TV Schedule for Smithsonian Channel USA - Pacific

Combat Ships Lightning Strikes

Examining some of maritime history's most effective lightning strikes; how the French frigate Nivôse set a trap to lure Somali pirates; how the HMS Illustrious captured a well-defended Mediterranean harbor in WWII; a surprise attack on Tokyo in 1942.

Combat Ships Secrets and Lies

A look at how the art of deception was used by naval forces in the first half of the 20th century; in 1939, the German raider Atlantis is equipped with fake funnels, while its sailors dressed as women pushing prams to fool Allied merchant ships.

Combat Ships Galleons and Privateers

Revolutionary ship design helped Sir John Hawkins and Sir Francis Drake lead England to defeat the Spanish Armada and become a world power.

Combat Ships The Fast and Furious

A look at Naval warfare's fastest combat ships and how the advantage of speed determined the outcome of some of the great seas battles of the last 150 years.

Combat Ships Doomed Vessels

Bad design, human error and the enemy sent great ships to tragic ends, like Britain's K13 submarine and HMS Hood, Sweden's 17th century Vasa, and Kublai Khan's fleet, sunk by the original kamikaze.

Combat Ships Metal War Ships

The evolution from wooden ships to metal ones in the second half of the 19th century is examined.

Combat Ships War Beneath the Waves

The 200-year evolution of the submarine in wartime is examined, told by the designers and engineers behind the machines.

Air Warriors Tornado

An inside look at the Panavia Tornado's evolution from a Cold War low-level bomber to a high-level fighter-interceptor.

Air Warriors F1-11

The history of the F-111 and how the fighter-bomber no one wanted went on to dominate both air and battlefields in the late 20th century.

Air Warriors A-10 Warthog

The history of the mean and ugly jet aircraft, the A-10 Warthog.

Air Warriors P-51 Mustang

The fighter plane that helped turn the tide of World War II; the P-51 Mustang.

Air Warriors AC-130

The massive AC-130 provides unparalleled close air support to U.S. and allied ground troops.

The Pacific War in Color An Ocean Apart

A look at life in the Pacific before, during, and after the attack on Pearl Harbor, presented through home movies and combat footage.

The Pacific War in Color Shockwaves

Months after the Pearl Harbor attack, shock waves reverberate in every corner of the Pacific; Americans deploy to stem the enemy's advance; after culture clashes, Allied forces later bond over efforts to thwart Japan's move to control New Guinea.

The Pacific War in Color Island Hopping

In 1943, the United States engages in a new series of island-hopping invasions; the first stop is the Tarawa Atoll, where troops embark upon the largest amphibious invasion ever staged in the Pacific to fight one of the costliest battles of the war.

The Pacific War in Color The Enemy Underground

By the summer of 1944, the United States is gaining the upper hand in the Pacific War with better training, troop numbers and supply lines; it aims for the heart of Japan's inner defense ring, engaging in a naval battle for Saipan in the Marianas.

The Pacific War in Color Striking Distance

Allied forces move to take the valuable islands of Tinian and Guam that threaten American air operations; meanwhile, Gen. Curtis LeMay is tasked with planning and executing a fire bombing campaign against Japan.

The Pacific War in Color Fire From the Sky

Allies slug it out on the island of Peleliu in a campaign to pave the way for Gen. MacArthur's return to the Philippines; footage shows troops enduring the muddy muck in the Philippines; Japan unveils a devastating new tactic, the kamikaze.

The Pacific War in Color No Surrender

By the spring of 1945, the United States begins to take back the Philippines; on Borneo, the Australians invade Labuan; when the United States invades Okinawa, Japan makes a strong stand and launches the biggest kamikaze attacks of the war.

The Pacific War in Color From the Ashes

President Harry Truman decides to drop the atomic bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki; Emperor Hirohito surrenders, and Gen. Douglas MacArthur arrives to oversee the country's occupation; mortal enemies must now become partners in Japan's rebirth.

Air Warriors B-24 Liberator

The most-produced bomber in US history, used during World War II by every branch of the American military, as well as by the Royal Air Force.

Air Warriors PBY Catalina

A look at the amphibious aircraft and the many roles it served during WWII, from patrol bomber to search-and-rescue aircraft.

Air Warriors Mosquito

A look at the British multi-role fighter aircraft; the de Havilland Mosquito was used in the Second World War as a bomber, fighter and reconnaissance aircraft.

Air Warriors Hawker Hurricane

The overlooked underdog of British fighter planes; fast and versatile, the dogfighter doubled as a bomber and ground support aircraft in every theatre of WWII.