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. TVPG VL | CC

An examination of the weapons that battled through surf and snow, dense jungle and choking dust...the guns of the American GI. Though WWII introduced instruments that pierced the dark and weapons that released the power of the atom, the infantryman's guns were designed decades before; but in dependability they were unequaled. TVPG VL | CC

Berlin falls. Hitler and Eva Braun, his wife of one day, along with some of his leading henchmen commit suicide. Dachau--one of the worst concentration camps ever--is liberated. German forces surrender to the Allies in Italy, Holland, Denmark, and northern Germany. Fighting continues in the south but is futile. Germany surrenders to the Allies. On Okinawa, the Japanese launch a massive counter attack against US forces. A Japanese balloon-bomb floats across the Pacific and kills six people in Oregon. The campaign in the Philippines draws to a close. These are some of the events that viewers relive in our detailed series that examines the final days of World War Two. TVPG VL | CC

An examination of the minds of two of the 20th century's most brutal dictators and mass murderers--Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin. Based on recent psychological and medical studies, the program explores the personalities of these ruthless leaders, who were directly responsible for millions of deaths--their paranoia, suspiciousness, cold-bloodedness, sadism, and lack of human feeling. Includes interviews with Martin Bormann's son and Hitler's butler. TVPG VL | CC

Living in the Soviet Republic of Belorussia during World War II, Tuvia, Asael and Zus Bielski saved more than twelve-hundred of their fellow Jews from perishing in the Holocaust, yet their story has largely gone untold. The Bielski's built an elaborate village in the woods, from which they rescued Jews and mounted guerilla attacks against the Nazis. Their forest haven included a gun workshop, a bakery, a synagogue, a communal bath and even a theater company. Containing interviews with Bielski Brigade survivors in the United States, Israel and Great Britain, we proudly pay tribute to three of the greatest unsung heroes of the Holocaust. TVPG VL | CC

After nearly six years of conflict and the death of millions, Germany surrenders unconditionally. The war in Europe is over at last. In London, Paris, New York, and Moscow, people take to the streets celebrating victory. Denmark, Norway, and the Channel Islands are liberated. However, in the Pacific Theater there is still heavy fighting on Okinawa and in the Philippines. It's a matter of honor for the Japanese who cannot contemplate the shame of defeat and surrender. US General Simon Buckner is determined to keep up the pressure. TVPG VL | CC

During WWII, Britain depended on its lifeline to North America, but in the first 18 months of war, German U-boats sank more than 3-million tons of shipping. It was a battle for survival and Britain was losing it. But by the spring of 1941, a new source of naval intelligence promised to transform the war in the Atlantic and shape victory from defeat. Featuring new eyewitness accounts from both sides, dramatic reconstructions, and a wealth of archival material. TVPG VL | CC

By the spring of 1943, the tide had turned and the hunter became the hunted. How in a matter of a few short months did the Allies manage to master the German U-boat threat? We draw on eyewitness accounts and use dramatic reconstructions and archive footage to tell the remarkable story of the victories in the spring of 1943 and the final destruction of the U-boat fleet. TVPG VL | CC

In Europe, the Nazi threat is all but gone as the "Big 3" nations begin to tackle the problem of restructuring the shattered continent. In the Pacific, the situation in Okinawa has turned into a bloody stalemate between the Americans and Japanese. Meanwhile, significant progress is being made in overcoming the enemy in the Philippines. The US also continues to soften the enemy's defenses on mainland Japan. In the US, shocking evidence of a Japanese/German bombmaking alliance ends up on the shores of New Hampshire--a timely and valuable discovery for the United States government and its atomic bomb project. Join us for another gripping hour of our series that takes a week-by-week look at the end of World War Two. TVPG VL | CC

Nordic peoples from the coasts of Scandinavia, these raiders and warriors were also explorers and merchants, whose slender ships carried them from Arabia to the New World--hundreds of years before Columbus set sail. After savage infighting among their own clans spurred development of the longship, the Vikings struck out across the seas, seeking plunder, slaves, and new lands. But in the end, they assimilated into European cultures and became agents of social and political change. TVPG VL | CC

Terrorized by the Huns' savage raids, the Goths made a desperate bid for safety in the Roman Empire, but were forced into squalid concentration camps along the imperial borders, starved and degraded, their children sold as slaves. But Rome made a big mistake--the Goths kept their weapons and exploded in rioting and looting. After centuries of broken treaties, King Aleric sacked Rome. Ironically, the Goths maintained Roman art and culture in their new Goth kingdoms as the Empire faded away. TVPG VL | CC

R. Lee Ermey is underway in San Pedro, California onboard the SS Lane Victory--the only fully operational WWII-era victory ship in the world. Lee highlights the role of the Merchant Marine and Navy Armed Guard in WWII and how they formed the vital link between "Rosie the Riveter" and "GI Joe"--shipping millions of tons of materiel and supplies across the Atlantic and Pacific. To demonstrate the ship's role, Lee and his jeep are sealifted by a WWII-era crane from shore onto the ship. From the anti-aircraft gun mount on the SS Lane Victory, the Gunny introduces a story about SWORDS, the military's new fully-armed robot warrior that is being deployed on the battlefield right now. And Lee takes a look back to the Navajo Code Talkers--Native Americans who developed an unbreakable secret code to keep radio communications safe during WWII. TVPG VL | CC

In an episode devoted to the weapons and warriors of the War of 1812, R. Lee Ermey travels back in time to see what it was like to go up against the British back then. At a newly converted 1812-period camp, he demonstrates a 7-barreled gun designed to obliterate the masts of enemy ships; experiences camp life at historic Fort Miegs; revisits the siege at Fort McHenry that inspired writing of EM The Star-Spangled Banner /EM , and visits the EM USS Constitution /EM to check U.S. naval technology of the day. TVPG VL | CC

The Maginot Line, a defensive string of forts with enfilading firepower, was built by France between WWI and WWII. Conceived by Minister of War Andr Maginot, it was meant to forestall another German invasion until troops could arrive. But the French began to think of the line as a substitute for manpower. When Belgium declared neutrality and exposed France's flank, Germany was able to sidestep the line. We'll visit the "impregnable" line's forts, observation turrets, and underground railroads. TVPG VL | CC

In 1948, a B-29 Superfortress took off from California on a research mission carrying a strange piece of scientific equipment--the Suntracker. But when the plane crashed into Lake Mead, Nevada, the Suntracker was lost. And all records saying what it was or what the plane was studying were also lost. Now, archaeologists from the National Park Services' Submerged Resources Center explore the wrecked bomber, submerged under 200 feet of water, and learn that it was at the forefront of Cold War science. TVPG VL | CC

Bomber's vs. Fighters face off in three of the most intense dogfights in history! Courageous bomber pilots from World War II and Vietnam challenge deadly foes against incredible odds. Using state of the art computer animation, you're in the cockpit with legendary World War II Navy ace Swede Vejtasa's SBD dive bomber as he fights off eight lethal Japanese Zeroes. World War II Medal of Honor winner Jay Zeamer and his crew pit their slow B-17 bomber against 17 Japanese fighters in a battle for survival. Next, soar with Air Force Lt. Col. Leo Thorsness as his F-105 Thunderchief takes on a flight of skilled MiG-17's in the skies over Vietnam. TVPG VL | CC

