[Episode 2 of 4]
This episode of The Rest Is History marks the second instalment in our four part series on the Soviet Union, Russia and the rise of Vladimir Putin.
From the 70th anniversary of the Russian Revolution in 1987 to the fall of the Soviet Union on Christmas Day 1991, this episode is jam-packed full of late Soviet drama.
Tune in now to hear ab ... Show More
Yesterday
620. The Nazis at War: Hitler Strikes West (Part 1)
What was Adolf Hitler’s next move, after occupying Czechoslovakia in March 1939, and brutally invading Poland that September? Why did the Allies fail to act, despite the Nazis shocking offensive? And, would an assassination plot from within Germany itself prove to be Hitler’s und ... Show More
1h 12m
Nov 20
619. Elizabeth I: The Virgin Queen (Part 4)
How was Elizabeth I finally crowned Queen of England, after long years of perilous waiting? Why was her early reign so fraught with danger? Who was William Cecil, Elizabeth’s new secretary, and the key political player of her rule? And, why was she so determined to remain the unm ... Show More
1h 9m
Nov 17
618. Elizabeth I: The Shadow of the Tower (Part 3)
Why did Elizabeth I’s brother, Henry VIII’s heir, Edward VI, choose his cousin Jane Grey to succeed him, rather than either of his wily Tudor sisters? Later, how did Elizabeth survive the reign of her once dear Catholic sister, “Bloody Mary”, given Mary’s growing resentment? And, ... Show More
1h 12m
Mar 2024
Back in the USSR: the Soviet Sixties
Within just a few years of Stalin's death in 1953, the Soviet Union had sent the first artificial satellite, Sputnik, into orbit. An era of renewal and excitement beckoned. Speaking to Danny Bird, Robert Hornsby tells the story of how Soviet society embraced the 1960s – from new ... Show More
45m 50s
Feb 2023
Introducing: The Last Soviet
<p><strong><em>Hey, Stuff You Missed In History Class listeners!</em></strong> The newest hit docuseries of another star-studded podcast, The Last Soviet is live. Go check out the beginning of this thrilling journey with Lance Bass, NSync Superstar, and Russian-trained astronaut! ... Show More
3m 46s
Mar 2022
The Rest Is History: Young Putin, the KGB and the Soviet Union
In our most recent episode, Alastair mentioned our sister podcast, The Rest Is History, and its recent mini-series on the Soviet Union, its fall, Putin's early life and his subsequent rise to power.
Here's the first episode of the series on Brezhnev, Putin's formative years, his ... Show More
33m 9s
Oct 2023
90. The Russian Revolution: Overthrowing the Tsar
Russian politics is fast destabilising. Strikes, assassinations, and famines have made Russia increasingly turbulent at the turn of the century. Revolutionary politics is on the rise, as is dissatisfaction with the tsar. When compounded by the strains of the defeat in the Russo-J ... Show More
56m 1s