Best Speak Danish Podcasts (2025)

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292. Ancient Gaza: From The Assyrians to The Romans (Part 2) 42:30

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4h ago42:30

42:30

Why did the Assyrians spare Philistine port cities like Gaza when they conquered The Levant? How did the Persians overthrow the Babylonians in the region? What did Alexander The Great send back to his tutor after he sieged Gaza City? William and Anita are joined once again by Josephine Quinn, Professor of Ancient History at the University of Cambri…

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Everything you need to know about water in Denmark: Stories from the Streets with Maria Pagola 27:22

6h ago27:22

27:22

Welcome back to another edition of Stories from the Streets with Maria Pagola - a bonus series from The Danish Connection where you get the chance to hear the unfiltered voices of Copenhagen speaking about the big topics, the small details, and everything in between. In this episode, Maria discusses the many layers of meaning behind Denmark’s most …

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291. Ancient Gaza: The Philistines (Part 1) 48:56

1d ago48:56

48:56

Gaza is one of the oldest urban centres on Earth, and in this series we are exploring its long history. It was first referred to by Pharaoh Thutmose III in the 15th century BC when it was known as Ghazzati. In this episode we ask: Who were the Philistines? Why did Egyptian pharaohs put monopolies on Gazan sweet wine? And what was 'The Bronze Age Co…

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290. Medieval India’s Alexander The Great: The Cholas (Part 2) 37:44

4m ago37:44

37:44

Who was South India’s equivalent to Alexander The Great? How did the Chola dynasty conquer Southeast Asia? And what was life like for the enslaved “service women” in the Chola court? William and Anita are joined once again by Anirudh Kanisetti, author of Lords of Earth and Sea: A History of the Chola Empire, to discuss Rajaraja I and the developmen…

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A murder in Fyn sparks femicide debate, RUC recruits foreign students to rescue its economy and the disturbing case of a former politician convicted for possession of child pornography 52:31

9d ago52:31

52:31

This week on The Danish Connection, we’re digging into three huge stories that reveal the darker sides of public figures, education systems, and women’s safety in Denmark: 🇩🇰 Eva breaks down the shocking case of former Social Democrats minister Henrik Sass Larsen, who has been convicted of possessing thousands of child sexual abuse materials, and w…

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289. Medieval India’s Game of Thrones: The Cholas (Part 1) 43:15

5d ago43:15

43:15

Who were the Cholas who ruled in South India from the 9th century? How was a Hindu symbol of a Chola queen the inspiration behind the Christian hymn “Lord of The Dance”? What was the Medieval Indian equivalent of the “Iron Bank” in Game of Thrones? William and Anita are joined by Anirudh Kanisetti, author of Lords of Earth and Sea: A History of the…

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288. Suez Crisis: The End of The British Empire (Part 5) 42:52

7d ago42:52

42:52

How did the Suez Crisis end? Why did the Suez Crisis mark the end of the Anglo-American “special relationship”? And was it Egypt or India that marked the nail in the coffin of the British Empire? William and Anita are joined for the final time by Alex Von Tunzelmann, author of Blood and Sand: Suez, Hungary, & The Crisis That Shook The World, to dis…

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287. Suez Crisis: Lies, Cyanide Pills, & Soviet Tanks (Part 4) 43:58

12d ago43:58

43:58

Who was Dulles Airport named after and why was he instrumental in de-escalating the Suez Crisis? Why did Nasser order cyanide pills for his military generals during the crisis? How did the Egyptians use beer bottles to block the Suez Canal? William and Anita are joined once again by Alex Von Tunzelmann, author of Blood and Sand: Suez, Hungary, & Th…

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286. Suez Crisis: Hungary Revolts & Britain Bombs Egypt (Part 3) 46:15

15d ago46:15

46:15

What did the Queen think about Britain’s humiliating failures in Suez in 1956? Why did France and Britain not inform their American allies of the invasion? What was simultaneously going on in Hungary that sent the UN into crisis mode? William and Anita are joined once again by Alex Von Tunzelmann, author of Blood and Sand: Suez, Hungary, & The Cris…

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From Denmark to the Mediterranean: Border policy and migration with Sine Plambech 1:02:11

