Smithsonian Channel

Allied forces move to take the valuable islands of Tinian and Guam that threaten American air operations; meanwhile, Gen. Curtis LeMay is tasked with planning and executing a fire bombing campaign against Japan.

A look at the failures that forced a US submarine commander to rebuild his crew's trust, one person at a time; discovering how this commanding officer overcame dissent on board and refocused on targeting enemy ships in dangerous Japanese waters.

The inside story of Britain's flagship super jet of the Cold War era, the Hawker Hunter, and its most thrilling flights during the late 20th century.

Allied forces move to take the valuable islands of Tinian and Guam that threaten American air operations; meanwhile, Gen. Curtis LeMay is tasked with planning and executing a fire bombing campaign against Japan.

A look at the failures that forced a US submarine commander to rebuild his crew's trust, one person at a time; discovering how this commanding officer overcame dissent on board and refocused on targeting enemy ships in dangerous Japanese waters.

A look at experimental ships and revolutionary designers that have changed the tide of war through the centuries.

The legendary Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, which pitted Napoleon's French ships against a British armada under the command of Admiral Horatio Nelson.

A portrayal of a crucial September 1950 military operation that helped the UN and ROK gain the upper hand over North Korea in the Korean War.

A look at key naval battles that have taken place in the Persian Gulf over the last 50 years and the warships involved, from both sides of the conflicts.

New high-tech investigations uncover what sunk a World War I cruiser, a World War II submarine, a British destroyer from the Falklands War, and more.

A look at how navy weapons have evolved over the centuries, from cannons to gun turrets to nuclear missiles and beyond.

The Navy's U.S.S. Macon flew in the 1930's, the golden age of airships, and was able to both launch and recover airplanes; telling the lost story of America's airships, their rapid rise, tragic demise, and the bold experiments in between.

A look at how the post-war period and the Cold War unfolded high up in the North; recently published archival material helps to shed light on post-war events in the Arctic.

A secret British regiment in 1942 led a daring raid on a Nazi-occupied Libyan harbor.

Eyewitness accounts from those who fought in the US military's bloodiest battle on the European front in World War II.

The Allies plan their landing in Normandy and devise a diversionary operation in the north; commando attacks continue and the resistance becomes more active; Hitler continues his building projects.

A look at the failures that forced a US submarine commander to rebuild his crew's trust, one person at a time; discovering how this commanding officer overcame dissent on board and refocused on targeting enemy ships in dangerous Japanese waters.

A secret British regiment in 1942 led a daring raid on a Nazi-occupied Libyan harbor.

The Allies plan their landing in Normandy and devise a diversionary operation in the north; commando attacks continue and the resistance becomes more active; Hitler continues his building projects.

Take a look at some of the escapes that took place during World War II.

A U.S. Parachute Infantry Regiment rushes to protect a critical bridge from a Nazi battle group during the opening days of the Battle of the Bulge.

When an infant is discovered dead in the River Thames, police uncover a dark underworld, where society's most vulnerable are being exploited.

Take a look at some of the escapes that took place during World War II.

A U.S. Parachute Infantry Regiment rushes to protect a critical bridge from a Nazi battle group during the opening days of the Battle of the Bulge.

When an infant is discovered dead in the River Thames, police uncover a dark underworld, where society's most vulnerable are being exploited.

A U.S. Parachute Infantry Regiment rushes to protect a critical bridge from a Nazi battle group during the opening days of the Battle of the Bulge.

Egyptologists try to determine who built the Sphinx and why by exploring the power struggles between Khufu's sons after the pharaoh's death.

When an infant is discovered dead in the River Thames, police uncover a dark underworld, where society's most vulnerable are being exploited.

A U.S. Parachute Infantry Regiment rushes to protect a critical bridge from a Nazi battle group during the opening days of the Battle of the Bulge.

Revisit Colditz Castle, a Nazi fortress where breakouts featured human catapults and clever disguises; meet the pilots who staged the famed Great Escape from a Polish stalag; see how 32 POWs pulled off the Warburg Wire Job in just one minute.

Relive the Flight of the Crow, a trek across Nazi-occupied Europe; find out how two Austrian mountaineers hiked their way out of the Himalayas, then learn why 378 Japanese POWs risked it all in Australia's bloody Cowra Breakout.

Examine how German soldiers used an erotic painting and other decoys to distract their captors as they tunnelled out of Island Farm POW camp in Wales; see how American bombardiers were smuggled out of Russia, and study a wartime Trojan Horse plot.

Take a look at some of the escapes that took place during World War II.

