Last Stand of the 300
Season 1, Episode 1 TV-14
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After Custer, Thermopylae is the most famous last stand in history. In a narrow pass in Northern Greece, seven thousand Greek soldiers await an onslaught of epic proportions. They will soon face the largest fighting force ever assembled--the war machine of the mighty Persian Empire, estimated at over a million men. The Greeks are led by three hundred of the most ferocious warriors of the ancient world--the Spartans. Their leader is the fearless King Leonidas, who after this battle would be catapulted into legend. When it is over, every Spartan in the pass will have sacrificed his life for freedom. Creating a fresh visual style and using new technologies we will dramatically recreate the significant events that lead to Thermopylae and the clash of arms.
Beyond the Big Bang
Season 1, Episode 2 TV-14
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The universe began with a massive expansion, billions and billions of years ago, and it continues to expand with every passing second. The idea that the universe, and man's very existence, began with a "Big Bang" is no longer a topic of debate among most scientists--it is essentially taken as fact. How has man come to this conclusion, and how has our knowledge evolved so that we can recreate the very first seconds of our universe and all that has developed since? Interviews with the world's leading physicists and historians are woven together with animated recreations and first-person accounts to explain concepts such as the formation of galaxies, the creation of elements and the formation of Earth itself.
How the Earth Was Made
Season 1, Episode 3 TV-14
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From a once seething, hellish mass of molten rock to the world that inhabits life today, take a rollercoaster ride through the entire history of Planet Earth. Its 4.5 billion year epic, a story of unimaginable timescales, earth-shattering forces, incredible life forms, radical climates and mass extinctions. Discover how the continents were formed, canyons were carved, and why the world's animals live where they do.
Columbus: The Lost Voyage
Season 1, Episode 4 TV-14
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Ten years after his famous 1492 voyage, Christopher Columbus awaited the gallows on criminal charges in a Caribbean prison. He plotted an escape--a last voyage that would restore his reputation. This last and most treacherous journey ended with the loss of all four of his ships and Columbus and his crew shipwrecked. Viewers will take a journey, through dramatic reconstruction, to the very heart of Columbus's ordeals: the lush shores of Central America; the remote beach in Jamaica where his ships washed up and the jungle where Columbus fought his own mutineers. Included are interviews with historian and explorer Martin Dugard, and with experts from the US, the Dominican Republic and the UK.
Lost Book of Nostradamus
Season 1, Episode 5 TV-14
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In 1994, Italian journalist Enza Massa was at the Italian National Library in Rome when she stumbled upon an unusual find. It was a manuscript dating to 1629, titled: Nostradamus Vatinicia Code. Michel de Notredame, the author's name, was on the inside in indelible ink. The book contains cryptic and bizarre images along with over eighty watercolor paintings by the master visionary himself. Follow the investigative trail of how the manuscript was found in the archives and exactly how it got there. New insight is given into the life of Nostradamus and his relationship with Pope Urban VIII, who knew about this manuscript and in whose possession it was for many years.
A Global Warning?
Season 1, Episode 6 TV-14
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Follow the world's climate experts as they investigate the most dramatic climatic events in history. It is a story of unimaginable extremes, extinctions of entire species and remarkable survivals in the face of total devastation. Learn the secrets locked away inside 300 year-old corals. Is it possible that the Arctic was once a tropical haven with crocodiles and waters hot enough to swim in? Scientists are racing to understand the weather of our past in the hope of preventing climate catastrophe in the future. Packed with breathtaking locations, dynamic special effects and exciting accounts, watch as a vision of the earth's violent past and uncertain future is revealed.
Andrew Jackson
Season 1, Episode 7 TV-14
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Andrew Jackson was the first "common-man" President. Orphaned at 14, he became a lawyer with no formal education, an Army General with no military experience and President without being rich. Jackson survived the nation's first Presidential assassination attempt, defeated the British in the battle of New Orleans and passed the controversial Indian Removal Act which resulted in the death of nearly 10,000 Native Americans. His portrait on the $20 bill conveys an image of passion, strength and confidence, but most historians will admit that he was often a "cruel" man.
Life After People
Season 1, Episode 8 TV-14
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Explore the tantalizing question of whether all the remnants of mankind will eventually disappear from our planet. What would happen to the earth if humans ceased to exist? Would ocean life flourish, the buffalo return to the Great Plains and our skyscrapers yield to the wear and tear of time? Visit the ghostly villages surrounding Chernobyl, which were abandoned by humans after the nuclear disaster in 1986 and then travel to the remote islands off the coast of Maine to search for traces of abandoned towns that have vanished from view in only a few decades. Learn from experts in the fields of engineering, botany, ecology, biology, geology, climatology and archeology as they provide answers for many thought provoking questions.
History of the Joke
Season 1, Episode 9 TV-14
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Get an inside look at the past, present and future of great joke-telling in this provocative journey to discover the secret ingredients of a great joke. Celebrated comedian Lewis Black's side-splitting adventure uncovers what it takes to tell the perfect joke timing, surprise, sex, pain, hard work, and plenty of humiliating failure all elements firmly rooted in ancient comedic tradition. Black not only looks to the past for the greatest joke, but finds living history among America's greatest joke tellers, including George Carlin, Robin Williams, Robert Klein, Kathy Griffin, Dave Attell and more revealing what inspires comedians to get into comedy, the historical elements of joking, including slapstick and physical comedy, and the nature of laughter. Will all this taken together the wisdom of the ancients, plus the experiences of today's hottest comedians reveal the perfect joke?
Journey to 10,000 BC
Season 1, Episode 10 TV-14
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It was a time of cataclysmic change; a disruption in the global climate unlike anything the earth had ever seen caused a flash relapse into ice-age conditions. Suddenly the temperature in North America plummeted; blizzards and ice storms took over and the mile-high glaciers of the ice age re-advanced. Mammoths, saber-tooth cats, and dire wolves were all driven into extinction...but somehow, humans survived. Using state-of-the-art computer graphics, Journey to 10,000 BC re-creates the events of this lost world and attempts to solve the mystery of mankind’s continued existence. Travel with leading scientists to major mammoth and early human archaeological sites in North America as they reconstruct this ancient world, one bone and artifact at a time.
Crucifixion
Season 1, Episode 11 TV-14
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Throughout history, crucifixion has been one of the cruelest and most excruciating ways to die. Approximately 500 years before the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, the Persian King Darius crucified political opponents and both Alexander the Great and Caligula used crucifixion as a means of punishment and entertainment. Watch as a team of forensic experts reconstruct a 2000-year-old body using the only physical evidence of a crucifixion ever discovered. Modern day footage will show real crucifixions that take place in the Philippines. Recreations will be used along with extensive CGI animation and CSI forensic-style graphics to illustrate the different types of crucifixion techniques throughout history and how it eventually kills its victim.
The True Story of Charlie Wilson's War
Season 1, Episode 12 TV-14
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As incredible as anything in the pages of Tom Clancy or John le Carré, this is a gripping story of international intrigue, booze, drugs, sex, high society and arms deals. It is the true story of Texas congressman Charlie Wilson's and CIA operative Gust Avrakotos's covert dealings in Afghanistan, and how they armed the Afghan Mujahideen in what became the CIA's largest and most successful campaign in history. Their goal was to turn Afghanistan into the Soviet Union's Vietnam. The effort would blow back to haunt America into the next century.
The Real Tomb Hunters: Snakes, Curses and Traps
Season 1, Episode 13 TV-14
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Fighting Nazis, grabbing golden treasure, fleeing angry natives, and dodging pitfalls in a booby-trapped temple. We all know how fictional explorers and archaeologists spend their days, but does real life compare? We follow some of the most daring archaeologists and take on the dangers they face; Egyptian archaeologist Zahi Hawass steps into a booby-trapped tomb. American Arthur Demarest fights looters in the jungles of Cancuen; and in Chiapas, angry villagers kidnap Australian-born Peter Mathews. We also examine stories of past explorers who helped shape the "Indiana Jones" stereotype; paleontologist Roy Chapman Andrews battled venomous snakes and Mongol bandits in the Gobi Desert. John Pendlebury, the British archaeologist, fought Nazis on Crete; and Sylvanus Morley, who was the first American archaeologist/spy.
