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History Hit

Historian Dan Snow investigates the 'how' and 'why' of history's defining moments.

From the Colosseum of Ancient Rome and the battlefields of Waterloo to the tomb of Tutankhamun, Dan journeys across the globe to share the greatest stories from the past that help us understand the present.

New episodes on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

You can get in touch with us at ds.hh@historyhit.com

A podcast by History Hit, the world's best history channel and creators of award-winning podcasts The Ancients, Gone Medieval, and Betwixt the Sheets.

Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.

Dan Snow's History Hit

On the morning of August 15th, 1945, Emperor Hirohito's voice crackled over Japanese airwaves to announce the unthinkable - the surrender of Japan. Today we delve into the complex story behind that surrender, examining Japan's fierce military code, the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and the Soviet invasion of Manchuria.

We're joined by Dr. Evan Mawdsley, historian of the Second World War, to unpack the final days of the Pacific War and explore what might have happened if Japan had not surrendered.

Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Tim Arstall.

Join Dan and the team for a special LIVE recording of Dan Snow's History Hit on Friday, 12th September 2025! 

To celebrate 10 years of the podcast, Dan is putting on a special show of signature storytelling, never-before-heard anecdotes from his often stranger-than-fiction career, as well as answering the burning questions you've always wanted to ask!

Get tickets here, before they sell out: https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/words/dan-snows-history-hit/.

We'd love to hear your feedback - you can take part in our podcast survey here: https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on.

You can also email the podcast directly at ds.hh@historyhit.com.

The Surrender of Japan

From its origins as a Bronze Age settlement, to a battleground for Robert the Bruce’s men during the Wars of Independence, and a refuge for Mary, Queen of Scots, this castle has stood witness to thousands of years of Scottish history.

Dan joins Senior Guide Mhairi Summers at Edinburgh Castle to tell the tales of the kings, queens, rebels, and prisoners who have passed through its gates over the centuries, revealing how the castle shaped and was shaped by Scottish history.

This is part of Dan's 'Guide to Europe' travel series.

Produced by Mariana Des Forges and edited by Dougal Patmore

You can find out more about visiting Edinburgh Castle here: https://www.edinburghcastle.scot/

Join Dan and the team for a special LIVE recording of Dan Snow's History Hit on Friday, 12th September 2025! 

To celebrate 10 years of the podcast, Dan is putting on a special show of signature storytelling, never-before-heard anecdotes from his often stranger-than-fiction career, as well as answering the burning questions you've always wanted to ask!

Get tickets here, before they sell out: https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/words/dan-snows-history-hit/.

We'd love to hear your feedback - you can take part in our podcast survey here: https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on.

You can also email the podcast directly at ds.hh@historyhit.com.

Edinburgh Castle

Did the "heist of the century" really happen the way the robbers say it did? In the summer of 1963, a gang of masked robbers executed a daring plan to intercept a Royal Mail train carrying millions of pounds in cash. But the robbery itself was just the beginning - what came after - the most wanted men on the run, the jailbreak, the betrayals, fake identities, the surreptitious flights to Latin America and the manhunt across continents - the audacity of it all captured the public's imagination for decades.

Joining Dan is the author of 'The Great Train Robbery: Crime of the Century', Nick Russell-Pavier, who recounts the story of the robbery itself, as well as Colin Mackenzie, who secured one of the scoops of the century when he tracked down train robber Ronnie Biggs in Brazil.

Produced by Mariana Des Forges, edited and sound designed by Dougal Patmore.

Join Dan and the team for a special LIVE recording of Dan Snow's History Hit on Friday, 12th September 2025! 

To celebrate 10 years of the podcast, Dan is putting on a special show of signature storytelling, never-before-heard anecdotes from his often stranger-than-fiction career, as well as answering the burning questions you've always wanted to ask!

Get tickets here, before they sell out: https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/words/dan-snows-history-hit/

We'd love to hear your feedback - you can take part in our podcast survey here: https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on.

You can also email the podcast directly at ds.hh@historyhit.com.

The Great Train Robbery

This episode contains descriptions of graphic violence and may not be suitable for all listeners.

