BBC Radio Podcasts from Witness History: Witness Archive 2016
Chairman Mao's Little Red Book
How the thoughts of China's communist leader became an unexpected global best-seller
Russia's 'Dog Man'
How conceptual artist Oleg Kulik posed as a dog, attacking passers-by in Moscow.
The Launch of Vogue Russia
Aliona Doletskaya remembers starting post Soviet-Russia's biggest glossy fashion magazine
The Nuclear Legacy
The story of how the world was made safe from the former Soviet Union's nuclear legacy
Georgia In Crisis
After the breakup of the Soviet Union, Georgia found itself on the verge of civil war.
The Break-Up of the Soviet Union
Hear from two of the key players who brought to an end over 70 years of communism
Apollo 8
How the first mission around the Moon captured the world's imagination at Christmas 1968
Samuel Beckett
The great Irish playwright and novelist Samuel Beckett died on 22nd December 1989
Turkey-Greece Island Dispute
How Greece and Turkey almost came to war over a tiny rocky island in the Aegean sea.
Derek Jarman
The experimental film-maker made his first feature film 'Sebastiane' in 1976.
Death of an Anarchist
Giuseppe Pinelli was an Italian anarchist who died in police custody - but why?
The First Latin American 'Telenovela'
Brazil's Vida Alves starred in the first ever Latin American soap opera in December 1951.
Cot Death
The 'Back to Sleep' campaign was launched in 1991 to prevent babies dying in their cots
The Hindu 'Milk Miracle'
Millions of Hindus were gripped by reports of their God, Ganesha, 'drinking' milk.
Sara Ginaite Lithuanian Jewish Partisan
A young Jewish woman escaped from the Kaunas Ghetto in Lithuania to fight the Nazis.
Yoyes - Woman leader of ETA
The life and tragic death of the first woman leader of the Basque separatist group ETA.
Fighting for Rural Women in South Africa
Sizani Ngubane set up the Rural Women's Movement in South Africa in the 1990s
Recreating Down Syndrome in Mice
Scientist Elizabeth Fisher created a new strain of mouse to help understand Down Syndrome
Wangari Maathai Wins Nobel Prize
In 2004, the Kenyan ecologist became the first African woman to win the Nobel Peace Prize
Soviet Woman Bomber Pilot
Yelena Malyutina was a Soviet female bomber pilot who fought in WW2.
Colombia's 'Lost City'
In 1976, archaeologists found the ruins of a huge indigenous settlement hidden in forest
Digging up the Truth
Mercedes Doretti has spent her life uncovering mass graves around the world.
Bob Marley Survives Assassination Attempt
In December 1976 gunmen tried to kill the legendary reggae singer at his home in Jamaica.
India's City of the Future: Chandigarh
World famous architect Le Corbusier built a city to revive Indian pride after Partition.
Car Safety and Ralph Nader
In the early 1960s there were virtually no laws covering car safety in the USA.
The Assassination of the Mirabal Sisters
3 sisters in the Dominican Republic were beaten to death on the orders of the dictator
The 1948 French Miners' Strike
How coal miners in France went from post-war heroes to pariahs
The Silk Letters Movement
In 1916 the authorities in India uncovered plans to overthrow British rule
Saving Orphaned African Elephants
How a Kenyan woman, Dame Daphne Sheldrick, first raised orphaned baby African elephants
Plane spotters arrested in Greece
In Nov 2001 a group of British tourists was arrested in Greece and charged with spying.
The Musical Cabaret
Director Hal Prince remembers the hit musical opening on Broadway in November 1966
Smuggling Endangered Birds
In Nov 1996 leading ornithologist Tony Silva was convicted of smuggling endangered birds.
The Madagascar Palace Fire
In 1995 one of Madagascar's most historic sites was destroyed by fire
East Timor Massacre
In November 1991 Indonesian troops opened fire on independence activists in Dili.
The Burning of the Satanic Verses
The publication of Salman Rushdie's book outraged many Muslims around the world
The James Bond Theme Tune
In 1962 Monty Norman wrote the music for the first James Bond film, Dr No.
Kurdish Singer Ahmet Kaya
The widow of the famous folk singer recalls the night that changed her husband's life.
Rolling Stone Magazine
Writer and musician Michael Lydon recalls the birth of an iconic magazine.
The First Loebner Prize
On 8 November 1991, a competition which judged artificial intelligence was held.
The Pitcairn Sex Abuse Trial
In 2004 a child sex abuse trial on a remote island in the Pacific shocked the world.