During WWII, the leaders of the US military challenged themselves to create the most advanced supply system in the history of warfare. The servicemen who fought the supply war played a critical, and under-appreciated, role in achieving victory. Without them the Allied war machine would have ground to a halt. Peter Coyote narrates this compelling journey into WWII through the eyes of those who lived it, using color film and photographs unearthed from archives and personal collections. TVPG VL | CC

Americans suffer terrible losses on Okinawa as they continue their advance. It's the last stepping stone on the way to mainland Japan. The Pacific island's capture is deemed vital by the Allied High Command. The region is hit by torrential rain and the battlefield becomes a quagmire. Meanwhile, US bombers continue to pound mainland Japan. Submarines have isolated the country from the outside world. In the Philippines, Japanese troops desperately try to hold the Wawa Dam on the Marikina River, following the successful US assault on the Ipo Dam on Luzon a few days earlier. In Europe, several high-ranking Nazi officials are arrested, including Heinrich Himmler, one of Hitler's most notorious and brutal henchmen. Soon after, Himmler commits suicide. Join us for a week-by-week account of activities in both theaters of war as WWII nears its end in Europe and continues to rage across the Pacific. TVPG VL | CC

The shadow of war between Christian and Muslim hangs over us today, but it is a war that began nearly a thousand years ago. By the close of the 11th century, Jerusalem had been in Muslim hands for over 400 years. In 1095 Pope Urban II launched an unprecedented military campaign to seize it back--a'Crusade to purge the Holy Land of'the infidel . Over 60,000 Christian warriors would journey 3,000 miles and for almost three years to reclaim the Holy City in the name of God. But their adversaries, the Turkish warlords of the Middle East would resist them every step of the way. In a series of epic battles and bloody massacres, tens of thousands would die as the crusaders inched ever closer towards Jerusalem. TVPG VL | CC

Fighting on Okinawa intensifies as the Japanese begin their retreat. Enemy forces on the island of Borneo send hundreds of Australian and British soldiers on a death march across the island, while US forces continue to wipe out scattered opposition on the Philippines. In Europe, British troops oversee the transfer of thousands of Nazi sympathizers from Russia to Yugoslavia. And the continent's food shortage is now a top priority in Washington. In this episode of our week-by-week overview of the closing months of WWII, we'll profile US General Simon Bolivar Buckner and highlight the P-51 Mustang escort fighter. TVPG VL | CC

In 1812, the US and Great Britain are once again at war. American "super frigates" win a series of crushing naval victories over the British Royal Navy warships. Americans are jubilant. Frigate captains are the celebrities of their day. On June 1, 1813, Captain James Lawrence sails out of Boston Harbor on the USS Chesapeake to take up a challenge from the British frigate HMS Shannon. Lawrence has already proven to be a brave and talented naval officer. But aboard the Shannon, British Captain Philip Broke has other ideas. At almost six in the afternoon, the fighting starts and lasts just 11 minutes. At the end, the Chesapeake is taken, 103 men are dead, and the US captain lies mortally wounded. Why was the battle so ferocious and bloody? How did the British win such a crushing victory against the odds? Scientists and historians combine efforts to solve the mystery. TVPG VL | CC

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. TVPG VL | CC

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. TVPG VL | CC

It's 10 o' clock on the evening of June 18, 1815. For the last 11 hours, a quarter of a million men have been fighting one of the most intense, bitter clashes in history--the Battle of Waterloo. As many as 50,000 men and 10,000 horses lie dead on the battlefield. The British Commander, the Duke of Wellington, greets Field Marshall von Blucher, Commander-in-Chief of the Prussian army. Their forces have achieved the unthinkable--the defeat of the legendary Emperor of France, Napoleon Bonaparte. How had Wellington achieved such a remarkable victory? Using the latest scientific techniques and historical analysis, we'll discover what gave Wellington the edge at Waterloo. TVPG VL | CC

One of Adolf Hitler's most brutal and dramatic exterminations came half a decade before the sins of the Holocaust. The SA was Hitler's army of thugs, but the head of the SA, Ernst Roehm, was threatening Hitler's rule. On June 29th 1934, Hitler ordered the SA leadership to appear for a meeting at the Hotel Hanselbauer. Without warning, the SS burst in, beginning 48 hours of bloodshed in which 1000 of the leading SA, including Roehm, were rounded up and slaughtered. This murderous deed became an ominous warning of what was to come. It is the single most significant episode in Hitler's rise to absolute power, and the set the stage for World War and the Holocaust. TVPG VL | CC

An examination of the minds of two of the 20th century's most brutal dictators and mass murderers--Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin. Based on recent psychological and medical studies, the program explores the personalities of these ruthless leaders, who were directly responsible for millions of deaths--their paranoia, suspiciousness, cold-bloodedness, sadism, and lack of human feeling. Includes interviews with Martin Bormann's son and Hitler's butler. TVPG VL | CC

May 1916. The British Grand Fleet, unchallenged since the Battle of Trafalgar, is moored in the peaceful harbor of Scapa Flow off the north coast of Scotland. The global dominance of the British Royal Navy is seemingly assured. But this is all about to change. The Battle of Jutland between Britain and Germany was the largest naval action of all time. It was a confrontation that the British wanted. An opportunity to unleash their lethal super weapons of the day--the great ships they called Dreadnoughts--and to prove that Britain did still rule the waves. Yet, in the cold grey waters of northern Europe, the showdown ended in carnage on a scale few could have imagined. Today, the ships with their vast gun turrets and thousands of shells still litter the seabed. Now, using the latest modern science, we try to determine what went wrong. Why was Jutland so disastrous for the British Royal Navy? And could it be, that in losing the battle, they won the naval war? TVPG VL | CC

The first TV documentary series about the Battle of the Atlantic--the longest and most costly battle of WWII. Over 30,000 merchant seamen lost their lives and 85 percent of the U-boat crews were killed. These are some of their untold stories. In this episode, we look at what Winston Churchill called "the U-boat peril", when Hitler's submarines threatened to do what his air force couldn't--starve Britain into submission. Featuring interviews with British seamen and U-boat men who hunted them down. TVPG VL | CC

During WWII, Britain depended on its lifeline to North America, but in the first 18 months of war, German U-boats sank more than 3-million tons of shipping. It was a battle for survival and Britain was losing it. But by the spring of 1941, a new source of naval intelligence promised to transform the war in the Atlantic and shape victory from defeat. Featuring new eyewitness accounts from both sides, dramatic reconstructions, and a wealth of archival material. TVPG VL | CC

