C-SPAN 3 TV Schedule
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1916 Election & Foreign Policy
1 hour, 51 minutesA panel of historians debate the 1916 re-election of President Woodrow Wilson and U.S. foreign policy in a session titled: "Turning Point 1916? U.S. Foreign Relations before and after the 'Kept Us out of War' Election." Their observations in this hour and 45 minute program include America's relations with Europe, the Caribbean, Central America, and Mexico.
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Origins of Woodrow Wilson's Foreign Policy
54 minutesHarvard professor Erez Manela talked about how Woodrow Wilson's American upbringing and education shaped his outlook on foreign policy as president, particularly his vision for the League of Nations in the aftermath of World War I. Mr. Manela discussed how Wilson championed self-determination and reform as "bulwarks" against both concentrated power and disorder. This video is courtesy of the National World War I Museum and Memorial in Kansas City, Missouri.
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Reel America: "Initial Attack - Fire!" - 1979
18 minutesThis California Department of Forestry film shows why the state is vulnerable to wildfires, and details how firefighting is organized, from citizen and fire tower reports, to an emergency command center, to boots on the ground. "Initial Attack" is a phrase referring to the first actions taken to stop a wildfire in the hours after it is reported in order to prevent a large-scale disaster.
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Reel America: "The Fires of 1910"
31 minutesThis National Interagency Fire Center film tells the story of a seminal series of wildfires in August, 1910, that burned three million acres in the Northern Rocky Mountains of Idaho and Montana, killing 78 firefighters. Known as the "Big Blow-up," the disaster led to increased funding for the fledgling U.S. Forest Service, which President Taft and some western Senators had been threatening to eliminate. Located in Boise, Idaho, the National Interagency Fire Center is comprised of eight federal agencies that combat wildfires, including the U.S. Forest Service, National Park Service, National Weather Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureau of Land Management, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
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Reel America: "Little Smokey" - 1953
13 minutesThis U.S. Forest Service film tells the story of the real Smokey Bear, from his rescue during a 1950 forest fire in New Mexico's Capitan Mountains to his life at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. This short fire prevention film is hosted by Hopalong Cassidy, a popular mid-twentieth century Hollywood cowboy played by actor William Boyd.
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Reel America: "Your Fire Department" - 1949
37 minutesThis film describes how the Los Angeles Fire Department is organized, showing its equipment and firefighters at work, and promoting fire prevention and safety.
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End of World War II 75th Anniversary
25 minutesOn September 2, 1945, government and military officials from the Empire of Japan signed surrender documents in a ceremony aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay, formally bringing the Pacific War and the hostilities of World War II to a close. Japanese Emperor Hirohito had announced Japan's unconditional surrender 18 days earlier on August 15, 1945. To mark the 75th anniversary, the Friends of the National World War II Memorial hosted an online commemorative program, including remarks by Joint Chiefs of Staff chair Gen. Mark Milley and former NBC News anchor and author Tom Brokaw.
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American Artifacts: Arlington National Cemetery 1915 Memorabilia Box
25 minutesIn 1915, President Woodrow Wilson placed a memorabilia box in the cornerstone of the Memorial Amphitheater at Arlington National Cemetery. In April 2020, 105 years later, it was opened to discover what was inside. American History TV visited Arlington to see the contents with cemetery historian Tim Frank and conservator Caitlin Smith, who talked about their significance and why the previous cemetery caretakers felt they were important to highlight at that moment in history.
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Presidential Debates: 1984 Vice Presidential Debate - Bush v. Ferraro
1 hour, 30 minutesVice President George H.W. Bush and Representative Geraldine Ferraro (D-NY) met in Philadephia for the 1984 vice presidential candidates debate. They debated a variety of issues including abortion and the U.S. economy. The first half of the debate was focused on domestic policy and the second half on foreign policy. The debate was moderated by Sander Vanocur. Other panelists were John Mashek, Jack White, Norma Quarles, and Robert Boyd. The same question was posed to each candidate, who had two-and-a-half minutes to respond. Follow-up questions from panelists were permitted. Candidates were given one minute for rebuttals and four minutes for closing statements.
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Thomas Jefferson & George Washington
55 minutesVeteran historical interpreters portraying Thomas Jefferson and George Washington engaged in a conversation about their roles in the Revolutionary War and the constitutional government that followed. They talked about their exploits, and about where their politics and policies diverged. Thomas Jefferson's Monticello and George Washington's Mount Vernon hosted this program, and Monticello provided the video.
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Thomas Jefferson's Papers
40 minutesJ. Jefferson Looney talked about the decades-long project to compile Thomas Jefferson's correspondence and other papers so that the "Sage of Monticello" will be more accessible to scholars and the public. Mr. Looney is editor in chief of what is called the "Retirement Series" -- the papers covering 1809 to 1826. This effort is part of a consortium called the Founding Fathers Papers. Thomas Jefferson's Monticello hosted this event and provided the video.
