Video Loan Program

Harry S. Truman:

• Give 'em Hell, Harry. 103 min. James Whitmore's highly acclaimed one-man play based on the life of Harry S. Truman. S/A
• Harry S. Truman: An Ordinary Man, An Extraordinary Life. 13. min. This brief biography describes Truman's remarkable journey from life on a Missouri farm to the White House. E
• Harry S. Truman: A New View. 50 min. A & E Biography examines the defining moments of the Truman's presidency and his historical legacy. S/A
• Where Presidents Walk: The Story of Independence. 28 min. To celebrate the 100th birthday of Harry Truman's local newspaper, The Independence Examiner, the history of his hometown is told. S/A
• To the Best of My Ability: The Story of Harry S. Truman. 24 min. This is an excellent biography of our 33rd president (produced by PBS) to use with elementary students. E
• Truman. 130 min. HBO production starring Gary Sinise as Harry Truman - the farmer, soldier, failed businessman, Missouri politician, senator, vice president and ultimately, U.S. president. S/A
• Truman: The American Experience. 4½ hours. PBS. Jason Robards narrates this Emmy winning PBS presentation about the public and private life of Harry Truman. S/A
• Truman Recognizes Israel. 34 min. George Elsey, an administrative aide to President Truman, recalls Truman's controversial decision to recognize Israel. S/A

Presidents & the White House:

• Air Force One: Flight II The Planes and the Presidents. 90 min. The history and evolution of "the flying White House" from FDR to George H. W. Bush is narrated by Charlton Heston. S/A
• The American President (DVD) 10 hours. PBS surveys the events of the America's first forty-two presidential administrations. S/A
• Guts & Glory: Great Speeches and Actions That Inspired America. 60 min. Clips from the historic and powerful speeches that impacted 20th century American history. S/A
• Hail to the Chief: Forty-one Presidential Portraits. 95 min. Archival material from the National Archives and the Library of Congress explores the private lives and public careers of America's presidents from 1789 - 1992. S/A
• Presidential Libraries: History Uncovered. (DVD) 24 hours. Never-or rarely-seen film, video, and artifacts from American's twelve presidential libraries give new insights into the action and decisions that shape the modern presidency from Herbert Hoover through the Clinton administration. S/A
• Twentieth Century Presidents. 30 min. An engaging look at presidential responsibilities and the impact that personality can have on the office are examined. S/A
• Upon These Grounds: Exploring the White House. 32 min. Take the White House Historical Association's behind-the-scenes tour of the historic grounds of the Executive Mansion. Teacher' guide is available. E/S/A
• Where History lives: A Tour of the White House. DVD. 30 min. Tour the rooms and hear the history of the Executive Mansion with George and Laura Bush. Teacher guide is available. E/S/A
• Workers at the White House. 32 min. White House workers - butlers, maids, doormen, chefs, plumbers - share their memories of working in the White House. S/A

Biographies:

• JFK - A Personal Story. (DVD) 100 min. Archival footage and personal interviews with friends, journalists, Hollywood stars and former staffers recall significant moments and events in the life and presidency of JFK. S/A
• Lyndon Baines Johnson: 36th President of the U.S.A. 23 min. This brief overview of the life of President Lyndon Johnson is ideal for classroom use. S/A
• Thomas Hart Benton. 86 min. The fascinating story of Missouri artist and Truman favorite, Thomas Hart Benton, is presented by Ken Burns. S/A
• Ralph Bunche: An American Odyssey. 117 min. American Odyssey recounts the events that shaped the life of eminent scholar, civil rights activist, international peacemaker and Medal of Freedom recipient, Ralph Bunche. A teacher's guide with instructor's notes is available. S/A
• General George C. Marshall: Soldier and Statesman. 50 min. A & E Biography presentation about the man Truman called "America's greatest soldier." S/A
• Senator Joseph McCarthy: An American Inquisitor. 50 min. A & E's penetrating look at the Wisconsin Senator and the landmark hearings that rocked the nation in the 1950s. S/A
• Washington: Man and Myth 58 min. Students take an electronic field trip to learn the facts about our nation's first chief executive. E/S
• Winston Churchill. (DVD) 5 hours/2discs. The History Channel presents the life story of the man some people consider to be the most important leader of the 20th century. S/A