22d ago1:02:11

1:02:11

Welcome back to The Situation Room. This week, Jonas Friis is joined by Sine Plambech -anthropologist, author, filmmaker, and Senior Researcher at the Danish Institute for International Studies (DIIS). Her work spans migration, smuggling, trafficking, and the sex industry, taking her deep into migrant communities, border zones, red-light districts,…

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285. Suez Crisis: The Secret Meeting Between Israel, Britain & France (Part 2) 40:26

27d ago40:26

40:26

Why did France & Britain secretly collude with Israel against Egypt? What did America think was going on in Suez? Why did the Soviets think the US was behind an uprising in Hungary? William and Anita are joined once again by Alex Von Tunzelmann, author of Blood and Sand: Suez, Hungary, & The Crisis That Shook The World, to discuss the second chapte…

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284. Suez Crisis: The British Imperialist vs The Arab Nationalist (Part 1) 42:07

26d ago42:07

42:07

How did Britain and France almost start World War 3 in 1956? Who was Anthony Eden and why did he hate Egyptian leader Gamal Abdel Nasser? Why was the Suez Canal so vital to European oil supplies in the 1950s? Anita and William are joined by the brilliant Alex Von Tunzelmann, author of Blood and Sand: Suez, Hungary, & The Crisis That Shook The World…

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Novo’s stocks in freefall, Mette Frederiksen's dilemma on Palestine and new study reveals 8 year old Danes use smart phones 42:19

30d ago42:19

42:19

The Danish stock market, Novo Nordisk and Trump Rachel explores how Trump’s trade policies are sending shockwaves through Danish companies like Novo Nordisk, Ørsted, and Vestas. With tariffs, the falling value of the dollar, and investor uncertainty hitting the Danish economy, she looks into what this means for Denmark’s future in global markets an…

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283. Partition: East Pakistan Becomes Bangladesh (Part 6) 54:53

26d ago54:53

54:53

How did Bangladesh separate from Pakistan in 1971? When did India and Pakistan go from sharing intelligence to being at the brink of nuclear war? Why did George Harrison from the Beatles organise a concert for Bangladesh? William and Anita are joined once again by Sam Dalrymple, author of Shattered Lands: Five Partitions And The Making of Modern As…

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282. Partition: The Birth of The Kashmir Conflict (Part 5) 49:56

28d ago49:56

49:56

What happened to the 565 princely states within British India when it became independent from the empire? How are the current conflicts in Balochistan and Kashmir linked to the partition of the princely states? Why have copies of the Lonely Planet been burnt because of their maps of Kashmir? William and Anita are joined once again by Sam Dalrymple,…

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281. Partition: Why Was India Split In Two? (Part 4) 54:11

1M ago54:11

54:11

Why was the Partition of India and Pakistan so rushed in 1947? How did Partition divide everything from stationery to army boots in a matter of weeks? And how do South Asians today grapple with the memory of the largest forced migration in history? William and Anita are joined once again by Sam Dalrymple, author of Shattered Lands: Five Partitions …

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280. Partition: The Creation of Pakistan (Part 3) 42:01

1M ago42:01

42:01

Why did Jinnah initially accept that Pakistan could be part of an Indian Federation? When did Jinnah start to push for Pakistan to be independent from India? What was Direct Action Day in 1946, and how did it start the violence of Partition? William and Anita are joined once again by Sam Dalrymple, author of Shattered Lands: Five Partitions And The…

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A round-up of the latest news in Denmark 43:39

1M ago43:39

43:39

It may be ‘cucumber time’ in Denmark, but we’ve still managed to create a roundup of the latest news to keep you informed! This week on The Danish Connection: *Danish zoos spark global outrage after asking people to donate unwanted pets and livestock on Facebook. *In Amager, a butcher shop targeted by animal rights protests and vandalism sees sales…

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279. Partition: How Dubai Almost Became Part of India (Part 2) 41:25

1M ago41:25

41:25

Why have we forgotten that much of the Arabian peninsula was once legally part of India? How were the founding fathers of Yemen influenced by Indian nationalists? Which British spy was a double agent for the CIA and the KGB when he was based in Bahrain? William and Anita are joined once again by Sam Dalrymple, author of Shattered Lands: Five Partit…

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278. Partition: India’s Break With Burma (Part 1) 47:03

