History

Part one of the series China: Through Mao's Eyes describes Mao Zedong's youth, his formative adulthood, and his consolidation of power. Archival photographs from Mao's childhood and education, film clips from his campaigns against foreign invaders and Chinese nationalists, and lavish, government-produced reconstructions of the Long March detail the drama of those decades. Film excerpts featuring Jiang Qing, the actress who became Mao's fifth wife and a feared political force, highlight the Chairman's unpredictable life choices. Based on Philip Short's definitive biography Mao: A Life. Not available in French-speaking Canada. (61 minutes)

Part two of the series China: Through Mao's Eyes explores the formation of the People's Republic of China, its complicated relationship with the Soviet Union, and events that prefaced the Cultural Revolution. Footage documenting the turmoil of the Anti-Rightist movement, China's role in the Korean War, and the misnamed Great Leap Forward reveals Mao's uneven leadership as the young nation struggled to define itself. Interviews with close associates illuminate the Chairman's personal side, including his unusual eating habits, attire, and leisure activities. Based on Philip Short's definitive biography Mao: A Life. Not available in French-speaking Canada. (60 minutes)

Part three of the series China: Through Mao's Eyes examines the origins of the Cultural Revolution, Mao's orchestration of it, the political and economic shockwaves it created, and its human cost. Rarely seen archival footage of young Red Guard operatives raiding and ransacking a home-combined with present-day interviews featuring former Red Guards and their victims-create an in-depth portrayal of the tumultuous period. One commentator links the Cultural Revolution with the entrepreneurial freedom that China's government now fosters. Based on Philip Short's definitive biography Mao: A Life. Not available in French-speaking Canada. (61 minutes)

Beset by both international and domestic pressures, America during the Camelot years was swiftly approaching a political-cultural meltdown. This ABC News program anchored by Peter Jennings documents U.S.-Soviet conflicts of interest in Cuba and Vietnam and the growing polarization at home between civil rights activists and segregationist hard-liners, which resulted in the Birmingham riots and the freedom march on Washington, D.C. (44 minutes)

Part four of the series China: Through Mao's Eyes details the watershed Nixon-Mao diplomacy, Mao's death and its aftermath, and the legacy of his rule and philosophy. Scenes showing an aged and infirm Mao meeting with foreign emissaries and CPC assemblies reveal his determination to shape policy and preserve his imposing image as long as possible. Today's citizens who look back nostalgically on Mao's reign are contrasted with a young, materialistic, sexually uninhibited generation-although the program makes clear that the Chairman still inspires awe and reverence throughout Chinese society. Based on Philip Short's definitive biography Mao: A Life. Not available in French-speaking Canada. (59 minutes)

Presenting concise and engaging biographical overviews, this program introduces students to four dictators who ruled during the 20th century. Illustrated with archival footage, each biography covers the major turning points in a leader's life, while brief prologues and recaps help viewers retain key concepts, dates, and other information. The program includes biographies of the following dictators: Juan Peron of Argentina, Fulgencio Batista of Cuba, Francisco Franco of Spain, and Marshal Tito of the former Yugoslavia. A Discovery Channel Production. (18 minutes)

In the words of the U.S. Embassy Communications Officer, being held hostage was like being raped." Drawing on archival footage-including previously unreleased film from Iran-and candid interviews with the American hostages and their Iranian captors, this riveting program presents a balanced look at the harrowing details of the 14-month standoff that brought radical Islam to world prominence and forever altered America's attitude towards the Middle East. Additional interviews with religious leaders, top-level politicians, military personnel, and others flesh out a story of uncertainty, frustration, and hardship for all involved, which was only resolved with the belated release of the hostages in 1981. (1 hour 43 minutes)"

In late 1922, Lenin wrote a secret speech censuring General Secretary Stalin, to be read the following spring at the Twelfth Party Congress. But on March 9, 1923, Lenin suffered a debilitating stroke, and the speech was never given. Featuring Orlando Figes, of Cambridge University; Boris Starkov, of St. Petersburg Academy of Economics; and Yuri Amiantov, chief archivist of the Communist Party, this program focuses on the sequence of events surrounding the twist of fate that left Lenin speechless and presented Stalin with the opportunity to ruthlessly maneuver his way into supreme power. (25 minutes)

