The BEST episodes of History Channel Documentaries season 2007

#1 - Last Stand of the 300

Season 2007 - Episode 24 - Aired 3/8/2007

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.

#2 - Falklands The Islanders' War

Season 2007 - Episode 29 - Aired 6/11/2007

A gripping story of bravery and defiance that explores the Falklands conflict through the eyes of the people who lived through it, the islanders. Winner of the prestigious Broadcasting Press Guild ‘Best Multichannel Programme’.

#3 - Vulcan Bomber: Return to the Skies

Season 2007 - Episode 19 - Aired 6/15/2007

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.

#4 - Rome: Engineering an Empire

Season 2007 - Episode 272 - Aired 9/25/2007

Chronicles Rome's spectacular structural history from the rise of Julius Caesar to the Empire's eventual collapse Examine the planning and construction of the city's greatest masterpieces, including the awe-inspiring Colosseum and its mysterious subterranean aqueducts.

#5 - Full Metal Corset: Secret Soldiers of the Civil War

Season 2007 - Episode 27 - Aired 3/24/2007

In April 1861, the newly inaugurated President Lincoln calls for 75,000 men to fight for the Federal cause. What he does not anticipate is the shared desire by hundreds of women to fight for their country. Forbidden by laws of society, these determined women become the "Secret Soldiers of the Civil War." Travel back in time and hear the story of two of the Civil War's most interesting female soldiers--Sarah Emma Edmonds and Loreta Janeta Velazquez. Hear their tales of passion, recounting the sacrifice of identity, fear of discovery, and constant need for duplicity...even under fire.

#6 - Minute by Minute: The Gulf War

Season 2007 - Episode 290 - Aired 10/30/2007

They came in the dead of night. Iraqi troops and tanks - hundreds of them - pouring over the desert border. Americans awoke to the news on August 2nd, 1990: Iraq had invaded Kuwait. The White House responded quickly. By January 17th, 1991, eight F-15 fighter jets swept through the Baghdad sky, raining missiles upon the city below. Operation Desert Storm had begun. Within three days, the allied coalition controlled the Iraqi sky. Six days after the invasion of Kuwait, President Bush announced the deployment of 100 thousand troops to the Persian Gulf. MINUTE BY MINUTE: THE GULF WAR includes interviews with soldiers from these troops. Hear the story of Major General Barry McCaffrey, leader of the Twenty Fourth Infantry, one of the first units to arrive in the Middle East. Daniel Pons, father, husband, teacher and Army Lab Specialist who was called to duty while teaching a middle school math class. These first person accounts during and after the Persian Gulf War lend a unique and personal look into a battle that has continued to shape current events and American life.

#7 - Chasing Warbirds

Season 2007 - Episode 28 - Aired 6/30/2007

Obsession takes on many forms. For these guys, it's trekking across the globe to find and recover rare airplanes that crashed during World War II, then restore them so they'll fly again. Jerry Yagen is the Virginia millionaire plane collector who bankrolls the hunt. Murray Griffiths is the lead plane hunter who also runs a restoration shop in Australia. Mechanic Adam Maley rounds out the team, keeping things colorful with his West Virginia twang. This mission takes them deep into the treacherous jungles of Papua New Guinea to find a Lockheed P-38 Lightning fighter plane. Joining Murray and Adam for the trip is adventurer Tony Bierne, who knows PNG inside and out and can speak Pidgin with the locals. In their search, the team goes up against crocodiles, poisonous snakes and a completely unpredictable jungle. What they learn is that no matter how hard they try, it can all go to hell in an instant. They face obstacles that would make most men give up, but they're determined to find a P-38 – and preserve history. The entire time, Jerry squirms in his plush office, desperate to know what's going on but cut off from his team on the other side of the globe. And in Australia, Murray's wiseguy mechanics keep the work going on a Bell P-39 Airacobra, which Jerry wants flying in less than six months. The pressure's on, for this band of fanatics who've dedicated their lives... to Chasing Warbirds.

