BBC - Days that Shook the World Series 2 (2004) Part 1 Disaster in the Sky The Hindenburg/Challenger Disaster

Through dramatic reconstructions, eye-witness accounts and archive footage, each episode in the “Days That Shook the World” TV series pieces together the thrilling stories of the landmarks of our time; the moments in history - human tragedies, scientific breakthroughs and calamitous events that have profoundly affected the way the world thinks and acts. Days that Shook the World examines some of the most important days in history, creating a detailed and forensic analysis of 24 hours that changed the world. It covers some of the biggest themes in World history - from the history of flight, to the rise and fall of Communism. This fresh and unusual BBC production explores mankind's defining moments. A gripping anatomy of some of the most important days in history, hour by hour as they unfolded. Incisive, fascinating & dramatic, the complete series builds a compelling picture of the seismic moments in world history. From ancient Egypt to the Berlin Wall, these episodes look at events that had a lasting impact on human history, from technological breakthroughs to political tragedies. Finding new angles and putting events into historical context, the series spans centuries and continents with one common thread On each of these days, the lives of millions were changed forever. Incredible breakthroughs, acts of shocking brutality, and stories of hope form the themes of these compelling programs. As the clock ticks, the events of the day climax, and we learn just what happened and how the day affected the course of history. The series focuses on events that defined the 20th century, from the discovery of the first dinosaur remains to the Hindenburg disaster. The programmes also investigate Yuri Gagarin's space flight; the Great Train Robbery; the abdication of Edward VIII; the events leading to the fictional Day Of The Jackal; the theft of the Crown Jewels; the hoax that was Piltdown Man; and disasters such as the Oklahoma bombing and the Challenger explosion.

A Lion Television Production for BBC in Association with The History Channel

Part 1 Disaster in the Sky The Hindenburg/Challenger Disaster

The fateful flights of the Hindenburg, in 1937, and the Challenger space shuttle, in 1986. THE HINDENBURG AIRSHIP CRASH. The human cost of aviation was keenly felt in 1937. The German airship Hindenburg was scheduled to make the first commercial crossing of the Atlantic. The tragic consequence was relayed via America's first pre-recorded network news broadcast. New Jersey, USA. It is May 6, 1937.The luxurious airship Hindenburg, pride of the German nation and a Titanic of the skies, is completing its transatlantic crossing from Friedrichshafen in Germany to America. On board are 61 crew and 36 passengers, each paying the equivalent of ?12,000 for their passage. The airship is approaching the American coast. A morning landing at Lakehurst air base, New Jersey, is anticipated. THE CHALLENGER EXPLOSION. Challenger Disaster. Recalling January 1986 when the ill-fated space shuttle exploded a minute after take-off. Florida, USA. It is January 27, 1986. Later today, NASA mission STS 51-L – the launch of the Challenger space-shuttle – will commence countdown and waning public interest in the American space programme will be rekindled.

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