7 episodes

The sinking of the General Belgrano was the bloodiest and most controversial military action of the Falklands War. This is the story of government cover-ups and conspiracies; of whistleblowers, crusading politicians and journalists fighting for the story. And caught in the middle of it all, a young officer whose account of what happened contradicted Margaret Thatcher’s in every crucial detail.
A new six-part podcast series, hosted by Andrew O'Hagan.
Listen to the full series right now, with bonus material: https://lrb.me/belgranodiarysc
Get in touch: podcasts@lrb.co.uk

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Belgrano Diary London Review of Books

    • History
    • 4.6 • 82 Ratings

The sinking of the General Belgrano was the bloodiest and most controversial military action of the Falklands War. This is the story of government cover-ups and conspiracies; of whistleblowers, crusading politicians and journalists fighting for the story. And caught in the middle of it all, a young officer whose account of what happened contradicted Margaret Thatcher’s in every crucial detail.
A new six-part podcast series, hosted by Andrew O'Hagan.
Listen to the full series right now, with bonus material: https://lrb.me/belgranodiarysc
Get in touch: podcasts@lrb.co.uk

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    Episode 6: The Trials

    Episode 6: The Trials

    To unlock this episode, just enter your email address here: lrb.me/openbelgrano
    The Belgrano affair reaches its climax as the stories of Narendra Sethia and Clive Ponting connect. The two whistleblowers appear in court and the diary makes its final journey.
    The Belgrano Diary is a new six-part series from the Documentary Team at the London Review of Books, hosted by Andrew O’Hagan. We’ve brought a selection of relevant writing from the LRB archive – including pieces by Tam Dalyell, who plays an important part in the story – in front of the paywall for the duration of the series: lrb.me/thebelgranodiary
    You can listen to exclusive interviews and other bonus material for a one-off payment of just £4.99 at: https://lrb.me/belgranodiarysc
    Archive: ‘The Scottish Independence Podcast – Episode 172’/Michael Greenwell, ‘Live from Downing Street’/ITV/TV-Am, ‘Nott, John William Frederic (Oral History)’/Imperial War Museum, Parliamentary Recording Unit

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    • 4 min
    Episode 5: The Hounds

    Episode 5: The Hounds

    Lieutenant Sethia is accused of a second crime: the theft of HMS Conqueror’s log books. Two journalists and the Serious Crime Squad try to hunt him down. 
    The Belgrano Diary is a new six-part series from the Documentary Team at the London Review of Books, hosted by Andrew O’Hagan. We’ve brought a selection of relevant writing from the LRB archive – including pieces by Tam Dalyell, who plays an important part in the story – in front of the paywall for the duration of the series: lrb.me/thebelgranodiary
    Episode 6 will be released on 2 May. If you’d prefer not to wait, you can listen to the whole series NOW, as well as exclusive interviews and other bonus material, all for a one-off payment of just £4.99 at: https://lrb.me/belgranodiarysc
    For more on the mystery of the missing Log Books, read Stuart Prebble’s Secrets of the Conqueror, which tells the remarkable story of the submarine’s Cold War operations before and after the Falklands War.
    Archive: ‘World in Action – A View from the Conqueror’/ITV/Granada Television, Parliamentary Recording Unit

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    • 51 min
    Episode 4: The Crown Jewels

    Episode 4: The Crown Jewels

    Armed with the diary, Tam Dalyell goes on the attack – but the cover-up continues. A whistleblower from within the Ministry of Defence is arrested for a breach of the Official Secrets Act.
    The Belgrano Diary is a new six-part series from the Documentary Team at the London Review of Books, hosted by Andrew O’Hagan. We’ve brought a selection of relevant writing from the LRB archive – including pieces by Tam Dalyell, who plays an important part in the story – in front of the paywall for the duration of the series: lrb.me/thebelgranodiary
    Episode 5 will be released on 25 April. If you’d prefer not to wait, you can listen to the whole series NOW, as well as exclusive interviews and other bonus material, all for a one-off payment of just £4.99 at: https://lrb.me/belgranodiarysc
    Archive: ‘The Scottish Independence Podcast – Episode 172’/Michael Greenwell, Parliamentary Recording Unit

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    • 53 min
    Episode 3: Small Lies Big Lies

