HistoryExtra podcast

In 1895, when the National Trust was founded, homosexual acts of ‘gross indecency’ were still illegal in Britain. And yet, as Michael Hall reveals in his new book, A Queer Inheritance: Alternative Histories in the National Trust, the organisation had queer connections from its very earliest days. Charlotte Vosper caught up with Michael to learn more about how those connections developed throughout...

Why is a small observatory in south east London so important to the story of how we tell the time? Speaking to Elinor Evans, Emily Akkermans, Curator of Time at the Royal Museums Greenwich, shares the history behind Greenwich Mean Time (GMT). From 17th-century efforts to solve the 'longitude problem' at sea, to the red 'time ball' that still drops at 1pm each day, this episode uncovers how Britain...

James Gillray was one of Georgian Britain’s most ruthless satirists, using his prints to mock kings, politicians and generals, turning politics into popular entertainment. From the print shops of London, he reduced figures such as Napoleon to objects of ridicule while capturing the humour and anxieties of an age shaped by revolution and war. Historian Alice Loxton speaks to Rachel Dinning about Gi...

After France fell in 1940, it was Charles de Gaulle who led the Free French forces against Nazi Germany and Vichy France. From the moment he assumed that position, de Gaulle was locked into a relationship with British prime minister Winston Churchill. The two men are the subject of the latest book by Professor Richard Vinen, The Last Titans, and here, in conversation with James Osborne, he shares...

When the cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum were buried by ash spewed out of Vesuvius in AD 79, so too were their inhabitants, frozen in the moment of their deaths. In the final episode of our four-part series, Kev Lochun is joined by historian Dr Jess Venner to discuss the myriad legacies of Pompeii. They explore the dangers of imprinting stories on mortal remains, the Pompeiian propensity for ero...

Has the United States always seen Latin America as its ‘backyard’? And when did influence tip into intervention? In this episode, Danny Bird is joined by Yale University's Greg Grandin to explore the long, turbulent history of US–Latin American relations, from westward expansion and early regime change to gunboat diplomacy, corporate empires and the Cold War ---- GO BEYOND THE PODCAST Don't miss o...

What do exploding bats and amphibious galleons have in common? They're both fascinating features of some of the world's most mysterious manuscripts, as revealed by journalist and author Garry J Shaw in his book, Cryptic. From Hildegard of Bingen’s secret language to the hoaxes of Renaissance Spain, and from John Dee’s angelic communications to the peculiar Voynich Manuscript, Shaw unravels the all...

Emerging in the early 20th century as Europe's youngest general since Napoleon Bonaparte, Francisco Franco was destined to make waves. But how did this uncharismatic reactionary become Spain’s dictator, dominating the country for nearly four decades? Danny Bird speaks to journalist Giles Tremlett about the life of the man who continues to haunt Spain more than 50 years after his death in 1975. Lea...

"Statistically, they were on a suicide mission." That's Roger Moorhouse's assessment of the odds facing Hitler's U-boat crews in the final years of the Second World War. Speaking with Spencer Mizen, Roger relates the story of these missions from the German perspective – a tale encompassing scurvy, sleep deprivation, terror and acts of astonishing kindness. (Ad) Roger Moorhouse is the author of Wol...

The buried Roman city of Pompeii was ‘discovered’ in the 16th century, but was it ever lost? In this penultimate episode of our four-part series, Kev Lochun speaks with historian Dr Jess Venner about the years between destruction and excavation. How did the beleaguered Roman emperor Titus react to the disaster and the refugee crisis that followed? Why was no attempt made to resettle and rebuild? A...

In the chaotic opening months of the First World War, Britain's intelligence services were desperate to learn where the Germans would attack next. Enter the White Lady. As historian Helen Fry lays out in her new book, this courageous network of Belgian civilians began spying on German troops from behind enemy lines – and, in the process, changed the course of the war. Here, in conversation with Sp...

From the mud-churned battlefields of the First World War to the high-stakes clashes of the Cold War, the tank has shaped the course of conflict like no other machine. In this episode, Emily Briffett is joined by Mark Urban, as he reveals the dramatic evolution of armoured warfare through its iconic vehicles – and the engineers, commanders and crews who drove them into the history books. Learn more...

