Monday, November 2

12:00pm Shanghai 1937: Where World War II Began (Click here for Supplemental Materials)

When did World War II begin? Americans might say December 7, 1941-the day the Japanese Imperial navy attacked the American naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. For Europeans, it was September 1, 1939 when Nazi Germany invaded Poland. But in China, people will tell you a different date-August 13, 1937, the start of the Battle of Shanghai. That day, after what is called the "century of humiliation," including six years of repeated "incidents" initiated by the Japanese military, China at last "stood up." Shanghai was the most international city in Asia, with a large foreign population, so at the time of the military conflict, it was headline news around the world. Based on the book Shanghai 1937: Stalingrad on the Yangtzeby Danish author Peter Harmsen, this program introduces key figures in the conflict, chronicles how the battle unfolded over the course of three months, and explores the aftermath and years of war that followed. It incorporates rarely seen archival footage as well as interviews with author Peter Harmsen, military historian Edward Drea and professor of modern Chinese history Hans Van DeVen, in addition to two Chinese experts on this subject: Su Zhiliang, Ph.D. of Shanghai Normal University, and Ma Zhendu, director of the Second Historical Archives of China. The film also includes vivid recollections of men and women, such as Ronald Morris, Liliane Willens and Patricia D. Silver, who experienced these events as foreign children living in Shanghai.

Show not available online

Watch the preview here: http://www.shanghai1937.tv/

1:00pm Bombers on the Prairie: The B29 in Kansas

The World War II era was an important time in history, both on the battlefields in other lands and on the homefront. Kansas has it's own ties to the World War II effort through the construction of the Boeing B29 Superfortress and the training of crews for these bombers. "Bombers on The Prairie: The B-29 in Kansas" tells the story of this time in history through the use of old photographs, military film, and interviews with former military and civilian men and women involved with the B-29 and its air bases.

Watch the show here: https://www.pbs.org/video/smoky-hills-public-television-specials-bombers-prarie-b-29-kansas/

Tuesday, November 3

12:00pm Remember Pearl Harbor (Click here for Supplemental Materials)

Narrated by Tom Selleck, this program chronicles the personal stories of veterans and citizens who witnessed the surprise attack by the Japanese on the American Pacific Fleet on December 7, 1941, launching the United States into World War II. Using archival footage and photos and graphics, the documentary shows in detail the bombings on Oahu, along with the fiery explosion of the USS Arizona, the sinking of the USS Oklahoma, and the attacks on Hickam Field, as well as on other parts of the island. This program documents the 75th anniversary, the tragic events and the courageous acts of those who were in or near Pearl Harbor on that day. The film includes first-person accounts from sailors, airmen, soldiers and civilians, including Lou Conter, USS Arizona; James Downing, USS Virginia; Vernon Carter, US Army Air Corps, Hickam Field; and Barbara Kotinek, who was just six years old at the time and lived within eyesight of Pearl Harbor.

1:30pm California’s Gold “World War II”

Learn two fascinating, yet obscure, California footnotes to World War II: a German-made crane which is the largest self-propelled floating crane berthed at Long Beach Naval Shipyard, and an incident involving a Japanese submarine that shelled the oil fields of Ellwood in Santa Barbara County in 1942.

Watch the show here: https://blogs.chapman.edu/huell-howser-archives/1993/12/10/world-war-ii-californias-gold-409/

Wednesday, November 4

12:00pm Secrets of the Dead “Bombing Auschwitz”

Join historians, survivors and experts as they consider one of the great moral dilemmas of the 20th century. Should the Allies have risked killing Auschwitz prisoners and bombed the camp to stop future atrocities?

Watch the show here: https://www.pbs.org/video/bombing-auschwitz-ksouts/ (Passport Required)

1:00pm The Queen at War

Learn how the longest reigning monarch in British history was shaped by World War II. Princess Elizabeth's experiences during the war mirrored those of the public and helped shape her into the Queen she is today.

Watch the show here: https://www.pbs.org/video/the-queen-at-war-cx28xe/

Thursday, November 5

12:00pm Day of Days: June 6 1944

On June 6, 1944, thousands of Allied servicemen landed on the shores of northern France, tasked with liberating western Europe from Nazi tyranny. Over the ensuing hours and days, the men faced decimating machine-gun fire, mortars and artillery, eventually fighting their way inland, but not before suffering a staggering number of casualties. To commemorate the 70th anniversary of the Normandy landing, four D-Day veterans gather at the famed Museum of World War II outside of Boston, Mass. to share their experiences from that fateful "Day of Days." Cameras eavesdrop on their conversations as they vividly recall details from their ordeal - from the perils of the amphibious assault to the invasion's gruesome aftermath. Their interactions with one another yield long-buried, and often painful, memories. They recount their transformations from boys to men, reveal their uneasiness with the term "hero," and grapple with why they survived when so many others did not.

Show not available online

Watch the preview here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g9xVZasuqR0

1:00pm Navy Heroes of Normandy (Click here for Supplemental Materials)

On June 6, 1944, more than 52,000 American sailors on board thousands of ships arrived off a quiet stretch of coast in Normandy, France. Operation Neptune-Overlord was the largest amphibious and landing assault operation in the history of war. On this historic day, the U. S. Navy would prove critical to the success of the Allied invasion of Western Europe. This program spotlights a dedicated group of Navy veterans who set out to ensure that the crucial role they played on that day would never be forgotten.

Watch the show here: https://wwiifoundation.org/lesson/navy-heroes-of-normandy/

Friday, November 6

12:00pm Omaha Beach: Honor and Sacrifice (Click here for Supplemental Materials)

On D-Day, a roughly 7,000-yard stretch of beach in Normandy, France given the code name "Omaha" proved to be the Allies' biggest obstacle to the success of Operation Overlord. The assignment to take Omaha Beach, establish a beachhead, and move inland into France was given to two American divisions - the already battle-hardened 1st Infantry Division (The Big Red One) and the untested 29th Infantry Division (The Blue and the Gray), who had yet to see any combat in World War II. American Naval Combat Demolition Units also hit the beach that day, writing their own individual stories of horror and heroism. Seven decades after the "Boys of Omaha Beach" landed, many veterans are returning to this part of the Normandy coast for the last time. Other soldiers who were there on D-Day have also come back for the first time since that historic day, looking for closure as they enter the final years of their lives. This program shows the very personal stories of several veterans as they return to Omaha Beach and documents the celebration in Normandy that continues to this day as a result of their acts of courage and determination on June 6, 1944.

Show not available online

Watch the preview here: https://www.pbs.org/video/vegas-pbs-omaha-beach-honor-and-sacrifice-promo/

1:00pm 1st to Fight: Pacific War Marines

On the Pacific island of Guadalcanal in 1942, the famed 1st Marine Division - the oldest, largest and most decorated division of the U.S. Marine Corps - defeated Japanese forces in a turning point of WWII. Narrated by actor Jon Seda (HBO's The Pacific and NBC's Chicago P.D.), documents the experiences of 1st Marine Division veterans who took part in the historic fight.

Show not available online

Watch the preview here: https://www.wfyi.org/programs/1st-to-fight