Real Dictators

The leader brings reforms to his newly unified Mongol nation. The man formerly known as Temüjin will now conquer an empire bigger than any before in recorded history. But what are the innovations that underpin his supremacy? And how will history judge him - as a cruel tyrant, or a great leader? A Noiser production, written by Dan Smith. For ad-free listening, exclusive content and early access to...

We're in the Mongol lands of Central Asia in the late 1100s. This is a place of nomadic warriors, a region divided between tribes. But one man will emerge to unite them. Armed with the greatest military mind of his age, he will lead the Mongol peoples far beyond their own borders. A terror to his enemies, he will build a reputation unmatched for cruelty and barbarism. So how does a boy from humble...

To ward off the Western Allies, Hitler takes a trip to Venice to visit Mussolini. At home, meanwhile, Hitler’s paramilitaries, the SA, are growing restless. In a final savage act, the mother of all purges, Hitler will liquidate anyone who has ever wronged him. Under the unassailable German Führer, the Third Reich will begin… A Noiser production, written by Jeff Dawson. Scroll to Season 2 for episo...

Installed as Chancellor, Hitler briefs his army chiefs to prepare for war. But first, he must deal with enemies at home… After the German parliament building is set ablaze, Hitler seizes the opportunity to eliminate all political opposition. His opponents will be dragged away to the first of the infamous camps. A Noiser production, written by Jeff Dawson. Scroll to Season 2 for episodes on Hitler’...

As Hitler-mania sweeps the land, the Nazis win an election landslide. But Hitler finds himself shut out by the Prussian elite, at least until he can grind them into submission. Finally, the unthinkable happens. Adolf Hitler becomes Chancellor of Germany. A Noiser production, written by Jeff Dawson. Scroll to Season 2 for episodes on Hitler’s early years. For ad-free listening, exclusive content an...

After the Wall Street Crash, the German economy nosedives. The Nazis find themselves within grasp of government. As Adolf Hitler makes headlines across Europe, secret relatives come out of the woodwork. With Hitler’s newfound fame comes the whiff of scandal, and a personal tragedy that could derail everything. A Noiser production, written by Jeff Dawson. Scroll to Season 2 for episodes on Hitler’s...

Adolf Hitler, at large once again, finds himself barred from public life. Retreating to the mountains, he finds a new home and a female companion. It won’t be the last of Hitler’s relationships to end in an attempted suicide. Meanwhile, backed by Joseph Goebbels, the self-proclaimed führer plots his comeback as a respectable politician. A Noiser production, written by Jeff Dawson. Scroll to Season...

From the creators of Real Dictators we present Short History Of... Hosted by Paul McGann, this show gives you a front-row seat as history’s most incredible moments play out right before you. Forged by the Great Depression, Bonnie and Clyde became icons of lawlessness, thrilling and shocking America with their crime sprees and doomed romance. But what drove them to lives of such violence? And with...

Adolf Hitler, now a national celebrity, begins his jail term. Besieged by well-wishers, he has faith his time inside will be short. To keep the Nazi flame burning, he decides to write a new book. “Mein Kampf” will one day make Hitler a best-selling author and a multi-millionaire. But how will it be received right now, in the new thriving Germany? A Noiser production, written by Jeff Dawson. This i...

Munich, Germany. November 1923. The Nazis have just attempted to launch a revolution. But instead, Adolf Hitler now finds himself on the run from the law. Unless he makes it to the border, the firing squad beckons. But in fact, as unlikely as it seems, Hitler is about to take Germany by storm. A Noiser production, written by Jeff Dawson. This is Part 8 of the Hitler Story. You can start listening...

As the new Turkmen leader, Saparmurat Niyazov has absolute power. He uses it to construct one of history’s most surreal regimes. Rebuilding the capital city in white marble, he puts his own mother at the forefront of public life. A series of absurd policies begins. Even as the War on Terror lands on his doorstep, the tyrant seems unstoppable. But, somehow, opposition will emerge, culminating in a...

Turkmenistan in Central Asia. Somewhere unremarkable, you might assume. But you’d be wrong. Away from prying eyes, an extraordinary story unfolded here. In the early 1990s, a man called Saparmurat Niyazov creates a brand-new state from the rubble of the Soviet Union. His regime will be a case study in modern tyranny, filled with bizarre pronouncements and barely believable laws. As ‘Turkmenbashy’,...