War Photographer, Dickey Chapelle
Photographer Dickey Chapelle was the first woman war reporter to be killed in Vietnam
Octavio Paz
In October 1990 the Mexican poet and essayist was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature.
Chairman Mao's Cultural Revolution
A former communist Red Guard recalls his role in China's Cultural Revolution.
A Black GI in China
How an African American soldier captured in the Korean war, decided to settle in China
Harry Houdini
How a performance in London made the reputation of the world's greatest escape artist
The Abduction of Mehdi Ben Barka
In 1965 French agents helped kidnap and disappear the Moroccan dissident in Paris
The Big Bang
In 1986 London's Stock Exchange underwent one of the biggest shake-ups in its history.
The Hungarian Uprising
In October 1956 Hungarians took to the streets of Budapest to protest at Soviet rule.
Shell Shock
Veterans talk about their experience of 'shell shock' in recordings from the BBC archive
Marvel Comics and 'The Fantastic Four'
In 1961 a new generation of comic-book super heroes was launched in the US
The Aberfan Disaster
On 21st October 1966, tragedy struck a village in Wales when a landslide crushed a school
Marcel Duchamp and His Fountain
The story of the great French conceptualist artist Marcel Duchamp and his art
The Mau Mau Rebellion
During the 1950s in Kenya, rebels known as the Mau Mau were fighting against British rule
Father Charles Coughlin - America's First Radio Priest
How a controversial Catholic priest had millions of listeners in the 1930s.
Bugging the US Embassy in Moscow
The row over hi-tech spying in America's new diplomatic building in the USSR
The Hoover Free Flights Promotion
How an advertising campaign for vacuum cleaners went badly wrong.
The Last Day of Lebanon's Civil War
In October 1990, Syrian jets ousted their main opponent in Lebanon ending the civil war
Chile Votes Against Pinochet
In 1988 Chileans voted to end the brutal 15-year military rule of Gen. Augusto Pinochet.
The Spanish Influenza Pandemic
In 1918, more than fifty million people died in a global flu pandemic.
Irina Ratushinskaya
The dissident poet was released from a labour camp on the eve of a US-Soviet summit
Good Vibrations
In October 1966, the Beach Boys released their "pocket symphony" Good Vibrations.
Exposing Child Abuse in the Catholic Church
In 1994, a TV programme in Northern Ireland lifted the lid on clerical child sex abuse.
Thai University Massacre
On October 6th 1976 Thai security forces opened fire on student demonstrators in Bangkok.
The Poisoned Painkiller
In October 1982 seven people in the US died after taking painkillers laced with cyanide.
The Founding of Mensa
In 1946, a chance encounter between two men launched the high IQ club, Mensa
Sir Stanley Spencer
He was one of Britain's most admired 20th century painters. His daughters remember him.
The Mayak Nuclear Disaster
On September 29th 1957 there was a major nuclear accident in the Soviet Union.
The Attica Prison Rebellion
In 1971 inmates rioted and seized control of the US jail, taking guards hostage
South Africa's 1985 State of Emergency
In the dying years of Apartheid, the white government was desperate to keep control.
Outback Internment
During WWII, Britain deported some civilians classed as 'enemy aliens' to Australia.
The Curious Story of Mary Toft
In September 1726, a woman called Mary Toft claimed she was giving birth to rabbits.
The First Legal 'Physician-Assisted Suicide'
On September 22nd 1996 an Australian doctor helped a cancer sufferer to die.
Domestic Violence in Brazil
In 2006 Brazil passed the ground-breaking "Maria da Penha" law to tackle domestic abuse.
Voting Against the War on Terror
Only one Congresswoman voted against the 'war on terror'. Her name was Barbara Lee.
The West Australian Gold Rush
In September 1892 gold was discovered in Western Australia
The Capture of Abimael Guzman
In September 1992 security forces in Peru arrested the leader of the Shining Path rebels.
The First Tanks
Tanks were first used in warfare on 15 September 1916 during the Battle of the Somme
Anthrax Attacks
Shortly after the 9/11 attacks in the USA someone started posting Anthrax to politicians
The Great Fire of Smyrna
In 1922 a huge fire destroyed the ancient city of Smyrna on the Aegean, thousands died
The Lascaux Caves
In September 1940 a group of French schoolboys found a network of ancient cave paintings.
Estonia's Bootleg Vodka Poisoning
In September 2001, 68 people died after an outbreak of alcohol poisoning in Estonia.
