History Channel Documentaries
Season 2000
TV-PG
The History Channel is a satellite and cable TV channel, devoted mainly to historical events and persons. Programming covers a wide array of periods and topics, while similar topics are often organized into themed weeks or daily marathons. Subjects include military history, medieval history, the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries, modern engineering, and historical biographies.
Where to Watch Season 2000
14 Episodes
- Samurai and The SwastikaE2
Samurai and The SwastikaThey were unlikely allies, bound together on the principle of "the enemy of my enemy is my friend." But despite fighting on opposite sides of the globe and the ideological divide that separated them, Germany and Japan cooperated extensively throughout World War II. Using government documents, the recollections of soldiers and commentary from leading historians, SAMURAI AND THE SWASTIKA tells the long-overlooked story of the strategic alliance between the Axis powers. See how Japan supplied Germany with much-needed raw materials for the war, while German engineers shared sophisticated rocket and jet-propulsion technology with their Japanese counterparts. Jointly, they supported anti-English uprisings in India, giving aid and military supplies to Bose Chandras, a dissident Indian general, and his guerilla army. And in perhaps the boldest scheme of all, they conspired to destroy the Panama Canal and cut off America's Pacific war from its crucial Atlantic supply operations. Here, sophisticated computer animations bring this bold scheme to life in astonishing detail. From the origins of their alliance to a seized shipment of Uranium bound for Japan at the end of the war, this is a compelling look at how the Axis powers supported each other throughout World War II. - Carlos The JackalE3
Carlos The JackalSee how an overweight Venezuelan boy, Ilich Ramirez Sanchez, turned himself into a swaggering, cold-blooded killer. He was public enemy #1 throughout much of the 1970s, the criminal mastermind thought to be behind the hijacking of the El Al jet at Entebbe, Uganda, and the attacks on the Israeli athletes at the 1972 Olympic games. But his deadliest job occurred years later, with the bombing of Pan Am flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland. CARLOS THE JACKAL separates myth from reality to in this fascinating and authoritative portrait of the notorious terrorist. Only now, six years after his dramatic arrest in the Sudan by French Secret Agents, can the complete story be told. With the help of David Yallop and John Follain, the authors of Jackal, we'll see how an overweight Venezualan boy transformed himself into a swaggering, cold-blooded killer. Vincent Cannistraro, the former director of the CIA's Counter-Terrorism Unit, details the decades-long effort to hunt down the Jackal, and examines the trail of death and destruction he left behind. And we'll see how the Jackal's actions seemed more effective at burnishing his own myth than at championing the cause of Palestinian independence. This is the definitive story of one the most infamous terrorists of all time. - The Tragedy at Cold HarborE5
The Tragedy at Cold HarborIn 1864, General Grant doggedly pursued Lee's forces. On June 3, the two sides met at Cold Harbor, a crossroads near Richmond, where Grant hurled his men against entrenched breastworks, losing 7,000 in 20 minutes. Fighting on, he won victory 10 months later. Hastening the South's end, Cold Harbor ushered in an era of trench warfare. - Time Machine: Biblical DisastersE7
Time Machine: Biblical DisastersThe era about which the Bible is written was an era of earthquakes, floods and other disasters. Bible stories tell of Noah and the flood, the fiery destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah and the ten plagues that forced an Egyptian pharaoh to free Hebrew slaves. Are the Biblical accounts based on fact? Controversial evidence is explored to validate these Biblical claims and whether there may be a parallel to modern disasters. - MichelangeloE8
MichelangeloHe is one of the greatest artists of all time, a man whose name has become synonymous with the word "masterpiece": Michelangelo Buonarotti.Creator of unparalleled works of art painted on canvas and plaster, carved in marble and built from stone, Michelangelo created a legacy of art treasured by the world: The ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, the heroic marble sculpture of David, and the central plan for Saint Peter's Cathedral in Rome. Was he the tortured and lonely man who suffered agonies in pursuit of his art, as he is often portrayed? Art historians, museum curators and Renaissance experts help dispel the mysteries surrounding the man whose glorious works inspire us to this day. Examine the broad canvas of Michelangelo's life and legacy to probe the very soul of the artist who was recognized as a genius in his own lifetime. - The Unreal Story of Professional WrestlingE9
The Unreal Story of Professional WrestlingA & E goes behind the scenes for a rough-and-tumble look at the people and history behind today's most flamboyant sport-pro wrestling. In addition to interviews with Jesse the Body Ventura, Hulk Hogan, Andr+ª the Giant and many others, you'll be treated to clips of some of the sport's earliest stars. - Dear Home: Letters from World War IE10
Dear Home: Letters from World War INarrated by Harry Smith, DEAR HOME: LETTERS FROM WWI chronicles the experiences of American soldiers and supply clerks, pilots and postal workers from draft day to homecoming, how they clung to pen and paper as their only connection to home, and how the war left them forever changed. - The Spanish-American War, Birth of a SuperpowerE11
The Spanish-American War, Birth of a SuperpowerAs a war, it was small, nasty and suspicious. As news, it was a godsend. The Spanish-American War did many things it united an adolescent nation and paraded its global ambitions for all to see, while heralding the descent of a tired empire. In this unique program, the conflict comes to life as it was presented to people at that time through the accounts of newspapers nationwide. From the slow buildup of public sentiment against Spain to the sensationalistic coverage of the explosion of the U.S.S. Maine, the forces, personalities and events of the war that secured America a place on the world stage are relived. Marvel at the fiery rhetoric of "yellow journalism" pioneer William Randolph Hearst, and learn of the many errors and outright fabrications that marred the coverage of the conflict. And ride along with Teddy Roosevelt and his Rough Riders as they charge up San Juan Hill, all according to the reporters of the day. It's a revealing look at the power of the press and its often problematic influence in the real world, where reporters can be as effective in spurring events as presenting them. - The True Story of Robin HoodE12
The True Story of Robin HoodThe History Channel's "History's Mysteries" examines the real story behind one of the most popular and enduring heroes of all time: Robin Hood. A trip through Sherwood Forest and interviews with scholars uncover clues to the fact behind the fiction. How did these stories come to be? Was Robin Hood a real man? If so, was he a champion of the poor or just a greedy bandit? The answers may surprise you. - The Internet - Behind The WebE14
The Internet - Behind The WebThe internet is the defining technology of our time. An historic revolution in communications for the human race that is changing the world. But where did the internet come from? How did it get started? And who built this essential tool and playful toy to millions? And where is it going? - Hitler's Holocaust: Mass MurderE15
Hitler's Holocaust: Mass MurderHistory is filled with words that carry meanings quite from the original. The small quaint town in Poland called Auschwitz is known as Genocide. Our program documents when on at Auschwitz told by the survivors and the Germans that worked there.