MUMBAI: The History Channel is celebrating Independence Day by airing awe-inspiring stories behind some of the most prominent world events and the people who fought for the independence of their countries in 'Voices of Freedom'.
Beginning 14 August, this series focusses on personalities that have spearheaded freedom movements across the world and events that have left an indelible impact on today's youth.
Through stunning documentaries and dramatic recreations, the channel will pay tribute to extraordinary people who rose against overwhelming odds through their intelligence and perseverance to triumph over prejudice, injustice and hardship.
Key programmes in this series are:
'Battle of Gettysburg' on 14 August at 9:30 pm highlights the turning point of the American Civil War. President Lincoln appoints George Meade as the commander of the Army of the Potomac
at the time when General Lee was threatening Washington and the North. The episode details Meade's attempts to combat Lee by pushing his army, marshalling his resources and tactically outwitting a master, which finally resulted in Meade preserving the Union. Be a witness to this historical war only on The History Channel.
'Tiananmen Square' on 15 August at 9.00 pm reveals the true story behind the deaths of 500 young Chinese students who became the martyrs for democracy at Tiananmen. This episode discusses the birth and death of a movement and the secret story behind how the demonstrators changed China forever.
'Mikhail Gorbachev' on Biography on 16 August at 10 pm takes a look at the profile of the former Communist Party leader who stunned the world by beginning a program of liberalization called "Glasnost" and then presided over the dismantling of the Soviet Union and the end of the Cold War.
'Nelson Mandela' on Biography on 17 August at 10 pm looks at Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela's life from the time he was born in Transkei, South Africa on 18 July 1918. From 1964 to 1982, he was incarcerated at Robben Island Prison, off Cape Town following which he was at Pollsmoor Prison on the mainland. The episode tracks his efforts and dedication for fighting against apartheid and finally emerging as the first coloured President of South Africa.
'Abraham Lincoln' on Biography on 19 August at 10 pm shows Lincoln, who has till date rarely emerged from behind the myths and the statues, as a boy raised in the wilderness; a young man embarrassed by his own looks and upbringing who chose politics and the law as a way of proving himself; a man painfully shy around women whose marriage was called 'a living burning hell'; an indulgent father who had to deal with repeated family tragedies.
'The French Revolution' on 21 August at 10 pm, shows the growing ambitions of the rising bourgeoisie to the final breakdown of the monarchy. Here, one can watch the unforgettable French Revolution shows 18th-century France as the world's wealthiest nation and was ruled by the century's most powerful king, with the best-educated people and the strongest army in Europe. It also boasted an exploding national debt (partly due to the King's support of the American Revolution). Many interrelated political and socio-economic factors contributed to the French Revolution.
