistic feel to it.
Very true. Amundsen had the rare mix of balls and an ice cold intelligence.
That made him the greatest polar explorer of all time (and his detractors know it).
What these men went through is incredible. Even with all of today’s modern technology, Antartica is a frozen hell. It’s unimaginable how rough it would have been with that less equipment and data. Hats off to the Norwegians. Amundsen made himself as famous as the great composer, Grieg.
👏😦
Amundsen was wise and deserves high recognition for not revealing his plan until the end 🌟
He changed his plan last minute and dishoberably set out to userp another group's expedition because he wasn't going to be the first to the north pole. He also mistreated and killed the dogs, that isn't a hero.
Amundsen was incredibly ahead of his time. Much of his planning and strategy would not be out of place even today!
They even hired Norwegians to act in the dramatisation bits! Very cool.
Amundsen had achieved the impossible with so little they had and a smallest crew. Flexibility and Eskimo's way are key. Amundsen spent two winters with the Eskimo learning the Eskimo survival skills and in the end it pays handsomely. They ate the dogs but so what? Scott party killed and ate the ponies.
Douglas Mawson and his men also ate dogs to stay alive... you do what you have to. Mawson would never have survived without doing it.
I spent 3 months in Greenland but the skills I learnt don't work well in Australia, still no regrets.
plus `sami` knowledge and gear. norways indigenous people in the north
Don't forget he learned from the whalers, sealers, and fisherman of the artic too.
It's almost tragic how the British looked at polar exploring like a boy scout trip and did very very little of any kind of experiment or learning from all the people we have listed for there expertise. Scott, Shackleton and Franklin all paid for mistakes in lives. Yes Shackleton. He had another expedition that landed on the other side of Antarctica to put out supply depots as he was going to keep going strait to them and not turn back around if he got to the pole. He didn't make it to the pole and several of the other party waiting for him. The Norwegian lost a few dogs. He was 100% into learning how to survive and how get around safely and quickly in the arctic for most of his early life.
@@theodoresmith5272 You can learn much about British culture from the Scott expedition and the reaction to the fate of the expedition that still lingers on to this day in some quarters (sense of entitlement and exceptionalism, bloated jingoism, class consciousness, poor skills, etc.). And now look at where the two countries stand today in terms of standard of living, education, GDP per capita. I say that as a Brit.
Amazing work of Norwegian team. Organisation, skills, stamina, discipline...
This is such a good documentary. the detail of the actors looking more beaten up and haggard as they get closer to the pole.
Yeah it's amazing attention to detail. These days theyd be played by generically attractive men and women of all ethnic backgrounds loll
@@Pauly421 i can't hear you over the sound of you being a whiney little baby.
What a treat. Glad I found this. Thank you 🇩🇰
Glad you enjoyed it!
Amundsen was a Man of Focus, Commitment and Sheer Will
Thank you for posting, a man of knowledge, skill, leadership and determination, he laid a plan and executed it with absolute precision excellent
This is a great story, one crazy historical adventure!
Brave Amundsen risked everything and overcame even himself to plant the Norwegian flag; and return- having succeeded...Salute.
Those who slang off at either Amundsen or Scott are simply showing great ignorance. Antarctica is harsh.. more harsh than many can imagine. These were ALL brave men who went further than anyone before them. They used whatever means they thought best, did their homework and came up with different results. Their inspiration to future generations is still with us. Courage, determination, discipline, honour, humility, ... all these things were evident in both parties. "As you ramble on through life, brother, whatever be your goal.. look always on the doughnut... and not upon the hole." My respect and admiration to them all.
+Horseman Oz Well I'm ignorant than.
Terra Nova expedition was a collosal fuck up due to peoples ability to think.
+Horseman Oz The British downplayed the achievement of Amundsen and his companions, and made a hero out of a tyrant. Not many slag these amazing individuals off, but a whole nation tried everything in their power to kill the buzz surrounding this marvelous achievement done by the Norwegians. They had a few percentages of Scotts budget, 1/4 of the manpower. What the British also failed to talk about is that they even brought 33 dogs with them, Amundsen just brought more.
