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American Experience

Clearing the Way

Bulldozers cleared trees and dirt from a 60 to 90-foot swath for the Alaskan Highway.

02/07/2005 | Rating NR

American Experience

Clearing the Way

Clip: Season 17 | 1m 9s

Bulldozers cleared trees and dirt from a 60 to 90-foot swath for the Alaskan Highway.

To clear a path for the road, a lead bulldozer, flanked by two others, tore into the dirt and knocked down trees to create a 60 to 90-foot swath. Behind these front units, the bulk of the regiment widened, straightened, and graded the road, and using the timber at hand, built culverts and bridges.

02/07/2005 | Rating NR

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Corporate sponsorship for American Experience is provided by Liberty Mutual Insurance and Carlisle Companies. Major funding by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.

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Finishing the Alaska Highway

Clip: S17 | 50s | On October 25, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers closed the last gap of the highway. (50s)

Environmental Obstacles

Clip: S17 | 2m 59s | The Corps wanted finish the highway in a hurry, but progress was slowed by mud and muskeg. (2m 59s)

Clearing the Way

Clip: S17 | 1m 9s | Bulldozers cleared trees and dirt from a 60 to 90-foot swath for the Alaskan Highway. (1m 9s)

The Army Corps of Engineers' Assignment

Clip: S17 | 1m 35s | The job of building an Alaskan highway was assigned to the Army Corps of Engineers. (1m 35s)

Arctic Challenges

Clip: S17 | 2m 53s | By September, 1942 the Army Corps of Engineers had struck permafrost. (2m 53s)

Cuba Newsreels: Queue of Asylum-Seekers, 1980

Clip: S17 | 2m 27s | Cubans line up to have their passports stamped at the Peruvian Embassy. (2m 27s)

Cuba Newsreels: Castro Visits the U.S.S.R., 1972

Clip: S17 | 53s | Castro travels to the U.S.S.R. and meets with Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev. (53s)

Building the Alaska Highway Promo

Preview: S17 | 30s | In May of 1942, thousands of American soldiers began the building of the Alaska Highway. (30s)

Trailer | The Fight | American Experience

Preview: S17 Ep11 | 30s | Theirs was a rivalry that would draw American and Germany inching closer to war. (30s)

Chapter 1 | The Fight

Video has Closed Captions

Clip: S17 Ep11 | 9m 43s | Watch a preview of The Fight. (9m 43s)

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Corporate sponsorship for American Experience is provided by Liberty Mutual Insurance and Carlisle Companies. Major funding by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.

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