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Private Notes
For over 4,000 years, adherents of the world's monotheistic faiths have wrestled with the question of God. This extraordinary, feature-length film, based on Karen Armstrong's acclaimed book of the same name, traces that elusive and fascinating quest.
A HISTORY OF GOD examines the familiar images of deity as presented in the Bible and Koran and traces the evolution and interrelation of the various Christian, Jewish, and Islamic interpretations of the divine figure. Through balanced analysis of historic and holy texts and extensive use of ancient art and artifacts, we'll follow the long road to today's understanding of God and what the journey--and the destination--have to tell us about humanity and its never-ending search for meaning and comfort.
From the time of Abraham to the present, this is a thought-provoking look at the God at the heart of the world's three great monotheistic religions.
Counterfeiting is a crime of contradictions. It's the lazy man's road to riches, yet it can take an enormous amount of effort. It's perceived as a victimless offense, yet it's deployed as a weapon of war. And though too much counterfeiting can undermine a nation's economy, counterfeiters throughout history have been hailed as local heroes. Take a 2600-year journey through the history of counterfeiting that introduces legendary characters, reveals incredible stories and features interviews with experts from both sides of the law--including Secret Service agents and a convicted counterfeiter. See evidence of ancient Greek counterfeiting, get the inside scoop on the current re-design of U.S. currency, and discover the ins and outs of the never-ending, billion dollar cat-and-mouse game between forgers and feds. The fact is, making a buck and faking a buck have always gone hand in hand!
For millions of people around the world, street gangs are a way of life. And for some, they hold the keys to survival itself. STREET GANGS: A SECRET HISTORY examines the history, psychology and role of these groups in America throughout the years, from their first appearances in urban immigrant communities to the sophisticated operations that are expanding the influence of gangs like the Crips and Bloods deep into the heartland today. Current and former gang members reveal what attracted them in the first place, and offer an unflinching look at gang life. Much of what is revealed may come as a surprise to people whose idea of gangs has been shaped in equal parts by the often-sensational press coverage and the romanticized visions presented in films like West Side Story. At the heart of America's street gangs is a love of family, a sense of belonging, and, for the less fortunate, the knowledge that the gang is always waiting with open arms.
This documentary is the true story of nuclear weapons lost by the United States in various accidents during the Cold War.
For the first forty years the U.S. submarine program lacked direction and a clear mission. This changed with the advent of the fleet boat which coincided with World War II. Bigger, more powerful, and faster than most of the classes before it, the Gato class positioned the Silent Service for greatness. A Century of Silent Service examines the exploits of daring submarine captains and crews. Highlights include the remarkable accomplishments of commerce raiding, penetrating harbors, and rescuing pilots such as President George Bush (interviewed in the program).
As WWII ended it appeared the submarine had found its role in the U.S. Navy. That would soon change when one diminutive man with colossal vision would advance submarines into the atomic age. Capt. Hyman Rickover proposed building a nuclear reactor--itself very new technology--into a submarine. The result would produce a vessel that could remain submerged almost indefinitely and travel underwater at record speeds. Once again, a new class of submarine would be created in time for a new war, the Cold War.
Part II introduces us to the nuclear attack submarine and its world shattering partner, the ballistic missile boat. With more emphasis on stealth and lethality than ever before, the U.S. Submarine Force took on the Soviet Union in an undeclared war of detection and avoidance. American subs were able to track and remain undetected for weeks. American submarines were a prime factor in the containment strategy that brought the U.S.S.R. to collapse.
Strategic submarines made over 3,000 deterrent patrols during the Cold War while safely and reliably controlling the nuclear weapons under their responsibility. Today, the Submarine Force enters its second century of service conducting complex operations demanding a stealthy, mobile, high-endurance platform with great firepower.