Take a look at some of the escapes that took place during World War II.

Take a look at some of the escapes that took place during World War II.

Western Mexico reveals the country's most iconic images. From the birthplace of tequila and mariachi to the world's busiest border. Golden sands border the aquarium of the world while volcanic craters mirror lunar landscapes.

The far south of Australia is home to the rich cultural heritage of Melbourne; a sporting mecca called the G; a brutal island prison once known as hell on Earth and ancient rainforests, providing a living link to the past.

Challenge long-held beliefs about Viking leadership, weaponry, and brutality; inspect a warriors tomb full of clues in Sweden, a sword of unparalleled quality in Norway, and a pile of headless skeletons in the UK that reveal unimaginable violence.

Investigate the sudden death of a tycoon linked to King Tuts tomb; search for three lighthouse keepers who vanished from the Flannan Isles, then analyze the gruesome, unexplained deaths of nine hikers at the Dyatlov Pass in the Ural Mountains.

Takes a look inside the Pyramid of Menkaure and its unfinished bicolor monument, including a chamber made entirely of graphite and a sarcophagus buried at sea.

Over three millennia, more than 340 pharaohs succeeded one another to make Ancient Egypt one of the world's most captivating civilizations; thanks to the latest discoveries by specialists, a look at the story of Egypt's greatest pharaohs.

The world has its focus on the Pyramid of Khufu in Egypt, but nearby on the Giza plateau, other architectural masterpieces stand the test of time.

A tour of the CIA's private museum reveals some of the agency's spy craft and the missions on which they were used.

Exploring the design and engineering stories behind D.C.'s Museum of African American History, the Montreal Tower and the Equinor building in Oslo.

Mike Davidson goes on a cross-country road trip to help the Well Done Foundation; they work to find and cap some of the estimated 2 million leaking, toxic abandoned oil and gas wells scattered throughout the U.S.

Venturing into the deep waters of the Caribbean Sea for high stakes repairs on one of the one of the world's largest open ocean fish farm operations.

Exploring the design and engineering stories behind D.C.'s Museum of African American History, the Montreal Tower and the Equinor building in Oslo.

Mike Davidson goes on a cross-country road trip to help the Well Done Foundation; they work to find and cap some of the estimated 2 million leaking, toxic abandoned oil and gas wells scattered throughout the U.S.

Venturing into the deep waters of the Caribbean Sea for high stakes repairs on one of the one of the world's largest open ocean fish farm operations.

Exploring the design and engineering stories behind D.C.'s Museum of African American History, the Montreal Tower and the Equinor building in Oslo.

Mike Davidson goes on a cross-country road trip to help the Well Done Foundation; they work to find and cap some of the estimated 2 million leaking, toxic abandoned oil and gas wells scattered throughout the U.S.

Venturing into the deep waters of the Caribbean Sea for high stakes repairs on one of the one of the world's largest open ocean fish farm operations.

Exploring the design and engineering stories behind D.C.'s Museum of African American History, the Montreal Tower and the Equinor building in Oslo.

A journey along Ireland's longest river, the Shannon, through an emerald green landscape of rolling hills and sparkling waters; how Vikings, monks and kings have all made their mark.

Get a bird's-eye view of a mysterious explosion in China and a quickly melting glacier on Earth's iciest continent; investigate an orange haze enveloping the Big Apple, then float over a toxic, too-hot-to-handle lake in New Zealand.

Veteran salvor Paul Hay and his team rescue a clam-dredging crew's harvest lost in a storm off the New Jersey coast; following an annual cleanup operation in New Zealand that salvages fishing equipment gone astray.

A journey along Ireland's longest river, the Shannon, through an emerald green landscape of rolling hills and sparkling waters; how Vikings, monks and kings have all made their mark.

For more than 25 years, the shuttle was our ticket to space and our laboratory in orbit.

Isaac Brock's daring made him a hero, but may also be his flaw.

Veteran salvor Paul Hay and his team rescue a clam-dredging crew's harvest lost in a storm off the New Jersey coast; following an annual cleanup operation in New Zealand that salvages fishing equipment gone astray.

A tour of the CIA's private museum reveals some of the agency's spy craft and the missions on which they were used.

Incredible footage, colorized for the first time, chronicles the final days of the Third Reich and the brutal battle for Berlin, though German defeat looked certain. Nazi soldiers persisted in fighting despite the inevitability of their downfall.

The inside story of Britain's flagship super jet of the Cold War era, the Hawker Hunter, and its most thrilling flights during the late 20th century.

