Part 3 of a comprehensive chronicle of the US Marine Corps follows them through the final bloody battles of Korea to Vietnam, where they are among the first and last Americans to fight the dispiriting war, and finally to Kuwait, where they see action in Desert Storm. Based on Colonel Joe Alexander's book A Fellowship of Valor. TVPG VL | CC

On June 20, 1941, the US Submarine O-9 headed out of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and nosed below the surface carrying 33 hands and never returned. Inquiries into her sinking failed to find answers. But 60 years later, she was rediscovered. Today, our team of Deep Sea Detectives heads out with the National Undersea Research Center to take the first ever video survey of the wreck in an attempt to solve this long forgotten mystery. TVPG VL | CC

The missile age has dawned over the skies of Vietnam and the era of conventional dogfighting is thought to be over. However, the missiles of the F-4 Phantom proved ineffective during close-in turning fights with agile MiG fighters, exemplifying the need for guns in modern air combat. Watch as A-1H Skyraider pilots pit their prop-driven workhorses against a lethal jet-powered MiG-17. Viewers will feel like they're in the battle facing the enemy with state-of-the-art computer graphics, rare archival footage and first-hand accounts driving the story. TVPG VL | CC

Even as WWII raged on, another, more desperate, battle was being waged just behind the front lines...a battle to save lives. The victories and losses of this crusade are the stories of the price of war. The fact that so many servicemen lived to tell the tale is a testament to the brave medical personnel who fought daily against death. WWII comes alive through a moving tapestry of letters, diaries, color film and photographs unearthed from archives and personal collections. Peter Coyote narrates. TVPG VL | CC

In this episode of our series focusing on the winding-down of the Second World War, US forces make further advances against the Japanese in the Philippines, while fanatical Japanese troops continue to hold out on the Pacific Island of Okinawa. King Haakon of Norway makes a triumphant return to his country after five years of exile. In Europe, the Big Four--the US, UK, Soviet Union, and France--meet to discuss the division of Germany into four main occupation zones. Meanwhile, Allied troops make several startling discoveries, and the Soviets announce they've found the charred remains of Hitler's body. The "Weapon of the Week" is the Goster Meteor, and the "Personalities of tbe Week", Stalin and de Gaulle. TVPG VL | CC

Mixing real-life locations, archival battle footage, and 21st-century animation, we tell the story of history's greatest conflicts. Viewers are taken inside the tunnels of Iwo Jima to tell the story of this pivotal WWII battle from both the US and Japanese soldiers' viewpoint. TVPG VL | CC

It was the greatest and most costly American campaign in the Pacific Theater in which over a quarter of a million people lost their lives. It was a conflict that was to test a vast modern war machine against an increasingly desperate enemy. As the Allied juggernaut closed in on the home islands of Japan, the Okinawa's defenders would rely on suicide tactics and banzai charges to stall the invasion force. It became known as "the last great battle". Using cutting-edge techniques, unique archive film, re-enactments, and extraordinary interviews with men who were there, we tell the story of the last great battle of World War II. TVPG VL | CC

On Okinawa, US victory is now in sight. Japanese troops on the Pacific Island are mounting an increasingly desperate defense against the relentless advance of the US. In the Philippines, the Japanese are holed up in the Sierra Madre Mountains. In Frankfurt, Germany, Marshal Zhukov confers the Soviet Order of Victory--made of diamond-encrusted platinum--on Eisenhower and Montgomery. Eisenhower is awarded the Order of Merit--Britain's most prestigious honor--and is given the Freedom of the City of London. After warning Truman about the "iron curtain" falling over Europe, Winston Churchill is informed by the American President that the US cannot go back on the tripartite agreement for the post-war occupation of Germany approved by FDR. The withdrawal of American troops from the Eastern Zone will not be delayed. Soviet authorities start the forcible expulsion of ethnic Germans from the Sudetanland. TVPG VL | CC

From manned torpedoes to midget subs, we review the most dangerous and secretive submarine missions in the history of nautical warfare, and the special ops equipment devised to carry out these stealth operations. TVPG VL | CC

The story of the Navy's ballistic missile submarines or "Boomers"--from origin in the 1950s to preeminent status in the U.S. strategic nuclear deterrent forces. Today's Ohio-class subs are the most lethal warships ever created. We also look at the Fleet Ballistic Missile--from the first generation Polaris to the Trident II. Behind the scenes, we examine the command and control mechanisms and the complex authentication procedures required to release one, or all 24, of the sub's nuclear missiles. TVPG VL | CC

Join us for a day-by-day look at the last days of WWII. In this episode, 4-million residents turn out to cheer Eisenhower as he makes a triumphal 35-mile motorcade around New York City. In the Philippines, Appari, the last port held by the Japanese, falls to US forces, who now make contact with Filipino guerrillas. After three months of some of the bitterest fighting of the entire war, the Japanese finally cease trying to defend Okinawa against US forces. At dawn the Japanese commander, Lt. General Mitsuru Ushijima emerges from his bunker in a cave and commits ritual suicide in front of his shocked and demoralized staff officers. Victory at Okinawa places US forces just 400 miles from mainland Japan. Lt. General Simon B. Buckner, commander-in-chief of the US 10th Army, is killed by shrapnel as he visits frontline troops. TVPG VL | CC

In 1935, SS head Heinrich Himmler established the Lebensborn Foundation, with a goal of preserving and protecting "pure German blood", where blond-haired, blue-eyed Aryan women were mated with SS soldiers or men of documented "racial purity". Lebensborn homes were also set up in most occupied countries, particularly Norway, and Aryan-looking children were kidnapped from occupied countries like Poland. We see how these people, bred to rule the world, have for the most part led shattered lives. TVPG VL | CC

The most notorious madman in history was a murderer, a racist, a dictator and seducer of millions. But was this evil genius also... a prophet? And did he imagine that his sociopathic visions and violent behavior would eventually overtake the world, even if he was no longer alive to see it himself? Hitler's unlikely ascent was spurred by the eerie prophecies of two famed seers, Nostradamus and Erik Jan Hanussen; Hitler would manipulate their work to anoint himself a self-proclaimed Messiah come to save Germany in its time of need. Instead, he plundered Europe leaving millions dead in his wake. Was he the third Antichrist that Nostradamus predicted? And what role did the occult play in his attempt to re-build an Aryan master race? TVPG VL | CC

In Moscow, during a victory parade, more than 200 captured Nazi banners are ceremonially dragged across a rain-soaked Red Square and thrown to the ground in front of Lenin's tomb to the rumble of hundreds of drums. British bombers destroy the bridge over the River Kwai that the Japanese, using extreme cruelty, had forced weak and suffering Allied POWs to build. A Chinese envoy is the first of 50 delegates to sign the charter of the newly-formed United Nations. And as the bitter campaign in the Philippines drags on, President Truman approves a plan to invade mainland Japan. Five-million troops, mainly American, will take part. TVPG VL | CC

Part two of the deadly saga of the Solomons plays out at the Santa Cruz Islands. In one terrible day of vicious combat, Enterprise loses her sister ship USS Hornet and suffers dozens of casualties as bombs nail her flight deck. When the smoke clears, Enterprise is the only American carrier left in the Pacific. For the U.S. Navy at Santa Cruz, survival becomes the ultimate battle. TVPG VL | CC

Aircraft Carrier USS Enterprise, destined to become the most decorated ship of World War ll, was the only carrier to be front and center in every major sea battle in the Pacific. The Enterprise and her crew engaged in some of the fiercest battles ever seen, marked by intense firepower, instinct and a 360-coordination between the carrier, the destroyers, the aircraft above and the submarines below. Follow the Enterprise and its men from the start of the war through to the last battle. TVPG VL | CC

In the Great Sundra Islands, 33,000 Australian troops land at Balikpapan, while three escort carriers provide naval support. The Allies now control one of the richest oil-producing areas in Asia. In Berlin, the first US occupation troops arrive as Allied forces hold a victory parade. Meanwhile, rumors circulate that Hitler is still alive. In Manila, US General Douglas MacArthur declares the Philippines free from Japanese occupation. In Britain, Prime Minister Winston Churchill loses the General Election to the Labour Party led by Clement Atlee. But the results are not known for another three weeks. We also take a look at the US Curtis P-40 Kittyhawk and its important combat role under General Chennault against the Japanese in China. By the summer of 1945, USAF Major-General Claire Chennault--known as "Old Leather Face"--was in command of a combined wing of the Chinese and US air forces. TVPG VL | CC

