On the 19th April 1600, after nearly two years at sea, William Adams, one of only nine surviving crew members, made land at modern day Usuki, on the east coast of Japan. He was starving, scurvy ridden and close to death. So began an extraordinary story as Adams rose up the ranks to become a revered figure in Japan even today. So much so that a new Disney TV series, Shogun has been making waves starring Cosmo Jarvis as Adams and Giles Milton joins to tell his story. Giles Milton Links Samurai William Shogun Giles on X Aspects of History Links Episode on the Japan of Shogun Ollie on X Learn more ..read more

The release of The Passion of the Christ in 2004 caused outrage, fury and accusations of antisemitism and sadomasochism. With Easter recently celebrated, we thought it time to re-examine Mel Gibson's passion project (sorry), as director Tim Hewitt joins to talk Jim Caviezel, controversy and even a QAnon. Links The Passion of the Christ on Wikipedia The Passion of the Christ on IMDB Interview with Mel Gibson Christopher Hitchens on Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ Ollie on X Tim on X Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices ..read more

The Berlin Wall stood for 28 years, but up until the very end, on the 9th November 1989, the whole world thought it was permanent. It's now 35 years since the Wall fell, but how did it get built, what was its impact, and how did it fall? Iain MacGregor, author of Checkpoint Charlie, joins as we go back the dark days of the Cold War through to its end. Iain MacGregor Links Checkpoint Charlie: The Cold War, the Berlin Wall and the Most Dangerous Place on Earth Iain on X Aspects of History Links Berlin Wall - OIlie at the Wall Ollie on X Get in touch: history@aspectsofhistory.com Learn more about ..read more

On a dark night in April 1944 a German general was returning to his villa on the Nazi occupied island of Crete. Suddenly, two men, dressed as Wehrmacht soldiers, emerged from the darkness and stopped the car. The two men were British officers, and together with Cretan resistance fighters, they bundled the general into the back, and drove through Heraklion and 22 checkpoints. So began one of the most audacious operations of World War Two, orchestrated by Patrick Leigh Fermor, autodidact, writer and war hero. Artemis Cooper, biographer of Paddy, joins to discuss his early life, the operation, hi ..read more

On the 24th March 1603 at Richmond Palace Elizabeth I died. She had not named a successor, but James VI of Scotland was proclaimed king in London that same day, and he headed south to accede to the English throne. What sort of man was he, and how had his rule in Scotland shaped his character? Steven Veerapen joins to discuss James, his rule, the union of the crowns of Scotland and England and the new show Mary & George which has been making waves in its depiction of the Stuart court. Steven Veerapen Links The Wisest Fool: The Lavish Life of James VI/I Steven's episode on Elizabeth I Steven ..read more

The Mau Mau Uprising ran from 1952 to 1960 in a Kenya administered by Britain. The conflict was a brutal one, with atrocities committed by both sides and it remains controversial to this day. Nicholas Rankin grew up in Kenya from the of 3 to 13, arriving in 1954 and he has written a moving and powerful book that addresses the questions of rebellion and colonialism. Nicholas Rankin Links Trapped in History: Kenya, Mau Mau and Me Telegram from Guernica: The Extraordinary Life of George Steer, War Correspondent Nicholas on X Aspects of History Links Clash of Empires: The Anglo-Ashanti Wars - Aspe ..read more

Sarah Gristwood returns to talk about the secret diary entries of women's diaries, from the 1st January all the way to the 31st December. There are many great names, and some less well-known, but we delve into some heart-breaking, funny, tragic and shocking accounts written with stunning honesty. Sarah Gristwood Links Secret Voices: A Year of Women’s Diaries Sarah on X Aspects of History Links Subscribe to the magazine: only £/$9.99 per year Ollie on X Get in touch: history@aspectsofhistory.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices ..read more

This week's guest is a man who has lived about what he writes. Louis Ferrante was a former member of the Gambino crime family, one of the Five Families of New York. He rose up the ranks until he was convicted of crimes and sent to prison where he became a changed man. He has now written a fantastic first volume of three on the history of the mafia, Borgata, and he chatted with our editor on the rise of the mob from their humble beginnings in Sicily through to the 1930s prohibition in the US. Louis Ferrante Links Borgata: Rise of Empire: A History of the American Mafia Mob Rules: What the Mafi ..read more

Steven Spielberg's 1993 masterpiece is hugely influential even today. His adaptation of the Thomas Keneally's Booker Prize winning Schindler's Ark, filmed in black and white, brought the Holocaust to a mass audience. Joining Ollie to discuss the film are Roger Moorhouse and Tim Hewitt, and they look into the history, the filmmaking process and much more. Links Discussed The Forgers: The Forgotten Story of the Holocaust’s Most Audacious Rescue Operation, by Roger Moorhouse Spielberg interview on the film and girl in the red coat Ralph Fiennes interview on the bath scene Ralph Fiennes interview ..read more

On the 2nd September 1942 in Loch Ewe, Scotland, a large convoy of ships carrying food, ammunition, tanks, artillery pieces and materiel set sail for Archangel, Russia. This convoy would be of vital importance to the Soviet troops fighting the Nazis at Stalingrad. The Germans did all they could to disrupt and destroy the ships of the Royal Navy and Merchant Navy, and many of the green recruits, at sea for the first time, had the freezing weather conditions to deal with as well as the enemy. John McKay joins to discuss the horrors experienced by the crew members of PQ18. John McKay Links Arctic ..read more