American Experience — Season 10
01 Truman (1): An Accident of Democracy
Oct 5, 199755m
A study of Harry S. Truman, the 33rd president. Part 1 covers his service during World War I; his accomplishments as a small-time Kansas City politician; his two terms as a Missouri senator.
02 Truman (2): The Moon, the Stars and All the Planets
Oct 6, 199755m
Harry S. Truman recalls his post-WWII economic policies; his 1948 presidential campaign; the Korean War; and his celebrated clash with Gen. Douglas MacArthur.
03 A Midwife's Tale
Jan 19, 199855m
Chronicling the efforts of historian Laurel Thatcher Ulrich to gather facts about early American life through the diaries of Maine resident and midwife Martha Ballard (1735?-1812). Included: dramatizations of some of the passages; and the use of town documents to supplement some of Ballard's accounts.
04 Mr. Miami Beach
Feb 2, 199855m
Recalling the life of Carl Fisher, the entrepreneur who “sold the glamour of Florida” and turned a swampland into Miami Beach. Included: how he developed the resort town using topsoil from the Everglades and sand from Biscayne Bay.
05 Influenza 1918
Feb 9, 199855m
Chronicling the epidemic of the Spanish flu in 1918, which claimed “more than 600,000 lives.” Included: futile attempts to develop a vaccine; and how the virus spread to Europe.
06 Reagan (1): Lifeguard
Feb 23, 19981h 55m
The life and legacy of Ronald Reagan are examined in a two-part study, beginning with his impoverished childhood; his start as a radio sportscaster and career as an actor; his two terms as governor of California; and his 1980 election to the Presidency. Among those interviewed: Nancy Reagan and Ron Reagan Jr.
07 Reagan (2): An American Crusade
Feb 24, 199855m
The conclusion of a biography of Ronald Reagan focuses on the president's second term and includes his defense-spending policies and the Iran-Contra scandal.
08 Surviving the Dust Bowl
Mar 2, 199855m
Children of 1930s Plains farmers recall the Dust Bowl, the eight-year drought that was made far worse by the 30 years of aggressive farming that preceded it. "A lot of people thought it was the end of the world," one survivor says.
09 Riding the Rails
Apr 13, 199855m
During the Depression-era 1930's, tens of thousands of teenagers hopped freight trains in search of a better life elsewhere. What they found was a mixture of adventure, camaraderie, hardship and loneliness. The evocative stories of teen hoboes crisscrossing America during tough times.