Few people realize that the Baath party was actually formed upon the principles and organizational structure of the Nazi party. Iraq, because of its oil and hatred of Jews, was an important battleground between the Axis and Allied powers in World War II. Nazi propaganda was broadcast throughout Baghdad, and Iraqis often went on rampages against Jews throughout the war. One of the most ardent Nazi supporters during WWII was named Khairallah Talfah. Talfah was Saddam's uncle. After the war, many of the key Iraqi Nazi supporters, all of whom evaded prosecution, wound up involved in Saddam's rise to power. This special examines the key individuals of the Iraqi-Nazi connection, the little-known battle for Iraq in WWII, and the strange link to Saddam Hussein. TVPG VL | CC

Modern day warrior, Green Beret Terry Schappert travels to South Africa to fight alongside legendary Zulu warriors. He reveals how these tribesmen grew from 400 to 40,000, mastered the most primitive of weapons, and devastated the British in a pivotal battle. TVPG VL | CC

December 7, 1941, was an historical turning point--the world was forever changed after the fateful Japanese attack against the US fleet at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. It resulted from a combination of interrelated and complicated factors--and at any point, the dangerous operation could have been called off before its commander radioed back the code words "Tora, Tora, Tora" (Tiger, Tiger, Tiger), which meant complete surprise had been achieved. Here is the real story of the "Day of Infamy". TVPG VL | CC

Part 3 of a comprehensive chronicle of the US Marine Corps follows them through the final bloody battles of Korea to Vietnam, where they are among the first and last Americans to fight the dispiriting war, and finally to Kuwait, where they see action in Desert Storm. Based on Colonel Joe Alexander's book A Fellowship of Valor. TVPG VL | CC

After providing defensive aid to neighboring Ionia, the Athenians must defend their city against Persian invasion. But Persia, with its archers and cavalry, has a clear advantage. After an 8-day stand off in 490 BC, with Persian reinforcements on the way, the Athenians, led by Callimachus and Militiades, decide to take the offensive. Part documentary, part interactive game, viewers join the forces of King Darius as 6,000 are slaughtered by the Athenians, who depend on speed to gain the advantage. TVPG VL | CC

One of Egypt's greatest pharaohs, Ramses II, confronts the biggest menace to his reign at the Battle of Kadesh (circa 1300 BC). The Hittite King Muwatallish gathered his allies against Ramses' army, positioning his forces in an ambush behind the hill at Kadesh. The battle, fought on the banks of the Orontes River in Syria, is the earliest battle for which true military tactics are known. We'll review the official, detailed account left by Ramses II of the battle, and see why, though it did not end in victory for either side, its outcome provided a century of stability in the region. TVPG VL | CC

Survival in war isn't just about dodging bullets, but keeping alive in extreme conditions. Explorers and adventurers also face life-threatening situations. Hunter Ellis tests new high-tech gadgets for your next adventure. Once a Cold War battleground, today's space race sees super-rich dreamers competing to launch space tourism--with $10-million in prize money at stake! Then, Hunter examines explosives--from the military to avalanche control, diamond mining, special effects, and fireworks. TVPG VL | CC

The missile age has dawned over the skies of Vietnam and the era of conventional dogfighting is thought to be over. However, the missiles of the F-4 Phantom proved ineffective during close-in turning fights with agile MiG fighters, exemplifying the need for guns in modern air combat. Watch as A-1H Skyraider pilots pit their prop-driven workhorses against a lethal jet-powered MiG-17. Viewers will feel like they're in the battle facing the enemy with state-of-the-art computer graphics, rare archival footage and first-hand accounts driving the story. TVPG VL | CC

In a bold move for political power, Julius Caesar invades Gaul. Using a strategy of divide and conquer, Caesar's army marches through Gaul and seems unstoppable. But then, a young Gallic warrior named Vercingetorix rallies the Gauls together to drive Caesar out of their land for good. Armed inside the Gallic fortress at Alesia, with thousands of warriors, it seems that Vercingetorix has the advantage when Roman and Gallic forces face off. But Caesar will not give up. He orders his troops to surround the fortress with a massive barrier. When the armies finally clash, it's a showdown that will determine the fate of Gaul. TVPG VL | CC

Julius Caesar invaded Britain in 55 and 54 BC, gaining submission of the six eastern Celtic tribes. As the Roman Empire's farthest flung province, its merchants enjoyed a healthy trade with Roman Gaul, and for about 100 years, the tribes were mainly left alone. But in 60 AD, a warrior queen named Boudicca rose in revolt. When her husband died, Boudicca became Queen of the Iceni. Roman administrators tried to control the Iceni by appropriating their land and disarming the tribe. After the Romans flogged Boudicca and raped her two daughters, she raised a mighty army believed to number over 100,000 and took the fight to the Romans. TVPG VL | CC

In September 1943, the German army marched into Rome, beginning a 9-month battle for control of the "Eternal City". It was the Allied aim to preserve the Holy City's sacred institutions and treasures. So the staggering human cost before the city's military conquest is nearly incomprehensible. The special is based on the book The Battle for Rome--its author Robert Katz was subject to five penal proceedings over the years for his contention that fear of Communism produced a Faustian pact between the Vatican and the occupying Germans. The research draws on interviews with participants inside the city, and also on previously secret documents from Italian, German, Vatican, OSS and CIA archives. We hear from ordinary Roman citizens, informants, opportunists, spies, double agents, and Germans who risked death in efforts to save Jews. We see Rome as the hotbed of assassination, intrigue, treason, and bravery that it was as we look unflinchingly at unresolved controversies. TVPG VL | CC

Mixing real-life locations, archival battle footage, and 21st-century animation, we tell the story of history's greatest conflicts. Viewers are taken inside the tunnels of Iwo Jima to tell the story of this pivotal WWII battle from both the US and Japanese soldiers' viewpoint. TVPG VL | CC

Liberated from exile, in 1815, Napoleon raises an army and attacks Belgium, headed towards Brussels. A master of the "divide and conquer" strategy, Napoleon plans to attack a vital communication point between the English and Prussian armies. At the height of a difficult battle, the Duke of Wellington orders his secret cavalry and infantry to charge down from a ridge and destroy Napoleon's offense. TVPG VL | CC

Spartacus is one of the Ancient World's most famous figures. A Thracian soldier, Spartacus was captured by Romans and sold as a slave for training as a gladiator. With 70 other gladiators, he escaped and hid on Mount Vesuvius, where he raised an army of rebel slaves and defeated two Roman legions. But Roman vengeance was soon delivered by Crassus, who put an end to Spartacus's desperate bid for freedom and crucified over 6,000 men along the Via Appia as warning to other slaves in 71 BC. TVPG VL | CC

They were Hitler's most effective and feared weapon--submarines that attacked in coordinated groups, like wolves. These stealthy predators sank thousands of Allied merchant ships, choking Britain in an economic stranglehold and devastating US coastal shipping. Top historians and US and German veterans provide insight into the strategies, tactics, and weapons used in the Battle of the Atlantic. We also hear from eyewitnesses to the 1942 torpedoing of the SS Gulf America off the coast of Florida. TVPG VL | CC

From manned torpedoes to midget subs, we review the most dangerous and secretive submarine missions in the history of nautical warfare, and the special ops equipment devised to carry out these stealth operations. TVPG VL | CC

When the American warship EM USS Maine /EM mysteriously blows up in Cuba's Havana Harbor, President McKinley declares war against Spain. An invasion force lands, including cavalry and an all-black infantry regiment. One of the units, led by an ambitious young Lieutenant Colonel named Teddy Roosevelt, takes the initiative. Armed with outdated rifles, this rag-tag contingent of 17,000 troops moves across hilly terrain to make a frontal assault up San Juan Hill. They face 10,000 troops led by Spanish Lieutenant General Arsenio Linares. Called the Rough Riders, their victory helps turn America into a world military power, and change the life of Teddy Roosevelt forever. TVPG VL | CC

Return to the scene of one Alexander the Great's most decisive battles, where he wrested control of the Persian Empire from Darius III. Using cutting-edge computer gaming technology, we recreate the Battle of Gaugamela in 331 BC. Host Matthew Settle ( EM Band of Brothers /EM ) travels to an area north of Babylon, handpicked by Darius for his cavalry-led army. But Alexander created a typically brilliant plan of attack, marked by speed and superior discipline, to win one of the finest victories of his illustrious career. TVPG VL | CC

