Vikings in America
Dan Snow's History Hit
- 900 views
- about 3 years ago
- 27:50
The Vikings were one of the great exploring peoples of the past. They travelled east along the rivers to the Silk Road, they explored west across the seas to the United Kingdom, they settled Iceland and Greenland and famously reached North America. L'Anse aux Meadows in Newfoundland, Canada has been identified as a Viking site, but it seems that this was only a staging post for longer journey's but where they were headed beyond this point we don't know. This leaves open the tantalising possibility of finding further Viking settlement in North America. Gordon Campbell, Emeritus Professor and Fellow in Renaissance Studies at the University of Leicester joins me on the podcast to discuss the Viking relationship with North America and whether we might one day find a missing settlement. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
History of Homelessness
Dan Snow's History Hit
- 850 views
- about 3 years ago
- 22:15
Throughout history homelessness has been given many names vagrancy, vagabonding, tramping. Indeed, homeless people have been seen in different lights. Sometimes portrayed as romantic heroes maintaining their freedom to roam and refusing to accept the yoke of a capitalist, settled society but also as an existential threat to order and property. I spoke to Professor of Contemporary British History Nick Crowson in this episode of the podcast who has spent much of his career studying homelessness. We explored how homelessness has been seen throughout history, his efforts to find out more about the individuals involved, how the homeless are labelled by the legal system here in the UK and how the 1824 Vagrancy Act remains in force. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
When We Nearly Nuked the Moon
Dan Snow's History Hit
- 1.2K views
- about 3 years ago
- 34:08
Vince Houghton joins me on the podcast today to talk about some of the weirdest and craziest ideas put forward during the twentieth century. We're talking exploding bats, sonic cats, aircraft carriers made of icebergs and detonating a nuclear missile on the moon just to show that you could do it! This is a really fun episode and as you'll hear many of these ideas came closer to becoming reality than you might think. Vince Houghton is the historian and curator of the International Spy Museum in Washington, DC. He also is the host and creative director of the Museum's podcast, SpyCast, which reaches a national and international audience of over 2.5 million listeners each year. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Michael Palin: Erebus and Terror
Dan Snow's History Hit
- 820 views
- about 3 years ago
- 42:56
In this archive episode, Dan Snow wrangles with a Python! He talks to comedy legend Michael Palin about his book, Erebus The Story of a Ship. The book tells the devastating true story of the Franklin expeditions to find the Northwest Passage, and how their history only slowly came to light. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
On This Day She
Dan Snow's History Hit
- 970 views
- about 3 years ago
- 32:06
To help celebrate International Women's Day I am joined on the podcast by Tania Hershman, Ailsa Holland and Jo Bell founders of On This Day She. Women have often been deliberately written out of history with their accomplishments been credited to men. On This Day She sets out to redress this imbalance and give voice to women, from all different backgrounds, that have been left out of history. It includes the good, the bad and everything in-between with both well-known women as well as those you may never have heard of. It's a fascinating and brilliant project that shines a light on the contribution women have made to history and in this episode, we talk all about their new On This Day book.Find their work @OnThisDayShe See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Eddie the Eagle
Dan Snow's History Hit
- 900 views
- about 3 years ago
- 24:34
I am joined by an absolute legend on the podcast today; Eddie the Eagle. He became an overnight sensation during the 1988 Winter Olympics as the first person to represent Great Britain in ski jumping since 1928. Although he finished last in both the 70 metres and the 90 metres he became a worldwide phenomenon due to his positive attitude and the extraordinary story of how he reached the games. He is one of the most zen people I have had the pleasure of interviewing and is just as happy plastering as appearing in the public eye. In this episode, we talk all about his Olympic adventure and Eddie shares with us some of his life wisdom. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
The Renaissance
Dan Snow's History Hit
- 1.2K views
- about 3 years ago
- 23:35
Today on the podcast we're going to talk all about the Renaissance. We have all heard of it as a reawakening, a rebirth of European culture but what truly was it and why was it so important and are we going through our own renaissance now? I wanted to really get under the skin of the Renaissance and find out what exactly happened in Italy in the 15th and 16th century. Joining me to do just that is Mary Hollingsworth who has written a book called Princes of the Renaissance about the people who became the artistic patrons in that period. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
What's Going on in Myanmar?