King
Season 1, Episode 14 TV-14
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Tom Brokaw brings to life the epic story of one of the most important figures in history. To commemorate the 40th anniversary of the death of Martin Luther King Jr., relive his remarkable journey for civil rights starting from the moment he reluctantly joined the bus boycott in Montgomery, Alabama. See his rise as a world figure, to his tragic death in Memphis at age 39. Interviews with Andrew Young, Harry Belafonte and Martin Luther King III will be included. Celebrity activists such as Bono, Be Be Winans and Forest Whitaker will appear in a montage of music and historical speeches that add a contemporary flair to this historical program.
The Hunt for John Wilkes Booth
Season 1, Episode 15 TV-14
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It was the largest manhunt in history - ten thousand federal troops, detectives and police hunted those responsible for the assassination of Abraham Lincoln. The conspiracy was vast - an effort to decapitate the United States government at the end of the Civil War. The manhunt was intense - ending 12 days later in a fiery showdown with the man who pulled the trigger - John Wilkes Booth.
How Life Began
Season 1, Episode 16 TV-14
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Billions of years before man first walked the Earth, billions of years before even the dinosaurs existed, Earth was teeming with life! Single-celled organisms made a roiling soup of our oceans, and living creatures were crawling in our very soil. Where did it come from? What IS life, exactly? Is it chemical, spiritual, or a combination of both? Do distant planets teem with life just as Earth does? And how do you go from a single-celled organism to a trillion-celled organism like Man? In our two-hour special, we will explore the earliest history of our planet...how it evolved to support a rich and vibrant menagerie of creeping, crawling, walking creatures. Was life triggered by some event (like lightning hitting a pond full of amino acids) or did it float from some distant galaxy on the back of a meteor? What if life "lives" in space as tiny particles like viruses and bacteria looking for places to inhabit? (Or infect?) Can we create life in a laboratory? Combining high-end animation and expert interviews, we'll illustrate the history of the origin of life on Earth...and beyond. We'll visit the young Earth, with massive comets colliding into the planet. We'll see single-celled organisms as they divide, mutate and evolve into other, more complex creatures. And we'll let imaginations and visions of today's leading scientists run wild as we create new life on new worlds, all using CG effects. Visually stunning animation will be supplemented with expert interviews from leading archeologists, historians, geologists and physicists, and expeditions to exotic locations where cutting edge science is teasing out answers about life's origins.
The Lost Pyramid
Season 1, Episode 17 TV-14
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On the edge of the Giza Plateau, a team of archaeologists is uncovering a giant pyramid. As they excavate deep into the pyramid chambers, evidence shows this is the lost fourth pyramid of Giza. Its construction five thousand years ago had been a race against time. In seven short years between gaining power and his death, the aging pharaoh Radjedef had been determined to exceed the achievements of his hated father, the great Khufu, the most powerful pharaoh Egypt ever knew. Radjedef would stamp his supremacy in this world and the next by erecting the highest pyramid ever built, towering some 60 feet above Khufu's Great Pyramid of Giza. Over the next five millennia Radjedef's pyramid was forgotten and almost buried beneath the encroaching desert sands on a remote edge of the Giza plateau, and its significance to the three great pyramids was lost. Today, the top is missing because parts of it had been removed and recycled over the millennia to build old Cairo; it was more vulnerable to man's destruction than the other three because of its more remote location. The sand had reclaimed some of the lower parts of the pyramid as well. For these reasons, archaeologists and Egyptologists did not make the connection with the pyramids at Giza until recently. Today, it's only with positive re-identification that American and English Egyptologists, including Michel Vallogia of Geneva University, Joanne Rowlands of Oxford University, and led by the Head of Egypt's Supreme Council of Antiquities, Dr Zahi Hawass, have rediscovered the fourth and greatest of the pyramids. The History Channel will have exclusive rights to the excavation itself, the final positive identification and all the scientific revelations that are being found about it. By tunnelling under the fourth pyramid and using advanced technology, including ground-penetrating radar, the experts will lay bare the structure of Radjedef's pyramid, identify its layout, and establish the individual chambers. The team will also show how the rediscovery and attribution of Radjedef's pyramid provide the missing clues to build a blue print of the Giza plateau. This includes the great raised causeways used to bring the stones to the pyramid sites; giant canals that would carry the 47 foot funeral or solar boats, which would transport the pharaoh's mummy to the pyramid; and which would then be buried next to the pyramids in order to carry the pharaohs to the stars and their afterlife. It will show the labyrinth of hidden tunnels linking the pyramids and palaces of the pharaohs. Through state-of-the-art CGI, we will, for the first time, be able to see how all four pyramids were connected, and recreate a new vision of the Giza Plateau. Interwoven through the exciting finds of this new excavation, we will tell through dramatic reconstruction the backstory of the most powerful, prolific, and arguably, the most cruel and debauched of all Egypt's dynasties.
All About Dung
Season 1, Episode 18 TV-14
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Join host Monty Halls as he takes viewers on an excremental safari to investigate the historical, medical, scientific and evolutionary importance of dung. Discover that through a 14,000-year-old human dung deposit it has been determined that humans inhabited North America 1300 years earlier than previously thought. Climb a 100-foot mountain of bat guano in Borneo that is teeming with insect life. Travel to India and view housewarming rituals using sacred cow dung as good luck. Finally Halls drinks coffee made from poop and investigates, through their large droppings, why mammoths might have disappeared.
Prehistoric Monsters Revealed
Season 1, Episode 20 TV-14
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99% of all animal and sea creatures who ever lived have become extinct. Watch as some of the most bizarre and strangest creatures are brought back to life. Meet the nothronychus (a strange amalgam of bird and sloth), the anomalocarus (a 7-foot shrimp), as well as saber-toothed cats, mastodons and wooly rhinoceros. Advanced computer graphics, location shooting and expert interviews, will reveal detailed illustrations of what these ancient monsters looked like, where and how they lived, and how they died.
First Mothers
Season 1, Episode 21 TV-14
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Who were the real powers behind the men who would be President of the United States? Who were they that even presidents trembled before them? Mothers! This feature-length special, based on the book First Mothers: The Women Who Shaped the Presidents by Time Magazine correspondent and bureau chief Bonnie Angelo, takes a look at the lives of ten mothers of world leaders, including aristocrat Sara Delano Roosevelt, pacifist Ida Eisenhower, family matriarch Rose Kennedy, stoic Hannah Milhous Nixon, courageous Dorothy Ford, Peace Corps mother Lillian Carter, actress Nelle Reagan, champion athlete Dorothy Bush, hard-living Virginia Clinton, and Barbara Bush, the former First Lady and later First Mother. Interviews with presidents, historians, and scholars shed light on the influence that these women wielded – then and now.
Secret Access: Air Force One
Season 1, Episode 23 TV-14
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Viewers will go where only the most elite insiders from the highest levels of the US government are allowed--on board Air Force One. Discover what makes this uniquely modified Boeing 747 faster, more secure, more comfortable and more capable than any other comparable plane. Take a 20,000-mile voyage through the heart of Africa and join the crew and privileged passengers on one of Air Force One's most challenging missions.
Secrets of Body Language
Season 1, Episode 24 TV-14
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Most people think they communicate primarily with words, but research shows only 7% of understanding comes from the words we speak. The bulk of communication 93% occurs through our gestures, facial expressions, tone of voice and body movement. Delve into the science of non-verbal signals as Secrets of Body Language exposes a fascinating world of non-verbal communication that goes well beyond words. From President Franklin D. Roosevelt, to British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and 2008 presidential hopefuls Senators Barack Obama and John McCain, see how politicians and celebrities use the subtle movements of body language to persuade masses, establish power, and advance careers. Watch as experts, proficient in decoding how people use their bodies, their voices and their faces, deconstruct video footage of movie stars, sports figures and criminals to show the truth behind the spoken word, and see scientific experiments expose the extent to which people are manipulated by non-verbal communication, even when they are totally unaware of it.
Primal Fear
Season 1, Episode 26 TV-14
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Primal Fear will be a two-hour Special detailing our most pervasive and terrifying fears. Each fear -- buried alive, eaten alive, drowning, burned alive, vermin, and the unknown -- will be explored by looking at its history, the science behind it, and a contemporary experience. The history will examine the roots of each fear, when the fear flourished, how the fear has changed over time, and how the fear has been manipulated to create mass hysteria; the science -- experts supported by CGI describe how the body reacts to each fear and the physiological cause of death; and the contemporary -- survivors' stories relating what a near-death experience was like. Doctors, historians, psychologists and scientists will give us perspective on our most primal fears.