In the last days of WWII in Europe, a U.S. destroyer captured German submarine U-234 in the middle of the Atlantic. Onboard were some of Germany's most talented scientists, a dissembled Messerschmitt jet engine, and 10 boxes of uranium oxide. U-234's last surviving officer reveals how he saw Robert Oppenheimer inspect the uranium at a naval yard in New Hampshire. Was the uranium intended to fuel a Japanese bomb? Did the capture of U-234 accelerate the decision to drop the atomic bomb? TVPG VL | CC

In 1935, SS head Heinrich Himmler established the Lebensborn Foundation, with a goal of preserving and protecting "pure German blood", where blond-haired, blue-eyed Aryan women were mated with SS soldiers or men of documented "racial purity". Lebensborn homes were also set up in most occupied countries, particularly Norway, and Aryan-looking children were kidnapped from occupied countries like Poland. We see how these people, bred to rule the world, have for the most part led shattered lives. TVPG VL | CC

One by one, European nations fall to Hitler. In 1940, the German dictator now sets his sights on Britain, and orders a devastating air attack on the nation as a prelude to a ground invasion. But the British are determined to fight back. With newly developed radar systems, tenacious fighter pilots, and Sir Winston Churchill's powerful messages, Britain takes the blows and valiantly counterattacks. Ultimately, it's the dramatic dogfights in the sky that destroy Germany's air superiority and sends them into retreat. Part documentary, part interactive game, viewers take the parts of Winston Churchill and his 700 EM Spitfire /EM and EM Hurricane /EM fighters, and Adolf Hitler with 1,260 bombers, 316 dive bombers, and 1,089 fighters. TVPG VL | CC

Cannae, Italy, August 216 BC. In a classic example of double-envelopment maneuver, Hannibal inflicts the greatest ever defeat on the forces of Rome. A mighty Roman army, eight legions strong, marches out to crush the Carthaginian general on an open battlefield. Though Hannibal has far fewer men at his disposal, and none of his famous elephants, he manages to surround and slaughter the superior Roman force. See why Hannibal's military genius is still being lauded and taught in academies today. Hosted by Matthew Settle ( EM Band of Brothers /EM ). TVPG VL | CC

Enterprise hits Luzon, Hong Kong, Southeast Asia, and Iwo Jima during the winter of 1945. She also unleashes a brand new night air-group from her flight deck. The Japanese respond by unleashing the Kamikaze. Sailors and Marines on Enterprise now face the horror of deadly suicide attackers as the allies tighten the grip on Japan and secure victory in the Pacific. TVPG VL | CC

Part two of the deadly saga of the Solomons plays out at the Santa Cruz Islands. In one terrible day of vicious combat, Enterprise loses her sister ship USS Hornet and suffers dozens of casualties as bombs nail her flight deck. When the smoke clears, Enterprise is the only American carrier left in the Pacific. For the U.S. Navy at Santa Cruz, survival becomes the ultimate battle. TVPG VL | CC

Only nine American warriors have worn 5-stars--all won on WWII's battlefields. Watch generals Dwight Eisenhower, Douglas MacArthur, George Marshall, Omar Bradley, "Hap" Arnold, and admirals Chester Nimitz, "Bull" Halsey, William Lahey, and Ernest King in this 2-hour special as they clash with enemies, each other, and their superiors. TVPG VL | CC

The film The Bridge on the River Kwai dramatized the WWII story of the Thailand-Burma Railway, yet it was largely fictional. Over 65,000 Allied POWs battled torture, starvation, and disease to hack the 255-mile railway out of harsh jungle for the Japanese. Finishing in only 14 months, many never returned from "The Railway of Death". TVPG VL | CC

In this episode of our series focusing on the winding-down of the Second World War, US forces make further advances against the Japanese in the Philippines, while fanatical Japanese troops continue to hold out on the Pacific Island of Okinawa. King Haakon of Norway makes a triumphant return to his country after five years of exile. In Europe, the Big Four--the US, UK, Soviet Union, and France--meet to discuss the division of Germany into four main occupation zones. Meanwhile, Allied troops make several startling discoveries, and the Soviets announce they've found the charred remains of Hitler's body. The "Weapon of the Week" is the Goster Meteor, and the "Personalities of tbe Week", Stalin and de Gaulle. TVPG VL | CC

On January 9th 1945, General Douglas MacArthur leads an army to Luzon in the heart of the Philippines. Facing them are a quarter of a million Japanese troops. The campaign that follows will be like no other battle of the Pacific War. Watch with extraordinary insight into this climactic battle through countless aerial photographs and cutting edge computer graphics that create 3D models of Luzon's major battlefields. Now it is possible to follow the men of MacArthur's army in their fight to liberate the island. In a race against the clock a specially trained group of Rangers supported by local Philippino guerrillas carry out the most dramatic hostage rescue of World War Two. Powerful eye witness testimony from veterans helps to complete the incredible story of the largest and most complex battle of the Pacific War. TVPG VL | CC

After providing defensive aid to neighboring Ionia, the Athenians must defend their city against Persian invasion. But Persia, with its archers and cavalry, has a clear advantage. After an 8-day stand off in 490 BC, with Persian reinforcements on the way, the Athenians, led by Callimachus and Militiades, decide to take the offensive. Part documentary, part interactive game, viewers join the forces of King Darius as 6,000 are slaughtered by the Athenians, who depend on speed to gain the advantage. TVPG VL | CC

One of Egypt's greatest pharaohs, Ramses II, confronts the biggest menace to his reign at the Battle of Kadesh (circa 1300 BC). The Hittite King Muwatallish gathered his allies against Ramses' army, positioning his forces in an ambush behind the hill at Kadesh. The battle, fought on the banks of the Orontes River in Syria, is the earliest battle for which true military tactics are known. We'll review the official, detailed account left by Ramses II of the battle, and see why, though it did not end in victory for either side, its outcome provided a century of stability in the region. TVPG VL | CC

On Okinawa, US victory is now in sight. Japanese troops on the Pacific Island are mounting an increasingly desperate defense against the relentless advance of the US. In the Philippines, the Japanese are holed up in the Sierra Madre Mountains. In Frankfurt, Germany, Marshal Zhukov confers the Soviet Order of Victory--made of diamond-encrusted platinum--on Eisenhower and Montgomery. Eisenhower is awarded the Order of Merit--Britain's most prestigious honor--and is given the Freedom of the City of London. After warning Truman about the "iron curtain" falling over Europe, Winston Churchill is informed by the American President that the US cannot go back on the tripartite agreement for the post-war occupation of Germany approved by FDR. The withdrawal of American troops from the Eastern Zone will not be delayed. Soviet authorities start the forcible expulsion of ethnic Germans from the Sudetanland. TVPG VL | CC

During the summer of 1940, the world held its breath and watched, as the British RAF and German Luftwaffe were locked in a battle to the death. It will last 114 days, take down almost 3000 aircraft, kill or wound 3800 aircrew and lead to the death of over 30,000 civilians. The German Nazi war machine had conquered all in its path, only Britain stood in its way to total European domination. Both British and German aerial reconnaissance photographs taken at the time have now been layered over a three dimensional contour map to create a CGI model of the battle. We use cutting edge technology, unique archive film, re-enactments and extraordinary interviews with the men who were there to tell the story of this historic battle. TVPG VL | CC

In a bold move for political power, Julius Caesar invades Gaul. Using a strategy of divide and conquer, Caesar's army marches through Gaul and seems unstoppable. But then, a young Gallic warrior named Vercingetorix rallies the Gauls together to drive Caesar out of their land for good. Armed inside the Gallic fortress at Alesia, with thousands of warriors, it seems that Vercingetorix has the advantage when Roman and Gallic forces face off. But Caesar will not give up. He orders his troops to surround the fortress with a massive barrier. When the armies finally clash, it's a showdown that will determine the fate of Gaul. TVPG VL | CC