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Reel America: "Angels in Paradise, Development of the U-2 at Area 51" - 1960
25 minutesAccording to the CIA, this film was made for family members of those working on the U-2 spy plane to inform them about the remote location and difficulty of working at Area 51, a U.S. military installation in Nevada. The film tells the story of the design, manufacture, and testing of the top secret U-2 plane between 1954 and 1960. "Angel" was a code word for the plane, which could fly at over 70,000 feet, and "Paradise" was a nickname for Area 51, which was a harsh desert setting with hot summers and cold winters. It is believed that sightings of the secret U-2 flights in Nevada were the source of many 1950s and 1960s UFO stories.
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Nazi Persecution & Murder of the Disabled
1 hour, 0 minuteDuring World War II, a secret Nazi "euthanasia" program code-named T4 systematically murdered an estimated 250,000 people with mental and physical disabilities. Most were native-born Germans and many were children. Patricia Heberer Rice of the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum detailed the atrocities and perpetrators of T4. She focused on an institute in Hadamar, Germany, one of several facilities used for the mass murder of individuals the Nazis viewed as undesirable. The National World War II Museum in New Orleans hosted this online discussion and provided the video.
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"Suffrage - Women's Long Battle for the Vote"
1 hour, 0 minuteUCLA history professor emeritus Ellen Carol DuBois discussed her book, "Suffrage: Women's Long Battle for the Vote." Professor DuBois provided an overview of the movement from its beginnings in the 1840s to the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment in 1920. The World Affairs Council of Dallas Fort Worth hosted this online event and provided the video.
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History Bookshelf: Kasey Pipes, "After the Fall"
1 hour, 0 minuteKasey Pipes, former adviser to President George W. Bush, recounted the post-White House years of President Richard Nixon.
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Pilgrims and Liberty
1 hour, 0 minuteAuthor John Turner talked about his book, "They Knew They Were Pilgrims: Plymouth Colony and the Contest for American Liberty." He discussed the colony's views on religious and political liberty, as well as the residents' practice of enslaving Native Americans that they fought with. Museums on the Green hosted this event and provided the video.
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The Civil War: Union Gen. George Sears Greene at Gettysburg
47 minutesDuring the Battle of Gettysburg's second day, Union commander George Meade called for reinforcements to beat back an assault his left flank, leaving only a single brigade to defend his right flank on Culp's Hill. Author Dan Welch describes how that brigade under General George Sears Greene repulsed multiple Confederate attacks over the course of the evening of July 2, holding the Union right despite being outnumbered three-to-one. This talk was part of a symposium on "The War in the East" hosted by the "Emerging Civil War" blog.
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George H.W. Bush Memorial Exhibit
8 minutesAfter the passing of President George H.W. Bush in 2018, his Presidential Library and Museum opened an exhibit honoring the 41st President displaying items from his memorial services. Warren Finch, Director of the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library and Museum, gave a tour of the exhibit.
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Life of Hollywood Artist Milicent Patrick
1 hour, 4 minutesAuthor and filmmaker Mallory O'Meara discussed her book, "The Lady from the Black Lagoon: Hollywood Monsters and the Lost Legacy of Milicent Patrick," which explores the life of the Disney animator, actor, and make-up artist who designed the iconic "Creature from the Black Lagoon" costume. The Kansas City Public Library hosted this event and provided the video.
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Lectures in History: Lewis and Clark Expedition
53 minutesBrigham Young University professor Jay Buckley taught a class about Lewis and Clark's expedition across the American West after the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. Also know as the Corps of Discovery Expedition, he described their goal to map a route to the Pacific coast as well as to gather information on the people, flora and fauna in the new territory. This class was taught online due to the coronavirus pandemic and Brigham Young University provided the video.
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History of UNC
7 minutesUniversity of North Carolina Chapel Hill Archivist Nicholas Graham discussed the university's founding, as well as its role in the growth of the city of Chapel Hill.
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The Capture of Nazi War Criminal Adolf Eichmann
1 hour, 2 minutesAuthor Neal Bascomb discussed his book, "Hunting Eichmann: How a Band of Survivors and a Young Spy Agency Chased Down the World's Most Notorious Nazi." Mr. Bascomb described how a tip from a Holocaust survivor and his daughter in Argentina led to the capture of Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann by Israeli Mossad agents, who then smuggled their captive to Israel to stand trial. The National World War II Museum hosted this program and provided the video.
