Lionsgate

The Civil War is thought of as a conflict between North and South. But the West figured into it, too. There were more than 2,000 battles west of the Mississippi River--action stretched clear to the California coast. The rugged, wide-open West presented special challenges for armies. Soldiers had to be hearty--able to maneuver themselves and equipment through ice, snow, and mountain passes. They often improvised with whatever they had. Shovels and belts proved especially useful. Then there were...

It is truly the grandest of all American homes. Built by George Washington Vanderbilt, Biltmore dwarfs all the mansions built by his illustrious forefathers, even the Breakers "cottage" in Newport. America's Castlestakes a remarkable top-to-bottom tour of the largest home ever built in America. With its 255 rooms, the Biltmore is a monument to the extravagance and eccentricity of its owner. See footage of its construction, and go behind the scenes with the men and women who work there to learn...

American Underdog tells the inspirational true story of Kurt Warner (Zachary Levi), who went from stocking shelves at a supermarket to a two-time NFL MVP, Super Bowl champion, and Hall of Fame quarterback. The film centers on Warner's unique story and years of challenges and setbacks that could have derailed his aspirations to become an NFL player -- but just when his dreams seemed all but out of reach, it is only with the support of his wife, Brenda (Anna Paquin) and the encouragement of his...

At the Cincinnati Zoo's Center for Reproduction of Endangered Wildlife, a battle is being waged, and the stakes are higher than life or death. Here, Dr. Betsy Dresser and her colleagues are using cutting-edge reproductive methods in the fight to save species from extinction. TEST TUBE ZOO profiles the challenges they face, and shows the techniques that may mean survival for some of the world's rarest animals. See remarkable footage of an operation that allows a domestic cat to play surrogate...

Success was anything but assured. In fact, before the invasion even began, Dwight Eisenhower had already penned this message to the Allied leaders: "Our landings have failed and I have withdrawn the troops." It was never sent. The D-Day landings signaled the beginning of the end for Nazi Germany. With a firm foothold on the European continent, the Allies were ready to roll toward the German homeland. This thrilling program brings the epic invasion to life through the recollections of soldiers...

On a July morning 60 years ago, scientists and dignitaries gathered in a desolate area of the New Mexico desert aptly known as Jornada del Muerto Journey of Death to await the detonation of the first atomic bomb. Dubbed "The Manhattan Project," this top-secret undertaking was tackled with unprecedented speed and expense, the equivalent of nearly $30 billion in today's dollars. Although the bomb was built in the interest of peace, ethical conflicts and gut-wrenching decisions were inevitable....

Explore the life and legacy of the immigrant who rose to become one of the world's richest men, a legendary philanthropist and the confidante of presidents.

The first bombing airplanes and widespread use of chemical weapons...earliest tanks...submarines. When Industrial-Age technology and war first mixed on a large scale, the end result was ruthlessly efficient destruction. World War One epitomized the dark underbelly of the Industrial Revolution. We see how technological achievements that streamlined 19th-century production, improved transportation, and expanded science were used to efficiently decimate a generation of soldiers in the early 20th...

The speculation surrounding Eva Braun has persisted for decades: Was she Adolf Hitler's lover or just a close friend? And did she die in a Berlin bunker or did she escape to a secret life? Our profile tells the simple story of a simple girl who simply fell in love...with the wrong man. This common tale of love in the time of war is told through uncommonly candid home movies, most of them shot by Eva herself.

What do 13 signers of the Constitution and 15 presidents have in common with Duke Ellington and Mozart? All of them along with many other influential figures were members of the world's largest and oldest secret society, the Freemasons. A favorite subject of conspiracy theorists worldwide, this vast organization is familiar to many, but known by few. SECRET SOCIETIES unravels mysteries and legends surrounding the Masons and another famous society, Yale University's prestigious Skull and Bones...

Born of immigrant parents in 1912, Phil Silvers grew up on the mean streets of Brownsville in Brooklyn. His talent and wit launched a show business career that culminated with the smash Broadway show, Top Banana, and the heights of TV stardom in the 1950s as the star of his own Army sitcom. Eyewitness accounts of the comedian's life connect the show-business persona with the real-life husband and father. Among those interviewed are former wife Jo-Carroll Dennison, comedians Milton Berle, Red...

What happens when the calculations of builders and engineers prove wrong and their constructs come tumbling down? In this episode, we examine the 1987 failure of the Schoharie Creek Bridge in New York; the partial destruction by a runaway freighter of the Riverwalk Marketplace in New Orleans in 1996; the roof collapse of the Rosemont Horizon Arena in Illinois in 1979; the deadliest grain-dust explosion on record in Westwego, Louisiana, when a grain elevator exploded in 1977; and the crash of...