On the morning of August 6th, 1945, a single American bomber unleashed a weapon unlike anything the world had ever seen - Little Boy, the first atomic bomb used in war. In a blinding flash, the city of Hiroshima was levelled. In this episode, we chart that fateful day moment by moment, from the daily routines of the city's mayor and the preparations of the American air crews to the instant of unimaginable destruction.

Joining us is Iain MacGregor, author of ‘The Hiroshima Men: The Quest to Build the Atomic Bomb, and the Fateful Decision to Use It’. He takes us through the horror of this fateful day and the dawn of the nuclear age.

Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.

Join Dan and the team for a special LIVE recording of Dan Snow's History Hit on Friday, 12th September 2025! 

To celebrate 10 years of the podcast, Dan is putting on a special show of signature storytelling, never-before-heard anecdotes from his often stranger-than-fiction career, as well as answering the burning questions you've always wanted to ask!

Get tickets here, before they sell out: https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/words/dan-snows-history-hit/.

We'd love to hear your feedback - you can take part in our podcast survey here: https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on.

You can also email the podcast directly at ds.hh@historyhit.com.

Hiroshima: As It Happened

Join Dan Snow in the heart of Paris as he kicks off his summer series exploring Europe’s greatest historic sites. From a leafy Montmartre café to the towering Gothic Cathedral of Notre-Dame, Dan teams up with local historian and guide Achille Couderc to uncover the deep history of Paris’s Île de la Cité—birthplace of the city. They explore the story of the Notre Dame through the ages - a witness to coronations of kings and Emperors, revolution and a devastating fire in 2019.

This is your essential Paris listening before your summer getaway. Upcoming episodes in the series include: Edinburgh Castle, Napoleon's Paris, Pompeii, The Tower of London, Knossos and The Acropolis.

You can book a tour with Achille! Email: achillecouderc@proton.me for more information.

Produced by Mariana Des Forges, edited by Dougal Patmore, and the production manager was Beth Donaldson. 

Join Dan and the team for a special LIVE recording of Dan Snow's History Hit on Friday, 12th September 2025! 

To celebrate 10 years of the podcast, Dan is putting on a special show of signature storytelling, never-before-heard anecdotes from his often stranger-than-fiction career, as well as answering the burning questions you've always wanted to ask!

Get tickets here, before they sell out: https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/words/dan-snows-history-hit/

We'd love to hear your feedback - you can take part in our podcast survey here: https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on.

You can also email the podcast directly at ds.hh@historyhit.com.

Notre Dame

What really tipped the scales in the Allies’ favour during World War II? In this episode, we break down five critical reasons behind the Allied victory - from strategic coordination to Hitler’s own catastrophic mistakes.

Joining us to dig into this is James Holland, historian of the Second World War and co-host of the 'We Have Ways of Making You Talk' podcast.

Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.

Join Dan and the team for a special LIVE recording of Dan Snow's History Hit on Friday, 12th September 2025! 

To celebrate 10 years of the podcast, Dan is putting on a special show of signature storytelling, never-before-heard anecdotes from his often stranger-than-fiction career, as well as answering the burning questions you've always wanted to ask!

Get tickets here, before they sell out: https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/words/dan-snows-history-hit/.

You can now find Dan Snow's History Hit on YouTube! Watch episodes every Friday (including this one) here.

Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.

We'd love to hear your feedback - you can take part in our podcast survey here: https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on.

You can also email the podcast directly at ds.hh@historyhit.com.

5 Reasons the Allies Won the War

In this episode, we explore the remarkable - and often overlooked - life of Emperor Titus. We uncover the dramatic events that defined his life and reign: from the bloody conquest of Jerusalem to the catastrophic eruption of Mount Vesuvius.

Joining us is Marc Hyden, author of 'Emperor Titus: The Right Hand of Vespasian'. He explains how a man who ruled for just two years left a lasting mark on Roman history.

Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.

Join Dan and the team for a special LIVE recording of Dan Snow's History Hit on Friday, 12th September 2025! 

To celebrate 10 years of the podcast, Dan is putting on a special show of signature storytelling, never-before-heard anecdotes from his often stranger-than-fiction career, as well as answering the burning questions you've always wanted to ask!

Get tickets here, before they sell out: https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/words/dan-snows-history-hit/.