Dan Snow's History Hit
- 900 views
- about 3 years ago
- 28:41
Myanmar is currently experiencing one of its worst-ever periods of violence and civil unrest as the population protests against the recent military coup. Many protesters have been killed and injured and Aung San Suu Kyi is once again under house arrest. To help explain what is happening in Myanmar and put the events into context I am joined on the podcast by the filmmaker Alex Bescoby, who has spent much of his adult life working and living in Myanmar. We explore this complex issue and how the current unrest is related to its history, colonialism, the country's partition in 1947 as well as the subsequent coups, revolutions and more recently genocide that has followed. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
The Gulf War: 30 Years On
Dan Snow's History Hit
- 1.1K views
- about 3 years ago
- 38:24
On this day thirty years ago a ceasefire was declared bringing ground operations in the first Gulf War to an end. An overwhelmingly powerful coalition force had stormed across the desert driving Saddam Hussein's forces out of Kuwait and concluding the ground campaign after only 100 hours of fighting. To commemorate this anniversary I am joined on the podcast by General Sir Rupert Smith who commanded the UK 1st Armoured Division during the conflict. We talk about his role during the war, the challenges of command and what we should understand about the changing nature of combat in the modern world.General Sir Rupert Smith joined the army in the 1960s and served on deployments across the world including Africa, Arabia, the Caribbean, Europe, Malaysia and Northern Ireland where he was decorated for gallantry. In October 1990 he was promoted to Major-General and assumed commanded of the 1st Armoured Division as it was being deployed to the Gulf in anticipation of the war. This was the largest British armoured force deployed in action since the Second World War. After the Gulf War Sir Rupert went on to serve with distinction in Bosnia and wrote a book called The Utility of Force which remains essential reading in military circles. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
The War Widow: Women of World War Two
Dan Snow's History Hit
- 1.3K views
- about 3 years ago
- 37:23
Today's episode is from our brilliant sibling podcast, The World Wars. Author, presenter and human right advocate Tara Moss joins James to discuss the role of women during and after the Second World War associeties across the world struggled under a mass of social and political change. This disjointed period serves as the backdrop for Tara Moss’ new novel, in which her protagonist, a female war reporter turned private inquiry agent pushes against the workforce prejudices of 1946 Australia. Through this lens, Tara explores post-war attitudes towards gender, race, disability and religion. Tara takes us straight into her family history with the story of her Oma and Opa’s survival in the Nazi-occupied Netherlands. She then shares the stories of the incredible photographers, investigators and nurses who were the inspiration behind her main character. Tara Moss is the author of 13 bestselling books, a documentary maker, presenter, journalist and advocate for human rights and the rights of women, children and people with disabilities. She has been an ambassador for UNICEF Australia since 2007. War Widow can be found here. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Lockdown Learning: The 19th Century Medical Revolution
Dan Snow's History Hit
- 1K views
- about 3 years ago
- 31:03
The 19th century saw the world in the grip of the industrial revolution, a firepower revolution on the battlefield and a communications revolution with the telegram. But there was another revolution happening at the same time; the medical revolution. This led to giant strides forward being made in the fields of public health, surgery and pharmaceuticals. Monica Walker, Curator at Old Operating Theatre Museum in London, joins me for Lockdown Learning this week to talk me through jus what happened in the 19th century to take medicine into a completely different realm.Many thanks again to Simon Beale for creating this downloadable worksheet for students: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GQW0ql9LsuvQDB5PozNuZtIsepir5ByH/view See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
The Doolittle Raid
Dan Snow's History Hit
- 930 views
- about 3 years ago
- 25:51
Today, we're talking about one of the great stories of American military history; The Doolittle Raid. In 1942 after the humiliation assault on Pearl Harbour and determined to show that America still had offensive capabilities the charismatic figure of James Doolittle came to President Rosevelt with the proposal to fly army bombers off aircraft carriers and attack Tokyo the capital of the Japanese Empire. Michel Paradis, the author of Last Mission to Tokyo, joins me not only to discuss the mission itself but also the fascinating story of the fight for justice for the Doolittle crews captured, tortured and killed by the Japanese. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Anti-government Violence in America