Jian Yang not really, they just got an 8 day blizzard and bad weather. Just think about how many people still die today climbing Everest cause they ware unlucky with the weather. They didn't have satellites for weather prediction. Both made the best plan they could, both reached their goal, one was more effective.
I agree. Amundsen was a trooper. in his search for the northern passage .He wanted to stay another winter to learn more survival skills from the Inuit. while his crew wanted to sail the fuck out of there. 50 below is pretty cold. the Bahamas must of been on there minds.
I wonder if these dogs like this cold weather.
pvaz Simply untrue. You can't ignore the fact that horses have nothing to do in that environment. Amundsen used Inuit knowledge and brought ski & dogs along with the mindset fit in and adjust to environment instead of British "Stiff upper lip enduring any hardship or die standing..!
About the most accurate presentation I've seen of what actually took place. Bravo!
DAVID ATTENBOROUGH!!!!!!! came for the historical doc, stay for the soothing comforting voices of David AB! 👌
They must have been tough fucking men...epic, what a story...
thank you for uploading this. what treasures are to be found on yt.
T
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I was about to close the video thinking it was too old, but when i heard Attenborough voice i take my hand away from the mouse.
+Alejandro Medina Exactly my experience as well. This was a brilliantly done series. Thank you Davic Cobham for uploading it, and BBC for making it :)
My Norwegian has become rusty during the last few years, but after 10 minutes I started to get use to it the dialects they got. It was really fun to watch this childhood memmory again but now this time 30 years later I understand the dialogs.
The race to the South Pole: The men that did everything wrong against the men that did everything right.
Excellent documental for the time it was filmed. thanks a lot for uploading it.
Thank you for uploading this film. I enjoyed watching it very much.
Great movie - thank you for uploading it
The irony that Amundsen left a letter for Scott's party to post to King Harold in case they didn't return to Norway to give their own account - yet Scott's party would be the ones to perish.
King Haakon, not King Harald.
@@agehellander8419 You're right, for some reason I was thinking about the current monarch when I wrote this.
I discover this movie in the last hours...is so incredible!
Brilliant documentary, despite the video quality. Thank you !!
I've read Scott's diaries and other books about his expedition and Amundsen just planned his journey much better and carried it out far better as well. People always give credit to the dogs but that was just a small but important part.
Forget the pole, spending 6 months at sea is a feat worthy of everlasting glory.
Many thanks for posting this - I remember this series very fondly from Sunday evenings when I was a kid... I'm sure it kick-started my interest in exploration in general and polar exploration in particular. This would be my most-wished-for series for the BBC to release on DVD.
the Norwegians not only won the race to the South Pole. but they survived the race to the South Pole. in part due to the fact that they studied the native that we're living in the Arctic at that time they learn how to live and to travel on the continent that made a huge difference between the Norwegians and the britons. Scott and his team did not.
+robert retka absolutely I agree
it wasnt a race Amundsen lied to his backers he lied to his men he said he was going north scott didnt know he was in a race
what and Amundsen didnt think they were savages he said exactly that
he got the beat of the weather the norwegians admited that fact
Unfortunately, I must agree. Look at the tragic Franklin expedition to find the Northwest Passage in the 1840's. Local Inuit tried to help them but British arrogance and their airs of superiority stopped them from even asking for help, let alone accepting help. Every last man died a miserable death as a result. Fast forward to 1911; the Brits had learned nothing.
David Attenborough as a young lad
Thank you Todd Watkins for pointing out that is indeed Per Theodor Haugen as Amundsen who later went on to portray his brother Leon in "The Last Place on Earth". I thought he looked familiar! Enjoyed this video!
Surely a verbal slip at 2.07, he says Edward Shackleton! Think you mean Ernest there, Sir David ;)
I bet this is easy for norwegians. Thats why they are so humble and dont care about fame.
...an excellent document !....Thanks
2:08: 'Edward Shackleton'. A surprising lapse, but perhaps this programme was made before the Endurance expedition was truly appreciated as it it today, and his reputation resurrected.