Julius Caesar invaded Britain in 55 and 54 BC, gaining submission of the six eastern Celtic tribes. As the Roman Empire's farthest flung province, its merchants enjoyed a healthy trade with Roman Gaul, and for about 100 years, the tribes were mainly left alone. But in 60 AD, a warrior queen named Boudicca rose in revolt. When her husband died, Boudicca became Queen of the Iceni. Roman administrators tried to control the Iceni by appropriating their land and disarming the tribe. After the Romans flogged Boudicca and raped her two daughters, she raised a mighty army believed to number over 100,000 and took the fight to the Romans. TVPG VL | CC

Join us for a day-by-day look at the last days of WWII. In this episode, 4-million residents turn out to cheer Eisenhower as he makes a triumphal 35-mile motorcade around New York City. In the Philippines, Appari, the last port held by the Japanese, falls to US forces, who now make contact with Filipino guerrillas. After three months of some of the bitterest fighting of the entire war, the Japanese finally cease trying to defend Okinawa against US forces. At dawn the Japanese commander, Lt. General Mitsuru Ushijima emerges from his bunker in a cave and commits ritual suicide in front of his shocked and demoralized staff officers. Victory at Okinawa places US forces just 400 miles from mainland Japan. Lt. General Simon B. Buckner, commander-in-chief of the US 10th Army, is killed by shrapnel as he visits frontline troops. TVPG VL | CC

July 10th 1943. The Allied armies launch the first major attack against Hitler's Fortress in Europe. Over the next thirty-eight days, half a million Allied soldiers, sailors and airmen will fight a bloody battle of attrition against German and Italian troops in one of the largest combined operations of World War II. Eleven months later, the men who were baptized in blood on this Mediterranean island would be hitting the beaches of Normandy and changing the course of history. Aerial reconnaissance photographs taken at the time have now been layered over a 3 dimensional map to create a CGI "model" of the island. For the first time these original high-resolution images allow the viewer to track the battle, step by step, from the air. Individual stories of courage and heroism can be placed in the exact location where they took place. TVPG VL | CC

Liberated from exile, in 1815, Napoleon raises an army and attacks Belgium, headed towards Brussels. A master of the "divide and conquer" strategy, Napoleon plans to attack a vital communication point between the English and Prussian armies. At the height of a difficult battle, the Duke of Wellington orders his secret cavalry and infantry to charge down from a ridge and destroy Napoleon's offense. TVPG VL | CC

Spartacus is one of the Ancient World's most famous figures. A Thracian soldier, Spartacus was captured by Romans and sold as a slave for training as a gladiator. With 70 other gladiators, he escaped and hid on Mount Vesuvius, where he raised an army of rebel slaves and defeated two Roman legions. But Roman vengeance was soon delivered by Crassus, who put an end to Spartacus's desperate bid for freedom and crucified over 6,000 men along the Via Appia as warning to other slaves in 71 BC. TVPG VL | CC

In Moscow, during a victory parade, more than 200 captured Nazi banners are ceremonially dragged across a rain-soaked Red Square and thrown to the ground in front of Lenin's tomb to the rumble of hundreds of drums. British bombers destroy the bridge over the River Kwai that the Japanese, using extreme cruelty, had forced weak and suffering Allied POWs to build. A Chinese envoy is the first of 50 delegates to sign the charter of the newly-formed United Nations. And as the bitter campaign in the Philippines drags on, President Truman approves a plan to invade mainland Japan. Five-million troops, mainly American, will take part. TVPG VL | CC

In the winter of 1943, an allied army of nearly 300,000 men invades Italy. Mussolini has surrendered, but Hitler and his feared paratroop regiments refuse to give up. At Monte Cassino, 60 miles south of Rome, the Allied forces under the command of General Harold Alexander come face to face with the fanatic defenders of Hitler's Third Reich. Will the sixth century monastery of Monte Cassino, now home to the Germans, become a casualty of war? Over the next six months more than a hundred thousand allied troops will be killed and wounded. Aerial reconnaissance photographs taken at the time have now been layered over a 3-D contour map to create a CGI "model" of the battles. For the first time these original high-resolution images allow the viewer to track the battles from the air. Individual stories of courage and heroism can be placed in the exact location where they took place. TVPG VL | CC

When the American warship EM USS Maine /EM mysteriously blows up in Cuba's Havana Harbor, President McKinley declares war against Spain. An invasion force lands, including cavalry and an all-black infantry regiment. One of the units, led by an ambitious young Lieutenant Colonel named Teddy Roosevelt, takes the initiative. Armed with outdated rifles, this rag-tag contingent of 17,000 troops moves across hilly terrain to make a frontal assault up San Juan Hill. They face 10,000 troops led by Spanish Lieutenant General Arsenio Linares. Called the Rough Riders, their victory helps turn America into a world military power, and change the life of Teddy Roosevelt forever. TVPG VL | CC

Return to the scene of one Alexander the Great's most decisive battles, where he wrested control of the Persian Empire from Darius III. Using cutting-edge computer gaming technology, we recreate the Battle of Gaugamela in 331 BC. Host Matthew Settle ( EM Band of Brothers /EM ) travels to an area north of Babylon, handpicked by Darius for his cavalry-led army. But Alexander created a typically brilliant plan of attack, marked by speed and superior discipline, to win one of the finest victories of his illustrious career. TVPG VL | CC

In the Great Sundra Islands, 33,000 Australian troops land at Balikpapan, while three escort carriers provide naval support. The Allies now control one of the richest oil-producing areas in Asia. In Berlin, the first US occupation troops arrive as Allied forces hold a victory parade. Meanwhile, rumors circulate that Hitler is still alive. In Manila, US General Douglas MacArthur declares the Philippines free from Japanese occupation. In Britain, Prime Minister Winston Churchill loses the General Election to the Labour Party led by Clement Atlee. But the results are not known for another three weeks. We also take a look at the US Curtis P-40 Kittyhawk and its important combat role under General Chennault against the Japanese in China. By the summer of 1945, USAF Major-General Claire Chennault--known as "Old Leather Face"--was in command of a combined wing of the Chinese and US air forces. TVPG VL | CC

July 10th 1944. For six long weeks since D-Day, Allied forces have been caught in a battle trying to breakout of the invasion beachhead at Normandy. In the East, the British and Canadian Armies are fighting to take the city of Caen, and have suffered over 26,000 casualties and in the West, the US forces, in just 12 days, lose over 10,000 troops. In a final throw of the dice, the Allied commanders come up with an audacious plan, operation Cobra. If successful, they will split the German forces and sweep into France. Aerial reconnaissance photographs taken at the time have now been layered over a 3 dimensional contour map to create a CGI "model" of the battle. For the first time these original high-resolution images, allows the viewer to track the battle, step by step, from the air. Individual stories of courage and heroism can be placed in the exact location where they took place. TVPG VL | CC

One by one, European nations fall to Hitler. In 1940, the German dictator now sets his sights on Britain, and orders a devastating air attack on the nation as a prelude to a ground invasion. But the British are determined to fight back. With newly developed radar systems, tenacious fighter pilots, and Sir Winston Churchill's powerful messages, Britain takes the blows and valiantly counterattacks. Ultimately, it's the dramatic dogfights in the sky that destroy Germany's air superiority and sends them into retreat. Part documentary, part interactive game, viewers take the parts of Winston Churchill and his 700 EM Spitfire /EM and EM Hurricane /EM fighters, and Adolf Hitler with 1,260 bombers, 316 dive bombers, and 1,089 fighters. TVPG VL | CC

Cannae, Italy, August 216 BC. In a classic example of double-envelopment maneuver, Hannibal inflicts the greatest ever defeat on the forces of Rome. A mighty Roman army, eight legions strong, marches out to crush the Carthaginian general on an open battlefield. Though Hannibal has far fewer men at his disposal, and none of his famous elephants, he manages to surround and slaughter the superior Roman force. See why Hannibal's military genius is still being lauded and taught in academies today. Hosted by Matthew Settle ( EM Band of Brothers /EM ). TVPG VL | CC

Modern day warrior, Green Beret Terry Schappert travels to South Africa to fight alongside legendary Zulu warriors. He reveals how these tribesmen grew from 400 to 40,000, mastered the most primitive of weapons, and devastated the British in a pivotal battle. TVPG VL | CC

A ship with a long illustrious legacy, the name was passed along Navy surface ships from the War of 1812 through the Mexican War, and then eventually given to submarines beginning in World War I. During World War II, the name landed on a unique sub equipped with two six-inch guns designed to combat destroyers and cruisers, yet big enough to be assigned to deliver massive amounts of cargo to Marine raiders. From 1951 through 1979, the replacement USS Nautilus completed numerous successful voyages, including sailing under the polar icecap. TVPG VL | CC