One of history's greatest military leaders, at age nine Hannibal accompanied his father Hamilcar Barca on the Carthaginian expedition to conquer Spain. Before embarking, the boy vowed eternal hatred for Rome, his people's bitter rival. Twenty years later, in 218 BC, he left New Carthage (now Cartagena, Spain) to wage war on "The Eternal City" with an army of about 40,000, including cavalry and elephants. After crossing the Pyr n es and Rh ne River, he traversed the Alps while beset by snowstorms, landslides, and hostile mountain tribes. This 2-hour special brings to life the story of the Carthaginian general who struck fear in all Roman hearts and wreaked havoc with his masterful military tactics, bringing the mighty Roman Republic to the brink of ruin. Archaeologists, historians, and military experts guide us through ancient Carthage and give insight into his military strategy up to defeat at Zama in 203 BC. TVPG VL | CC

Nordic peoples from the coasts of Scandinavia, these raiders and warriors were also explorers and merchants, whose slender ships carried them from Arabia to the New World--hundreds of years before Columbus set sail. After savage infighting among their own clans spurred development of the longship, the Vikings struck out across the seas, seeking plunder, slaves, and new lands. But in the end, they assimilated into European cultures and became agents of social and political change. TVPG VL | CC

Movie. The true story of the "Lost Battalion" of US soldiers--a group of Irish, Italian, Jewish, and Polish "gangsters" from New York who were trapped behind enemy lines in World War One and fought heroically against the odds. Rick Schroder stars as battalion leader Major Charles Whittlesey, the civilian-turned-soldier who won the Congressional Medal of Honor for keeping his outnumbered troops alive and fighting in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds. (2001) TVPG VL | CC

The Maginot Line, a defensive string of forts with enfilading firepower, was built by France between WWI and WWII. Conceived by Minister of War Andr Maginot, it was meant to forestall another German invasion until troops could arrive. But the French began to think of the line as a substitute for manpower. When Belgium declared neutrality and exposed France's flank, Germany was able to sidestep the line. We'll visit the "impregnable" line's forts, observation turrets, and underground railroads. TVPG VL | CC

This is the remarkable story of the tiny U.S. fleet that staged the greatest upset victory in the history of naval warfare. Facing sure destruction off the Philippines at the hands of a massive Japanese fleet that included the most powerful battleship ever built, the Yamato, seven overmatched U.S. destroyers and destroyer escorts (or "tin cans" in Navy speak) charged the Japanese head-on. In the Battle off Samar, a steel shattering two-hour daylight surface engagement, the last ever fought, the task unit known as "Taffy 3" saved General Douglas MacArthur's invasion force and, at a cost of five stout ships and 850 sailors, etched its name in U.S. Navy legend. TVPG VL | CC

When the Navy SEALs needed a better way to travel the desert, they asked Chenowth Racing to build a car that could stand up to the desert. Host Hunter Ellis shows off their DPV (Desert Patrol Vehicle) at the Baja 1000. Next, he sees how battlefield medicine provided lifesaving changes in emergency medicine--from cutting-edge triage to "smart" bandages, and how UAVs (Unmanned Air Vehicles) have moved from military to myriad uses, including law enforcement, Hollywood, and even archaeological digs! TVPG VL | CC

Bomber's vs. Fighters face off in three of the most intense dogfights in history! Courageous bomber pilots from World War II and Vietnam challenge deadly foes against incredible odds. Using state of the art computer animation, you're in the cockpit with legendary World War II Navy ace Swede Vejtasa's SBD dive bomber as he fights off eight lethal Japanese Zeroes. World War II Medal of Honor winner Jay Zeamer and his crew pit their slow B-17 bomber against 17 Japanese fighters in a battle for survival. Next, soar with Air Force Lt. Col. Leo Thorsness as his F-105 Thunderchief takes on a flight of skilled MiG-17's in the skies over Vietnam. TVPG VL | CC

Green Beret Terry Schappert, reveals why the Vikings were called the "Hells Angels of the Middle Ages". He tests the weapons and tactics used to pillage Europe. The Vikings do meet their match--the Saxons--at the Battle of Maldon. TVPG VL | CC

Legendary fighter pilot, Colonel Robin Olds, sets an intricate trap for the North Vietnamese MiG-21's. His Squadron, the Wolfpack, disguise their lethal F-4 Phantoms as vulnerable bombers. The MiGs scream in to challenge the Americans. The result is the most elaborate air sting of the war... code-name... Operation Bolo. First-hand accounts, rare archival footage and original shooting will supplement the remarkable computer graphics. TVPG VL | CC

Berlin falls. Hitler and Eva Braun, his wife of one day, along with some of his leading henchmen commit suicide. Dachau--one of the worst concentration camps ever--is liberated. German forces surrender to the Allies in Italy, Holland, Denmark, and northern Germany. Fighting continues in the south but is futile. Germany surrenders to the Allies. On Okinawa, the Japanese launch a massive counter attack against US forces. A Japanese balloon-bomb floats across the Pacific and kills six people in Oregon. The campaign in the Philippines draws to a close. These are some of the events that viewers relive in our detailed series that examines the final days of World War Two. TVPG VL | CC

The target of a daring assassination plot by members of his military, Hitler nearly died at Wolf's Lair, his main wartime headquarters--just one of 15 known attempts on his life. This is the story of those diverse individuals who tried to alter history's course, and of a top-secret British plot to kill the most hated man on earth. TVPG VL | CC

In 1812, the US and Great Britain are once again at war. American "super frigates" win a series of crushing naval victories over the British Royal Navy warships. Americans are jubilant. Frigate captains are the celebrities of their day. On June 1, 1813, Captain James Lawrence sails out of Boston Harbor on the USS Chesapeake to take up a challenge from the British frigate HMS Shannon. Lawrence has already proven to be a brave and talented naval officer. But aboard the Shannon, British Captain Philip Broke has other ideas. At almost six in the afternoon, the fighting starts and lasts just 11 minutes. At the end, the Chesapeake is taken, 103 men are dead, and the US captain lies mortally wounded. Why was the battle so ferocious and bloody? How did the British win such a crushing victory against the odds? Scientists and historians combine efforts to solve the mystery. TVPG VL | CC

After nearly six years of conflict and the death of millions, Germany surrenders unconditionally. The war in Europe is over at last. In London, Paris, New York, and Moscow, people take to the streets celebrating victory. Denmark, Norway, and the Channel Islands are liberated. However, in the Pacific Theater there is still heavy fighting on Okinawa and in the Philippines. It's a matter of honor for the Japanese who cannot contemplate the shame of defeat and surrender. US General Simon Buckner is determined to keep up the pressure. TVPG VL | CC

An oral history of the shocking abuse inflicted on U.S. and Filipino POWs as their Japanese captors marched them day and night, without food or medicine, for over 50 miles. Many died en route to the camp, but many more were shot, bayoneted, or beheaded by prison guards. We follow one survivor as he returns to Bataan for the first time. TVPG VL | CC

It's 10 o' clock on the evening of June 18, 1815. For the last 11 hours, a quarter of a million men have been fighting one of the most intense, bitter clashes in history--the Battle of Waterloo. As many as 50,000 men and 10,000 horses lie dead on the battlefield. The British Commander, the Duke of Wellington, greets Field Marshall von Blucher, Commander-in-Chief of the Prussian army. Their forces have achieved the unthinkable--the defeat of the legendary Emperor of France, Napoleon Bonaparte. How had Wellington achieved such a remarkable victory? Using the latest scientific techniques and historical analysis, we'll discover what gave Wellington the edge at Waterloo. TVPG VL | CC

