Tuesday, February 14

The Saint Valentine’s Day Massacre

H2, 4pm EST

February 1929: Al Capone takes on "Bugs" Moran in a battle for Chicago's underworld. Then: a burst from a Tommy gun and only one boss remained. Rare films and recreations offer the inside dope on organized crime's greatest mass murder. [From H2]

Secrets of the Taj Mahal

Smithsonian Channel, 5pm EST

For the Indian nation, the Taj Mahal is considered to be a symbol of ancient history and culture. This special uncovers how the construction of this monument to eternal love came at a huge cost. 

http://www.smithsonianchannel.com/site/sn/show.do?show=137191

Want more on the Taj Mahal? On Sunday, February 19 at 9pm EST, Smithsonian Channel is airing Mystery Files: Taj Mahal. http://www.smithsonianchannel.com/site/sn/show.do?episode=140546

Wednesday, February 15

America: The Story of Us

History Channel, 10am - 6pm EST

Thursday, February 16

America’s Greatest Monuments

Smithsonian Channel, 9pm EST

They are studied in school and visited by millions. They are world-renowned symbols of our nation. But they are also shrouded in misinformation, mystery, and mythology. How much do we really know about America's greatest monuments? From war memorials, to monuments honoring America's founding fathers, to Arlington's eternal flame, these soaring tributes in stone, steel, soil, and sky have amazing stories to tell. They are a permanent record of our nation's history and our evolution into the world's greatest democracy-a country of the people. [From Smithsonian Channel]

Friday, February 17

Pioneers Turned Millionaires: Henry E. Steinway

Smithsonian Channel, 8pm EST

His name is synonymous with quality and excellence, but Henry Steinway's life was full of tragedy and loss. By the time he was 15, he was forced to make it on his own- which he did in style. Follow the high and low notes of Steinway's life, from his brave actions in the Battle of Waterloo to his arduous trek to America, where he built a musical instrument empire, one piano at a time. His business made him wealthy, but family made him rich, and though tragedy would again strike, Steinway & Sons kept making music. [From Smithsonian Channel] http://www.smithsonianchannel.com/site/sn/show.do?series=814#episode-guide

Saturday, February 18

True Caribbean Pirates

History Channel, 9am EST

Blackbeard. Anne Bonny. Henry Jennings. Calico Jack. Henry Morgan. Black Bart Roberts. During the mid to late 17th and early 18th centuries, they were feared criminals. The Caribbean was their domain, the parade of treasure and cargo to Europe their target. The origins of Caribbean piracy began when Columbus made landfall in the Bahamas. Two years later, the Pope granted Spain the exclusive right to the Caribbean and most of the New World. The Spanish reaped an immense fortune in gold and silver, but with a price. England, France, and Holland all desired a portion of this wealth and each established Caribbean bases and used privateers--private sailors fighting for profit--to protect their interests and steal Spanish treasure. The line between privateering and piracy became blurred. We'll examine this Golden Age of Piracy and the true stories of the infamous pirates, how they operated, and their successes and failures in this dark and deadly profession. [From History Channel]

Smithsonian’s The Real Truth: Pirates of the Caribbean full episode available online at: http://www.smithsonianchannel.com/site/sn/full-episodes.do#the-real-story-pirates-of-the-caribbean

Looking for more outlaws with deadly professions? The Wild West Collection from the American Experience is now available online: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/collections/wild-west/

Apocalypse: The Second World War: Aggression

Smithsonian Channel, 10pm EST 1945.

Berlin lies in ruins as the Red Army ravages its way across Eastern Europe, and the Allies close like pincers on the German capital. But this story begins in a very different Berlin; footage reveals Europe's most dynamic and liberal city in full swing even as the Great Depression sweeps the globe in the early 1930's. Newsreels, propaganda films, and rarely seen private films relate the story of Hitler's rise and his brilliantly aggressive bluffing game with French, British, and Soviet leaders, who were fatally reluctant to confront a newly radicalized Germany. [From Smithsonian Channel] http://www.smithsonianchannel.com/site/sn/show.do?series=694#episode-guide

Sunday, February 19

Lincoln

H2, 8am

Was Abraham Lincoln's lifelong anguish the driving force behind his ultimate transcendence to America's most beloved President? Award-winning director Vikram Jayanti takes a look through Lincoln's eyes on his last day as Lincoln is wracked by memory, premonition, and regret. His entire life was a continuing battle to contain and overcome his depressions, suicidal urges, unsettled sexuality, tragic family life, and a history of political opportunism--a battle he fought with his powerful innate wit and charm and his developing idealism. Yet today, controversy continues to rage over his ambiguous psychology and sexuality. In this 3-hour special, we are joined by leading Lincoln biographers Gore Vidal, Jan Morris, and Harold Holzer, among others, as well as with Andrew Solomon, author of The Noonday Demon, for a fresh look. [From H2]

At 9am, the History Channel will be airing The Lincoln Assassination, followed by The Hunt for John Wilkes Booth.