Part 3 of a comprehensive chronicle of the US Marine Corps follows them through the final bloody battles of Korea to Vietnam, where they are among the first and last Americans to fight the dispiriting war, and finally to Kuwait, where they see action in Desert Storm. Based on Colonel Joe Alexander's book A Fellowship of Valor. TVPG VL | CC

On June 20, 1941, the US Submarine O-9 headed out of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and nosed below the surface carrying 33 hands and never returned. Inquiries into her sinking failed to find answers. But 60 years later, she was rediscovered. Today, our team of Deep Sea Detectives heads out with the National Undersea Research Center to take the first ever video survey of the wreck in an attempt to solve this long forgotten mystery. TVPG VL | CC

The missile age has dawned over the skies of Vietnam and the era of conventional dogfighting is thought to be over. However, the missiles of the F-4 Phantom proved ineffective during close-in turning fights with agile MiG fighters, exemplifying the need for guns in modern air combat. Watch as A-1H Skyraider pilots pit their prop-driven workhorses against a lethal jet-powered MiG-17. Viewers will feel like they're in the battle facing the enemy with state-of-the-art computer graphics, rare archival footage and first-hand accounts driving the story. TVPG VL | CC

Even as WWII raged on, another, more desperate, battle was being waged just behind the front lines...a battle to save lives. The victories and losses of this crusade are the stories of the price of war. The fact that so many servicemen lived to tell the tale is a testament to the brave medical personnel who fought daily against death. WWII comes alive through a moving tapestry of letters, diaries, color film and photographs unearthed from archives and personal collections. Peter Coyote narrates. TVPG VL | CC

In this episode of our series focusing on the winding-down of the Second World War, US forces make further advances against the Japanese in the Philippines, while fanatical Japanese troops continue to hold out on the Pacific Island of Okinawa. King Haakon of Norway makes a triumphant return to his country after five years of exile. In Europe, the Big Four--the US, UK, Soviet Union, and France--meet to discuss the division of Germany into four main occupation zones. Meanwhile, Allied troops make several startling discoveries, and the Soviets announce they've found the charred remains of Hitler's body. The "Weapon of the Week" is the Goster Meteor, and the "Personalities of tbe Week", Stalin and de Gaulle. TVPG VL | CC

Mixing real-life locations, archival battle footage, and 21st-century animation, we tell the story of history's greatest conflicts. Viewers are taken inside the tunnels of Iwo Jima to tell the story of this pivotal WWII battle from both the US and Japanese soldiers' viewpoint. TVPG VL | CC

It was the greatest and most costly American campaign in the Pacific Theater in which over a quarter of a million people lost their lives. It was a conflict that was to test a vast modern war machine against an increasingly desperate enemy. As the Allied juggernaut closed in on the home islands of Japan, the Okinawa's defenders would rely on suicide tactics and banzai charges to stall the invasion force. It became known as "the last great battle". Using cutting-edge techniques, unique archive film, re-enactments, and extraordinary interviews with men who were there, we tell the story of the last great battle of World War II. TVPG VL | CC

On Okinawa, US victory is now in sight. Japanese troops on the Pacific Island are mounting an increasingly desperate defense against the relentless advance of the US. In the Philippines, the Japanese are holed up in the Sierra Madre Mountains. In Frankfurt, Germany, Marshal Zhukov confers the Soviet Order of Victory--made of diamond-encrusted platinum--on Eisenhower and Montgomery. Eisenhower is awarded the Order of Merit--Britain's most prestigious honor--and is given the Freedom of the City of London. After warning Truman about the "iron curtain" falling over Europe, Winston Churchill is informed by the American President that the US cannot go back on the tripartite agreement for the post-war occupation of Germany approved by FDR. The withdrawal of American troops from the Eastern Zone will not be delayed. Soviet authorities start the forcible expulsion of ethnic Germans from the Sudetanland. TVPG VL | CC

From manned torpedoes to midget subs, we review the most dangerous and secretive submarine missions in the history of nautical warfare, and the special ops equipment devised to carry out these stealth operations. TVPG VL | CC

The story of the Navy's ballistic missile submarines or "Boomers"--from origin in the 1950s to preeminent status in the U.S. strategic nuclear deterrent forces. Today's Ohio-class subs are the most lethal warships ever created. We also look at the Fleet Ballistic Missile--from the first generation Polaris to the Trident II. Behind the scenes, we examine the command and control mechanisms and the complex authentication procedures required to release one, or all 24, of the sub's nuclear missiles. TVPG VL | CC

Join us for a day-by-day look at the last days of WWII. In this episode, 4-million residents turn out to cheer Eisenhower as he makes a triumphal 35-mile motorcade around New York City. In the Philippines, Appari, the last port held by the Japanese, falls to US forces, who now make contact with Filipino guerrillas. After three months of some of the bitterest fighting of the entire war, the Japanese finally cease trying to defend Okinawa against US forces. At dawn the Japanese commander, Lt. General Mitsuru Ushijima emerges from his bunker in a cave and commits ritual suicide in front of his shocked and demoralized staff officers. Victory at Okinawa places US forces just 400 miles from mainland Japan. Lt. General Simon B. Buckner, commander-in-chief of the US 10th Army, is killed by shrapnel as he visits frontline troops. TVPG VL | CC

In 1935, SS head Heinrich Himmler established the Lebensborn Foundation, with a goal of preserving and protecting "pure German blood", where blond-haired, blue-eyed Aryan women were mated with SS soldiers or men of documented "racial purity". Lebensborn homes were also set up in most occupied countries, particularly Norway, and Aryan-looking children were kidnapped from occupied countries like Poland. We see how these people, bred to rule the world, have for the most part led shattered lives. TVPG VL | CC

The most notorious madman in history was a murderer, a racist, a dictator and seducer of millions. But was this evil genius also... a prophet? And did he imagine that his sociopathic visions and violent behavior would eventually overtake the world, even if he was no longer alive to see it himself? Hitler's unlikely ascent was spurred by the eerie prophecies of two famed seers, Nostradamus and Erik Jan Hanussen; Hitler would manipulate their work to anoint himself a self-proclaimed Messiah come to save Germany in its time of need. Instead, he plundered Europe leaving millions dead in his wake. Was he the third Antichrist that Nostradamus predicted? And what role did the occult play in his attempt to re-build an Aryan master race? TVPG VL | CC

In Moscow, during a victory parade, more than 200 captured Nazi banners are ceremonially dragged across a rain-soaked Red Square and thrown to the ground in front of Lenin's tomb to the rumble of hundreds of drums. British bombers destroy the bridge over the River Kwai that the Japanese, using extreme cruelty, had forced weak and suffering Allied POWs to build. A Chinese envoy is the first of 50 delegates to sign the charter of the newly-formed United Nations. And as the bitter campaign in the Philippines drags on, President Truman approves a plan to invade mainland Japan. Five-million troops, mainly American, will take part. TVPG VL | CC

Part two of the deadly saga of the Solomons plays out at the Santa Cruz Islands. In one terrible day of vicious combat, Enterprise loses her sister ship USS Hornet and suffers dozens of casualties as bombs nail her flight deck. When the smoke clears, Enterprise is the only American carrier left in the Pacific. For the U.S. Navy at Santa Cruz, survival becomes the ultimate battle. TVPG VL | CC

Aircraft Carrier USS Enterprise, destined to become the most decorated ship of World War ll, was the only carrier to be front and center in every major sea battle in the Pacific. The Enterprise and her crew engaged in some of the fiercest battles ever seen, marked by intense firepower, instinct and a 360-coordination between the carrier, the destroyers, the aircraft above and the submarines below. Follow the Enterprise and its men from the start of the war through to the last battle. TVPG VL | CC

In the Great Sundra Islands, 33,000 Australian troops land at Balikpapan, while three escort carriers provide naval support. The Allies now control one of the richest oil-producing areas in Asia. In Berlin, the first US occupation troops arrive as Allied forces hold a victory parade. Meanwhile, rumors circulate that Hitler is still alive. In Manila, US General Douglas MacArthur declares the Philippines free from Japanese occupation. In Britain, Prime Minister Winston Churchill loses the General Election to the Labour Party led by Clement Atlee. But the results are not known for another three weeks. We also take a look at the US Curtis P-40 Kittyhawk and its important combat role under General Chennault against the Japanese in China. By the summer of 1945, USAF Major-General Claire Chennault--known as "Old Leather Face"--was in command of a combined wing of the Chinese and US air forces. TVPG VL | CC

