Viasat History

The 1969 Moon landings were regarded as man's greatest achievement; what was not well-known is that the men behind the mission were engineers of one of the darkest periods in human history.

In Kursk, a "battlefield" the size of Wales, the tide turned and the Soviet Army pushed back. But as Germany retreated, they obliterated all evidence of their genocidal activities.

Hitler's war moved to its endgame as the Soviets crossed the German border, and concentration camps were liberated. With a death toll of over 40 million, a new, scarred Europe emerged.

When Japan's expansion in the Pacific reaches fever pitch, Roosevelt must act. Instead of having them back down by cutting off oil supplies, he pushes them to attack the US fleet in Pearl Harbor.

The Japanese were driven back across the ocean island by island in savage hand-to-hand fighting.

Stalin's fiercely patriotic army will fight the Nazis to the last drop of blood.

The Allies plan how to break through Hitler's Atlantic Wall for years. The D-Day fleet is the biggest assembled in history, responsible for one of the bloodiest and most extraordinary battles of WW2.

Hitler's audacious plan to turn the tide of the war; colourised archive depicts the Germans' opening salvo artillery barrage and George Patton's arrival in Bastogne to break the German siege.

The Carthaginian Empire was a Mediterranean superpower that dominated trade and warfare, but Rome annihilated it in 146 B.C. / B.C.E; what led to its downfall?

The Great Pyramids stand as a testament to Egypt's power, but the Old Kingdom collapsed by 2200 B.C. / B.C.E; what caused the fall of the Pyramid Age?

For 2,600 years, Carcassonne has stood as Europe's ultimate fortress. Blending archaeology and engineering, we learn how innovation, strategy and restoration shaped an "impregnable" citadel.

Uncovers the secrets of the construction of the Holy Sepulchre, the most sacred Christian site in the world, with the help of new technologies, restorations and excavations around the tomb.

The Sphinx is the most monumental ancient sculpture in the world at 73 metres long, 20 metres high and 14 metres wide. Who commissioned it, how was it erected, and what is its significance?

Hidden in the rainforest, Tikal was the capital of the most powerful kingdom built by the Maya; now new technologies such as LiDar allow researchers to reveal new secrets about this exceptional place.

Chambord is the largest of the Loire castles; with 220,000 tons of stone needed for its construction, it is one of the most important building sites of the Renaissance.

German soldiers fight tenaciously to defend their homeland.

The surprise attack, spearheaded by elite divisions, initially sends American units reeling.

From the beaches of Normandy to the heartland of the Third Reich, this programme delivers compelling and definitive stories of the battles fought to liberate Western Europe from the Nazis.

By 5:00pm on the 2nd of May, 1945, the last guns stopped firing among the ruins of Berlin as the iconic image of the Soviet Red Flag rising above the Reichstag symbolised an irreversible change.

Japan stood at a crossroads after the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings; on the 14th of August, 1945, Emperor Hirohito retreated to his office bunker to record a message announcing Japan's surrender.

Viasat History. Georgian Britain is one of the most romanticised periods in history. But this is far from the truth. A fun documentary on courtship and the sex lives of the Georgian aristocracy.

Viasat History. How intimate was Queen Victoria's relationship with her Highland servant John Brown? Criminal barrister Rob Rinder and British historian Dr Fern Riddell uncover the truth behind the rumour.

The extraordinary true story of eight attempts on Queen Victoria's life during her reign.

Series exploring the milestones of World War II, beginning with the events that led to the birth of the conflict.

In this episode, we explore the first few years on the European battlefield, from the invasion of France and the subsequent Dunkirk evacuation to Hitler's betrayal of his pact with Stalin.

We examine key movements in the Pacific Theatre - the Fall of Singapore, the Battle of Midway and the Kokoda Campaign - Rommel's offensives in Africa, and the Allied bombing campaign over Europe.

The Axis forces begin to lose hold on their previous triumphs; between Japan's loosening hold on southeast Asia and Germany's growing defeats in Europe, we begin to see WW2's turning of the tide.

If successful, his plan could end the war by Christmas.

Chambord is the largest of the Loire castles; with 220,000 tons of stone needed for its construction, it is one of the most important building sites of the Renaissance.

