From America's entrance into World War II to the use of planes in Vietnam, the aircraft carrier has figured prominently in American warfare for the better part of a century. This documentary explores the importance of these massive ships in various campaigns and battles of the 20th century. In the Second World War aircraft carriers brought as new form of warfare the oceans and battlefields with their extraordinary size and fire power. Foe first time battles could be won and lost without the rival sailors ever catching sight of each other’s ships. Ironically, Germany was one of the only nations involved in this conflict not to operate carriers. It is very possible that had the German navy had such potent vessels in its armoury the war in the Atlantic and Mediterranean could have ended very differently. This programme looks at the mighty British, American and Japanese carrier fleets of the second world. How did they develop their strategies for the development of this latest weapon – a floating gun battery and airfield combined.

An ancient text containing the secrets to life after death. A remarkable documentary containing the secrets to this storied manuscript. An important addition to your DVD library. •Features a stunning dramatization of a soul's journey through the Afterlife to re-birth. •In Tibet, the "art of dying" is nothing less than the art of living. •Interviews with renowned holy men and scholars

Thirty years ago, an unheralded film known as Star Wars opened in theatres and took audiences on a ground breaking journey to a galaxy far, far away. It instantly seized the public's imagination, and three decades later still claims that grasp. The History Channel premieres STAR WARS: THE LEGACY REVEALED, a 2-hour special exploring why the emotional impact of the Star Wars Saga remains as relevant as ever. Through interviews with politicians, academics, journalists and critics, we'll learn about the similarities between the tales of Luke Skywalker and King Arthur and Buddha and Yoda. We'll see how Star Wars' intensely compelling stories - borrowed from diverse traditions, from Greek mythology and American westerns to the Bible and even Vaudeville - force us to explore some of the biggest questions of our time. Uncover the Legend and watch how Lucas re-introduced the world to the modern myth.

Over 90% of international trade travels by water and a new generation of criminals is blending terror tactics with time-tested methods to threaten this economic lifeline. Nations and corporations are racing to protect themselves and their goods, and though the pirates are still ahead, new international response units and mercenary ships are combating the attacks. The U.S. Coast Guard trains navies worldwide in anti-piracy measures, but corrupt law enforcement officials mar advances in their effectiveness. Today's pirate is organized, political, and will command world attention once again.

Outcast immigrants, forgotten war heroes, mountain men, religious soldiers and other mysterious American folk take center stage in this informative two-hour television event. Host Billy Ray Cyrus turns the spotlight on the backwoods in this History Channel special.

Ed Gein is seen as one of the most weird and bizarre serial killers of the twentieth century, second only to maybe Jeffrey Dahmer. His crimes also inspired the movies Psycho, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Silence of the Lambs.

No one suspected that playboy Congressman Charlie Wilson and his partner Gust Avrakotos--an aggressive CIA agent nicknamed Dr. Dirty --would mastermind the covert arming of the Afghan Mujahideen in what became the largest and most successful campaign in CIA history. THE TRUE STORY OF CHARLIE WILSON profiles this unorthodox alliance, and chronicles the epic journey the two men undertook to guarantee the success of their freedom fighters. Now, THE HISTORY CHANNEL examines the unforeseen and far-reaching effects of the CIA s efforts to assist the Afghan rebels in the fight against the Soviet Union--namely, the Afghan uprising against the West. Revealing the full story behind the Hollywood blockbuster Charlie Wilson s War, THE TRUE STORY OF CHARLIE WILSON penetrates the inner-workings of the CIA to uncover the men and the designs that have returned to haunt America today.

Historians separate myths from realities in the life of President Andrew Jackson, whose portrait appears on the $20 bill.

Seven score and two years ago, a self-described "madman" altered the history of the world. With upwards of 100,000 men and the reluctant blessing of the Union, General William Tecumseh Sherman swept through the South with unprecedented speed and savagery. The effect of his campaign, spurred by the concept of total war - the complete elimination of the Confederacy's strategic, economic, and psychological ability to wage war - was terrible for the civilian population and devastating for the South's army. Pushing the entertainment and educational potential of television, this feature-length documentary - filmed on location in brilliant High Definition - breaks new ground in documentary presentation. This deeply immersive THE HISTORY CHANNEL® production combines compelling narration with unmatched dramatic sequences that transport you to critical moments of the fateful campaign. As much psychological profile as historical reconstruction, after experiencing SHERMAN'S MARCH you will know the man and understand what drove him to the edge of sanity and into the pantheon of history's greatest military strategists. Hear from Sherman himself, as well as from characters both major and minor from every side of the conflict, as they relate in their own words the epic events of 1865. The swath of destruction cut by General Sherman's onslaught would have been visible from the Moon, but he believed any sacrifice was justified if it meant ending the bloodiest war in history. His campaign remains controversial to this day, and this magnificent documentary - as only programming from THE HISTORY CHANNEL® can - contributes powerfully and vividly to the debate.

It was the largest manhunt in history--ten thousand federal troops, detectives and police hunted those responsible for the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. The conspiracy was vast--an effort to decapitate the United States government at the end of the Civil War. The manhunt was intense--ending 12 days later in a fiery showdown with the man who pulled the trigger--John Wilkes Booth.

Though largely forgotten, some 20-30 thousand Native Americans fought in the Civil War. Ely Parker was a Seneca leader who found himself in the thick of battle at the side of General Ulysses S. Grant. Stand Waite, a Confederate General and a Cherokee was known for his brilliant guerilla tactics. Also highlighted is Henry Berry Lowery, who became known as the Robin Hood of North Carolina. Respected Civil War authors Thom Hatch and Lawrence Hauptman help reconstruct these stories, along with descendants like Cherokee Nation member Jay Hanna, whose great-grandfathers fought for both the Union and the Confederacy. Together, they reveal a new perspective and the very personal reasons that drew these Native Americans into the fray.