Black Blizzard
Season 1, Episode 27 TV-14
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On May 9, 1934, a massive storm darkened the skies over the Great Plains. As it marched east, it became a towering wall of soil and dust more than 10,000 feet high, carrying enough debris to fill dump trucks that could circle the planet twice. Watch as this two-hour special tells the fascinating story of one of the greatest environmental disasters in U.S. history, a storm that would have epic consequences for the land, the people and the country as a whole and just one of countless storms that ravaged the American heartland between 1930 and 1940. For the first time on television, scientists and special effects experts re-create these black blizzards,showing in fascinating detail how the storms formed, and how they impacted people's health and homes and the nation's economy and environment. Woven throughout the documentary are evocative stills and archival footage, remarkable first-person accounts from Dust Bowl survivors, CGI depictions of the storms, and commentary from historians, climatologists, doctors, physicists and other experts, some who say a black blizzard could happen again today.
The Brain
Season 1, Episode 28 TV-14
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The Brain is a voyage of discovery into the evolutionary history of our last biological frontier. From early civilizations' attempts at neurosurgery to today's robotic laser surgery, revolutionary new techniques are finally unlocking the story of the brain. As a result we've learned more in the last 5 years than in the past 100. Using simple analogies, real examples, and state of the art CGI this series will explain how the brain grows, show why it's so delicate and so resilient, and unravel the mystery of consciousness. We'll see life through the eyes of living case studies, from newborns to college football stars. And we'll travel inside the minds of people in extreme situations: How does a soldier make decisions under fire? What makes us good or evil? And why do autistic people like the "Rain Man" display such breathtaking skills?
Sputnik Mania
Season 1, Episode 29 TV-14
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On October 4, 1957, the USSR announced to an unsuspecting world that it had launched Sputnik, the first man-made object ever to leave the atmosphere and successfully orbit the earth. Join in as HISTORY vividly recalls the impact the satellite had on the American psyche, and how the shocking news of its launch catapulted the nation from complacency into action. Sputnik spurred America into an arms and space race and forced the U.S. to pull together an academic army of scientists and engineers, leading to the development of NASA, massive reforms in the education system, and significant discoveries in consumer technology. Paralleling the shocks the nation felt in the aftermaths of Pearl Harbor and September 11, Sputnik Mania tells a story of great relevance to the issues of the 21st century, and bravely asks what our nation's next Sputnik moment, an event that drives us to address our most critical and current problems will be.
Secrets of Kabbalah
Season 1, Episode 30 TV-14
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An ancient, inspirational form of Jewish mysticism, Kabbalah has now reached cult-like popularity among celebrities and throughout America. But what is behind the newfound fascination with this sacred body of wisdom? Once exclusively reserved for study by ultra-religious male scholars of Judaism, Kabbalah has recently become known as a multi-million dollar, celebrity-endorsed phenomenon. Secrets of Kabbalah strips away the hype and de-mystifies the writings that have been studied by Jewish scholars for thousands of years. Is the Kabbalah of the stars the same Kabbalah that Jewish scholars have studied for generations? Even as more and more people are seen wearing the red string bracelets associated with Kabbalah, the original teachings behind this seemingly new fad are in fact understood by precious few. The History Channel traces Kabbalah from its spiritual foundations to the present-day high-glamour incarnation in this fascinating program that debunks the myths surrounding this awe-inspiring ancient philosophy.
Inside Islam
Season 1, Episode 31 TV-14
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It is the second largest of the world's great religions, and the fastest growing. Its name comes from the word for peace, yet to many Westerners it is synonymous with terror. Inside Islam lifts the veil of mystery surrounding a misunderstood faith. Trace its roots back to the Hebrew Bible and discover how the Five Pillars, the religion's central tenets, helped spread Islam to the far corners of the world. Find out what the Qu'Ran says about war, violence and suicide, and how these words have been co-opted by extremists. And hear from experts like Khaled Abou el Fadl (Speaking in God's Name), who debate the challenges facing Islam today, including a crisis of authority and deep divisions among many sects. Illuminating, important and objective, Inside Islam exposes the heart of a faith mired in controversy.
Secrets of the Koran
Season 1, Episode 32 TV-14
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The Koran is one of the most important works ever written. For almost one billion people worldwide, it is the Holy Scripture, the word of God and his prophet. For others, it is a historical artifact that has left an indelible imprint on the world. Decoding the Past: Secrets of the Koran probes the heart of the work that many outside Islam find mysterious. This feature-length program examines the history of the verses and their implications for modern times, as well as the striking similarities and differences between the Koran and the Bible. Trace the influence of the Koran from the Golden Age of Islam to the modern rise of Jihadism, and hear from top Islamic scholars and holy men as they share their insights into the work that lies at the foundation of one of the world's great religions. The History Channel provides the perfect guide to understanding the fundamental work that has shaped the Muslim faith for over 1,400 years, and will long continue to influence modern history.
Albert Einstein
Season 1, Episode 33 TV-14
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Although Einstein's greatest work was accomplished in 1905 when he thought up his theories of relativity and special relativity, it was 14 years before his "outside the box" principles were proven. Until then, he was ridiculed, challenged and had difficulty getting a prestigious job. Then, in 1911, Einstein figured out a way to test his theories. If he were correct, then a startling thing should happen during a solar eclipse -- the sun's rays should bend around the moon and the stars should appear to jump to a different location. Thus began a race to photograph a solar eclipse and verify the accuracy of his calculations. This didn't happen until two months after the second eclipse in 1919. The twists and turns of what happened in between these two eclipses is a great story that ends with Einstein becoming an "instant" celebrity -- at long last. We will also bring the history into "now" by talking to one or two scientists who are trying to "bend it like Einstein," people who are challenging his theories today.
The White House: Behind Closed Doors
Season 1, Episode 35 TV-14
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The White House has been home to America's presidents and their families for more than 200 years. It is the most photographed and toured residence in the country, but inside access to television cameras is normally off limits. Now, almost half a century since Jackie Kennedy took viewers on a personal tour of the home, HISTORY goes behind the velvet ropes at America's most famous address, giving the country a long overdue look inside. Join in as President George W. Bush and First Lady Laura Bush guide our cameras through the public places at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue, offering a glimpse of the private residence normally off-limits to cameras. Accompanying President and Mrs. Bush on the tour will be America's foremost antique experts, Leigh and Leslie Keno, of Antique Roadshow fame. Throughout the visit, some of the most intriguing questions about the White House and its famous residents will be answered. From who installed running water, to who commissioned the construction of the famous balcony off the third floor's private quarters and what happened to the White House swimming pool, The White House: Behind Closed Doors reveals the secrets of America's most recognizable residence.
Nostradamus 2012
Season 1, Episode 36 TV-14
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It's a year that many have prophesized will bring a catastrophic end to life as we know it. Whatever is in store a massive cosmic collision, a global environmental disaster, an Armageddon-like religious showdown, or a more subtle transformation many believe that 2012 will mark a major shift in the history of our planet. But what is there to substantiate such fears? A detailed, historical investigation of this chilling prophecy is the mission of Nostradamus 2012, an explosive new two-hour sequel that picks up where The Lost Book of Nostradamus left off. Is there any proof that an Earth-shattering astrological alignment will indeed happen? Is there any compelling evidence that 2012 will be a year of unprecedented, even deadly, upheaval? From the mystical realms of the Guatemalan jungles to the Hopi elders and Mayan shaman to the most respected thinkers of the modern age; from the symbology of the ancient pyramids in Mexico and Egypt to that of the gothic cathedrals and monuments of Europe, Nostradamus 2012 casts the doomsday warning in a frighteningly modern context. December 21, 2012 is bearing down on us with alarming speed. Whether or not we are able to collectively heed the warnings and affect a course to avert disaster may be the defining moment of the modern age.
Seven Signs of the Apocalypse
Season 1, Episode 37 TV-14
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War, famine, plague according to the Book of Revelation in the Bible, these are three of the four horsemen of a coming apocalypse. The fourth? The anti-Christ, in human form, walking somewhere among us. Could this 2,000-year-old prophecy actually come true? And could it be about to happen today? In this fascinating special, History decodes the ancient prophecy, which consists of seven signs within seven signs within seven more signs, and examines whether any of them could be linked to real or potential occurrences today, occurrences such as asteroids, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, red tides, global warming and plagues. Explore what would happen if the seven signs prophecy were to unfold right now. A word of warning: the prophecy ends with Armageddon, the final battle between good and evil.