The Germans begin a retreat on the eve of the polar winter; the Soviet Union begins a major offensive in the north; the Finns push the Germans towards their defensive line.

Experience the deep distrust and aggression that pushes the world closer to nuclear war; follow a Soviet incursion into the territorial waters of Sweden and Finland and see how northern nations prepare for a battle that is only a button-push away.

A tour of the CIA's private museum reveals some of the agency's spy craft and the missions on which they were used.

Mike Davidson goes on a cross-country road trip to help the Well Done Foundation; they work to find and cap some of the estimated 2 million leaking, toxic abandoned oil and gas wells scattered throughout the U.S.

Exploring the design and engineering stories behind D.C.'s Museum of African American History, the Montreal Tower and the Equinor building in Oslo.

An SOS from an island of penguins sends a helicopter team on an emergency mission; a young pilot attempts a record-breaking flight; aircraft maintenance teams tackle a dangerous fluid leak; vets in Zambia stop a war between humans and elephants.

A breakdown on the Fairbanks runway threatens a heavy-weight military jet's urgent mission; a rookie flight instructor faces a make-or-break flight; an ice-tour pilot races against Alaskan weather; a bush airline flies a 400-mile pizza delivery.

For centuries, Mexico's historic center has been a land of legends and power. From Veracruz's shores to Mexico City's ancient layers, Puebla's epic battle and Michoacan's indigenous traditions, discover where empires rise and tr.

An SOS from an island of penguins sends a helicopter team on an emergency mission; a young pilot attempts a record-breaking flight; aircraft maintenance teams tackle a dangerous fluid leak; vets in Zambia stop a war between humans and elephants.

A breakdown on the Fairbanks runway threatens a heavy-weight military jet's urgent mission; a rookie flight instructor faces a make-or-break flight; an ice-tour pilot races against Alaskan weather; a bush airline flies a 400-mile pizza delivery.

For centuries, Mexico's historic center has been a land of legends and power. From Veracruz's shores to Mexico City's ancient layers, Puebla's epic battle and Michoacan's indigenous traditions, discover where empires rise and tr.

An SOS from an island of penguins sends a helicopter team on an emergency mission; a young pilot attempts a record-breaking flight; aircraft maintenance teams tackle a dangerous fluid leak; vets in Zambia stop a war between humans and elephants.

A breakdown on the Fairbanks runway threatens a heavy-weight military jet's urgent mission; a rookie flight instructor faces a make-or-break flight; an ice-tour pilot races against Alaskan weather; a bush airline flies a 400-mile pizza delivery.

For centuries, Mexico's historic center has been a land of legends and power. From Veracruz's shores to Mexico City's ancient layers, Puebla's epic battle and Michoacan's indigenous traditions, discover where empires rise and tr.

An SOS from an island of penguins sends a helicopter team on an emergency mission; a young pilot attempts a record-breaking flight; aircraft maintenance teams tackle a dangerous fluid leak; vets in Zambia stop a war between humans and elephants.

The journey down the attraction-packed Niagara River is filled with adventure and beauty; navigating the fascinating history and engineering of this border river between Canada and the United States, arriving at the world-famous Niagara Falls.

Examine mysterious holes in Isreal; explore a ghost village hidden in the Colombian jungle, a shipwreck off the coast of Sri Lanka and a gutted airplane fuselage abandoned in Iceland.

Capt. John Ward and his crew are called to raise a sunken houseboat near Pensacola, Fla.; the owner of the boat wants it back, but the current occupiers of the boat living in it don't want John's services; there've been reports of gunfire too.

The journey down the attraction-packed Niagara River is filled with adventure and beauty; navigating the fascinating history and engineering of this border river between Canada and the United States, arriving at the world-famous Niagara Falls.

A vehicle the size of a small car spent a year on Mars.

Charles de Salaberry is forced to rely on cunning tactics.

Capt. John Ward and his crew are called to raise a sunken houseboat near Pensacola, Fla.; the owner of the boat wants it back, but the current occupiers of the boat living in it don't want John's services; there've been reports of gunfire too.

Take a look at some of the escapes that took place during World War II.

The inside story of Britain's flagship super jet of the Cold War era, the Hawker Hunter, and its most thrilling flights during the late 20th century.

Exceptional texts are inscribed on the walls of an obscure pyramid; experts scan the the funerary chamber of Egypt's longest-reigning pharaoh to try to uncover its mysteries.

Unraveling centuries of bloodshed and avarice surrounding an unlucky Indian jewel; exploring a car where a Hollywood star met an untimely death; assessing the violent end of an English king's legacy and an ominous Assyrian curse etched in stone.