Hitler's audacious plan to turn the tide of the war; colourised archive depicts the Germans' opening salvo artillery barrage and George Patton's arrival in Bastogne to break the German siege.

This episode explores moments of the war where Allied forces started to push back: the relief of Leningrad, the liberation of Paris, D-Day and the liberation of the Nazi extermination camps.

In the summer of 1940, Churchill had taken power and the decision to arrest UK citizens originating from Germany, Austria and Italy; many were perfectly innocent men and some were Jewish refugees.

Archaeologist Zahi Hawass hopes to discover the tomb of Imhotep, the architect of the Step Pyramid of Djoser, and aims to unearth the many secrets of the Egyptian mummies with his team.

Zahi Hawass is excavating an enclosure called Gisr El-Mudir where sarcophagi containing mysterious mummies and rich painted tombs are discovered; will these treasures lead them to Imhotep?

The world is fascinated by the Pyramids of Giza; we explore theories and recent advances in archaeology, Egyptology and astrophysics to decipher the clues left behind by the ancient Egyptians.

We reveal the ground-breaking science being used by Professor Brent Seales as he attempts to be the first person in nearly 2,000 years to read inside the ancient scrolls found in Herculaneum.

Churchill turns to his formidable bomber force to break the deadlock.

We witness the final moments and aftermath of World War II with the establishment of war crime trials - such as the ones in Nuremberg - and move towards peace with the creation of the United Nations.

Experts explore how Hitler transformed Germany into a ruthless war machine.

The economy, trade and commercial power of Rome on the eve of the Empire with the Battle of Alesia, portraits of Julius Caesar and Cleopatra, and the Pantheon, the temple of all gods.

At the beginning of 1942, war wages on the battlefields in Eastern Europe, North Africa and Asia Pacific.

The Mayan city of Chichen Itza was the capital of a powerful civilisation - the "water wizards" of the Itzas - but was mysteriously abandoned between the 11th and 13th centuries.

The driving force behind Germany's attempt to breed a master race, we learn how Heinrich Himmler orchestrated the genocide of millions.

Archaeologist Zahi Hawass hopes to discover the tomb of Imhotep, the architect of the Step Pyramid of Djoser, and aims to unearth the many secrets of the Egyptian mummies with his team.

Zahi Hawass is excavating an enclosure called Gisr El-Mudir where sarcophagi containing mysterious mummies and rich painted tombs are discovered; will these treasures lead them to Imhotep?

The world is fascinated by the Pyramids of Giza; we explore theories and recent advances in archaeology, Egyptology and astrophysics to decipher the clues left behind by the ancient Egyptians.

We reveal the ground-breaking science being used by Professor Brent Seales as he attempts to be the first person in nearly 2,000 years to read inside the ancient scrolls found in Herculaneum.

At the beginning of 1942, war wages on the battlefields in Eastern Europe, North Africa and Asia Pacific.

Experts investigate the ancient and enigmatic construction of Gobekli Tepe.

When the port of Antwerp is liberated, it seems the crisis might be over.

The Mayan city of Chichen Itza was the capital of a powerful civilisation - the "water wizards" of the Itzas - but was mysteriously abandoned between the 11th and 13th centuries.

Churchill turns to his formidable bomber force to break the deadlock.

We witness the final moments and aftermath of World War II with the establishment of war crime trials - such as the ones in Nuremberg - and move towards peace with the creation of the United Nations.

The driving force behind Germany's attempt to breed a master race, we learn how Heinrich Himmler orchestrated the genocide of millions.

Ramses II launched the construction of two temples dedicated to the Pharaoh and to his wife Nefertari; how did the Egyptians organise and manage such a project 1,500 kilometres from the Nile delta?

Join archaeologists decoding a newly unearthed pyramid worker's 4500-year-old journal; can they reconstruct an ancient boat and unlock the long-lost secrets of how the Great Pyramid was built?

As archaeologists decode the 4500-year-old journal of a pyramid worker, they uncover new clues about how the Great Pyramid was built; can they transport a heavy stone block using manpower alone?

Viasat History. Egyptian archaeologists uncover a lost cemetery of elite women from the 8th century B.C.E. / B.C., when Kushite kings ruled Egypt and power was shared with the God's Wife of Amun.

Hitler offers a scapegoat: the Jews.

