T.E. Lawrence, a young British captain wearing Arab robes, helps lead a hodgepodge Arab army hundreds of miles across the desert to capture the port of Akaba. Lawrence is a complex, conflicted figure who accidentally shoots his own camel in the head during the climactic battle.

Lowell Thomas, who became one of America’s most famous journalists, transforms Lawrence’s story into a multimedia show seen after the war by more than four million people. In Thomas’ romanticized telling, for example, Lawrence’s camel is shot out from under him. Thomas’ show helps create the legend of “Lawrence of Arabia.” And, elevated by his fame, Lawrence plays a major role in the conferences that help create the modern Middle East.