How Europe won over the British left
A speech by Jacques Delors helped change British trade unionists' attitude to Europe
Star Trek - The Early Years
In September 1966 the cult American science fiction series first went on air.
Remembering Chairman Mao
On September 9th 1976 the founding father of Chinese Communism, Mao Zedong, died.
Italy's Partisan Fighters
The brother and sister who took part in the struggle to free Italy from fascism in WW2.
The Day Sweden Turned Right
In September 1967 Swedish traffic changed to driving on the right-hand side of the road.
The Mexican American War
Testimonies from the conflict that changed US-Mexican relations forever
The Last Case of Smallpox in the UK
Alasdair Geddes on finding smallpox in Janet Parker in 1978 and the events that followed
The Fall of Bukhara
In 1920, the Central Asian Muslim kingdom of Bukhara was taken over by Communists.
Burning Man
It's thirty years since the birth of the counter-culture festival Burning Man.
Fania All Stars - Legends of Salsa
How a Latin music supergroup helped spread salsa music from New York to the world.
Helmand Convoy
An audacious military mission to bring electricity to southern Afghanistan.
The "Don't Die of Ignorance" Aids Campaign
In 1986 the British government launched the first ever public health campaign on Hiv Aids
The Dance Theatre of Harlem
In August 1969, the first classical ballet company to focus on black dancers was formed
The Stockholm Syndrome
The hostage who trusted her kidnapper more than the police
The Kray Gang
Maureen Flanagan on her relationship with London's gangsters Ronnie and Reggie Kray.
John Muir and America's Wild Places
The Scottish-born naturalist considered the father of the National Parks in the USA.
Conflict over a Tree in the DMZ
In August 1976, two US soldiers were killed in the zone between North and South Korea.
Studio Ghibli - Japanese Animation
In August 1986 the first Studio Ghibli film hit Japanese cinema screens.
Bibles in US Schools
In 1963 a third of schools in the US had to change their rules on Bible reading.
The murder of Federico Garcia Lorca
How the great poet and dramatist was murdered at the start of the Spanish Civil War.
Fleeing Deportation to the USSR
After WW2, many Soviet citizens who had ended up outside the USSR, refused to go home.
The Nairobi Embassy Bombing
In 1998, al-Qaeda killed more than 200 people in attacks on US embassies in East Africa.
The Excavation of Masada
Nearly two thousand years ago, Masada in Israel was the site of a mass suicide.
The Twin Towers High-Wire Walk
Philippe Petit recalls his daring feat high above the New York streets in August 1974
American Air Traffic Controllers' Strike
In August 1981 over 11,000 air traffic controllers were fired after two days on strike.
Lebanon's Baalbek Festival
The Middle East's oldest arts festival, in Baalbek in Lebanon, started 60 years ago
The Reclusive JD Salinger
It's 65 years since JD Salinger's classic novel The Catcher in the Rye was published
Jacqueline Du Pre
Jacqueline Du Pre makes one of the most famous classical recordings of the 20th Century
The University of Texas Shooting
In August 1966 14 people were shot dead in America's first mass shooting at a university
Spying for America in Russia
The story of Russian spy Alexandr Ogorodnik and his CIA handler, Marti Peterson.
The Tangshan Earthquake
In 1976, one of the deadliest earthquakes in history hit the city of Tangshan in China
Meeting Picasso
In the summer of 1951 art historian John Richardson met Pablo Picasso for the first time.
The First CIA Coup in Latin America
In 1954 CIA-backed officers overthrew Guatemala's elected government.
Race Riots in Liverpool
In 1981 police used CS gas for the first time in mainland Britain to control race riots
The Beilis Case: an Anti-Jewish Trial
In 1913, a Russian Jew, Mendel Beilis, was falsely accused of a murder.
The Death of Bruce Lee
The film star and martial arts legend died suddenly in Hong Kong in 1973.
Medicare
In July 1966, the US government health insurance programme Medicare came into force.
Dutch Elm Disease
In the 1970s Dutch Elm disease killed millions of Elm trees in England, France and the US
1916: Central Asia Rebels Against the Russian Empire
In 1916, Muslims in Central Asia rose up against Russian imperial rule.
Child refugees from the Spanish Civil War
In 1937, Britain took in 4000 Basque children at the height of fighting in northern Spain
The Nestle Boycott
In July 1977 US campaigners launched a boycott against Nestle over the sale of baby milk.
The Mumbai Train Bombings
In July 2006, seven coordinated explosions tore through packed commuter trains in Mumbai.
