Witness History Podcast
History told by the people who were there. For nine minutes every weekday, Witness History takes you back to moments which have shaped our world.
Eye-witness accounts brought to life by archive. Witness History is for those fascinated by the past. We take you to the events that have shaped our world through the eyes of the people who were there.
For nine minutes every day, we take you back in time and all over the world, to examine wars, coups, scientific discoveries, cultural moments and much more.
Recent episodes explore everything from the death of Adolf Hitler, the first spacewalk and the making of the movie Jaws, to celebrity tortoise Lonesome George, the Kobe earthquake and the invention of superglue.
We look at the lives of some of the most famous leaders, artists, scientists and personalities in history, including: Eva Peron 鈥� Argentina鈥檚 Evita; President Ronald Reagan and his famous 鈥榯ear down this wall鈥� speech; Thomas Keneally on why he wrote Schindler鈥檚 List; and Jacques Derrida, France鈥檚 鈥榬ock star鈥� philosopher.
You can learn all about fascinating and surprising stories, such as the civil rights swimming protest; the disastrous D-Day rehearsal ; and the death of one of the world鈥檚 oldest languages.
Episodes to download
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The Building of Kariba Dam
Fri 15 May 2015
In May 1960 the massive Kariba hydro-electric dam on Africa's Zambezi river was opened.
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Kermit the Frog
Thu 14 May 2015
It is 60 years since the frog puppet first appeared on an American children's TV show
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The Andijan Massacre
Wed 13 May 2015
On May 13th 2005 hundreds of demonstrators were killed by soldiers in an Uzbek town.
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The Church of the Nativity siege
Tue 12 May 2015
In May 2002 a five-week siege at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem finally ends
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India's Billionth Baby
Mon 11 May 2015
On May 11th 2000 a baby girl born in Delhi was designated as India's billionth citizen.
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VE Day
Fri 8 May 2015
The celebrations in London at the end of World War II in Europe, as reported by the 蜜芽传媒.
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The Sinking of the Lusitania
Thu 7 May 2015
1,200 died when a German submarine torpedoed the passenger liner off Ireland in 1915
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Aden's Independence Struggle
Wed 6 May 2015
The fight to end British rule in the colony of Aden - today part of Yemen
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Chemical Weapons Tests at Porton Down
Tue 5 May 2015
In May 1953, a British airman died in nerve gas tests at a government research base
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The Iranian Embassy Siege
Mon 4 May 2015
In May 1980 British special forces stormed Iran's embassy in London to end a siege
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US Evacuation from Saigon
Fri 1 May 2015
The last remaining US forces pulled out of South Vietnam on April 30th 1975.
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The Man Who Removed His Own Appendix
Thu 30 Apr 2015
In April 1961, Russian doctor Leonid Rogozov developed appendicitis in Antarctica.
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President de Gaulle resigns
Wed 29 Apr 2015
In April 1969, France's great statesman, Charles de Gaulle, resigned as president
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The Jane Fonda Workout
Tue 28 Apr 2015
In April 1982, film star Jane Fonda launched her first workout video
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The Mass Trespass on Kinder Scout
Mon 27 Apr 2015
A 1932 protest which helped win the right to roam freely across the English countryside
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The Iran Hostage Rescue Mission
Fri 24 Apr 2015
On 24 April 1980, the US launched a disastrous attempt to free its hostages in Iran
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The Hunt for Saddam's Weapons of Mass Destruction
Thu 23 Apr 2015
In April 1991 weapons inspectors were allowed into Iraq to search for WMDs
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NATO bombs Serbian TV
Wed 22 Apr 2015
In April 1999 Nato bombed the Serbian state TV station in Belgrade, killing 16 people.
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The Death of Einstein
Tue 21 Apr 2015
The great theoretical physicist Albert Einstein died on 18th April 1955
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Carousel - The Musical
Mon 20 Apr 2015
In April 1945 one of the most successful musicals of all time premiered on Broadway.
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Oklahoma City Bombing
Fri 17 Apr 2015
On April 19 1995 a huge truck bomb killed 168 people in a government building in the USA.
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Bloods and Crips truce
Wed 15 Apr 2015
In April 1992, the main black street gangs in Los Angeles started a historic truce.
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Train puts Letchworth Garden City on the Map
Tue 14 Apr 2015
In April 1905 the arrival of a passenger train put Letchworth Garden City on the map
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The Khmer Rouge take power
Mon 13 Apr 2015
In April 1975 the four-year rule of the brutal Khmer Rouge began in Cambodia.
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Glenn Gould Retires
Fri 10 Apr 2015
On 10 April 1964, famously eccentric pianist Glenn Gould gave his last live performance
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The 鈥楧eath of a Princess鈥� film
Thu 9 Apr 2015
In 1980 a film about a public execution caused a row between Britain and Saudi Arabia
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India's State of Emergency
Wed 8 Apr 2015
In 1975, Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi declared a state of emergency
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The Fall of Idi Amin
Tue 7 Apr 2015
In 1979 Tanzanian troops invaded Uganda and ousted its brutal dictator.
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The Marshall Plan
Fri 3 Apr 2015
In April 1948 the US agreed to spend millions of dollars on rebuilding post-war Europe.