The 20th Century:

• America in the Forties. Three parts. 60 min. each.
  Part One: 1940-1942-the hope for a bright future following the Great Depression ends abruptly with Pearl Harbor and America's entrance into World War II.
  Part Two: 1942-1945-the Nazis are defeated, Japan surrenders and the troops come home.
  Part Three: 1945-1949-Americans make many changes in the aftermath of WWII. S/A
• The Forties: After the War 1945-1949. 52 min. Original film footage highlights the social, political and economic transformation of America after World War II. S/A
• The Greatest Speeches of All-Time. 68. min. A compilation of important speeches by twentieth century world leaders such as: Winston Churchill, FDR, Harry Truman and John Kennedy. S/A
• Headline Stories of the Century. 90 min. A collection, from the Hearst News Library, of eighty-seven news clips of major 20th century events. S/A
• The Twentieth Century. (DVD) Ten segments 60 min. each. Each program recalls important events and innovations in science, technology, race relations, politics, and international affairs. E/S/A
• Walter Cronkite Remembers the 20th Century: Television, Politics and JFK. 51 min. Veteran journalist and reporter, Walter Cronkite, recalls the Kennedy years and examines the political impact of television. S/A
• What a Decade It Was! 1930 - 1940 - 1950. Three part series. 90 min. each. Original film footage explores the notable people and significant events of each decade. S/A
• Your Wonderful Year - 1945 - 1946 - 1947 - 1948 - 1949 - 1950 - 1951 - 1952. 30 min. each. Year-by-year newsreel highlights of headline personalities and events. S/A

World Wars:

• African Americans in World War II: A Legacy of Patriotism and Valor. 70 min. Gen. Colin Powell narrates the history of the contributions made by African American soldiers in World War II; and Vernon Baker, the only black Medal of Honor recipient, is interviewed. S/A
• America Goes to War. Four part series. 55 min. each. Eric Sevareid narrates
  Part I: While the Storm Clouds Gather-examines the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor
  Part II: Thanks for the Memories-entertainers and ordinary citizens join together to boost the morale of American soldiers.
  Part III: Sacrifices and Shortages-Americans cut back on everyday items and pay income taxes for the first time.
  Part IV: Mood Indigo-Blacks & Whites-Battlefield heroics does not equate to social equality for returning African American vets. S/A
  