WWII began with a deadly deception inside a Polish radio station; the early years of the war saw deception in its infancy, from code-breaking and spies to fake bombing sites and even inflatable tanks.

Experts investigate the legendary secrets behind the Devil's Bible.

The aristocracy and the perils of power in the time of a feared emperor with Boudicca's revolt, portraits of Nero and Boudicca, and Nero's incredible palace of the Domus Aurea.

The war grows more savage from the Indian border in Burma to China, which has been at war with Japan since 1937; in Europe, Hitler renews his assault on the Soviet Union.

Commonly known as Notre Dame, Notre Dame de Paris Cathedral is one of the most emblematic monuments of Paris and France; its construction began in 1163 and lasted for two centuries.

We look into the twisted mind of Josef Goebbels, Hitler's minister of propaganda who orchestrated the brainwashing of Germany that paved the way for the Holocaust.

Ramses II launched the construction of two temples dedicated to the Pharaoh and to his wife Nefertari; how did the Egyptians organise and manage such a project 1,500 kilometres from the Nile delta?

Join archaeologists decoding a newly unearthed pyramid worker's 4500-year-old journal; can they reconstruct an ancient boat and unlock the long-lost secrets of how the Great Pyramid was built?

As archaeologists decode the 4500-year-old journal of a pyramid worker, they uncover new clues about how the Great Pyramid was built; can they transport a heavy stone block using manpower alone?

Viasat History. Egyptian archaeologists uncover a lost cemetery of elite women from the 8th century B.C.E. / B.C., when Kushite kings ruled Egypt and power was shared with the God's Wife of Amun.

The war grows more savage from the Indian border in Burma to China, which has been at war with Japan since 1937; in Europe, Hitler renews his assault on the Soviet Union.

Ramses II launched the construction of two temples dedicated to the Pharaoh and to his wife Nefertari; how did the Egyptians organise and manage such a project 1,500 kilometres from the Nile delta?

German soldiers fight tenaciously to defend their homeland.

Hitler offers a scapegoat: the Jews.

WWII began with a deadly deception inside a Polish radio station; the early years of the war saw deception in its infancy, from code-breaking and spies to fake bombing sites and even inflatable tanks.

We look into the twisted mind of Josef Goebbels, Hitler's minister of propaganda who orchestrated the brainwashing of Germany that paved the way for the Holocaust.

At Pompeii, in the biggest dig in a generation, archaeologists excavate a new city block.

An excavation in Pompeii unearths new rich finds, and the search is on for survivors.

In Pompeii, the biggest dig in a generation reaches its climax with thrilling discoveries.

At the biggest dig in a generation, archaeologists strike gold in a lavish Pompeian home.

The question now is how to force capitulation.

By 1942, deception had become extremely sophisticated; the most cunning operation used a deceased homeless man to trick the entire Nazi leadership about the Normandy invasion.

Experts look to uncover the truth behind the mystery of Mary Magdalene's life after witnessing the resurrection.

The games and entertainment, plus violence as a political instrument, with the Battle of Laugaricio (modern-day Slovakia), portraits of Commodus and Lucilla, and the legendary Colosseum.

As Soviet forces push back, Goebbels calls for total war amid the devastation of German cities from Allied bombers.

Lyon is the third-largest city in France; in ancient times it was the largest. At the time, the capital of the Gauls was called Lugdunum, a showcase for Rome in lands conquered by Julius Caesar.

Retracing the story of Hermann Goering, we learn how a revered fighter pilot of the First World War could emerge as a psychopathic war criminal in World War II.

At Pompeii, in the biggest dig in a generation, archaeologists excavate a new city block.

An excavation in Pompeii unearths new rich finds, and the search is on for survivors.

In Pompeii, the biggest dig in a generation reaches its climax with thrilling discoveries.

At the biggest dig in a generation, archaeologists strike gold in a lavish Pompeian home.

The remains of 7,000 humans were discovered in the Hal Saflieni Hypogeum, Malta's Neolithic temple; could the temple reveal the mystery of who they belonged to and what happened to its owners?

The surprise attack, spearheaded by elite divisions, initially sends American units reeling.

Lyon is the third-largest city in France; in ancient times it was the largest. At the time, the capital of the Gauls was called Lugdunum, a showcase for Rome in lands conquered by Julius Caesar.

