2022 marks the 75th anniversary of the Central Intelligence Agency, more colloquially known as the CIA. While viewed today as one of the most advanced and powerful intelligence agencies in the world, the United States didn't always sit at the top of this list.
Long before the CIA had been created, Great Britain, China, and even the Soviet Union had long standing intelligence agencies, aiding in matters of foreign affairs and espionage. So why was the United States so late to the intelligence game? And did this late arrival into espionage hinder the CIA's development and success?
In the first episode of our new mini-series on the CIA, James is joined by Pulitzer Prize winning investigative journalist Tim Weiner, to talk about the history of this clandestine government organisation. From looking at the CIA's murky origins, to their post 9/11 purpose and their recent infiltration of the Kremlin, Tim takes us through the agency's tumultuous history.
The Battle of Stalingrad was the deadliest battle of the Second World War, and one of the bloodiest in the history of warfare. Infamous for its atrocious conditions and brutal house-to-house fighting, the battle raged for just over 5 months and concluded with an estimated 2 million casualties. Da...
Mary Ann Ochota is a TV presenter, anthropologist, lover of the outdoors, people & the past. Royal Geographical Society Fellow, Ordnance Survey Champion, and Climb Britain Ambassador. Her latest book, Hidden Histories: A Spotter's Guide to the British Landscape is out now.
I was delighted to be joined by Caleb McDaniel, History professor and author of the Pulitzer prizewinning book, “Sweet Taste of Liberty: A True Story of Slavery and Restitution in America”. He told me the remarkable story of Henrietta Wood. Born into slavery in Kentucky, she was freed as an adult...