Few people realize that the Baath party was actually formed upon the principles and organizational structure of the Nazi party. Iraq, because of its oil and hatred of Jews, was an important battleground between the Axis and Allied powers in World War II. Nazi propaganda was broadcast throughout Baghdad, and Iraqis often went on rampages against Jews throughout the war. One of the most ardent Nazi supporters during WWII was named Khairallah Talfah. Talfah was Saddam's uncle. After the war, many of the key Iraqi Nazi supporters, all of whom evaded prosecution, wound up involved in Saddam's rise to power. This special examines the key individuals of the Iraqi-Nazi connection, the little-known battle for Iraq in WWII, and the strange link to Saddam Hussein. TVPG VL | CC

Modern day warrior, Green Beret Terry Schappert travels to South Africa to fight alongside legendary Zulu warriors. He reveals how these tribesmen grew from 400 to 40,000, mastered the most primitive of weapons, and devastated the British in a pivotal battle. TVPG VL | CC

December 7, 1941, was an historical turning point--the world was forever changed after the fateful Japanese attack against the US fleet at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. It resulted from a combination of interrelated and complicated factors--and at any point, the dangerous operation could have been called off before its commander radioed back the code words "Tora, Tora, Tora" (Tiger, Tiger, Tiger), which meant complete surprise had been achieved. Here is the real story of the "Day of Infamy". TVPG VL | CC

After providing defensive aid to neighboring Ionia, the Athenians must defend their city against Persian invasion. But Persia, with its archers and cavalry, has a clear advantage. After an 8-day stand off in 490 BC, with Persian reinforcements on the way, the Athenians, led by Callimachus and Militiades, decide to take the offensive. Part documentary, part interactive game, viewers join the forces of King Darius as 6,000 are slaughtered by the Athenians, who depend on speed to gain the advantage. TVPG VL | CC

One of Egypt's greatest pharaohs, Ramses II, confronts the biggest menace to his reign at the Battle of Kadesh (circa 1300 BC). The Hittite King Muwatallish gathered his allies against Ramses' army, positioning his forces in an ambush behind the hill at Kadesh. The battle, fought on the banks of the Orontes River in Syria, is the earliest battle for which true military tactics are known. We'll review the official, detailed account left by Ramses II of the battle, and see why, though it did not end in victory for either side, its outcome provided a century of stability in the region. TVPG VL | CC

After providing defensive aid to neighboring Ionia, the Athenians must defend their city against Persian invasion. But Persia, with its archers and cavalry, has a clear advantage. After an 8-day stand off in 490 BC, with Persian reinforcements on the way, the Athenians, led by Callimachus and Militiades, decide to take the offensive. Part documentary, part interactive game, viewers join the forces of King Darius as 6,000 are slaughtered by the Athenians, who depend on speed to gain the advantage. TVPG VL | CC

One of Egypt's greatest pharaohs, Ramses II, confronts the biggest menace to his reign at the Battle of Kadesh (circa 1300 BC). The Hittite King Muwatallish gathered his allies against Ramses' army, positioning his forces in an ambush behind the hill at Kadesh. The battle, fought on the banks of the Orontes River in Syria, is the earliest battle for which true military tactics are known. We'll review the official, detailed account left by Ramses II of the battle, and see why, though it did not end in victory for either side, its outcome provided a century of stability in the region. TVPG VL | CC

Survival in war isn't just about dodging bullets, but keeping alive in extreme conditions. Explorers and adventurers also face life-threatening situations. Hunter Ellis tests new high-tech gadgets for your next adventure. Once a Cold War battleground, today's space race sees super-rich dreamers competing to launch space tourism--with $10-million in prize money at stake! Then, Hunter examines explosives--from the military to avalanche control, diamond mining, special effects, and fireworks. TVPG VL | CC

In a bold move for political power, Julius Caesar invades Gaul. Using a strategy of divide and conquer, Caesar's army marches through Gaul and seems unstoppable. But then, a young Gallic warrior named Vercingetorix rallies the Gauls together to drive Caesar out of their land for good. Armed inside the Gallic fortress at Alesia, with thousands of warriors, it seems that Vercingetorix has the advantage when Roman and Gallic forces face off. But Caesar will not give up. He orders his troops to surround the fortress with a massive barrier. When the armies finally clash, it's a showdown that will determine the fate of Gaul. TVPG VL | CC

Julius Caesar invaded Britain in 55 and 54 BC, gaining submission of the six eastern Celtic tribes. As the Roman Empire's farthest flung province, its merchants enjoyed a healthy trade with Roman Gaul, and for about 100 years, the tribes were mainly left alone. But in 60 AD, a warrior queen named Boudicca rose in revolt. When her husband died, Boudicca became Queen of the Iceni. Roman administrators tried to control the Iceni by appropriating their land and disarming the tribe. After the Romans flogged Boudicca and raped her two daughters, she raised a mighty army believed to number over 100,000 and took the fight to the Romans. TVPG VL | CC

In a bold move for political power, Julius Caesar invades Gaul. Using a strategy of divide and conquer, Caesar's army marches through Gaul and seems unstoppable. But then, a young Gallic warrior named Vercingetorix rallies the Gauls together to drive Caesar out of their land for good. Armed inside the Gallic fortress at Alesia, with thousands of warriors, it seems that Vercingetorix has the advantage when Roman and Gallic forces face off. But Caesar will not give up. He orders his troops to surround the fortress with a massive barrier. When the armies finally clash, it's a showdown that will determine the fate of Gaul. TVPG VL | CC

Julius Caesar invaded Britain in 55 and 54 BC, gaining submission of the six eastern Celtic tribes. As the Roman Empire's farthest flung province, its merchants enjoyed a healthy trade with Roman Gaul, and for about 100 years, the tribes were mainly left alone. But in 60 AD, a warrior queen named Boudicca rose in revolt. When her husband died, Boudicca became Queen of the Iceni. Roman administrators tried to control the Iceni by appropriating their land and disarming the tribe. After the Romans flogged Boudicca and raped her two daughters, she raised a mighty army believed to number over 100,000 and took the fight to the Romans. TVPG VL | CC

In September 1943, the German army marched into Rome, beginning a 9-month battle for control of the "Eternal City". It was the Allied aim to preserve the Holy City's sacred institutions and treasures. So the staggering human cost before the city's military conquest is nearly incomprehensible. The special is based on the book The Battle for Rome--its author Robert Katz was subject to five penal proceedings over the years for his contention that fear of Communism produced a Faustian pact between the Vatican and the occupying Germans. The research draws on interviews with participants inside the city, and also on previously secret documents from Italian, German, Vatican, OSS and CIA archives. We hear from ordinary Roman citizens, informants, opportunists, spies, double agents, and Germans who risked death in efforts to save Jews. We see Rome as the hotbed of assassination, intrigue, treason, and bravery that it was as we look unflinchingly at unresolved controversies. TVPG VL | CC

Liberated from exile, in 1815, Napoleon raises an army and attacks Belgium, headed towards Brussels. A master of the "divide and conquer" strategy, Napoleon plans to attack a vital communication point between the English and Prussian armies. At the height of a difficult battle, the Duke of Wellington orders his secret cavalry and infantry to charge down from a ridge and destroy Napoleon's offense. TVPG VL | CC

Spartacus is one of the Ancient World's most famous figures. A Thracian soldier, Spartacus was captured by Romans and sold as a slave for training as a gladiator. With 70 other gladiators, he escaped and hid on Mount Vesuvius, where he raised an army of rebel slaves and defeated two Roman legions. But Roman vengeance was soon delivered by Crassus, who put an end to Spartacus's desperate bid for freedom and crucified over 6,000 men along the Via Appia as warning to other slaves in 71 BC. TVPG VL | CC

Liberated from exile, in 1815, Napoleon raises an army and attacks Belgium, headed towards Brussels. A master of the "divide and conquer" strategy, Napoleon plans to attack a vital communication point between the English and Prussian armies. At the height of a difficult battle, the Duke of Wellington orders his secret cavalry and infantry to charge down from a ridge and destroy Napoleon's offense. TVPG VL | CC