The question now is how to force capitulation.

By 1942, deception had become extremely sophisticated; the most cunning operation used a deceased homeless man to trick the entire Nazi leadership about the Normandy invasion.

Retracing the story of Hermann Goering, we learn how a revered fighter pilot of the First World War could emerge as a psychopathic war criminal in World War II.

Pierrefonds looks like a 14th-century fortress, yet it is a 19th-century masterpiece. We uncover how a ruined stronghold became a revolutionary hybrid of Middle Ages and Industrial Age innovation.

Rising 80 metres above Athens, the Acropolis is a high-speed engineering feat forged in an age of war and political ambition. This episode decodes the logistics behind the Parthenon.

Neuschwanstein is Louis II of Bavaria's 19th-century fairy-tale castle that inspired Walt Disney. Inside, medieval fantasy hides modern innovation: steel beams, plumbing, and central heating.

Begun in 1882, the Sagrada Família became Gaudí's radical engineering laboratory. In 2026, the church yet to be finished, builders use modern engineering to raise the 170-metre spires above Barcelona.

The inter-war years saw the rise of dictators, appeasement and the policies of the Third Reich until the invasion of Poland, and Japan's 1937 invasion of China escalated into a full-scale conflict.

Technology was used to deceive the enemy; radio and transmitters spread false information, and a ghost army tricked entire enemy forces by using sound effects.

Experts investigate the ancient and enigmatic construction of Gobekli Tepe.

War, loyalty, citizenship and the plots of a changing empire with the massacres of Alexandria, portraits of Caracalla and Julia Domna, and the extraordinary Baths of Caracalla.

No surrender before defeat - the coming months of the war will be the bloodiest.

During the Gallic Wars, Arles in the south of France fared really well. The most beautiful Roman monuments were built there, hence Arles was nicknamed 'the little Rome of Ancient Gaul'.

We go on the trail of Adolf Eichmann, the notorious Nazi bureaucrat who escaped justice for 15 years until his trial made the Holocaust a household name.

Pierrefonds looks like a 14th-century fortress, yet it is a 19th-century masterpiece. We uncover how a ruined stronghold became a revolutionary hybrid of Middle Ages and Industrial Age innovation.

Rising 80 metres above Athens, the Acropolis is a high-speed engineering feat forged in an age of war and political ambition. This episode decodes the logistics behind the Parthenon.

Neuschwanstein is Louis II of Bavaria's 19th-century fairy-tale castle that inspired Walt Disney. Inside, medieval fantasy hides modern innovation: steel beams, plumbing, and central heating.

As Soviet forces push back, Goebbels calls for total war amid the devastation of German cities from Allied bombers.

No surrender before defeat - the coming months of the war will be the bloodiest.

From the beaches of Normandy to the heartland of the Third Reich, this programme delivers compelling and definitive stories of the battles fought to liberate Western Europe from the Nazis.

During the Gallic Wars, Arles in the south of France fared really well. The most beautiful Roman monuments were built there, hence Arles was nicknamed 'the little Rome of Ancient Gaul'.

The inter-war years saw the rise of dictators, appeasement and the policies of the Third Reich until the invasion of Poland, and Japan's 1937 invasion of China escalated into a full-scale conflict.

Technology was used to deceive the enemy; radio and transmitters spread false information, and a ghost army tricked entire enemy forces by using sound effects.

We go on the trail of Adolf Eichmann, the notorious Nazi bureaucrat who escaped justice for 15 years until his trial made the Holocaust a household name.

Aachen Cathedral is a 1,200-year engineering marvel. We decode the "smart" mortar, the hidden iron ring stabilising the cupola, and the metal reinforcements that let stained glass replace stone.

For 2,600 years, Carcassonne has stood as Europe's ultimate fortress. Blending archaeology and engineering, we learn how innovation, strategy and restoration shaped an "impregnable" citadel.

Uncovers the secrets of the construction of the Holy Sepulchre, the most sacred Christian site in the world, with the help of new technologies, restorations and excavations around the tomb.

The Sphinx is the most monumental ancient sculpture in the world at 73 metres long, 20 metres high and 14 metres wide. Who commissioned it, how was it erected, and what is its significance?