1M ago47:03

47:03

Why did Japan’s invasion of Burma in WW2 affect its path to independence? Who was the Burmese fascist leader who praised Hitler for his views on immigration? How did the separation of Burma link to the origin of the Rohingya Genocide? Anita and William are joined by Sam Dalrymple, author of Shattered Lands: Five Partitions And The Making of Modern …

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277. America Drills Through Hell’s Gorge (Part 5) 42:21

2M ago42:21

42:21

How did the US orchestrate the Panamanian Revolution to be able to build the Panama Canal? Why did French engineer Bunau-Varilla and the US sign a treaty about Panama without a single Panamanian in the room? How did Americans impose Jim Crow laws in The Canal Zone? William and Anita are joined by Matthew Parker, author of Hell’s Gorge: The Battle T…

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276. The Biggest Corruption Scandal in French History (Part 4) 32:01

2M ago32:01

32:01

How was George Eiffel of the Eiffel Tower involved in a huge corruption scandal associated with the Panama Canal? How many workers died during the French attempt to build the canal? And who was Bunau-Varilla and how did this smooth-talking moustache-wielding French engineer manage to sweet talk the US government to back his plan? Anita and William …

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The Great Fire of London 11:41

2M ago11:41

11:41

William and Anita are joined by historian and co-host of Goalhanger’s Journey Through Time, David Olusoga, to discuss their new series on The Great Fire of London. What caused the capital to go up in flames on 2nd September, 1666? How did a fire that started in a bakery grow to engulf so much of the city? Who was Samuel Pepys, the great diarist who…

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275. The Battle To Build The Panama Canal (Part 3) 41:43

2M ago41:43

41:43

What madcap schemes did French engineers use to drum up support to build the Panama Canal in the 1880s? How did the Gold Rush affect the flow of travellers through Panama looking for a shortcut? Who was the eccentric Frenchman Ferdinand de Lesseps and why did he fly a hot air balloon over Paris to support the building of the Panama Canal? William a…

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274. Pirates of Panama: Francis Drake Strikes Spain's Empire (Part 2) 50:06

2M ago50:06

50:06

Who was Captain Morgan, and why is a spiced rum named after him? How did a Welsh buccaneer lead an attack on the heart of Spain’s empire in Panama? How did Elizabeth I fund Francis Drake’s first slaving voyage? William and Anita are joined once again by historian and archaeologist Mark Horton to discuss pirate raids in Panama in the 1600s. Empire C…

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Sperm donation in Denmark: Stories from the Streets with Maria Pagola 37:23

2M ago37:23

37:23

Why does Denmark have so many sperm donors? How do Danes deal with death? How safe is it to swim in, and drink the water here? How is it to be a sex worker in Denmark? Welcome to season two of Stories from the Streets with Maria Pagola - an extra monthly episode from The Danish Connection where you’ll hear the unfiltered voices of Copenhagen speaki…

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273. Panama’s Brutish Conquistador Who Found The Pacific and Lost His Head (Part 1) 45:48

2M ago45:48

45:48

Who was the first European to see the Pacific Ocean? Who was Balboa and why did he set his bloodhounds on Native people in Panama? Why do we remember Cortes over the brutish conquistador Balboa? Anita and William are joined by Mark Horton to discuss the conquistadors in Panama. Empire Club: Become a member of the Empire Club to receive early access…

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272. Solving The Mystery of America's Lost Colony 45:40

2M ago45:40

45:40

Have archaeologists finally solved the 400 year mystery of the lost American colonists? Who orchestrated historical hoaxes in the 1930s and did they get away with it? How has the history of the Roanoke Colony been reappropriated by the right-wing? Anita and William are joined by archaeologist Mark Horton to exclusively discuss his exciting new disc…

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271. Canada’s Dark Secret: Stolen Children, Unmarked Graves, & Survival Stories (Ep 5) 49:29

3M ago49:29

49:29

What was life like for Indigenous children forced to attend Residential Schools in Canada in the 1800s and 1900s? When was the final residential school closed? Which grim discovery in 2021 forced non-Indigenous Canadians to grapple with this dark history? Listen as Anita and William are joined by Celia Haig-Brown, co-author of Tsqelmucwilc: The Kam…

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270. The Day The Brits Burned The White House (Ep 4) 51:15

2M ago51:15

51:15

Why did Washington invade Quebec? How did the US fail to take the Canadian territories during the Revolutionary Wars? And why did the British burn the White House? Anita and William are once again joined by Maya Jasanoff to discuss how the American Revolution birthed Canada. ----------------- Empire Club: Become a member of the Empire Club to recei…