The Bielski Brothers
Season 1, Episode 38 TV-14
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During the darkest hours of World War II, three Russian brothers achieved the impossible: they transformed persecution and violence into an incredible tale of affirmation and survival. While living in the Soviet Republic of Belorussia, brothers Tuvia, Asael and Zus Bielski fled to the woods to escape the Nazis. There they built an elaborate village for rescued Jews, a forest safe haven that included a bakery, communal bath, synagogue, and even a theater company. Although they mounted guerrilla attacks against the enemy, their priority was saving their people, often stating that they'd rather save one old Jewish woman than kill ten Nazis. The Bielskis saved 1,200 men, women, and children easily the largest rescue of Jews by Jews during World War II but until now their story has gone largely untold. HISTORY unveils in The Bielski Brothers this amazing tale of Jewish resistance and through interviews with Bielski Brigade survivors in the United States, Israel, and Great Britain, recognizes three of the greatest heroes of the Holocaust.
Ancient Aliens
Season 1, Episode 39 TV-14
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Is it possible that intelligent life forms visited Earth thousands of years ago, bringing with them technology that drastically affected the course of history and man's own development? Presented in the 1968 bestselling book Chariots of the Gods, by Erich von Daniken, this theory of “ancient aliens” rocked people's beliefs in mankind’s progress. Ancient cave drawings of strange creatures, remains of landing strips in Peru, the shocking similarity of Egyptian and Mayan pyramids, and Indian texts that describe the “flying machines of the gods” were just a few of the strange, archaeological artifacts cited by von Daniken as proof that ancient astronauts were well known to our ancestors. Produced with the exclusive cooperation of von Daniken himself, Ancient Aliens launches all-new expeditions to seek out and evaluate this evidence, with a concentration on the latest discoveries of the last 30 years, including strange DNA findings on man's evolution and newly decoded artifacts from Egypt to Syria to South America. It is a balanced investigation into a theory some believe cannot be true, but many agree cannot be ignored.
Plotting to Kill Hitler
Season 1, Episode 40 TV-14
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The course of history could have been so different if the first plot to kill Adolf Hitler, in 1939, had been successful. But Hitler proved a hard man to kill. We review the many attempts on his life, and analyze what went wrong.
Hunting Hitler
Season 1, Episode 41 TV-14
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The target of a daring assassination plot by members of his military, Hitler nearly died at Wolf's Lair, his main wartime headquarters. It was one of 15 known attempts on his life. This is the story of those diverse individuals who tried to alter history's course, and of a top secret British plot to kill the most hated man on earth.
Beltway Unbuckled
Season 1, Episode 42 TV-14
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Many people think the 2008 Presidential Election was the first time that sex and gender have played a role in American presidential history, but that is far from the truth. Tales from within the walls of the White House are revealed as we explore how sexual politics have impacted American history. Did you know that an extramarital affair may have launched the Civil War? During Andrew Jackson's administration, VP John Calhoun's wife ostracized the wife of Secretary of War, John Eaton, from Washington society. This was because before Eaton and his wife were married, they had had an illicit affair which had driven her then-husband to suicide. President Jackson, outraged by the mistreatment of Eaton's mistress-turned-wife, marginalized Calhoun's role. Realizing he wouldn't succeed Jackson, he ran instead for Senator from South Carolina, where he became a leading proponent for the doctrine of nullification, which later became the legal basis for Southern secession from the U.S.
Beyond the Da Vinci Code
Season 1, Episode 43 TV-14
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Is it the greatest story ever told--or the greatest story ever sold? A best-selling novel sparks a debate that could change Christianity forever. Were Jesus and Mary Magdalene married and co-leaders of their movement? Was Mary Magdalene, herself, the Holy Grail--the vessel said to hold Jesus's blood--and mother of his descendants? Did the early Church know this "truth" and deliberately mislead followers? Is there a secret, ancient society, the Priory of Sion, which still protects this bloodline? Have some of the most illustrious names in art and science been members? We examine both sides of the story--the conventional view of Christianity and the "alternate history" proposed by Brown--so that viewers can decide.
Stealing Lincoln's Body
Season 1, Episode 44 TV-14
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Eleven years after Abraham Lincoln's assassination, a band of Chicago counterfeiters plotted to steal his body and hold it for ransom (they wanted $200,000 and the release from prison of the gang's master engraver). The Secret Service, recently formed to deal with the country's ballooning counterfeiting problem, infiltrated the gang with an informer. This two-hour special explores the strange blend of historical trends and cultural movements that prompted this forgotten moment in American history the birth of counterfeiting, the popularizing of the science of embalming, and the beginning of the rural cemetery movement. But mainly it highlights how beyond death, Abraham Lincoln continues to have an amazing influence on American life. Stealing Lincoln's Body is told with archival photographs and images, restored and presented using the latest in computer-enhanced, 3D technology. For the first time, viewers will travel deep into the photographs for amazing 3D views that reveal a level of historical detail never seen before. Dynamic interviews with experts and historians, rich dramatizations and CGI animation re-create Lincoln's post-assassination world through his final burial, 36 years after his death.
China's First Emperor
Season 1, Episode 45 TV-14
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He would become an emperor more powerful than Napoleon, capture more territory than Alexander the Great and create the largest army the world has ever seen. In 240 B.C. Chin Shi Huang Di, ruler of the Qin Kingdom, rose to power, defeated six states and created an empire that would lay the groundwork for modern day China. Learn about the life and times of this unique leader and see what still remains of the Qin Dynasty today--from the Great Wall of China to the army of 8,000 life-sized terracotta warriors and horses that guard his empire in the afterlife.
How Bruce Lee Changed the World
Season 1, Episode 46 TV-14
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One of the most influential martial artists of the 20th century, Bruce Lee blazed across movie screens with charisma and speed, introducing martial arts to mainstream America and changing the way Asian American men were portrayed in films. Influenced by one of the world's most ancient cultures, he went on to influence the modern world. How Bruce Lee Changed the World provides new insight into the legendary martial artist, fascinating teacher and celebrated actor. Starring in television's The Green Hornet as the sidekick Kato, Lee went on to make two of the most successful Asian films ever Fists of Fury and Way of the Dragon. In a tragic turn of events, Lee mysteriously died three weeks before the debut of Enter the Dragon, his only U.S. film. With seldom-seen interviews, rare home movies, and commentary from those he influenced most, such as John Woo, Brett Ratner, LL Cool J, Stan Lee and Jackie Chan, How Bruce Lee Changed the World helps uncover the man behind the legend.
Secret Societies
Season 1, Episode 47 TV-14
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They are the subject of controversy and curiosity, clandestine organizations with members that include incredibly powerful individuals, political leaders and the super-rich. Delve into the tightly guarded world of secret societies as HISTORY attempts to lift the veil of mystery surrounding groups like the Skull & Bones, Bilderbergs, Tri-Lateral Commission and Council on Foreign Relations. Who belongs to these groups? What are their goals? Why are they so secretive? And do they, as a growing number of people believe, really exert an influence over our lives through a process that is largely invisible? Historians examine a number of these groups, both past and present, and help document what is known about their origins and aims. Hear from conspiracy theorists who believe these secret societies are scheming to take over the world and others who contend that they already have, and heed the warnings from some who believe the fears about these organizations may be justified.
The Unreal Story of Pro Wrestling
Season 1, Episode 48 TV-14
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Is Pro Wrestling on the level or is it fake? And, if it's fake, was it ever really real to being with? The Unreal Story of Professional Wrestling traces the evolution of an American ritual from respectable sport to performance art. The two-hour A&E documentary examines the world's oldest sport from both a historical and sociological point of view. Featured are such wrestling legends and innovators as Strangler Lewis, Gorgeous George, Killer Kowalski, The Fabulous Moolah, Andre the Giant and Hulk Hogan. Interviewees include stars of yesterday and today.