Interviews include "The Pomfret is Missing" by President Jimmy Carter, "The Holland's Mascot" by Capt. Harry H. Caldwell, "Narrow Escape" by Capt. Edward L. Beach, "Depth Charge Attack" by MOMM2 Len Belhke and "Life Begins at Forty Fathoms" by RADM Eugene P. Fluckey.
Robert Kennedy was on the verge of a presidential run when he was struck down just as his brother before.
Story of a P-47 Thunderbolt unit of the 362nd Fighter Group, filmed in color during the last days of World War II as requested by "Hap" Arnold. Features pilots of the 362nd FG through color footage from March 1945 through the end of the war. Unvarnished and uncompromising, this color film - shot from remote cameras on the planes themselves and specially-equipped bombers following the strike teams - is an extraordinary documentary of the air war over Europe. Includes never-before-seen footage, modern narrations and interviews with the pilots.
The most famous aerial fighting group of World War II, the Black Sheep Squadron officially shot down 100 planes and may have unofficially shot down another 100. Led by Major Gregory "Pappy" Boyington, the self-proclaimed "bad boy" of the Marines, in point of fact, the only so-called "screw-up" in the famed unit. The Black Sheep were a motley group of fly boys who rallied around their commander who inspired them where it counted most in combat.
The first exploration in colour of the Korean War, this programme allows you to experience the terror, courage, blood and chaos that was everyday life for the soldiers and civilians in Korea. De-classified footage, personal films and photographs of veterans are all used to demonstrate the suffering and heroism both sides experienced.
As Hitler rolled across Europe, millions of Jews and political enemies of the Third Reich were maliciously exterminated. Yet many more would have died were it not for the bravery of a few foreign service diplomats. Years before D-Day, men like Switzerland's Carl Lutz, Portugal's Aristides de Sousa Mendes, Hiram Bingham of the U.S., and Germany's George Ferdinand Duckwitz secretly issued visas, falsified papers, and cut backroom deals to rescue the damned from the Nazi clutch.
This series from the History Channel explores some of the most dangerous and deadly natural disasters of all time, including this episode on the infamous Mount Vesuvius volcano. In 79 A.D., Mount Vesuvius erupted and buried the famed city of Pompeii and also Herculaneum.
Based on the book by the same name, this lyrical treatment of Irish history is revealed through stunning photography of its lush countryside and
reenactments of historic events--from the ancient Celts to the Williamite War, and onto the bloody Easter Rising and the life of the revolutionary Michael Collins. This episode aired on the History Channel as a preview for the History International channel.
During World War II, German intelligence spread its tentacles across the globe, operating throughout occupied and neutral Europe, and even as far afield as the United States. We'll see how German intelligence proved a formidable foe, and how in the end it was totally compromised from its center.
This program provides an overview of German espionage from 1870 to 1945. The origins and development of the secret 'services' which Germany used to collect intelligence and to counter the activities of other countries are discussed. There are famous spies and unknown operatives involved in the dangerous and mundane activities of the professional "spy". A useful contrast to the fabulous world of Hollywood spies and secret agents, this documentary explores the unglamorous but nonetheless dangerous world of the espionage agent.
Britain's Special Air Service rescues hostages held by Iraqi-backed gunmen inside London's Iranian Embassy.
The B-29 bomber, which saw action almost exclusively in the Pacific Theater during World War II, represented a giant leap forward technologically from the B-17s and B-24s that flew over Europe. And while the crews of these older bombers won fame for their exploits, the B-29 flyers didn't enjoy the same accolades, for the public perception was that their seemingly perfect planes allowed them to perform their missions with impunity. As UNSUNG HEROES OF THE B-29s reveals, the truth was far more complicated,. The perfect missions from high above Japanese defenses were balanced by scores of dead-low bombing runs without guns into the face of determined kamikaze defenses. Captured crews suffered horribly in Japanese prison camps. And the rush to develop the B-29 claimed scores of lives in hurry-up testing, where design and manufacturing flaws were paid for in blood before the plane even entered active service. UNSUNG HEROES OF THE B-29 also includes a blow-by-blow account of the mission to drop the atomic bomb on Hiroshima from Paul Tibbets, the pilot.
