Peter Jennings hosted this 6 episode special that reviews some of the most important events of the 20th Century. Each episode is a two part examination of two events in history that happened at different times during the 20th century, but are loosely connected and help explain the complexity of America and its place in the world. Episode 1-"Heaven and Earth" explores Lindbergh's flight across the Atlantic Ocean in 1927 and America's Space Program culminating with man taking the first steps on the Moon. Episode 2-"Ultimate Power" explores Hitler's rise to power in Germany and America's race to develop the Atom Bomb before the German's. Episode 3-"No Man's Land" explores America's involvement in World War I; which we won but was not "the war to end all wars," and end of the Vietnam War; which was lost after America grew tired of a war that seemed to have no end. Episode 4-"Memphis Dreams" explores the rise of Elvis Presley and rock n' roll and Martin Luther King, the civil rights leader, who lost his life attempting to help striking black garbage workers; both these events occurred in Memphis, Tennessee. Episode 5-"Coming Apart" explores President Franklin Roosevelt's social policies to bring America out of the depression followed by Senator Joe McCarthy's suspicion that Communists have infiltrated America's movie industry. Part 6-"Evolution of Revolution" explores the Islamic revolution in Iran and taking American hostages at the American Embassy followed by a discussion about what challenges we'll face in the 21st Century.
—Bradley McClung