On 6 June 1944, the Allies began their long-awaited invasion of Nazi-occupied Europe. By the end of the day, more than 150,000 men had landed in northern France, ready to start pushing further inland. But how had this immense undertaking been planned? And how long was it before they achieved their first objective? In the first episode of our new three-part series, Jon Bauckham talks to Saul David about the experiences of the Allied airborne forces on D-Day, revealing how paratroopers and glider infantry were pivotal to the invasion’s overall success. (Ad) Saul David is an acclaimed author, his ..read more

At the end of the 19th century, Britain and America entered the grip of a cat craze that saw the humble moggy catapulted from urban nuisance to beloved household pet. Historian Kathryn Hughes speaks to Charlotte Hodgman about 19th-century attitudes to cats, and how Louis Wain's anthropomorphic drawings helped us fall in love with all things feline. (Ad) Kathryn Hughes is the author of Catland: Feline Enchantment and the Making of the Modern World (Fourth Estate, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: http://www.awin1.com/cread.php?awinmid=164&awinaffid=489797&p=https%3A%2F%2Fapp.frame.io%2Fr ..read more

Maria Theresa defied expectations of what a female ruler could achieve in the 18th century. When she ascended the throne of the Habsburg empire in 1740, there were riots on the streets of Vienna, and Europe's major powers prepared to pounce. Yet, as Pieter Judson tells Spencer Mizen, over the next four decades Maria Theresa introduced wide-ranging social reforms, and turned Austria into a military force to be reckoned with. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices ..read more

Operating under the codename Agent Zo, Polish resistance fighter Elżbieta Zawacka was one of the most courageous intelligence agents of the Second World War. From running secret missives under the noses of the Nazis, to parachuting behind enemy lines, Clare Mulley recounts her dramatic story to Ellie Cawthorne. (Ad) Clare Mulley is the author of Agent Zo: The Untold Story of Fearless WW2 Resistance Fighter Elżbieta Zawacka (Weidenfeld and Nicolson, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Agent-Zo-Fearless-Resistance-Elzbieta/dp/1399601067/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=h ..read more

Why did the French Revolution descend into a spiral of paranoia, finger-pointing and state violence? Were fears of treachery and counter-revolution justified? And how did the guillotine become a symbol of revolutionary justice? Speaking to Danny Bird, historian David Andress answers listener questions about 'the Terror' – a bloodthirsty phase of the French Revolution in which the new Republic descended into mass hysteria. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices ..read more

Smash-hit historical romance Bridgerton returns this week. One of the series' key characters is the elusive Lady Whistledown – a savvy wordsmith with a penchant for causing mayhem among the Regency elite. But did an anonymous gossipmonger like Whistledown really exist in the Regency era? Emily Briffett speaks to public historian Professor Hannah Greig – historical consultant to the series – to delve into the outrageous world of Georgian scandal sheets and gossip rags, and learn more about those who dished the dirt. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine ..read more

Why did a remote Pacific island become one of the most fiercely fought-over locations in the Second World War? In the fifth and final episode of our series on WW2's Greatest Battles, military historian James Holland speaks to Ellie Cawthorne about the battle of Guadalcanal. He reveals why occupying the island was seen as key to victory in the Pacific arena, explores the challenges of conducting a coherent military campaign across land, air and sea, and explains how US forces were able to wrest control of Guadalcanal from the Japanese. James Holland is the co-founder of the Chalke History Fe ..read more

Why did a remote Pacific island become one of the most fiercely fought-over locations in the Second World War? In the fifth and final episode of our series on WW2's Greatest Battles, military historian James Holland speaks to Ellie Cawthorne about the battle of Guadalcanal. He reveals why occupying the island was seen as key to victory in the Pacific arena, explores the challenges of conducting a coherent military campaign across land, air and sea, and explains how US forces were able to wrest control of Guadalcanal from the Japanese. James Holland is the co-founder of the Chalke History Fe ..read more

Until recently, the history of sex between men was a taboo topic. But by delving into the historical archive, historian Sir Noel Malcolm has uncovered a more complex story of same-sex relationships and encounters in early modern Europe and the Ottoman world. He speaks to Rebecca Franks about his findings. (Ad) Noel Malcolm is the author of Forbidden Desire in Early Modern Europe: Male-Male Sexual Relations, 1400-1750 (Oxford University Press, 2024). Buy it now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Forbidden-Desire-Early-Modern-Europe/dp/0198886330/?tag=bbchistory045-21&ascsubtag=historyex ..read more

In the latest episode of our monthly series charting the past behind the present, Hannah Skoda and Rana Mitter chronicle the history of student protests, explore the story of a remarkable medieval astrolabe and discuss some new discoveries about Jane Austen. The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices ..read more