Tuesday, January 31

American Experience: Annie Oakley

PBS, check local listing

The Wild West Collection from American Experience continues this week with Annie Oakley and Jesse James. Annie Oakley was the toast of Victorian London, New York, and Paris. She was "adopted" by Indian chief Sitting Bull, charmed the Prince of Prussia, and entertained the likes of Oscar Wilde and Queen Victoria. Annie Oakley excelled in a man's world by doing what she loved, and won fame and fortune as the little lady from Ohio who never missed a shot.

American Experience: Jesse James

PBS, check local listing

The story of Jesse James remains one of America's most cherished myths... and one of its most wrong-headed. A product of the American Civil War, James was less heroic than brutal; America's own Robin Hood who robbed not only the rich, but the poor and defenseless as well, always saving the treasure for himself.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/collections/wild-west/

Wednesday, February 1

Triggers: Weapons That Changed the World Thompson SMG

Military Channel, 9pm EDT

They are some of the most iconic and recognizable weapons in the world: the Tommy Gun, the Uzi and the Schmeisser. This special will explore the evolution of the guns as well as put some of the greatest examples to the test.

The 400 Million Dollar Emerald

National Geographic, 8pm EDT

Some say its the largest emerald ever found, weighing in at 840 pounds and containing roughly 180,000 carats. Unearthed in Brazil in 2001, the Bahia emerald has an incredible history that fits its massive size: It spent months in a submerged bank vault in New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina and was even posted on eBay with a buy it now price of $75 million. -From NatGeo-

http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/channel/explorer/400-million-dollar-emerald-pictures/

Thursday, February 2

Daisy Bates: First Lady of Little Rock

PBS, check local listing

As a black woman who was a feminist before the term was invented, Daisy Bates refused to accept her assigned place in society. Daisy Bates: First Lady of Little Rock tells the story of her life and public support of nine black students to attend the all-white Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas, which culminated in a constitutional crisis — pitting a president against a governor and a community against itself. –From PBS- http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/daisy-bates/

Friday, February 3

The Dark Ages

H2, 8am EDT

The Roman Empire, rotten to the core by the fifth century, lay open to barbarian warriors. Europe was beset by famine, plague, persecutions, and a state of war that was so persistent it was only rarely interrupted by peace. These centuries are remembered today as the Dark Ages. Beneath this cloak of darkness were people like Charlemagne, St. Benedict and the Empress Theodora who helped to bridge the gap of civilization between Rome and the Renaissance. Ultimately, these points of light would illuminate the darkness, and Western Europe would rise from the Dark Ages to a level of cultural and political power unseen for a thousand years.

Sunday, February 5

The First World War

Military Channel, 1pm – 7pm EDT

This Week

World War I: The Somme
H2, 11:00 am and 5:00 pm EDT Tuesday

Filmed at the battlefield, in laboratories, and on firing ranges--archaeologists, military historians, and other experts, including metallurgists and geologists, conduct tests to replicate and understand the factors that turned one terrible day into the British Army's bloodiest.   

This Week

The War of 1812
PBS, October 10, 2011. 9:00 pm EDT.

[From PBS]

For two and a half years, Americans fought Against the British, Canadian colonists, and native nations.  In the years to come, the War of 1812 would be celebrated in some places and essentially forgotten in others.  But it is a war worth remembering—a struggle that threatened the existence of Canada, then divided the United States so deeply that the nation almost broke apart.  Some of its battles and heroes became legendary, yet its blunders and cowards were just as prominent.  The film shows how the glories of war became enshrined in history – how failures are quickly forgotten – how inconvenient truths are ignored forever. 

With stunning re-enactments, evocative animation and the incisive commentary of key experts, The War of 1812 presents the conflict that forged the destiny of a continent.