In Europe, the Nazi threat is all but gone as the "Big 3" nations begin to tackle the problem of restructuring the shattered continent. In the Pacific, the situation in Okinawa has turned into a bloody stalemate between the Americans and Japanese. Meanwhile, significant progress is being made in overcoming the enemy in the Philippines. The US also continues to soften the enemy's defenses on mainland Japan. In the US, shocking evidence of a Japanese/German bombmaking alliance ends up on the shores of New Hampshire--a timely and valuable discovery for the United States government and its atomic bomb project. Join us for another gripping hour of our series that takes a week-by-week look at the end of World War Two. TVPG VL | CC

The attack on Pearl Harbor shocked the nation. To many, the official explanations of misguided assumptions and missed clues did not account for the enormity of the catastrophe. We examine "alternative" theories that arose soon after the attack. Was a plot hatched in Washington to solve FDR's "problem"--convincing a reluctant country to fight the Nazis? Did FDR send a secret cable just days before the attack ordering Pearl Harbor chiefs to stand down? Did US intelligence intercept a message from Tokyo asking its spies in Hawaii to map the harbor for an imminent air attack? More than six decades later, the controversy boils under the surface of recent US history, igniting heated debates over collusion, intrigue, and thousands of American dead. TVPG VL | CC

May 1916. The British Grand Fleet, unchallenged since the Battle of Trafalgar, is moored in the peaceful harbor of Scapa Flow off the north coast of Scotland. The global dominance of the British Royal Navy is seemingly assured. But this is all about to change. The Battle of Jutland between Britain and Germany was the largest naval action of all time. It was a confrontation that the British wanted. An opportunity to unleash their lethal super weapons of the day--the great ships they called Dreadnoughts--and to prove that Britain did still rule the waves. Yet, in the cold grey waters of northern Europe, the showdown ended in carnage on a scale few could have imagined. Today, the ships with their vast gun turrets and thousands of shells still litter the seabed. Now, using the latest modern science, we try to determine what went wrong. Why was Jutland so disastrous for the British Royal Navy? And could it be, that in losing the battle, they won the naval war? TVPG VL | CC

R. Lee Ermey is underway in San Pedro, California onboard the SS Lane Victory--the only fully operational WWII-era victory ship in the world. Lee highlights the role of the Merchant Marine and Navy Armed Guard in WWII and how they formed the vital link between "Rosie the Riveter" and "GI Joe"--shipping millions of tons of materiel and supplies across the Atlantic and Pacific. To demonstrate the ship's role, Lee and his jeep are sealifted by a WWII-era crane from shore onto the ship. From the anti-aircraft gun mount on the SS Lane Victory, the Gunny introduces a story about SWORDS, the military's new fully-armed robot warrior that is being deployed on the battlefield right now. And Lee takes a look back to the Navajo Code Talkers--Native Americans who developed an unbreakable secret code to keep radio communications safe during WWII. TVPG VL | CC

In an episode devoted to the weapons and warriors of the War of 1812, R. Lee Ermey travels back in time to see what it was like to go up against the British back then. At a newly converted 1812-period camp, he demonstrates a 7-barreled gun designed to obliterate the masts of enemy ships; experiences camp life at historic Fort Miegs; revisits the siege at Fort McHenry that inspired writing of EM The Star-Spangled Banner /EM , and visits the EM USS Constitution /EM to check U.S. naval technology of the day. TVPG VL | CC

Although the Arizona fought only minutes in the battle in which she died, her afterlife as a tragic symbol epitomizes American naval sacrifice and courage. She is a national cemetery as a well as a national monument, with 900 of her December 7th crew entombed within her. As a special honor, survivors of the Pearl Harbor fleet are entitled to have their ashes buried within Arizona's ruins. Travel back to the ship for a final reunion with the last of her survivors and witness the entombing of a deceased survivor on the ship. Here her valiant story of fighting against insurmountable odds as we also take witness to her heroic past highlights and recent discoveries. TVPG VL | CC

Once called mercenaries, highly trained killers have offered their deadly services for a price--from ancient Rome to the War on Terror. Today, they've marched from the back pages of Soldier of Fortune magazine to form vast corporations with the power of the most advanced militaries. The payday for these private soldiers has reached $100-billion annually! Unregulated by governing forces, they wage war for those who can afford it. Find out if they are the future of conflict resolution in our 2-hour special. TVPG VL | CC

Americans suffer terrible losses on Okinawa as they continue their advance. It's the last stepping stone on the way to mainland Japan. The Pacific island's capture is deemed vital by the Allied High Command. The region is hit by torrential rain and the battlefield becomes a quagmire. Meanwhile, US bombers continue to pound mainland Japan. Submarines have isolated the country from the outside world. In the Philippines, Japanese troops desperately try to hold the Wawa Dam on the Marikina River, following the successful US assault on the Ipo Dam on Luzon a few days earlier. In Europe, several high-ranking Nazi officials are arrested, including Heinrich Himmler, one of Hitler's most notorious and brutal henchmen. Soon after, Himmler commits suicide. Join us for a week-by-week account of activities in both theaters of war as WWII nears its end in Europe and continues to rage across the Pacific. TVPG VL | CC

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-17s' 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! TVPG VL | CC

This is the remarkable story of the tiny U.S. fleet that staged the greatest upset victory in the history of naval warfare. Facing sure destruction off the Philippines at the hands of a massive Japanese fleet that included the most powerful battleship ever built, the Yamato, seven overmatched U.S. destroyers and destroyer escorts (or "tin cans" in Navy speak) charged the Japanese head-on. In the Battle off Samar, a steel shattering two-hour daylight surface engagement, the last ever fought, the task unit known as "Taffy 3" saved General Douglas MacArthur's invasion force and, at a cost of five stout ships and 850 sailors, etched its name in U.S. Navy legend. TVPG VL | CC

Fighting on Okinawa intensifies as the Japanese begin their retreat. Enemy forces on the island of Borneo send hundreds of Australian and British soldiers on a death march across the island, while US forces continue to wipe out scattered opposition on the Philippines. In Europe, British troops oversee the transfer of thousands of Nazi sympathizers from Russia to Yugoslavia. And the continent's food shortage is now a top priority in Washington. In this episode of our week-by-week overview of the closing months of WWII, we'll profile US General Simon Bolivar Buckner and highlight the P-51 Mustang escort fighter. TVPG VL | CC

We join the Vandals as they infiltrate the Roman borders in northern Gaul, and sweep into Spain, burning and pillaging everything in their path. This ragged, homeless tribe launches the largest ever sea-borne movement of the barbarian peoples making their name synonymous with lawless destruction, looting and terror. As their great leader, Gaiseric, and his blood-thirsty son, Huneric ravage North Africa, and eventually Rome, itself, we see them face the crushing military of the Roman Empire, the devious trickery of Roman General Aetius, and the devout beliefs of the Holy Roman Church. TVPG VL | CC