• Biography of America: WWII 1941-1945. 30 min. America's involvement in the war from December 7, 1941 through VE Day is recounted by prominent historians. S/A
• D-Day June 6th, 1944. 52 min. Original film footage details the key events from 1938 to the Allied landing at Normandy. S/A
• D-Day: the Total Story. 105 min. The History Channel presents the complete story of the Normandy invasion - the first step to the liberating Europe from the Nazis. S/A
• Death of Glory: WWI. Two parts. 50 min. each. The History Channel presents the background and tremendous cost of the "war to end all wars." S/A
• Decoding Nazi Secrets. 120 min. An engrossing account of how the German code, Enigma, was cracked through the combined efforts of mathematicians, linguists, chess champions and cross-word puzzle experts. S/A
• Enola Gay and the Atomic Bombing of Japan. 75 min. The recollections of Enola Gay crew members and original film footage present a close look at the bombing of Hiroshima. S/A
• Free a Man to Fight. 55 min. The film focuses on the economic and social impact of women in the work-force during WWII. S/A
• First World War. (DVD) 40 min. This excellent documentary uses archival film footage of the first "modern" war and the new innovations used to defeat Germany and her allies. S/A
• The Greatest Generation. 50 min. Tom Brokaw narrates the engrossing stories of the "GI Generation" with film footage, music and interviews. S/A
• The Holocaust: In Memory of Millions. 60 min. The Discovery Channel (Walter Cronkite narrates) presents the history of the Hitler's rise to power, his plan for a Final Solution to the Jewish problem and amazing stories of personal sacrifice and courage. S/A
• The Holocaust: Through Our Own Eyes. 38 min. Specifically designed for classroom use by the Midwest Center for Holocaust Education, individuals share their stories of survival. S/A
• Hiroshima. 165 min. Archival film combines with re-enactments to recreate the history of the mankind's first-time use of an atomic weapon. S/A
• Hiroshima and Nagasaki: Was Truman's Decision to Use the Bomb Justified? 20 min. A thought-provoking documentary examines both sides of the debate over Truman's decision to use the atomic bomb against Japan. S/A
• Hiroshima: Why the Bomb was Dropped. 67 min. Peter Jennings explores the decision to drop the atomic bomb by examining the decision-making process used by the Truman administration. S/A
• The Liberation of Auschwitz. 55 min. Cpt. Alexander Vorontsov's (First Ukrainian Front) actual footage of the 1945 liberation of Auschwitz and description of his feelings when he and his comrades uncovered the horrors of this infamous concentration camp. S/A
• The Long Way Home. 120 min. An Academy Award winner and narrated by Morgan Freeman, Holocaust survivors relate their stories of surviving life in a camp. S/A
• On Freedom's Wings - The Legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen. (DVD) 37 min. Inspiring and absorbing story of the Tuskegee Airmen whose skill, determination and bravery provided air cover for 200 bombing missions; yet, they faced bigotry and discrimination in post-war America.
• Over Here, Over There: American Home Life and the Second World War. 60 min. A high school student learns about life on the home front by interviewing an older citizen. S
• The Marshall Plan: Against the Odds. 60 min. Narrated by Roger Mudd, the background of the plan to rebuild Europe's war-torn countries is told through the use of photos, newsreels and personal interviews. S/A
• Master Race. 60 min. German citizens talk frankly about the initial appeal of Nazism and German Jews recall their persecution and internment in Hitler's concentration camps. S/A
• Negro Soldier. 49 min. A U.S. War Department production intended to bolster the morale of African-American soldiers during WWII. S/A
• Night Fighters: The True Story of the 332nd Fighter Group-The Tuskegee Airmen. 52 min. The story of the "Tuskegee experiment," designed to support the military's assertion that African-Americans were innately unsuited to be officers or pilots during WWII. S/A
• Pearl Harbor: A Day of Infamy. 2 hours 30 min. Part I-traces the rise of the Japan's militaristic government; Part II-original film footage and survivor's stories detail the strike on the U.S. naval base in Hawaii. S/A
• The Pearl Harbor Child. 34 min. Dorinda Makanaonalani, author of "Pearl Harbor Child," interviews four military and civilian eyewitness survivors of the December 7th attack. S/A
• Pearl Harbor: Legacy of Attack. 115 min. Tom Brokaw narrates for National Geographic the story of December 7, 1941. S/A
• Remember Pearl Harbor: American Taken by Surprise. (DVD) 84 min. A documentary that tries to answer the question: why was America caught off-guard by the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor? S/A
• The International Conference on World War II: The War that Changed the World. Vol. I and II. DVD-5 disc sets. 6 hours each. From the National World War II Museum, noted historians, journalists and authors join with veterans to examine WWII. S/A
• The Propaganda Wars: Japan & the U. S. and the Battle for the Hearts & Minds. 50 min. The History Channel examines the methods used by both sides to keep citizens supportive of their government's war efforts. S/A
• The Road to Victory: We Strike Back 1942-1943. 50 min. The bleak Allied situation of early 1942 is explored as military commanders begin planning for the crucial Sicilian invasion. S/A
• Something Strong Within. 40 min. Home movies are used to tell the stories of Japanese families incarcerated during WWII. S/A
• Trinity and Beyond: The Atomic Bomb Movie. 95 min. An award-winning film looks at the design, production and testing of America's nuclear weapons. S/A
• Tuskegee Airmen: American Heroes. 50 min. The story of the 332nd Fighter Group and the 99th Fighter Squadron of the U.S. Army Air Corps, the nation's first African American combat pilots. S/A
• The United States at War: 1944. The National Archives and Records Administration's absorbing clips from WWII films produced by John Huston and Frank Capra look at 1944. S/A
• Walter Cronkite Remembers the 20th Century: World War II. 50 min. An engrossing "you are there" experience as the one-time UP war correspondent describes military campaigns with film footage and his personal recollections. S/A
• WWII in Color. 105 min. Archival film footage pulled from declassified sources has been digitally restored allowing viewers to see the war as a GI did - in color. S/A
• World War II: The Music Video. 60 min. A history of the music and songs Americans enjoyed during the war years. S/A
• You Are Free. 20 min. The remembrances of four American soldiers and one of the women they liberated from a concentration camp are presented in this powerful documentary that was a 1984 Academy Award nominee. S/A

