In his latest book, The Hitler Years: Holocaust 1933–1945, Frank McDonough offers a heart-rending year-by-year narrative of the Nazis' escalating persecution of the Jews – from Hitler's rise to power to the death camps. Here, in conversation with Spencer Mizen, Frank describes how a campaign of intimidation on the streets of Germany evolved into genocide.

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The Roman towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum were wiped off the map within 24 hours of Vesuvius erupting, buried under volcanic debris that would entomb them for centuries. In this second episode of our four-part series, Kev Lochun is joined by historian Dr Jess Venner to explore the cataclysm with the help of the experiences of two men: Roman statesman Pliny the Elder, who sailed into danger never to return, and his nephew Pliny the Younger, whose letters provide the only known eyewitness account of the disaster.  

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Want to know more about the story of Pompeii? HistoryExtra's Kev Lochun has curated a selection of essential reading from the HistoryExtra and BBC History Magazine archive to help you explore the story of the cataclysm, the Roman way of life and the nature of the Roman empire: https://bit.ly/4bjYKmE

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In the eyes of a German fighter pilot in the skies over English Channel in 1940, the Battle of Britain was as much a struggle of human endurance as it was of strategy and skill. Speaking to Emily Briffett, aviation historian Dr Victoria Taylor takes us inside the mind of the Luftwaffe, revealing the experiences of pilots, ground crews and support personnel as they faced the perils of aerial combat, the brutal pressure of Nazi ideology, and the relentless intensity demanded of them by those in command.

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The roots of immigration detention in the US stretch back over a century. Speaking to Elinor Evans, historian Brianna Nofil explores how the US built a vast migrant detention regime. From jailing Chinese migrants in 1900s upstate New York to the private prison boom of the 1980s and beyond, she explores why detention remains a defining and deeply contested feature of American immigration policy.

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While most of the other surviving Axis leaders were put on trial following the end of the Second World War, Japan's Emperor Hirohito never faced justice and, instead, continued to reign until his death in 1989. Debate continues about how far he was personally responsible for Japanese aggression in the 1930s and 40s, and in today's Life of the Week episode, Dr Christopher Harding guides Rob Attar through those arguments – and explores Hirohito's role in Japan's hugely successful postwar transition.

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How did a muddy settlement on the banks of the river Tiber grow into the greatest empire the world had ever seen? Who was the more diabolical: Caligula or Nero? And was there really such a thing as Pax Romana? Speaking with Spencer Mizen, Edward Watts answers some of the most intriguing questions about this extraordinary culture – and considers just how Rome rose to dominate the ancient world.

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In AD 79, Pompeii and Herculaneum were subsumed by the eruption of Vesuvius, buried and preserved under metres of volcanic ash. Today, they are among the most famous ruins of the ancient world – and in this four-part Sunday Series, we’ll be exploring their secrets. In this first episode, historian Dr Jess Venner guides Kev Lochun through daily life in Pompeii and Herculaneum. They explore the myths surrounding the ‘mountain’, why pomegranates mean we can’t precisely date the disaster and how – implausible as it may seem today – the residents of these Roman cities had no idea they were living in the shadow of death. 

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GO BEYOND THE PODCAST

Want to know more about the story of Pompeii? HistoryExtra's Kev Lochun has curated a selection of essential reading from the HistoryExtra and BBC History Magazine archive to help you explore the story of the cataclysm, the Roman way of life and the nature of the Roman empire: https://bit.ly/4bjYKmE

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In the aftermath of the Napoleonic Wars, it fell to Britain to maintain the balance of power in continental Europe – but how could a small island manage such a task? How could it prevent the rise of another tricorned tyrant? That's the subject of Andrew Lambert's sweeping new book No More Napoleons. Speaking to Kev Lochun, he explains how Britain helped maintain peace in Europe without the need for huge armies, why Belgium was so important to maintaining stability on the continent, and why the idea of ‘Britannia Rules the Waves’ continues to be relevant today.

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The past 12 months have seen protests around the world make headlines and dominate social media feeds. But how have such popular demonstrations changed the course of history? In this episode, historians Katrina Navickas and Timothy Garton Ash join Danny Bird to explore centuries of people power – and the protests that had the most impact.

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Hatshepsut is one of ancient Egypt’s most extraordinary figures: a pharaoh who deftly asserted her right to the throne, reigned over an era of prosperity, and commissioned some of the most iconic monuments of the era. But how did she rise from a royal princess and consort to become pharaoh in her own right? Emily Briffett is joined by Egyptologist Dr Campbell Price to explore Hatshepsut’s remarkable story – from how she navigated public relations to the complex dynamics between her and Thutmose III.

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The chaos of the Spanish conquest, the humiliation of military defeat to the United States, the disruption of the revolution… Mexican history is often viewed through the lens of trauma and violence. Yet, as Paul Gillingham outlines in a new book, Mexico: A History, this was also one of the earliest democracies in the world – one in which Indigenous peoples enjoyed rights unthinkable in the US at the time. Paul guides Spencer Mizen through one nation's extraordinary history.

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