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8/01/1999
Tales of the Gun "Guns of the Bizarre"
Duck Feet, Salt Shakers, Squeezers, Knuckledusters, Fish Hooks, and Harmonicas. Though the listed items sound innocuous, they exist for one reason--self-defense. These are the nicknames of some of the unique guns in this examination of the inventive gunsmiths who created these strange one-of-a-kind firearms [TV G]
9:00/6:00 Sworn to Secrecy. Secret Weapons of the Third Reich
Rockets, jets, and missiles became a top priority for spies on both sides during the Second World War. In this series narrated by Charlton Heston, he explains how espionage, as well as science and engineering, played a critical role in the development of secret weapons--and the prevention of their use!
10:00/7:00 History Undercover. Banking with Hitler.
Swiss banks stand accused of Nazi collaboration, but U.S. Treasury Secretary Henry Morgenthau found they were not alone. He uncovered a sinister story of British and American bankers, who in peace and war, banked on Hitler. We'll reconstruct the Morgenthau investigation, and interview members of his team and of banking families they pursued.
11:00/8:00 True Action Adventures. They Landed by Moonlight/They Fought from Within.
An examination of agents behind-the-lines in WWII including Odette, Yeo-Thomas (the White Rabbit), and Violet Szabo. Then, a look at how the various Resistance groups operated.
Monday -- 08/02/1999
8:00/5:00 The Strange Case of Lizzie Borden. "Lizzie Borden took an ax, and gave her mother 40 whacks; when she saw what she had done, she gave her father 41." Most of us know the grisly rhyme, but not the whole story. Who was Lizzie Borden? Did she really murder her father and stepmother on that muggy morning in August 1892? Or does she stand wrongly accused? (cc) [TV G]
9:00/6:00 Military Blunders. USS. Indianapolis: Tragedy at Sea/Collision at Sea: The Queen Mary and HMS Curacao. First: When the U.S. cruiser The Indianapolis, on a secret mission involving delivery of an atomic bomb, is torpedoed, nobody realizes that the crew is left struggling in shark-infested waters. Then: The Queen Mary, on her way to England transporting GIs, uses zig-zag movements to avoid submarines, but cuts an escorting cruiser in two. [TV G]
10:00/7:00 New York Bridges. Much of New York City's history can be viewed via its bridges--all 18 that connect Manhattan Island to its neighbors. Join us for a look at these architectural masterpieces from the age of iron and steel; and, see how they have changed destinies, linking some to opportunity, others to ruin. (cc)
11:00/8:00 Secrets of World War II. Merrill's Marauders. America's answer to fighting behind Japanese lines was a crack army unit of highly trained jungle fighters led by Brigadier General Frank Merrill. See them take on not only the Japanese in Burma, but also sweltering heat, insects, disease, and faltering supply lines.
Tuesday -- 08/03/1999
8:00/5:00 Buried Secrets: Digging For DNA. A revealing probe into how advances in DNA technology and forensic science are solving some of history's great mysteries. Stories unearthed include: the identity of the Vietnam War Unknown Soldier; how Napoleon died; the corpse of Jesse James; Thomas Jefferson's white and black descendants; the Dr. Sam Sheppard murder case. [TV PG]
9:00/6:00 Military Blunders. The Pilot Who Bombed London/The Last Flight of the Lady Be Good. In 1940, the Luftwaffe was winning the Battle of Britain, attacking R.A.F. fighter bases. But after an off-course pilot bombed London, the British bombed Berlin. Thus began the Blitz. The, a WWII U.S. B-24 Liberator crew, lost over the Mediterranean, crashed in the Libyan desert. It took 20 years to learn their fate. [TV G]
10:00/7:00 U.S. Mints: Money Machines. How does America make money--literally? We visit the United States Mint and the Bureau of Printing and Engraving to see the secretive government facilities where our legal tender is generated. With a storied past as tantalizing as the wealth they create, these mints can spit out fortunes in an hour and keep our economy flowing. (cc) [TV G]
11:00/8:00 Civil War Journal. War Crimes: The Death Camps. An exposŽ of one of the most shameful sagas of the Civil War--the inhuman treatment of P.O.W.s on both sides. Includes a look at facilities in the camps and the crimes committed against the prisoners. [TV G] ; how Napoleon died; the corpse of Jesse James; Thomas Jefferson's white and black descendants; the Dr. Sam Sheppard murder case.
Wednesday -- 08/04/1999
8:00/5:00 The First Detective. Life of 19th-century France's super-sleuth Eugene Francois Vidocq, the world's first private eye. An ex-convict and master of disguise, he helped start the Paris police's first detective squad, introducing undercover work and ballistics testing. Meet the model for fictional heroes of Edgar Allan Poe, Arthur Conan Doyle, and Victor Hugo. (cc) [TV G]
9:00/6:00 Military Blunders. The Bomb Plot to Kill Hitler/Mutiny in the Trenches. First: A look at one of the biggest blunders of WWII, when a plot by German opposition failed to kill Hitler in 1944 at the Wolf's Lair. Then: In 1917, on the Western Front during WWI, the French are repulsed by the Germans due to flawed tactics and poor preparation, leading to widescale mutinies in the French army. [TV G]
10:00/7:00 History of Tall Buildings. A look up at the symbol of the American Century--the skyscraper, the construction of which is a triumph of engineering and capitalism. Climb to the top of the Empire State Building, Chrysler Building, Sears Tower, and World Trade Center to see how ego, money, and technology joined to build the tallest of man-made structures. (cc) [TV G]
11:00/8:00 Weapons at War. Hitler's War Machine: The Luftwaffe. Herman Goering's well-trained fliers filled the skies of Europe with dread and rained terror upon its great capitals. So how did the poorly equipped British Royal Air Force finally defeat them? Veterans and historians reveal the secrets. [TV G]
Thursday -- 08/05/1999
8:00/5:00 Scotland Yard's Greatest Investigations. Join us on an historical tour through Scotland Yard's Black Museum as we study some of England's most diabolical cases and criminals. In the Black Museum, that houses the Yard's evidence and is closed to the public, we examine photos and artifacts from heinous crimes such as the Great Train Robbery and the Acid Bath Murders. [TV G]
9:00/6:00 Military Blunders. The Sinking of the Graf Spree/The Sinking of Force Z off Singapore. First, Germany sends its best pocket battleship on a secret mission in the Atlantic in 1939. When confronted by three British cruisers, not only does the captain sail into a blind alley, but fails to use his superior guns. Then, Churchill dispatches two of Britain's mightiest warships to Singapore--without air cover! [TVG]
10:00/7:00 Garbage. Unwanted and discarded, garbage stands as a smelly testament of mankind's wastefulness. Join us as we rummage through the history of rubbish and discover the ever-changing composition of refuse. We'll also examine the current high and low-tech means of taking out the trash, including recycling, and learn how to use less stuff! (cc) [TV G]
11:00/8:00 Trains Unlimited. When Giants Roamed: The Golden Age of Steam. Weighing over 600 tons, carrying over 28 tons of coal and over 25,000 gallons of water, giant steam locomotives pulled mile-long trains and did the work of three regular steam engines. Before the last days of America's golden age of steam, the mournful cry of the whistle would sing from the largest beasts ever to roam the earth! [TV G]
Friday -- 08/06/1999
8:00/5:00 The Plot to Overthrow FDR. A cabal of financiers and industrialists, alarmed by FDR's economic policies in the Depression, plotted to create a fascist state. Their choice of retired Marine General Smedley Butler to lead an army of disgruntled WWI vets proved their undoing. When Smedley learned details of the conspiracy, he reported the lot to Congress. [TV G]
9:00/6:00 All the President's Men (1976) (In-studio guests: Reporter Carl Bernstein, portrayed in the movie by Dustin Hoffman; Ben Bradlee, portrayed by Jason Robards) [TV PG-L]
Saturday -- 08/07/1999
8:00/5:00 History's Lost & Found. Program #104. In a magazine-style treasure hunt, we search out historical objects and the often-murky truth surrounding them. In this installment, we track: Jackie Kennedy's bloodstained dress; Paul Revere's lanterns; African man-eating lions; the shared liver of Siamese twins Chang and Eng; the oldest pair of Levi's; and the earliest war films. [TV G]
9:00/6:00 The Wrath of God: Disasters in America. Tornadoes: Super Outbreaks. Coils of terror twisting out of the heavens to lash earth, tornadoes hit the U.S. more than any other country. Always unrelenting, never have they struck with such frequency or ferocity as on April 3 and 4, 1974. In just under 18 hours, 148 tornadoes ravaged parts of the Midwest and South, killing 315 people across 13 states. [TV G]
10:00/7:00 The Century. Heaven and Earth. Hosted by Peter Jennings, this 6-part series looks at key moments, memorable people, and important events in 20th century world history. First, meet the century's first mega-celebrity, Charles Lindbergh, whose 1927 solo flight over the Atlantic made the world a smaller place. Then, fly to the moon with the U.S. Apollo space program. [TV G]
Sunday -- 08/08/1999
8:00/5:00 Tales of the Gun. Automatic Pistols. A fixture in the battle zone, menace on the street, and companion to police, the automatic is easy to use, reliable, and deadly. A 20th century advancement, we trace the self-reloading pistol's history from the first awkward model to the sleek guns of Berreta and Glock to a "Smart Gun" of the future that only fires from its owner's hand. [TV G]
9:00/6:00 Sworn to Secrecy. Vietnam: Hidden in Plain Sight. Charlton Heston narrates this look at the Viet Cong's secret methods to foil America's attempt to seal off South Vietnam. From the Ho Chi Minh Trail to the tunnels of Cu Chi, it's an amazing story of hidden supply highways, underground cities, covert camps, and double agents. [TV G]
10:00/7:00 As It Happened: The Nixon Resignation. An overview of the events that led up to the resignation of President Richard M. Nixon on August 9, 1974, and a look at post-resignation Nixon from downcast days at San Clemente to political rehabilitation. Participants and observers describe the last days when his staff found out he had lied about Watergate, and his emotional farewell. [TV G]
11:00/8:00 Military Blunders. Hitler's Declaration of War on the U.S./Death at Stalingrad. A study of two of Hitler's greatest blunders, which spelled doom for the Third Reich. Even after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, President Roosevelt fought resistance to joining the fight against Germany and Italy--until Hitler declared war on the U.S. Then, his insistence on taking Stalingrad leads to the loss of an entire army! [TV G]Monday -- 08/09/1999
8:00/5:00 Bounty Hunters: Relentless Pursuers. They aren't police, yet they can break down your door and yank you off to jail...if you're a bail jumper. Meet the elusive agents who track nature's cleverest animal--man! We trace centuries of legal history supporting bounty hunters, from medieval tradition to English common law, from slave catchers to lawmen of the Wild West. (cc) [TV PG]
9:00/6:00 Hitler's Henchmen. Himmler: The Executioner. The rise of the unprepossessing, bespectacled Himmler to Hitler's most powerful aide was unpredictable. What turned this dutiful son of a devout Catholic into the German myth-driven head of the dreaded S.S.? And, what choices led him to make the holocaust his hallmark? [TV PG]
10:00/7:00 Crash Testing. Delves into the little-known, hugely important, multi-billion-dollar industry of product testing--where wrinkles get ironed out, and goods are stripped of marketing and hype to see if they work. Meet product testers who serve as truth squads in an eccentric world of machines devised to "sneeze" at tissue paper and "sleep" on mattresses. (cc) [TV G]
11:00/8:00 History's Lost & Found. Program #104. In a magazine-style treasure hunt, we search out historical objects and the often-murky truth surrounding them. In this installment, we track: Jackie Kennedy's bloodstained dress; Paul Revere's lanterns; African man-eating lions; the shared liver of Siamese twins Chang and Eng; the oldest pair of Levi's; and the earliest war films. [TV G]
Tuesday -- 08/10/1999
8:00/5:00 The Best Kept Secret: D-Day. The unmitigated success of the Allies' "Operation Overlord"--the Normandy Invasion that cracked the Nazis' Atlantic defense--depended on an elaborate plan to fool the Germans as to when and where the assault would hit. We'll investigate deception plan "Bodyguard" which included a million-man army of inflatable men and equipment! [TV G]
9:00/6:00 Hitler's Henchmen. Wilhelm Keitel. Widely regarded as a weak officer with little tactical military experience, the head of German armed forces served chiefly as Hitler's lackey. Watch Wilhelm Keitel's rise from WWI staff officer to Hitler's most trusted field marshal, to death by hanging after conviction at Nuremberg for the shooting of hostages. [TV PG]
10:00/7:00 Earth Movers: The Power to Move Mountains. Feel the earth move under your feet, and dig into the fascinating history of earthmoving equipment--from invention of the simple spade to today's powerful steam shovels. Meet the legendary giants like John Deere, Jerome Case, and the founders of Caterpillar, who helped forge America's monolithic construction industry. (cc) [TV G]
11:00/8:00 Civil War Journal. Robert E. Lee. The legend, myth, and reality behind the Confederate leader renowned as much for his exalted character and leadership qualities as his tactical brilliance on the battlefield. [TV G]
Wednesday -- 08/11/1999
8:00/5:00 Hell's Angels. Are they romantic figures of rebellion, or traveling, rowdy misfits? Jump on you "hog" and ride along as we reveal the history of this motorcycle club with a punch! From inception by a former pilot from the "Hell's Angels" squadron, to the true incident on which "The Wild One" is based, to today, it's a ride you won't want to miss. [TV PG]
9:00/6:00 Hitler's Henchmen. Ribbentrop: The Errand Boy. Portrait of the prototype career climber whose obedience to authority was a way of life. As a versatile emissary who once opposed Hitler, von Ribbentrop quickly won the Fuhrer's favor, becoming the able foreign minister who prepped the way for Hitler's aggressions. In 1946, the errand boy was condemned to death at Nuremberg. [TV PG]
10:00/7:00 Harley-Davidson. A while back, the Harley-Davidson Motor Company teetered on the brink of bankruptcy--today, there are Harley restaurants, a clothing line, even a Harley Barbie! Examine this American success story that began in 1903 when four men--the Davidsons and William Harley--launched a motorcycle marketing wonder from a Milwaukee shed. (cc) [TV G]
11:00/8:00 The Great Ships. The Amphibious Assault Ships. Climb aboard the fleet of ships that comprise "The Gator Navy". Among the most advanced ships afloat, they range from huge vessels like the U.S.S. Tarawa to smaller landing craft effective on land and sea. From WWII to counter-terrorist operations today, their success is the seamless orchestration of land, ground, and air forces.
Thursday -- 08/12/1999
8:00/5:00 The Cavemen. Cave dwellers known as Neanderthals roamed earth some 70,000 years ago, possibly coexisting with our predecessors. Fossil records date the last Neanderthals to 30,000 years ago when they seemed to disappear. We'll learn how they differed from other primates and what factors may have led to their demise. [TV G]
9:00/6:00 Hitler's Henchmen. Bormann: The Shadow Man. Though inconspicuous, Martin Bormann, Hitler's personal secretary, Nazi Party chief, and sycophant, was a restless schemer with the power to turn an inconclusive instruction from his master into a "Fuhrer Command". Bormann's secretary, mistress, son, and others who knew him, provide insight into this power-hungry shadow man.
10:00/7:00 Tanks. See how technology has transformed the tank from a slow-moving vehicle operating at only four miles an hour during WWI, to today's 60-ton monsters that move at 45 miles per hour. George C. Scott hosts. [TV G]
11:00/8:00 Secrets of World War II. The Secrets of Guadalcanal. Hundreds of sailors, eight ships, and two U.S. admirals were lost in an action where valor overcame mistakes made by both sides in the first large-scale Allied victory over the Japanese and the final defeat of Admiral Yamamoto. Discover how the Japanese, with superior land, sea, and air forces strategically and tactically failed.
Friday -- 08/13/1999
9:00/6:00 Ku Klux Klan: A Secret History. Kneeling before a flaming cross, Klansmen and women take part in their sacred bonding, showing how secrecy and ritual aid the hooded order in a campaign for white supremacy. From its birth in 1866's Reconstruction South to a 1996 rally, this chronicle of hate talks to Julian Bond, Morris Dees Jr., the Grand Dragon, and Imperial Wizard. [TV PG-L]
11:00/8:00 The Warrior Tradition. Green Berets. Unconventional...elite...secretive...highly trained. They're the U.S. Special Operations forces, part of a long tradition of soldiers who eschewed the open battlefield to fight behind the lines. From Francis Marion's Revolutionary War "irregulars", WWII's Rangers and Merrill's Marauders, to Vietnam where the Green Berets came into their own. [TVPG]
Saturday -- 08/14/1999
8:00/5:00 History's Lost & Found. Program #105. Join us on an historical scavenger hunt as we search down artifacts from around the world. Some of the objects on our list this week include Clyde Barrow's death shirt, Oliver Cromwell's head, and the first dinosaur skeleton to be publicly disclosed. [TV G]
9:00/6:00 The Wrath of God: Disasters in America. Hurricanes: Category Five. They form near Africa, feeding off the ocean's heat until maturing to full-fledged hurricanes--ferocious tropical cyclones with wind speeds up to 200 m.p.h. Historians, survivors, and weather watchers recreate the horror of the 1900 Galveston and 1935 Florida Keys Hurricanes, and Hurricanes Camille ('69), Gilbert ('88), and Mitch ('98). [TV G]
10:00/7:00 The Century. Ultimate Power. Peter Jennings looks back at key events that shaped 20th century history, focusing on the rise to power of Adolf Hitler and the birth of the first weapon of ultimate mass destruction, the atomic bomb dropped by the U.S. on Hiroshima in 1945. Could these two forces of evil, which changed the world forever, have been prevented? [TV G]