Korea & The Cold War:

• Archives of War: Korea. 100 min. Korea examines the conflict and its aftermath from the invasion of June 25th, 1950 to the postwar political unrest, the exchange of POWs and the Koje prison camp riots. S/A
• The Battle for Korea. 120 min. Rare film footage from Chinese, Korean and Soviet archives combines with computer generated graphics to present a chronological explanation of the Korean War. S/A
• The Berlin Airlift: The First Battle of the Cold War. 100 min. The History Channel looks at the Berlin crisis as recalled by some of the American pilots who delivered supplies every three minutes to the blockaded city. S/A
• Birth of the Cold War: The Death of Stalin; The Rise of Khrushchev. 2 parts. 50 min. each. Filmed inside the former Soviet Union, this award-winning documentary captures the political chaos that followed the death of Josef Stalin and the five-year rise to power of Khrushchev. S/A
• Cold War. 24 segments. 60 min. each. A CNN documentary covering the tensions between the U.S. and the Soviet Union as viewed by more than 500 eyewitnesses, some of whom were heads of state, others were ordinary citizens. S/A
• Korea - The Forgotten War. (DVD) 40 min. The history of a war that cost the lives of over 54,000 Americans is retold through original film footage and the remembrances of veterans. S/A
• Korea: The Forgotten War. 5 hours. U.S. government film footage captures the Korean War from the earliest days of U. S. involvement to the signing of the Armistice in 1953 and sheds light on the reasons why Korea is called the "Forgotten War" despite the fact that 150,000 service personnel were killed or listed as MIA. S/A
• Korea: Our Time in Hell. 2 parts. 50 min. each. News film combines with the oral histories of Korean War veterans to explain American involvement in the Korean "police action." S/A
• Korea: MacArthur's War with Truman. 40 min. Color maps and interviews combine with archival film footage to help students understand the causes for the Korean conflict and the strained relationship between the President and the General. Intended for classroom use, this award-winning documentary comes with a study guide and discussion questions. S/A
• The Korean War. 4 parts. 50 min. each. A History Channel presentation that reveals the personalities, strategies and hidden stories of the first jet war and the first war in which the U.S. dared not use all of its military power. S/A
• Korean War Stories. (DVD) 60 min. Korean War veterans such as John Glenn, Ted Williams, and Willie Nelson share their personal stories, thoughts and feelings about the war and its cost. S/A
• Ordinary Americans: The Red Scare. 35 min. The paranoia of the Cold War era from the point of view of both the accusers and the accused is presented with film footage of the McCarthy hearings. S/A
• Point of Order. 107 min. Edited from the 188 hours of network television footage, this classic documentary highlights the drama of the 1954 Army-McCarthy hearings without narration allowing viewers to analyze for themselves the impact of McCarthyism and the media's role in shaping public opinion. A teaching guide is sent with the film. S/A

Civil Rights, Human Rights & War Crimes:

