Dan Snow's History Hit

History Hit
  • 4.7 (3.9K)
  • HISTORY
Dan Snow's History Hit
HISTORY HIT

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Historian Dan Snow investigates the 'how' and 'why' of history's defining moments. From the Colosseum of Ancient Rome and the battlefields of Waterloo to the tomb of Tutankhamun, Dan journeys across the globe to share the greatest stories from the past that help us understand the present. New episodes on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. You can get in touch with us at ds.hh@historyhit.com A podcast by History Hit, the world's best history channel and creators of award-winning podcasts The Ancients, Gone Medieval, and Betwixt the Sheets. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.  

  1. Captain of the Titanic: Villain or Hero?

    20H AGO • SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

    Captain of the Titanic: Villain or Hero?

    On that fateful night in April 1912, the Titanic slipped below the freezing waves of the North Atlantic with Captain Edward Smith at the helm. In the years since, he has often been held accountable for the disaster, but was he truly to blame? And how did his death impact his daughter, whose life of adventure and tragedy is fascinating in its own right? In this episode, we're joined by Dan E. Parkes, author of 'Titanic Legacy: The Captain, The Daughter and The Spy'. We dive into the life and final hours of the captain who went down with his ill-fated ship, and hear how his daughter became embroiled in a life of adventure and espionage. Produced and edited by James Hickmann. You can hear our episode with Tim Maltin about the circumstances of the Titanic's sinking here: https://shows.acast.com/dansnowshistoryhit/episodes/titanic-a-night-to-remember We'd love to hear your feedback - you can take part in our podcast survey here: https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on. You can also email the podcast directly at ds.hh@historyhit.com.

    33 min
  2. THE LEADERS: Roosevelt

    1D AGO

    THE LEADERS: Roosevelt

    How instrumental was Roosevelt in the Allied victory? He'd guided America through the Great Depression, he changed American society and his post-war vision shaped the world we see today. He knew WWII would be won through alliances, not bloodshed and America's entry into the war changed the game completely. To examine how and why, Dan is joined by Dr Graham Cross from Manchester Metropolitan University and Professor of Strategic Studies at the University of St Andrews, Phillips O'Brien as they look at Roosevelt's political career and his biggest wartime decisions. Produced and edited by Dougal Patmore Phillip's book 'The Strategists' is available now. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. We'd love to hear your feedback - you can take part in our podcast survey here: https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on. You can also email the podcast directly at ds.hh@historyhit.com.

    1h 6m

  3. 3D AGO

    Isambard Kingdom Brunel

    He was responsible for the fastest trains in history. He built innovative new hospitals for Florence Nightingale. His vessels shattered records for crossing the Atlantic and he enabled the laying of the first transatlantic cables. He is probably the greatest engineer in human history. But what toll did his greatness take on his health and personal life? To explore the life and times of Isambard Kingdom Brunel, Dan is joined by biographer and historian Steven Brindle, author of 'Brunel: The Man Who Built the World'. Produced by Mariana Des Forges and edited by Dougal Patmore Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. We'd love to hear your feedback - you can take part in our podcast survey here: https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on. You can also email the podcast directly at ds.hh@historyhit.com.

    30 min
  4. THE LEADERS: Hirohito

    5D AGO

    THE LEADERS: Hirohito

    Was Hirohito really as passive as history has painted him? Emperor Hirohito stood at the head of Japan’s war machine, yet after 1945, both the Japanese and the Americans painted him as a powerless observer. But is passivity just as bad as collusion? In this episode, Dan is joined by Christopher Harding, lecturer in Asian History at the University of Edinburgh and strategy expert Professor Phillips O'Brien at the University of St Andrews to examine Japan's catastrophic wartime strategy, its army's brutality and debate how much of the responsibility for that lies with Hirohito. Content Warning: This episode contains discussion of suicide warfare. Produced by Mariana Des Forges and edited by Dougal Patmore Phillips' book that inspired this series is called 'The Strategists' and is available now. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. We'd love to hear your feedback - you can take part in our podcast survey here: https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on. You can also email the podcast directly at ds.hh@historyhit.com.