Green Beret Terry Schappert, reveals why the Vikings were called the "Hells Angels of the Middle Ages". He tests the weapons and tactics used to pillage Europe. The Vikings do meet their match--the Saxons--at the Battle of Maldon. TVPG VL | CC

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. TVPG VL | CC

An examination of the weapons that battled through surf and snow, dense jungle and choking dust...the guns of the American GI. Though WWII introduced instruments that pierced the dark and weapons that released the power of the atom, the infantryman's guns were designed decades before; but in dependability they were unequaled. TVPG VL | CC

Berlin falls. Hitler and Eva Braun, his wife of one day, along with some of his leading henchmen commit suicide. Dachau--one of the worst concentration camps ever--is liberated. German forces surrender to the Allies in Italy, Holland, Denmark, and northern Germany. Fighting continues in the south but is futile. Germany surrenders to the Allies. On Okinawa, the Japanese launch a massive counter attack against US forces. A Japanese balloon-bomb floats across the Pacific and kills six people in Oregon. The campaign in the Philippines draws to a close. These are some of the events that viewers relive in our detailed series that examines the final days of World War Two. TVPG VL | CC

An examination of the minds of two of the 20th century's most brutal dictators and mass murderers--Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin. Based on recent psychological and medical studies, the program explores the personalities of these ruthless leaders, who were directly responsible for millions of deaths--their paranoia, suspiciousness, cold-bloodedness, sadism, and lack of human feeling. Includes interviews with Martin Bormann's son and Hitler's butler. TVPG VL | CC

Living in the Soviet Republic of Belorussia during World War II, Tuvia, Asael and Zus Bielski saved more than twelve-hundred of their fellow Jews from perishing in the Holocaust, yet their story has largely gone untold. The Bielski's built an elaborate village in the woods, from which they rescued Jews and mounted guerilla attacks against the Nazis. Their forest haven included a gun workshop, a bakery, a synagogue, a communal bath and even a theater company. Containing interviews with Bielski Brigade survivors in the United States, Israel and Great Britain, we proudly pay tribute to three of the greatest unsung heroes of the Holocaust. TVPG VL | CC

After nearly six years of conflict and the death of millions, Germany surrenders unconditionally. The war in Europe is over at last. In London, Paris, New York, and Moscow, people take to the streets celebrating victory. Denmark, Norway, and the Channel Islands are liberated. However, in the Pacific Theater there is still heavy fighting on Okinawa and in the Philippines. It's a matter of honor for the Japanese who cannot contemplate the shame of defeat and surrender. US General Simon Buckner is determined to keep up the pressure. TVPG VL | CC

During WWII, Britain depended on its lifeline to North America, but in the first 18 months of war, German U-boats sank more than 3-million tons of shipping. It was a battle for survival and Britain was losing it. But by the spring of 1941, a new source of naval intelligence promised to transform the war in the Atlantic and shape victory from defeat. Featuring new eyewitness accounts from both sides, dramatic reconstructions, and a wealth of archival material. TVPG VL | CC

By the spring of 1943, the tide had turned and the hunter became the hunted. How in a matter of a few short months did the Allies manage to master the German U-boat threat? We draw on eyewitness accounts and use dramatic reconstructions and archive footage to tell the remarkable story of the victories in the spring of 1943 and the final destruction of the U-boat fleet. TVPG VL | CC

In Europe, the Nazi threat is all but gone as the "Big 3" nations begin to tackle the problem of restructuring the shattered continent. In the Pacific, the situation in Okinawa has turned into a bloody stalemate between the Americans and Japanese. Meanwhile, significant progress is being made in overcoming the enemy in the Philippines. The US also continues to soften the enemy's defenses on mainland Japan. In the US, shocking evidence of a Japanese/German bombmaking alliance ends up on the shores of New Hampshire--a timely and valuable discovery for the United States government and its atomic bomb project. Join us for another gripping hour of our series that takes a week-by-week look at the end of World War Two. TVPG VL | CC

Nordic peoples from the coasts of Scandinavia, these raiders and warriors were also explorers and merchants, whose slender ships carried them from Arabia to the New World--hundreds of years before Columbus set sail. After savage infighting among their own clans spurred development of the longship, the Vikings struck out across the seas, seeking plunder, slaves, and new lands. But in the end, they assimilated into European cultures and became agents of social and political change. TVPG VL | CC

Terrorized by the Huns' savage raids, the Goths made a desperate bid for safety in the Roman Empire, but were forced into squalid concentration camps along the imperial borders, starved and degraded, their children sold as slaves. But Rome made a big mistake--the Goths kept their weapons and exploded in rioting and looting. After centuries of broken treaties, King Aleric sacked Rome. Ironically, the Goths maintained Roman art and culture in their new Goth kingdoms as the Empire faded away. TVPG VL | CC

R. Lee Ermey is underway in San Pedro, California onboard the SS Lane Victory--the only fully operational WWII-era victory ship in the world. Lee highlights the role of the Merchant Marine and Navy Armed Guard in WWII and how they formed the vital link between "Rosie the Riveter" and "GI Joe"--shipping millions of tons of materiel and supplies across the Atlantic and Pacific. To demonstrate the ship's role, Lee and his jeep are sealifted by a WWII-era crane from shore onto the ship. From the anti-aircraft gun mount on the SS Lane Victory, the Gunny introduces a story about SWORDS, the military's new fully-armed robot warrior that is being deployed on the battlefield right now. And Lee takes a look back to the Navajo Code Talkers--Native Americans who developed an unbreakable secret code to keep radio communications safe during WWII. TVPG VL | CC

In an episode devoted to the weapons and warriors of the War of 1812, R. Lee Ermey travels back in time to see what it was like to go up against the British back then. At a newly converted 1812-period camp, he demonstrates a 7-barreled gun designed to obliterate the masts of enemy ships; experiences camp life at historic Fort Miegs; revisits the siege at Fort McHenry that inspired writing of EM The Star-Spangled Banner /EM , and visits the EM USS Constitution /EM to check U.S. naval technology of the day. TVPG VL | CC

The Maginot Line, a defensive string of forts with enfilading firepower, was built by France between WWI and WWII. Conceived by Minister of War Andr Maginot, it was meant to forestall another German invasion until troops could arrive. But the French began to think of the line as a substitute for manpower. When Belgium declared neutrality and exposed France's flank, Germany was able to sidestep the line. We'll visit the "impregnable" line's forts, observation turrets, and underground railroads. TVPG VL | CC

In 1948, a B-29 Superfortress took off from California on a research mission carrying a strange piece of scientific equipment--the Suntracker. But when the plane crashed into Lake Mead, Nevada, the Suntracker was lost. And all records saying what it was or what the plane was studying were also lost. Now, archaeologists from the National Park Services' Submerged Resources Center explore the wrecked bomber, submerged under 200 feet of water, and learn that it was at the forefront of Cold War science. TVPG VL | CC