Underwater Universe
Season 1, Episode 49 TV-14
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Throughout history, tidal waves have drowned us, storm surges have sunk cities, and hurricanes and cyclones fueled by the ocean have blown away all in their path. Today, science forecasts that the oceans are getting fiercer, rising up to reshape our coastlines and create untold devastation, social unrest and economic crisis. Underwater Universe tracks the history and evolution of the ocean's seven deadliest zones locations that throughout history have been the direct cause of human devastation by floods, tsunamis, hurricanes, whirlpools, ice, underwater volcanoes, and shipping graveyards. Using expedition footage, 3D animation, and commentary from leading oceanographers, HISTORY helps depict the awesome cosmic and geological fluctuations that make the oceans deadly over time. See how, with advances in navigation, engineering, and meteorology, people today have learned to avoid some of these catastrophes. But our sophisticated technologies have also created new threats, and the possibility that our own actions are making the oceans deadlier is becoming greater.
Manson
Season 1, Episode 50 TV-14
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He was the mastermind of the most notorious murders in U.S. history, a crazed guru who terrified the world and plunged the city of Los Angeles into a state of paranoia and panic. This two-hour docudrama from HISTORY takes viewers deep inside Charles Manson's twisted world of hate, fear, and mind control to tell the story of how one man transformed a harmless group of hippies into a gang of brutal murderers. Intertwining first-person accounts with rare archive footage, Manson: 40 years later looks back at the nine months leading up to and including the brutal murder of Sharon Tate, the Manson family's most famous victim, four decades after her bludgeoning. It features key Manson family member Linda Kasabian, who was at the scene of the Sharon Tate murders as lookout and getaway driver, in her first interview in 20 years, as well as interviews with fellow Manson family member Catherine Share; Vincent Bugliosi, the lead prosecutor who wrote Helter Skelter: The True Story of the Manson Murders; and Deborah Tate, Sharon Tate's sister.
Hotel Ground Zero
Season 1, Episode 51 TV-14
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There is an untold story from 9/11--the incredible tale of the 940 tourists, visitors and staff in the Marriott WTC Hotel, located beneath and between the Twin Towers, who found themselves at the epicenter of a terrifying disaster. Despite jet engines and burning debris raining down on the building, somehow almost all of the hotel guests escaped. Of those who were still trapped inside, 14 miraculously survived the towers' devastating collapse. Hear the remarkable story of their escape, and the courage and heroism of the victims and their rescuers.
Mysteries of the Freemasons: America
Season 1, Episode 52 TV-14
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They claim they're merely a civic-minded fraternity, bound together by harmless rituals. But throughout their long history, the Freemasons have been reviled as devil worshippers, accused of provoking revolution, and suspected of plotting to take over the world. This two-part series from HISTORY uses dramatic reenactments, expert interviews, sophisticated CGI, and original location footage to transport viewers back to the time when Freemasons led the Revolution, framed the Declaration of Independence, designed our nation's capital and, in the early years of the Republic, grew to unmatched heights of influence and power. Explore the origins and intentions of the underground society recently popularized by The Da Vinci Code author Dan Brown, in two parts: Mysteries of the Freemasons: America provides a fine-tooth examination of the group's role in the birth and in the modern life of the United States, while Mysteries of the Freemasons: The Beginning uncovers the story of the group's clandestine codes, patterns in the sky, and murder, both revealing a radically new picture of our nation's founding fathers.
The Knights Templar
Season 1, Episode 53 TV-14
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For nearly two centuries, the Knights Templar was the most powerful order in the medieval world. Despite the Knights' long reign of power, the order experienced a sudden collapse in the early fourteenth century when certain members stood accused of unspeakable crimes and were subsequently tortured and killed. Today, the group's legacy has been popularized in the writings of Dan Brown, and is played out in an array of Hollywood blockbusters and numerous other works of literature. This insightful program from HISTORY interviews some of the world's leading biblical scholars and visits historic sites throughout Europe and the Near East to probe the remarkable rise and rapid descent of this powerful and obscure order. Did the Knights Templar, as many believe, guard the Holy Grail? Or was the object of their attentions buried a thousand years before the birth of Christ?
Mysteries of the Freemasons: The Beginning
Season 1, Episode 54 TV-14
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They claim they're merely a civic-minded fraternity, bound together by harmless rituals. But throughout their long history, the Freemasons have been reviled as devil worshippers, accused of provoking revolution, and suspected of plotting to take over the world. This two-part series from HISTORY uses dramatic reenactments, expert interviews, sophisticated CGI, and original location footage to transport viewers back to the time when Freemasons led the Revolution, framed the Declaration of Independence, designed our nation's capital and, in the early years of the Republic, grew to unmatched heights of influence and power. Explore the origins and intentions of the underground society recently popularized by The Da Vinci Code author Dan Brown, in two parts: Mysteries of the Freemasons: America provides a fine-tooth examination of the group's role in the birth and in the modern life of the United States, while Mysteries of the Freemasons: The Beginning uncovers the story of the group's clandestine codes, patterns in the sky, and murder, both revealing a radically new picture of our nation's founding fathers.
Angels & Demons Decoded
Season 1, Episode 55 TV-14
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Investigate the fascinating truths behind Dan Brown's (The Da Vinci Code) first novel. From centuries-old secret societies to real-world cryptography, from the high-stakes intrigue surrounding the installation of a new Pope to the sometimes uneasy relationship between the Vatican and leading scientists, this special will thrill and inform viewers about this monumental time in world history. The clues Brown's hero Robert Langdon follows in frantic pursuit of the Illuminati will inspire further investigation--into religious conspiracies and the Freemasons, secret "codes" hidden in Roman architecture and artwork--as well as controversial theories about religious iconography. Features scenes from the new movie as well as interviews with renowned symbologists, art historians, religious scholars, scientists and other experts will help unravel the mysteries and expose the diabolical plot to destroy the Church.
The Templar Code
Season 1, Episode 56 TV-14
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For nearly two centuries, the Knights Templar were the medieval world's most powerful order, a fearsome and unstoppable Crusader militia. Then came accusations of unspeakable crimes. Who were the Templars, really? How did they become so powerful, so fast, and why did they fall just as quickly? Evidence hints that the Templars excavated under Jerusalem's Temple of Solomon. What did they find there? Was it, as The Da Vinci Code suggests, the true identity of the Holy Grail--the bloodline of Christ? Or an unimaginable treasure, documented in the Dead Sea Scrolls, buried 1,000 years before Christ's birth? We explore the Templar's origin, how they lived, trained, fought and became a medieval world power, and the suspicious circumstances behind their sudden downfall. Plus, we reveal why these warriors, dead for seven centuries, and their treasure still populate Hollywood blockbusters. Narrated by Ed Herrmann and featuring preeminent Templar authors.
Holy Grail in America
Season 1, Episode 57 TV-14
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Has the Holy Grail been in America all along? In 1898, a Minnesota farmer clearing trees from his field uprooted a large stone covered with mysterious runes that tell a story of land acquisition and murder. The stone allegedly dates back to 1362. Initially thought to be a hoax, new evidence suggests the find could be real, and a clue that the Knights Templar discovered America 100 years before Columbus, perhaps bringing with them history's greatest treasure...the Holy Grail. Watch as experts use erosion studies on the rune stone and match symbols in Templar ruins all over Europe to support this theory. Though the Knights Templar were long thought to have been massacred, stones with similar markings have been found on islands across the Atlantic Ocean, and in Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Is it possible the Knights Templar escaped on an incredible journey and were leaving clues to the whereabouts of the stone? Find out in the HISTORY two-hour special, Holy Grail in America.
Day After Disaster
Season 1, Episode 58 TV-14
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Against a morning sky, a mushroom cloud spirals heavenward. A nuclear bomb has detonated in the heart of Washington D.C., incinerating 15,000 residents in just 15 seconds. More than 50% of the population living within a half-mile radius of the explosion is either dead or severely injured. The next 24 hours will determine whether the rest of the city lives or dies. To survive this horrific ordeal they will need a plan. And lucky for them there is one. But will it work? For the first time on television, the Department of Homeland Security reveals its most detailed plan to save America should terrorists go nuclear. Day After Disaster is a chilling two-hour special that delves into the complex and highly secretive world of disaster planning. We've seen what can go wrong when federal, state and local agencies fail to respond to disaster in an organized and timely manner. But what must go right when the unthinkable happens: a 10-kiloton nuclear blast in the middle of an American city?
