AllMovie

This program is part of a series from the History Channel that examines some of the mistakes, miscommunications, miscalculations, and mishaps, that shaped -- and sometimes altered -- the course of World War II. Both sides had their share of wrong moves, but in the end, the Allies parlayed their right moves into a victory which defeated the Axis powers and restored peace to the world. This episode examines the fateful scattering of Convoy PQ 17. Instead of heeding the old adage about there being "safety in numbers," a decision was made to scatter the convoy's ships as they patrolled the northern seas. The decision proved disastrous, as German submarines were able to pick the sitting ducks off one by one. Archival film clips, photographs, personal accounts, and scholarly commentary tell the story.