    Episode 3: Small Lies Big Lies

    Lieutenant Sethia quits the navy and moves to the Caribbean. He thinks the Falklands War is behind him, but back in the UK, an eccentric, anti-war MP notices a discrepancy in the government’s account of the sinking and starts to investigate.
    The Belgrano Diary is a new six-part series from the Documentary Team at the London Review of Books, hosted by Andrew O’Hagan. We’ve brought a selection of relevant writing from the LRB archive – including pieces by Tam Dalyell, who plays an important part in the story – in front of the paywall for the duration of the series: lrb.me/thebelgranodiary
    Episode 4 will be released on 18 April. If you’d prefer not to wait, you can listen to the whole series NOW, as well as exclusive interviews and other bonus material, all for a one-off payment of just £4.99 at: https://lrb.me/belgranodiarysc
    Archive: ‘BBC News’/BBC/BBC News, ‘Nationwide: On the Spot’/BBC 1/BBC, ‘1983 Election Coverage’/BBC1/BBC, Parliamentary Recording Unit

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    • 51 min
    Episode 2: Gotcha!

    Episode 2: Gotcha!

    HMS Conqueror stalks the Belgrano, but Britain’s Rules of Engagement prohibit an attack. Margaret Thatcher makes a decision and Lieutenant Sethia and the Conqueror crew get ready to fire.
    The Belgrano Diary is a new six-part series from the Documentary Team at the London Review of Books, hosted by Andrew O’Hagan. We’ve brought a selection of relevant writing from the LRB archive in front of the paywall for the duration of the series: lrb.me/thebelgranodiary
    Episode 3 will be released on 11 April. If you’d prefer not to wait, you can listen to the whole series NOW, as well as exclusive interviews and other bonus material, all for a one-off payment of just £4.99 at: https://lrb.me/belgranodiarysc
    Archive:
    ‘Admiral Woodward on Argentine Air Threat in the Falklands War’/Sal Viscuso, ‘War in the Falklands’/History Channel/ITN Factual, ‘The City of London’s Salute to the Task Force’/BBC, Parliamentary Recording Unit
    Get in touch: podcasts@lrb.co.uk

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    • 57 min
    Episode 1: Half a Million Sheep Can't Be Wrong

    Episode 1: Half a Million Sheep Can't Be Wrong

    When Argentina invades the Falkland Islands, Margaret Thatcher sends a huge flotilla on an 8000-mile rescue mission – to save a forgotten remnant of the empire, and her premiership. Onboard the nuclear submarine HMS Conqueror, Lieutenant Narendra Sethia starts to keep a diary.
    The Belgrano Diary is a new six-part series from the Documentary Team at the London Review of Books, hosted by Andrew O’Hagan. It investigates the bloodiest and most controversial military action of the Falklands War: a story of government cover-ups and conspiracies; of whistleblowers, crusading politicians and journalists fighting for the story. And caught in the middle of it all, a young officer whose account of what happened contradicted Thatcher’s in every crucial detail.
    Episode 2 will be released on April 4. We’ve brought a selection of relevant writing from the LRB archive in front of the paywall for the duration of the series: lrb.me/thebelgranodiary
    Archive:
    ‘Good Morning Britain’/ITV/TV-Am, ‘Newsnight’/BBC/BBC News, ‘Falkands War – The Untold Story’/ITV/Yorkshire Television, ‘Leach, Henry Conyers (Oral history)’/Imperial War Museum, ‘President Regan’s Press Briefing in the Oval Office on April 5, 1982’/White House Television Office, ‘Diary’/James M. Rentschler, TV Publica/Radio y Televisión Argentina S.E, The Falklands War: Recordings from the Archive/BBC Worldwide, Parliamentary Recording Unit
    Get in touch: podcasts@lrb.co.uk

    Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    • 52 min

Customer Reviews

4.6 out of 5
82 Ratings

82 Ratings

Dfg 325 ,

Superb

Excellent scripting and delivery - the atmospherics are not intrusive or false-sounding at all and they’ve got just about the best range of talking heads you could possibly assemble on the subject. There is SO much bilge out there in podcast land; and even more “meh”. This is top notch - just superb.

Loose Wire ,

Truly excellent

Andrew and team have done a wonderful job here, history as it should be done. Would love to see more like this.

FtreeAH ,

Excellent

Andrew O’Hagan is superb in the scripting, at the microphone, on the road in interviews and in handling the vast amount of detail. This stands out from much else by virtue of being compelling as a ‘story’, with a staggering cast, and a proper unravelling of government cynicism and lies. Congratulations to the production team.

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