Spartacus is one of the Ancient World's most famous figures. A Thracian soldier, Spartacus was captured by Romans and sold as a slave for training as a gladiator. With 70 other gladiators, he escaped and hid on Mount Vesuvius, where he raised an army of rebel slaves and defeated two Roman legions. But Roman vengeance was soon delivered by Crassus, who put an end to Spartacus's desperate bid for freedom and crucified over 6,000 men along the Via Appia as warning to other slaves in 71 BC. TVPG VL | CC

They were Hitler's most effective and feared weapon--submarines that attacked in coordinated groups, like wolves. These stealthy predators sank thousands of Allied merchant ships, choking Britain in an economic stranglehold and devastating US coastal shipping. Top historians and US and German veterans provide insight into the strategies, tactics, and weapons used in the Battle of the Atlantic. We also hear from eyewitnesses to the 1942 torpedoing of the SS Gulf America off the coast of Florida. TVPG VL | CC

When the American warship EM USS Maine /EM mysteriously blows up in Cuba's Havana Harbor, President McKinley declares war against Spain. An invasion force lands, including cavalry and an all-black infantry regiment. One of the units, led by an ambitious young Lieutenant Colonel named Teddy Roosevelt, takes the initiative. Armed with outdated rifles, this rag-tag contingent of 17,000 troops moves across hilly terrain to make a frontal assault up San Juan Hill. They face 10,000 troops led by Spanish Lieutenant General Arsenio Linares. Called the Rough Riders, their victory helps turn America into a world military power, and change the life of Teddy Roosevelt forever. TVPG VL | CC

Return to the scene of one Alexander the Great's most decisive battles, where he wrested control of the Persian Empire from Darius III. Using cutting-edge computer gaming technology, we recreate the Battle of Gaugamela in 331 BC. Host Matthew Settle ( EM Band of Brothers /EM ) travels to an area north of Babylon, handpicked by Darius for his cavalry-led army. But Alexander created a typically brilliant plan of attack, marked by speed and superior discipline, to win one of the finest victories of his illustrious career. TVPG VL | CC

When the American warship EM USS Maine /EM mysteriously blows up in Cuba's Havana Harbor, President McKinley declares war against Spain. An invasion force lands, including cavalry and an all-black infantry regiment. One of the units, led by an ambitious young Lieutenant Colonel named Teddy Roosevelt, takes the initiative. Armed with outdated rifles, this rag-tag contingent of 17,000 troops moves across hilly terrain to make a frontal assault up San Juan Hill. They face 10,000 troops led by Spanish Lieutenant General Arsenio Linares. Called the Rough Riders, their victory helps turn America into a world military power, and change the life of Teddy Roosevelt forever. TVPG VL | CC

Return to the scene of one Alexander the Great's most decisive battles, where he wrested control of the Persian Empire from Darius III. Using cutting-edge computer gaming technology, we recreate the Battle of Gaugamela in 331 BC. Host Matthew Settle ( EM Band of Brothers /EM ) travels to an area north of Babylon, handpicked by Darius for his cavalry-led army. But Alexander created a typically brilliant plan of attack, marked by speed and superior discipline, to win one of the finest victories of his illustrious career. TVPG VL | CC

In the last days of WWII in Europe, a U.S. destroyer captured German submarine U-234 in the middle of the Atlantic. Onboard were some of Germany's most talented scientists, a dissembled Messerschmitt jet engine, and 10 boxes of uranium oxide. U-234's last surviving officer reveals how he saw Robert Oppenheimer inspect the uranium at a naval yard in New Hampshire. Was the uranium intended to fuel a Japanese bomb? Did the capture of U-234 accelerate the decision to drop the atomic bomb? TVPG VL | CC

One by one, European nations fall to Hitler. In 1940, the German dictator now sets his sights on Britain, and orders a devastating air attack on the nation as a prelude to a ground invasion. But the British are determined to fight back. With newly developed radar systems, tenacious fighter pilots, and Sir Winston Churchill's powerful messages, Britain takes the blows and valiantly counterattacks. Ultimately, it's the dramatic dogfights in the sky that destroy Germany's air superiority and sends them into retreat. Part documentary, part interactive game, viewers take the parts of Winston Churchill and his 700 EM Spitfire /EM and EM Hurricane /EM fighters, and Adolf Hitler with 1,260 bombers, 316 dive bombers, and 1,089 fighters. TVPG VL | CC

Cannae, Italy, August 216 BC. In a classic example of double-envelopment maneuver, Hannibal inflicts the greatest ever defeat on the forces of Rome. A mighty Roman army, eight legions strong, marches out to crush the Carthaginian general on an open battlefield. Though Hannibal has far fewer men at his disposal, and none of his famous elephants, he manages to surround and slaughter the superior Roman force. See why Hannibal's military genius is still being lauded and taught in academies today. Hosted by Matthew Settle ( EM Band of Brothers /EM ). TVPG VL | CC

One by one, European nations fall to Hitler. In 1940, the German dictator now sets his sights on Britain, and orders a devastating air attack on the nation as a prelude to a ground invasion. But the British are determined to fight back. With newly developed radar systems, tenacious fighter pilots, and Sir Winston Churchill's powerful messages, Britain takes the blows and valiantly counterattacks. Ultimately, it's the dramatic dogfights in the sky that destroy Germany's air superiority and sends them into retreat. Part documentary, part interactive game, viewers take the parts of Winston Churchill and his 700 EM Spitfire /EM and EM Hurricane /EM fighters, and Adolf Hitler with 1,260 bombers, 316 dive bombers, and 1,089 fighters. TVPG VL | CC

Cannae, Italy, August 216 BC. In a classic example of double-envelopment maneuver, Hannibal inflicts the greatest ever defeat on the forces of Rome. A mighty Roman army, eight legions strong, marches out to crush the Carthaginian general on an open battlefield. Though Hannibal has far fewer men at his disposal, and none of his famous elephants, he manages to surround and slaughter the superior Roman force. See why Hannibal's military genius is still being lauded and taught in academies today. Hosted by Matthew Settle ( EM Band of Brothers /EM ). TVPG VL | CC

Enterprise hits Luzon, Hong Kong, Southeast Asia, and Iwo Jima during the winter of 1945. She also unleashes a brand new night air-group from her flight deck. The Japanese respond by unleashing the Kamikaze. Sailors and Marines on Enterprise now face the horror of deadly suicide attackers as the allies tighten the grip on Japan and secure victory in the Pacific. TVPG VL | CC

Only nine American warriors have worn 5-stars--all won on WWII's battlefields. Watch generals Dwight Eisenhower, Douglas MacArthur, George Marshall, Omar Bradley, "Hap" Arnold, and admirals Chester Nimitz, "Bull" Halsey, William Lahey, and Ernest King in this 2-hour special as they clash with enemies, each other, and their superiors. TVPG VL | CC

The missile age has dawned over the skies of Vietnam and the era of conventional dogfighting is thought to be over. However, the missiles of the F-4 Phantom proved ineffective during close-in turning fights with agile MiG fighters, exemplifying the need for guns in modern air combat. Watch as A-1H Skyraider pilots pit their prop-driven workhorses against a lethal jet-powered MiG-17. Viewers will feel like they're in the battle facing the enemy with state-of-the-art computer graphics, rare archival footage and first-hand accounts driving the story. TVPG VL | CC

Even as WWII raged on, another, more desperate, battle was being waged just behind the front lines...a battle to save lives. The victories and losses of this crusade are the stories of the price of war. The fact that so many servicemen lived to tell the tale is a testament to the brave medical personnel who fought daily against death. WWII comes alive through a moving tapestry of letters, diaries, color film and photographs unearthed from archives and personal collections. Peter Coyote narrates. TVPG VL | CC

In this episode of our series focusing on the winding-down of the Second World War, US forces make further advances against the Japanese in the Philippines, while fanatical Japanese troops continue to hold out on the Pacific Island of Okinawa. King Haakon of Norway makes a triumphant return to his country after five years of exile. In Europe, the Big Four--the US, UK, Soviet Union, and France--meet to discuss the division of Germany into four main occupation zones. Meanwhile, Allied troops make several startling discoveries, and the Soviets announce they've found the charred remains of Hitler's body. The "Weapon of the Week" is the Goster Meteor, and the "Personalities of tbe Week", Stalin and de Gaulle. TVPG VL | CC

