Dan Snow's History Hit

Getting to the moon was no easy feat, no matter how confident Kennedy may have sounded in his famous 1961 speech. NASA built a team from the ground up, and there were plenty of moments where it seemed as if they weren't going to make it. After all, it was hard to feel safe when a pen could go straight through the module. Kevin Fong is part of the NHS emergency response team for major fatality incidents like terror attacks. He's also an anaesthetist, a lecturer in physiology at UCL and an expert in space medicine. He joined me on the podcast to explore our first moments on the surface of the moon. Subscribe to History Hit and you'll get access to hundreds of history documentaries, as well as every single episode of this podcast from the beginning (400 extra episodes). We're running live podcasts on Zoom, we've got weekly quizzes where you can win prizes, and exclusive subscriber only articles. It's the ultimate history package. Just go to historyhit.tv to subscribe. Use code 'pod1' at checkout for your first month free and the following month for just £/€/$1. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Diana Preston, an esteemed author and expert on the Yalta Conference, offers a fascinating glimpse into this pivotal 1945 meeting. She reveals the health struggles of Churchill and Roosevelt, and how these influenced the discussions. The intricate dynamics between Stalin, Roosevelt, and Churchill are dissected, highlighting their contrasting views on post-war arrangements. Preston also shares intriguing anecdotes of espionage and the elaborate social interactions that characterized the conference, suggesting it was a crucial turning point in shaping modern geopolitics.

Kenneth Baker is a British politician and a former Conservative MP who served in the cabinets of Margaret Thatcher and John Major as Environment Secretary, Education Secretary, and Home Secretary. He joined me on the pod to examine the history of assassinations. From Julius Caesar to John F. Kennedy, and even the raid of Osama bin Laden's compound, Kenneth has used them to build up a clearer picture of assassination as a political tool. Is this an effective weapon which has changed the course of history forever, or is an assassination, in the words of Macbeth, "a poisoned chalice"? Subscribe to History Hit and you'll get access to hundreds of history documentaries, as well as every single episode of this podcast from the beginning (400 extra episodes). We're running live podcasts on Zoom, we've got weekly quizzes where you can win prizes, and exclusive subscriber only articles. It's the ultimate history package. Just go to historyhit.tv to subscribe. Use code 'pod1' at checkout for your first month free and the following month for just £/€/$1. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Miri Rubin, a Professor of Medieval and Early Modern History at Queen Mary University, delves into the fascinating spread of Christianity following Jesus’ crucifixion. She discusses the early persecution faced by followers and how Christianity's teachings resonated across the sociocultural landscape of the Roman Empire. Rubin examines the blend of Christian doctrine with Germanic warrior culture during the empire's decline and highlights early medieval figures like Charles the Great, showcasing how faith shaped political structures and social dynamics.

When the First World War broke out, the suffragettes suspended their campaigning and joined the war effort. Flora Murray and Louisa Garrett Anderson headed out to France, setting up two small military hospitals - whilst battling fierce opposition on account of being women. But Flora and Louisa proved so effective that the War Ministry requested they returned to London and establish a hospital in a vast and derelict old workhouse in Covent Garden's Endell Street. The medical marvel which sprung up contained 573 beds, treated 26,000 wounded men over the next four years, and was staffed entirely by women. Wendy Moore joined me on the pod to tell this remarkable story, and discuss the legacy of these pioneering women. Subscribe to History Hit and you'll get access to hundreds of history documentaries, as well as every single episode of this podcast from the beginning (400 extra episodes). We're running live podcasts on Zoom, we've got weekly quizzes where you can win prizes, and exclusive subscriber only articles. It's the ultimate history package. Just go to historyhit.tv to subscribe. Use code 'pod1' at checkout for your first month free and the following month for just £/€/$1. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

David Carpenter joined me on the podcast to examine one of England's most remarkable monarchs. Just nine years old when he came to the throne in 1216, David explains how Henry was pacific, conciliatory, and deeply religious. His rule was constrained by limits set by the Magna Carta and the emergence of parliament. We discussed the 'soft power' which maintained a steady peace, Henry's patron saint Edward the Confessor, and his building of the magnificent Westminster Abbey. Subscribe to History Hit and you'll get access to hundreds of history documentaries, as well as every single episode of this podcast from the beginning (400 extra episodes). We're running live podcasts on Zoom, we've got weekly quizzes where you can win prizes, and exclusive subscriber only articles. It's the ultimate history package. Just go to historyhit.tv to subscribe. Use code 'pod1' at checkout for your first month free and the following month for just £/€/$1. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Anne Glenconner has been at the centre of the royal circle from childhood, when she met and befriended the future Queen Elizabeth II and her sister, the Princess Margaret. Anne spoke to me from the resplendent saloon at Holkham Hall to discuss her truly remarkable life - a story of drama, tragedy and royal secrets. A story she reflects on with a charming sense of humour and true British spirit. Subscribe to History Hit and you'll get access to hundreds of history documentaries, as well as every single episode of this podcast from the beginning (400 extra episodes). We're running live podcasts on Zoom, we've got weekly quizzes where you can win prizes, and exclusive subscriber only articles. It's the ultimate history package. Just go to historyhit.tv to subscribe. Use code 'pod1' at checkout for your first month free and the following month for just £/€/$1. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I was delighted to be joined by one of the most important people in the history world at the moment: Professor Vincent Gaffney. He is the leading archaeologist behind the recent discovery of a vast neolithic circle of deep shafts in Durrington, near Stonehenge. Vince took me through the thrills and surprises of his epic discovery and how it transforms our understanding of the stones themselves. Subscribe to History Hit and you'll get access to hundreds of history documentaries, as well as every single episode of this podcast from the beginning (400 extra episodes). We're running live podcasts on Zoom, we've got weekly quizzes where you can win prizes, and exclusive subscriber only articles. It's the ultimate history package. Just go to historyhit.tv to subscribe. Use code 'pod1' at checkout for your first month free and the following month for just £/€/$1. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

I was thrilled to be joined on the podcast by the wonderful Simon Elliott. In this episode, Simon and I got to grips with the epic Roman Navy, and what it was doing on the shores of Britain. Enjoy! Subscribe to History Hit and you'll get access to hundreds of history documentaries, as well as every single episode of this podcast from the beginning (400 extra episodes). We're running live podcasts on Zoom, we've got weekly quizzes where you can win prizes, and exclusive subscriber only articles. It's the ultimate history package. Just go to historyhit.tv to subscribe. Use code 'pod1' at checkout for your first month free and the following month for just £/€/$1. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

More than 70 years after her death, Mata Hari is still a household name throughout the Western world. So who was this daughter of a Dutch hat-maker, who was executed for espionage after a secret trial during the darkest days of World War One? Julie Wheelwright joined me on the pod to guide me through the world of female espionage, the forces behind patriotic hysteria and the perpetuation of the idea of the seductive and dangerous temptress. Subscribe to History Hit and you'll get access to hundreds of history documentaries, as well as every single episode of this podcast from the beginning (400 extra episodes). We're running live podcasts on Zoom, we've got weekly quizzes where you can win prizes, and exclusive subscriber only articles. It's the ultimate history package. Just go to historyhit.tv to subscribe. Use code 'pod1' at checkout for your first month free and the following month for just £/€/$1. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.