Smithsonian Channel

Dictators may appear omnipotent, but their position depends largely on a network of individuals who benefit from their rule, and their support does not come cheap.

Dictators are characterized as charismatic, narcissistic and sadistic, but most of all by their thirst for power; once in power, holding on to it requires negotiation, coercion and force.

Dictators often attempt to expand their jurisdiction beyond the borders of their country; this usually means armed invasion and the death of large numbers of soldiers and civilians.

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 life in the Pacific before, during, and after the attack on Pearl Harbor, presented through home movies and combat footage.

As German resources began to run thin as the War progressed, Hitler and Goebbels promoted Wonder Weapons as a way to pave a new path towards victory.

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.

Lord Foster's five-winged steel towers cool Abu Dhabi's national museum naturally. Robots 3D-print a steel bridge in Amsterdam & a concrete tower in Switzerland. And in Sydney, engineers pump out the harbour to build a fish market.

Mike Davidson goes to the biggest automated package sorting facility in the world, UPS Worldport in Louisville, Kentucky; two million packages go through here every day.

A mission to haul hefty cargo across Switzerland to the Netherlands, going through four countries with critical repairs at every turn.

Lord Foster's five-winged steel towers cool Abu Dhabi's national museum naturally. Robots 3D-print a steel bridge in Amsterdam & a concrete tower in Switzerland. And in Sydney, engineers pump out the harbour to build a fish market.

Mike Davidson goes to the biggest automated package sorting facility in the world, UPS Worldport in Louisville, Kentucky; two million packages go through here every day.

A mission to haul hefty cargo across Switzerland to the Netherlands, going through four countries with critical repairs at every turn.

Lord Foster's five-winged steel towers cool Abu Dhabi's national museum naturally. Robots 3D-print a steel bridge in Amsterdam & a concrete tower in Switzerland. And in Sydney, engineers pump out the harbour to build a fish market.

Mike Davidson goes to the biggest automated package sorting facility in the world, UPS Worldport in Louisville, Kentucky; two million packages go through here every day.

A mission to haul hefty cargo across Switzerland to the Netherlands, going through four countries with critical repairs at every turn.

Responding to an emergency call, Northstar marine sets out to salvage a sunken tug in the Delaware Bay; following the devastation caused by Hurricane Sally, Capt. Chris Ward and his crew work to salvage sunken sailboats and wrecked powerboats.

Bill Nighy leads a magical journey in the Norfolk Broads along England's holiday river, the River Bure; discovering a watery world where both wildlife and recreation go hand in hand.

Unlock an abandoned site on a remote Antarctic isle and check out mysterious shapes in the Finnish snow. Puzzle over an inexplicable monolith in the far reaches of Norway, then get shocked by a blood-red frozen waterfall at the bottom of the world.

A mysterious object is raised from the depths of the ocean; a stranded speedboat; an elite crew works to salvage America's biggest shipwreck before hurricane season.

Bill Nighy leads a magical journey in the Norfolk Broads along England's holiday river, the River Bure; discovering a watery world where both wildlife and recreation go hand in hand.

Unlock an abandoned site on a remote Antarctic isle and check out mysterious shapes in the Finnish snow. Puzzle over an inexplicable monolith in the far reaches of Norway, then get shocked by a blood-red frozen waterfall at the bottom of the world.

A mysterious object is raised from the depths of the ocean; a stranded speedboat; an elite crew works to salvage America's biggest shipwreck before hurricane season.

A 284ft wooden skyscraper built from 1,200 bespoke pieces tests fire safety limits in Milwaukee; a decaying Amsterdam crane track transforms into glass offices; a needle-thin tower stacks 28 apartments onto a 21ft-wide plot in Melbourne, Australia.

Host Mike Davidson goes to the remote Atacama Desert in Chile; at observatory ALMA he works alongside the expert team as they repair some of the world's biggest antennas.

Lord Foster's five-winged steel towers cool Abu Dhabi's national museum naturally. Robots 3D-print a steel bridge in Amsterdam & a concrete tower in Switzerland. And in Sydney, engineers pump out the harbour to build a fish market.

Mike Davidson goes to the biggest automated package sorting facility in the world, UPS Worldport in Louisville, Kentucky; two million packages go through here every day.

A mission to haul hefty cargo across Switzerland to the Netherlands, going through four countries with critical repairs at every turn.