Shocking mistake for the storied attenborough to make, though. He should've known better and the editors were snowblind too.
fantastic, thanks for sharing!
My Great-grandfather, Fintan O'Meeney set out in a coracle from Skibereen to the Antarctic in 1903. His coracle was found drifting in the south Atlantic in 1960.
He was believed to be returning home after reaching the South Pole.
I have it from a reliable source that a copy of the Skibbereen Eagle and a flat cap were found at the foot of the Beardmore Glacier.
These guys are bad asses
Poor dogs. I hope the ones they shot did not see it coming and the others didn’t know. Loyal and brave poor animals eating one another.
The actor who portrayed Amundsen looks like the man who played Amundsen's brother in "The Last Place on Earth" 1985.
You're quite right. It's the same guy. ;-) His name is (was) Per Theodor Haugen.
Thank you. Very much enjoyed it
Glad you enjoyed it
Thank you for uploading this, amazing to see. Brave and strong Norsemen. This the type of video that deserves 1B views not nicky minaj or whatever.
but i like it nicki minaj shows her butt in music videos!!!!
@@colin0516 Nice Asuka pfp lol
Amundsen is greatest explorer ever.
The dogs got some pay back when Amundsen started traveling by airplane.
Thank you very much
42:56 being 330 miles away in any direction is "to the North" HAHAHA!
This series must have cost a lot of money. They hired a Danish crew and used sled dogs and built the hut. It's very impressive.
Man I want one of those parkas so bad my goodness those look so warm
The cool thing is that Roald Amundsen is in my family
I think it is a bit odd to try and compare Scott and Amundsen, and form a firm conclusion on the men themselves. They came from quite different back-grounds and cultures and though they shared a goal, they could hardly have gone about it in such different ways. Both built on experience. Inevitably their different experiences were based in their different back-grounds, and cultures.
Amundsen might have failed and died with his men, with some bad luck. A sage might say that one makes one's own luck to a large extent, but that is probably too simple an argument.
Both men proved to have their share of natural human faults, and Johansen saw this in Amunden's case. I am half Norwegian, and a tremendous admirer of Nansen, Svedrup [a not so distant relation of mine], and Amundsen. I think that by circumstance Scott was probably best characterised as a tragic figure - caught by circumstances and culture, and who probably really did believe in his ideas, even if the proof of them would show that belief to be wrong. But it could all have been so different if Fate had worked in another way.
minus 58 F !!
what % of people making comments have shoveled snow for 60 minutes at even 0 F ??
Absolutely amazing. I think of events such as these, and there seems to hardly be any comparison in the world we live in today. The allure, much like the danger, has all been stripped from our lives in ways that make these brave men of history seem like giants. A pity Ross and his men never made it back, for them as well as Mr. Amundemsen and his men..
Amundsen was a great planner and great organiser, he made Scott look like an amateur..;)
Hey man, are you Norwegian by any chance? I've left a message in response to another comment above under Doppel Banger. Would appreciate hearing your thoughts!
John Kelly - I'm English but that's irrelevant, Scott botched things plain and simple right across the board.
Years before,Amundsen had made mistakes too in other expeditions (see the book 'The Last Viking') but learned from them and his S.Pole victory therefore went as smooth as silk.
However he wasn't immune to mistakes, as proven by his near-disastrous later attempt to fly to the N Pole when he wrongly assumed flying boats could land on the ice as if it was flat as a pancake.
No man is immune to mistakes, sadly.
I would politely disagree that Scott simply botched things as so much of his planning was left irrelevant by Amundsen's decisions, and he was left to improvisational tactics. Scott had 4 years of immediate Polar living/travelling from his previous expedition, which counts for an awful lot.
John Kelly - the fact remains that Scott died, but Amundsen didn't, so it looks like Amundsen's formula was the best.
That fact remains, truly. Unfortunately the truth is a bit more complicated. It's best summarised, for your sake by saying Amundsen knew he was up against Scott. It's arguable to call him conceited, if bit cowardly, by choosing not to alert Scott to the race. He didn't and gained the pole. Scott gained the heroism that Amundsen so desperately craved though. Hence why the Norweigan's exploits became riskier, eventually leading to his death
Sent from my iPhone
Family legend we were related to explorer Roald Amundsen. According to Ancestry my great grandmother was Amundsen. But not sure connection
11,481 people in Norway have the surname Amundsen.
