TV Guide PBS America Thursday

Criminologist David Wilson investigates the mysterious death of Russia's first dictator, beginning by analysing rumours that the man who used terror to rule his huge empire may have been strangled by enemies in his court. The trail takes Wilson across Russia and back to London, where he explores a story of intrigue surrounding England's Queen Elizabeth I, uncovering clues along the way which lead to a final twist in the tale

A look at the relics found in the tombs of China's Han Dynasty. The era is generally considered the golden age of ancient China, rivalling the Roman empire for international power, and has been a defining influence on the country's cultural identity ever since. The programme examines how the emperors arranged to have their dead bodies mummified in the search for immortality and looks at a newly discovered version of the famous terracotta army

Criminologist David Wilson investigates the mysterious death of Russia's first dictator, beginning by analysing rumours that the man who used terror to rule his huge empire may have been strangled by enemies in his court. The trail takes Wilson across Russia and back to London, where he explores a story of intrigue surrounding England's Queen Elizabeth I, uncovering clues along the way which lead to a final twist in the tale

The final stages of the Second World War in the Far East as the Japanese rulers refused to concede defeat despite the agony of their people, culminating in the dropping of the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. With the conflict finally at an end, hundreds of thousands of servicemen were able to return home - where they had to learn to live without the structures of military life