Witness History: Archive 2014

Latest Episodes:

The OJ Simpson Car Chase Jun 16, 2014

Show notes

In June 1994 police chased the former American football star along the freeways of Los Angeles. They wanted to arrest him following the death of his ex-wife. Hear from one of the policemen who helped bring him in - detective Tom Lange.

(Photo: Detective Lange and another police officer flanking OJ Simpson after the car chase. Credit: Vince Bucci. AFP/Getty Images)

Brazil's Tropicalia Movement Jun 13, 2014

Show notes

Gilberto Gil and Caetano Veloso on the radical movement which burst onto the Brazilian music scene in the late 1960s Photo: Gilberto Gil in Paris in 2003 (AFP) and Caetano Veloso in Italy in 2008 (Getty Images)

The Fusca - The Car that Charmed Brazil Jun 12, 2014

Show notes

Since its launch in the 1950s, the Brazilian version of the VW Beetle has had a special place in the nation's heart. Cheap, charismatic and virtually indestructible, it was many Brazilians' first car and is affectionately known as the Fusca. The Fusca played a key role in the development of Brazil's economically and politically vital national car industry. Witness speaks to two Fusca fans.

(Photo: A Fusca in the colonial town of Paraty. Credit: Getty Images)

The Murder that Shocked Brazil Jun 11, 2014

Show notes

In June 2002 investigative journalist Tim Lopes was brutally killed by a drug gang in a Rio de Janeiro shanty town. Witness speaks to his son, Bruno Quintella, who was 19 years old at the time.

(Photo: Tim Lopes and his son, Bruno, courtesy of the family)

Building of Brasilia Jun 10, 2014

Show notes

In 1960, Brazil opened a new capital city in its remote central plains. Designed by the modernist architect Oscar Niemeyer, it was intended to bring development to the interior and symbolise Brazil's future ambitions. Witness speaks to Osorio Machado, an engineer who worked on the construction of Brasilia.

(Photo: Getty Images)

War of Canudos in Brazil Jun 09, 2014

Show notes

In 1897, at least 15,000 people died when the Brazilian army crushed a rebellion by peasants in the arid backlands of north-east Brazil. The rebels were led by a charismatic preacher called Anthony the Counsellor. The War of Canudos is now seen as a defining moment in the emergence of modern Brazil. Witness tells the story of the conflict using a contemporary account by the Brazilian author, Euclides Da Cunha. The programme also speaks to professor David Treece of King's College London.

(Photo: Survivors of the War of Canudos pictured shortly after the final assault)

Broadcasting D-Day Jun 06, 2014

Show notes

On 6 June 1944, Allied forces launched their long awaited invasion of Nazi-occupied France. It was a crucial step in the liberation of western Europe. Using original BBC reports from the time - from Chester Wilmot, Richard Dimbleby, Robin Duff, Ward Smith and Alan Melville - we tell the story of D-Day.

The Death of Alan Turing Jun 05, 2014

Show notes

It is 60 years since the great British mathematician died. He is believed to have killed himself after he was put on trial because he was gay. Hear from the Greenbaum sisters who knew Alan Turing as a family friend when they were children.

Picture: Alan Turing, Science Photo Library

The Tiananmen Square Massacre Jun 04, 2014

Show notes

In June 1989 the communist authorities in China crushed a huge pro-democracy protest in Beijing. Demonstrators, most of them students, had been occupying Tiananmen Square for weeks on end. On June 4th the army was sent in to clear the area, killing hundreds. Diane Wei Liang and Hayou Zhang were among the protestors - they remember that day.

(Photo: Demonstrators in Tiananmen Square. Credit: AFP/Getty Images)

Native American Occupation Of Alcatraz Jun 03, 2014

Show notes

In June 1971, an 18-month long occupation of Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay by Native Americans came to an end. It was credited with raising awareness of indigenous rights. Hear from 'Indians Of All Tribes' spokesman and protest participant John Trudell.

(Photo: Alcatraz Island. Credit: Getty Images)

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