Egyptologists examine ancient sites and relics to determine what brought the age of the pyramids to an end.

An SOS from an island of penguins sends a helicopter team on an emergency mission; a young pilot attempts a record-breaking flight; aircraft maintenance teams tackle a dangerous fluid leak; vets in Zambia stop a war between humans and elephants.

A breakdown on the Fairbanks runway threatens a heavy-weight military jet's urgent mission; a rookie flight instructor faces a make-or-break flight; an ice-tour pilot races against Alaskan weather; a bush airline flies a 400-mile pizza delivery.

For centuries, Mexico's historic center has been a land of legends and power. From Veracruz's shores to Mexico City's ancient layers, Puebla's epic battle and Michoacan's indigenous traditions, discover where empires rise and tr.

The rise of submarines marks World War II at sea, leading to fierce battles above and below the waves.

A look at how navy weapons have evolved over the centuries, from cannons to gun turrets to nuclear missiles and beyond.

Consider the factors that inevitably cause dictatorships to crumble; look at how hubris destroys cults of personality; see how factions fracture military dictatorships; weigh the miscalculations that turn the tide against tyranny.

A look at how navy weapons have evolved over the centuries, from cannons to gun turrets to nuclear missiles and beyond.

Consider the factors that inevitably cause dictatorships to crumble; look at how hubris destroys cults of personality; see how factions fracture military dictatorships; weigh the miscalculations that turn the tide against tyranny.

Egyptologists examine ancient sites and relics to determine what brought the age of the pyramids to an end.

A look at how navy weapons have evolved over the centuries, from cannons to gun turrets to nuclear missiles and beyond.

Consider the factors that inevitably cause dictatorships to crumble; look at how hubris destroys cults of personality; see how factions fracture military dictatorships; weigh the miscalculations that turn the tide against tyranny.

Egyptologists examine ancient sites and relics to determine what brought the age of the pyramids to an end.

A breathtaking journey down the German section of the beautiful Moselle river, famous for vineyards on its dramatically steep banks and remarkable meandering loops.

Investigate an abandoned village in the shifting sands on Dubai's outskirts and a collection of inexplicable stone circles in Colombia; a mysterious hilltop tower in Iran and a puzzling purple phenomenon in Chile's Atacama Desert.

John Ward and his crew are called to salvage a massive barge upturned by a storm in a canal; Hickory Scuba Divers work to salvage a valuable sailboat that's sunk at its mooring.

For more than 25 years, the shuttle was our ticket to space and our laboratory in orbit.

With her husband wounded, Laura Secord sets out to warn the British of a possible American attack.

Investigate an abandoned village in the shifting sands on Dubai's outskirts and a collection of inexplicable stone circles in Colombia; a mysterious hilltop tower in Iran and a puzzling purple phenomenon in Chile's Atacama Desert.

John Ward and his crew are called to salvage a massive barge upturned by a storm in a canal; Hickory Scuba Divers work to salvage a valuable sailboat that's sunk at its mooring.

An SOS from an island of penguins sends a helicopter team on an emergency mission; a young pilot attempts a record-breaking flight; aircraft maintenance teams tackle a dangerous fluid leak; vets in Zambia stop a war between humans and elephants.

Experience the deep distrust and aggression that pushes the world closer to nuclear war; follow a Soviet incursion into the territorial waters of Sweden and Finland and see how northern nations prepare for a battle that is only a button-push away.

A tour of the CIA's private museum reveals some of the agency's spy craft and the missions on which they were used.

For centuries, Mexico's historic center has been a land of legends and power. From Veracruz's shores to Mexico City's ancient layers, Puebla's epic battle and Michoacan's indigenous traditions, discover where empires rise and tr.

Consider the factors that inevitably cause dictatorships to crumble; look at how hubris destroys cults of personality; see how factions fracture military dictatorships; weigh the miscalculations that turn the tide against tyranny.

The rise of submarines marks World War II at sea, leading to fierce battles above and below the waves.

A look at how navy weapons have evolved over the centuries, from cannons to gun turrets to nuclear missiles and beyond.

Consider the factors that inevitably cause dictatorships to crumble; look at how hubris destroys cults of personality; see how factions fracture military dictatorships; weigh the miscalculations that turn the tide against tyranny.

Challenges beset a sculptural new transportation hub for New York's World Trade Center; Amsterdam gains a building inspired by a mountain valley; a new launchpad for space travel prepares for liftoff in the New Mexico desert.

