Offair Listings

On a freezing winter night in February 1945, the U.S. Army’s 10th Mountain Division accomplished the impossible: they scaled a 2,000-foot cliff in northern Italy to knock the seemingly invincible Germans from their impenetrable perch. THE LAST RIDGE recounts the remarkable story of the legendary 10th Mountain Division, whose extraordinary efforts turned the tide for the Allied forces in Italy, revolutionized winter mountain warfare abroad, transformed winter sports and inspired an entire generation of soldiers. Narrated by National Public Radio’s Scott Simon, the documentary traces the 10th Mountain Division’s history: from their uphill battles in World War II to their current campaigns in troubled Afghanistan.

Airs on WXXI-World November 10, 2018 at 4:00 pm
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Narrated by actor Jason Beghe of NBC’s Chicago P.D.,SURVIVORS OF MALMEDY: DECEMBER 1944 tells the story of the World War II massacre of 84 American soldiers in Belgium during the opening days of the famous “Battle of the Bulge.” On December 17, 1944, after a short battle, more than 130 American GIs were taken prisoner just outside the Belgian town of Malmedy and herded into a field by an infamous German SS division led by one of the Nazi’s most brutal commanders. The unarmed American prisoners were gunned down. Those still alive after the initial shooting in the brutal cold were killed by SS soldiers ordered into the field to execute any Americans still breathing. Some American soldiers played dead. Some ran. Some escaped to nearby houses. In the end, more than 50 Americans did escape the infamous Malmedy Massacre. Today, just a handful remain. Weaving interviews with the few remaining survivors of the massacre with archival footage, and drone video shot in the Malmedy area and in the field where the infamous event occurred, the emotional and powerful SURVIVORS OF MALMEDY chronicles what became known as the largest single mass murder of American troops in World War II.

Airs on WXXI-World November 10, 2018 at 3:00 pm
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This program tells the true story of American G.I.s — many of whom would go on to have illustrious careers in art, design and fashion –who tricked the enemy with rubber tanks, sound effects and visual illusions during the World War II. The 23rd Headquarters Special Troops staged a traveling road show of deception designed to con the Germans right on the front lines. From Normandy to the Rhine, they conjured up phony convoys, phantom divisions and make-believe headquarters to fool the enemy about the strength and location of American units. Every move they made was top secret and their story was hushed up for decades after the war’s end. Many of the men chosen to carry out these deceptions were young artists recruited from art schools across the country. In their spare time, they painted and sketched their way across Europe, creating a unique and moving visual record of their war. Some would go on to become famous, including fashion designer Bill Blass, painter Ellsworth Kelley and photographer Art Kane. This documentary features interviews with 19 Ghost Army veterans, as well as retired general Wesley Clark and other military historians.

Airs on WXXI-World November 8, 2018 at 9:00 pm
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During the darkest hour of World War II, a team of idealistic filmmakers hoped the power of the movies could reshape the world. As Allied forces liberated Western Europe, their military campaign was accompanied by a vast propaganda effort that centered around 26 short documentaries about American life targeted at the newly liberated populations. PROJECTIONS OF AMERICA: MOVIES IN WARTIME is an engaging documentary that weaves interviews with filmmakers, audience members, and film critics with excerpts from a number of the “Projections of America” films. These theatrical shorts presented American stories of cowboys and oilmen, farmers and window washers, immigrants and school children – capturing both the optimism and the messiness of American democracy.

Airs on WXXI-World November 8, 2018 at 6:00 pm
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three women – Natasha Young, Amanda Tejada and Lyndsey Lyons – confront the challenges of readjusting to civilian life after their post-9/11 military service. Once back in the United States, the women cope with the disintegration of their relationships, alcohol and substance abuse, depression, health problems, military sexual trauma, post-traumatic stress disorder, and employment difficulties.

Airs on WXXI-World November 7, 2018 at 7:00 pm
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Filmed primarily in the summer of 2014, ON HOME GROUND: LIFE AFTER SERVICE gives an intimate look into the lives of three veterans who returned home to the Adirondacks in upstate New York after deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan. The film poses the question: after all the sacrifice, when does home finally feel like home again? The documentary guides viewers on a journey of re-assimilation into civilian life with veterans living near the Adirondack Mountains.

Airs on WXXI-World November 7, 2018 at 6:00 pm
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Ely Parker was a Seneca chief, a legal scholar, an engineer, a Civil War hero, and a Cabinet-level commissioner — all by the age of 40. At first glance, his story appears to be one of success and triumph. Yet Parker died in poverty far from the land of his birth. In later life he was estranged from his people and dismissed by political leaders he once considered friends. Today, American history remembers him as a mere footnote, and inside the Seneca community, he is a controversial figure — considered a hero by some, branded a traitor by others.

Airs on WXXI-TV November 7, 2018 at 3:00 am
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Spend your election night with PBS NewsHour … Television coverage of election night.

Airs on WXXI-HD November 6, 2018 at 8:00 pm
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Exploring the impact of wartime Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), LONG ROAD HOME offers compelling stories of Pittsburgh-area military veterans of Vietnam, Korea and World War II still coming to terms with the emotional wounds of war. The film explores successful therapies and documents the promising research underway at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, where doctors study the sleep and brain patterns of PTSD sufferers and examine the reasons why women are twice as likely as men to develop the disorder. The program concludes on a hopeful note, with a visit to a weekend retreat for veterans dealing with PTSD and combat stress. United by their experiences, the former servicemen and women discuss their feelings, their struggles in civilian life, their need for closure and their optimism for the future.

Airs on WXXI-World November 6, 2018 at 6:00 pm
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a WXXI production – Two artists with unique styles come together for a collaboration. Jesse James of West Coast Choppers fame and world renowned sculpture artist Albert Paley collaborate to make two sculptures. Each artist starts one sculpture and finishes the other. The completed sculptures were unveiled at FABTECH 2017 in Chicago last fall. WXXI captures their journey, and the unveiling in an hour-long documentary.

Airs on WXXI-HD November 5, 2018 at 9:00 pm
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