Bomber's vs. Fighters face off in three of the most intense dogfights in history! Courageous bomber pilots from World War II and Vietnam challenge deadly foes against incredible odds. Using state of the art computer animation, you're in the cockpit with legendary World War II Navy ace Swede Vejtasa's SBD dive bomber as he fights off eight lethal Japanese Zeroes. World War II Medal of Honor winner Jay Zeamer and his crew pit their slow B-17 bomber against 17 Japanese fighters in a battle for survival. Next, soar with Air Force Lt. Col. Leo Thorsness as his F-105 Thunderchief takes on a flight of skilled MiG-17's in the skies over Vietnam. TVPG VL | CC

During WWII, the leaders of the US military challenged themselves to create the most advanced supply system in the history of warfare. The servicemen who fought the supply war played a critical, and under-appreciated, role in achieving victory. Without them the Allied war machine would have ground to a halt. Peter Coyote narrates this compelling journey into WWII through the eyes of those who lived it, using color film and photographs unearthed from archives and personal collections. TVPG VL | CC

Americans suffer terrible losses on Okinawa as they continue their advance. It's the last stepping stone on the way to mainland Japan. The Pacific island's capture is deemed vital by the Allied High Command. The region is hit by torrential rain and the battlefield becomes a quagmire. Meanwhile, US bombers continue to pound mainland Japan. Submarines have isolated the country from the outside world. In the Philippines, Japanese troops desperately try to hold the Wawa Dam on the Marikina River, following the successful US assault on the Ipo Dam on Luzon a few days earlier. In Europe, several high-ranking Nazi officials are arrested, including Heinrich Himmler, one of Hitler's most notorious and brutal henchmen. Soon after, Himmler commits suicide. Join us for a week-by-week account of activities in both theaters of war as WWII nears its end in Europe and continues to rage across the Pacific. TVPG VL | CC

The shadow of war between Christian and Muslim hangs over us today, but it is a war that began nearly a thousand years ago. By the close of the 11th century, Jerusalem had been in Muslim hands for over 400 years. In 1095 Pope Urban II launched an unprecedented military campaign to seize it back--a'Crusade to purge the Holy Land of'the infidel . Over 60,000 Christian warriors would journey 3,000 miles and for almost three years to reclaim the Holy City in the name of God. But their adversaries, the Turkish warlords of the Middle East would resist them every step of the way. In a series of epic battles and bloody massacres, tens of thousands would die as the crusaders inched ever closer towards Jerusalem. TVPG VL | CC

Fighting on Okinawa intensifies as the Japanese begin their retreat. Enemy forces on the island of Borneo send hundreds of Australian and British soldiers on a death march across the island, while US forces continue to wipe out scattered opposition on the Philippines. In Europe, British troops oversee the transfer of thousands of Nazi sympathizers from Russia to Yugoslavia. And the continent's food shortage is now a top priority in Washington. In this episode of our week-by-week overview of the closing months of WWII, we'll profile US General Simon Bolivar Buckner and highlight the P-51 Mustang escort fighter. TVPG VL | CC

In 1812, the US and Great Britain are once again at war. American "super frigates" win a series of crushing naval victories over the British Royal Navy warships. Americans are jubilant. Frigate captains are the celebrities of their day. On June 1, 1813, Captain James Lawrence sails out of Boston Harbor on the USS Chesapeake to take up a challenge from the British frigate HMS Shannon. Lawrence has already proven to be a brave and talented naval officer. But aboard the Shannon, British Captain Philip Broke has other ideas. At almost six in the afternoon, the fighting starts and lasts just 11 minutes. At the end, the Chesapeake is taken, 103 men are dead, and the US captain lies mortally wounded. Why was the battle so ferocious and bloody? How did the British win such a crushing victory against the odds? Scientists and historians combine efforts to solve the mystery. TVPG VL | CC

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. TVPG VL | CC

It's 10 o' clock on the evening of June 18, 1815. For the last 11 hours, a quarter of a million men have been fighting one of the most intense, bitter clashes in history--the Battle of Waterloo. As many as 50,000 men and 10,000 horses lie dead on the battlefield. The British Commander, the Duke of Wellington, greets Field Marshall von Blucher, Commander-in-Chief of the Prussian army. Their forces have achieved the unthinkable--the defeat of the legendary Emperor of France, Napoleon Bonaparte. How had Wellington achieved such a remarkable victory? Using the latest scientific techniques and historical analysis, we'll discover what gave Wellington the edge at Waterloo. TVPG VL | CC

It's 10 o' clock on the evening of June 18, 1815. For the last 11 hours, a quarter of a million men have been fighting one of the most intense, bitter clashes in history--the Battle of Waterloo. As many as 50,000 men and 10,000 horses lie dead on the battlefield. The British Commander, the Duke of Wellington, greets Field Marshall von Blucher, Commander-in-Chief of the Prussian army. Their forces have achieved the unthinkable--the defeat of the legendary Emperor of France, Napoleon Bonaparte. How had Wellington achieved such a remarkable victory? Using the latest scientific techniques and historical analysis, we'll discover what gave Wellington the edge at Waterloo. TVPG VL | CC

One of Adolf Hitler's most brutal and dramatic exterminations came half a decade before the sins of the Holocaust. The SA was Hitler's army of thugs, but the head of the SA, Ernst Roehm, was threatening Hitler's rule. On June 29th 1934, Hitler ordered the SA leadership to appear for a meeting at the Hotel Hanselbauer. Without warning, the SS burst in, beginning 48 hours of bloodshed in which 1000 of the leading SA, including Roehm, were rounded up and slaughtered. This murderous deed became an ominous warning of what was to come. It is the single most significant episode in Hitler's rise to absolute power, and the set the stage for World War and the Holocaust. TVPG VL | CC

May 1916. The British Grand Fleet, unchallenged since the Battle of Trafalgar, is moored in the peaceful harbor of Scapa Flow off the north coast of Scotland. The global dominance of the British Royal Navy is seemingly assured. But this is all about to change. The Battle of Jutland between Britain and Germany was the largest naval action of all time. It was a confrontation that the British wanted. An opportunity to unleash their lethal super weapons of the day--the great ships they called Dreadnoughts--and to prove that Britain did still rule the waves. Yet, in the cold grey waters of northern Europe, the showdown ended in carnage on a scale few could have imagined. Today, the ships with their vast gun turrets and thousands of shells still litter the seabed. Now, using the latest modern science, we try to determine what went wrong. Why was Jutland so disastrous for the British Royal Navy? And could it be, that in losing the battle, they won the naval war? TVPG VL | CC

May 1916. The British Grand Fleet, unchallenged since the Battle of Trafalgar, is moored in the peaceful harbor of Scapa Flow off the north coast of Scotland. The global dominance of the British Royal Navy is seemingly assured. But this is all about to change. The Battle of Jutland between Britain and Germany was the largest naval action of all time. It was a confrontation that the British wanted. An opportunity to unleash their lethal super weapons of the day--the great ships they called Dreadnoughts--and to prove that Britain did still rule the waves. Yet, in the cold grey waters of northern Europe, the showdown ended in carnage on a scale few could have imagined. Today, the ships with their vast gun turrets and thousands of shells still litter the seabed. Now, using the latest modern science, we try to determine what went wrong. Why was Jutland so disastrous for the British Royal Navy? And could it be, that in losing the battle, they won the naval war? TVPG VL | CC