As opposed to passively monitoring the electoral process, the Organization of American States responded actively to the lack of procedural transparency and the blatant corruption in Peru's 2000 elections, waging a campaign to keep voters informed of irregularities. This program provides a detailed account of the elections and shows how the OAS observation mission set a controversial precedent by contributing to quasi-dictator Fujimori's resignation. Eduardo Stein, the leader of the OAS mission, talks at length about the political situation at the time and how his team worked to maintain fairness at the polls. (27 minutes)

Groomed for power by the Dowager Empress, three-year-old Aisin-Gioro Puyi ascended China's imperial throne in 1908. This program illustrates the early years of his sporadic reign, his education under Scottish tutor Reginald Johnston, and the shifting of his political fortunes at the mercy of international events. Puyi's eviction from the Forbidden City during his teenage years, his Westernized playboy lifestyle, and his manifold marriages and liaisons all come to life through rarely seen archival footage, eyewitness interviews, and Puyi's own writings. The episode concludes at the height of the Japanese occupation, during which Puyi lost all semblance of authority and became a puppet ruler. (Portions in Chinese with English subtitles, 52 minutes)

Is there such a thing as a just war? Is terrorism ever morally acceptable? And can ancient art change the current view of history? This program investigates these and other questions with political philosopher Michael Walzer, who examines the origins of modern terrorism; classicist Glen Bowersock, whose study of ancient mosaics is helping him deepen his understanding of great conquests from antiquity; and Oleg Grabar, a historian of Islamic art, who discusses the religious and political volatility of the Dome of the Rock. In addition, Kirk Varnedoe, formerly of New York's Museum of Modern Art, talks about Jackson Pollock and what exactly makes modern art so modern. (57 minutes)

St. Francis of Assisi revolutionized Christianity in 13th-century Tuscany with his down-to-earth belief that poverty, chastity, and obedience should shape an individual's relationship with God. By going back to Christ's original message, he played a pivotal role in the genesis of the Renaissance. This poignant program investigates how St. Francis's infusion of emotion and nature into the Christian mainstream inspired artists of the period to produce naturalistic depictions of him that were full of action and feeling. Interviews with Monsignor Timothy Verdon, art historian at Canon Florence Duomo; Franciscan Friar Maurice Richard; and Alexander Nagel, art historian at the University of Toronto, are featured. (49 minutes)

In 20 years, four million Italians entered the U.S.. While all immigrant groups were disdained by those who had come even a generation before, Italians suffered especially. Many became poorly-paid laborers, but many others made good. (52 minutes)

On October 9, 1967, Ernesto Che" Guevara was summarily executed. After his mangled body was dumped in an anonymous grave, his killers hoped he would be forgotten-but Che's enemies had underestimated him. In this program, Edward George, of the University of Bristol; General Gary Prado, the officer in charge of Che's capture; and nurse Susan Osinaga, who cleaned Che's dead body, discuss Che's appeal as a Communist martyr, probe the contradictions in his character, and speculate on whether, if allowed to live, he might have slipped into obscurity as his early success in Cuba receded farther and farther into the past. (25 minutes)"

A peace-loving man with a decidedly global perspective, Albert Kahn spent most of his life and wealth trying to expand Western understanding of other cultures-largely through film and photography. This program delves into Kahn's origins and formative years and the launch of his Archive of the Planet project. Topics include Kahn's Jewish ancestry and Alsacian upbringing; his early success in finance; his admiration of Japanese art and customs; the development of autochrome photography by the Lumiere brothers; Marguerite Mespoulet's colorful documentation of Ireland's vanishing Celtic traditions; and Kahn's expedition to Cornwall and London with August Leon. A BBC/Musee Albert-Kahn (Departement des Hauts-de-Seine-France) Co-production. (50 minutes)