September

Tuesday -- 09/07/1999
8:00/5:00 England's Great Wall. Stretching roughly 80 miles across northern England, Hadrian's Wall split the country in two, serving as a barrier against Pict marauders. Did the Roman army build the wall to protect their new province, or as some historians argue, to build-up the phenomenal ego of Emperor Hadrian, which was nearly as big as the wall itself? (cc) [TV G]

9:00/6:00 Roman War Machine. Roman versus Roman. By 55 B.C., the Roman army had conquered nearly all the Mediterranean region. Rome's greatest general, Julius Caesar, stood on destiny's brink. After conquering Gaul, he planned to invade a distant, strange island--Britain. But soon, the Roman army would find itself embroiled in civil war as Roman faced Roman over the Rubicon. [TV G]

10:00/7:00 Golden Gate Bridge. More than 50 years after its construction, the Golden Gate remains one of the world's great engineering marvels. It took 25 million man-hours and 80,000 miles of cable to complete. But the cost in human life proved even greater. (cc)[TV G]

11:00/8:00 Civil War Journal. The Monitor vs The C.S.S. Virginia. In March 1862, the North's Monitor and the South's C.S.S. Virginia clashed in an inclusive battle. But the ironclads changed naval warfare forever, their armor plating dooming wooden warships to the scrap heap. [TV G]

Wednesday -- 09/08/1999
8:00/5:00 The Knights of Camelot. King Arthur, Merlin, Lancelot, Guinevere, and the Knights of the Round Table--are they figures from fanciful fable or portraits from a pagan past? Travel back to early England and Wales to unravel the Arthurian legend and learn why the yearning for Camelot and chivalry survives. (cc) [TV G]

9:00/6:00 Roman War Machine. Roman Siege Warfare. If any ancient people dared defy Roman demands to surrender town or city, a large arsenal of technologically advanced siege weaponry may have been among the last sights they witnessed on earth. For siege warfare was one of Rome's greatest tools for winning and keeping control of its empire. Joseph Campanella hosts. [TV G]

10:00/7:00 Plumbing: The Arteries of Civilization. Each day, billions of gallons of water flow through cities into homes and back out again in a confusing mess of pipes, pumps, and fixtures. The history of plumbing is a tale crucial to our survival--supplying ourselves with fresh water and disposing of human waste. From ancient solutions to the future, we'll plumb plumbing's depths. (cc) [TV G]

11:00/8:00 The Great Ships. The Ships of the Line. For 300 years, they were the world's mightiest vessels. Now extraordinary recreations take us on board the legendary English warships, including Nelson's H.M.S. Victory. [TV G]

Thursday -- 09/09/1999
8:00/5:00 England's Lost Castles. During the early Middle Ages in England, timber castles were the dominant fortifications--yet today, only mounds of earth remain where the wooden wonders once stood. How did changing times and technological advances topple these timber citadels in favor of stone fortresses? (cc) [TV G]

9:00/6:00 Roman War Machine. Barbarians at the Gate. By the 2nd century A.D., the empire had expanded as far as it could. Consolidation was at hand. Instead of plundering new territories, the Roman army reconstructed them. Because the army was the first Roman presence in a new land, the soldiers and their architects, surveyors, and engineers built their own defenses...some lasting 2,000 years. [TV G]

10:00/7:00 Salt Mines. It's our blood, sweat, and tears. Trace salt mining's history--from the "white gold" on the table to the oceanic and underground deposits whence they came. Though today we take salt for granted, most life depends on it. Roman soldiers were sometimes paid in it--hence the word salary. And many slaves died procuring it. (cc) [TVG]

11:00/8:00 Secrets of World War II. Behind Enemy Lines. Join us as we uncover some of the untold stories of World War II when we go behind enemy lines with the elite special forces that emerged during the war, such as the British Special Air Service (S.A.S.) and the U.S. Army's Rangers. [TV G]

Friday -- 09/10/1999
8:00/5:00 The Missing Princes of England. London, 1483. The War of the Roses rages, threatening the throne. Newly orphaned Edward V and his younger brother, placed in the care of their uncle, are declared illegitimate. They then disappear, the bodies never found. Did Richard III have them murdered? Or was he the victim of a Tudor plot to claim the throne and discredit him? (cc) [TV G]

9:00/6:00 The World's Greatest Conspiracies. Did Sirhan Sirhan have an accomplice in the killing of Robert Kennedy? Did the FBI play a role in the murder of Martin Luther King, Jr.? This documentary examines these and other possible conspiracies. [TV G]

11:00/8:00 Jesse James: Fact or Fiction. In Missouri, there is a grave marked Jesse James, but do the remains of the famed frontier outlaw really lie there? This program examines the scientific evidence and the controversy. We'll also meet some of Jesse's descendants who avail themselves for DNA testing to finally lay the mystery to rest. (cc) [TVG]

Saturday -- 09/11/1999
8:00/5:00 History's Lost & Found. Program #103. Based on Harvey Rachlan's book "Lucy's Bones, Sacred Stones and Einstein's Brain," this hour tracks down Revolutionary War hero John Paul Jones' corpse; traces the incredible journey of the London Bridge to an Arizona desert; and examines the curious story of George Washington's teeth. (cc) [TV G]

9:00/6:00 The Wrath of God: Disasters in America. Shipwrecks of the Great Lakes. The Great Lakes cover 95,000 square miles, and the remains of over 6,000 shipwrecks cover their floors. Most are caused by violent storms with towering waves and destructive winds. We study one of the most nasty tempests, the "November Witch", responsible for the deaths of 273 people in 1913, and the '58 wreck of the Edmond Fitzgerald. [TV G]

10:00/7:00 The Century. The Evolution of Revolution. In the concluding episode, Peter Jennings examines America's involvement in Iran and how our cozy relationship with the Shah would come back to haunt the country when Iranian students seized the U.S. embassy in 1979. Then, prominent leaders and thinkers discuss the future, based on their views of the past 100 years. [TV G]

Sunday -- 09/12/1999
8:00/5:00 Tales of the Gun. Women and Guns. Since the invention of gunpowder, the "fairer sex" has demonstrated an amazing proficiency with firearms. Against tradition, women have disguised themselves as men in order to fight in war. In the Wild West, they learned to shoot to survive. Throughout history, they have been armed--and sometimes dangerous! [TV G]

9:00/6:00 Sworn to Secrecy. The Ultra Enigma. British codebreaking and capture of the German military's super cipher machine, the Enigma, enabled the Allies to pull off one of the greatest campaigns of deception in military history, and changed the course of World War II. Charlton Heston narrates. [TV G]

10:00/7:00 History Undercover. Top Secret: Spy Planes of the Cold War. Join host Arthur Kent as he uncovers new information about secret spy plane missions flown over communist territories during the Cold War. Over 10,000 missions were flown; many were tracked and attacked by the U.S.S.R., Red China, and North Korea. The most famous was C.I.A. agent pilot Gary Powers, shot down in 1960 over the Soviet Union. [TV G]

11:00/8:00 Military Blunders. Saddam's Invasion of Kuwait/Desert One. First, we'll look at how Saddam Hussein's misunderstanding of the international political climate led to his invasion of Kuwait. Then, we examine the aborted attempt by U.S. Special Forces to rescue the hostages held in the U.S. Embassy in Tehran during the Iranian Revolution in 1980. [TV G]

Monday -- 09/13/1999
8:00/5:00 The Truth about Science Fiction. From the dawn of the scientific age, visionaries, like H.G. Wells and Jules Verne, have pictured the future in fiction. Authors Larry Niven and Harlan Ellison, historian Forrest Ackerman, and NASA scientists detail sci-fi history and show how the worlds of fiction and reality play off each other, slowly merging to create an amazing future! (cc) [TV G]

9:00/6:00 The Great Ships. High Tech, High Seas: Armament. Join us for some of the most dramatic naval battles of the past as we explore the evolution of maritime weaponry--from brutal hand-to-hand clashes in combat at sea's early days to thundering broadsides of the 18th century to 20th century battleships, warplanes, and missiles. See how innovations in weaponry changed the evolution of ships. [TV G]

10:00/7:00 The Atlantic Wall. Join us for an exploration of the Nazi construction called the Atlantic Wall--3,000 miles of shore fortifications along occupied European coastline. We'll highlight the logistics of construction, types of fortifications, weapons, and obstacles in the wall used by the Germans. We also detail the Allied D-Day invasion. (cc) [TV G]

11:00/8:00 History's Lost & Found. Program #103. Based on Harvey Rachlan's book "Lucy's Bones, Sacred Stones and Einstein's Brain," this hour tracks down Revolutionary War hero John Paul Jones' corpse; traces the incredible journey of the London Bridge to an Arizona desert; and examines the curious story of George Washington's teeth. (cc) [TV G]

Tuesday -- 09/14/1999
8:00/5:00 Mysteries of Easter Island. Isolated 2,200 miles west of Chile in the Pacific, Easter Island is the easternmost outpost of the Polynesian island world. Famous for its ancient, giant stone statues, its people struggle to retain their past, while grappling with the future. See how overpopulation and environmental degradation nearly destroyed it. (cc) [TV G]

9:00/6:00 The Great Ships. High Tech, High Seas: Design and Construction. From the simplest canoes of antiquity to today's most advanced nuclear submarines, we trace the innovations of ship design and construction through the centuries. Profiling some of history's most famous ships of war and commerce, we meet the most brilliant designers of all time and chart ship design from art to science. [TV G]

10:00/7:00 Stealth Technology. A look at the F-117 Stealth Fighter that led the pack for the Allies in the Gulf War and virtually decimated Baghdad. Find out how the technology allows it to approach its target without being detected by radar. Also, a look at the B-2 Stealth Bomber. (cc) [TV G]

11:00/8:00 Civil War Journal. Sherman and the March to the Sea. From the glow of burning Atlanta to the capture of Savannah, this documentary chronicles the scorched-earth policy of one of the Union's most effective--and feared--generals. [TV G]

Wednesday -- 09/15/1999
8:00/5:00 Catacombs of Rome. Tunneled into the bowels of ancient Rome is a dank labyrinth of beautifully decorated burial chambers and vaults where religious outcasts--pagans, Jews, and Christians--secretly preserved forbidden rituals for fear of persecution. Delve beneath Rome's heights to uncover the secrets of her catacombs and eternal residents. (cc) [TV G]

9:00/6:00 The Great Ships. High Tech, High Seas: Propulsion. In this exploration of man's eternal quest to move ships faster and more efficiently, we'll see how advances in propulsion have inspired innovations in ship design--from crude oars and paddles, through sails and steam engines, to the gas turbines and nuclear reactors that power today's superships and submarines. [TV G]

10:00/7:00 Battlefield Engineering. Meet some of the most important, yet least-recognized, warriors--the battlefield engineers who lay the groundwork for the battles to come. We'll cover combat engineering from ancient Rome to Desert Storm, and take a look at the "Next Big Thing". (cc) [TV G]

11:00/8:00 The Great Ships. The Battleships. Carrying the largest, most powerful guns ever to be placed on a warship, the battleships of World War II served with distinction and created a vivid legacy that resonates today. [TV G]

Thursday -- 09/16/1999
8:00/5:00 The Gold of El Dorado. El Dorado...somewhere deep within the South American rainforest lies a city paved in gold. During the 1500s, brutal Spanish conquistadors, gripped with gold fever, slaughtered native tribes in their quest for the city of gold...but El Dorado was never found. Join modern explorers still searching for those streets of gold. (cc) [TV G]

9:00/6:00 The Great Ships. High Tech, High Seas: Navigation. Ahoy, landlubbers! Join us for the fascinating story of how man has charted his way across the boundless sea through the ages--from the dead-reckoning of Viking navigators like Leif Erikson, to the Age of Discovery's lodestone compasses and astrolabes, to the Global Positioning System's sophisticated satellites. [TV G]

10:00/7:00 NORAD: The War Game Fortress. Takes you into the top-secret headquarters of America's nuclear missile warning center, hidden deep in the mountains of Colorado. (cc) [TV G]

11:00/8:00 Secrets of World War II. The Secrets of the Battle of the Bulge. Facing defeat in 1944, Hitler played a final gamble in a foolhardy offensive on the Western Front. What he didn't realize was that his battle plan was known to the Allies who were decoding Nazi radio messages. [TV G]

Friday -- 09/17/1999
8:00/5:00 Prophecies. From the ancient Greek's ominous Oracle at Delphi to the Renaissance's revered Nostradamus, civilizations have sought their future through the mouths of prophets. Decide if the uncanny and often accurate predictions from the past are really foretelling our future, or if it is all hocus pocus. (cc) [TV G]

9:00/6:00 High Rollers: A History of Gambling. You can bet on an exciting two hours as we expose the history of gambling in America. Since the first race horses arrived in colonial Virginia in 1607, to 1998, when 48 states allowed legalized gambling, moralists and risk-lovers have waged a continuous war. Hear both sides as we explore our national need to throw the dice. [TV PG]

11:00/8:00 History Undercover. Las Vegas and the Mormons. Las Vegas--20th century Babylon in the Nevada desert, where you're never more than a 2-minute walk from a casino. But our story is less well-known--Las Vegas is a Mormon town. Host Arthur Kent explores the paradox of how a religious, abstemious people came to terms with life in Sin City, and even helped finance the notorious gaming resorts. [TV G]

Saturday -- 09/18/1999
8:00/5:00 History's Lost & Found. Program #104. In a magazine-style treasure hunt, we search out historical objects and the often-murky truth surrounding them. In this installment, we track: Jackie Kennedy's bloodstained dress; Paul Revere's lanterns; African man-eating lions; the shared liver of Siamese twins Chang and Eng; the oldest pair of Levi's; and the earliest war films. (cc) [TV G]

9:00/6:00 The Wrath of God: Disasters in America. Hurricanes: Deadly Wind, Deadly Rain. They are the trouble in paradise that can put islands under water, spawn tornadoes, level cities, and kill thousands. Named after the Carib god of storms, Huracan, they wreak havoc each year. We'll fly through the eye of three deadly storms: Miami's "Big One" in 1926 and Hurricane Andrew in 1992, and New England's 1938 monster. [TVG]

10:00/7:00 Crimes in Time. From Butch Cassidy's outlaw adventures in a fading Old West to the Jazz Age theft of the Mona Lisa, certain crimes perfectly capture the essence of an epoch. Host Tom Skerritt takes a look at some of history's most fascinating illegal acts. (cc) [TV G]

Sunday -- 09/19/1999
8:00/5:00 Tales of the Gun. Japanese Guns of WWII. As Japan bombed its way into the Pacific during WWII, Imperial soldiers carried pride, a sense of invincibility, and an arsenal of clumsy and outdated weapons. Convinced that the tactics and tools that led to victory over colonial enemies would be just as effective against the Allies, Japan would see its weaponry lead to defeat. [TV G]

