State of Israel

In 1948, the state of Israel was declared

• 10 mins

Cultural Revolution

In May 1966 China felt the first stirrings of the Cultural Revolution.

• 10 mins

Mount St Helen's Volcano

Thirty years ago a huge volcano erupted in the western United States - Mount St Helens.

• 10 mins

Warsaw Ghetto Uprising

In April and May of 1943 the Jews of the Warsaw ghetto rose up against the Germans.

• 10 mins

East Timor

On May 20th 2002, East Timor finally becomes independent.

• 10 mins

Yorkshire Ripper

30 years ago a man-hunt was underway in the UK for a serial killer - the Yorkshire Ripper.

• 10 mins

The Deepest Hole Ever Drilled

Scientists in Russia got 12 kms down before they were forced to stop

• 10 mins

Sexual abuse in the Catholic Church

Sexual abuse within the Catholic Church - listeners may find this programme distressing.

• 10 mins

Left Behind at Dunkirk

The story of the British soldiers who didn't get rescued from the beaches of Dunkirk.

• 10 mins

Australia's Referendum on Aborigines

In 1967 Australia held a referendum on rights for its Aboriginal people.

• 10 mins

Rite of Spring

In May 1913, Stravinsky's ballet The Rite of Spring premiered in Paris. It caused a riot.

• 10 mins

Watergate

US President Richard Nixon was brought down by the Watergate inquiry.

• 10 mins

Jeopardy

Jeopardy is a popular American quiz show. Ken Jennings is the man who kept on winning it.

• 10 mins

Golden Temple

It's the 3rd June 1984, and one of India's holiest temples is under siege.

• 10 mins

SARS

It's June 2003 and over the last six months a new epidemic has been spreading fast.

• 10 mins

The Marshall Plan

It's June the 5th 1947 and America comes to the aid of a devastated Europe.

• 10 mins

Palestinian refugees: the day my family was killed

In 1948, the creation of Israel led to many Palestinians becoming refugees

• 10 mins

Kim Phuc's Story

In 1972 a photo of a little Vietnamese girl, burned and crying, shocked the world.

• 10 mins

Cousteau Film

Jacques Cousteau's film the Silent World revolutionised underwater filmmaking.

• 10 mins

Kosovo War

On this day in 1999 the Kosovo war came to an end - a Serbian soldier tells his story.

• 10 mins

USA v England

In 1950 a team of part-time footballers from the USA beat England in the World Cup.

• 10 mins

Tragedy at Le Mans

The worst accident in motor-racing history happened in 1955 at Le Mans.

• 10 mins

Exxon Valdez

In March 1989, the Exxon Valdez went aground, spilling 11 million gallons of oil

• 10 mins

Soweto Uprising

Schoolchildren protest against Afrikaans as the language of instruction in South Africa

• 9 mins

The Rosenbergs

Julius and Ethel Rosenberg were executed for spying against the USA on 19 June 1953.

• 10 mins

Charles de Gaulle's rallying cry

De Gaulle, the BBC and the birth of the French Resistance.

• 10 mins

Peron Returns

In 1973 Juan Peron returned to Argentina from exile. But his homecoming turned to chaos.

• 10 mins

Cigarette ruling

In 1997 a ruling in America changed the tobacco industry forever.

• 10 mins

Pickles and the World Cup

In 1966 a dog called Pickles saved the day when the World Cup was stolen in London.

• 10 mins

Berlin airlift

In 1948 West Berlin was blockaded by the Soviets - all supplies had to be airlifted in.

• 10 mins