I Know What I Saw
Season 1, Episode 59 TV-14
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Director and host James Fox assembles the most credible UFO witnesses from around the world to testify on the subject and share their experiences and observations. Air Force generals, astronauts, military and commercial pilots, government and FAA officials from seven countries gather at the National Press Club in Washington D.C. to tell stories that, as former Arizona governor Fife Symington states, "will challenge your reality." These accounts reveal a behind-the-scenes U.S. operation whose policy, in the eyes of some observers, seems to involve confiscation of substantiating evidence from close encounters--to the extent that even Presidents have failed to get straight answers.
What Went Down: Alamo
Season 1, Episode 60 TV-14
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Experience what it would have been like to be present at history's most world-changing moments in What Went Down, the gripping series from HISTORY that serves as an HD time machine to the past. From the showdown at the Alamo to the cockpit of a Japanese plane at Pearl Harbor, What Went Down brings crucial historical events vividly to life. With the help of top CGI artists and on-location experts, each detail of these earth-shaking moments is meticulously investigated and researched, allowing viewers to see history from firsthand angles and points of view, as if they were there themselves. Watch as Bill Chemerka, founder of the Alamo Historical Society, helps a production team re-create a view from above that would have been impossible to see in 1836, and follow Dr. Donald Goldstein on a site survey in Pearl Harbor to see the lucky shot that sunk the USS Arizona battleship on December 7th, 1941. Witness these crucial periods in history as never before what they looked like, what they sounded like what went down.
What Went Down: Pearl Harbor
Season 1, Episode 61 TV-14
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Experience what it would have been like to be present at history's most world-changing moments in What Went Down, the gripping series from HISTORY that serves as an HD time machine to the past. From the showdown at the Alamo to the cockpit of a Japanese plane at Pearl Harbor, What Went Down brings crucial historical events vividly to life. With the help of top CGI artists and on-location experts, each detail of these earth-shaking moments is meticulously investigated and researched, allowing viewers to see history from firsthand angles and points of view, as if they were there themselves. Watch as Bill Chemerka, founder of the Alamo Historical Society, helps a production team re-create a view from above that would have been impossible to see in 1836, and follow Dr. Donald Goldstein on a site survey in Pearl Harbor to see the lucky shot that sunk the USS Arizona battleship on December 7th, 1941. Witness these crucial periods in history as never before what they looked like, what they sounded like, and what went down.
The Kennedy Assassination: 24 Hours After
Season 1, Episode 62 TV-14
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In 2009, 46 years after he was shot, JFK will be gone for as long as he was alive. While the moments and hours after his tragic assassination were some of the most formative and important for our country, that story has rarely, and only partially, been told. For the first time, using never-before-seen transcripts only recently made public, this film pieces together the 24-hour period after those fateful shots were fired. The timeline reveals startling new information about the death of the president and the dramatic transfer of power to his successor, Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson. From new details about when JFK really died, to the truth behind LBJ's oath of office photo on Air Force One, The Kennedy Assassination: 24 Hours After uncovers an unfamiliar story born out of one of the most crucial days in American history.
Death Masks
Season 1, Episode 63 TV-14
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Faces...and facts...fleshed out from the grave. Unprecedented technology brings to life extraordinary mirror images and powerful last impressions of history's most powerful men. Every line, every wrinkle, every expression tells a story. Forensic-science and anthropology experts have identified that history's most relevant figures left behind highly-detailed casts of their faces, created at their moment of death, to preserve their souls and physical memory for eternity. Using advanced facial-reconstruction techniques and 3-D imprint detailing, these death masks render an exact replica of every feature, and an intimate look at how their characteristics affected their lives. Includes startling new insights into the persistent mysteries surrounding these historic icons like Julius Caesar, Abraham Lincoln, Napoleon and George Washington, and just may reveal some secrets these men preferred to conceal.
The Real Wolfman
Season 1, Episode 64 TV-14
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In the mid 1700s, a mysterious beast viciously attacked and killed 102 villagers in the French village of Gevaudan. The victims, mostly women and children, were mauled and decapitated, their naked bodies all bearing the bite marks of a non-human creature. The killings mark the largest number of alleged werewolf attacks in history and are the basis of the Hollywood Wolfman legend. Venture deep into the mythology and folklore of werewolves with renowned cryptozoologist Ken Gerhardt and veteran criminal profiler George Deuchar as they investigate this reviled creature that brutally kills when the moon is full. In their investigation, they uncover intriguing paranormal transformations, diseases that make men look and act like animals, strange but true stories of children raised by wolves and, eventually, the dark side of human nature in the horrific truth behind the Gevaudan werewolf attacks.
Rise and Fall of the Berlin Wall
Season 1, Episode 65 TV-14
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When the Berlin Wall was built with a few railway cars and a lot of barbed wire in August 1961, no one could have foreseen its rise and fall. In this two-hour special, HISTORY uses computer imagery to reconstruct how the wall grew from a mere and far-from-mighty obstacle to seven concentric walls with ditches, fences, signal wires, tank-traps and a flood-lit death strip patrolled by half-starved dogs - a nearly impenetrable barrier with a 96-mile circumference, 245 bunkers and 302 watchtowers. The Rise and Fall of the Berlin Wall gets firsthand accounts from the people who tried to escape this "Wall of Death" by any means possible, including tunnels, hot air balloons, wind surfing boats, bi-planes and a cable railway. Additional interviews with border guards, security officials who designed the wall and Stasi men who protected it, politicians, historians and journalists help breathe life into this infamous border.
Jesse James' Hidden Treasure
Season 1, Episode 66 TV-14
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He was one of the most fabled antiheroes of the Old West, a complicated figure whose outlaw reputation captured the imagination of a nation. In central Kansas, a treasure hunt is underway that could call into question much of what we think we know of him. What happened to the gold Jesse James stole? Can any part of it be found? And if so, does it suggest that Jesse James was more than a bandit stealing for his own personal gain? Was he, in fact, a clandestine member of a powerful Confederate secret society determined to help the South rise again? Follow in Jesse James’ Hidden Treasure a team of amateur historians as they search for James’ secret treasure in an attempt to discover new truths about the American legend, including why he robbed, and when he died.
Surviving the Holidays with Lewis Black
Season 1, Episode 68 TV-14
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Join ever-acerbic comedian Lewis Black on an odyssey through history to rediscover and understand the origins of the "Big Four" holidays - Thanksgiving, Christmas, Chanukah and New Year's. Once the "happiest season of all," it's hard to deny that the 35 days between Thanksgiving and New Year's have become weighed-down with enough stress and anxiety - the shopping, the wrapping, the eating, the drinking, the card-writing, the obligations, the office parties, the pressures, the bills - to make even the most cheery holiday-goers bitter. What's with Thanksgiving, Chanukah, Christmas, and New Year's? Are we losing touch with our most important holidays and with what made them, well...holidays? And what can we do about it? Armed with history and humor, and filled with the knowledge and advice of experts and fellow comedians, Surviving the Holidays with Lewis Black targets the holidays in an effort to preserve the ideals they are meant to represent, and to help us all relax and reconnect with the joy of the season.
The People Speak
Season 1, Episode 69 TV-14
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Using dramatic and musical performances of the letters, diaries and speeches of everyday Americans, The People Speak focuses on the concept of democracy based on the lives and experiences of ordinary Americans who, through their words and actions, changed the course of history. Narrated by Howard Zinn and based on his bestselling book, A People's History of the United States, and Voices of a People's History, this groundbreaking documentary film illustrates the relevance of these passionate historical moments to our society today, reminding us that democracy is not a spectator sport and to never take liberty for granted. A journey from the founding of this country to the civil rights movement and beyond, The People Speak uses star power to celebrate democracy: executive producer Matt Damon reads from The Declaration of Independence; Bruce Springsteen performs Woody Guthrie'sThis Land is Your Land; while other accomplished performers, including Morgan Freeman, Marisa Tomei, Josh Brolin, Viggo Mortensen, Kerry Washington, Bob Dylan and Eddie Vedder lend their voices to help re-create the emotional impact of these moments in history.
Sniper: Inside the Crosshairs
Season 1, Episode 70 TV-14
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The deadliest weapon on the battlefield is neither bullet nor gun; it's the lone sniper. Journey inside the science and psychology behind the greatest shots in military history, through the scope of the world's most extreme marksmen. Deconstruct the missions, ranging from Vietnam to Iraq to Afghanistan, presented by the men who were there and pulled the trigger. For the first time on American television Canadian sniper Robert Furlong, tells the story of his history-making shot in Afghanistan--striking a Taliban fighter from 1.5 miles away. Ballistics... Tactics... Weaponry... Stalking... This two-hour special examines these critical components in vivid detail, combining interviews with cinematic reenactments, CGI and present day shooting demonstrations to put the viewer squarely inside the crosshairs.