9:00/6:00 Sworn to Secrecy. The Invasion That Never Was. In this investigation of the planned U.S. invasion of Japan during WWII, we'll hear from noted authors Norman Polmar and Tom Allen, whose book "Codename: Downfall" details this invasion that never happened. Charlton Heston narrates. [TV G]

10:00/7:00 History Undercover. Inferno: The True Story of Dresden. On the night of February 13, 1945, Lancasters from the British Royal Air Force took off for Dresden. They were the first wave of planes in a 3-stage combined British and American attack. Within 24 hours, the attack caused such immense loss of life that it provoked worldwide horror. We'll see why the Allies made this provocative decision. [TV G]

11:00/8:00 Military Blunders. A Bridge Too Far/Bombing Fiasco in Normandy. An examination of two Allied miscalculations during WWII. First, when British Field Marshall Montgomery raced U.S. General Patton into Germany, he deployed airborne brigades one bridge too far, bringing lightly armed paratroopers up against crack S.S.Panzer divisions. Then, how Allied troops were bombed by their own planes at Normandy [TV G]

Monday -- 09/20/1999
8:00/5:00 Project Underworld: The Military and the Mafia. Illuminates the shadowy liaison between U.S. Naval Intelligence, the Office of Strategic Services, and Army, and the New York and Sicilian Mafia during WWII. Find out if our spymasters inadvertently revitalized the nearly defunct Sicilian Mafia, and why N.Y. Governor Dewey commuted Lucky Luciano's prison sentence. [TV G]

9:00/6:00 The Korean War: Fire & Ice. Making of a Blood Bath. An examination of the Korean War, which set all the rules for East/West conflict during the nuclear age, and in so doing, brought an unknowing world closer to all-out atomic war than has ever been told. In this episode, a North Korean surprise attack finds desperate and unready U.N. forces fighting with their backs to the sea. [TV PG]

10:00/7:00 Spy Technology. Espionage has been used for at least the last 4,000 years. And where there are spies, you find gadgets! We focus on the last 100 years of cloak and dagger technology--from early code-breaking computers to satellite reconnaissance--and take a look at the James Bond-type gadgets of the Cold War. (cc) [TV G]

11:00/8:00 History's Lost & Found. Program #104. In a magazine-style treasure hunt, we search out historical objects and the often-murky truth surrounding them. In this installment, we track: Jackie Kennedy's bloodstained dress; Paul Revere's lanterns; African man-eating lions; the shared liver of Siamese twins Chang and Eng; the oldest pair of Levi's; and the earliest war films. (cc) [TV G]

Tuesday -- 09/21/1999
8:00/5:00 The War Strikes Home. Despite declared neutrality in WWI, America covertly shipped munitions to future allies from a depot called "Black Tom" on the Jersey side of New York Harbor. In 1915, Germany sent a secret weapon--Captain Franz von Rintelen, a.k.a. "Dark Invader," whose successful sabotage of "Black Tom" edged the U.S. closer to war. (cc) [TV G]

9:00/6:00 The Korean War: Fire & Ice. Triumph to Tragedy. Join us for an in-depth look at the Korean War. Lasting three years, it took more than 2,000,000 military and civilian lives! Prominent historians and battle veterans reveal the pain, glory, and pathos of the war. This part revisits MacArthur's amphibious strike at Inchon, which routed North Korean invaders...until the Chinese intervened. [TV PG]

10:00/7:00 Radar. Examines the history of radar, focusing on its role in the Allies' victory in WWII. From the Chain Home Network, rudimentary radar towers that ringed England's eastern coast, to the role of Boston's MIT in developing a smuggled English secret--the cavity of magnetron. (cc) [TV G]

11:00/8:00 Civil War Journal. The Secret War: Civil War Spies. The little-known and often incredible stories of the men and women who became espionage agents for both North and South. [TV G]

Wednesday -- 09/22/1999
8:00/5:00 Navajo Code Talkers. Meet the Navajo Code Talkers--young men from government-run reservations called upon to fight for the nation that had killed many of their grandparents. First-person accounts relate how a handful of WWII marines devised the only unbreakable code in modern military history, which remained classified until the Vietnam War's end. (cc) [TV G]

9:00/6:00 The Korean War: Fire & Ice. Retreat from Hell. The Korean War was a war of firsts: The first jet war; the first war where it was not possible to unleash full power, politically or militarily; and the first battlefield of the Cold War. In this episode, we'll watch a freezing, shattered U.N. army fight its way out of a Chinese trap in the longest retreat in U.S. history. [TV PG]

10:00/7:00 Battlefield Medicine. "He who would become a surgeon should join the army and follow it," Hippocrates counseled nearly 2,500 years ago. In this history of medicine under fire, we see how a small army of medics, nurses, surgeons, stretcher-bearers, and ambulance drivers, races to keep pace with the deadly advances of war. (cc) [TV G]

11:00/8:00 The Great Ships. The Special Warfare Craft. Tour the stealthy, heavily armed commando craft of the Navy Seals--the U.S. Navy's most elite warriors. We'll follow the Special Boat Units on dangerous missions throughout the world as they enter undetected onto hostile shores, mount demolition attacks, and fulfill reconnaissance needs. [TV G]

Thursday -- 09/23/1999
8:00/5:00 Roman Roads: Paths to Empire. Built on the backs of conquered countries, the Romans engineered a stone-paved highway system encompassing 50,000 miles and sprawling across three continents. Ironically, their breathtaking feat may have paved the road to their ruin as ancient and newly sprung enemies marched straight to the heart of the empire. (cc) [TV G]

9:00/6:00 The Korean War: Fire & Ice. Bitter Standoff. Filled with a rich selection of interviews with battle veterans, as well as commentary by military writers and historians, our series looks at the Korean War from the G.I.'s point-of-view. In the final episode, General Ridgway replaces MacArthur, and turns back the communist tide during two years of the war's bloodiest fighting. [TV PG]

10:00/7:00 The Submarines. Deadly steel sharks that stalk their prey below the surface, submarines reign supreme in the undersea world. With a pedigree dating back to 1787, U-boats came of age in the 20th century and completely revolutionized water warfare. (cc) [TV G]

11:00/8:00 Secrets of World War II. The Sinking of the Scharnhorst. In the Battle of the North Cape, the Scharnhorst was faster than any rival British battleship; but she was about to meet her destiny at the hands of Admiral Fraser in one of the most exciting naval engagements of the war. [TV G]

Friday -- 09/24/1999 8:00/5:00 The Boy Who Gave Away the Bomb. Though some spies who passed atomic secrets to the Soviet Union were caught--the Rosenbergs, David Greenglass, Klaus Fuchs--at least one more existed in the Manhattan Project. Declassified data points to Ted Hall, a teenaged scientist who gave away more than the Rosenbergs and earlier than Fuchs. Meet the boy who gave away the bomb. (cc) [TV G]

9:00/6:00 The Cuban Missile Crisis. Timothy Naftali, co-author of "One Hell of a Gamble: The Secret History of the Cuban Missile Crisis", walks us step-by-step through the stages of the crisis that nearly brought the world to war. Startling revelations include: how an overheard conversation at Washington's National Press Club helped avert annihilation. [TV G]

11:00/8:00 History Undercover. Kennedy and Nixon. Based on Christopher Matthews' book, we tell the story of two of the 20th century's most compelling leaders, and their surprisingly close friendship that developed into intense rivalry. Firsthand accounts from Nixon aides and Kennedy staffers, as well as anecdotes from Matthews, offer insights that will even surprise political junkies! [TV G]

Saturday -- 09/25/1999 8:00/5:00 History's Lost & Found. Program #107. REVISED: NEW DESCRIPTION: Join us on an historical scavenger hunt as we search down artifacts from around the world. Some of the objects on our list include: Edison's Electric Killing Machine; Togo the Sled Dog; Shakespeare's Will; Coolidge's Exercise Horse; the First Video Game; Beethoven's Hearing Aid; and Elvis Presley's Purple Cadillac. (cc)[TV G]

9:00/6:00 The Wrath of God: Disasters in America. Panic! Deadly Inferno. Audiences pay for the privilege of forgetting their troubles for an evening out--none expect to pay with their lives. We review three of the most deadly interior fires in U.S. history, including: the 1903 Chicago Iroquois Theater fire; the 1942 Boston Cocoanut Grove nightclub fire; and the '90 Happy Land Social Club fire in the Bronx. [TV G]

10:00/7:00 The Hindenburg. Story of the giant German airship that mysteriously exploded over New Jersey in 1937. Why did the tragedy occur, and who was responsible? This special explores the theories. [TVPG]

Sunday -- 09/26/1999 8:00/5:00 Tales of the Gun. German Small Arms of WWII. An evaluation of the evolution of German "small arms" from the end of WWI, when the defeated nation was denied the right to rearm by the Treaty of Versailles, to the end of WWII, after Hitler had again supplied the country with the means to wage war. See how Lugers, P-38s, and Mausers wrote an agonizing chapter in the gun's history. [TV G]

9:00/6:00 Sworn to Secrecy. The Purple Code. Charlton Heston narrates the story of America's leading code breaker, William Friedman, and how his deciphering machines were used against seemingly impenetrable Japanese codes during WWII. [TV G]

10:00/7:00 History Undercover. Deadly Crossing. September 1944: Two U.S. submarines run a race against time trying to rescue hundreds of nearly dead men. What the Yanks didn't know, when they returned to the site of an earlier attack on a Japanese convoy, was that part of its cargo was Australian and British P.O.W.s. In the sea for four days, only 127 out of 2,000 survived. Two speak here. [TV PG]

11:00/8:00 Military Blunders. The Pilot Who Bombed London/The Last Flight of the Lady Be Good. In 1940, the Luftwaffe was winning the Battle of Britain, attacking R.A.F. fighter bases. But after an off-course pilot bombed London, the British bombed Berlin. Thus began the Blitz. The, a WWII U.S. B-24 Liberator crew, lost over the Mediterranean, crashed in the Libyan desert. It took 20 years to learn their fate. [TV G]

Monday -- 09/27/1999 8:00/5:00 Vigilantes. Sometimes vilified, but often gloried in the media, vigilante groups are more than a cultural myth in the long saga of American history. Taking the law into their own hands, vigilantes played a major role in shaping our country's social values--from the Colonial Era to the Wild West and the racist vigilantes of the Reconstruction South. (cc) [TV PG]

9:00/6:00 The History of the Gun, Pt. 1. This complete history of the gun conducts an exciting cultural and technical survey of the evolution of the weapon that changed human conflict forever. Episode 1, in a 4-part series, tries to solve the riddle of who actually invented gunpowder--a monk under Satan's spell, the Chinese, or an Englishchemist. [TV G]

10:00/7:00 Simulators. Though "simulations" date back to cave paintings, devices for interacting with "synthetic realities" are a recent invention. See how simulators are used as training tools for nearly every profession today where hands-on experience is too costly or dangerous--from the 1929 Link Pilot Trainer to simulated virtual realities. (cc) [TV G]

11:00/8:00 History's Lost & Found. Program #107. REVISED: NEW DESCRIPTION: Join us on an historical scavenger hunt as we search down artifacts from around the world. Some of the objects on our list include: Edison's Electric Killing Machine; Togo the Sled Dog; Shakespeare's Will; Coolidge's Exercise Horse; the First Video Game; Beethoven's Hearing Aid; and Elvis Presley's Purple Cadillac. (cc)[TV G]

Tuesday -- 09/28/1999
8:00/5:00 The Real Newton Boys. In the 1920s, four poor Texan brothers became America's most successful bank and train robbers. The Newton Boys robbed over 80 banks and six trains, while never killing a soul. As a result, they achieved something few outlaws did--they lived to old age! With rare interview footage with two of the brothers from the 1970s.(cc) [TV PG]

9:00/6:00 The History of the Gun, Pt. 2. Episode 2, in this comprehensive history of the gun, traces the shift from early muzzle loading guns to breechloaders. We'll look at Samuel Colt's legendary revolvers, Remington's guns, and the pistols of Smith and Wesson. 4-part series. [TV G]

10:00/7:00 Baseball Parks. Step up to the plate and play ball as we take you on a tour of those amazing edifices of the national pastime--baseball stadiums! From the sandlots and wooden ballparks of the 1800 and 1900s to the monolithic multipurpose stadiums of today, baseball parks have grown into technological wonders that pull in and cost millions. (cc) [TV G]

11:00/8:00 Civil War Journal. The Battle of 1st Bull Run. The first battle of the Civil War introduces both sides to the horrors of war. [TVG]

Wednesday -- 09/29/1999
8:00/5:00 Ancient Drugs. Since mankind's beginnings, and in all civilizations, we have found ways to alter our everyday consciousness in search of a greater reality. To this end, we have indulged in many frightening and often toxic substances in many different rituals. We'll look for answers to why we take mind-altering trips off the well-trod path. (cc) [TV G]

9:00/6:00 The History of the Gun, Pt. 3. Episode 3, in this cultural and technical history of the gun, travels to America's western frontier where cowboys, lawmen, and gunslingers use Colt's pistols and Winchester's repeating rifles to put the "wild" in the Wild West. 4-part series. [TV G]

10:00/7:00 Plastics. Plastics are everywhere--the home, the workplace, the car, the human body, outer space, and most conspicuously, the garbage heap and landfill. Artificially created test-tube material, plastic can't be returned to nature. Will we drown in a sea of plastic? Join us as we review this protean substance's past and future. (cc) [TVG]

11:00/8:00 The Great Ships. The Tankers. Climb aboard the most mammoth moving objects ever made as we study tankers. See how their development parallels the history of oil, from discovery in America in 1859 to evolution as a linchpin of industrialized countries. Meet colorful owners, such as Niarchos, Onassis, and Ludwig, whose fierce competition fueled the world. [TV G]

Thursday -- 09/30/1999
8:00/5:00 Devil's Island: Hell on Earth. In French Guiana, we unearth the hellish history of the penal colony Devil's Island, final stop for France's incorrigibles and political prisoners from 1852 to 1945. We interview an 82-year-old former prison secretary; actor Richard Dreyfuss, who claims descent from inmate Alfred Dreyfus; and island authority Alexander Miles. [TV PG]

9:00/6:00 The History of the Gun, Pt .4. The conclusion of the history of the gun covers the 20th century's rapid-fire weapons. We witness the carnage of WWI as the machine gun replaces the Gatling; the "Tommy Gun" becomes the gangster's weapon of choice as the 1920s roar; and, Sergeant Kalashnikov unites a rifle and submachine gun and the assault rifle is born. [TV G]

10:00/7:00 Las Vegas Hotels. Out of the bleakness of a vast desert arose a city built on wish fulfillment and indulgence. Unencumbered by tradition or notions of good taste, for 50 years Las Vegas has taken tourists to the height of their imaginations while reaching into their pockets. Visit 11 of the world's largest hotels in the country's biggest playground. (cc) [TV G]

11:00/8:00 Secrets of World War II. Danger below the Surface. Looks at the innovations and electronic technology used by the Allies and the Axis as they vied for supremacy in the submarine war. Witness the Battle of the Atlantic where Allied airmen and sailors wrangled with German U-boats. Watch the underwater war in the Pacific where long-range American subs stopped the "Tokyo Express". [TV G]