The first TV documentary series about the Battle of the Atlantic--the longest and most costly battle of WWII. Over 30,000 merchant seamen lost their lives and 85 percent of the U-boat crews were killed. These are some of their untold stories. In this episode, we look at what Winston Churchill called "the U-boat peril", when Hitler's submarines threatened to do what his air force couldn't--starve Britain into submission. Featuring interviews with British seamen and U-boat men who hunted them down. TVPG VL | CC

One of history's greatest military leaders, at age nine Hannibal accompanied his father Hamilcar Barca on the Carthaginian expedition to conquer Spain. Before embarking, the boy vowed eternal hatred for Rome, his people's bitter rival. Twenty years later, in 218 BC, he left New Carthage (now Cartagena, Spain) to wage war on "The Eternal City" with an army of about 40,000, including cavalry and elephants. After crossing the Pyr n es and Rh ne River, he traversed the Alps while beset by snowstorms, landslides, and hostile mountain tribes. This 2-hour special brings to life the story of the Carthaginian general who struck fear in all Roman hearts and wreaked havoc with his masterful military tactics, bringing the mighty Roman Republic to the brink of ruin. Archaeologists, historians, and military experts guide us through ancient Carthage and give insight into his military strategy up to defeat at Zama in 203 BC. TVPG VL | CC

Movie. The true story of the "Lost Battalion" of US soldiers--a group of Irish, Italian, Jewish, and Polish "gangsters" from New York who were trapped behind enemy lines in World War One and fought heroically against the odds. Rick Schroder stars as battalion leader Major Charles Whittlesey, the civilian-turned-soldier who won the Congressional Medal of Honor for keeping his outnumbered troops alive and fighting in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds. (2001) TVPG VL | CC

This is the remarkable story of the tiny U.S. fleet that staged the greatest upset victory in the history of naval warfare. Facing sure destruction off the Philippines at the hands of a massive Japanese fleet that included the most powerful battleship ever built, the Yamato, seven overmatched U.S. destroyers and destroyer escorts (or "tin cans" in Navy speak) charged the Japanese head-on. In the Battle off Samar, a steel shattering two-hour daylight surface engagement, the last ever fought, the task unit known as "Taffy 3" saved General Douglas MacArthur's invasion force and, at a cost of five stout ships and 850 sailors, etched its name in U.S. Navy legend. TVPG VL | CC

This is the remarkable story of the tiny U.S. fleet that staged the greatest upset victory in the history of naval warfare. Facing sure destruction off the Philippines at the hands of a massive Japanese fleet that included the most powerful battleship ever built, the Yamato, seven overmatched U.S. destroyers and destroyer escorts (or "tin cans" in Navy speak) charged the Japanese head-on. In the Battle off Samar, a steel shattering two-hour daylight surface engagement, the last ever fought, the task unit known as "Taffy 3" saved General Douglas MacArthur's invasion force and, at a cost of five stout ships and 850 sailors, etched its name in U.S. Navy legend. TVPG VL | CC

When the Navy SEALs needed a better way to travel the desert, they asked Chenowth Racing to build a car that could stand up to the desert. Host Hunter Ellis shows off their DPV (Desert Patrol Vehicle) at the Baja 1000. Next, he sees how battlefield medicine provided lifesaving changes in emergency medicine--from cutting-edge triage to "smart" bandages, and how UAVs (Unmanned Air Vehicles) have moved from military to myriad uses, including law enforcement, Hollywood, and even archaeological digs! TVPG VL | CC

Green Beret Terry Schappert, reveals why the Vikings were called the "Hells Angels of the Middle Ages". He tests the weapons and tactics used to pillage Europe. The Vikings do meet their match--the Saxons--at the Battle of Maldon. TVPG VL | CC

Green Beret Terry Schappert, reveals why the Vikings were called the "Hells Angels of the Middle Ages". He tests the weapons and tactics used to pillage Europe. The Vikings do meet their match--the Saxons--at the Battle of Maldon. TVPG VL | CC

Legendary fighter pilot, Colonel Robin Olds, sets an intricate trap for the North Vietnamese MiG-21's. His Squadron, the Wolfpack, disguise their lethal F-4 Phantoms as vulnerable bombers. The MiGs scream in to challenge the Americans. The result is the most elaborate air sting of the war... code-name... Operation Bolo. First-hand accounts, rare archival footage and original shooting will supplement the remarkable computer graphics. TVPG VL | CC

A modern day warrior, Green Beret Terry Schappert tests the deadly weapons and psychological tactics of legendary Samurai. Legendary samurai Musashi meets archrival Kojiro in climactic duel. TVPG VL | CC

An examination of the minds of two of the 20th century's most brutal dictators and mass murderers--Adolf Hitler and Joseph Stalin. Based on recent psychological and medical studies, the program explores the personalities of these ruthless leaders, who were directly responsible for millions of deaths--their paranoia, suspiciousness, cold-bloodedness, sadism, and lack of human feeling. Includes interviews with Martin Bormann's son and Hitler's butler. TVPG VL | CC

Living in the Soviet Republic of Belorussia during World War II, Tuvia, Asael and Zus Bielski saved more than twelve-hundred of their fellow Jews from perishing in the Holocaust, yet their story has largely gone untold. The Bielski's built an elaborate village in the woods, from which they rescued Jews and mounted guerilla attacks against the Nazis. Their forest haven included a gun workshop, a bakery, a synagogue, a communal bath and even a theater company. Containing interviews with Bielski Brigade survivors in the United States, Israel and Great Britain, we proudly pay tribute to three of the greatest unsung heroes of the Holocaust. TVPG VL | CC

After nearly six years of conflict and the death of millions, Germany surrenders unconditionally. The war in Europe is over at last. In London, Paris, New York, and Moscow, people take to the streets celebrating victory. Denmark, Norway, and the Channel Islands are liberated. However, in the Pacific Theater there is still heavy fighting on Okinawa and in the Philippines. It's a matter of honor for the Japanese who cannot contemplate the shame of defeat and surrender. US General Simon Buckner is determined to keep up the pressure. TVPG VL | CC

During WWII, Britain depended on its lifeline to North America, but in the first 18 months of war, German U-boats sank more than 3-million tons of shipping. It was a battle for survival and Britain was losing it. But by the spring of 1941, a new source of naval intelligence promised to transform the war in the Atlantic and shape victory from defeat. Featuring new eyewitness accounts from both sides, dramatic reconstructions, and a wealth of archival material. TVPG VL | CC

By the spring of 1943, the tide had turned and the hunter became the hunted. How in a matter of a few short months did the Allies manage to master the German U-boat threat? We draw on eyewitness accounts and use dramatic reconstructions and archive footage to tell the remarkable story of the victories in the spring of 1943 and the final destruction of the U-boat fleet. TVPG VL | CC