#8 - Woodrow Wilson: American Idealist

Season 2007 - Episode 45 - Aired 12/6/2007

#9 - Columbus: The Lost Voyage

Season 2007 - Episode 46 - Aired 10/8/2007

The story of one of the most famous men in history. You might think you know him - the heroic and successful discoverer of America. Now think again.

#10 - NSSM - Guns, Greed and Genocide

Season 2007 - Episode 47 - Aired 10/13/2007

NSSM : GUNS...GREED...GENOCIDE is an investigation documentary that reveals the deadly consequences of United States foreign policies accross Africa from 1957 to the present days. Dealing with blood diamonds, uranium traffics, oil business and CIA coups d'états, this documentary exposes never before seen films, unheard tapes and interviews from the people who watched it all unfold.

#11 - Jonestown - Paradise Lost

Season 2007 - Episode 48 - Aired 1/12/2007

The film documents the final days of the Peoples Temple at Jonestown, Guyana. Interspersed with interviews from survivors, dramatic recreations of the events show how Reverend Jim Jones becomes increasingly paranoid and erratic as pressures build on him, both inside the compound and from the United States. When Congressman Leo Ryan insists on visiting, Jones alternates between reluctant acceptance and refusal. Ultimately, Jones allows Ryan, several journalists, and the Concerned Relatives representatives to visit the compound. Jones coaches the Peoples Temple members on what to say, but is surprised by a series of defections. Jones orders the deaths of all involved and forces the members of the Temple to commit mass suicide. Hyacinth Thrash, an elderly member, hides and survives. Sherwin Harris, who never visited the compound itself, survives, but his estranged ex-wife, Sharon, and daughter, Lianne, both commit suicide. Vernon Gosney and Tim Reiterman escape the assassination of Ryan, but both are shot and wounded by the assassins. Stephan Jones, Jim Jones' son, was not at the compound during the mass suicide.

#12 - Titanic's Tragic Sister

Season 2007 - Episode 49 - Aired 10/14/2007

Relive the terrible fate of an historic ship and join one of the most thrilling deep-water expeditions of all time in this mesmerizing special presentation. HMHS Britannic, the largest and grandest of the Olympic Class cruisers, sister ship to the ill-fated Titanic, was launched just six months before the outbreak of WWI and was soon pressed into service as a floating hospital. On November 21, 1916, while steaming through the Kea Channel in the Aegean Sea, an explosion ripped through the Britannic and in less than an hour, the ship sank beneath the waves, taking the lives of 30 men with it. Whether it was a German mine or submarine torpedo that caused the blast, a bigger mystery remains: why and how did this giant ship sink so fast?. From deadly chambers to decades-old mysteries, join wreck divers John Chatterton and Richie Kohler as they lead an exhilarating expedition to unravel the mystery of the Britannic's final hour.

#13 - Banned From the Bible II

Season 2007 - Episode 3 - Aired 4/8/2007

Take another look at ancient texts that were edited out of the Bible. Are they the missing links to Christ's true teachings or heretical attempts to rewrite history? Explore the kabalistic stories of angels and demons disavowed by orthodox leaders and the apocalyptic visions and the sexual imagery that were barred from the Old Testament. Why was Peter's account of a "Lord of The Rings"-style battle of wits and magic repressed by Rome? With discoveries being made all across the world--in caves ruined temples ancient libraries and monasteries--these tantalizing fragments continue to be found and debated. Are they heresy or hidden truth?

#14 - Star Trek: Beyond the Final Frontier

Season 2007 - Episode 70 - Aired 2/19/2007

Star Trek: Beyond the Final Frontier is a 2-hour 2007 television documentary about the 40-year history of Star Trek and an auction of Star Trek props released by Paramount Pictures for an auction by Christie's auction house in New York City. The documentary aired in the United States on February 19, 2007 and March 3, 2007 on The History Channel.