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Reel America: "Eight Flags for 99 Cents" - 1970
25 minutesMade in response to President Nixon's November 3, 1969 "Silent Majority" speech, this film explores the thoughts and opinions of working-class residents of a Chicago neighborhood. Funded by Business Executives Move for Vietnam Peace, the film reveals a variety of nuanced opinions for and against the Vietnam War, with many arguing that lives and money are being wasted in a war that cannot be won.
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Reel America: "Vietnam! Vietnam!" - 1971
1 hour, 4 minutesThis U.S. Information Agency documentary is the final film directed by five-time Oscar winner John Ford, who supported U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War. Narrated by actor Charlton Heston, the film is divided into two parts. Part one looks at the Vietnamese people, shows atrocities committed by the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese forces, and documents the reasons for U.S. entry into the war. Part two concentrates on the late 1960s debate over the war, with appearances by presidents, political leaders, activists, and soldiers and their spouses. This film includes graphic scenes of war that may be disturbing to some viewers.
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Reel America: "Assignment Washington, The Correspondent Marino de Medici" - 1977
30 minutesThis U.S. Information Agency film profiles an Italian newspaper journalist as he describes his day-to-day duties in Washington, and travels to cover several presidential campaign events in 1976. President Gerald Ford is seen campaigning in the South on a Mississippi riverboat, and the correspondent rides an Amtrak train on challenger Jimmy Carter's whistle-stop tour in the Northeast.
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Lectures in History: Lewis and Clark Expedition
1 hour, 0 minuteBrigham Young University professor Jay Buckley taught a class about Lewis and Clark's expedition across the American West after the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. Also know as the Corps of Discovery Expedition, he described their goal to map a route to the Pacific coast as well as to gather information on the people, flora and fauna in the new territory. This class was taught online due to the coronavirus pandemic and Brigham Young University provided the video.
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The Capture of Nazi War Criminal Adolf Eichmann
1 hour, 0 minuteAuthor Neal Bascomb discussed his book, "Hunting Eichmann: How a Band of Survivors and a Young Spy Agency Chased Down the World's Most Notorious Nazi." Mr. Bascomb described how a tip from a Holocaust survivor and his daughter in Argentina led to the capture of Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann by Israeli Mossad agents, who then smuggled their captive to Israel to stand trial. The National World War II Museum hosted this program and provided the video.
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History Bookshelf: Kasey Pipes, "After the Fall"
1 hour, 0 minuteKasey Pipes, former adviser to President George W. Bush, recounted the post-White House years of President Richard Nixon.
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Pilgrims and Liberty
1 hour, 0 minuteAuthor John Turner talked about his book, "They Knew They Were Pilgrims: Plymouth Colony and the Contest for American Liberty." He discussed the colony's views on religious and political liberty, as well as the residents' practice of enslaving Native Americans that they fought with. Museums on the Green hosted this event and provided the video.
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The Civil War: Union Gen. George Sears Greene at Gettysburg
48 minutesDuring the Battle of Gettysburg's second day, Union commander George Meade called for reinforcements to beat back an assault his left flank, leaving only a single brigade to defend his right flank on Culp's Hill. Author Dan Welch describes how that brigade under General George Sears Greene repulsed multiple Confederate attacks over the course of the evening of July 2, holding the Union right despite being outnumbered three-to-one. This talk was part of a symposium on "The War in the East" hosted by the "Emerging Civil War" blog.
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Reel America: "The Nixon-Lodge Ticket" July 28, 1960 Newsreel
7 minutesThis newsreel is a summary of the 1960 Republican National Convention in Chicago that nominated Vice President Richard Nixon and his running mate Henry Cabot Lodge.
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Life of Hollywood Artist Milicent Patrick
1 hour, 5 minutesAuthor and filmmaker Mallory O'Meara discussed her book, "The Lady from the Black Lagoon: Hollywood Monsters and the Lost Legacy of Milicent Patrick," which explores the life of the Disney animator, actor, and make-up artist who designed the iconic "Creature from the Black Lagoon" costume. The Kansas City Public Library hosted this event and provided the video.
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Lectures in History: Lewis and Clark Expedition
55 minutesBrigham Young University professor Jay Buckley taught a class about Lewis and Clark's expedition across the American West after the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. Also know as the Corps of Discovery Expedition, he described their goal to map a route to the Pacific coast as well as to gather information on the people, flora and fauna in the new territory. This class was taught online due to the coronavirus pandemic and Brigham Young University provided the video.
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Reel America: "Assignment Washington, The Correspondent Marino de Medici" - 1977
28 minutesThis U.S. Information Agency film profiles an Italian newspaper journalist as he describes his day-to-day duties in Washington, and travels to cover several presidential campaign events in 1976. President Gerald Ford is seen campaigning in the South on a Mississippi riverboat, and the correspondent rides an Amtrak train on challenger Jimmy Carter's whistle-stop tour in the Northeast.