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Roskilde gossip, a DNA scandal & why young Danes are having less sex 42:50

2M ago42:50

42:50

With half of the population of Copenhagen at Roskilde this week, Eva away in Aalborg and the weather being a complete b*tch, Melissa and Rachel bring you a chatty episode to cheer you up looking into three of the top stories in Denmark this week: *We talk about waste management at Roskilde and how activism at festivals became controversial. *We loo…

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269. Colonising Canada: The Truth Behind ‘The Last of The Mohicans’ (Ep 3) 57:58

3M ago57:58

57:58

Is there any truth in the film 'The Last of The Mohicans' and how did the French and Indian War that it's based on change the make-up of Canada? Why was the Seven Years War the first truly global war? What is the connection between the forced removal of the Acadians in Canada and cajun spices? Anita and William are joined by Maya Jasanoff to discus…

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The Situation Room with Jonas Friis: A history of Denmark’s evolving military strategy 38:02

3M ago38:02

38:02

Welcome back to The Situation Room. This week Jonas Friis sits down with Jan Werner Mathiasen - a military analyst at the Institute for Strategy and War Studies, where he also teaches and researches military strategy. Jan focuses on how culture, domestic politics, and identity affect how countries use military power. He has also been an officer in …

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268. Colonising Canada: Why Does Quebec Speak French? (Ep 2) 51:18

3M ago51:18

51:18

How did beaver fur and codfish turn a failed French attempt at colonisation into a success? What is the historical context behind Quebec as a French-speaking region of Canada? Did Indigenous leaders cleverly manipulate French settlers into fighting their tribal wars? William and Anita discuss how the trade in fur and fish supercharged the growth of…

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267. Colonising Canada: Kidnapping, Scurvy, & Fool’s Gold (Ep 1) 44:25

3M ago44:25

44:25

Who was the first European to try and colonise Canada? Who was John Cabot and why was he spied on by Columbus? Why did Jacques Cartier kidnap Indigenous Canadians and take them back to France? What is the mythology behind Canada being known as “Turtle Island”? William and Anita explore the early history of the colonisation of Canada and how Europea…

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266. American Greenland: Nazis, Secret Nuclear Bases, & Trump (Ep 4) 43:28

3M ago43:28

43:28

When did the US first ask to buy Greenland? Why did America occupy the region in World War II? And how did a secret plan codenamed “Project Iceworm” lead to nuclear waste spilling on Greenland’s soil? Anita and William are joined by Daniel Immerwahr, author of How To Hide An Empire, to discuss the history of America’s involvement with Greenland, an…

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265. Danish Greenland: Eradicating Inuit Culture (Ep 3) 40:33

3M ago40:33

40:33

How did the Danish missionary Hans Egede combine capitalism and religion in his colonisation of Greenland in the 1700s? Why have we forgotten about Danish colonialism in India and Greenland? When did Greenlanders gain self-determination? Anita and William discuss how the Danes colonised Greenland in the 18th century, using a system not too dissimil…

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264. Viking Greenland: Mysteries of the Lost Norse Settlers (Ep 2) 40:15

3M ago40:15

40:15

How did the Vikings and the Inuit interact in Greenland? When was the last record of Norse settlers in the region? How did climate change affect the decline of Viking settlers in Greenland, and why is their disappearance shrouded in mystery? William and Anita are joined once again by Eleanor Barraclough, author of Embers of The Hands: Hidden Histor…

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Murder in the Congo, The Cuban Missile Crisis, & India in the UN (EXTRACT) 21:36

3M ago21:36

21:36

How did the first Asian UN Secretary General prevent multiple Armeggedons in the 1960s? What is the mystery surrounding his predecessor’s death? How did the Global South shape the UN in a post-colonial landscape? What does the future of the UN look like in these uncertain times? In this special bonus episode we have made public for all, William and…

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263. Viking Greenland: Erik The Red & Horny Zombies (Ep 1) 43:11

3M ago43:11

43:11

How did the Norse settlers in Greenland adapt to the harsh Arctic environment, and what did their diet consist of beyond fish? What role did walrus ivory play in their trade with Norway? And who were the "horny zombies" encountered in the Vinland sagas? In the first chapter of the new series on the history behind Trump's Shopping List, William and …