Documentary of the little-known Americans who defended Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.
Commanded and trained by Green Berets, the Mobile Strike Force, also known as "Mike Force," was a roving SWAT team on call to rescue platoons and camps under attack during the Vietnam War. The Mike Force was assigned the perilous mission of rushing into situations in which the North Vietnamese Army and the Viet Cong had already established substantial battle advantages. Made up primarily of indigenous forces, the Mike Force was often the difference between life and death for soldiers, civilians and cities that would have otherwise been lost as casualties of war.
During the Vietnam War, stealth, bravery and commitment to duty were attributes of the Long Range Reconnaissance Patrols (LRRPS) -- the "men with painted faces." Taking risks far beyond conventional units and going deep behind enemy lines, LRRPS sacrificed manpower for stealth, serving as the eyes and ears of their units while on some of the most hazardous patrols in U.S. military history.
From the beginning of the Persian Gulf War, the United States not only had greater technological advantages but had superior special operations teams. Navy SEALS, Green Berets and Army Rangers covertly gathered intelligence and performed numerous duties during the war. From SCUD-hunting to combat search and rescue, the program tells the story of the special operations units and their activities and adventures in the Gulf War.
Documentary about the Military Assistance Command Vietnam Recondo School, where volunteers received on-the-job education that was all too real. Recondo School was established by the Green Berets during the Vietnam war to train recruits for special operations. The program reveals what it took to survive the school, what kind of men volunteered and how their education gave them the skills to survive long-range patrol missions in the jungles of Vietnam.
From World War II through Vietnam to the present, the Green Berets rank among the elite of the Special Operations Forces of the world. The program explores the history and traditions of this group of soldiers: who they are, where they came from, what they do and how they perform missions impossible for conventional units.
Over 140 years have passed since the end of the Civil War. But for many people, the war still rages. For some, it lives on because their ancestors fought or were enslaved. For others it lives on when they re-enact epic battles. Still others march carrying banners and flags of defiance. Here is the complete story of the war that is still happening almost a century and a half later.
Marking the 50th anniversary of the Berlin Airlift, this documentary looks back on an uneasy time in world history. This first "battle" of the cold war started with the Soviet blockade of Berlin, a move to force the Western Allied powers to abandon thier post World War II control of West Berlin. The Soviet blockade included all rail, road and water communications. On June 26, 1948, the United States and Britian began a year-long effort, documented here, to supply West Berlin by air. By July, the Soviet army had increased into 40 divisions - against eight for the West. The blockade ended on May 12, 1949. This is the story of the blockade, told by those involved. They describe the enormous logistical effort to transport some 2.3 million tons of food, fuel and equipment -- a battle the Western powers won. And when it was over, the former Allies formed NATO, the Soviets created the Warsaw Pact, and the Cold War grew even colder.
From Mississippi riverboats to poker to Powerball, this is the history of gambling in America. It was once considered a vice. Now, it is legal in one form or another in 48 states. Many states themselves sponsor it with lotteries, Powerball jackpots and scratch-to-win cards. But the essential truth about gambling remains the same--there are always more losers than winners. Americans have always been willing to risk all for the big payoff. HIGH ROLLERS shows how the 1895 invention of the slot machine changed gambling forever, and how time-honored, once-legitimate activities such as horse racing, three-card monte, and poker and casino games went underworld. Examine the tension between our love of games of chance and our moralizing prohibitions, from the era of Mississippi riverboat gambling to the Wild West, where Wild Bill Hickok was killed during a poker game. Travel to Las Vegas, the town that sold its soul to create a high-stakes gambling extravaganza. And get an intimate look at the growth of the latest trend--Native American run casinos that have changed the face of gambling. From smoke filled rooms to "family entertainment," this is an eye-opening look at how we choose to lose, and hope to win.