Four Israeli jets descend on Uganda under cover of night. An audacious commando mission begins. It will spark the beginning of the end for Idi Amin. After a fatally ill-judged war with Tanzania, the tyrant will be ousted. Leaving a grim legacy behind him, he’ll begin a surreal retirement thousands of miles away. A Noiser production, written by Jeff Dawson. For ad-free listening, exclusive content...

We delve into Amin’s private life, taking in his many marriages, mistresses and children. The President makes a triumphant return to the boxing ring, seemingly in his element. He participates in a barely believable film about his own life. But, away from the limelight, the Ugandan people have had enough. A Noiser production, written by Jeff Dawson. For ad-free listening, exclusive content and earl...

In a speech, Amin makes an extraordinary announcement – something he claims came to him in a dream. All Ugandans of Asian origin must leave the country within 90 days. Thousands of citizens scramble to respond. Meanwhile, out in the countryside, supporters of Obote are massacred in their hundreds. An army of exiles prepares to launch the first serious attempt on Big Daddy’s rule. A Noiser producti...

Amin wages war on Buganda’s king. The administration strengthens its grip on power. But after Obote survives an assassination attempt by mere inches, rumours swirl as to the perpetrator’s identity. Brigadier Amin goes on an army recruitment drive. Soon, Obote must depart Uganda to do business abroad. And when he does, who knows what might happen in his absence... A Noiser production, written by Je...

The curtain falls on the British Empire in Africa. Uganda is free. Idi Amin becomes the right-hand man of the nation's new leader, Milton Obote. Committing unspeakable atrocities against civilians, Amin dodges the law and sets himself up as a rogue arms dealer. Obote had better watch his back. A Noiser production, written by Jeff Dawson. For ad-free listening, exclusive content and early access to...

From 1971 to 1979, President Idi Amin Dada devastated Uganda. The military dictator sank the economy and deported an entire ethnic class. He slaughtered up to half a million of his fellow citizens. All with the persona of 'Big Daddy', the playful joker. His image as a buffoon, however, belied his extraordinary charisma and his mastery of communication. In a continent ravaged by empire, his bloody...

On History Daily, we do history, daily. Every weekday beginning November 1st, host Lindsay Graham (American Scandal, American History Tellers) takes you back in time to explore a momentous event that happened on this day in history. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

From the creators of Real Dictators comes a brand-new weekly show. Short History Of... gives you a front-row seat as history's most incredible moments play out right before you. In this taster episode, we're in Cuba. It's October 1962. Three men – Kennedy, Khrushchev and Castro – hold the fate of the planet in their hands. A dispute over missiles spirals out of control. All sides brace for war. Ho...

By early 2011, Libya is changing. The Arab Spring is underway. A young lawyer from Benghazi organises a protest. Before long, it will become a full-blown rebellion. Colonel Gaddafi, the man who has dominated Libya for four decades, will become a fugitive, soon to meet one of the grisliest ends of any dictator in history. For ad-free listening, exclusive content and early access to new episodes, jo...

On September 11th, 2001, life in the West is transformed in an instant. Amidst the fall-out, Gaddafi spots an opportunity. To the surprise of many, he makes it his mission to re-join the international fold. The Libyan dictator pitches his Bedouin tent on the front lawns of palaces and parliaments across the world. Muammar Gaddafi - the man of many masks - is transforming into the West’s most eccen...

In 1988, Gaddafi takes his terror to the skies, bringing down a passenger flight over Lockerbie, Scotland. Staffers at the Pentagon team up with Hollywood executives to shore up public opinion against the tyrant. Meanwhile, the Colonel himself looks south - across the Sahara - and prepares to be crowned 'King of Kings'. For ad-free listening, exclusive content and early access to new episodes, joi...

Gaddafi takes his terror onto the streets of London and Berlin. Libyan agents hunt down his opponents across the globe. The Reagan administration launches airstrikes, targeting the dictator and his inner circle. With the stakes higher than ever, Gaddafi's security network works overtime to stamp out dissent. Thousands of schoolchildren bear witness to a gruesome lesson in tyranny. For ad-free list...

In the summer of 1972, at the Munich Olympic Games, a festival of sport becomes a terrifying nightmare. The Libyan leader tightens his grip on power at home, while exporting terror abroad. Tension with America is reaching breaking point. For ad-free listening, exclusive content and early access to new episodes, join Noiser+. Now available for Apple and Android users. Click the Noiser+ banner on Ap...