Friday -- 10/01/1999
8:00/5:00 Buried Secrets: Digging for DNA. A revealing probe into how advances in DNA technology and forensic science aid solving some of history's great mysteries. Stories unearthed include: the identity of the Vietnam War Unknown Soldier; how Napoleon died; the corpse of Jesse James; Thomas Jefferson's white and black descendants; the Dr. Sam Sheppard murder case. (cc) [TV PG]
9:00/6:00 The Complete History of the Navy Seals.
Long before President Kennedy commissioned the Navy Seals in 1962, the Navy Combat Demolition Units were running demolition, such as on D-Day when the NCDU took over 50% casualties, and the Underwater Demolition Teams were clearing beaches. We'll recount the stories of honor, valor, and commitment of these backbones of the Navy Seals. [TV G]
11:00/8:00 Onto Rugged Shores. Reveals the vital role played by one LST (Landing Ship, Tank) during WWII. Traces the life of LST 534 through the eyes of men who served on her at the D-Day landing at Normandy and Okinawa, where she was severely damaged by a Japanese kamikaze attack. Called Long Slow Targets by her crews, LSTs were the workhorses of the Allies. [TV G]
Saturday -- 10/02/1999
8:00/5:00 History's Lost & Found. Nixon's Secret Taping System; Roy Rogers' Trigger; Moon Rocks. Join us for a wild romp through history as we hunt down famous objects, including: Nixon's secret taping system; Tom Thumb's wedding cake; Captain Kidd's plea letter; Roy Rogers' horse Trigger; Moon Rocks; the Liberty Bell; and Hitler's skull. [TV G]
9:00/6:00 The Wrath of God. Fire in the Hole! Mining Disasters.
Miners have always had it rough. They work in one of history's most dangerous jobs--confined underground, hundreds may die when a single spark ignites a conflagration from trapped methane gas. We'll examine several major mining disasters from around the world, including tragedies in West Viriginia, Illinois, and South Africa. [TV G]
10:00/7:00 The Century: America's Time. Seeds of Change (1900-1914). In a sweeping series surveying U.S. history in the 20th century, we illuminate the forces that made America a dominant world player. With unequaled film and photo archives and scores of original interviews with eyewitnesses to turning points, we look at how different and simple life was before electricity, cars, computers, and planes. [TV G]
11:00/8:00 The Century: America's Time. Shell Shock (1914-1919). In this episode of a series that illuminates forces that shaped U.S. history in the 20th century, we examine the results of the Great War. Millions dead, blinded, maimed, shell-shocked, widowed, orphaned, and robbed of their ideals of honor and patriotism. What were the consequences of the wholesale sense of loss left by WWI? [TV G]
Sunday -- 10/03/1999
8:00/5:00 Tales of the Gun. Guns of Remington. The Remington Arms Company is America's oldest gun manufacturer. Since 1816, Remington has produced over 35 million firearms, including pocket-sized derringers, shotguns, and long-range rifles. See how Remington firearms helped tame the Old West, win wars in Europe and Asia, and earn medals in Olympic shooting competitions. [TV G]
9:00/6:00 Sworn to Secrecy. Hitler's Secrets. From his grand deception against Stalin to his spy operations in the U.S., Adolf Hitler shared many secrets with his intelligence masters. We'll examine his many secrets and the eventual betrayal of his chief spymaster. Charlton Heston narrates. [TV G]
10:00/7:00 History Undercover. Churchill and the President. This story of the race to create an unbreakable transatlantic system of communication in WWII is also the story of two men's determination to defeat the Third Reich. The SIGSALY system, so secret that it remained classified until 1978, was manned exclusively by U.S. soldiers based in Selfridge's Department Store in London. [TV G]
11:00/8:00 Military Blunders. The Battle of the Bulge/The Bombing of Monte Cassino. First, we look at Hitler's massive counter-offensive in the Belgian Ardennes. His objectives were overly ambitious, and the wintry weather worked against him; but the Allies also blundered by ignoring their own intelligence on Hitler's intentions. Then, we'll see if the Allies floundered when they bombed a beautiful Franciscan monastery. [TV G]
Monday -- 10/04/1999
8:00/5:00 The Mysteries of Devil's Triangles. Join us as we explore and explain some of the most mysterious spots on earth--Devil's Triangles--where an unusual number of unexplainable tragedies occur time and again. We'll visit the Bermuda Triangle, which has swallowed up ships, planes, and people, and the more deadly Great Lakes Triangle, where ghost ships routinely sail. (cc) [TV G]
9:00/6:00 Suicide Missions. Ball Turret Gunners. In war, certain missions demand the most and constitute much of the legends of bravery. Journey back to the Second World War when fearless airmen manned the B-17's belly guns--glass bubbles that at any moment could become their coffin. The ball turret gunners called their work "flying the ball", others called it crazy! [TV PG]
10:00/7:00 The Great Bridge: 8 Miles of Steel. San Francisco's Oakland Bay Bridge stands as an incredible feat of engineering against the nearly impossible. Once chosen as one of the seven engineering wonders of the modern world, it features an unique double suspension structure in its west end. Cross this triumph of construction as we visit its past and look to its future. (cc) [TV G]
11:00/8:00 History's Lost & Found. Nixon's Secret Taping System; Roy Rogers' Trigger; Moon Rocks. Join us for a wild romp through history as we hunt down famous objects, including: Nixon's secret taping system; Tom Thumb's wedding cake; Captain Kidd's plea letter; Roy Rogers' horse Trigger; Moon Rocks; the Liberty Bell; and Hitler's skull. [TV G]
Tuesday -- 10/05/1999
8:00/5:00 Vanished! Explore the most intriguing tales of mysterious disappearances as historians, psychologists, and forensic investigators ponder the ultimate fates of the vanished, including: explorer George Mallory, skyjacker D.B. Cooper, NY Supreme Court Justice Joseph Crater, diplomat Raoul Wallenberg, and atheist Madalyn Murray O'Hair. (cc) [TV G]
9:00/6:00 Suicide Missions. Snipers. They are the most feared and hated men on the battlefield, silent assassins who can kill with a single shot from miles away. Creep along undetected as these brave men surgically deliver swift death without warning, and learn why snipers are hunted mercilessly by the enemy in every conflict. [TV PG]
10:00/7:00 The NYC Subway. Informative look at that amazing "hole in the ground", the New York City subway system. Meet the riders, a towerman who helps run the system, a revenue agent collecting the day's cash from token booths, amateur musicians that perform at the stations, and others who make the subway one of the most fascinating public spaces. (cc) [TV G]
11:00/8:00 Civil War Journal. Honor the Dead: Unsung Heroes of Gettysburg. Engaged in the bloodiest fighting of the Civil War, nearly 30,000 soldiers were killed in three days of fighting at Gettysburg--but many of these brave souls were forgotten as they fell. In this stirring tribute their stories are finally told. With rare photographs and newly discovered research. [TV G]
Wednesday -- 10/06/1999
8:00/5:00 The Strange Disappearance of the Anasazi. 19th century explorers in the American southwest encountered the ruins of a vanished civilization that spread across Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, and Arizona. Why were these spectacular cities abandoned? Where had the inhabitants gone? Modern anthropologists hint at a disturbing past in contrast with earlier peaceful perceptions. (cc) [TV G]
9:00/6:00 Suicide Missions. Wild Weasels. During the Vietnam War, the most dangerous flying missions belonged to the Wild Weasels--a group of fighter pilots assigned the task of destroying enemy radar and missile sites. Ride in the cockpit with these brave flyers, the first in and last out, as they decide in a split second to fire their missiles before the enemy can fire back. [TV PG-L]
10:00/7:00 The Tennessee Valley Authority. During the depths of the Depression, it was FDR's greatest triumph: A massive public works project that took a 40,000 square mile, disaster-prone river basin, and turned it into a model of industrial progress. (cc) [TV G]
11:00/8:00 The Great Ships. The Destroyers. Exploration of one of the deadliest warships to sail the high seas. Highlights the destroyer's key role in the Allies victory in WWI and in every major naval offensive since. [TV G]
Thursday -- 10/07/1999
8:00/5:00 Lost Colony of Roanoke. In 1590, the governor of Roanoke returned from England to its first New World colony to find all 117 settlers missing. The only clues: five chests of books and papers buried in the sand, and the word "Croatoan", a Native-American village to the south, carved on a post. Archaeologists search for the fate of the island's colonists. (cc) [TV G]
9:00/6:00 Suicide Missions. Combat Medics. Operating under the most brutal conditions imaginable, each decision they make spells the difference between life and death. They perform one of the most dangerous jobs in war, stepping in harm's way when their fellow countrymen need help. Join us as we review the history of these soldiers of mercy, the combat medics. [TV PG]
10:00/7:00 Offshore Oil Drilling. Offshore oil drilling is one of mankind's greatest technological feats. From the beginning of oil discovery, the oceans' vast reserves have been the ultimate frontier. See how these superstructures, both floating and fixed, revolutionized the search for crude oil, and the environmental price we pay for their prolific production. (cc) [TV G]
11:00/8:00 Secrets of World War II. Target: Okinawa. There have been larger land battles and more protracted air campaigns than Okinawa. But this was a combined operation, unparalleled in size, scope, and ferocity. [TV G]
Friday -- 10/08/1999
8:00/5:00 The Mysteries of Amelia Earhart. July 2, 1937--Amelia Earhart vanishes somewhere over the Pacific, and her final whereabouts remain one of the world's great mysteries. This 2-hour special chronicles her rise to fame, details the last flight, and examines views on her disappearance from a variety of experts and authors, which range from crash at sea to alien abduction. (cc) [TV G]
10:00/7:00 Into the Wild Blue: The World's Best Flight Teams. Famous aerobatic flight teams and military squadrons gather for an historic International Airshow, offering a rare chance to meet these amazing flyers and learn the teams' histories. Join teams from America, Canada, England, Japan, Brazil, Russia, Italy, Chile, Spain, Switzerland, and France, and sit in the co-pilot seat, if you dare! [TV G]
Saturday -- 10/09/1999
8:00/5:00 History's Lost & Found. Clyde Barrow's Death Shirt; Cromwell's Head; Merry Prankster Bus. Join us on an historical scavenger hunt as we search down artifacts from around the world. Some of the objects on our list this week include Clyde Barrow's death shirt, Oliver Cromwell's head, and the first dinosaur skeleton to be publicly disclosed. (cc) [TV G]
9:00/6:00 The Wrath of God. Collisions in the Mist. In fiction, fog creeps "on cat feet" over the landscape. In reality, it can be a menace, changing familiar terrain into a dangerous void. Here are disasters where navigators fell prey to fog's disorienting effect, including: a B-25 bomber that hit the Empire State Building, the sinking of the Andrea Doria, and the wreck of the Sunset Limited. [TV G]
10:00/7:00 The Century: America's Time. Boom to Bust (1920-1929). In this episode of a series on what made the U.S. a 20th century world power, we see how "modern" Americans were eager to smash age-old traditions after WWI. Women in particular claimed new rights and freedoms. Others viewed these changes as a moral threat to the country. We'll see why the women's rights issue was so volatile. [TV G]
11:00/8:00 The Century: America's Time. Stormy Weather (1930-1939). Drawing on unequaled film and photo archives, and original interviews, this sweeping series examines events that shaped the U.S. in the 20th century. In this episode, we look at the aftermath of the Wall Street crash and the ensuing Great Depression. What happens to the nation when serious financial limits restrict the American dream? [TV G]
Sunday -- 10/10/1999
8:00/5:00 Tales of the Gun. Shotguns. The first specialized gun, the British upper-class used it to shoot birds and small game for sport. But through the years, the shotgun took on a variety of roles, used by hunter and warrior alike. For more than four centuries, the shotgun was the weapon of choice for those who could afford one! Film director John Milius is interviewed. [TV G]
9:00/6:00 Sworn to Secrecy. The O.S.S.: Origins of the American C.I.A. Charlton Heston narrates the history of the Office of Strategic Services, the predecessor to the C.I.A. From the recruitment and training of secret agents to actual undercover missions, O.S.S. agents played an important role on the "Invisible Battlefield" during World War Two. [TV G]
10:00/7:00 History Undercover. Hitler: The Final Chapter. Reveals the "true" story of the despot's last days. Answers such questions as how Hitler died (he took cyanide, he didn't shoot himself), and what happened to his remains (they were not disposed of until 1970). [TV PG]
11:00/8:00 Military Blunders. The Sinking of the Lusitania/The Treaty of Versailles. First, we'll see how the Lusitania sailed into history when Germany sank her, taking many American lives--a blunder that led to the U.S. entrance into WWI. Then, we'll see how the blistering conditions imposed by the Allies on Germany after World War One eventually resulted in the rise of Nazism and Hitler's desire for revenge. [TV G]
Monday -- 10/11/1999
8:00/5:00 Asteroids! Asteroids have been colliding with earth since time began. The effect can be enormous--from killing of the dinosaurs to scarring of the planet's surface. Using computer recreations and interviews with the world's foremost asteroid authorities, we explore the long history of these rocks from space and what future threats they pose. (cc) [TV G]
9:00/6:00 Empires of Industry. Victory at Sea: Mass-Producing Liberty. Focusing on a brief but glorious period of American ingenuity, we'll study shipbuilders' response to the demands of WWII. Combining rare National Archive footage with photography shot on vintage ships, we'll see how industrialists transformed the nation's shipyards into mass production facilities in a matter of months. [TV G]
10:00/7:00 The Tool Bench: Power Tools. The history of civilization could easily be measured in terms of our ability to make, use, and improve tools--an activity that is at least 4 million years old! At the tip of our toolmaking timeline are power tools. We'll examine today's power tool industry, which is booming thanks to more powerful, lighter, and quieter cordless tools. (cc) [TV G]
11:00/8:00 History's Lost & Found. Clyde Barrow's Death Shirt; Cromwell's Head; Merry Prankster Bus. Join us on an historical scavenger hunt as we search down artifacts from around the world. Some of the objects on our list this week include Clyde Barrow's death shirt, Oliver Cromwell's head, and the first dinosaur skeleton to be publicly disclosed. (cc) [TV G]
Tuesday -- 10/12/1999
8:00/5:00 Potions or Poisons? The 1800s saw the heyday of "patent medicines", elixirs promising to cure nearly anything--if they didn't kill you! Snake-oil salesmen hawked potent potions with ingredients like opium, cocaine, or grain alcohol--until the FDA acted in the 1900s. You'll feel better in the morning after a dose of our tasty medicinal history. We promise! (cc) [TV G]
9:00/6:00 Empires of Industry. Andrew Carnegie and the Age of Steel. This celebration of American industry's innovation and progress assays the metal that built modern America--from small early ironworks to massive steel-producing Pittsburgh. We'll see how Andrew Carnegie made his millions, the birth of U.S. Steel, and industry survival amidst intense international competition. [TV G]
10:00/7:00 The Tool Bench: Hand Tools. Well over 2 million years before modern man evolved, his primitive ancestors were making tools. The ability to extend the hand and strengthen the arm is considered one of the keys to human evolution. Join us as we nail down the history of hand tools, and look at a new generation of computer-designed, high-tech hand tools. (cc) [TV G]
11:00/8:00 Civil War Journal. Mr. Lincoln's Butcher: General Ulysses S. Grant. Lincoln's long search for the right commander of the Union Army leads to many mistakes before ending with General Ulysses S. Grant, who gets the right results...no matter what the human toll. [TV G]
Wednesday -- 10/13/1999
8:00/5:00 The Great Train Robbery. In 1963, master thief Bruce Reynolds and a motley crew of career criminals robbed a British mail train carrying 2.6 million pounds in cash. Within four months, 11 gang members were caught, but the clever leader stayed on the lam until '69. Reynolds shares home movies and anecdotes of the heist, as well as his high life on the run. (cc) [TV G]
9:00/6:00 Empires of Industry. War Planes of World War II. Flight was born in America at the turn of the century. But WWII saw more planes built in a single year--300,000--than had been built in the previous 40. Modern shots of restored aircraft, historic footage ranging from factory floors to dogfights, and interviews with pilots and designers recapture the aviation industry's finest hour. [TV G]
10:00/7:00 Earth Movers II. Join us for a second look at the big earth-moving machines used to tackle the most challenging jobs on, under, and off Earth! We'll ride on specialized behemoth dump trucks, delve below sea level to view dredging equipment, and leave the planet altogether to explore earth-moving equipment in space. (cc) [TV G]
11:00/8:00 The Great Ships. The Gunboats of Vietnam. An intriguing look at the armored gunboats and the tiny converted pleasure craft that prowled the rivers of Southeast Asia. [TV G]
Thursday -- 10/14/1999
8:00/5:00 The First Detective. Life of 19th-century France's super-sleuth Eugene Francois Vidocq, the world's first private eye. An ex-convict and master of disguise, he helped start the Paris police's first detective squad, introducing undercover work and ballistics testing. Meet the model for fictional heroes of Edgar Allan Poe, Arthur Conan Doyle, and Victor Hugo. (cc) [TV G]
9:00/6:00 Empires of Industry. Timber! Ranging across the continent during the 19th and 20th centuries, their work made building the nation possible. Pioneering lumberjacks led the way for the timber industry as businessmen saw that fortunes could be made. Fabulous footage from the 1920s and '30s and modern lumberjack competitions show the spirit of these timber titans. [TV G]
10:00/7:00 The Big Dig. The Massachusetts Central Artery/Tunnel Project, a.k.a. the Big Dig, is the most amazing municipal construction project in U.S. history. Its objective--to replace Boston's decaying highway infrastructure with 160 new highway miles, half of which run underground and underwater. After 14 years construction, its cost--$11 billion! (cc) [TV G]
11:00/8:00 Secrets of World War II. Firestorm: The Bombing of Germany. A thousand bomber raids flown by the U.S. Air Force by day, and an equal number by Britain's R.A.F. at night--a firestorm that rained down on German cities, destroying industry and communications, and killing many citizens. We'll study the secret technology and personal bravery needed to carry off the raids. [TV G]
Friday -- 10/15/1999
8:00/5:00 Salem Witch Trials. Would it surprise you to learn that not one person was burned at the stake during the Salem Witch Trials? The tragedy was that 19 were hanged and one was "pressed" to death--all on the accusations of young girls. Join us as we recall those hysterical days of American colonial history when over 150 people were jailed and tortured. (cc) [TV G]
9:00/6:00 Sell & Spin: A History of Advertising. In this entertaining 2-hour special, we explore the timeless tale of the selling arts--from Greek criers hawking exotic wares to talking ads on the Internet. We'll recall the slogans, jingles, and catch lines, and see how advertisers convince us to buy, buy, buy! [TV G]
11:00/8:00 Empires of Industry. Brewed in America. From Pilgrim brew masters to early commercial ventures to today's monolithic corporations, we'll imbibe American beer's long history; and, taste social experiments from the past, like the Temperance Movement and Prohibition, to see how they influence sobriety today. [TV G]
Saturday -- 10/16/1999
8:00/5:00 History's Lost & Found. Hollywood Sign; Lewis and Clark's Supply List; Challenger Crew Cabin. Join our historical scavenger hunt as we seek unusual artifacts, including: the one and only Hollywood sign; the photographic hoax known as the "fairy photo"; Lewis and Clark's supply list; the metal table on which Japan's surrender in WWII was signed; the first vacuum cleaner; the Celtic bog man; and the Challenger's crew cabin. (cc) [TV G]
9:00/6:00 The Wrath of God. Torrents of Death. A look at infamous floods in America including the Johnstown Flood of 1889, the San Francis Dam Flood of 1927, and the Mississippi Flood of 1993. [TV G]
10:00/7:00 The Century: America's Time. Over the Edge (1936-1941). Many Europeans decide the only way out of their poverty, chaos, and despair is to embrace fascist dictators as saviors. As bullying grows into border aggression, anxious Americans watch from across the Atlantic. Will the U.S. remain neutral, or once again be pulled back to Europe to fight a war they thought was finished 20 years prior? [TV G]
11:00/8:00 The Century: America's Time. Homefront (1941-1945). In this episode of an in-depth series exploring America's emergence as a world power, we focus on survivors, interviewing both civilian and combatant from all sides of the conflagration of World War II. How did the average citizen find the courage to face the chaos of the first war to claim more civilians than soldiers? [TV G]
Sunday -- 10/17/1999
8:00/5:00 Tales of the Gun. The Luger. The history of the most recognizable handgun in the world. In 1900, a German arms company introduced the "Pistole Parabellum" (Pistol for War). But in the United States, the sidearm came to be known simply by the name of its inventor--the Luger. Issued by the German Army in WWI, post-war hit men favored it with a silencer. [TV G]
9:00/6:00 Sworn to Secrecy. Stalin's Spies. Meet the Kremlin operatives who spied for a paranoid Stalin against both allies and enemies. Features exclusive interviews with former NKVD intelligence officers and other witnesses to the actions of the most ruthless dictator of the 20th century. Charlton Heston narrates. [TV G]
10:00/7:00 History Undercover. Mystery of the U2. On May Day 1960, while the Soviet Union celebrated its most important holiday, its air defenses went on full alert. Francis Gary Powers, flying an American U2 spy plane, was shot out of the skies and parachuted into the arms of communist authorites. We talk to his son and Khrushchev's son, and offer a new version of that fateful day. [TV G]
11:00/8:00 Military Blunders. The Bay of Pigs/Disaster at Dien Bien Phu. Using rare archival film, we take a look back at two colossal political and military miscalculations: the disastrous "Bay of Pigs" invasion and the Cuban Missile Crisis which brought the world to the brink of nuclear war, and the French disaster in Vietnam at Dien Bien Phu, which forced their surrender to the former colony. [TV G]
Monday -- 10/18/1999
8:00/5:00 The True Story of the Untouchables. Chicago, 1928. A ruthless gang of men is determined to wrest control of the city from Al Capone. They carry machine guns, rifles, and billy clubs. And we're not talking about a rival mob family. Meet Treasury Department agent Eliot Ness and his nine-man team of "untouchables" whose exploits would become legendary. (cc) [TV G]
9:00/6:00 Hitler's Generals. Erwin Rommel: The Hero. Nazi propaganda fashioned a legend out of the exploits of the brilliant commander of the Afrika Korps--the "Desert Fox"--and to this day, he has admirers even among foes. As a reward, Hitler promoted him to the rank of field marshall, the Wehrmacht's youngest. See how this German hero ended up committing forced suicide. [TV PG]
10:00/7:00 Forts. Fortification evolved along with man's need to defend his territory from attack. From hills surrounded by fences to walled cities to impenetrable castles, these strongholds of the past echo the history of battles for territorial control. Join us as we see how, as weaponry grew in sophistication, those walls came tumbling down. (cc) [TV G]
11:00/8:00 History's Lost & Found. Hollywood Sign; Lewis and Clark's Supply List; Challenger Crew Cabin. Join our historical scavenger hunt as we seek unusual artifacts, including: the one and only Hollywood sign; the photographic hoax known as the "fairy photo"; Lewis and Clark's supply list; the metal table on which Japan's surrender in WWII was signed; the first vacuum cleaner; the Celtic bog man; and the Challenger's crew cabin. (cc) [TV G]
Tuesday -- 10/19/1999
8:00/5:00 The Odessa File. After WWII, a handful of Germans were tried for war crimes at Nuremberg--but many seemingly disappeared. We'll study the shadowy Odessa organization, rumored to have links to the S.S. and to have ferried high-ranking Nazis out of Germany to new identities and lives. (cc) [TV G]
9:00/6:00 Hitler's Generals. Friedrich Paulus: The Defector. As commander of the Sixth Army, Friedrich Paulus's name is forever linked to the devastating defeat at Stalingrad. After his troops were encircled and he futilely requested an order to evacuate, Paulus radioed a cynical thanks to the entrapped, then surrendered. We examine the decisions that led to the field marshall's "treason". [TV PG]
10:00/7:00 Tanks. See how technology has transformed the tank from a slow-moving vehicle operating at only four miles an hour during WWI, to today's 60-ton monsters that move at 45 miles per hour. George C. Scott hosts. (cc) [TV G]
11:00/8:00 Civil War Journal. The Bloodiest Day: Antietam. After the most savage day of fighting America has ever seen, 22,000 Union and Confederate soldiers lay dead upon a Maryland field. Rare photographs and haunting recreations tell the story of bravery and tragic miscalculation. [TV G]
Wednesday -- 10/20/1999
8:00/5:00 Dr. Guillotin and His Execution Machine. A revealing look at the dramatic rise and fall of the guillotine. The beheading machine was proposed by Paris physician Joseph Ignace Guillotin as a painless means of execution during the French Revolution, but it quickly became a symbol of the Reign of Terror. Yet the French did not abolish the guillotine's use until 1981! (cc) [TV G]
9:00/6:00 Hitler's Generals. Ernst Udet: The Devil's General. As the model for Carl Zuckmayer's famous play "The Devil's General", the fate of the famed WWI ace lingered on in German postwar memory. Promoted by Goering from cockpit to desk of Chief Air Inspector General, Udet became scapegoat for Luftwaffe defeats. See how his wounded feelings led to a "heroic" death--a covered-up suicide. [TV PG]
10:00/7:00 Helicopters. From the early "egg beaters" of World War II to the "flying tanks" of Operation Desert Storm, we'll fly aboard one of the most agile and potent weapons on the battlefield--the helicopter. Meet the first pilot to fly a combat rescue mission in WWII and a U.S.A.F. female aviator; and view classified footage of the Apache in Iraq. (cc) [TV G]
11:00/8:00 The Great Ships. The Dreadnoughts. How did one awesome battleship spark the 20th century's first arms race? Journey back to turn-of-the-century England for a look at the H.M.S. Dreadnought and one admiral's devastating vision. [TV G]
Thursday -- 10/21/1999
8:00/5:00 The Mysteries of King Tut. Of all of Egypt's pharaohs, Tutankhamun remains the most famous and enigmatic. Despite amazing discoveries made when his tomb was unearthed, little historical information exists on him--and much of that is shrouded in debate. What really killed the boy king? Did the "curse of King Tut" kill three of his tomb's discoverers? (cc) [TV G]
9:00/6:00 Hitler's Generals. Erich von Manstein: The Strategist. Considered Hitler's most capable strategist, Erich von Manstein's career personifies the conservative Prussian general with a reserved view of Nazism, who nevertheless served as a willing tool of the merciless Reich. When the military resistance tried to win him over, he rebuffed them saying, "Prussian field marshalls do not mutiny." [TV PG]
10:00/7:00 Hitler's Generals. Wilhelm Canaris: The Master Spy. Wilhelm Canaris, head of counterintelligence for the German armed forces, was a master of double-dealing. While his spies efficiently prepared the way for Hitler's offensive war, he secretly strived for the Fuehrer's elimination. Caught between revolt and adaptation, he was murdered shortly after the 1944 assassination attempt on Hitler. [TV PG]
11:00/8:00 Secrets of World War II. Secret Mission: Operation Torch. After numerous adventures, a small number of American officers managed to rendezvous with their submarine on the North Africa coast in 1942 and relay back to Eisenhower information which would save thousands of British and American lives. [TV G]
Friday -- 10/22/1999
8:00/5:00 Silent Witnesses: The Kitty Genovese Murder. In 1964, Kitty Genovese is brutally murdered in a New York City neighborhood while 38 neighbors hear her screams. Some watch as the killer stabs her under a street light, disappears, then returns to mutilate and rape her. They do nothing to help her. We explore the disturbing questions provoked by her death and our apathy. (cc) [TV G]
9:00/6:00 The St. Valentine's Day Massacre. (Documentary.) February 1929: Al Capone takes on "Bugs" Moran in a battle for Chicago's underworld. Then: a burst from a tommy gun and only one boss remained. Rare films and recreations offer the inside dope on organized crime's greatest mass murder. Narrated by Paul Sorvino. [TV PG]
11:00/8:00 The Big House. Alcatraz. A small island in San Francisco's icy waters, Alcatraz served as a military prison until 1934 when it became a federal maximum-security prison. Housing the "worst of the worst", to "Machine Gun" Kelly and "The Birdman" Robert Stroud it was home. Join us for the history of the "Rock", including the 1970s' Native-American occupation. (cc) [TV PG]
Saturday -- 10/23/1999
8:00/5:00 History's Lost & Found. Saigon Staircase; Grover Clevland's Tumor; Lindbergh Kidnap Letter. Join us on an historical scavenger hunt as we search down artifacts from around the world. Some of the objects on our list include: the Saigon Staircase from which evacuees stepped to safety aboard the largest-known helicopter evacuation; Grover Cleveland's Tumor; and the Lindbergh Baby's Kidnap Letter, among others. (cc) [TV G]
9:00/6:00 The Wrath of God. Tornadoes: Nature's Deadly Spirals. A look at tornadoes from an historical perspective beginning with colonial days and ending with the 1997 tornado that ravaged Arkadelphia, Arkansas. >From an onslaught of tornadoes in 1936 to the outbreak in 1953 that spurred the establishment of the National Severe Storms Laboratory, we study this furious natural enigma. (cc) [TV G]
10:00/7:00 The Century: America's Time. Civilians at War (1936-1945). The shock of Pearl Harbor ends all isolationist trends in America. Industry retools to become "the arsenal of democracy", and the war economy finally ends the Depression. A social revolution begins as six million women enter the work force; and Southern blacks migrate North and West to fill new jobs created by a booming economy. [TV G]
11:30/8:30 True Action Adventures. No Surrender! A number of Japanese soldiers in the Pacific did not heed the news in August 1945 of their country's surrender. They continued to wage guerrilla war both in the belief that their country was still at war and for their own survival. The last on Guam did not surrender until 1960, and one in the Philippines lasted for a further 10 years. [TV G]
Sunday -- 10/24/1999
8:00/5:00 Tales of the Gun. Automatic Pistols. A fixture in the battle zone, menace on the street, and companion to police, the automatic is easy to use, reliable, and deadly. A 20th century advancement, we trace the self-reloading pistol's history from the first awkward model to the sleek guns of Beretta and Glock to a "Smart Gun" of the future that only fires from its owner's hand. [TV G]
9:00/6:00 Sworn to Secrecy. Chemical Weapons. Charlton Heston narrates this look at the deadliest of secret arsenals--chemical and biological weapons. From WWI's mustard gas artillery shells to U.S. gas stockpiles of WWII to the recent Iraqi gassing of the Kurds, we lift the veil of secrecy surrounding chemical warfare. [TV G]
10:00/7:00 History Undercover. Unit 731: Nightmare in Manchuria. Join host Arthur Kent as we uncover one of the darkest secrets of WWII--the Japanese army's nine-year quest to develop biological weapons. At a base in Manchuria, the program tested anthrax, plague, and a host of doomsday weapons by experimenting on humans--some allegedly American P.O.W.s. What was the U.S. role in the cover up? [TV PG]
11:00/8:00 Military Blunders. The Bomb Plot to Kill Hitler/Mutiny in the Trenches. First: A look at one of the biggest blunders of WWII, when a plot by German opposition failed to kill Hitler in 1944 at the Wolf's Lair. Then: In 1917, on the Western Front during WWI, the French are repulsed by the Germans due to flawed tactics and poor preparation, leading to widescale mutinies in the French army. [TV G]
Monday -- 10/25/1999
8:00/5:00 Exorcising the Devil. Belief in evil spirits spans time and crosses centuries, and just as old and universal is the cure for possession. In Catholicism, exorcism dates back to Christ's expulsions of the devil. The "Roman Ritual" dating from 1614 remained unchanged until 1999. Witness actual exorcisms, and learn why they are now increasing. (cc) [TV PG]
9:00/6:00 Haunted History. New York. From a haunted brownstone in Greenwich Village to the cursed World War II warship on which the five Sullivan brothers went down, we'll tour the haunted sites that exist in New York, a state full of folklore, legends, and perhaps ghosts. (cc) [TV G]
10:00/7:00 Emergency Room. Emergency room medicine has only been a recognized specialty since 1989, and it took close to two millennia to get to this point. We'll examine advances that led to the modern emergency room--from the Byzantine's establishment of the first hospitals around 1050 A.D. to today's telemedicine. The prognosis for its future looks good. (cc) [TV G]
11:00/8:00 History's Lost & Found. Saigon Staircase; Grover Clevland's Tumor; Lindbergh Kidnap Letter. Join us on an historical scavenger hunt as we search down artifacts from around the world. Some of the objects on our list include: the Saigon Staircase from which evacuees stepped to safety aboard the largest-known helicopter evacuation; Grover Cleveland's Tumor; and the Lindbergh Baby's Kidnap Letter, among others. (cc) [TV G]
Tuesday -- 10/26/1999
8:00/5:00 Witchcraft. Once upon a time that cackling crone on a broomstick held the exalted position of a healing woman who harnessed nature's secrets for humanity's good. What happened in the Middle Ages to transform her into a Christian symbol of evil? We'll study the psychological and social causes of the European and Salem witch trials. (cc) [TV G]
9:00/6:00 Haunted History. San Antonio. San Antonio--birthplace of Texas, home of the Alamo, and some say fertile ground for spawning ghosts! In 1836, the Alamo heroes returned for one last stand. The beautiful Sallie White, gunned down in 1876, wanders hotel hallways. The flirtatious ghost of a actress haunts the Alamo Theatre. Tall Texan tales? You decide! (cc) [TV G]
10:00/7:00 Household Wonders. Reviews the revolution in home improvement and glimpses the kitchen of tomorrow. Included: the development of the stove, sewing machine, refrigerated air, washing machine, vacuum cleaner, toaster, and mixer. (cc) [TV G]
11:00/8:00 Civil War Journal. Zouaves! The saga of the most flamboyant troops of the Civil War, who modeled themselves after the fierce tribes of Algeria. The Zouaves could load their guns running, crawling, or somersaulting. Scores of Zouaves, with their brillant tactics and dashing drills, fought for both sides [TV G]
Wednesday -- 10/27/1999
8:00/5:00 Hitler and the Occult. Did Hitler's obsession with astrology, numerology, ancient runes, and German mythology enable his early brash moves and ultimately spell the Third Reich's doom? (cc) [TV PG]
9:00/6:00 Haunted History. Ships at Sea. Prowling the world's oceans perpetually seeking salvation, they are harbingers of doom for those who cross their bows. Somewhere between the sea's surface and a watery grave lies a haunted ship's domain. Whether it's the appearance of the Flying Dutchman, or the ghost of a a murdered barge captain, it's enough to make landlubbers shake! (cc) [TV G]
10:00/7:00 Scuba and Deep Sea Diving. In antiquity, a hollow reed served as an underwater link to oxygen. As in days of old, humans still need self-contained breathing equipment for a variety of reasons--food-gathering, commercial, recreational, military, and scientific. Dive with the best as we test scuba diving's past, and look to a future of mechanical gills. (cc) [TV G]
11:00/8:00 The Great Ships. The Pirate Ships. Sail the high seas on a swift, agile, and deadly pirate ship as it strikes fear in the hearts of swabbies everywhere! We'll go onboard these highly maneuverable ships with their skull and crossbones ensign, and find out why no one really ever walked the gangplank. [TV G]
Thursday -- 10/28/1999
8:00/5:00 The Evil Eye. A look at the ancient and ubiquitous belief in the evil eye, a glance believed to cause injury or death to those on whom it falls. Ancient Greeks and Romans believed in it, and it is found in Jewish, Islamic, Buddhist, and Hindi traditions. We'll look at ways to ward off the evil eye, and see why its power persists through modern times. (cc) [TV PG]
9:00/6:00 Haunted History. Washington, D.C. In 1891, the Washington Star newspaper called the capital "the greatest town for ghosts in the country." Many think the assertion holds true today. Does Lincoln roam the White House? Does Ulysses S. Grant visit the Willard Hotel? See why this city known for skeletons in the closet may claim equal notoriety for its ghosts. (cc) [TV G]
10:00/7:00 Stereos. The ability to transmit sound in stereo transformed the music of life into a rich symphony of sound. For over 100 years, enthusiasts and scientists have worked to create the ideal listening experience. From Thomas Edison's early phonograph to today's digital revolution, we examine this multi-billion dollar business. (cc) [TV G]
11:00/8:00 Secrets of World War II. Japan's Last Secret Weapon. For six months beginning November 1, 1944, the Japanese sent 9,000 explosive-laden balloons across the Pacific to bomb America and Canada. Nearly 1,000 reached the continent. Had it not been winter, America's vast forests would have been decimated. We'll look at their construction and deployment, as well as how the U.S. fought back. [TV G]
Friday -- 10/29/1999
8:00/5:00 The Haunted History of Halloween. On October 31, when pint-sized ghouls and goblins "trick or treat", they're upholding an ancient northern European ritual dating back thousands of years. From the Celtic festival of Samhain to the mumming tradition and the Christian feast day All Hallows' Eve, we find out why this night is the scariest of the year! [TV G]
9:00/6:00 The Incredible Life & Times of Robert Ripley: Believe It or Not. A fascinating sketch of American cartoonist Robert Ripley, whose popular newspaper feature "Believe It or Not!" revealed bizarre facts and oddities. When an arm injury ended a budding baseball career, he tapped his main talent, drawing cartoons. We review his vast body of work, including his "Odditoriums", where curiosities were displayed! [TV G]
10:30/7:30 The World's Greatest Scams. Magician and psychic debunker James Randi hosts this look at some of the greatest deceptions of all time. Features the infamous Vermeer forger and famous media hoaxes. [TV G]
Saturday -- 10/30/1999
8:00/5:00 History's Lost & Found. Jesse James' Body; Iwo Jima Flag; Hugh Hefner's Pajamas. Join us as we hunt down some of history's most intriguing artifacts, including: Jesse James' body; Marie Antoinette's guillotine blade; Anastasia's death chair; Mark Twain's writing bed; the two flags of Iwo Jima; Hugh Hefner's many pajamas; the Rosenberg's Jell-O box that helped convict them; and MAD magazine's first issue. (cc) [TV G]
9:00/6:00 The Wrath of God. Tsunami: Killer Wave. Since the end of World War II, tsunami have killed more people in the U.S. than earthquakes. Mysterious, deadly, and unlike other natural killers, they exhibit no obvious warning signs. Yet within minutes, the ocean rises to an amazing height, sending tons of water crashing to shore. We'll revisit the 1946 and 1960 lethal Hawaiian tsunami. [TV G]
10:00/7:00 The Century: America's Time. Best Years (1946-1952). Peace turns out to be a harder adjustment than anyone thought--for both the men returning from the horrors of WWII, and the wives and country left behind. And America had to adjust to its new status as a superpower, the only nation capable of the rebuilding of Europe and Japan, while also facing the growing threat of the Soviet Union. [TV G]
11:00/8:00 The Century: America's Time. Happy Days (1953-1960). Today, we look back on the '50s as a time of national contentment and unity. It was far from it--McCarthy ranted, the men in gray flannel suits conformed, African-American activists pushed at the barricades, and nuclear apocalypse seemed possible at any moment. Were wealth, suburbia, Marilyn, and Elvis enough to keep Americans content? [TV G]
Sunday -- 10/31/1999
8:00/5:00 Tales of the Gun. Guns of the Bizarre. Duck Feet, Salt Shakers, Squeezers, Knuckledusters, Fish Hooks, and Harmonicas. Though the listed items sound innocuous, they exist for one reason--self-defense. These are the nicknames of some of the unique guns we handle in this examination of the inventive gunsmiths who created these strange one-of-a-kind firearms. [TV G]
9:00/6:00 Sworn to Secrecy. Roswell: An Alien Obsession. In 1947, near Roswell, New Mexico, a sheep rancher wandered out to his field to investigate a loud explosion he heard the night before--we're still arguing whether or not he heard the crash of a UFO! We'll study the national fascination with extraterrestrials and talk to experts as well as a few self-proclaimed aliens. [TV G]
10:00/7:00 History Undercover. Code Name: Project Orion. In the late 1950s, the U.S. secretly began development of atomic powered rockets. One of the bolder ideas was to propel a spaceship the size of a 10-story building carrying people, livestock, and equipment for prolonged trips to other planets. We uncover the story of this astounding plan and talk to some of its principal scientists. [TV G]
11:00/8:00 History's Greatest Blunders. The Spruce Goose/The DeLorean Car. A look at some of history's greatest design blunders. First, we'll examine the Spruce Goose and the Bristol Brabzon. Hailed as the largest and quietest boat and airliner in the world, but both creaked into the air. Then, see how the British government lost millions when it backed John DeLorean to set up a car factory in Ireland
Monday -- 11/01/1999
8:00/5:00 Amazon Women. Herodotus wrote of a tribe of men-hating women warriors who cut off their right breast to better aim with bow and arrow. Amazon comes from Greek, meaning "without breast". Tales of fierce female fighters dot history. Are they myth from male-dominated societies on the evil of female rule, or truth, as recent archaeological finds suggest. (cc) [TV G]
9:00/6:00 The Great Empire: Rome.
The Republic of Rome. A sweeping chronicle of one of history's most dynamic empires. Part 1 features the city's founding by Romulus and Remus; overthrow of the Etruscan monarchy; and the republic's formation and ultimate undoing with the rise of Imperial Rome. Host Joe Mantegna introduces Rome's great faces--Pompey, Cicero, Caesar, Antony, and Cleopatra. (cc) [TV G]
10:00/7:00 The History of Sex. The 20th Century. A sensual, extensive series that looks at what sex has meant to the development of civilization--and what the development of civilization has meant to sex. From the first latex condom in the 1920s to the birth of the Pill in the 1960s, sexuality evolved at a rapid pace in the 20th century. How will sex change in the next millennium? [TV 14]
11:00/8:00 History's Lost & Found. Jesse James' Body; Iwo Jima Flag; Hugh Hefner's Pajamas. (#110)
Join us as we hunt down some of history's most intriguing artifacts, including: Jesse James' body; Marie Antoinette's guillotine blade; mob boss Anastasia's death chair; Mark Twain's writing bed; the real Iwo Jima flag; Hugh Hefner's many pajamas; the Rosenberg's Jell-O box that helped convict them; and MAD magazine's first issue. (cc ) [TV G]

