JFK's Darkest Hour: The Cuban Missile Crisis

JFK's Darkest Hour: The Cuban Missile Crisis

In October 1962 the world came very close to annihilation during the Cuban Missile Crisis. During the autumn of 1962, a U2 reconnaissance aircraft produced clear evidence that the Soviet Union and the Cuban authorities were building medium-range ballistic missile facilities on the island of Cuba and only around 100 miles from the coast of Florida. The resulting confrontation between the USA under JFK and the Soviet Union led by Nikita Khrushchev lasted just over a month and it's often considered to be the closest that the Cold War came to escalating to full-scale nuclear war. Serhii Plokhy, author of Nuclear Folly: A New History of the Cuban Missile Crisis, is Dan's guest on the podcast today. Serhii's research, using new archive material, has shown that during the crisis we came even closer than previously thought to the Cold War going hot.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Episoder(1487)

The Hunt for Pablo Escobar

The Hunt for Pablo Escobar

By the early 1990s, the Colombian city of Medellín was at the centre of the world's largest drug empire. The fearsome Medellín Cartel, led by the notorious drug lord and narcoterrorist Pablo Escobar,...

29 Jan 202529min

A History of Auschwitz

A History of Auschwitz

On January 27th 1945, the Red Army liberated the concentration camp at Auschwitz unveiling its almost unspeakable horrors to the world. The concentration camp system began almost immediately after Ado...

27 Jan 202558min

The Panama Canal

The Panama Canal

What is the history of the Panama Canal and why does Trump think he can 'take it back'? Dan is joined by Professor Julie Greene to delve into the long backstory of this 50-mile waterway that changed t...

24 Jan 202533min

How WW1 Inspired The Lord of The Rings

How WW1 Inspired The Lord of The Rings

J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-earth is perhaps the most captivating fantasy world ever created. His mythology and folklore continue to influence the work of writers, filmmakers, musicians and artists to thi...

22 Jan 202531min

Vasco da Gama and The Rise of the Portuguese Empire

Vasco da Gama and The Rise of the Portuguese Empire

Dan tells the epic story of Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama, whose daring voyages at the turn of the 16th century laid the foundations for the Portuguese Empire. From navigating treacherous waters t...

20 Jan 20251h 20min

Charlemagne

Charlemagne

Charlemagne was king of the Franks and Emperor of the mighty Carolingian Empire. His unusually long reign saw him conquer vast swathes of Europe, and shape them into an empire that would inspire ruler...

20 Jan 20251h 5min

The Rise of Napoleon

The Rise of Napoleon

Napoleon Bonaparte is a household name; a rare example of someone who is as well remembered by his supporters as by his enemies. His life is rich with dramatic irony. He was a key figure in the creati...

17 Jan 202542min

Who Owns Greenland?

Who Owns Greenland?

It sounds outlandish that President-Elect Donald Trump has said he wants to buy Greenland but this isn't the first or even second time the United States has tried to acquire this arctic territory. Dan...

15 Jan 202534min

Populært innen Historie

rss-dette-ma-aldri-skje-igjen
henrettelsespodden
rss-historiske-romanser
rss-benadet
historier-som-endret-norge
rss-katastrofe
rss-nadelose-nordmenn-gestapo
aftenposten-historie
sektledere
historier-som-endret-verden
med-egne-oyne
rss-strid-de-norske-borgerkrigene
historiepodden
rss-frontkjemperne
rss-gamle-greier
taakeprat
sannhet-eller-konspirasjon
vare-historier
undersattene
nordnorsk-historie