Dan Snow's History Hit History Hit

We think of history as a neat chain of predictable events; but what if the truth is far wilder than that? Today, we're talking about the pivotal forces of randomness and chance, and how tiny moments can change the course of our human story.
Dan is joined by Brian Klaas, associate professor in global politics at University College London and author of 'Fluke: Chance, Chaos and Why Everything We Do Matters'. Brian unpicks our traditional telling of history, and explains how our world really works.
Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Anisha Deva.
Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for £1 per month for 3 months with code DANSNOW - sign up at https://historyhit.com/subscription/.
We'd love to hear from you - what do you want to hear an episode on? You can email the podcast at ds.hh@historyhit.com.
You can take part in our listener survey here.

Is liberal democracy facing an existential crisis? A 2023 poll conducted by the Open Society Barometer found that faith in democracy among young people is waning. But what does this mean? Why might young people become more 'strongman-curious'?

To get to the bottom of this, Dan is joined by an all-star cast of experts. We have the renowned journalist Anne Applebaum, author of the upcoming book 'Autocracy, Inc.', Professor of Politics David Runciman, host of the 'Past Present Future' podcast, and Professor Robert Saunders, an expert in political history and the history of ideas. They join us to discuss why democracy is foundering and to remind us why the myth of the strongman is so dangerous.

Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.

Please note, this episode contains discussion of suicide.
On 1 April 1945, as the Second World War in Europe was reaching its end, one of the bloodiest battles in the whole conflict commenced on a small island south of mainland Japan. It was the Battle of Okinawa. Saul David comes on the show to provide a fascinating rundown of this truly horrific battle.
Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for £1 per month for 3 months with code DANSNOW sign up at https://historyhit/subscription/
We'd love to hear from you- what do you want to hear an episode on? You can email the podcast at ds.hh@historyhit.com.
You can take part in our listener survey here.

At the height of the Mongol Empire, Kublai Khan set his sights on the island of Japan. He launched two enormous invasions of that nation in 1274 and 1281 - but both of them were defeated, aided by sudden and disastrous storms that tore his fleets apart. The story of these kamikaze, or 'Divine Winds', would become legend in Japan, and inspire the name of the Japanese pilots that launched attacks on Allied forces in the closing months of World War Two.
For the third and final episode in our series on the kamikaze, Dan is joined again by Christopher Harding, a cultural historian of India and Japan and author of 'The Light of Asia'. They talk about these gigantic invasions, the samurai that faced them, and the storms that turned the tide in favour of feudal Japan.
Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Anisha Deva.
Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for £1 per month for 3 months with code DANSNOW sign up at https://historyhit/subscription/
We'd love to hear from you- what do you want to hear an episode on? You can email the podcast at ds.hh@historyhit.com.
You can take part in our listener survey here.

Please note, this episode contains discussion of suicide.
In 1945, after lengthy delays, the Royal Navy sent a powerful fleet into the Pacific. After the disastrous Japanese invasions in Southeast Asia, Churchill was desperate to reassert British military might in the region. Aboard the carriers of these fleets were elite British and Commonwealth pilots, tasked with combating one of Japan's most fearsome weapons - the kamikaze.
In the second episode of our three-part series on the kamikaze, Dan is joined by Will Iredale, author of 'The Kamikaze Hunters: Fighting for the Pacific, 1945'. Will tells us all about the 'Forgotten Fleet', and the escapades of naval aviators like Chris Cartledge and his fellow 'kamikaze hunters'.
Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.
Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for £1 per month for 3 months with code DANSNOW sign up at https://historyhit/subscription/
We'd love to hear from you- what do you want to hear an episode on? You can email the podcast at ds.hh@historyhit.com.
You can take part in our listener survey here.

Please note, this episode contains discussion of suicide. 
By October 1944, the Japanese were in real trouble. The Allies had made great strides in their Pacific island-hopping campaign and were advancing on the Japanese home islands. In a desperate attempt to stem the tide, Japan created the 'Special Attack Units', which included the kamikaze - young pilots tasked with launching suicidal missions against Allied forces.
For the first episode in our three-part series on the kamikaze, Dan is joined by Christopher Harding, a cultural historian of India and Japan and author of 'The Light of Asia'. Chris explains the ideological and tactical messages of the kamikaze, and raises an important question - were these pilots enthusiastic zealots or terrified young men with nothing to lose?
Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.
Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for £1 per month for 3 months with code DANSNOW sign up at https://historyhit/subscription/
We'd love to hear from you- what do you want to hear an episode on? You can email the podcast at ds.hh@historyhit.com.
You can take part in our listener survey here.