Dan Snow's History Hit
- 890 views
- about 3 years ago
- 21:06
Leah Sottile joins me today to talk all about domestic terrorism and anti-government groups in the USA. In particular, we talk about the armed standoff between law enforcement and a group of ranchers led by Cliven Bundy in 2014 over the issue of grazing rights on public land. We examine what happened, why this case matters, how it is directly linked to the stoming of the Capitol and what it is about the history of the USA that motivates these groups.Leah Sottile is a freelance journalist and writer based in Oregon and the host of the podcast Two Minutes Past Nine, produced with BBC Radio 4, and the series "Bundyville," made in collaboration with Longreads and Oregon Public Broadcasting. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Remembering the Alamo with W. F. Strong
Dan Snow's History Hit
- 690 views
- about 3 years ago
- 48:34
In this episode taken from our archive, I headed out to Texas in 2016 to discuss the Battle of the Alamo and what its legacy means for modern Texas. I met with W. F. Strong, a famed historian of Texas, to wander around the city of San Antonio and get a deeper understanding of one of America's most famous battles. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
John of Gaunt: THE Royal Ancestor
Dan Snow's History Hit
- 1.1K views
- about 3 years ago
- 36:06
Helen Carr joins me today to discuss John of Gaunt: son of Edward III, younger brother to the Black Prince, uncle of Richard II and father of Henry IV. Not only was he the key intersecting ancestor around which the Plantagenet family split, but his other children also give us the Tudor dynasty. He is THE royal ancestor and one that many of us can trace our family trees back to. In this fascinating episode, Helen discusses his royal aspirations, his attempted conquest of parts of Spain, his role in the Peasants' Revolt and his experiences of the Black Death. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
In Conversation with David Baddiel
Dan Snow's History Hit
- 700 views
- about 3 years ago
- 50:46
In this episode taken from our archive, David Baddiel talks to Dan about the Second World War, Trump's Mussolini-isms, and why Jim Callaghan makes comedy difficult. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Brexit History Showdown with Robert Tombs
Dan Snow's History Hit
- 780 views
- about 3 years ago
- 32:59
Five years after the announcement of the Brexit referendum I am joined on the podcast by Robert Tombs, author of The Sovereign Isle: Britain In and Out of Europe, for a Brexit history showdown. In this thought-provoking conversation Robert, a fantastic historian absolutely steeped in European history sets out why he believes it was in the best interests of the UK to leave the European project. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Vikings: River Kings
Dan Snow's History Hit
- 710 views
- about 3 years ago
- 27:27
Today, I am joined by Cat Jarman bio-archaeologist and author of a new book all about how the Vikings spread east, often utilising the rivers of central and Eastern Europe, all the way into central Asia. These travels enabled them through trade, violence and settlement to plug themselves into that superhighway of the time, the Silk Road. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Love Lives: From Cinderella to Frozen
Dan Snow's History Hit
- 770 views
- about 3 years ago
- 26:35
We cover all the big topics on the podcast including weapons of mass destruction, climate change, great power rivalry and the struggle for democracy and many others, but today's podcast is all about the biggest subject of them all. Love.Carol Dyhouse, Professor (Emeritus) of History at the University of Sussex, joins me to talk all about how portrayals of love in popular culture and in particular Disney princesses have influenced how people view love, romance and marriage and how those views have changed since the 1950s. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.
Hitler and Stalin
Dan Snow's History Hit
- 740 views
- about 3 years ago
- 28:25
I am joined by Laurence Rees, the best selling author, who has met more people that had direct contact with both Hitler and Stalin than any other historian. In this episode, we delve into the differences and similarities of these two terrifying, brutal and ruthless megalomaniacs who did more than anyone else to shape the Twentieth Century and the world we live in today. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.