Mixing real-life locations, archival battle footage, and 21st-century animation, we tell the story of history's greatest conflicts. Viewers are taken inside the tunnels of Iwo Jima to tell the story of this pivotal WWII battle from both the US and Japanese soldiers' viewpoint. TVPG VL | CC

It was the greatest and most costly American campaign in the Pacific Theater in which over a quarter of a million people lost their lives. It was a conflict that was to test a vast modern war machine against an increasingly desperate enemy. As the Allied juggernaut closed in on the home islands of Japan, the Okinawa's defenders would rely on suicide tactics and banzai charges to stall the invasion force. It became known as "the last great battle". Using cutting-edge techniques, unique archive film, re-enactments, and extraordinary interviews with men who were there, we tell the story of the last great battle of World War II. TVPG VL | CC

On Okinawa, US victory is now in sight. Japanese troops on the Pacific Island are mounting an increasingly desperate defense against the relentless advance of the US. In the Philippines, the Japanese are holed up in the Sierra Madre Mountains. In Frankfurt, Germany, Marshal Zhukov confers the Soviet Order of Victory--made of diamond-encrusted platinum--on Eisenhower and Montgomery. Eisenhower is awarded the Order of Merit--Britain's most prestigious honor--and is given the Freedom of the City of London. After warning Truman about the "iron curtain" falling over Europe, Winston Churchill is informed by the American President that the US cannot go back on the tripartite agreement for the post-war occupation of Germany approved by FDR. The withdrawal of American troops from the Eastern Zone will not be delayed. Soviet authorities start the forcible expulsion of ethnic Germans from the Sudetanland. TVPG VL | CC

From manned torpedoes to midget subs, we review the most dangerous and secretive submarine missions in the history of nautical warfare, and the special ops equipment devised to carry out these stealth operations. TVPG VL | CC

The story of the Navy's ballistic missile submarines or "Boomers"--from origin in the 1950s to preeminent status in the U.S. strategic nuclear deterrent forces. Today's Ohio-class subs are the most lethal warships ever created. We also look at the Fleet Ballistic Missile--from the first generation Polaris to the Trident II. Behind the scenes, we examine the command and control mechanisms and the complex authentication procedures required to release one, or all 24, of the sub's nuclear missiles. TVPG VL | CC

Join us for a day-by-day look at the last days of WWII. In this episode, 4-million residents turn out to cheer Eisenhower as he makes a triumphal 35-mile motorcade around New York City. In the Philippines, Appari, the last port held by the Japanese, falls to US forces, who now make contact with Filipino guerrillas. After three months of some of the bitterest fighting of the entire war, the Japanese finally cease trying to defend Okinawa against US forces. At dawn the Japanese commander, Lt. General Mitsuru Ushijima emerges from his bunker in a cave and commits ritual suicide in front of his shocked and demoralized staff officers. Victory at Okinawa places US forces just 400 miles from mainland Japan. Lt. General Simon B. Buckner, commander-in-chief of the US 10th Army, is killed by shrapnel as he visits frontline troops. TVPG VL | CC

In 1935, SS head Heinrich Himmler established the Lebensborn Foundation, with a goal of preserving and protecting "pure German blood", where blond-haired, blue-eyed Aryan women were mated with SS soldiers or men of documented "racial purity". Lebensborn homes were also set up in most occupied countries, particularly Norway, and Aryan-looking children were kidnapped from occupied countries like Poland. We see how these people, bred to rule the world, have for the most part led shattered lives. TVPG VL | CC

The most notorious madman in history was a murderer, a racist, a dictator and seducer of millions. But was this evil genius also... a prophet? And did he imagine that his sociopathic visions and violent behavior would eventually overtake the world, even if he was no longer alive to see it himself? Hitler's unlikely ascent was spurred by the eerie prophecies of two famed seers, Nostradamus and Erik Jan Hanussen; Hitler would manipulate their work to anoint himself a self-proclaimed Messiah come to save Germany in its time of need. Instead, he plundered Europe leaving millions dead in his wake. Was he the third Antichrist that Nostradamus predicted? And what role did the occult play in his attempt to re-build an Aryan master race? TVPG VL | CC

In Moscow, during a victory parade, more than 200 captured Nazi banners are ceremonially dragged across a rain-soaked Red Square and thrown to the ground in front of Lenin's tomb to the rumble of hundreds of drums. British bombers destroy the bridge over the River Kwai that the Japanese, using extreme cruelty, had forced weak and suffering Allied POWs to build. A Chinese envoy is the first of 50 delegates to sign the charter of the newly-formed United Nations. And as the bitter campaign in the Philippines drags on, President Truman approves a plan to invade mainland Japan. Five-million troops, mainly American, will take part. TVPG VL | CC

Part two of the deadly saga of the Solomons plays out at the Santa Cruz Islands. In one terrible day of vicious combat, Enterprise loses her sister ship USS Hornet and suffers dozens of casualties as bombs nail her flight deck. When the smoke clears, Enterprise is the only American carrier left in the Pacific. For the U.S. Navy at Santa Cruz, survival becomes the ultimate battle. TVPG VL | CC

Aircraft Carrier USS Enterprise, destined to become the most decorated ship of World War ll, was the only carrier to be front and center in every major sea battle in the Pacific. The Enterprise and her crew engaged in some of the fiercest battles ever seen, marked by intense firepower, instinct and a 360-coordination between the carrier, the destroyers, the aircraft above and the submarines below. Follow the Enterprise and its men from the start of the war through to the last battle. TVPG VL | CC

In the Great Sundra Islands, 33,000 Australian troops land at Balikpapan, while three escort carriers provide naval support. The Allies now control one of the richest oil-producing areas in Asia. In Berlin, the first US occupation troops arrive as Allied forces hold a victory parade. Meanwhile, rumors circulate that Hitler is still alive. In Manila, US General Douglas MacArthur declares the Philippines free from Japanese occupation. In Britain, Prime Minister Winston Churchill loses the General Election to the Labour Party led by Clement Atlee. But the results are not known for another three weeks. We also take a look at the US Curtis P-40 Kittyhawk and its important combat role under General Chennault against the Japanese in China. By the summer of 1945, USAF Major-General Claire Chennault--known as "Old Leather Face"--was in command of a combined wing of the Chinese and US air forces. TVPG VL | CC

Few people realize that the Baath party was actually formed upon the principles and organizational structure of the Nazi party. Iraq, because of its oil and hatred of Jews, was an important battleground between the Axis and Allied powers in World War II. Nazi propaganda was broadcast throughout Baghdad, and Iraqis often went on rampages against Jews throughout the war. One of the most ardent Nazi supporters during WWII was named Khairallah Talfah. Talfah was Saddam's uncle. After the war, many of the key Iraqi Nazi supporters, all of whom evaded prosecution, wound up involved in Saddam's rise to power. This special examines the key individuals of the Iraqi-Nazi connection, the little-known battle for Iraq in WWII, and the strange link to Saddam Hussein. TVPG VL | CC

Modern day warrior, Green Beret Terry Schappert travels to South Africa to fight alongside legendary Zulu warriors. He reveals how these tribesmen grew from 400 to 40,000, mastered the most primitive of weapons, and devastated the British in a pivotal battle. TVPG VL | CC

The first bombing airplanes and widespread use of chemical weapons...earliest tanks...submarines. When Industrial-Age technology and war first mixed on a large scale, the end result was ruthlessly efficient destruction. World War One epitomized the dark underbelly of the Industrial Revolution. We see how technological achievements that streamlined 19th-century production, improved transportation, and expanded science were used to efficiently decimate a generation of soldiers in the early 20th century. TVPG VL | CC

The U-2513 is what's known as a Type 21 German U-boat. In the 1940s, the Type 21 was a secret weapon that threatened to change the course of two wars: WWII, and then later, the Cold War. During WWII, German hopes were riding on it, and the Allies were terrified of it. After the war, the British, Americans, and Russians couldn't wait to get their hands on it. It was a weapon that had the potential to change the balance of world power and determine the outcome of the Cold War. Join our Deep Sea Detectives, John Chatterton and Richie Kohler, as they dive in over 200 feet of water some 95 miles offshore of Key West. There they investigate the wreck of a one of WWII's most significant naval innovations--a boat design that changed history. TVPG VL | CC