War in Slovenia
In 1991, Yugoslav army tanks moved into Slovenia to try to stop it becoming independent
Executions in Cuba
In July 1989 four Cuban army officers were convicted of drug trafficking and executed.
The Sale of London Bridge
In July of 1967 London Bridge put up for sale. American Robert P McCulloch bought it
Denmark's second EU Referendum
In 1993, Denmark held a second referendum on greater EU integration
Born on the Fourth of July
Ron Kovic is a former US Marine turned peace activist whose story became a Hollywood film
Ukraine's Wartime Ultra-Nationalists
In 1941, far-right Ukrainians declared independence, hoping for Hitler's support.
The Great Plague
In the summer of 1665, London was gripped by one of the worst epidemics in its history
The Khobar Towers Bombing - Saudi Arabia
On June 25th 1996 a huge truck bomb was planted at a US housing complex in Saudi Arabia.
The Cuyahoga River Fire
In June 1969 the heavily polluted Cuyahoga River, in Ohio in the USA, caught fire
Forced Sterilisation in Peru
In the 1990s more than 280,000 women were sterilised in Peru, many against their will.
The Bobbitt Story
On 23 June 1993 a young wife cut off her husband's penis in a frenzied attack
Space Crash
Michael Foale was on board the Mir space station when a resupply vessel crashed into it
Black in the USSR
Robert Robinson, a black American engineer, spent 43 years in the USSR against his will.
The Fall of Paris
In June 1940, most of the residents of Paris fled as German soldiers occupied the city
Smoking and Lung Cancer
It was not until the 1950s that the link was proven between cigarettes and lung cancer
The Eruption of Mount Pinatubo
In 1991 one of the largest volcanic eruptions of recent times occurred in the Philippines
Moral Majority
In June 1979 the Moral Majority was launched and changed the course of American politics
When TV Came to Bhutan
In June 1999 the tiny Himalayan kingdom broadcast its first TV programme
The Battle for Mixed Race Marriage in the US
How a white man and a black woman won the right to marry in America in the 1960s
Iraq's Secret Nuclear Programme
In 1981 Israel destroyed Iraq's nuclear reactor; it began Iraq's secret nuclear programme
Karakoram Highway
In 1979 the Karakoram Highway between Pakistan and China was opened to the public
Restoring 'The Last Supper'
In 1999 Italian art experts completed an ambitious restoration of da Vinci's masterpiece.
Ritalin
The drug Ritalin was developed in the 1940s - it's now used to treat ADHD.
The Arrest of James Earl Ray
How the man convicted for killing Martin Luther King was detained in London in June 1968.
Date Rape
In 1991 Katie Koestner went public with her experience of date rape and divided America.
Tanzania's Ujamaa policy
In the late 1960s Tanzania experimented with a new form of socialism called Ujamaa.
Concordski Plane Crash
In June 1973 Russia's supersonic rival to Concorde crashed at the Paris Air Show
The Assassination of Trujillo
On May 30th 1961 Rafael Trujillo, the dictator in the Dominican Republic, was shot dead.
The Thalidomide Trial
In May 1968, executives of the German company that made the drug thalidomide go on trial
Yeltsin And The Chechen Rebels
In 1996, a Chechen rebel delegation negotiated peace with Russia's President Yeltsin.
The Israeli Airlift of Ethiopian Jews
In 1991 14000 Ethiopian Jews were airlifted to Israel during Operation Solomon
Hands Across America
The day millions of Americans formed a human chain to try to end poverty and homelessness
The Execution of Anne Boleyn
In May 1536 the Queen of England was executed on the orders of her husband, Henry VIII
Kia Ora: Maori Rights Breakthrough in New Zealand
Telephone operator Naida Glavish became known for saying good morning to callers in Maori
Dien Bien Phu
The French surrender at the siege of Dien Bien Phu ended their colonial rule of Vietnam
Marcus Garvey
In 1916 Marcus Garvey arrived in the US urging black people to unite in a new nation.
Citizen Kane
Archive interviews with Orson Welles about one of the greatest films of all time
Kim Philby: The Third Man
In May 1988, the death was announced in Moscow of the English spy Kim Philby.
The Pope in Syria - 2001
In May 2001 Pope John Paul the Second made a historic visit to Syria
Escape from the South Atlantic
In the spring of 1982 Britain and Argentina went to war over the Falkland Islands.
The Imaginary War Heroes
During World War Two, Soviet propaganda promoted a heroic feat that never happened.
