Skip to main content
Back to Show
American Experience

Command and Control, Deterrence and the Turn of a Key

“The whole reason I sat out there was to prevent anything from happening. That's what deterrence was about. But deterrence is worthless if you don't demonstrate that you are willing to do it.” Lieutenant Allan Childers was a deputy commander of the Titan II Missile Combat Crew. He was on duty the night of the accident in Damascus, Arkansas.

Sign up now for inspiring and thought-provoking media delivered straight to your inbox.
Season
The Busing Battleground
1:52:38
Revisit 1970s Boston, when court-mandated school integration unleashed racial unrest.
Casa Susanna
1:36:51
Casa Susanna was a refuge for transgender women and cross-dressing men in the 1950s-60s.
The Sun Queen
Unlock with PBS Passport
52:22
Unsung scientist Mária Telkes dedicated her career to harnessing the power of the sun.
The Movement and the "Madman"
1:22:39
Discover the story of the 1969 showdown between President Nixon and the antiwar movement.
Ruthless: Monopoly's Secret History
Unlock with PBS Passport
52:17
Discover the unexpected history behind Monopoly, America’s favorite board game.
Women in American History
1:52:24
The influential author and anthropologist whose work reclaimed and honored Black life.
The Lie Detector
52:45
The story of the polygraph, the controversial device that transformed modern justice.
The Blinding of Isaac Woodard, Spanish
1:52:49
The Blinding of Isaac Woodard with Spanish subtitles.
The Blinding of Isaac Woodard
1:52:23
How a horrific incident of racial violence became catalyst for the civil rights movement.
Part 2 | The Vote | American Experience
Unlock with PBS Passport
1:52:47
Part Two examines the mounting dispute over strategies and reveals the pervasive racism.
Part 1 | The Vote | American Experience
Unlock with PBS Passport
1:52:42
The fiery campaign that led to passage of the 19th Amendment, granting women the vote.
The Eugenics Crusade
1:53:12
The Eugenics Crusade tells the story of the campaign to breed a “better” American race,
Active loading indicator