Robert McNamara is best remembered as a key architect of the Vietnam War, a man who pushed for military escalation as thousands died on all sides of the conflict. In this episode of the HistoryExtra podcast, historians William and Philip Taubman speak with Elinor Evans about their landmark biography of one of the most powerful and controversial men in American history. Drawing on newly uncovered m...

In his latest book, The Hitler Years: Holocaust 1933–1945, Frank McDonough offers a heart-rending year-by-year narrative of the Nazis' escalating persecution of the Jews – from Hitler's rise to power to the death camps. Here, in conversation with Spencer Mizen, Frank describes how a campaign of intimidation on the streets of Germany evolved into genocide. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit po...

The Roman towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum were wiped off the map within 24 hours of Vesuvius erupting, buried under volcanic debris that would entomb them for centuries. In this second episode of our four-part series, Kev Lochun is joined by historian Dr Jess Venner to explore the cataclysm with the help of the experiences of two men: Roman statesman Pliny the Elder, who sailed into danger never...

In the eyes of a German fighter pilot in the skies over English Channel in 1940, the Battle of Britain was as much a struggle of human endurance as it was of strategy and skill. Speaking to Emily Briffett, aviation historian Dr Victoria Taylor takes us inside the mind of the Luftwaffe, revealing the experiences of pilots, ground crews and support personnel as they faced the perils of aerial combat...

The roots of immigration detention in the US stretch back over a century. Speaking to Elinor Evans, historian Brianna Nofil explores how the US built a vast migrant detention regime. From jailing Chinese migrants in 1900s upstate New York to the private prison boom of the 1980s and beyond, she explores why detention remains a defining and deeply contested feature of American immigration policy. Le...

While most of the other surviving Axis leaders were put on trial following the end of the Second World War, Japan's Emperor Hirohito never faced justice and, instead, continued to reign until his death in 1989. Debate continues about how far he was personally responsible for Japanese aggression in the 1930s and 40s, and in today's Life of the Week episode, Dr Christopher Harding guides Rob Attar t...

How did a muddy settlement on the banks of the river Tiber grow into the greatest empire the world had ever seen? Who was the more diabolical: Caligula or Nero? And was there really such a thing as Pax Romana? Speaking with Spencer Mizen, Edward Watts answers some of the most intriguing questions about this extraordinary culture – and considers just how Rome rose to dominate the ancient world. Lea...

In AD 79, Pompeii and Herculaneum were subsumed by the eruption of Vesuvius, buried and preserved under metres of volcanic ash. Today, they are among the most famous ruins of the ancient world – and in this four-part Sunday Series, we’ll be exploring their secrets. In this first episode, historian Dr Jess Venner guides Kev Lochun through daily life in Pompeii and Herculaneum. They explore the myth...

In the aftermath of the Napoleonic Wars, it fell to Britain to maintain the balance of power in continental Europe – but how could a small island manage such a task? How could it prevent the rise of another tricorned tyrant? That's the subject of Andrew Lambert's sweeping new book No More Napoleons. Speaking to Kev Lochun, he explains how Britain helped maintain peace in Europe without the need fo...

The past 12 months have seen protests around the world make headlines and dominate social media feeds. But how have such popular demonstrations changed the course of history? In this episode, historians Katrina Navickas and Timothy Garton Ash join Danny Bird to explore centuries of people power – and the protests that had the most impact. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/...

Hatshepsut is one of ancient Egypt’s most extraordinary figures: a pharaoh who deftly asserted her right to the throne, reigned over an era of prosperity, and commissioned some of the most iconic monuments of the era. But how did she rise from a royal princess and consort to become pharaoh in her own right? Emily Briffett is joined by Egyptologist Dr Campbell Price to explore Hatshepsut’s remarkab...

The chaos of the Spanish conquest, the humiliation of military defeat to the United States, the disruption of the revolution… Mexican history is often viewed through the lens of trauma and violence. Yet, as Paul Gillingham outlines in a new book, Mexico: A History, this was also one of the earliest democracies in the world – one in which Indigenous peoples enjoyed rights unthinkable in the US at t...

What does Austen’s later writing tell us about her changing ideas? And what factors contributed to her death? In this fourth and final episode of our series chronicling the novelist’s life and work, Dr Lizzie Rogers charts the last part of Austen’s story, and her enormous continuing influence. ––––– GO BEYOND THE PODCAST Want to go further into the world of Jane Austen and her literary creations?...