2 X 56 Minutes Announcer: PBS This two-hour documentary special investigates the revolutionary theories of British historian and former submarine commander Gavin Menzies, gaining a deeper understanding of China's powerful Ming fleet and the extraordinary feats of its legendary general Zheng He. Would this admiral lead a fleet of treasure ships on a bold exploration journey, becoming the first person to discover America decades earlier than Columbus? This documentary provides a history of the known journeys of Zheng He's fleet, as well as new information discovered by Gavin Menzies. In 1421, in collaboration with leading maritime historians, archaeologists, and anthropologists, each key point of Mencius' argument was revealed and tested, resulting in a thought-provoking historical program.