We Didn't Start the Fire: The History Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Ben Hur Jun 05, 2022

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It's the queer-coded biblical epic that rivals the Fast and the Furious in its action sequences and Avengers Endgame for its sheer enormity...it's Ben Hur time baby! But WHY oh why is it 4 whole hours long? Why is Jesus so coy? How did they record those chariot scenes? And how was it so successful? Luckily for us, film critic Helen O'Hara is back.

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Buddy Holly May 30, 2022

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He's the king of nerd chic and the inventor of the power trio. He changes the way bands play and pop music wouldn't be the same without him. But without Elvis' swagger and Little Richard's flamboyance... what's Buddy's special sauce? And how does it all come crashing down so soon? We're stumped by Buddy's meteoric rise, but luckily music professor and Lubbock resident, Christopher Smith is here to help!

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Introducing... Where’s My Jetpack? May 23, 2022

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We think you’re going to love this. ‘Where’s my Jetpack?’ explores the promises made to us by films and TV when we were kids. Flying cars, hoverboards, holidays on the moon. What happened to these space age dreams? It’s a valid question. And Sarah Cruddas and Luke Moore are here to answer it!

This episode, they ask: Where's My Moon Base? To hear the full series, search for ‘Where’s My Jetpack?’ in your favourite podcast app, or hit the link below.

http://smarturl.it/wheresmyjetpack

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Death of a Rock Star: Buddy Holly May 22, 2022

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We're taking a break from toasting our lobes around the fire this week, but fear not! Here's another show we think you'll love - Death of a Rock Star. It's all about the lives and deaths of the world's most famous musicians, and this episode is all about Buddy Holly. We've got a scintillating episode about the man himself coming up next week, so tune into this episode of Death of a Rock Star and prime those ears!

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Children of Thalidomide May 16, 2022

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It's been called the most scandalous medical cover up of the 20th century. A pill that was given to pregnant women in the 60s as a treatment for morning sickness was soon found to have had disastrous side effects. If the babies didn't die in the womb, they were born with life-changing deformities and disabilities; and they're still fighting for recognition and compensation 60 years on. Katie and Tom are joined in the studio by Thalidomider Mikey Argy from the UK, and Thalidomide survivor C. Jean Grover in the US.

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Starkweather Homicide May 09, 2022

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What's the difference between a serial and a spree killer? Was Charles Starkweather a psychopath, and did he commit homicide? What even is a psychopath? Set against the life and death of Charles Starkweather, a teenager who took the lives of 11 people in 1957-58, Katie and Tom put all these questions and more to the incomparable David Wilson, ex-prison governor and one of the UK's most well-renowned criminologists, who's come face-to-face with some of the world's most heinous murderers.

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California Baseball May 02, 2022

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It's here. The fifth and final chapter in Billy's accolade to his favourite sport. Why did New York's two biggest baseball teams up sticks and leave their hometown, their communities, their diehard fans, and head west? The momentous move in 1958 was a reflection of a wider cultural shift that was going on in the US at this time, says this week's guest Josh Chetwynd, who's back for a final time.

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Charles de Gaulle Apr 25, 2022

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"The General." "The Great Asparagus." "A man with the most oversized personality." Charles de Gaulle was President of France from 1959-69, and his near-mythological status had been building up for decades before then. His debut appearance in Billy's song is because of his critical involvement in the May 1958 Crisis, which saw Algerian Nationalists rise up and, after nearly 130 years of French colonisation, fight for freedom. Dr Arthur Asseraf is an expert in modern France and North Africa, and grew up in France well aware of the near-mythological status that de Gaulle still adopts today.

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Lebanon Apr 18, 2022

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In May 1958, Lebanon erupted into crisis. Political and religious tensions had got too much, and people took to the streets to vent their frustration and anger. Desperate for help, President Chamoun turns to the US for help - marking the first of many American interventions in the Middle East. Our guest today is the Lebanese historian and daughter of Lebanese immigrants who escaped during the latter 1975-90 Civil War, Chloé Kattar.

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Bridge on the River Kwai Apr 11, 2022

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We've finally scrambled our way to the end of 1957 in Billy's smash hit, and with it we're off to Thailand in WWII. David Lean's war epic is widely regarded as one of the greatest films of all time - and film critic Helen O'Hara joins Katie and Tom to battle it out whether this still stands.

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