Tuesday -- 11/02/1999
8:00/5:00 The Enduring Mystery of Stonehenge
For 5,000 years, the sacred site of Stonehenge has stood on the plain of Salisbury, England, silent witness to a myriad of mysteries. Who built the prehistoric stone circle? Druids? Merlin the Magician? Was it an altar for human sacrifice, or landing pad for UFOs? Experts, anthropologists, and astronomers assess the mystery. (cc) [TV G]
9:00/6:00 The Great Empire: Rome. Age of Emperors
After Caesar's murder, his great-nephew Augustus was victorious in the civil wars that followed, becoming the first emperor. Host Joe Mantegna explores this sensational, scandalous age when palace plots, hostile takeovers, and imperial family intrigues were humdrum. Features Augustus, Caligula, Claudius, and Nero, among others. (cc) [TV G]
10:00/7:00 The History of Sex. From Don Juan to Queen Victoria. This part of our sexual sweep of history covers the intensely romantic (Don Juan, Casanova) and the darkly perverse (Marquis de Sade), then moves on to the 19th century with its quirky views. It is the era of Queen Victoria, yet mail-order pornography takes off. We also reveal carnal kinks of the Pilgrims and Puritans. [TV 14]
11:00/8:00 Civil War Journal. The Battle of Chattanooga. The saga of the sweeping battle that helped establish Ulysses S. Grant as a major leader. Follows the fight from Lookout Mountain to Orchard Knob to Missionary Ridge, and demonstrates how Confederate General Braxton Bragg blundered his way to defeat. [TV G]

