Podcast Episodes

Cuban Missile Crisis: The showdown

Jo Fidgen hears what was happening in the Pentagon and the Kremlin in the final days of the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis.

The Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev finally offered to withdraw the missiles as …

Published on 3 years, 2 months ago

Cuban Missile Crisis: The photos

In 1962, the Cuban missile crisis brought the world to the brink of nuclear war. Jo Fidgen spoke to American Intelligence officer Dino Brugioni who played a crucial role as the crisis unfolded. Dino…

Published on 3 years, 2 months ago

Cesar Chavez’s campaign for farm workers

In the 1960s, a wave of strikes and protest marches by Mexican-American farm workers inspired Latinos across the US.

The movement was led by Cesar Chavez - a man now regarded by his community as a ci…

Published on 3 years, 2 months ago

Torturing strikers in South Korea

Park Heongjun takes us back to May 1980, when a strike in the city of Gwangju became one of the most divisive moments in South Korea’s history and led to the imprisonment of activist Bae Ok Byoung.

S…

Published on 3 years, 2 months ago

Disney animators' strike

Walt Disney cartoonists went on strike for nine weeks in 1941. They were led by Art Babbitt, Disney’s top animator who created Goofy.

The picket line was remarkable for its colourful artwork and suppo…

Published on 3 years, 2 months ago

UK’s ‘Winter of Discontent’

In 1979, British public sector workers went on strike over pay. Among those taking industrial action were gravediggers.

But the media, politicians and even their own families turned against them at t…

Published on 3 years, 2 months ago

The beginnings of Notting Hill Carnival

On 30 January 1959, the late Trinidadian activist Claudia Jones held a Caribbean party in St Pancras Town Hall in London, planting the seeds for the famous carnival.

She wanted to bring Caribbeans acr…

Published on 3 years, 2 months ago

The Harder They Come

In 1972, a low-budget Jamaican film and its legendary soundtrack helped popularise reggae music in the world.

Ben Henderson speaks to one of the most famous reggae artists ever, Jimmy Cliff, who play…

Published on 3 years, 2 months ago

The fall of Slobodan Milosevic

On 5 October 2000, protests in the Yugoslav capital Belgrade spiralled into an attack on the parliament building. Hours later President Slobodan Milosevic stood down. Mark Lowen spoke to Srdja Popo…

Published on 3 years, 2 months ago

The release of Gilad Shalit

On 18 October 2011, Israeli solider Gilad Shalit was freed after spending over five years in captivity in Gaza.

His release was part of a controversial prisoner exchange which saw more than 1,000 Pal…

Published on 3 years, 2 months ago