• The Bosnia War Crimes Trial. 50 min. Court TV coverage of the first war crimes trial since the end of WWII examines the prosecution of Dusko Tadic, a Bosnian Serb charged with crimes against humanity. S/A
• The Court Martial of Lt. Calley. 50 min. The background of the Vietnam War and the incident that led to the prosecution of an officer for his role in the 1968 massacre of unarmed Vietnamese civilians at My Lai is examined. S/A
• Crisis in Kosovo: NewsMatters. 15 min. A brief, yet very informative, explanation of how the former Yugoslavia came to be split into six Serbian dominated states. A teaching guide and map are provided. S/A
• Free at Last: Civil Rights Heroes. 3 parts. 30 min. each. The stories of Emmett Tell, Medgar Evers, Jimmy Lee Jackson and others whose fate so shocked and outraged America that local, state and national governments were forced into action. S/A
• Ghosts of Rwanda. (DVD) 120 min. A Frontline documentary detailing the combination of social, political and diplomatic failures that led to the deaths of more than 800,000 Rwandans. S/A
• A Good Man in Hell. 13 min. Canadian General Roméo Dallaire, commander of the U. N. peacekeeping troops in Rwanda, shares his frustrations about the Rwandan genocide with Ted Koppel. S/A
• Hotel Rwanda. (DVD) 122 min. Risking his own life and that of his family, local hotel manager Paul Rusesabagena opens his hotel to twelve hundred Tutsis refugees who were facing torture and almost certain death. S/A
• Inside Pol Pot's Secret Prison. (DVD) 50 min. Former guards, executioners and survivors describe their experiences at the infamous Khmer Rogue prison known as S-21. S/A
• Japanese War Crimes and Trials: Murder Under the Sun. 50 min. The History Channel documents Japanese atrocities and former POWs of Japan describe their treatment in captivity. S/A
• Lost Boys from Sudan. (DVD) 87 min. Named Best Documentary at the San Francisco International Festival, Lost Boys is the story of two teenage refugees from Sudan and their efforts to make a new life in America. S/A
• The Nuremberg Trial. 50 min. Archival film footage of the Nazi war criminals answering for their crimes against humanity to the major Allied powers. S/A
• Nuremberg: Tyranny on Trial. 50 min. Archival film, and expert commentaries and personal recollections explain the innovative legal system and courtroom strategies used by the Allies as they try the perpetrators of Nazi war crimes for crimes against humanity. S/A
• Out of the Silence: Fighting for Human Rights. 60 min. A three-part documentary that traces the history of the Declaration of Human Rights, explains how human rights are defined and profiles the oppression inflicted by the government of Guatemala on its own citizens. S/A
• Ordinary Americans: The Civil Rights Movement. 35 min. The Civil Rights movement is told through the personal accounts of four women as they challenge the status quo in order to bring about social change. S/A
• Pol Pot. (DVD) 50 min. An A&E Biography that explores the events and influences that transformed a so-called "caring and intelligent" boy into brutal tyrant responsible for the deaths of more than a quarter of the Cambodian population. S/A
• Return to the Killing Filling Fields. (DVD) 50 min. Investigative Report's Bill Kurtis travels to the infamous Killing Fields of Cambodia to talk to witnesses, perpetrators and survivors to the torture and killing of between one and four million Cambodians. S/A
• The Trial of Adolf Eichmann. 50 min. A profile of the dramatic hunt for Hitler's "Minister of Death" and his trial for the systematic extermination of some six million Jews. S/A
• War Crimes. 50 min. Archival film footage shows the Nuremberg Trials, the trial of Lt. William Calley (My Lai Massacre) and the 1986 trial of John Demjanjuk who was charged with the atrocities at committed at Treblinka. S/A

Civics:

• The American Promise: Challenges Facing Democracy. 2 hours. A nine-part series detailing the challenges - freedom, responsibility, participation, hard choices, information, opportunity, leverage, deliberation and common ground - that can confront any democracy. A Teacher's Guide is supplied. S
• Connected: Careers for the Future: A Guide to International Careers for Young People of Color. 30 min. Writer and TV anchor, Charlane Hunter-Gault narrates this motivational piece designed to help students of color recognize that their cultural heritage is an asset they can use when planning for their future. S
• Helping Students Make Positive Choices. 23 min. By observing an actual classroom, educators can see how to involve students in the decision-making process. S

National History Day:

• History Day Spots. 6 min. The History Channel explores the background and inner-workings of NHD. S
• James Meredith at Ole Miss: A Civil Rights Turning Point. 10 min. A National History Day multi-media finalist. S
• Lights, Camera, History Day! Media Documentaries Made Easy. 41 min. Tips on filming and staging a video entry are presented in a "how to" format. S
• National History Day: It's about Time to Get Started on Your History Day Adventure. 34 min. Guides students through the process of selecting a topic, writing a thesis and researching primary and secondary sources to create a History Day project. S
• A Noble Experiment: Breaking the Color Barrier in Baseball. 9 min. A NHD 2000 finalist by Heath Shelite about the signing of Jackie Robinson to the Brooklyn Dodgers that began the process of integrating major league baseball. S