The aerial bombardment that rained down on the Spanish city of Guernica in 1937 was one of the most shocking atrocities of the Spanish Civil War. Dan and David Brydan - historian of Modern Spain at King's College London - explain why this Basque town was targeted, how the attack unfolded and what it meant for civilians on the ground. They explore the political motives behind the raid as well as its enduring impact on Europe and trace how Guernica became a symbol of the horrors of modern warfare.

Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Dougal Patmore.

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The Battle of the Little Bighorn - also known as the Battle of the Greasy Grass - was one of the most dramatic and important clashes in American history. In June 1876, on the rolling plains of Montana, Colonel George Armstrong Custer and the 7th Cavalry charged into a vast encampment of Lakota and other tribes — and were utterly destroyed by the superior native forces who fought to defend their sacred lands from the encroaching United States.

In this episode, Dan is joined by former National Parks historian Paul Hedren to explore how this battle came to define the struggle between the U.S. government and the Plains tribes, what led to Custer’s fatal mistake, and how the Lakota, Cheyenne, and Arapaho achieved a stunning, if fleeting, victory.

Paul's new book is called 'Sitting Bull's War: The Battle of the Little Bighorn and the Fight for Buffalo and Freedom'.

The terminology to use when exploring and discussing Indigenous and native peoples, history, and culture is sensitive and complex. You can find out more on language use here: https://americanindian.si.edu/nk360/informational/impact-words-tips

Produced by Mariana Des Forges and edited by Dougal Patmore.

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.

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

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What was life really like aboard the great wooden ships of the Age of Sail? Dan joins After Dark hosts Anthony and Maddy to step aboard these creaking vessels and uncover who served at sea, what drove them to enlist, and just how slim their chances were of making it home alive.

Produced by Mariana Des Forges and edited by Dougal Patmore.

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.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.