Apocalypse Island
Season 1, Episode 71 TV-14
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Deep in the remote jungles of an island unknown to the outside world hides a secret that may write the final chapter in the centuries-old story of 2012 prophecy. This place has remained hidden for centuries to all but a handful of people. At its center stands a giant ancient monolith that archeologists believe marks the exact coordinates of Armageddon's ground zero. Mayan symbols on the statue predict the site to be the best vantage point for observing the total solar eclipse that will signal the 2012 apocalypse. The shock is that the island is located in the South Pacific, a long way from home for the Mayans, who are thought to have been a non-seafaring people. How could the Mayans have navigated so far across the sea to this location, and how could they have known their destination? Jim Turner, an archeologist from the University of Toronto, was island-hopping somewhere near the Marshall or Solomon Islands when he discovered the monolith, which he claims marks the site where the Mayans believed their Gods would descend to observe the end of the world. Turner has never revealed its location. Unable to conduct a proper study of the site because of time constraints, Turner is about to launch an expedition to gather evidence to prove his theory. Turner will faithfully record his entire expedition. He'll take measurements and photos for further analysis. He will also use advanced carbon dating techniques to pinpoint the era when the rock was carved and where it came from. Finally he'll interview the elders of the ancient tribe that has called this Island home for centuries. This 2-hour special will allow viewers to accompany Turner on his expedition to examine the mysteries of the monolith and, for the first time on television, potentially break the news when it reveals this final clue in the 2012 puzzle.
After Armageddon
Season 1, Episode 72 TV-14
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It is inevitable that disaster will someday strike America on an unprecedented level. What have past acts of destruction taught us about what will happen to mankind after the apocalypse? History's most dramatic events Hiroshima, 9/11, Hurricane Katrina and others are examined and analyzed with hard data gathered from their massive aftereffects in the new HISTORY special After Armageddon. The disappearance of water and food supplies, the effects of deteriorated sanitation and health care on the remaining population, and the increased use of violence as a means of survival all illustrate how societies have responded and survived. Can history prepare us for the next Armageddon?
Earth 2100
Season 1, Episode 73 TV-14
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Are we living in the last century of our civilization? Many of the world's top scientists say yes, unless we quickly learn the lessons of the past. In the two-hour special, Earth 2100, HISTORY examines civilizations that collapsed because of manmade ecological disasters, civilizations that failed when confronted with choices chillingly similar to the ones we face today. See if top intelligence believes we can take on the urgent crises that face our modern world...and survive.
Samurai
Season 1, Episode 74 TV-14
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In this high-octane, action-packed documentary, Japanese-American `Heroes' actor, Masi Oka, explores the story of Miyamoto Musashi - the most famous Samurai of all time - and examines the weaponry and wisdom of Japan's great knights.
The Real Face of Jesus
Season 1, Episode 75 TV-14
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Many people believe Jesus Christ was buried in the Shroud of Turin, an ancient linen cloth that bears traces of blood and the faint, ghostly image of a man. In May 2010, this holy relic will be put on public display for the first time in ten years. As new data reveals an astonishing, three-dimensional, sculpture-like figure embedded in the shroud, a team of graphic artists works diligently to bring that image to life. Using the principles of physics, today's digital technology, and the revolutionary CGI process that reconstructed Abraham Lincoln in the HISTORY special, Stealing Lincoln's Body, The Real Face of Jesus takes a fascinating journey from the realm of creativity and imagination into that of science and technology. Can HISTORY unlock the secrets of one of the world's most scrutinized and controversial artifacts to unveil a startling, life-like composite, from head to toe, of who many believe to be Jesus Christ?
How The States Got Their Shapes
Season 1, Episode 76 TV-14
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We are so familiar with the map of United States, but do we know why our states look the way they do? Every line on the U.S. map tells a great story: California's border was bent to claw onto lucrative gold deposits; Oklahoma's panhandle reflects a shifting national barometer for legal slavery; and Kentucky, Tennessee and Virginia's shared border traces the scar of a meteor impact. How the States Got Their Shapes reveals the larger story of what makes America unique: a range of natural resources, a history of social experimentation and a thriving democracy.
The Real Robin Hood
Season 1, Episode 77 TV-14
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Robin Hood is the inspiration for more movies, radio and TV programs than any other folk hero, but the man in tights and a feathered cap is a recent addition to the myth. The Real Robin Hood probes the fascinating story behind the marauding vigilante of English folklore. In reality, the character is a composite of actual historical figures whose exploits date back to the Crusades, a dark time of tremendous brutality. Coinciding with the 5/14/10 Universal release of the film Robin Hood starring Russell Crowe and Cate Blanchett, director Ridley Scott will also produce this dynamic two-hour television special. The Real Robin Hood features highlights from the film, as well as interviews with Ridley Scott, Russell Crowe and renowned historians.
Who Really Discovered America?
Season 1, Episode 78 TV-14
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Did other explorers beat Columbus to our shores? New evidence suggests that America may have been discovered -- and rediscovered -- by Asian, Celtic, and Polynesian tribes, among others. Dramatic recreations augment the story of these amazing journeys.
10 Ways to Kill Bin Laden
Season 1, Episode 79 TV-14
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This is the inside story of the 10 ways the US government has tried to capture or kill the most wanted man in history--Osama bin Laden. Some of the planners and military personnel involved in the hunt tell their stories, many for the first time.
Afraid of the Dark
Season 1, Episode 80 TV-14
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Go back to a time before the invention of artificial light and experience a world petrified in the pitch of darkness...when fear ruled the night. Throughout the ages, real and imagined terror existed in the absence of light, and nighttime was anything but relaxing. Our predecessors cowered in caves to keep from being eaten alive. During the Middle Ages, brutal bandits went on the prowl and roadside ditches became death traps. Also in years past, the devil, werewolves and vampires were staunchly believed to stalk the night. With no artificial light, the black night sky of Galileo's gaze could illuminate every star without a telescope. This chilling HISTORY special AFRAID OF THE DARK explores all the reasons why the dark was so feared through the eras; takes you around the globe to places where real night still exits; and examines our modern-day fear factor when the lights go out during blackouts.
History's Most Extreme Airports
Season 1, Episode 81 TV-14
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A strip of land fought over for centuries by England and Spain creates a nightmare of historic proportion for airline pilots. Gibraltar Airport's powerful winds and short runway --complete with ground traffic -- make it one of the world's most treacherous. This special unpacks the problems of the world's most extreme airports and examines the engineering behind them, from territorial battles that have led to unsafe layouts, to geographical challenges and natural obstacles that make these places unfit for travel.
Gates of Hell
Season 1, Episode 82 TV-14
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There are six places on Earth believed to be actual entrances into Hell. They include a volcano in Iceland, a cave in the jungles of Central America, and a lake of fire in Africa. According to ancient myth and Christian legend, each is a passage to a terrifying underworld for the damned. Even today, some believe they are still portals. Eerily, they share striking similarities. We'll visit these six locations, and along the way, reveal how the concept of Hell emerged in history and why it still evokes fear today.
Jefferson
Season 1, Episode 83 TV-14
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His life is a seemingly impenetrable thicket of contradictions: he enshrined the words “All Men are Created Equal,” and yet was a lifelong slave-owner; he was simultaneously a “man of the people” and the personification of the Virginia aristocrat; he was a die-hard American revolutionary who was also a dedicated lover of European culture and art; he advocated ruthless fiscal responsibility as president, yet his own finances were mired in debt. Thomas Jefferson is the most researched, most written about, most reference, and most quoted of our Founding Fathers. And yet, Somehow, he remains the most stubbornly inscrutable. Embrace and celebrate the third President’s complicated life and legacy in the two-hour HISTORY documentary, Jefferson, the story of a national icon who remains, in historian Joseph Ellis’ memorable phrase, “a great American Sphinx.”
