Episode list

BattleField Detectives

Siege of Masada

Wed, Dec 31, 1969
The Roman siege of Masada in 70 A.D is recreated to separate fact from myth. The length and difficulty of the siege, which group of Jews were involved and whether they committed mass suicide are especially questioned.
6.7 /10
Stalingrad

Wed, Feb 08, 2006
Battlefield Detectives examines several distinct Soviet advantages in their victory over Nazi Germany in the Battle of Stalingrad.
7.2 /10
The War of 1812: The Chesapeake and the Shannon
Documentary examining the naval duel between two (38-gun) frigates during the War of 1812 (America v Canada/Britain). On 1st June 1813, Captain Philip Broke of the British frigate HMS Shannon issued a challenge to the USS Chesapeake, moored in Boston Harbour. Captain James Lawrence accepted and sailed forth to his doom. The short but brutal battle left 71 dead, including Lawrence, while Broke was among the 155 injured. The captured American crew was imprisoned in Nova Scotia while the Chesapeake was repaired and joined the Royal Navy. It was broken up in 1819 and its timbers used to build a mill in Hampshire, UK, that still bears the ship's name.
8 /10
The Six-Day War

Thu, Dec 29, 2005
In anticipation of a war with its Arab neighbors Israel spent years planning and refining its war plans and techniques. This program describes in some detail the elements of the plans that were critical to Israel's victory in the 1967 six day war.
8 /10

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Behind the Scenes at the Museum

Behind the Scenes at the Museum

Series in which acclaimed filmmaker Richard Macer visits three different museums struggling to connect with a modern audience. Episode 1: Commercial Vehicle Museum Film-maker Richard Macer explores three museums struggling to attract visitors, beginning with the British Commercial Vehicle Museum in Lancashire. Trustee Stephen Bullock wants to implement changes, the first of which is bringing back the Leyland festival to celebrate the town's industrial heritage, but many long-standing volunteers are not happy with his plans. Episode 2: Freud Museum Richard Macer highlights the problems facing the Freud Museum in Hampstead, west London, formerly the home of Sigmund Freud and his family after they left Austria in 1938. Despite containing many of the psychologist's possessions - including his famous couch - the museum has suffered from a lack of interest in recent years, and hopes to attract more visitors by hosting a dating event based on classic psychoanalytical concepts. Episode 3: National Waterways Museum Richard Macer highlights the problems faced by the National Waterways Museum in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire. Its financial crisis has meant some of the country's oldest barges and narrowboats may have to be sold off or destroyed, and volunteers believe the museum's predicament is the result of mismanagement. New director Stuart Gillis is brought on board and immediately makes a positive impression, but faces the challenge of living up to people's high expectations. Last in the series.

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