Hitler's Nuclear Programme
Nazi Germany had a nuclear programme, which could have given Hitler an atomic bomb
The Belfast Blitz
In 1941, Belfast in Northern Ireland was devastated by German bombing
Ernest Hemingway in Cuba
Alberto Ramos remembers his time working for the great American novelist in Cuba.
U2 Spy Plane
In May 1960 Gary Powers was taken captive by the Soviets when his spy plane was shot down
The Salem Witches
In 1692 nineteen men and women were convicted of witchcraft and executed in America.
The Creation of the Mini
In 1959 the British Motoring Corporation unveiled a very small new family car - the Mini
The McCarthy Era
In spring 1950, an American academic was wrongly named as the main Soviet agent in the US
The Funeral of Charles Darwin
The great English naturalist Charles Darwin is buried at Westminster Abbey in April 1882
Chernobyl Nuclear Disaster
In April 1986 a reactor exploded at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant in Ukraine
Yves Saint Laurent and Morocco
In 1966 the great French fashion designer went to Morocco for the first time
Shakespeare's Jubilee
How actor David Garrick organised the first national celebration of Shakespeare in 1769
Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire
An industrial disaster in New York in 1911 led to huge social reforms.
Fighting for Castro at the Bay of Pigs
A member of Cuba's communist militia recalls battling US-backed invaders in April 1961
The Harrier in the Falklands War
A Harrier pilot remembers the air battle over the Falklands in 1982
Haile Selassie In Jamaica
On 21 April 1966 Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia arrived in Jamaica
The First Starbucks
In 1971 the first Starbucks coffee shop opened in Seattle.
The Spanish Republic
How writers and artists campaigned to bring culture to every corner of 1930s Spain
Executed for Being Too Capitalist
In 1961, in Soviet Central Asia, 21 managers were executed for using capitalist methods.
The Amritsar Massacre of 1919
On 13 April 1919, the British Indian Army fired on an unarmed crowd, killing hundreds
Angela Merkel
On April 10 2000, Angela Merkel became the first woman to lead a German political party.
A Japanese Royal Wedding
In a change to tradition Japan's Crown Prince Akihito married a non-royal, in April 1959.
The Ogaden War
In 1977 Somalia invaded Ethiopia in an attempt to take control of disputed territory.
Mallory on Everest
In 1999 the body of legendary British mountaineer, George Mallory, was found on Everest.
Romania's Orphans
In 1989 news began to emerge of terrible conditions in Romania's orphanages.
The Execution of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
On April 4th 1979 Pakistan's first democratically elected Prime Minister was hanged.
The Yodogo Hijacking
In March 1970, Japanese left-wing extremists hijacked a plane with samurai swords.
Pakistan Ban on Alcohol
In the spring of 1977 the government of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto introduced a ban on alcohol
The Attempt on Ronald Reagan's Life
On March 30th 1981 a man tried to assassinate US President Ronald Reagan.
The Harold Wilson Plot
In March 1976, the British prime minister Harold Wilson unexpectedly resigned. Why?
Virginia Woolf
On March 28th 1941 the British novelist Virginia Woolf took her own life.
The Easter Rising
How Irish rebels tried to start a revolution against British rule at Easter 1916.
Iraqi Shia Uprising - 1991
At the end of the First Gulf War thousands of Iraqis rose up against Saddam Hussein
The Fall of Emperor Tewodros II
In 1868 Tewodros II of Ethiopia prepared to make a last stand against the British army.
Viagra
In 1998 a new 'wonder' drug was approved for use in the United States
Namibian Independence
In March 1990, Namibia became independent from South African rule.
The Tunnellers of WW1
Archive recordings of the tunnellers who fought underground in WW1
Vietnam-China Border War 1979
Former communist allies China and Vietnam fought a short but bloody war in 1979.
Mad Cow Disease and CJD
How a disease affecting cattle was transferred to the human population in Britain.
Tenerife Air Disaster
In March 1977 the worst accident in the history of civil aviation took place in Tenerife.
The Kasztner Affair
In March 1957, an Israeli political scandal ended in an assassination.
Radiocarbon Dating of the Turin Shroud
In 1988 scientists performed a carbon dating test on the Shroud of Turin.
The Original Revolutionary Feminist
Alexandra Kollontai was the leading Marxist feminist in Communist Russia.
The Release of the Birmingham Six
In March 1991, six men were freed ending one of Britain's worst miscarriages of justice
Spinsters' Rights
Millions of women were left single after the men they would have married died in WW1.
