Digits: Guardians of the Web

Historians, veterans, politicians, and anti-war leaders discuss the history of the military draft in the United States through the Vietnam War, and examine the consequences of its replacement with an all-volunteer professional force currently comprising less than one-half of one percent of the population.

Why did Germany torpedo the Lusitania, a civilian vessel? And why did such an enormous ship sink so fast? Now, take a high-tech plunge beneath the Irish Channel and relive on of the century's most mysterious maritime tragedies: The date is May 7, 1915, just nine months into World War I. A German U-boat torpedoes the Lusitania — one of than largest and fastest luxury liners in the world. Of the 1,959 people aboard, including millionaire Alfred Vanderbilt, nearly two-thirds will die. Many are trapped inside as the great ship sinks in just eighteen minutes.

Take the ultimate guided tour of the most famous plane in the world, and meet the tireless crew charged with operating this global command center in the sky.

Dr. Bob Ballard explores the histories and the final resting places of famous 20th-century passenger liners, including the Titanic, the Lusitania, and the Empress of Ireland.

We'll take to the skies with the presidential helicopter Marine One as it flies to the nation's largest city. To protect the President, Marine One must flawlessly coordinate with the Marines, the New York Police Department, and the Secret Service.

Through interviews with Manhattan Project scientists and newly declassified archival footage, this documentary examines the life of physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer and his leadership of the Manhattan Project. The film traces the development and testing of the first atomic bomb and follows Oppenheimer’s later opposition to nuclear proliferation during the early years of the Cold War.

An examination of how President Abraham Lincoln used contemporary telecommunications to his maximum advantage in the American Civil War.

In the National Geographic Channel special, “George W. Bush: The 9-11 Interview,” the former President talks about the chaotic moments after the attacks and the reasoning behind decisions he made that day. Bush reflects on being told about the attacks while visiting schoolchildren in Florida and the difficulty in getting accurate information in what he calls “the fog of war.” He also talks about returning to the White House to address Americans in the hours after the terrorist attacks. Fearing a possible psychological boost for al-Qaeda, Bush said he, quote, “damn sure wasn’t going to give it from a bunker in Nebraska.” The former President recalls the emotional visit to Ground Zero just three days after the World Trade Center Towers were destroyed. He describes “a palpable bloodlust” among workers in the ruins who were encouraging him to retaliate against those behind the attacks.

The Watergate case was the original game changer of America politics. How has Watergate changed the Presidency? What effect has the scandal had on our political leaders? And has hope and optimism forever been replaced in our national dialogue by doubt and cynicism? In 1973, Watergate's most pivotal year, reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein doggedly investigated the scandal exposing the long, twisted trail of cover-ups and lies.

The life and career of jazz musician Ron Carter, the most recorded bassist in history, featuring original concert footage and insights from jazz icons.

National Geographic follows underwater explorer Bob Ballard as he searches for the aircraft carrier sunk during the Battle of Midway.

A portrait of a brutal Pinochet military dictatorship made during a three month visit to Chile in 1985 by David Bradbury. The footage reveals a country torn with civil strife and political unrest; military intimidation of the population; indiscriminate arrests: murder torture and disappearances were facts of Chilean life.

Follow Cesar Millans rise from impoverished illegal immigrant to celebrity dog trainer to international superstar. Join Cesar as he embarks on his live world speaking tour, films his new television series in Spain and leads thousands of dogs and owners on a Pack Walk in Washington, D.C. Cesar reflects on his humble past, his family life and his ever-evolving philosophy, which inspires people to improve their relationships with their dogs while becoming the pack leader of their own lives.

National Geographic takes you on an exclusive tour inside Air Force One, part luxury hotel, part super-secret military command post. From its beginnings with President Roosevelt making a secret wartime flight in 1943 - to the historic flight that returned President Kennedy's body to Washington after his assassination - to the closing months of the Clinton administration, Air Force One takes you through the history of the world's most powerful plane. Features exclusive interviews with Presidents George W. Bush, William Jefferson Clinton, George H. W. Bush, and Jimmy Carter.

Farmers and parents of young children, who live in the Harrisburg, Pa., area, discuss their fears of radioactive contamination from the Three Mile Island nuclear reactor accident in 1979. Scientists and physicians also expound on the lethal dangers of nuclear power and the risks in containment processes.

A portrait of several Vietnam War veterans living "off the grid." Upon returning home from the war, these men found themselves unable to exist in normal society due to the lasting psychological scars from Vietnam, and, subsequently, chose to live a life of solitude and survival in the American wilderness.