Wednesday -- 11/03/1999
8:00/5:00 Family Feud: The Hatfields & McCoys. From the Appalachian hills arose America's most famous family feud, which purportedly began in 1878 with the theft of a hog. We sort fact from fiction about this feud that landed in the U.S. Supreme Court, and finally ended in a legal hanging after an 1889 trial. Historians and descendants from both families, now friendly, weigh in. (cc) [TV G]
9:00/6:00 The Great Empire: Rome. Building an Empire. Host Joe Mantegna visits the vast territories conquered by the imperial army--by the 2nd century A.D., the empire spanned three continents. The over 4,000 Roman cities were cultural melting pots where diverse customs and beliefs blended. Features life in Pompeii; the flamboyant Emperor Hadrian; and religious revolts in Judea. (cc) [TV G]
10:00/7:00 The History of Sex. The Middle Ages. This episode in our steamy history of sex traces the evolution of beliefs and practices from the fall of the Roman Empire through the Renaissance. We'll also uncover the conflicting extremes of medieval romance and sex. Scholars offer humorous carnal tales of lusty knights, bawdy widows, naughty priests, and chaste maidens. [TV 14]
11:00/8:00 The Great Ships. The Ocean Liners. For the most exclusive travelers, they offered unmatched speed and opulence to rival the world's richest hotels. Rare footage offers an insider's view of the great transatlantic liners of the 1920s and '30s. [TV G]

Thursday -- 11/04/1999
8:00/5:00 The Most Ancient Taboo: Cannibalism. From the ancient Greeks to the American Anasazi, evidence shows that nearly every culture has had its taste for cannibalism. Or have these tales been fabricated as propaganda? What is it about cannibalism that both repulses and fascinates us? Join historians and dig into the past, and meet modern cannibals, such as Jeffrey Dahmer. (cc) [TV PG]
9:00/6:00 The Great Empire: Rome. The Enduring Legacy. The final episode reveals the birth of Christianity and how this religion the emperors initially tried to destroy ultimately passed on the Roman Empire's legacy. Highlights include: the crucifixion of Jesus; religious persecutions; rise of Constantine, the first emperor to embrace Christianity; and Justinian, Rome's last emperor. (cc) [TV G]
10:00/7:00 The History of Sex. The Eastern World. An exploration of sex in China, Japan, India, and the Arab world that offers an intriguing perspective on the interrelation of sexuality and spirituality in eastern culture. Among the topics presented are the ancient Chinese equivalent of Viagra, Japanese acceptance of prostitutes and pornographic art, and tips from the Kama Sutra. [TV 14]
11:00/8:00 Secrets of World War II. Nazi Plunder. The story of the secret regiments, special trains, and top secret hiding places the Nazis set up to loot and conceal millions of dollars worth of paintings, antiques, and other art work stolen from Jewish victims, as well as from museums and stately homes across Europe. [TV G]

Friday -- 11/05/1999
8:00/5:00 History's Lost & Found. Clyde Barrow's Death Shirt; Cromwell's Head; Merry Prankster Bus. (#105). Join us on an historical scavenger hunt as we search down artifacts from around the world. Some of the objects on our list this week include Clyde Barrow's death shirt, Oliver Cromwell's head, and the first dinosaur skeleton to be publicly disclosed. (cc) [TV G]
9:00/6:00 The Men Who Killed Kennedy. The Truth Shall Make You Free... Startling information reveals a conspiracy and cover-up as the final episode exposes the official charade that the case is closed on the assassination. Includes a new look at photographic evidence using the latest image processing techniques. Also, an exclusive interview with Lee Harvey Oswald's widow. (cc) [TV G]
10:00/7:00 The History of Sex. Ancient Civilizations. In this hour, we study sex in the ancient world--from Mesopotamians, who viewed adultery as a crime of theft, to Romans, who believed that squatting and sneezing after sex was reliable birth control. We also look at revealing practices of Egyptians and Greeks--from the origins of dildos to the use of crocodile dung as a contraceptive. [TV 14]
11:00/8:00 Sex in the Real West. Called easy women, shady ladies, and soiled doves, the women who went west to practice the oldest profession were the first ladies of the American frontier. Arriving ahead of their "decent" sisters, prostitutes flocked to the boom towns and mining camps, facing ostracism and abuse as they sought a piece of the American dream. [TV G]

Saturday -- 11/06/1999
8:00/5:00 History's Lost & Found. Alcatraz Escape Heads; Real Winnie the Pooh; Henry VIII's Love Letters. (#111). See the dummy heads used in an Alcatraz escape and how Winnie the Pooh caused an international dispute. Meet Colorado cannibal Alfred Packer and the first surviving U.S. astronauts, monkeys Able and Baker. Read Benedict Arnold's oath of allegiance and Henry VIII's love letters to Anne Boleyn. Visit John Wayne's Alamo film set. (cc) [TV G]
9:00/6:00 The Wrath of God. Blackouts. We shed light on two nights, 12 years apart, when New York City plunged into darkness. On November 9, 1965, the East Coast blacked out, and New York remained dark until morning. Citizens rose to the occasion--the black out became a party! But when the lights went out on July 13, 1977, the city erupted in violence and looting. [TV G]
10:00/7:00 The Century: America's Time. Poisoned Dreams (1960-1963)
Using unequaled film and photo archives and stories from participants in key events, our series exploring the American Century looks at three tense years at home and abroad. As Soviet-U.S. relations heat up the globe, emboldened civil rights activists face down die-hards at home. And assassin fells JFK. Peter Jennings hosts. [TV G]
11:00/8:00 The Century: America's Time. Unpinned (1964-1968)
Protests, riots, venom, and violence reign as the Vietnam War drags on and on, and civil rights activists grow more strident. Can Americans ever heal the deep wounds left by such bitter and prolonged discord? We examine those years of discontent in our in-depth series on the American Century. [TV PG]