The invasion of Poland forces even resistant nations into declaring war. Chamberlain is replaced by Winston Churchill. Now hardly-remembered early naval encounters start to shape the war.

With the war swinging toward the Allies, both sides still used some masterful deceptions; the post-war era saw the US and Soviet Union in a deadly game of espionage in the race for atomic supremacy.

The remains of 7,000 humans were discovered in the Hal Saflieni Hypogeum, Malta's Neolithic temple; could the temple reveal the mystery of who they belonged to and what happened to its owners?

Viasat History. Hunting down the female gladiators who fought in the great amphitheatres of ancient Rome, an international team uncover evidence that restores these amazing women to their rightful place in history.

June 1942: the most decisive naval-air battle in the Pacific started as a Japanese trap and ended as an American ambush, a totally unpredictable conflict made up of luck, code-breaking, and gambles.

Using 3D imagery, reconstitutions and interviews with historians and archaeologists, this episode tells the story of Gallo-Roman Paris and uncovers the vestiges of ancient Paris: Lutetia.

The architectural mastermind of the Third Reich, Albert Speer escaped the noose at the end of the Second World War; is there a monstrous truth behind Speer's carefully crafted lies?

Aachen Cathedral is a 1,200-year engineering marvel. We decode the "smart" mortar, the hidden iron ring stabilising the cupola, and the metal reinforcements that let stained glass replace stone.

For 2,600 years, Carcassonne has stood as Europe's ultimate fortress. Blending archaeology and engineering, we learn how innovation, strategy and restoration shaped an "impregnable" citadel.

Uncovers the secrets of the construction of the Holy Sepulchre, the most sacred Christian site in the world, with the help of new technologies, restorations and excavations around the tomb.

The Sphinx is the most monumental ancient sculpture in the world at 73 metres long, 20 metres high and 14 metres wide. Who commissioned it, how was it erected, and what is its significance?

June 1942: the most decisive naval-air battle in the Pacific started as a Japanese trap and ended as an American ambush, a totally unpredictable conflict made up of luck, code-breaking, and gambles.

The surprise attack, spearheaded by elite divisions, initially sends American units reeling.

From the beaches of Normandy to the heartland of the Third Reich, this programme delivers compelling and definitive stories of the battles fought to liberate Western Europe from the Nazis.

Hermann Göring, Hitler's designated successor, was one of the regime's most visible leaders; as the war slipped away, so did his influence ending in a final act of defiance at Nuremberg.

Karl Dönitz, Hitler's loyal naval commander, led a deadly U-boat war beneath the seas and unexpectedly inherited the crumbling Third Reich as he ruled a defeated nation for ten fleeting days.

Wilhelm Keitel, Hitler's top military yes-man, signed orders that unleashed war crimes and mass murder across Europe; blindly obedient to the end, he ended up answering to justice at Nuremberg.

Friedrich Paulus and Erich von Manstein, two generals who charted opposite paths through the Nazi war machine - one broke under pressure, the other clung to his reputation.

WWII began with a deadly deception inside a Polish radio station; the early years of the war saw deception in its infancy, from code-breaking and spies to fake bombing sites and even inflatable tanks.

By 1942, deception had become extremely sophisticated; the most cunning operation used a deceased homeless man to trick the entire Nazi leadership about the Normandy invasion.

Technology was used to deceive the enemy; radio and transmitters spread false information, and a ghost army tricked entire enemy forces by using sound effects.

With the war swinging toward the Allies, both sides still used some masterful deceptions; the post-war era saw the US and Soviet Union in a deadly game of espionage in the race for atomic supremacy.

In 229 B.C. / B.C.E., Rome's fleet of 200 ships and 20,000 legionaries crossed the Adriatic, Queen Teuta's piracy sparked conflict, and Liburni allies faced assimilation while the Delmati resisted.

In 1992, the Yugoslav army left the Croatian island of Vis abandoning 30 military facilities, an underground hospital, a submarine shelter and tunnels; after centuries of war, Vis embraced peace.

The games and entertainment, plus violence as a political instrument, with the Battle of Laugaricio (modern-day Slovakia), portraits of Commodus and Lucilla, and the legendary Colosseum.

War, loyalty, citizenship and the plots of a changing empire with the massacres of Alexandria, portraits of Caracalla and Julia Domna, and the extraordinary Baths of Caracalla.