    54 min

  5. MAR 21

    The Rise & Fall of The Moors in Spain

    In 711 an Arab and Berber army crossed the Strait of Gibraltar and invaded the Iberian Peninsula. Seven years later, their conquests had birthed the Muslim kingdom of al-Andalus. This marked the beginning of roughly 8 centuries of Moorish rule, during which al-Andalus became a conduit for the transmission of knowledge between the Islamic world and Europe. Joining us today is Brian Catlos, a Professor of Religious Studies at the University of Colorado, Boulder and the author of 'Kingdoms of Faith: A New History of Islamic Spain'. He takes us through the history of al-Andalus, from its inception and expansion through to its dramatic downfall. Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Max Carrey. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. We'd love to hear your feedback - you can take part in our podcast survey here: https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on. You can also email the podcast directly at ds.hh@historyhit.com.

    43 min
  6. THE LEADERS: Stalin

    MAR 19

    THE LEADERS: Stalin

    Was WWII actually Stalin's War? He's a man whose name is synonymous with absolute power, the epitome of ruthless ambition, his story is one of both triumph and unspeakable cruelty. A man whose brutality matched any of the Axis leaders....who worked with Hitler….yet in the end ...aligned himself with the Allies. As a result, he came out of the war on top and shaped the world order for the subsequent 50 years. Even today his shadow falls over the events we're seeing on the evening news. In this episode of 'The Leaders' Dan is joined by Professor of Strategic Studies at the University of St Andrews, Phillips O'Brien and historian Simon Sebag Montefiore to examine the rise of Stalin's totalitarian power and the way he manipulated everyone on both sides to reach his strategic aims.  Produced by Mariana Des Forges and edited by Dougal Patmore Phillip's book 'The Strategists' is available now. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. We'd love to hear your feedback - you can take part in our podcast survey here: https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on. You can also email the podcast directly at ds.hh@historyhit.com.

    1h 1m

  7. MAR 17

    Babylon: The Most Important City of Antiquity

    The urban cultures of ancient Mesopotamia formed the foundation for so much of our modern world. Nowhere exemplifies this better than the city of Babylon, which was the cultural seedbed for the Greek and Roman civilisations that in turn left such lasting legacies. On this episode, Dan is joined by Amanda Podany, professor emeritus of history at the California State Polytechnic University. Amanda draws on an astonishing breadth of original documents and objects to explain just how foundational this civilisation was, and how people learnt to live side by side with one another. Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore. We'd love to hear your feedback - you can take part in our podcast survey here: https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on. You can also email the podcast directly at ds.hh@historyhit.com.

    34 min
  8. The Indian Titanic

    MAR 15 • SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

    The Indian Titanic

    In November 1942, a Japanese submarine prowling the waters of the Indian Ocean sank a British passenger liner. The ship was called the SS Tilawa, and there were nearly 1,000 people on board, along with over 2,500 bars of silver. It was a wartime tragedy that was almost completely lost to the ocean for over 8 decades, but today, we're joined by a man who has helped to keep her story alive. Emile Solanki is the founder of the SS Tilawa heritage site and tells us all about that fateful day in 1942, and his family's connection to the tragedy. You can learn more about the Tilawa here: https://tilawa1942.com/. Produced and edited by James Hickmann. We'd love to hear your feedback - you can take part in our podcast survey here: https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on. You can also email the podcast directly at ds.hh@historyhit.com.

    28 min
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About

Historian Dan Snow investigates the 'how' and 'why' of history's defining moments. From the Colosseum of Ancient Rome and the battlefields of Waterloo to the tomb of Tutankhamun, Dan journeys across the globe to share the greatest stories from the past that help us understand the present. New episodes on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. You can get in touch with us at ds.hh@historyhit.com A podcast by History Hit, the world's best history channel and creators of award-winning podcasts The Ancients, Gone Medieval, and Betwixt the Sheets. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.  

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