Sunday -- 11/07/1999
8:00/5:00 Tales of the Gun. Guns of Mauser. The Mauser bolt-action rifle is the most important military shoulder arm ever made. Mauser's bolt-action system, perfected in 1898, was so good, no significant improvements were ever made to it. We tell the story of German gunmaker Paul Mauser's search for perfection in weaponry and the company's odyssey through two world wars. [TV G]
9:00/6:00 Sworn to Secrecy. Secret Weapons of the Third Reich. Rockets, jets, and missiles became a top priority for spies on both sides during the Second World War. In this series narrated by Charlton Heston, he explains how espionage, as well as science and engineering, played a critical role in the development of secret weapons--and the prevention of their use! [TV G]
10:00/7:00 History Undercover. U.S.S. Iowa: A Glimpse of Hell. In 1989, an explosion ripped through the center gun of Turret Two on the U.S.S. Iowa, killing 47 crewmembers. The Navy leaked an amazing tale: a Gunner's Mate had caused the tragedy while committing suicide over a broken homosexual relationship with a shipmate. We uncover the Navy's motives behind the wild story and the tragedy's real cause. [TV PG]
11:00/8:00 Military Blunders. U.S.S. Indianapolis: Tragedy at Sea/Collision at Sea: The Queen Mary and H.M.S. Curacao. First: When the U.S. cruiser The Indianapolis, on a secret mission involving delivery of an atomic bomb, is torpedoed, nobody realizes that the crew is left struggling in shark-infested waters. Then: The Queen Mary, on her way to England transporting GIs, uses zigzag movements to avoid submarines, but cuts an escorting cruiser in two. [TV G]

Monday -- 11/08/1999
8:00/5:00 Getting High: The History of LSD. How did the synthetic form of Lysergic Acid Diethylamide, which occurs naturally in ergot (a rye and wheat fungus), have such an impact on America in the 1960s? Take a trip back as we explore LSD's role in the cultural upheavals of the '60s, and trace its roots back to "kykeon", the drug used in ancient Greek Eleusinian rituals. (cc) [TV PG]
9:00/6:00 Escape! Tales of Suspense. Papillon. Join us for tales of ordinary folk locked in extraordinary struggles as they make desperate bids for freedom. In this episode, we reveal the story behind the book and film "Papillon", in which petty thief Henri Charri�re, "The Butterfly", made nine escape attempts from the brutal French penal colony in Guiana, before succeeding. [TV PG]
10:00/7:00 Demolition. While a civilization's greatness is reflected in the achievements of architects and engineers, equally impressive are spectacular acts of destruction throughout history. The cycle of construction and destruction reflect the shifting values of any given era. We'll trace the evolution of planned destruction from ancient to modern day. (cc) [TV G]
11:00/8:00 History's Lost & Found. Alcatraz Escape Heads; Real Winnie the Pooh; Henry VIII's Love Letters. (#111). See the dummy heads used in an Alcatraz escape, and how Winnie the Pooh caused an international dispute. Meet Colorado cannibal Alfred Packer, and the first surviving U.S. astronauts, monkeys Able and Baker. Read Benedict Arnold's oath of allegiance, and Henry VIII's love letters to Anne Boleyn. Visit John Wayne's Alamo film set. (cc) [TV G]

Tuesday -- 11/09/1999
8:00/5:00 Bounty Hunters: Relentless Pursuers. They aren't police, yet they can break down your door and yank you off to jail...if you're a bail jumper. Meet the elusive agents who track nature's cleverest animal--man! We trace centuries of legal history supporting bounty hunters, from medieval tradition to English common law, from slave catchers to lawmen of the Wild West. (cc) [TV PG]
9:00/6:00 Escape! Tales of Suspense. No Man's Land. In this episode in a series about ordinary people making desperate bids for freedom, we return to the divided Germany of the Cold War. One fateful night, an East German boy tries to sneak across "no man's land" to see his sister. When he trips a landmine, a West German border patrol risks international crisis to save the injured youth. [TV PG]
10:00/7:00 Dynamite. Join us for an explosive hour as we see why Alfred Nobel's invention of dynamite took on earth-shattering dimensions as his product blasted out the natural resources that have built our modern world. We also examine its impact on construction of the roads, tunnels, and dams that provide us with energy and transportation. (cc) [TV G]
11:00/8:00 Movies in Time Special: Hollywood vs History: The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc. Sander Vanocur hosts a comparative look at the film "The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc" and the real history of the 15th-century French peasant girl who led her country to victory over the English during the Hundred Years War. Guest historians pit history against Hollywood, and we hear from the director and stars of the film. [TV G]

Wednesday -- 11/10/1999
8:00/5:00 The Strange Case of Lizzie Borden. "Lizzie Borden took an ax, and gave her mother 40 whacks; when she saw what she had done, she gave her father 41." Most of us know the grisly rhyme, but not the whole story. Who was Lizzie Borden? Did she really murder her father and stepmother on that muggy morning in August 1892? Or does she stand wrongly accused? (cc) [TV G]
9:00/6:00 Escape! Tales of Suspense. A Valley Girl in Kuwait. Michelle Mateljan took time off from college and went to Kuwait with her boyfriend seeking easy money in the economically booming country. But when Saddam Hussein invaded, foreigners risked being taken hostage. In a life-or-death decision, Michelle made a run for safety in a hair-raising ride through occupied desert to Saudi Arabia. [TV PG]
10:00/7:00 Bombs. Bombs...the most feared and powerful weapon in any nation's arsenal. What began as incendiary devices in the 7th century has evolved into weapons that can literally blow the human race off the face of earth! From the use of diseased carcasses flung over castle walls to Greek Fire to today's smart bombs, we review the evolution of bombs. (cc) [TV G]
11:00/8:00 The Great Ships. The Submarines. Deadly steel sharks that stalk their prey below the surface, submarines reign supreme in the undersea world. With a pedigree dating back to 1787, U-boats came of age in the 20th century and completely revolutionized water warfare. [TV G]

Thursday -- 11/11/1999
8:00/5:00 Save Our History: Dear Home: Letters from World War II. During WWII, the nation put pen to paper and billions of letters were shipped from home to the front line and back again. Letters full of the horror, longing, fear, and hope felt by sailors, airmen, marines, and soldiers. We open a few of the billions of envelopes, and share these letters, which are now precious historical documents. [TV G]
9:00/6:00 Escape! Tales of Suspense. Breakout from Iran. During the anti-American inferno after the fall of the Shah of Iran, two employees of Ross Perot's computer company are trapped. Perot, impatient with slow government negotiations, recruits a team of commandos led by former Green Beret Colonel "Bull" Simons to rescue them. We revisit their amazing escape mission inside Iran. [TV PG]
10:00/7:00 Fireworks. Since the invention of gunpowder, fireworks have thrilled audiences around the world. We'll view highlights of fireworks exhibitions throughout history, and go behind the scenes to explore how science and art mingle in this unique, ancient craft. The world's preeminent fireworks families explain how they create their spectacles. (cc) [TV G]
11:00/8:00 Secrets of World War II. Hitler's Last Hope: The V2 Rocket. One of Hitler's final goals was to produce a rocket capable of carrying an atomic weapon weighing five tons. Fortunately, Britain's Royal Air Force discovered his plan and set about to destroy his dream. [TV G]

Friday -- 11/12/1999
8:00/5:00 History's Lost & Found. JFK's Death Car; Dillinger's Gun. (#102.)
Based on Harvey Rachlan's book "Lucy's Bones, Sacred Stones and Einstein's Brain," our wild romp through history traces lost objects that changed our world. Get the inside story on the car that carried JFK to his death; John Dillinger's wooden gun used in his jailbreak; General Sickles' amputated leg that he saved in a wooden box! (cc) [TV G]
9:00/6:00 What If? In a lively 2-hour investigation into some of the most fascinating "what ifs" of recent history, well-known historians ponder what the world would be today if... [TV G]
11:00/8:00 History Undercover. Luftwaffe 1946. What if the Nazis had held out and the war in Europe lasted until 1946? We'll review the remarkable aircraft that Germany had in development at war's end, such as manned supersonic aircraft, manned V-2s, 100-ton intercontinental bombers, stealth bombers, and a fighter designed to shoot down B-29s at high altitude. [TV G]

Saturday -- 11/13/1999
8:00/5:00 History's Lost & Found. Mme. Hall's D.C. Brothel; First Delta Blues; Alan Shepard's Moon Club. (#112)
In this episode, we'll track down: the barbed wire that tamed the West; WWII ace Douglas Bader's tin legs; Mme. Hall's Civil War-era Washington, D.C., brothel; Alexander Graham Bell's Bullet Detector; the record that changed American music, Lead Belly's solid aluminum disc; and Alan Shepard's golf club that he smuggled to the moon. (cc) [TV G]
9:00/6:00 The Wrath of God. Killer Quakes. A historic recollection of the terrible tremblers of this century: San Francisco in 1906 and 1989, Alaska in 1964, and Los Angeles in 1994. [TV G]
10:00/7:00 The Century: America's Time. Apocalypse Now (1969-1975). The trauma of the Vietnam War and the crisis of Watergate take their toll on Americans, leaving them exhausted, embittered, and disgusted with politics and politicians. Will they ever trust their government again? Interviews with participants in key events illuminate this series on the American Century [TV G]
11:00/8:00 The Century: America's Time. Starting Over (1976-1981). As Americans try to chart a new course after Watergate, they find themselves mired in the aftermath--much of it unforeseen--of the tumult of previous decades. The civil rights movement leads to emotional confrontations over affirmative action and busing; women discover they can't have it all after all. And what about Disco? [TV PG-L]

Sunday -- 11/14/1999
8:00/5:00 Tales of the Gun. The Tommy Gun. Called the "engine of death" and the "Chicago typewriter", everyone knew it best as the "Tommy Gun". We'll show how the Thompson Submachine Gun, developed for and rejected by the police and the military, was the weapon nobody wanted--until it fell into the wrong hands and became the darling of Prohibition-era gangsters. [TV G]
9:00/6:00 Sworn to Secrecy. Cold War: The Strangelove Factor. Charlton Heston narrates this look at Cold War brinkmanship between the U.S. and the former Soviet Union. Go "toe to toe with the Rooskies" as we examine the many doomsday scenarios devised by both sides. [TV G]
10:00/7:00 As It Happened: The Story of the Berlin Wall. "Mr Gorbachev, tear down this wall!" So implored President Ronald Reagan, and in November 1989 that long-standing barrier between East and West finally came tumbling down. Join host Arthur Kent, foreign correspondents, historians, and eyewitnesses from both sides of the Wall as we witness the building and crumbling of he Berlin Wall. [TV G]
11:00/8:00 Military Blunders. Stalin's Purges/The Coup against Gorbachev. By the mid-1930s, Soviet Armed Forces ranked with the world's most modern. But thanks to Stalin's purge of senior officers, the Soviet Union suffered severe embarrassment when it attacked Finland, and disaster when Germany invaded. Then, a look at the failed 1991 coup against Mikhail Gorbachev by Communist hard-liners. [TV G]

Monday -- 11/15/1999
8:00/5:00 Killer Submarine. Recounts the deadly patrol of a Soviet S-13 submarine through the Baltic Sea. On January 30, 1945, it sank a German refugee ship filled with women and children. Of the 10,000 passengers, only 700 survived. A week later, the sub sank a German hospital ship--4,000 perished. Survivors of the sub and sunken ships offer firsthand accounts. (cc) [TV G]
9:00/6:00 Top Secret Missions of the CIA. Cloak & Dagger Diplomat/Clean House. In cooperation with the CIA, we open top secret files and reveal riveting tales of espionage. First, meet diplomat Arkady Shevchenko, who passed on the Kremlin's intimate secrets--until he defected with the KGB hot on his trail. Then, an East German housekeeper steals sensitive files from her boss, a top-level intelligence officer. [TV PG]
10:00/7:00 Motorcycles. Fast and powerful, they come in a hundred shapes and a thousand colors. To some, motorcycles symbolize freedom; to others, they simply stand for trouble! We race back in time and see how, for over a hundred years, motorcycles have tantalized riders with a promise of unparalleled speed and endless adventure! (cc) [TV G]
11:00/8:00 History's Lost & Found. Mme. Hall's D.C. Brothel; First Delta Blues; St. Valentine's Day Massacre Wall. (#112). In this episode, we track down: barbed wire that tamed the West; WWII ace Douglas Bader's tin legs; Mme. Hall's Civil War-era Washington, D.C., brothel; Alexander Graham Bell's Bullet Detector; Lead Belly's aluminum record that changed American music; the St. Valentine's Day Massacre wall; and Alan Shepard's golf club used on the moon. (cc) [TV G]

Tuesday -- 11/16/1999
8:00/5:00 U.S. Invaded! Few invasions into U.S. territory have been launched, very few were successful. We'll revisit the more auspicious enemy actions--from Pancho Villa's raid on a New Mexican town where 18 were killed, the War of 1812, to the 1945 deaths of six Oregonians when a Japanese bomb-ferrying balloon flew 6,000 miles to reach its victims. (cc) [TV G]
9:00/6:00 Top Secret Missions of the CIA. Live Wire in Lebanon/Sunken Treasure. First, we examine the action that cost William Buckley his life, when he was dispatched to a war-torn Beirut to rebuild CIA operations. In February 1984, Buckley raced the clock to defend the embassy and rescue U.S. citizens. Then, the CIA undertakes one of its most challenging missions--retrieval of a sunken Soviet submarine. [TV PG]
10:00/7:00 Security Systems. Since civilization's earliest days, man has sought protection from those who would rob him of riches, knowledge, and even life. This is the story of the evolving systems designed to safeguard our most precious possessions, and of the enduring psychological war between protectors and thieves, each intent on outfoxing the other. (cc) [TV G]
11:00/8:00 Civil War Journal. The Battle of Fredericksburg. Story of the bloody battle that killed or wounded over 10,000 men and ended in devastating defeat for the North. A bumbling military bureaucracy undermined Union General Ambrose Burnside's strategy, leaving his troops exposed to decimation by Robert E. Lee's Confederate forces. [TV G]

Wednesday -- 11/17/1999
8:00/5:00 The Best Kept Secret: D-Day. The unmitigated success of the Allies' "Operation Overlord"--the Normandy Invasion that cracked the Nazis' Atlantic defense--depended on an elaborate plan to fool the Germans as to when and where the assault would hit. We'll investigate deception plan "Bodyguard" which included a million-man army of inflatable men and equipment! (cc) [TV G]
9:00/6:00 Top Secret Missions of the CIA. Puma. In a CIA mission officially denied for 37 years, Alabama Air National Guard pilot Thomas Ray trained Cuban exiles for an overthrow attempt against Fidel Castro. Ray was gunned down while providing air support during the ill-fated Bay of Pigs invasion. In 1998, his heroism was recognized when the CIA unveiled his star on their Memorial Wall. [TV PG]
10:00/7:00 Spy Technology. Espionage has been used for at least the last 4,000 years. And where there are spies, you find gadgets! We focus on the last 100 years of cloak and dagger technology--from early code-breaking computers to satellite reconnaissance--and take a look at the James Bond-type gadgets of the Cold War. (cc) [TV G]
11:00/8:00 The Great Ships. The Frigates. Fast, powerful, and nimble, the humble Yankee frigate devastated the renowned Royal British Navy throughout the Revolution. Recreations and computer simulations reveal why it was the envy of designers the world over. [TV G]