In Europe, the Nazi threat is all but gone as the "Big 3" nations begin to tackle the problem of restructuring the shattered continent. In the Pacific, the situation in Okinawa has turned into a bloody stalemate between the Americans and Japanese. Meanwhile, significant progress is being made in overcoming the enemy in the Philippines. The US also continues to soften the enemy's defenses on mainland Japan. In the US, shocking evidence of a Japanese/German bombmaking alliance ends up on the shores of New Hampshire--a timely and valuable discovery for the United States government and its atomic bomb project. Join us for another gripping hour of our series that takes a week-by-week look at the end of World War Two. TVPG VL | CC

Nordic peoples from the coasts of Scandinavia, these raiders and warriors were also explorers and merchants, whose slender ships carried them from Arabia to the New World--hundreds of years before Columbus set sail. After savage infighting among their own clans spurred development of the longship, the Vikings struck out across the seas, seeking plunder, slaves, and new lands. But in the end, they assimilated into European cultures and became agents of social and political change. TVPG VL | CC

Terrorized by the Huns' savage raids, the Goths made a desperate bid for safety in the Roman Empire, but were forced into squalid concentration camps along the imperial borders, starved and degraded, their children sold as slaves. But Rome made a big mistake--the Goths kept their weapons and exploded in rioting and looting. After centuries of broken treaties, King Aleric sacked Rome. Ironically, the Goths maintained Roman art and culture in their new Goth kingdoms as the Empire faded away. TVPG VL | CC

R. Lee Ermey is underway in San Pedro, California onboard the SS Lane Victory--the only fully operational WWII-era victory ship in the world. Lee highlights the role of the Merchant Marine and Navy Armed Guard in WWII and how they formed the vital link between "Rosie the Riveter" and "GI Joe"--shipping millions of tons of materiel and supplies across the Atlantic and Pacific. To demonstrate the ship's role, Lee and his jeep are sealifted by a WWII-era crane from shore onto the ship. From the anti-aircraft gun mount on the SS Lane Victory, the Gunny introduces a story about SWORDS, the military's new fully-armed robot warrior that is being deployed on the battlefield right now. And Lee takes a look back to the Navajo Code Talkers--Native Americans who developed an unbreakable secret code to keep radio communications safe during WWII. TVPG VL | CC

In an episode devoted to the weapons and warriors of the War of 1812, R. Lee Ermey travels back in time to see what it was like to go up against the British back then. At a newly converted 1812-period camp, he demonstrates a 7-barreled gun designed to obliterate the masts of enemy ships; experiences camp life at historic Fort Miegs; revisits the siege at Fort McHenry that inspired writing of EM The Star-Spangled Banner /EM , and visits the EM USS Constitution /EM to check U.S. naval technology of the day. TVPG VL | CC

The Maginot Line, a defensive string of forts with enfilading firepower, was built by France between WWI and WWII. Conceived by Minister of War Andr Maginot, it was meant to forestall another German invasion until troops could arrive. But the French began to think of the line as a substitute for manpower. When Belgium declared neutrality and exposed France's flank, Germany was able to sidestep the line. We'll visit the "impregnable" line's forts, observation turrets, and underground railroads. TVPG VL | CC

In 1948, a B-29 Superfortress took off from California on a research mission carrying a strange piece of scientific equipment--the Suntracker. But when the plane crashed into Lake Mead, Nevada, the Suntracker was lost. And all records saying what it was or what the plane was studying were also lost. Now, archaeologists from the National Park Services' Submerged Resources Center explore the wrecked bomber, submerged under 200 feet of water, and learn that it was at the forefront of Cold War science. TVPG VL | CC

Bomber's vs. Fighters face off in three of the most intense dogfights in history! Courageous bomber pilots from World War II and Vietnam challenge deadly foes against incredible odds. Using state of the art computer animation, you're in the cockpit with legendary World War II Navy ace Swede Vejtasa's SBD dive bomber as he fights off eight lethal Japanese Zeroes. World War II Medal of Honor winner Jay Zeamer and his crew pit their slow B-17 bomber against 17 Japanese fighters in a battle for survival. Next, soar with Air Force Lt. Col. Leo Thorsness as his F-105 Thunderchief takes on a flight of skilled MiG-17's in the skies over Vietnam. TVPG VL | CC

During WWII, the leaders of the US military challenged themselves to create the most advanced supply system in the history of warfare. The servicemen who fought the supply war played a critical, and under-appreciated, role in achieving victory. Without them the Allied war machine would have ground to a halt. Peter Coyote narrates this compelling journey into WWII through the eyes of those who lived it, using color film and photographs unearthed from archives and personal collections. TVPG VL | CC

Americans suffer terrible losses on Okinawa as they continue their advance. It's the last stepping stone on the way to mainland Japan. The Pacific island's capture is deemed vital by the Allied High Command. The region is hit by torrential rain and the battlefield becomes a quagmire. Meanwhile, US bombers continue to pound mainland Japan. Submarines have isolated the country from the outside world. In the Philippines, Japanese troops desperately try to hold the Wawa Dam on the Marikina River, following the successful US assault on the Ipo Dam on Luzon a few days earlier. In Europe, several high-ranking Nazi officials are arrested, including Heinrich Himmler, one of Hitler's most notorious and brutal henchmen. Soon after, Himmler commits suicide. Join us for a week-by-week account of activities in both theaters of war as WWII nears its end in Europe and continues to rage across the Pacific. TVPG VL | CC

The shadow of war between Christian and Muslim hangs over us today, but it is a war that began nearly a thousand years ago. By the close of the 11th century, Jerusalem had been in Muslim hands for over 400 years. In 1095 Pope Urban II launched an unprecedented military campaign to seize it back--a'Crusade to purge the Holy Land of'the infidel . Over 60,000 Christian warriors would journey 3,000 miles and for almost three years to reclaim the Holy City in the name of God. But their adversaries, the Turkish warlords of the Middle East would resist them every step of the way. In a series of epic battles and bloody massacres, tens of thousands would die as the crusaders inched ever closer towards Jerusalem. TVPG VL | CC

Fighting on Okinawa intensifies as the Japanese begin their retreat. Enemy forces on the island of Borneo send hundreds of Australian and British soldiers on a death march across the island, while US forces continue to wipe out scattered opposition on the Philippines. In Europe, British troops oversee the transfer of thousands of Nazi sympathizers from Russia to Yugoslavia. And the continent's food shortage is now a top priority in Washington. In this episode of our week-by-week overview of the closing months of WWII, we'll profile US General Simon Bolivar Buckner and highlight the P-51 Mustang escort fighter. TVPG VL | CC

In 1099 the Crusaders took Jerusalem in the bloodiest of battles, wrenching it back from the Muslims for the first time in 400 years. But, over the decades that followed, the Islamic world dreamed of fighting back. In 1144 the Muslims seized the city of Edessa from the Christians. The news reverberated back to Europe, and the Pope called for a Second Crusade. But this Crusade was a disaster. It failed to expand the Christian empire, and strengthened the resolve of the Muslims. Under their great leader, Saladin, the Muslim swept through the Christian Kingdom taking town after town. In 1187 he took Jerusalem. This shocked the west into responding, with a Third Crusade. Led by Richard the Lionheart they defeated Saladin and marched on Jerusalem. Richard failed to take the city and the Third Crusade failed. 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