Richard Webb Whats your point? It’s a family legend not a fact. A story I have been told since childhood.
does anyone know a link to any other episodes from this series please? this was amazing!
If you could please Upload the other episodes of the series, I will be thankful.
As they are no where on the Internet.
Thank You for this.
I think the best animal, which would have been suited to Antarctic conditions, would be the Caribou or Reindeer. The native people of Siberia and The Arctic both use these animals, even in the modern era. They are perfectly designed with padded like snowshoe feet, plus they can provide both transport= pulling sleds and be used for food and their hides for warm clothing. Reindeer herds provide 100% sustainance for many native people all over the world.
Titan Dragon But reindeers can't eat other reindeers, they're plant eaters. You would have to carry food for them and then you wouldn't be able to eat the whole animal at one sitting when one died. The dogs on the other hand can eat another dog that died AND with the amount of dogs Amundsen had even when he returned, the dogs are small enough that the other dogs would finish one dead dog before heading on - therefore you'd never have to add weight for the remaining animals to carry.
Opal Mariell Food supplies were still needed and carried for not just the dogs, but also for the humans. They simply did not just rely on one dog dying after another as a reliable food source.Yes, this did happen. But not as a first resort or option.Besides, dog liver's are toxic if consumed. Besides the more dogs you lose, the less dogs you have to pull sleds carrying vital supplies to survive such a harsh journey. If you run out of dogs, then that is extra weight that must be carried by the only one's left= humans.Besides, even today Caribou herds are raised in large numbers by native people in harsh environments like Siberia. They completely rely on their Caribou herds for survival. The Caribou are used for transportation, both ridden and used to pull sleds full of supplies, and they also slaughter Caribou when necessary for food as well as clothing. Caribou can also carry as well as pull heavy loads. A huge team of Caribou would have been enough to haul food supplies for both animal and human.Less Caribou would have been required to pull heavy loads, versus needing more dogs to pull the same amount of weight. Plus they are physically suited to harsh cold environments and can survive on low or 0 levels of food for extended periods of time. They are a reliable source for both food and clothing. In fact dogs and Caribou would have made a good combination as well. Caribou are a tough, amazing animal that cope and survive extremely well in harsh, cold climates. That is why I think they would have been a great option or choice. Certainly far better than Scott's decision to take ponies and dogs. Besides, it's just my thoughts on the subject. Everybody else is entitled to their own as well.
Duck. When reading about Scott's effort, and when watching this film I keep thinking of using musk ox to pull sledges. They enjoy -29 degree weather, and I would assume they have good footing like your caribou and reindeer. Maybe the musk ox would have been too slow and/or require too much food.
They wouldn't have found enough forage for the reindeer. Dogs remained the best choice.
Best to do a little research before commenting!
1:00 David Attenborough! Did not expect that!
Norway forever! ( from a swede).
We are two sides of the same coin (from a norwegian)
+Rasmus Grankvist I suppose it depends on what you think of cruelty to dogs (as referred to in this video) and whale hunting.
+toppop100 cruelty against animals is among the worst things I can imagine, same with whale hunting. My granddad and uncle worked at South Georgia and they were of a totally different generation. To them, it was food... to bad nobody imagined that whales take a long time to multiply again.
Dexter Banks That was exactly what the English thought...
I guess it was a "dog eat dog world" out there.......
While it mostly smooth riding and skiing to the pole, but it's not easy as many think. 1) while his starting point might be shorter, but on entirely unknown ground (Scott had advantage of known ground until 88°23 south). 2) even when planning to the smallest detail, things still went wrong for Amundsen group (shoes that quite uncomfortable, stumbled into crevasse twice, and false start that almost cost him and his team their lives.