Exceptional texts are inscribed on the walls of an obscure pyramid; experts scan the the funerary chamber of Egypt's longest-reigning pharaoh to try to uncover its mysteries.

Over three millennia, more than 340 pharaohs succeeded one another to make Ancient Egypt one of the world's most captivating civilizations; thanks to the latest discoveries by specialists, a look at the story of Egypt's greatest pharaohs.

Egyptologists believe there was a perfect pyramid, hidden in the sands of Abu Rawash, which served as a tomb for the pharaoh Djedefre.

Exceptional texts are inscribed on the walls of an obscure pyramid; experts scan the the funerary chamber of Egypt's longest-reigning pharaoh to try to uncover its mysteries.

Over three millennia, more than 340 pharaohs succeeded one another to make Ancient Egypt one of the world's most captivating civilizations; thanks to the latest discoveries by specialists, a look at the story of Egypt's greatest pharaohs.

Egyptologists believe there was a perfect pyramid, hidden in the sands of Abu Rawash, which served as a tomb for the pharaoh Djedefre.

Exceptional texts are inscribed on the walls of an obscure pyramid; experts scan the the funerary chamber of Egypt's longest-reigning pharaoh to try to uncover its mysteries.

Over three millennia, more than 340 pharaohs succeeded one another to make Ancient Egypt one of the world's most captivating civilizations; thanks to the latest discoveries by specialists, a look at the story of Egypt's greatest pharaohs.

Egyptologists believe there was a perfect pyramid, hidden in the sands of Abu Rawash, which served as a tomb for the pharaoh Djedefre.

New York's Hudson River stretches 315 miles through natural landscapes, from the Adirondack Mountains to the George Washington Bridge and Statue of Liberty.

Come across a set of disturbingly familiar stone monoliths in Colombia, then explore a lost city in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta; puzzle over an ancient ruin in Corinth, Greece, and explore an old structure on a Maltese island.

A breathtaking journey down the German section of the beautiful Moselle river, famous for vineyards on its dramatically steep banks and remarkable meandering loops.

Historical and modern examinations of constellations.

Tecumseh forges an alliance with the British in pursuit of his dream.

Come across a set of disturbingly familiar stone monoliths in Colombia, then explore a lost city in the Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta; puzzle over an ancient ruin in Corinth, Greece, and explore an old structure on a Maltese island.

New York's Hudson River stretches 315 miles through natural landscapes, from the Adirondack Mountains to the George Washington Bridge and Statue of Liberty.

Incredible footage, colorized for the first time, chronicles the final days of the Third Reich and the brutal battle for Berlin, though German defeat looked certain. Nazi soldiers persisted in fighting despite the inevitability of their downfall.

The Germans begin a retreat on the eve of the polar winter; the Soviet Union begins a major offensive in the north; the Finns push the Germans towards their defensive line.

The inside story of Britain's flagship super jet of the Cold War era, the Hawker Hunter, and its most thrilling flights during the late 20th century.

Mike Davidson goes on a cross-country road trip to help the Well Done Foundation; they work to find and cap some of the estimated 2 million leaking, toxic abandoned oil and gas wells scattered throughout the U.S.

Challenges beset a sculptural new transportation hub for New York's World Trade Center; Amsterdam gains a building inspired by a mountain valley; a new launchpad for space travel prepares for liftoff in the New Mexico desert.

Exceptional texts are inscribed on the walls of an obscure pyramid; experts scan the the funerary chamber of Egypt's longest-reigning pharaoh to try to uncover its mysteries.

Over three millennia, more than 340 pharaohs succeeded one another to make Ancient Egypt one of the world's most captivating civilizations; thanks to the latest discoveries by specialists, a look at the story of Egypt's greatest pharaohs.

Egyptologists believe there was a perfect pyramid, hidden in the sands of Abu Rawash, which served as a tomb for the pharaoh Djedefre.

Discover shocking truths about religious rituals, sacred symbols, and spiritual traditions. Learn the brutal truth about execution rites in Roman England, look at shark bones in a Peruvian temple, and unearth a secret silver amulet in Germany.

Uncover how a royal imprisoned two princes and took the British throne. Ponder how the Irish crown jewels were stolen from a locked safe inside Dublin Castle, then see if the death of Amy Robsart at Elizabeth I's court was an accident or murder.

Discover shocking truths about religious rituals, sacred symbols, and spiritual traditions. Learn the brutal truth about execution rites in Roman England, look at shark bones in a Peruvian temple, and unearth a secret silver amulet in Germany.