Lord Foster's five-winged steel towers cool Abu Dhabi's national museum naturally. Robots 3D-print a steel bridge in Amsterdam & a concrete tower in Switzerland. And in Sydney, engineers pump out the harbour to build a fish market.

Mike Davidson goes to the biggest automated package sorting facility in the world, UPS Worldport in Louisville, Kentucky; two million packages go through here every day.

A mission to haul hefty cargo across Switzerland to the Netherlands, going through four countries with critical repairs at every turn.

Find out how the highly adaptable Douglas DC-3 revolutionized air travel, flying farther and more safely than previous commercial aircraft; Then discover how this model reinvented itself as a cargo- and paratrooper-carrying workhorse for the Allies.

Soar over the frozen Bering Sea as a heavy-hauling helicopter makes its way to a tiny island just 2.4 miles from Russia; prepare for a medevac mission with the Arctic Angels and listen in as a veteran bush pilot tests his grandson's flying skills.

Viewing Southern Italy from the air; Greek temples on the Mediterranean; cities that just seem to float above the sea; one of the most powerful volcanoes on Earth.

Find out how the highly adaptable Douglas DC-3 revolutionized air travel, flying farther and more safely than previous commercial aircraft; Then discover how this model reinvented itself as a cargo- and paratrooper-carrying workhorse for the Allies.

Soar over the frozen Bering Sea as a heavy-hauling helicopter makes its way to a tiny island just 2.4 miles from Russia; prepare for a medevac mission with the Arctic Angels and listen in as a veteran bush pilot tests his grandson's flying skills.

Viewing Southern Italy from the air; Greek temples on the Mediterranean; cities that just seem to float above the sea; one of the most powerful volcanoes on Earth.

Find out how the highly adaptable Douglas DC-3 revolutionized air travel, flying farther and more safely than previous commercial aircraft; Then discover how this model reinvented itself as a cargo- and paratrooper-carrying workhorse for the Allies.

Soar over the frozen Bering Sea as a heavy-hauling helicopter makes its way to a tiny island just 2.4 miles from Russia; prepare for a medevac mission with the Arctic Angels and listen in as a veteran bush pilot tests his grandson's flying skills.

A 284ft wooden skyscraper built from 1,200 bespoke pieces tests fire safety limits in Milwaukee; a decaying Amsterdam crane track transforms into glass offices; a needle-thin tower stacks 28 apartments onto a 21ft-wide plot in Melbourne, Australia.

Host Mike Davidson goes to the remote Atacama Desert in Chile; at observatory ALMA he works alongside the expert team as they repair some of the world's biggest antennas.

Traveling the Dordogne River via traditional boats through the green heart of southwest France; drinking wine and hunting for truffles; riding a luxury cruiser to a lighthouse built for a king.

The view from above reveals baffling behavior from one of the ocean's fastest fish; whales with a strange, aquatic accessorizing habit; a confounding congregation of sharks down under; a perplexing collection of circles decorating the seabed.

A salvage maestro returns to raise more valuable tropical hardwood trying not to wreck his own boat in the process; the multimillion dollar operation to salvage America's biggest shipwreck.

Traveling the Dordogne River via traditional boats through the green heart of southwest France; drinking wine and hunting for truffles; riding a luxury cruiser to a lighthouse built for a king.

The view from above reveals baffling behavior from one of the ocean's fastest fish; whales with a strange, aquatic accessorizing habit; a confounding congregation of sharks down under; a perplexing collection of circles decorating the seabed.

A salvage maestro returns to raise more valuable tropical hardwood trying not to wreck his own boat in the process; the multimillion dollar operation to salvage America's biggest shipwreck.

Building an eco-friendly visitor center in the permafrost on Colorado's Pikes Peak tests the team. A museum is constructed in a disused dry dock that's in danger of collapse.

Diving into retrofits on the world's only underwater habitat, where NASA astronauts train for space missions; Mike joins a crack repair team who breathe new life into this oceanic environment after a global pandemic shut it down.

Find out how the highly adaptable Douglas DC-3 revolutionized air travel, flying farther and more safely than previous commercial aircraft; Then discover how this model reinvented itself as a cargo- and paratrooper-carrying workhorse for the Allies.

Soar over the frozen Bering Sea as a heavy-hauling helicopter makes its way to a tiny island just 2.4 miles from Russia; prepare for a medevac mission with the Arctic Angels and listen in as a veteran bush pilot tests his grandson's flying skills.

Viewing Southern Italy from the air; Greek temples on the Mediterranean; cities that just seem to float above the sea; one of the most powerful volcanoes on Earth.