So, I am assuming that you are related, or should I say a descendant of the director? Either that you you have aged remarkably well! I have never seen this series before, but I found this to be a most intriguing film. Roald Amundson was by all accounts a most brilliant strategist.
also a deceiver by going south when he was funded to go north
@@bradleysmall2230So you're say that's Scott's Antarctica? No one else was allowed to attempt the South Pole because of Scott's expedition?!?!?
when you look at his planning, logic and men Scott had little chance. I can't believe he thought taking ponies would work or manhauling.
He said Edward Shackleton, I thought it was Ernest shackleton. David has never been wrong about anything ever ..... Mega sob
50's-60's Amundsen died in 1928 the result of a polar plane crash.
Yes, to save his enemy. The Italian Umberto Nobile. Can you imagine the bitterness Amundsen felt, portayed as a villain because of his methods and the tragic end for Scotts team overshaddowed his victory. Wander if there still is a nuclear powerplant in antartica ? The americans rule, due the union
Anyone even notice all the losers are glorified, and most documentaries barely mention the norwegians. They are better but more humble. Scot and Peary cared more about fame than their families.
Bringing 24 dogs knowing they would kill them then EAT them is INdefensable and sickening on every level
Agreed.
According to Wikipedia, there were 10 episodes of this series. Have any of the other ones been uploaded by anyone?
north west passage, they were all heros, cook, scot, amunson, franklin, hilary, loads more and they should be for there acheivments, hero's of the past, the summit of everest must of been a challenge when you were exhausted
Who the hell is Edward Shackleton? Does he mean Ernest?
A fact seldom mentioned is that to get the tired dogs to run a cat was used. Thus a ' cat' was first to the South Pole.
I´ve read the book "The Worst Journey in the World" wich tells details about the deadly journey of Scott. The disappointment of Scott seemed to be one of the reasons he died. They suffer so much, deals to bad planning, and lost the journey for so few days he, weak and bitter, had no strenghs to return. One of most shocking momment to me was, when retouning, starving and tired, one of the members of the crew, knowing there werent enough supplies to the group, just went out of the tent in a tempest weather, sacrificing himself to let food for those remaining. Other times, when honor and loyalty meant something
Amundsen acted correctly using dogs, but Scott did not want to use dogs because a Brit does not like "mistreating dogs." And he made the mistake of using horses, not suitable for such a journey. Scott must have used Mongolian camels, two-humped camels that can withstand -40 degrees Celsius, that can go 2 or 3 months without eating and that if they need water they can eat snow or ice to get it. Of these camels, he must have used about 50 camels, and the humans do not go walking but riding on the camels. And the camels drag sleds or very wide wheeled carts loaded with soy bean (which would serve as food for both camels and humans), and of course, occasionally eat a camel. The scene would be apotheosis, there would be photos in which the British expeditionaries would be seen on a large number of camels raising the British flag at the south pole
This was a tremendous series - thank you for posting this episode. Do you know if it is available on DVD or VHS?
Sir David Attenbourough lightley mentions Amundsens 3 years in The north-west Passage. What a limey....
The sad picture of Scott and his companions standing next to the Norwegian tent is a familiar one, but what did Scott intend to leave behind if the British expedition had been the first to the South pole? For example, did they actually have a spare tent with them?
To finish what you started. To The Stars we go. Your blood is my blood as is Theirs. You are found and at rest.
There is also an American documentary series with that name narrated by Leslie Nielsen.
The guy playing Amundsen looks familiar, but I can't quite place where I have seen him before.
Amundsen is the greatest explorer ever.
His crew *gained* weight on their journey.
I read a book about admundsen way back 2003 or so.
Great geographic travel.
Is it possible to get a DVD of the Roald Amundsen Explorers from the BBC
Any chance of seeing the rest of this series David Cobham?
i have the book of this by Desmond Wilcox. its a pity that only this is updated by David Cobham
This story is on my oxford English text book grade 7th
Amundsen was some kid , there’s no denying it, as was Scott. The endless rankling these days against Robert Scott is based on a lot of hooey about him not taking more dogs. Hacks like Roland Huntford, a so called polar expert have gone further in an all out character assassination of the man, based on spurious arguments and very very dodgy assumptions. Of course it wasn’t that simple. The fact that their return journey though horrible was right on schedule. Many factors contributed to Amundsen’s success, not just good planning as he rather arrogantly put it. Timing was a factor true but Scott rightly chose not to compete with Amundsen’s race for glory. Bear in mind the temperatures were 30 degrees colder at the pole on Scott’s arrival. The depots for the return journey were sufficient, if only just, but the British were planning for another year on ice for exploration. The weather did kill them in the end. An unpredictable early end to the polar summer. This documentary does not cover Amundsen’s own return journey which though 30 days ahead were almost as horrendous near the end. They all took risks but as Scott so honestly put it “they turned out against us”.
