A monarch travelling in disguise on a secret mission to build an alliance and discover technology to save his empire? What is this, a fantasy novel? No This is the Grand Embassy of Peter The Great. Having already sent some young nobles abroad to study nautical matters, Peter, in 1697, went with the so-called Grand Embassy to western Europe. The embassy compr ... Show More
May 9
Idi Amin The Butcher of Africa
Today we examine the brutal reign of Ugandan dictator Idi Amin, who earned the infamous nickname "The Butcher of Africa" through his systematic torture and murder of an estimated 300,000 people. From his rise to power in 1971 to his eventual overthrow in 1979, Amin's regime was m ... Show More
53m 53s
Aug 2024
Peter Hart, "The Gallipoli Evacuation" (Living History, 2020)
One of the most well-told episodes of the First World War, the 1915 Gallipoli expedition, also has its own long-ignored aspects - specifically, the story of how the Allied force successfully evacuated in the middle of winter under the guns of the Turkish defenders. Our guest for ... Show More
1h 4m
Apr 2023
The Curious Case of Columbo's Message to Romania Part 2
Last week, we put on the proverbial raincoat and made like Columbo to investigate Peter Falk’s claim that he recorded a special Cold War message telling Romanians to “put down their guns.” This week, we’re back on the case, and what started out as a zany inquiry goes to some seri ... Show More
36m 33s
Feb 2022
Family Stories Series 2: Episode 12
This week’s family stories include an IRA man who ended up fighting for Britain and being torpedoed twice, a Scot who spent five years as a prisoner of war, a teenage sailor who braved the Atlantic and the U-boats, and a pilot who never forgave his enemy. A Goalhanger Films produ ... Show More
22m 16s