Short History Of... Episodes Episode guide
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The Fukushima Disaster
Japan's biggest earthquake and fear of a global nuclear meltdown. How close did we come?
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The French Revolution (Part 2)
How did the relationship between king and people deteriorate so badly in France?
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The French Revolution (Part 1)
The French Revolution introduced radical new ideas to Europe. But how did it come about?
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The French Resistance
In the years of Nazi occupation, who were the French and Allied citizens risking all?
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The Founding Fathers of the United States
The founding of the USA, 4th July, 1776 changed the world. Who were the founding fathers?
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The First Persian Empire
For over 200 years the First Persian Empire ruled over a vast expanse across 3 continents
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The Dambusters
The top-secret Dambusters mission... What is the story?
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The Cuban Missile Crisis, Part 2 of 2
With Soviet missiles on Cuban soil, The United States is now in Moscow's crosshairs.
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The Cuban Missile Crisis, Part 1 of 2
Three men – Kennedy, Khrushchev, and Castro – hold the fate of the planet in their hands.
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The Crown Jewels
A priceless collection of treasures kept in the Tower of London… What's the real story?
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The Congo River
The world's deepest and most powerful waterway, with an exciting, often dark, history
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The Colosseum
The Colosseum, voted one of the seven wonders of the world. What is its remarkable story?
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The California Gold Rush
In 1848, the discovery of gold in the American River triggers an explosion of findings.
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The Boston Tea Party
America, 1773. 300 chests of tea are thrown into Griffin's Wharf. What happened, and why?
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The Black Death
The Black Death ravages the populations of three continents during the 1340s.
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The Beatles
The Beatles - the biggest band the world has ever seen. What's their story?
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The Battle of the Somme
The Battle of the Somme was supposed to be the offensive to win WW1. What's the story?
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The Aztecs
The Aztecs arrived into central Mexico in the 1300s. What is their real story?
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The Ancient Olympics
How did the Olympic Games begin? And why did the Games die out for over a thousand years?
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The Abolition of the British Slave Trade
Throughout 18th Century Britain, calls for the end of the slave trade grew louder
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Stonehenge
What is Stonehenge? An ancient clock or computer? And who lived and died to create it?
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St Patrick
St Patrick is honoured by millions worldwide every year, what is his real story?
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Sitting Bull
Sitting Bull was the greatest chief the Lakota people had ever known
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Queen Victoria
One of the most iconic and beloved monarchs, but who was the real Queen Victoria?
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Princess Diana
Princess Diana. How should we remember the ‘People’s Princess’ today?
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Pompeii and the Vesuvius Eruption
In 79 AD, one of history’s most infamous natural disasters unfolds in Pompeii.
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Polynesian Exploration
The Polynesian exploration has been compared to missions into space. What's the story?
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Petra
Lost for 1,000 years, and rediscovered by a Swiss explorer... the ancient city of Petra
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Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali - the greatest boxer of all time?
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Mount Rushmore
Designed to be a shrine of democracy, what is the real Mount Rushmore story?