Both explorers appeared to be very good planners. The rare, bad turn of weather seemed to sink Scott, as well as the quality of their polar clothing and lack of dog teams. The argument about Admundsen not telling Scott about his plan to race to the pole until the last minute not being fair seems patently absurd. There had been a race to get to the South Pole for years before. Admundsen's choice to use dog teams was the superior, faster method. Also, his men lived in ice and snow conditions year round, as they were Norwegian, and they were winter hardened. And perhaps since they did not win the pole, some part of them gave up hope in the terrible return conditions. Being second was still an incredible achievement. The loss was in their deaths.
scott wanted to use ponies instead of dogs, of course the ponies weren't fit for purpose, just one of his many blunders
True, but try not to be deceived by hindsight although it is easy when you don't know the facts; Scott didn't prepare for a race as there wasn't supposed to be one. His ponies and manpower were used because while they were slower, he saw them as being easier to use, more humane and more reliable (The snow machines were not reliable, admittedly).
While there were no 'rules', as it were, Scott spent several years believing that he would be able to take his time and be precarious in the crossing of the continent, and so, prepared for this accordingly. He even went to seek advice from Roald Amundsen, who quite literally hid behind his couch and pretended he wasn't home. Amundsen was aware of Scott's plans although he played the mute and planned an all out race in secret. When Scott discovered this (en route to Antarctica when all planning had been finalized, all cheques written etc) it placed him into a hugely unfair position, as while he had a majority of men with intrinsically scientific reasons for going to the continent, the pressure from the Navy and British state was for him to obtain glory for Britain. This contradicted all of his Polar trek plans, and he was left to take risks that he had understandably not prepared for. Risks that in hindsight, appear like blunders, but the truth is rarely so convenient, not if you are educated.
John Kelly
ive read accounts of scotts expedition, while im no expert on the subject I do know that ponies are not suited to arctic conditions, i take your point he didnt want them for speed, but surely he must have realised the ponies would suffer greatly in those conditions and would prove useless, there's no need to insinuate I'm not educated, the man and his team died, something drastic went wrong
as for your humane comment about the ponies, i presume your referring to Amundsens inhumane treatment of his dogs, well Scott planned on slaughtering the ponies as needed too
No one is saying you're not educated, but people need to educate themselves before making comments on complicated issues. It's far too easy to assume Scott was a blundering moron who didn't have a logistical bone in his body. He had been awarded a hugely important position in the greatest empire the world had seen which does not happen by chance. He had to earn the trust of some of the world's most powerful men to both carry this expedition as well as justify the financial costs. If Scott had know there was going to be a race, he would have planned accordingly.
Also, Scott's ponies came from Manchuria; an incredibly cold part of the world which feels the full effects of Siberian winds during winter. The ponies were noted for their ability to travel well through snow. Oates, the cavalry expert, changes his mind on several occasions with regards to healthy they were; however this may have been due to a personal dislike of Scott. What's noted in his diary is that following a discussion between both Scott and he, in which Captain Scott commended his work, Oates privately conceded that the ponies were in fact largely sound in terms of health. However, weather conditions took a bizarrely severe turn and meteorological records found that the coldness of that year was totally unprecedented. It is this unfortunate fact that seems to have contributed largely to the demise of both ponies and men.
John Kelly
im about to read a book on Scotts expedition just by chance, ill come back when ive finished, maybe we can debate it further
Come on let's get home now for a few roll mops !.
O maior dos exploradores.
good evening i want to know the autor of intro music theme thanks