Find out how the highly adaptable Douglas DC-3 revolutionized air travel, flying farther and more safely than previous commercial aircraft; Then discover how this model reinvented itself as a cargo- and paratrooper-carrying workhorse for the Allies.

Soar over the frozen Bering Sea as a heavy-hauling helicopter makes its way to a tiny island just 2.4 miles from Russia; prepare for a medevac mission with the Arctic Angels and listen in as a veteran bush pilot tests his grandson's flying skills.

Viewing Southern Italy from the air; Greek temples on the Mediterranean; cities that just seem to float above the sea; one of the most powerful volcanoes on Earth.

A member of the Osage Nation investigates the series of murders and unexplained deaths that struck the oil-rich tribe in the 1920s.

In less than 200 years, the Aztecs rose from nomadic origins to build the powerful empire of Tenochtitlan. Combining archaeology and stunning 3D reconstructions, this series reveals the rise and fall of a remarkable civilization.

Uncover the sinister ways that dictators convince their followers to worship them as heroes; watch how they weave mythical narratives around their abilities, selling themselves as saviors who should hold absolute power over the people.

A member of the Osage Nation investigates the series of murders and unexplained deaths that struck the oil-rich tribe in the 1920s.

In less than 200 years, the Aztecs rose from nomadic origins to build the powerful empire of Tenochtitlan. Combining archaeology and stunning 3D reconstructions, this series reveals the rise and fall of a remarkable civilization.

Uncover the sinister ways that dictators convince their followers to worship them as heroes; watch how they weave mythical narratives around their abilities, selling themselves as saviors who should hold absolute power over the people.

A member of the Osage Nation investigates the series of murders and unexplained deaths that struck the oil-rich tribe in the 1920s.

In less than 200 years, the Aztecs rose from nomadic origins to build the powerful empire of Tenochtitlan. Combining archaeology and stunning 3D reconstructions, this series reveals the rise and fall of a remarkable civilization.

Building an eco-friendly visitor center in the permafrost on Colorado's Pikes Peak tests the team. A museum is constructed in a disused dry dock that's in danger of collapse.

Diving into retrofits on the world's only underwater habitat, where NASA astronauts train for space missions; Mike joins a crack repair team who breathe new life into this oceanic environment after a global pandemic shut it down.

Rumoured to be the cleanest river in Europe, few dispute it's the coldest; cascading down from the Dinaric Alps in Serbia, it soon crosses the border into Bosnia-Herzegovina, where marine biologist and fisherman Sanel Riđanović casts for salmon.

The view from above reveals a derelict complex of pod-like structures with seemingly alien origins; a bewildering concrete construction in the mountains of Bosnia; a puzzling collection of out of place shapes discarded in the wilds of Greenland.

The team must remove thousands of wrecked cars from the hull before it becomes an environmental disaster; repairing a vessel before the waters of the River Solent flood the hull.

Rumoured to be the cleanest river in Europe, few dispute it's the coldest; cascading down from the Dinaric Alps in Serbia, it soon crosses the border into Bosnia-Herzegovina, where marine biologist and fisherman Sanel Riđanović casts for salmon.

The view from above reveals a derelict complex of pod-like structures with seemingly alien origins; a bewildering concrete construction in the mountains of Bosnia; a puzzling collection of out of place shapes discarded in the wilds of Greenland.

The team must remove thousands of wrecked cars from the hull before it becomes an environmental disaster; repairing a vessel before the waters of the River Solent flood the hull.

A museum building bends 1,100-glass tubes to form a facade and tunnels below the water table; a vast 11-storey glass atrium HQ is built on the former Berlin Wall site to represent unity.

Mike joins the U.S. Marines' Heavy Haulers helicopter squadron and gets inside their battle to keep a fleet of souped-up Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallion choppers flying as they prepare for intense war games in the desert and mountains.

A member of the Osage Nation investigates the series of murders and unexplained deaths that struck the oil-rich tribe in the 1920s.

In less than 200 years, the Aztecs rose from nomadic origins to build the powerful empire of Tenochtitlan. Combining archaeology and stunning 3D reconstructions, this series reveals the rise and fall of a remarkable civilization.

Uncover the sinister ways that dictators convince their followers to worship them as heroes; watch how they weave mythical narratives around their abilities, selling themselves as saviors who should hold absolute power over the people.

A member of the Osage Nation investigates the series of murders and unexplained deaths that struck the oil-rich tribe in the 1920s.