Thursday -- 11/18/1999
8:00/5:00 Forgotten Wars. Reveals exciting and controversial military campaigns that have all but faded from American history--a showdown with Britain that began over a pig; a war in Korea fought in 1871, not 1950; and a U.S. citizen's attempt to seize control of Nicaragua! Covers little-known invasions in Russia, Central America, and the Caribbean as well. (cc) [TV G]
9:00/6:00 Top Secret Missions of the CIA. Bodysnatch/The War That Never Was. First, CIA officer Duane Clarridge engineers a clandestine operation with the FBI to "kidnap" international terrorist Fawaz Yunis from Cyprus and bring him to the U.S. to stand trial. Then, CIA Officer Bill Lair launches Operation Momentum, a covert mission to arm and train mountain tribesmen in Laos to battle communist infiltration. [TV PG]
10:00/7:00 Save Our History: The Missouri: A Journey with Stephen Ambrose. Lewis and Clark wouldn't recognize the Missouri River today--the tumultuous river used as their "road" West is now docile. After WWII, the Army Corps of Engineers dammed and channeled it to try to control flooding--and destroyed many species of wildlife. Join author Stephen Ambrose and environmentalists in a campaign to save the river. [TV G]
11:00/8:00 Secrets of World War II. Merrill's Marauders. America's answer to fighting behind Japanese lines was a crack army unit of highly trained jungle fighters led by Brigadier General Frank Merrill. See them take on not only the Japanese in Burma, but also sweltering heat, insects, disease, and faltering supply lines. [TV G]

Friday -- 11/19/1999
8:00/5:00 History's Lost & Found. Jackie Kennedy's Dress; Paul Revere's Lantern. (#104.) In a magazine-style treasure hunt, we search out historical objects and the often-murky truth surrounding them. In this installment, we track: Jackie Kennedy's bloodstained dress; Paul Revere's lanterns; African man-eating lions; the shared liver of Siamese twins Chang and Eng; the oldest pair of Levi's; and the earliest war films. (cc) [TV G]
9:00/6:00 Big Rigs of Combat. The rousing story of the tank, from its primitive appearance in WWI to the high-tech world of modern tank warfare, with emphasis on the tank's Golden Age during WWII. In the second hour, we'll look at the American soldier's best friend in WWII--the Jeep. A "Blitz Buggy" could serve as a combat car, snow plow, or ambulance! [TV G]
11:00/8:00 The "Fighting I": The Story of the U.S.S. Intrepid. Complete history of one of the Navy's most storied ships. A veteran of some of WWII's most important battles in the Pacific, the carrier also played roles in the Cuban Missile Crisis and Vietnam War, and recovered two space capsules. [TV G]

Saturday -- 11/20/1999
8:00/5:00 History's Lost & Found. Edison's Electric Killing Machine; Shakespeare's Will; Elvis' Car. (#107). Join us on an historical scavenger hunt as we search down artifacts from around the world. Some of the objects on our list include: Edison's Electric Killing Machine; Togo the Sled Dog; Shakespeare's Will; Coolidge's Exercise Horse; the First Video Game; Beethoven's Hearing Aid; and Elvis Presley's Purple Cadillac. (cc) [TV G]
9:00/6:00 The Wrath of God. Texas City Explosion. Examines the worst industrial disaster in U.S. history, which began on April 16, 1947, in Texas City on the Galveston Bay. Stevedores loading ammonium nitrate on a French-owned cargo ship smelled smoke. When volunteer firemen arrived, the blaze was out of control, and the ship exploded, setting fire to oil tanks. The total death count--567! [TV G]
10:00/7:00 The Century: America's Time. A New World (1981-1989). President Ronald Reagan terms the Soviet Union the "evil empire", and arms build-up on both sides heats up the Cold War. But when a new Soviet leader introduces Glasnost and frees Eastern European states, communist regimes fall. Capitalism reigns in the greedy decade, with many Americans agreeing that the pursuit of wealth is a duty. [TV G]
11:00/8:00 The Century: America's Time. Machine Dreams (The '90s). The concluding episode in the definitive series on the American Century examines major events in the 1990s and places them in historical context--the Gulf War, Internet, Million Man March, Oklahoma City Bombing. We also look at the today's celebrity craze, and see who has fascinated us over the years. Peter Jennings hosts. [TV G]

Sunday -- 11/21/1999
8:00/5:00 Tales of the Gun. Million Dollar Guns. The treasures of a select few, each tells a story of human triumph or desperate tragedy, cast forever in iron, steel, and wood. A few are so prized and historic that their values have soared to monumental prices. They are the million-dollar firearms. We'll view Catherine the Great's pistols and Hitler's gold pocket pistol, among others. [TV G]
9:00/6:00 Sworn to Secrecy. The Holocaust Secret. Charlton Heston narrates this examination of the one of the burning issues of WWII: How did the Nazis hide their atrocities, and what did the Allies know about the "Final Solution"? Secret documents, messages, and cables shed new light on one of the greatest tragedies of the 20th century. [TV G]
10:00/7:00 History Undercover. The Secret Bunker. At the height of Cold War paranoia, the U.S. government embarked on a secret duck-and-cover plan: a network of underground bunkers made to protect top officials should the Soviets attack. In 1992, a reporter blew the lid off the doomsday bunker. We venture deep beneath West Virginia's hills to uncover a luxurious last resort for Congress. [TV G]
11:00/8:00 Military Blunders. The U-2 Affair/The Spanish H-Bomb Crash. First, we review the crisis caused when Gary Powers' reconnaissance spy plane was shot down on a high altitude mission over the U.S.S.R. Then, in another blunder from the early 1960s, we review the case of an U.S. B-52 bomber, which dropped a hydrogen bomb dangerously close to a Spanish holiday resort. Thankfully, it wasn't armed! [TV G]

Monday -- 11/22/1999
8:00/5:00 History Undercover. Missing Files: The JFK Assassination. Did an elaborate cover-up conceal evidence about JFK's assassination? Join us as we reveal new discoveries and footage resulting from a five-year unprecedented search for truth by a small government agency called the Assassinations Records Review Board. We also hear from experts who believe in the official version and conspiracy theorists. [TV PG]
9:00/6:00 The Warren Commission. On September 24, 1964, seven of America's most respected men, led by Supreme Court Chief Justice Earl Warren, presented their findings on the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Established by Lyndon Johnson to close the book on JFK's murder, the Warren Commission instead ensured its endless debate. How? Why? We'll find out. [TV PG]
11:00/8:00 History's Lost & Found. Jackie Kennedy's Blood-Stained Dress; Paul Revere's Lantern. (#104). In a magazine-style treasure hunt, we search out historical objects and the often-murky truth surrounding them. In this installment, we track: Jackie Kennedy's bloodstained dress; Paul Revere's lanterns; African man-eating lions; the shared liver of Siamese twins Chang and Eng; the oldest pair of Levi's; and the earliest war films. [TV G]

Tuesday -- 11/23/1999
8:00/5:00 Ancient Inventions, Pt. 1. Is it true that "everything old is new again"? In a 2-part study of the inventive spirit of mankind, we look at some amazing ancient discoveries. Part One looks at inventions relating to fire, the building of the pyramids, and early flight technology. (cc) [TV G]
9:00/6:00 Ancient Inventions, Pt. 2. Conclusion of a 2-part look at ancient inventions and technology. Scholars and experts provide a lively look back at some wondrous inventions, far advanced for their times. We examine the development of weapons and tools, and look at man's perpetual quest for eternal life. (cc) [TV G]
10:00/7:00 The Tool Bench: Power Tools. The history of civilization could easily be measured in terms of our ability to make, use, and improve tools--an activity that is at least 4 million years old! At the tip of our toolmaking timeline are power tools. We'll examine today's power tool industry, which is booming thanks to more powerful, lighter, and quieter cordless tools. (cc) [TV G]
11:00/8:00 The Tool Bench: Hand Tools. Well over 2 million years before modern man evolved, his primitive ancestors were making tools. The ability to extend the hand and strengthen the arm is considered one of the keys to human evolution. Join us as we nail down the history of hand tools, and look at a new generation of computer-designed, high-tech hand tools. (cc) [TV G]

Wednesday -- 11/24/1999
8:00/5:00 The Inquisition. Its very name conjures up horrific images of torture, persecution, and corruption of power. We'll unravel the twisted history of "The Inquisition", a special court established by Pope Gregory IX in 1231 to root out heresy. We'll also see why, for the first time ever, the Vatican is conducting its own inquisition into The Inquisition. (cc) [TV PG]
10:00/7:00 The Atlantic Wall. Join us for an exploration of the Nazi construction called the Atlantic Wall--3,000 miles of shore fortifications along occupied European coastline. We'll highlight the logistics of construction, types of fortifications, weapons, and obstacles in the wall used by the Germans. We also detail the Allied D-Day invasion. (cc) [TV G]
11:00/8:00 The Great Ships. The Cruisers. Built to protect massive battleships, these swift and powerful warships boast some of the 20th century's most innovative naval design. On board a cruiser, we'll witness its speed and grace, and learn how these descendants of frigates earned their reputation. [TV G]

Thursday -- 11/25/1999
8:00/5:00 The First Americans. Columbus was convinced they were from India; others thought them descendents of Atlantis or the Lost Tribes of Israel. Serious study began with Thomas Jefferson who was fascinated by tools and mounds found throughout the New World. Join today's archaeologists searching the Americas for evidence to pinpoint when man first arrived. (cc) [TV G]
9:00/6:00 Home for the Holidays: The History of Thanksgiving From the Pilgrims at Plymouth Rock, Lincoln's 1863 declaration naming it a national holiday, to turkey, Macy's parade, and football, we'll share the abundant feast of Thanksgiving history--including all the trimmings! [TV G]
10:00/7:00 American Eats: History on a Bun. Join us for a 2-hour tasty tour of the fascinating history of food, with a special focus on home-cooked American treats. Find out if "Scorecard Harry" really invented the hot dog, the Earl of Sandwich's culinary contribution, and how an Italian immigrant began the pizza craze. Get out your fork and knife and relish our fabulous feast! [TV G]

Friday -- 11/26/1999
8:00/5:00 History's Lost & Found. Saigon Staircase; Grover Cleveland's Tumor; Lindbergh Kidnap Letter. (#106). Join us on an historical scavenger hunt as we search down artifacts from around the world. Some of the objects on our list include: the Saigon Staircase from which evacuees stepped to safety aboard the largest-known helicopter evacuation; Grover Cleveland's Tumor; and the Lindbergh Baby's Kidnap Letter, among others. (cc) [TV G]
9:00/6:00 The Searchers. Movie. John Wayne stars in one of John Ford's finest Westerns about an ex-Confederate--wanted by the law and filled with hatred--in endless pursuit of the Comanches who killed his brother's family and abducted his niece (Natalie Wood). Jeffrey Hunter co-stars. (1956) (Historians: Professors John Mack Faragher and Charles Marland.) [TV PG]
11:30/8:30 The Real West. The Last Comanche. Chronicle of the last Comanche leader to surrender his tribe to white authorities. Quanah Parker later became a cattle rancher and court judge. [TV G]

Saturday -- 11/27/1999
8:00/5:00 History's Lost & Found. Al Capone's Cadillac; Imelda Marcos' Shoes; Lizzie Borden's Ax. (#113). In this episode, we'll track down: Al Capone's bulletproof Cadillac with gunports in the side windows; Imelda Marcos' 1200 pair of shoes; the legendary Stone of Scone; the first gas mask; a Lakota Ghost Dance sacred shirt; Plymouth Rock; and Lizzie Borden's infamous ax. (cc) [TV G]
9:00/6:00 The Wrath of God. Avalanches: White Walls of Death. A look at the terror of high, frozen places, at sudden deaths and hairbreadth rescues from avalanches. For the first time on TV, the granddaddy of them all, the 1910 Wellington Train Disaster is shown. In that tragic event, an avalanche swept two trains off the side of a pass in the Cascade Mountains killing 96. [TV G]
10:00/7:00 David L. Wolper: The Man That Makes Things Happen. Producer and showman David L. Wolper has had a remarkable 50 years in show business. We present a comprehensive look at Wolper and his programming, including many award-winning documentaries, "Making of the President", "Roots", and the opening ceremonies at the 1984 Olympics and Liberty Weekend. [TV G]
11:30/8:30 The Making of The Crossing. A behind-the-scenes look at the upcoming World Premiere A&E Original Movie "The Crossing" starring Jeff Daniels as George Washington. (Premiering in January, 2000 on A&E.) [TV G]

Sunday -- 11/28/1999
8:00/5:00 Tales of the Gun. Guns of Infamy. Join us for a review of guns that changed history. We see the firearms used to assassinate Presidents Kennedy, McKinley, Garfield, and Lincoln. We meet the gun that triggered WWI when it was used to kill Archduke Ferdinand, and see candidates for the gun that fired the "shot heard 'round the world" in the American Revolution. [TV G]
9:00/6:00 Sworn to Secrecy. Sitzkrieg: The Phony War. Charlton Heston narrates this series featuring significant political and military machinations of the 20th century. In this episode, we see how the Blitzkrieg, war of rapid maneuver, gave way to a "phony war"--declared but not yet fought--that allowed spies, diplomats, and opportunists to make their moves before the army advanced. [TV G]
10:00/7:00 History Undercover. The Ace: The Story of Johannes Steinhoff. Arthur Kent looks at the fascinating career of General Johannes Steinhoff, who restored respectability to Germany's armed forces in the wake of WWII. Steinhoff downed 176 Allied aircraft as an ace fighter in Hitler's Luftwaffe, survived horrific burns in a crash, and ultimately became Chairman of the NATO Military Committee. [TV G]
11:00/8:00 Military Blunders. Hitler's Declaration of War on the U.S./Death at Stalingrad. A study of two of Hitler's greatest blunders, which spelled doom for the Third Reich. Even after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, President Roosevelt fought resistance to joining the war against Germany and Italy--until Hitler declared war on the U.S. Then, his insistence on taking Stalingrad leads to the loss of an entire army! [TV G]

Monday -- 11/29/1999
8:00/5:00 Hell's Angels. Are they romantic figures of rebellion, or traveling, rowdy misfits? Jump on you "hog" and ride along as we reveal the history of this motorcycle club with a punch! From inception by a former pilot from the "Hell's Angels" squadron, to the true incident on which "The Wild One" is based, to today, it's a ride you won't want to miss. (cc) [TV PG]
9:00/6:00 Top Speed. Land. Put the pedal to the metal and join us for a racy series exploring man's mad quest to move faster and faster. From the first Land Speed record (39.25 mph) set in 1898, 1930s races for "fastest man on earth" title, '50s hot rodders, '60s jet cars, and 1997 breaking of the sound barrier, all the thrills are here in this galvanizing hour. [TV G]
10:00/7:00 Engineering Disasters II. Throughout history the same builders and engineers that paved man's path out of the caves and into the modern world also caused some of mankind's worst disasters. Often a huge calamity is traced back to a tiny cause, insignificant in itself, but triggering a domino effect. We'll revisit notable disasters and search for probable causes. (cc) [TV G]
11:00/8:00 History's Lost & Found. Al Capone's Cadillac; Imelda Marcos' Shoes; Lizzie Borden's Ax. (#113). In this episode, we'll track down: Al Capone's bulletproof Cadillac with gunports in the side windows; Imelda Marcos' 1200 pair of shoes; the legendary Stone of Scone; the first gas mask; a Lakota Ghost Dance sacred shirt; Plymouth Rock; and Lizzie Borden's infamous ax. (cc) [TV G]

Tuesday -- 11/30/1999
8:00/5:00 Sports: Games of Combat. From the earliest recorded references of the fighting sports to a modern octagon, where combatants beat each other to a bloody pulp, we learn why games of combat have always been and will continue to be a vital part of sports. We'll compare Western boxing, wrestling, and gladiator sports to more spiritually-based Eastern martial arts. (cc) [TV G]
9:00/6:00 Top Speed. Air. Air is the ultimate arena in man's quest for speed. While today space travel is routine, once the "need for speed" cost lives. Spectacular footage from Kitty Hawk to the Final Frontier highlights this look at speed demons and their flying machines. We also interview Chuck Yeager, first to break the sound barrier, and SR-71 Blackbird pilots. [TV G]
10:00/7:00 Engineering Disasters. From the Colossus of Rhodes and Egypt's pyramids to the Hoover Dam and the Space Shuttle, mankind has celebrated the work of engineers. But what happens when their calculations prove wrong? From Hammurabi, who passed the first building laws, to today's potential disasters that can wipe out a whole city, we review engineering mistakes. (cc) [TV G]
11:00/8:00 Civil War Journal. Born Killers: The Iron Brigade. The story of one of the Union's most famous units. Mustered in the Midwest, they served with enormous distinction while suffering heavy losses