History

Every major war of the 20th Century has produced heroes of the hour - men who rose above the mediocrity to lead their fellow soldiers to victory, or sometimes defeat.

Unlike any other Century the last 100 years has provided filmed conflicts and adventures covering World Wars and many other sweeping military actions. All too often these huge conflicts have been taken at face value. The story has unfolded in newspapers and film clips in a way which has left historians to piece together the final jigsaw. But even now have their efforts given us the true picture?

A story of human endeavour, the contest between British and German airforces in 1940 which became a defining point of the Second World War. This documentary was released to coincide with the 65th anniversary of one of the most important battles in history. In the summer of 1940, 2936 pilots took part in an historic battle against the German Luftwaffe. The pilots became known as 'The Few': 544 of them lost their lives, many killed in action and others never heard of again, officially listed as missing in action.

This documentary series delves into the battleships, submarines and aircraft carriers that have changed the history of modern warfare.

Andrew Marr's History of Modern Britain is a 2007 BBC documentary television series presented by Andrew Marr that covers the period of British history from the end of the Second World War onwards.

In a remarkable world-first, Beyond Kokoda tells the powerful story of the Kokoda Campaign of 1942 – from both sides. Narrated by Australian actor Christopher Baker (who appeared in the 2006 film 'Kokoda'), The History Channel's exclusive two-hour documentary explores one of the most defining moments in Australian military history and features the harrowing personal stories of the Kokoda Trail from both the Australian and Japanese soldiers'perspectives.

In the History Channel Samurai – Miyamoto Musashi, Mark Dacascos, 8th dan Wun Hop Kuen Do expert, and martial arts movie actor, travels to Japan to trace the footsteps of the ultimate samurai warrior Miyamoto Musashi. They were the most lethal swordsmen who ever lived, an elite warrior class who held the reigns of power in Japan for more than 700 years. Among this group of powerful fighters, one man stood out above all the rest, Miyamoto Musashi. Originally the samurai's job was to serve the emperor, much the same way the legendary Knights of the Round Table were meant to serve King Arthur.

This feature-length special will explore the true essence of a chopper. Join world-renowned chopper fabricator and Monster Garage host Jesse James for an in-depth look at the colorful history of these loud and proud machines. Jesse profiles the pioneers of the chopper movement, sheds light to the African-American bike builders that were often ignored, celebrates the unsung heroes whose ingenuity and creativity have inspired thousands of garage mechanics, and highlights some of the bike world's seminal creations.

One of the most intriguing periods in global history, The Crusades had a profound impact on the course of human civilisation with a lasting legacy that is still felt today. THE CRUSADES: CRESCENT & THE CROSS, an Emmy award-winning visual narrative presents the epic battle between two Middle Age superpowers: the Christian Crusaders and the Muslims. Fought over two centuries, the conflict decided the fate of the Holy Land of the Middle East. Only a tiny strip of land, just a few hundred miles long, it contained the ultimate prize, the city of Jerusalem.

It all started with bad meat. When it was over, more than 5,000 had died and the pride of the Russian Black Sea Fleet lay beneath the waters, scuttled by her crew. REVOLT ON THE POTEMKIN is a detailed account of one of the strangest incidents in maritime history. When his crew refused to eat soup made with tainted meat, Commander Giliarovsky treated their actions as mutiny, and ordered that a number of randomly selected crewmen be shot! When the shooters failed to carry out his order, Giliarovsky killed one himself, and a real mutiny ensued.