In commemoration of the 20th anniversary, The History Channel is remembering the fallen of the September 11 terrorist attacks and paying tribute to the first responders and survivors with four new powerful two-hour documentaries.
Co-produced by The 9/11 Memorial & Museum, will premiere on Sunday, May 2 from 8-10pm ET/PT on the 10th anniversary of the raid that found Osama bin Laden. Six hours of additional programming will premiere on September 10 and 11 with “9/11: Four Flights,” “Rise and Fall: The World Trade Center” and “9/11: From the Ground Up” (working title).
“Revealed: The Hunt for Bin Laden” opens an unprecedented window into the hunt for the man who masterminded the September 11 attacks and then disappeared, thwarting American efforts to bring him to justice for nearly a decade. Ten years after the raid on Bin Laden’s hideout, this two-hour History Channel documentary will premiere on Sunday, May 2 from 8-10pm ET/PT providing a sweeping account of the story, linking policy, intelligence and military decision-making as they converged on a mysterious compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan. Those interviewed include not only President Barack Obama, Secretary Hillary Clinton, Secretary Robert Gates, CIA Director Leon Panetta, and Admiral William McRaven, but also key, though unnamed, intelligence officers, who narrowed the search for Bin Laden after years of no leads or false starts, and the military planners, SEAL operators and army pilots selected to carry out the raid.
Programming airing on September 10 and 11 will include:
“9/11: Four Flights”
Four flights – American 11, United 175, American 77, and United 93 – took off the morning of September 11, 2001 unaware of the life-changing events to follow and fate that would forever intertwine them. Through the powerful and personal narratives from family and friends, “9/11: Four Flights” tells the riveting and emotional human stories of those aboard each doomed jetliner. Looking at all four flights for the first time in one program, the two-hour documentary unveils a saga of surprising connections, strange coincidences and detrimental decisions. From one flight tracking another as it veered off course, barreling toward Manhattan, to the final heart-wrenching phone calls to some incredibly harrowing yet heroic moments, viewers will hear about the bravery of passengers, crew, air traffic controllers and more who tried in vain to intercept the airliners. On the 20th anniversary of this historic yet tragic event, we remember and honor those loved ones lost and the day that transformed a nation forever.
“Rise and Fall: The World Trade Center”
Through a unique architectural and engineering lens, “Rise and Fall: The World Trade Center” takes a chronological look at the conception, construction and destruction of the World Trade Center towers. It recounts the inspiring, true story behind the individuals who dreamed, planned and built a symbol of American strength and ambition. Step by step, viewers will witness the execution of this innovative and one-of-a-kind sky-high complex from early designs to overcoming technical challenges to its heart-wrenching collapse. The two-hour documentary covers the first terrorist attack on the WTC during the 1993 bombing and unpacks, in vivid detail, a timeline of how and why the building fell after terrorists flew commercial airliners into them on September 11. With the use of historical elements and graphics, expert interviews and courageous first-hand testimonies of the two attacks, the documentary reveals the wonders and vulnerabilities of these unforgettable buildings.
“9/11: From the Ground Up” (w.t.)
Marking the 20th anniversary of September 11, this two-hour documentary presents a unique and moving account of the day that changed the modern world. “9/11: From the Ground Up” (w.t.) is an intimate portrayal of the events of September 11 captured by ordinary people who chose to pick up their video cameras on that day. Featuring previously unseen video and unheard audio, and told without interview or commentary, this compelling documentary tells a unique story of their journey from confusion to comprehension, terror and relief.
In addition, The History Channel has forged a multi-faceted partnership with The 9/11 Memorial & Museum. As part of this partnership, the network will create original short form content under its “Save Our History” initiative telling the powerful stories about those who lost loved ones on September 11 and highlighting important artifacts in the museum’s collection as the world observes the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks. The HISTORY Channel will also support the museum’s mission to keep the history of September 11 alive through dissemination of educational content and virtual events for teachers and students.
Watch the trailer for “Revealed: The Hunt for Bin Laden”