Witness History

Witness History is a short BBC World Service podcast about history that takes you inside big moments from the past through first-hand testimony and archive. Each weekday, in around nine minutes, we revisit one moment that helped shape the world and hear it through the voice of someone who was there. Scientists, artists, campaigners, soldiers, leaders and everyday people tell their true stories. When you subscribe to Witness History, you’ll be taken inside turning points in world affairs, from West Africa’s fight back against Boko Haram in 2015, to the behind-closed-doors talks that led to the US-Cuba “thaw” and the surprise announcement of restored relations.

You’ll discover what it was like to experience disasters and how people recovered from them, including the Tabasco floods in Mexico, Portugal's worst train disaster, and the huge clean-up after the Chernobyl nuclear disaster.

You’ll explore culture and ideas too: Sweden’s Expedition Robinson, often credited as the first modern reality TV game show; the friendship between The Beatles’ George Harrison and Indian sitarist Ravi Shankar; and the night a tiger attack brought Las Vegas superstars Siegfried and Roy’s show to a sudden end.

And if you’re curious about inventions, we’ll tell you how air fryers, BlackBerry, YouTube, Alexa, GPS, superglue, the shopping cart (shopping trolley) and bubble tea were created.

If you’re new to Witness History, the appeal is simple: real voices, one strong true story, and a fresh way to understand today through events from history – all in the time it takes to enjoy a cup of tea or a walk around the block. Join millions of BBC World Service podcast listeners around the globe and enjoy the insight, context and detail Witness History will bring you.

Den här podcasten är hämtad från ett öppet RSS-flöde och publiceras inte av Podme. Den kan innehålla reklam.

Avsnitt(2000)

How the CIA caught 'Carlos the Jackal'

Ilich Ramírez Sánchez, known as ‘Carlos the Jackal’, carried out bombings, killings and kidnappings. Born in Venezuela, he was considered one of the most notorious political militants of the 1970s and...

15 Aug 20249min

Sukarno: The founding father of Indonesian independence

On the morning of 17 August 1945, the Indonesian nationalist leader, Sukarno, read out a statement declaring independence.It was broadcast to the country on radio and it came just two days after Japan...

14 Aug 20248min

The last ever Olympic art competition

From 1912 until 1948, you could win medals in art at the Olympic Games, in categories such as architecture, literature, music, painting and sculpture.At the London Games in 1948, Canadian composer Joh...

13 Aug 202410min

Clara Nunes: Queen of Samba

Singer Clara Nunes is an icon of African Brazilian culture and known as the Queen of Samba.Her first samba song Ê Baiana was released in 1973.In 1974, the release of the song Conto de Areia secured he...

12 Aug 20249min

The first televised US presidential debate

In 1956, the two largest US parties agreed to participate for the first time in a televised debate ahead of the presidential elections. But instead of incumbent President Dwight D. Eisenhower and his ...

9 Aug 20249min

President Richard Nixon resigns

On 8 August 1974, Richard Nixon became the first US president in history to resign from office, following the Watergate scandal. This scandal began with a break-in at the Democratic National Committee...

8 Aug 20248min

Ronald Reagan and the Moral Majority

In 1979, the Moral Majority was launched and changed the course of US politics. It was set up to promote family values by religious conservatives from Catholic, Jewish and evangelical Christian commun...

7 Aug 20248min

Bush v Gore: The election decided in the Supreme Court

The US presidential election of 2000 was one of the closest and most contested in history. It was more than a month before the result was decided after a Supreme Court decision. It all came down to th...

6 Aug 20248min