We'd love to hear your feedback - you can take part in our podcast survey here: https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on.

You can also email the podcast directly at ds.hh@historyhit.com.

Emperor Titus

It was one of the most dramatic political upsets in British history. Just weeks after leading Britain to victory in Europe, wartime Prime Minister Winston Churchill was defeated in a landslide by Clement Attlee and the Labour Party in the 1945 general election. How did the Conservatives lose so decisively? What did Labour offer that resonated so strongly with a war-weary public? And how did this election shape the foundations of Britain’s modern welfare state?

For this, we're joined by David Runciman, host of 'Past Present Future' and 'Postwar', a 20-part series for Radio 4 that explores the seismic 1945 election. Dan and David discuss the personalities, policies, and pivotal moments that brought about the dawn of a new age.

Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.

Join Dan and the team for a special LIVE recording of Dan Snow's History Hit on Friday, 12th September 2025! 

To celebrate 10 years of the podcast, Dan is putting on a special show of signature storytelling, never-before-heard anecdotes from his often stranger-than-fiction career, as well as answering the burning questions you've always wanted to ask!

Get tickets here, before they sell out: https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/words/dan-snows-history-hit/

We'd love to hear your feedback - you can take part in our podcast survey here: https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on.

You can also email the podcast directly at ds.hh@historyhit.com.

Churchill vs Attlee: The Election That Changed Britain

We dive into the reign of the first Stuart monarch of England, his political savvy, and the controversies that shaped his rule. From the Gunpowder Plot to the King James Bible, we ask whether history has judged him too harshly - or not harshly enough.

Historian, author and broadcaster Anna Whitelock joins us for a fresh take on the man who united the crowns of England and Scotland.

Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.

Join Dan and the team for a special LIVE recording of Dan Snow's History Hit on Friday, 12th September 2025! 

To celebrate 10 years of the podcast, Dan is putting on a special show of signature storytelling, never-before-heard anecdotes from his often stranger-than-fiction career, as well as answering the burning questions you've always wanted to ask!

Get tickets here, before they sell out: https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/words/dan-snows-history-hit/.

We'd love to hear your feedback - you can take part in our podcast survey here: https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on.

You can also email the podcast directly at ds.hh@historyhit.com.

Is James I an Underrated King?

In 1938, Orson Welles’ War of the Worlds radio broadcast stunned America. It was a defining moment in broadcast history - reports claimed it caused mass panic, with listeners believing Martians had truly invaded, and fleeing their homes in terror. But how much of that panic was real, and how much was media hype?

In this episode we're joined by A. Brad Schwartz, author of 'Broadcast Hysteria: Orson Welles's War of the Worlds and the Art of Fake News'. He helps us to separate fact from fiction, and explains what this story tells us about the power of mass media and the spread of misinformation.

Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Tim Arstall.

You can read the letters written to Orson Welles about his famous broadcast here -https://quod.lib.umich.edu/w/wow/.

Join Dan and the team for a special LIVE recording of Dan Snow's History Hit on Friday 12th September 2025! 

To celebrate 10 years of the podcast, Dan is putting on a special show of signature storytelling, never-before-heard anecdotes from his often stranger-than-fiction career as well as answering the burning questions you've always wanted to ask!

Get tickets here, before they sell out: https://www.kingsplace.co.uk/whats-on/words/dan-snows-history-hit/.

We'd love to hear your feedback - you can take part in our podcast survey here: https://insights.historyhit.com/history-hit-podcast-always-on.

You can also email the podcast directly at ds.hh@historyhit.com.

War of the Worlds: Orson Welles' Alien Invasion Hoax

How can you condense the history of the world into a book? Well-celebrated historian Simon Sebag Montefiore does just that in his new epic. He takes Dan on an exhilarating journey through the families that have shaped our world: the Caesars, Medicis and Incas, Ottomans and Mughals, and Bonapartes and Habsburgs to name a few. His new book 'The World' captures the story of humankind in all its joy, sorrow, romance, ingenuity and cruelty.

Produced by Mariana Des Forges and edited by Dougal Patmore

If you'd like to learn more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad-free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe to History Hit today!

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A Short History of The World

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