In less than 200 years, the Aztecs rose from nomadic origins to build the powerful empire of Tenochtitlan. Combining archaeology and stunning 3D reconstructions, this series reveals the rise and fall of a remarkable civilization.

Uncover the sinister ways that dictators convince their followers to worship them as heroes; watch how they weave mythical narratives around their abilities, selling themselves as saviors who should hold absolute power over the people.

A dusty exhibit from an oddities museum in Niagara Falls could be a genuine long-lost pharaoh from Egypt's most iconic dynasty; a team of experts reexamines the evidence to reveal how a legendary king ended up on the other side of the world.

Dr. Michael Scott uses the latest 3D-scanning technology to reveal the historical secrets of Cairo and Ancient Egypt; he explores the first pyramid ever built at Saqqara and finds out how it helped inspire the Great Pyramid of Giza.

A dusty exhibit from an oddities museum in Niagara Falls could be a genuine long-lost pharaoh from Egypt's most iconic dynasty; a team of experts reexamines the evidence to reveal how a legendary king ended up on the other side of the world.

Dr. Michael Scott uses the latest 3D-scanning technology to reveal the historical secrets of Cairo and Ancient Egypt; he explores the first pyramid ever built at Saqqara and finds out how it helped inspire the Great Pyramid of Giza.

A dusty exhibit from an oddities museum in Niagara Falls could be a genuine long-lost pharaoh from Egypt's most iconic dynasty; a team of experts reexamines the evidence to reveal how a legendary king ended up on the other side of the world.

A museum building bends 1,100-glass tubes to form a facade and tunnels below the water table; a vast 11-storey glass atrium HQ is built on the former Berlin Wall site to represent unity.

Mike joins the U.S. Marines' Heavy Haulers helicopter squadron and gets inside their battle to keep a fleet of souped-up Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallion choppers flying as they prepare for intense war games in the desert and mountains.

Tackling the grade 6 rapids and untamed waters of the Buller River on the west coast of New Zealand's South Island, blessed by a Māori elder of the Ngāti Apa ki te Rā Tō.

Strange aquatic mammals populating a river in Columbia; a ship marooned in a sea of sand along Namibia's notorious Skeleton Coast; a Boeing 727 jetliner hidden in a pine forest; an unusual pattern is discovered in the Nevada desert.

Salvage crews work to install the world's largest environmental protection barrier; flying into a highly volatile region, crews battle pirates, tornadoes, and riots to salvage a wrecked cargo ship.

Tackling the grade 6 rapids and untamed waters of the Buller River on the west coast of New Zealand's South Island, blessed by a Māori elder of the Ngāti Apa ki te Rā Tō.

Strange aquatic mammals populating a river in Columbia; a ship marooned in a sea of sand along Namibia's notorious Skeleton Coast; a Boeing 727 jetliner hidden in a pine forest; an unusual pattern is discovered in the Nevada desert.

Salvage crews work to install the world's largest environmental protection barrier; flying into a highly volatile region, crews battle pirates, tornadoes, and riots to salvage a wrecked cargo ship.

Examine the sightlines in Los Angeles's SoFi Stadium, which sits right in the flight path of LAX; celebrate the ingenuity of the inexperienced crew that built a monumental skyscraper in Malta; visit a forest tower designed for testing elevators.

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.

Find out how the highly adaptable Douglas DC-3 revolutionized air travel, flying farther and more safely than previous commercial aircraft; Then discover how this model reinvented itself as a cargo- and paratrooper-carrying workhorse for the Allies.

Soar over the frozen Bering Sea as a heavy-hauling helicopter makes its way to a tiny island just 2.4 miles from Russia; prepare for a medevac mission with the Arctic Angels and listen in as a veteran bush pilot tests his grandson's flying skills.

Viewing Southern Italy from the air; Greek temples on the Mediterranean; cities that just seem to float above the sea; one of the most powerful volcanoes on Earth.

A dusty exhibit from an oddities museum in Niagara Falls could be a genuine long-lost pharaoh from Egypt's most iconic dynasty; a team of experts reexamines the evidence to reveal how a legendary king ended up on the other side of the world.

Dr. Michael Scott uses the latest 3D-scanning technology to reveal the historical secrets of Cairo and Ancient Egypt; he explores the first pyramid ever built at Saqqara and finds out how it helped inspire the Great Pyramid of Giza.

