80th Anniversary of the First Arctic Convoy
As the Soviet Union reeled from the shock of the German invasion in 1941 it asked for aid from Britain and its allies and the arctic convoys was a key part of the response. Desperate to keep the Sovie...
20 Aug 202126min
What Went Wrong in Afghanistan?
History is vital for contextualising current events but as Professor Paul Miller argues in today's episode of the podcast it cannot tell us all we need to know about the present especially in the case...
19 Aug 202125min
Afghanistan: History Repeating Itself?
The collapse of the Afghan army and government and takeover by the Taliban has evoked many historical comparisons, but how valid are they? To find out Dan is joined by author, historian and friend of ...
18 Aug 202129min
The Rise of Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell is the only English commoner to become head of state and is one of the most remarkable and controversial figures in history. Energised by his Puritan beliefs he came to dominate the mo...
17 Aug 202129min
Bonnie Prince Charlie
In August 1745 Bonnie Prince Charlie led a rebellion that brought the Jacobite cause closer to seizing the throne than almost any other. He had landed with only a handful of his most trusted supporter...
16 Aug 202147min
The Jewish Commandos Who Helped Defeat the Nazis
During the Second World War, a special commando unit was formed in Britain from Jewish refugees from Germany, Austria and other parts of occupied Europe. Many of the men who joined this unit had lost ...
15 Aug 202123min
The Fall of the Aztec Empire
In August 1521 after a last stand on the steps of their temple buildings, the Aztec defenders of Tenochtitlan surrendered to the Spanish forces of Hernán Cortés and his Mesoamerican allies. In the aft...
14 Aug 202142min
Escaping the Berlin Wall
There were many attempts to escape over and under the Berlin Wall but Tunnel 29 was highly unusual for tunnelling into East Berlin rather than out to the West. Led by Joachim Rudolph, who had himself ...
13 Aug 202127min
