The First Emperor The Man Who Made China

The First Emperor The Man Who Made China

The First Emperor The Man Who Made China follows the rise and fall of Chin Shi Huang China's legendary first emperor. The Discovery Channel was allowed unprecedented access to Emperor Chin's underground burial complex that spans over seven square miles. The team employs cutting edge technology such as ground penetrating radar combined with CGI to illustrate the design and layout of the largest unopened tomb in the world ...
Episode 4 A Tainted Victory
The War of the World

Episode 4 A Tainted Victory

Controversial historian Professor Niall Ferguson argues that in the last century there were not in fact two World Wars and a Cold War but a single Hundred Years' War. It was not nationalism that powered the conflicts of the century, but empires. It was not ideologies of class or the advent of socialism driving the century, but race. Ultimately, ethnic conflict underpinned 20th century violence. Finally, it was not the west that triumphed as the century progressed, in fact, power slowly and steadily migrated towards the new empires of the East Episode 4 A Tainted Triumph - The last years of World War Two, considering the terrible ethical compromises the Allied nations were forced to make to defeat their German and Japanese enemies, and the long term consequences for the victors ...
Episode 5 The Icebox
The War of the World

Episode 5 The Icebox

Controversial historian Professor Niall Ferguson argues that in the last century there were not in fact two World Wars and a Cold War but a single Hundred Years' War. It was not nationalism that powered the conflicts of the century, but empires. It was not ideologies of class or the advent of socialism driving the century, but race. Ultimately, ethnic conflict underpinned 20th century violence. Finally, it was not the west that triumphed as the century progressed, in fact, power slowly and steadily migrated towards the new empires of the East. Episode 5 The Icebox - How during the Cold War, World War Three actually took place. With the US and the Soviet Union unable to engage in battle with each other directly for fear of the nuclear consequences, Third World nations ended up serving as proxies for the superpowers, causing carnage to rival World War One ...
Episode 22 Damn Them Are They Never Coming In?
The Great War

Episode 22 Damn Them Are They Never Coming In?

First broadcast in 1964 The Great War was the definitive film account of the world shattering events of World War I (1914 - 1918) a landmark history series widely regarded as a documentary masterpiece. 26 Episodes. The main narrator was Michael Redgrave. It was a co-production involving the resources of the Imperial War Museum, the BBC, CBC and ABC. The series, unparalleled at the time for its depth of research, range of source material and historical accuracy - all presented in a sequence of clear narratives - is now considered one of the finest achievements of BBC documentary. With few exceptions, successive blocks of episodes are devoted to each year of the war episodes 1 - 6 to 1914, 7 - 10 to 1915, 11 - 14 to 1916, 15 - 19 to 1917, 20 - 23 and 26 to 1918 ...
Episode 3 War and Peace
Crimean War

Episode 3 War and Peace

Documentary which reassesses the importance of the Crimean War which paved the way for modern warfare and was a urning point for Europe. Using letters, diaries, photographs and paintings the programme focuses on the men and women involved, telling the story in their words. Part 3 War and Peace - The final programme looks at the aftermath of the war with Germany, with Italy and Romania springing up from the ashes of the confrontation. Meanwhile, in defeated Russia, the peasants and serfs where sowing the seeds of a future revolution ...
Episode 1 The Clash of Empires
The War of the World

Episode 1 The Clash of Empires

Controversial historian Professor Niall Ferguson argues that in the last century there were not in fact two World Wars and a Cold War but a single Hundred Years' War. It was not nationalism that powered the conflicts of the century, but empires. It was not ideologies of class or the advent of socialism driving the century, but race. Ultimately, ethnic conflict underpinned 20th century violence. Finally, it was not the west that triumphed as the century progressed, in fact, power slowly and steadily migrated towards the new empires of the East. Episode 1 The Clash of Empires - An alternative perspective to the events of the 20th century, offering different explanations for the two world wars and the shifting balance of power as the 1900s progressed. He begins by studying the origins of World War One, arguing that the conflict sparked racial hatred which was exploited by nation states for ...
Episode 2 Churchill v. Roosevelt May 1940
Warlords

Episode 2 Churchill v. Roosevelt May 1940

WWII was not just a military conflict. It was also a series of psychological battles waged by the four great leaders Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, Franklin Roosevelt and Winston Churchill. In these mental duels, the "warlords" lied, schemed, charmed, flattered and cheated to win. Inter-weaving the leaders' own words with personal recollections and private diaries, it reveals the four warlords as fascinating, flawed, and fully human. Episode 2 Churchill vs Roosevelt, May 1940 April 1942 An examination of the mental battles waged between 20th century leaders Winston Churchill and Franklin D Roosevelt during the first two years of their relationship. A duel of false promises, evasion and delusion ensued, which was far removed from the more familiar image of friendship and loyalty ...
Breaking The Ancient Maya Code
Archaeology

Breaking The Ancient Maya Code

John Rhys-Davies hosts this 1991 series that explores various archeological subjects and their link to stories of the past. The show explores the efforts of archaeologists and the methods they use to discover the answers to these mysteries. The Fall of the Maya - Twenty-five years ago, the ancient Mayans were thought to be a mysterious and peaceful people governed by astronomer-priests. Today, researchers reveal stories of Mayan blood sacrifices as they uncover a world so foreign as to defy our understanding of it. also know as Breaking The Ancient Maya Code ...
The Myth of Masada
Archaeology

The Myth of Masada

John Rhys-Davies hosts this 1991 series that explores various archeological subjects and their link to stories of the past. The show explores the efforts of archaeologists and the methods they use to discover the answers to these mysteries. The Myth of the Masada - Although almost twenty-five years have passed since the end of Israel's most ambitious archaeological undertaking, the name of this site, Masada, still exerts romantic appeal. For many Israelites and visitors to Israel, the isolated, flat-topped rock in the Judean Desert remains the most visible symbol of the power and significance of modern archaeology ...
Episode 2 The Valley of Death
Crimean War

Episode 2 The Valley of Death

Documentary which reassesses the importance of the Crimean War which paved the way for modern warfare and was a turning point for Europe. Using letters, diaries, photographs and paintings the programme focuses on the men and women involved, telling the story in their words. Part 2 The Valley of Death - This programme looks at the epic charge of the Light Brigade, when a misunderstood Order sent troops straight into the main Russian artillery during the Battle of Balaclava. It also looks at the later Battle of Inkerman and the work of Florence Nightingale ...
Who Were the Israelites?
Archaeology

Who Were the Israelites?

John Rhys-Davies hosts this 1991 series that explores various archeological subjects and their link to stories of the past. The show explores the efforts of archaeologists and the methods they use to discover the answers to these mysteries. Who Were the Israelites? - The tale of the Israelites' conquest of the Promised Land has long been an article of faith wherever the Bible is widely read and respected. But recent discoveries suggest that the military defeat of the Promised Land, as detailed in the Book of Joshua, simply never occurred ...