Deploy futuristic lidar technology to map the Amber Road, an ancient trade network linking the Baltic Sea to the Mediterranean. Follow researchers as they retrace the route and reshape our understanding of historical trade and cultural exchange.

The discovery of 51 strangely shaped skulls at a 1,600-year-old Hungarian gravesite is changing the narrative of the decline of the Roman Empire.

Shedding light on the origins of organized warfare and the brutality it left behind; hunting for the beginnings of organized combat in Germany; finding evidence of Roman power in Denmark, and pondering the symbolic role of elite fighters.

Deploy futuristic lidar technology to map the Amber Road, an ancient trade network linking the Baltic Sea to the Mediterranean. Follow researchers as they retrace the route and reshape our understanding of historical trade and cultural exchange.

The discovery of 51 strangely shaped skulls at a 1,600-year-old Hungarian gravesite is changing the narrative of the decline of the Roman Empire.

Shedding light on the origins of organized warfare and the brutality it left behind; hunting for the beginnings of organized combat in Germany; finding evidence of Roman power in Denmark, and pondering the symbolic role of elite fighters.

Deploy futuristic lidar technology to map the Amber Road, an ancient trade network linking the Baltic Sea to the Mediterranean. Follow researchers as they retrace the route and reshape our understanding of historical trade and cultural exchange.

The discovery of 51 strangely shaped skulls at a 1,600-year-old Hungarian gravesite is changing the narrative of the decline of the Roman Empire.

Examine the sightlines in Los Angeles's SoFi Stadium, which sits right in the flight path of LAX; celebrate the ingenuity of the inexperienced crew that built a monumental skyscraper in Malta; visit a forest tower designed for testing elevators.

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.

The St. Lawrence River is one that forged North America, allowing ships to traverse the continent; the adventure begins in Canada's first capital city of Kingston and near Canada's second-largest city of Montreal.

Dive into the historical and natural secrets of the deep; explore an uninhabited concrete island, ocean spirals off the Australian coast, underwater evidence of a violent past and tracks thousands of metres below the sea's surface.

In rough water, salvors scramble to retrieve a cruise ship's anchor lost at sea; teams hope to salvage cherished floating homes damaged by hurricane Sandy.

The St. Lawrence River is one that forged North America, allowing ships to traverse the continent; the adventure begins in Canada's first capital city of Kingston and near Canada's second-largest city of Montreal.

Dive into the historical and natural secrets of the deep; explore an uninhabited concrete island, ocean spirals off the Australian coast, underwater evidence of a violent past and tracks thousands of metres below the sea's surface.

In rough water, salvors scramble to retrieve a cruise ship's anchor lost at sea; teams hope to salvage cherished floating homes damaged by hurricane Sandy.

On inadequate foundations, San Francisco's MoMA triples in size creating an exterior light enough to prevent collapse; a 1970s Sydney skyscraper is recycled into a 21st century tower; in Dallas, a five-acre park is created.

Mike Davidson embarks with the team to one of the most extreme, avalanche-prone ski mountains in the world: Snowbird; they battle to keep the steep and deep slopes safe with shovels, snowcats and even a WWII Howitzer.

A dusty exhibit from an oddities museum in Niagara Falls could be a genuine long-lost pharaoh from Egypt's most iconic dynasty; a team of experts reexamines the evidence to reveal how a legendary king ended up on the other side of the world.

Dr. Michael Scott uses the latest 3D-scanning technology to reveal the historical secrets of Cairo and Ancient Egypt; he explores the first pyramid ever built at Saqqara and finds out how it helped inspire the Great Pyramid of Giza.

Deploy futuristic lidar technology to map the Amber Road, an ancient trade network linking the Baltic Sea to the Mediterranean. Follow researchers as they retrace the route and reshape our understanding of historical trade and cultural exchange.

The discovery of 51 strangely shaped skulls at a 1,600-year-old Hungarian gravesite is changing the narrative of the decline of the Roman Empire.

Shedding light on the origins of organized warfare and the brutality it left behind; hunting for the beginnings of organized combat in Germany; finding evidence of Roman power in Denmark, and pondering the symbolic role of elite fighters.

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.

The true story of the F-14 Tomcat, the military aircraft made famous in "Top Gun"; how it served as the US Navy's top carrier fighter for a generation.

Exploring the many battles fought out on the banks of the Rhine in 1944 and the secrets behind the lines of the battleground.

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.

The true story of the F-14 Tomcat, the military aircraft made famous in "Top Gun"; how it served as the US Navy's top carrier fighter for a generation.