9/11 State of Emergency
Season 1, Episode 84 TV-14
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On September 11, 2001 thousands of people faced the ultimate test of judgment, courage and skill. From senior political leaders to air traffic controllers and ordinary men and women, 9/11 State of Emergency recounts the difficult split-second decisions made that fateful day. In a minute-by-minute investigation of the day's events, this HISTORY special features frank and in depth insider interviews with former National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice, Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, Acting Chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Richard Myers and White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card, detailing the challenges these high-level officials faced as they sought to remain calm and gain control of events in the middle of an unprecedented crisis. 9/11 State of Emergency also features interviews with the air traffic controllers and F-16 pilots whose actions and decisions helped shape the day, as well as a conversation with family members of passengers onboard Flight 93 who were able to speak to their loved ones and pass along information that helped passengers and crew decide to launch their fight back, sparing Washington D.C. from further attack.
Sniper Deadliest Missions
Season 1, Episode 85 TV-14
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Get an unprecedented look at the most extreme missions of the most extreme job in the world. You have one shot, one scoped sight, one controlled breath, one squeeze of a honed trigger. In a fraction of a second, you will either be a hero who took out an enemy commander, or a lone hunter who has suddenly become the hunted. This special deconstructs and analyzes the most dangerous feats undertaken in the history of military warfare. The legendary snipers who are still alive will share never-before-told stories about their classified missions. What techniques were used by these sharpshooters? What roles did the weather conditions, terrain, weapons systems, and snipers' physiological states play in the success of each operation? Examine the painstaking process perfected by the expert marksmen who live by the credo, "One shot, one kill."
I Am Alive: Surviving the Andes Plane Crash
Season 1, Episode 86 TV-14
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On Friday the 13th of October 1972, a charter plane carrying 45 rugby team members crashed in the remote Andes Mountains. For 72 days, the world thought they were dead. But what 16 survivors endured was far worse than death, driven to what would become headline-making acts of cannibalism in their struggle for life. I Am Alive: Surviving the Andes Plane Crash presents one of the most remarkable human survival stories of all time as it has never been told before: through the first person, on-camera account of survivor Nando Parrado. Nando's simple, yet powerfully evocative storytelling allows viewers to experience the nearly two and half months of heroism and tragedy through the eyes and memories of the man who lived it. A window for viewers into the history of other stories of extreme survival, Nando's account is accompanied by new, high-resolution imagery of photos shot by the survivors throughout their ordeal, rarely seen footage of the crash site, as well as blended CGI/live action re-creations of the crash itself and the amazing struggle for survival that followed.
Marijuana: A Chronic History
Season 1, Episode 87 TV-14
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America's number one cash crop isn't tobacco or even wheat - it's marijuana! And while recreational use of pot is still illegal, everyone seems to be using it, and a lot of people are making money from it. In this two-hour special event, HISTORY examines the true story of America's chronic relationship with weed, from the growers who supply it to the millions who use it; Marijuana: A Chronic History is an unprecedented journey through marijuana's past, present and future.
WWII: The Air War
Season 1, Episode 88 TV-14
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The untold story of the American 8th Air Force's bloody battle to defeat the German Luftwaffe in the months leading up to D-Day. Told through the gripping, first person accounts of three American airmen and Stars & Stripes reporter Andy Rooney, this special showcases breathtaking aerial combat--original, color footage, never before seen by most Americans--of the B-17s Flying Fortresses, P-47 Thunderbolts and P-51 Mustangs on missions such as Regensburg, Schweinfurt and Berlin. Never-before-seen 8mm footage of the airmen on the bases, the devastation in Germany, and the Luftwaffe perspective is also highlighted. Flying 25,000 feet above the earth in oxygen-devoid air, and temperatures as low as 50 below zero, the 8th Air Force fought a war unlike anything ever before experienced. By the end, they would suffer more than 26,000 combat deaths--more than the US Marines lost in all of World War II. Narrated by Emmy® nominated actor, Rob Lowe.
The President's Book of Secrets
Season 1, Episode 89 TV-14
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Moments after the President of the United States is sworn into office he gains access to "The Nuclear Football," a briefcase that contains the most volatile top-secret information in the world--America's nuclear launch codes.
Secret Access: The Vatican
Season 1, Episode 91 TV-14
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Secret Access: The Vatican provides a revealing look at the inner workings of the Vatican, from the secret archives to the Swiss guards, as well as some of the treasures locked inside. Building on the success of The White House: Behind Closed Doors and Secret Access: Air Force One, the history special provides unique access into one of the world’s most elusive locations. See what is housed under the 110 acres site as an ongoing excavation of an ancient cemetery that the Vatican was built upon, uncovering priceless artifacts, including the bones of St. Peter himself. Go inside the Vatican Secret Archives, a collection of rooms and libraries containing some of history’s priceless documents. And get to know Vatican security; the top-of-the-line procedures and practices utilized by a combination of Swiss Guards (elite guards to the Pope), Vatican police, and Italian police that keep the Pop and Vatican safe.
Third Reich: The Rise
Season 1, Episode 92 TV-14
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A unique perspective on the rise of Nazi Germany and how millions of people were so vulnerable to fascism, told through rare and never-before-seen amateur films shot by the Germans who were there.
Third Reich: The Fall
Season 1, Episode 93 TV-14
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How did the Germans experience the Allied victory in WWII? Rarely-and never-before-seen amateur films recount the catastrophic downfall of the Third Reich through the eyes of the people who lived it: the Germans themselves.
Prophets of Doom
Season 1, Episode 94 TV-14
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Today's world has troubles unique to its time in history, from the global financial crisis to technological meltdowns to full-scale, computerized global war. HISTORY® profiles three men "modern prophets" from different disciplines and with different theories who all believe America is on the decline, and will ultimately meet its end.
10.0 Megaquake
Season 1, Episode 95 TV-14
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The 10.0 quake is said to occur once every 2500 years and is capable of destroying entire civilizations. We'll see what would unfold if a 10.0 Megaquake struck different fault lines in the U.S., underwater and around the world. It is a concept that sets the catastrophic high-bar for seismologists -- not just the immediate destruction, but the even more alarming aftermath that would occur in the weeks and months that follow. For example, 3800 years ago, a 10.0 quake may have wiped out the Mayan civilization, not by shaking foundations, but from the subsequent silt that would have polluted farmland and fishing waters.
Bigfoot: The Definitive Guide
Season 1, Episode 96 TV-14
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Is something unknown out there? For centuries, reports of a large, hairy ape-like creature have been documented across the globe. HISTORY follows scientists as they gather data from thousands of sightings of this elusive creature stretching over hundreds of years. Using state-of-the-art technology, these experts map every recorded sighting of Bigfoot's presence on a one-of-a-kind, 4-D global map. Is this mysterious creature a natural phenomenon, a human anomaly, a legend or just a hoax? Watch Bigfoot: The Definitive Guide as we uncover the hidden truth behind the most infamous footprints on earth.
Reagan
Season 1, Episode 97 TV-14
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Americans know President Ronald Reagan's politics, his policies, and his oratorical prowess. But as we approach what would have been his 100th birthday in February 2011, the totality of the legacy of America's 40th president is still eclipsed by the myth. While some say he's a hero, and others call him an empty suit, one thing is for certain - President Ronald Reagan made history. But what made him? Using rare archival footage and personal interviews with those who knew him best, Reagan goes beyond the myth to reveal the epic story of an unforgettable man who, against all odds, rose to the pinnacle of power.
It's Good to Be President
Season 1, Episode 98 TV-14
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We Americans like to think we know our President. We followed him during the campaign, invited him into our living rooms during countless televised appearances and even learned about his cholesterol count after each annual physical at Bethesda.
Journey to the Earth's Core
Season 1, Episode 99 TV-14
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Humans have mapped every corner of the globe - from jungles and deserts to the depths of space. Yet we've gone only seven miles below the Earth's surface - just one five hundredth of the way to the Core. Now, Journey To The Earth's Core goes deeper: 4,000 miles down to the heart of our planet.
Weird Warfare
Season 1, Episode 100 TV-14
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Throughout history, mankind's ingenuity has pursued better ways to kill enemies and win wars. But hidden by our more famous inventions lie some highly unusual, sometimes unbelievable efforts. This special reveals the most absurd, ridiculous and radical examples of warfare ever recorded. Moving from ancient times to the present, we'll discover a host of weird weapons -- from blankets covered with small pox to serpent bombs and toxic honey. Some have proved to be useless while others proved devastating.
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