Host Steve Thomas; Gen. William Tecumseh Sherman's march through Georgia and the Carolinas.

Documentary examining the medieval myth of the Philosopher's Stone, a Holy Grail-type relic which supposedly held the key to alchemy and immortality. Many noted alchemists and adventurers searched obsessively for the artefact hoping to learn its powerful secrets, a quest which allegedly drove some to madness and others to celestial encounters.

The Battle of Lepanto took place on 7 October 1571 when a galley fleet of the Holy League, a coalition of Venice, the Papacy (under Pope Pius V), Spain, Republic of Genoa, Duchy of Savoy, the Knights of Malta and others, defeated a force of Ottoman galleys. The 5-hour battle was fought at the northern edge of the Gulf of Patras, off western Greece, where the Ottoman forces sailing westwards from their naval station in Lepanto met the Holy League forces, which had come from Messina, in the morning of Sunday 7 October.Of major naval battles fought solely between rowing vessels, this was the last in world history.Follow an expedition to find the battlefield and the remains of the Lepanto Battle and learn about the greatest naval battle in world history.

The Royal Air Force held its breath as its ageing but legendary fleet of Vulcan Aircraft undertook one last mission. The RAF took the first strike against the Argentinian invaders of the Falkland Islands. Its bombs delivered an unmistakable message; the British are coming and we will not be defeated. Only one aircraft could achieve this seemingly impossible mission over such a long distance - the legendary Vulcan Bomber. As large as a Boeing 737-200 and as fast as a fighter. With an operational ceiling of 65,000 feet her delta shape and ultra secret anti radar devices made her all but invisible to enemy forces. She was unlike anything that had been seen before and sent shock waves around the world.The programme charts the history of the aircraft, the conflicts it was involved in and follows the restoration of the World's only flying Vulcan, XH558. Also features archive film and photographs, interviews with aviation journalists, those involved with XH558's restoration and former RAF pilot and author Frederick Forsyth.An Electromedia Production for the History Channel.

Le Gheer, Belgium - July 5th 1955 - 26,000 lbs of high explosives - a MINE - laid deep beneath the German trench lines during the First World War, detonates in a thunderstorm. It leaves a crater 250ft in diameter and 60ft deep! It is one of several charges known to be lying dormant under the battlefields of the old Western Front and one of potentially hundreds of mines abandoned at the end of the war by the men who had laid them. Narrated by actor John Shrapnel, "One of Our Mines is Missing! skilfully weaves past and present as it unfolds the story of the search for one of these mines - The Broadmarsh - deep within the bowels of the Canadian Memorial Site at VIMY Ridge, France. Rare archive film and photographs, unique privately sourced images, sophisticated 3D animation and superb aerial photography bring the troglodyte world of the tunnellers to life. And, for the first time ever, cameras take us into the heart of not one, but TWO mine chambers as British Army explosives experts attempt to defuse the potentially lethal packages within.

Star Wars Tech is a documentary about the technical aspects of Star Wars, from Darth Vader's robotic limbs to the lightsaber to how an X-wing compares to modern jets. The one-hour program debuted on The History Channel on May 28, 2007, coinciding roughly with the 30-year anniversary of Star Wars

For years, the focus of the Titanic disaster has been on the notorious iceberg that gouged the ship as it cruised through the North Atlantic in April 1912. But was the iceberg the only thing that contributed to the sinking of this legendary vessel? In this eye-opening program, follow the History(R) crew as it explores the explosive theory that the doomed liner may have had a fatal design flaw - one which could have caused it to sink even if it had not struck the iceberg. While examining data from the crew's pioneering 2005 expedition to the Titanic wreck site, marine architect Roger Long was shown a document from the Belfast shipbuilder Harland and Wolff, which illustrated a curious feature of the Titanic - a poorly designed expansion joint. Could this have been the weak point in the ship that caused it to break in two as it sank on the night of April 15, 1912? To find out, elite divers Richie Kohler and John Chatterton, along with their team, return to the Titanic, and later explore the wreck of its equally ill-fated sister ship, the Britannic, in search of evidence to substantiate Long's theory. Featuring advanced CGI technology, archive documents and photographs, as well as footage from the modern-day History(R) expeditions, "Titanic's Achilles Heel" is a remarkable journey into the ongoing legacy of a ship that continues to capture the world's attention.

This is the true and astounding saga of the Spartans at Thermopylae. It is among the greatest tales of war ever recounted. All the glory and grit of these warriors' last stand is captured in this exceptional documentary. It is almost impossible to understand how 300 Spartans managed to hold off the million-man Persian army for even a moment, much less seven days. To a man they paid with their lives but their stunning Last Stand assured that their sacrifice would resonate throughout history. Relying on brilliant tactics, lifelong training, and unshakable allegiance, the doomed Spartans achieved the impossible. The Battle of Thermopylae is literally a textbook case, required reading even to this day at military colleges and officer training around the world. Now, THE HISTORY CHANNEL offers a definitive perspective on the epic conflict with this instructive and thrilling feature-length presentation. Transporting dramatizations and incisive graphics put you in the heat of the battle and show the lay of the land. The complications and strategies of the conflict are revealed through careful analysis, and critical moments are reconstructed to show exactly what happened. Discover what the Spartans were fighting for, what made them capable of such heroics and what drove them to such sacrifice.

Set in 448 BC, this is the dramatic re-enactment of the 83rd Olympiad, the five day Olympic event, which was the precursor to our modern day Olympic Games.