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262. Berlin Blockade: Airlift Across The Iron Curtain (Ep 2) 40:01

3M ago40:01

40:01

When was Checkpoint Charlie created in Berlin? What triggered Stalin to enact a blockade on West Berlin? And how did the Western powers airlift over 2.3 million tons of supplies to their occupied zone of the city from 1948 to 1949? William and Anita are joined once again by Giles Milton, author of Checkmate in Berlin: The Cold War Showdown That Sha…

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Maternity in Denmark as an expat, junk food ads on social media banned, and Palestine debate blocked in schools 1:02:49

4M ago1:02:49

1:02:49

Welcome back to another brand new episode of The Danish Connection - this is a special one! Government moves to ban ads for junk food aimed at childrenReported by Melissa As part of Cancer Plan V, Denmark will tighten its Marketing Act to stop influencers and companies from targeting children under 15 with ads for soda, chips, and fast food. Meliss…

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261. Race To Berlin 1945: A Devastated City Divided (Ep 1) 58:23

4M ago58:23

58:23

What was life like in Berlin in the immediate aftermath of the Second World War? Why did the Red Army steal taps from Berlin houses when they reached the city? Was the famous photo of the red flag on the Reichstag staged or authentic? Anita and William are joined by Giles Milton, author of Checkmate in Berlin: The Cold War Showdown That Shaped the …

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260. Yalta: Signing Away The Fate of The World (Ep 5) 54:26

4M ago54:26

54:26

Did the Western powers fail at Yalta? Did Churchill hold strong in his red line about the fate of Poland? Why did the Big Three eat a huge feast in the middle of a war zone? In the final episode in the story of the infamous Yalta conference, Anita and William discuss the moment that Stalin, FDR, and Churchill signed on the dotted line. ------------…

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259. Eastern Europe & “The Great Betrayal” (Ep 4) 42:58

4M ago42:58

42:58

Who created the United Nations? How did The Big Three divide Germany between themselves? Why did Poland see the Yalta conference as “The Great Betrayal”? Anita and William explore the origins of the United Nations and how the compromises made by world leaders in 1945 continue to affect geopolitics today… Love History? Get our exclusive History Toda…

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258. The Big Three & The Big Carve Up (Ep 3) 40:16

4M ago40:16

40:16

Where did The Big Three stay as they carved up the post-war world map, and why were their rooms full of bedbugs? Why did FDR refuse to allow the press to photograph him arriving at Yalta? What role did Churchill and FDR’s daughters play in the political negotiations? William and Anita discuss the first day of the Yalta conference and the unlikely a…

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New law proposed to limit use of English, a Danish embassy in Tunisia and major justice reforms bring tougher sentences and more reintegration plans 46:49

4M ago46:49

46:49

The rain is back, and so are we! This week on The Danish Connection: Political push to limit English in Danish institutions Reported by Rachel Are Danes speaking too much English in their daily lives? Two parties are proposing new language laws to restrict English in public spaces and education. While supporters argue it's about protecting Danish i…

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257. Churchill, FDR, & Mind Games at Yalta (Ep 2) 41:37

4M ago41:37

41:37

How did FDR become the mediator between Stalin and Churchill at the 1945 conference? Why did Churchill call Yalta the “Hades Riviera”? What was Mussolini’s rude nickname for FDR? Anita and William dive into the backstories of Churchill and FDR ahead of their arrival in Yalta, and explore the meetings that led up to the eight days that changed the w…

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256. Stalin & 8 Days That Changed The World (Ep 1) 38:25

4M ago38:25

38:25

How did one peace conference in Yalta in 1945 completely transform the world in just eight days? What was Joseph Stalin's backstory before becoming the Soviet leader? What is the relevance of the Yalta conference to global politics today? In a brand new series, Anita and William explore how Winston Churchill, Joseph Stalin and Franklin D. Roosevelt…

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255. Victorian Narcos: From Opium To Fentanyl (Ep 9) 48:19

4M ago48:19

48:19

What led to the Second Opium War? Why wasn’t China colonised by Europeans? When did China start referring to this period as the “century of humiliation” and how did this narrative shape nationalism in the 20th century? Anita and William are joined by Stephen R. Platt, author of Imperial Twilight, for the final instalment of this series in which the…