29Jan-4Feb

Putin, Russia & the West 
BBC2 London 9:00pm-10:00pm (1 hour ) Thu 2 Feb
Season 1 Episode 3 of 4
War An insight into the 2008 armed conflict between Russia and Georgia over the South Ossetia region. The countries' respective presidents at the time, Dmitry Medvedev and Mikheil Saakashvili, recall the intense behind-the-scenes negotiations that led up to the war, and French President Nicolas Sarkozy's efforts to broker a ceasefire. In Washington, DC, former Secretary of Defence Robert Gates and then-Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice describe how they considered the consequences of offering military support to their Georgian allies

Bullets, Boots and Bandages: How to Really Win at War 
BBC4 9:00pm-10:00pm (1 hour ) Thu 2 Feb
Season 1 Episode 1 of 3
Staying Alive New series. Historian Saul David explores how decisions made in offices and backrooms have influenced the outcomes of military conflicts, and explains why planning and logistics often make the difference between victory and defeat. He begins by investigating the importance of properly feeding and housing armies

22-28th January

A Century of Fatherhood 
BBC4 8:00pm-9:00pm (1 hour ) Mon 23 Jan
The Good Father Testimony, archive footage and historical research are used to investigate the important and often misunderstood role of the British father over the past 100 years. The opening programme explores the popular myth of the tyrannical Victorian-style father, and reveals these individuals were often devoted parents who took their job as provider and protector of their family seriously
 
Putin, Russia & the West 
BBC2 London 9:00pm-10:00pm (1 hour ) Thu 26 Jan
Season 1 Episode 2 of 4
Democracy Threatens Former Ukraine president Leonid Kuchma tells the inside story of his country's 2004 elections and admits to being Putin's ally. The programme explores how Russian-backed candidate Viktor Yanukovych was declared the winner at the expense of his opponent Viktor Yushchenko, sparking the Orange Revolution. Plus, Kremlin officials of the time tell how they clamped down on human rights groups and critics of Putin to ensure that those events did not bring about a similar uprising in Russia

16-21 Jan 2012

Putin, Russia & the West 
Series charting Vladimir Putin's rise to the top in Russian politics and how he has maintained his hold on power despite growing unrest in the country, including allegations of electoral fraud and thousands of protesters taking to the streets of Moscow. The programme features interviews with some of his senior colleagues and Western politicians he has clashed with, analysing how Putin became a key ally of the West after becoming president despite his earlier spell in the KGB
Season 1 Episode 1 of 4

10th - 16th Jan

The Hunt for the Higgs: A Horizon Special
BBC2 London 9:00pm-10:00pm (1 hour ) Mon 9 Jan
Jim Al-Khalili follows the efforts of particle physicists at the Cern research laboratory near Geneva, Switzerland, to find the Higgs particle, which is believed to give mass to everything in the universe. He explains why scientists believe discovering it could help answer fundamental questions about the nature of existence, and reveals why their theories are based on the idea of symmetry

Timeshift: The Rules of Drinking
BBC4 9:00pm-10:00pm (1 hour ) Wed 11 Jan
Mark Chapman narrates an exploration of Britain's complicated relationship with alcohol during the latter half of the 20th century. The programme charts how conventions surrounding the drinking habits of men and women changed from the 1940s onwards, as the largely masculine culture of pubs and working men's clubs began to recede, and also discovers the influence foreign travel and advertising had on the types of beverage that were popular in the UK

2-8 Jan 2012

 Timeshift: The Smoking Years
BBC4 9:00pm-10:00pm (1 hour ) Wed 4 Jan
The history of tobacco smoking in Britain, exploring how the habit came to the country and why it became so popular. Featuring contributions by Barry Cryer and Stuart Maconie, the programme asks whether there really was a time when people everywhere could be found shrouded in a thick blue cloud, and explores how the practice is now under threat
            
Meet Britain's Chinese Tiger Mums: A Wonderland Film
BBC2 9:00pm-10:00pm (1 hour ) Thu 5 Jan
Three British-based Chinese mothers open the doors of their homes to show how they are educating their children. The film provides an insight into the strict rules, discipline, long hours of homework and extra tuition these women impose on their sons and daughters, raising the question of whether academic excellence is worth the sacrifices the children face