Modern Marvels (1993)

Episode Overview

The story of one of history's most astonishing engineering achievements unfolds: a 51-mile canal whose construction spanned a decade and mobilized more than 40,000 laborers, with 6,000 succumbing to yellow fever, malaria, and other deadly perils. A prior French endeavor, lasting nine years, collapsed in defeat and claimed 20,000 lives. This is a testament to human endurance against staggering odds.