Poisoned in Kosovo
How Roma Gypsies, who fled ethnic violence in 1999, were settled in a camp on toxic land
Condemned as a Spy in the USSR
Flora Leipman, a British Jew, falsely condemned as a spy, was sent to a labour camp
Marie Stopes: Birth Control Pioneer
In March 1921, Marie Stopes opened Britain's first birth control clinic in London
The Polaroid Instant Camera
In February 1947 Edwin Land unveiled his new invention, the first ever instant camera.
The Siege of Sarajevo
Twenty years ago the siege of Sarajevo ended, the longest siege in modern history
The Foxcatcher Story
In 1996 an American multi-millionaire murdered one of the wrestlers he was sponsoring
The Caracazo Protests
In February 1989 new austerity measures sparked days of violent protests in Venezuela
Philippines People Power Revolution
In 1986, Filipinos took to the streets to overthrow the regime of Ferdinand Marcos
The Back to Africa Movement
In the late 1800s thousands of African-Americans tried to emigrate to escape violence
The Death of Jonas Savimbi
In February 2002 the controversial Angolan rebel leader was killed by government forces
The UK’s Foot-and-Mouth Epidemic
In 2001 an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease devastated the British farming industry
The Battle of Verdun
In 1916, French and German armies began one of the most devastating battles of WW1
Seven Years In Tibet
The Austrian mountaineer who lived in the forbidden land of Tibet in the 1940s and 50s.
Christian Dior's New Look
In February 1947, French designer Christian Dior transformed post-war fashion.
The Attempt to Kill Khaled Meshaal
In 1997 Israeli secret agents tried to assassinate a Hamas leader, Khaled Meshaal.
Black Sabbath
On Friday 13 February 1970, heavy metal band Black Sabbath released their first album
Britain's Secret Code-Breakers
Witness talks to one of Britain's secret army of World War Two code-breakers
Pakistan's Women Only Police Station
In 1994 Pakistan opened the country's first all-female police station
The Arab Spring and Syria
The story of the first protests against the Assad regime in 2011
The Last of the Red Hot Mamas
The larger than life vaudeville star - Sophie Tucker - died on February 9th 1966.
Prozac
In the spring of 1988 a new kind of anti-depressant went on the market.
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
In 1938, the first animated feature film was released, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs
The ‘Abscam’ Corruption Investigation
The FBI sting operation that ensnared corrupt politicians using a fictitious Arab sheikh.
Spanish Embassy Killings
In January 1980, 37 people died as police stormed Spain's embassy in Guatemala
The First Batman TV Series
In January 1966 Batman and Robin appeared on the small screen for the first time
Sharia Returns to Nigeria
In 2000, Zamfara became the first Nigerian state to implement full Sharia law
The Challenger Disaster
On 28 January 1986 The Challenger space shuttle launch went horribly wrong
The First Fleet Lands in Australia
Britain established a penal colony in Australia.In January 1788
The Wapping Dispute
In January 1986 newspaper owner Rupert Murdoch took on the British print unions.
The Funeral of Jan Palach
Hundreds of thousands of people mourned the student activist in Prague in January 1969.
The Poisoning of Viktor Yushchenko
In 2004, a Ukrainian presidential candidate Viktor Yushchenko was mysteriously poisoned
The Soldier Who Never Surrendered
In 1972 a Japanese soldier was found hiding in the jungle on the Pacific island of Guam.
Mexico's Tequila Crisis
In January 1995 Mexico was forced to seek a multi-billion dollar bailout from the US
The Adventures of Tintin
One of the most famous cartoon characters in history was born in January 1929 - Tintin.
Nigeria's First Coup
In 1966 a small group of Nigerian army officers launched the country's first ever coup
The Freedom Tower in Tehran
Hossein Amanat was the young architect employed to build a tower for Iranian royalty.
The First Alzheimer's Patient
The tragic case that led to the discovery of Alzheimer's disease.
Russia's Forbidden Art
The Russian painter who created a world-famous collection of forbidden Soviet art
A Mass Shooting in America
In October 2006 a man killed five Amish schoolgirls and injured five more in Pennsylvania
Fidel Castro Takes Havana
In Jan 1959 leftist revolutionaries ended decades of rule by Cuba's US-backed dictator
The Eames Chair
In 1956, Charles and Ray Eames launched the Eames Chair.
The start of the Open University
A new university in Britain offers a radically different approach to higher education.
Vietnamese Boat People Arrive in Britain
Some of the first Vietnamese refugees arrive in Britain after a dramatic rescue at sea.