History Archives - Page 22 of 73

Cold War episode 4 – Berlin 1948-1949

History / 5 minutes of reading / April 18, 2023 / By HDclump

Cold War episode 4 – Berlin 1948-1949: In Berlin, the American, British and French sectors form a Western enclave in the Soviet zone of divided Germany. In June 1948, the Soviets blockade the city, but the Western allies successfully airlift in supplies. In August 1949, Soviet scientists explode an atomic bomb, establishing nuclear parity between the two superpowers. Opposed by the USSR, the United States emphasizes the need to rebuild the German economy. With the introduction of the Deutsche Mark, the Soviets react by tightening checkpoints leading into the French, British, and American sectors of Berlin, […]

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Age of Steam episode 1

History / 6 minutes of reading / April 17, 2023 / By HDclump

Age of Steam episode 1: Fred Dibnah traces the development of steam power from the earliest experiments in the ancient world to the modern nuclear power station. Fred visits Cornwall to look at the early history of the steam engine, first developed to pump water from tin mines. As we navigate through the 21st century, it is important to remember the industrial roots that have shaped the modern world. One of the most impactful periods in history, the Industrial Revolution, was an era marked by significant advancements in steam power technology. “Fred Dibnah’s Age of Steam”

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Cold War episode 3 – Marshall Plan 1947-1952

History / 5 minutes of reading / April 17, 2023 / By HDclump

Cold War episode 3 – Marshall Plan 1947-1952: The U.S. adopts the Truman doctrine, pledging to defend freedom worldwide. Secretary of State George Marshall plans to bolster economic recovery in Europe. Seeing this as a threat, Stalin forbids his satellites to participate. The world effectively divides. For both selfless and selfish reasons, the United States institutes the Marshall Plan, giving massive amounts of aid to the war-ravaged countries of Europe. Suspicious of American intentions, Stalin prevents countries in the Soviet sphere from taking part in the plan. As a counter to the U.S. plan, Stalin established the Council for Mutual

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Cold War episode 2 – Iron Curtain 1945-1947

History / 5 minutes of reading / April 11, 2023 / By HDclump

Cold War episode 2 – Iron Curtain 1945-1947: The Soviet Union dominates Eastern Europe. Churchill warns of the consequences. Stalin insists that the governments of the Soviet Union’s clients states be pro-communist. Impoverished after the war, Great Britain opts out as a world power. The U.S. assumes the mantle of world leadership. As wartime turned to peacetime, a resurgent United States enjoys economic prosperity while Europe is left to recover from the ravages of war. In the Soviet Union, Stalin has resumed his feared purges and the country is gripped by famine. Germany is forced to cede some of its

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Cold War episode 1 – Comrades 1917-1945

History / 5 minutes of reading / April 10, 2023 / By HDclump

Cold War episode 1 – Comrades 1917-1945: Though ideological enemies, the Soviet Union and the U.S. are allies against Hitler during WWII. At the end of the war, Europe is divided, and the one-time allies now confront each other. The U.S. has the atomic bomb. The Russian Revolution of 1917, followed by the Russian Civil War caused a rift between the Soviet Union and the United States. But when President Franklin Roosevelt took office in 1933, diplomatic and trade relations between the two countries resumed. The relationship was strained yet again after the USSR annexed the Baltic States and signed

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The Hidden Truth of WWII episode 8

History / 5 minutes of reading / March 28, 2023 / By HDclump

The Hidden Truth of WWII episode 8: On August 19th Parisians rise up against their Nazi overlords, vowing to exact revenge for four years of brutal and bloody occupation. As the battle intensifies on the streets of the French capital, the race is now on for the Allies to get to Paris and save the citizens from possible slaughter and its city from complete destruction. The Liberation of Paris in 1944 was a significant turning point in World War II. The city had been under Nazi occupation for four years, and the liberation marked the end of the

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The Hidden Truth of WWII episode 7

History / 6 minutes of reading / March 27, 2023 / By HDclump

The Hidden Truth of WWII episode 7: Determined to destroy the Soviet Union once and for all Hitler has ordered his armies to strike south and seize the vital oilfields of the Caucasus region. But first they must capture Stalingrad. But the Soviet defenders make the 6th German Army pay in blood for every inch of ground and draw the Germans into a trap from which there will be no escape. The Battle of Stalingrad was one of the most significant military confrontations of World War II, fought between Germany and the Soviet Union. It lasted for almost

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The Hidden Truth of WWII episode 6

History / 6 minutes of reading / March 26, 2023 / By HDclump

The Hidden Truth of WWII episode 6: September 17th 1944: over 20,000 elite troops descend from the skies into Nazi occupied Holland in a massive airborne assault planned to end the war in Europe by Christmas of 1944. Their objective: to secure the bridges across canals and rivers in Holland, so that the Allied army can advance at high speed into Hitler’s Germany and the heart of the Third Reich. Operation Market Garden was a significant military operation that had a major impact on the outcome of World War II. While it ultimately failed to achieve its objectives,

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The Hidden Truth of WWII episode 5

History / 4 minutes of reading / March 25, 2023 / By HDclump

The Hidden Truth of WWII episode 5: On March 7th 1945, at the town of Remagen, American soldiers discover to their amazement that a bridge across the Rhine has not been demolished. Fate would deal the men of the 9th Armored Division a lucky card, as German attempts to blow the bridge in the face of the advancing troops failed. If you are a history buff or just interested in learning more about the pivotal moments of World War II, then you need to know about Operation Plunder. This military operation was a key factor in the Allied

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The Hidden Truth of WWII episode 4

History / 4 minutes of reading / March 24, 2023 / By HDclump

The Hidden Truth of WWII episode 4: July 10th 1944, six long weeks since D-Day. Allied forces have been caught in a murderous battle trying to breakout of the invasion beachhead. The Germans have rebounded from the shock of invasion and are fighting back furiously, inflicting horrendous casualties on the Allied ground forces; the Allies need a breakthrough, and fast. Operation Cobra was a significant turning point in World War II, with the Allies breaking through German defenses in Normandy and driving towards Paris. This operation was a crucial moment in the war, as it allowed the

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The Hidden Truth of WWII episode 3

History / 4 minutes of reading / March 23, 2023 / By HDclump

The Hidden Truth of WWII episode 3: December 16th 1944 – three German armies have been amassed in total secrecy with one sole aim – to send the Allies back into the sea and change the outcome of World War Two. The troops on the ground will have to dig deeper than ever before if they are to destroy Hitler’s last gamble in Europe. The Battle of the Bulge was one of the most significant battles fought during World War II. It was a turning point in the war, and it had a profound impact on both sides.

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The Hidden Truth of WWII episode 2

History / 4 minutes of reading / March 21, 2023 / By HDclump

The Hidden Truth of WWII episode 2: During the summer of 1940, the world held its breath and watched, as the British RAF and German Luftwaffe were locked in a battle to the death. The German Nazi war machine had conquered all in its path, only Britain stood in its way to total European domination. The Battle of Britain was a pivotal moment in World War II, where the Royal Air Force (RAF) defended the United Kingdom against the German Luftwaffe. It was fought from July to October 1940, and it was the first major campaign to be

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