#15 - Decoding the Past: Secrets of the Dollar Bill

Season 2007 - Episode 15 - Aired 7/27/2006

What do the symbols and numbers on the dollar bill actually mean? We'll take a look at the shadier and more intriguing threads of meaning and symbolism at play in the bill's design. Extraordinary strands of numerology are interwoven into the bill's structure which on analysis suggest surprising hidden alignments. Why does it look the way it does and how has it changed through the ages? We'll analyze the significance of changes in the bill's appearance over time and examine alternative designs. We'll also look at the historical context of the bill's conception--what the dollar bill set out to represent--the patriotism and idealism of a young republic; and go inside the Treasury's Department of Printing and Engraving for exclusive access to the presses and the people who process the millions upon millions of dollars in circulation.

#16 - Spiderman Tech

Season 2007 - Episode 30 - Aired 5/3/2007

Web shooting, spider speed and the ability to defy gravity - these are just a few of the skills in Spider-Man's arsenal. But how do his awesome superhuman powers hold up when measured against scientific fact? Exciting new documentary ‘Spider-Man Tech' delves into the fascinating evolution of the popular character. Featuring exclusive interviews with comic book legends, including Stan Lee, top Hollywood filmmakers and leading scientists, this entertaining and informative show unravels the web of secrets surrounding Spider-Man's dazzling powers while exploring the real-life abilities of his eight-legged namesake, the arachnid.

#17 - 1968 with Tom Brokaw

Season 2007 - Episode 288 - Aired 12/7/2007

In 1968, the fury and violence of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago propelled us toward a tipping point in politics. Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy were assassinated, America suffered its bloodiest year in Vietnam and drugs seduced us. Yet idealism--and hope--flourished. Explore the significance of that turbulent year and the way it continues to affect the American landscape. Tom Brokaw offers his perspective on the era and shares the rich personal odysseys of some of the people who lived through that chaotic time, along with the stories of younger people now experiencing its aftershocks. Includes archival footage and interviews with former Atlanta Mayor Andrew Young, who was talking to King when he was assassinated and rushed to his side to try to staunch the wound; Olympic gold medalist Rafer Johnson, who wrestled RFKs' assassin to the ground; and Arlo Guthrie, best known for his song "Alice's Restaurant.

#18 - A Distant Shore: African Americans of D-Day

Season 2007 - Episode 289 - Aired 2/24/2007

The June 6th Allied invasion of Normandy was one of the important moments of World War II, but what is less known is the African American role in it. This film profiles the contributions of Black American soldiers for that important victory as veterans tell their stories. Although burdened and frustrated by racist mistreatment by their own military, these soldiers performed their duty for a greater cause.

#19 - Scotland's Essential History

Season 2007 - Episode 68 - Aired 10/29/2007

Scotland's Essential History is a one-hour special filmed for the History Channel in which Scottish archaeologist and historian Neil Oliver takes a revealing journey through the history of one of the world’s oldest nations.

#20 - Titanic's Achilles Heel

Season 2007 - Episode 23 - Aired 6/1/2007

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.

#21 - Star Wars Tech

Season 2007 - Episode 22 - Aired 5/28/2007

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

#22 - Lost Book of Nostradamus

Season 2007 - Episode 21 - Aired 10/28/2007

An investigation into the 400-year-old Prophecy of the Roman Popes, unearthed at the end of last century and thought by some to be the lost book of philosopher Nostradamus.

#23 - The Battle of Lepanto

Season 2007 - Episode 18 - Aired 6/27/2007

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.

#24 - Crop Circle Controversy

Season 2007 - Episode 282 - Aired 8/9/2007

Are they an elaborate hoax or the product of a mystical force? Despite continuous attempts to rationalise their existence, they remain one of the greatest unsolved mysteries.

#25 - The Hunt for John Wilkes Booth

Season 2007 - Episode 12 - Aired 12/23/2007

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.