The Y in History
The Y in History is a podcast that examines historical events to explain why they happened, focusing on the underlying factors and causes. Host Ajay Kaul picks specific eras, such as the period after World War II, and traces how events unfolded and connected across different parts of the globe at the same time. Each episode uses this analytical approach to show the links between seemingly separate developments in history.
Episodes
Episode 142: North Korea - the Kim Dynasty
After the Korean War, Kim Il Sung introduced juche or self-reliance and consolidated his power by introducing Songbun, which created a political caste system. The Songbun was used by his successor Kim Jong Il during the Korea Famine (1994-1999) to divert food aid to the elite layer to prevent an overthrow of his government.
Episode 141: 2011 - the Osama bin Laden Raid
In May of 2011, the US Seal Team Six conducted a raid on a large residential compond in Abbottabad, Pakistan and killed Osama Bin Laden. But how did Bin Laden land in Abbottabad from the Tora Bora Mountains in Afghanistan?
Episode 140: 1975 - Sikkim's merger with India
Sikkim became a British India protectorate under the 1861 Treaty of Tumlong. After India's independence in 1947, the Indo-Sikkim Treaty of 1950, made Sikkim a protectorate of India. An Indian Intelligence operation in 1975 led to a referendum which resulted in Sikkim becoming the 22nd State of the Indian Union.
Episode 139: Modern Warfare - lessons learned from Ukraine and Iran Wars
Drones, Drone Interceptors, Speed Boats and Sea Mines are some of the inexpensive artillery, developed and used across the Russia-Ukraine and US-Iran Wars, which have drastically altered the battlefield dynamics. So, what lessons have these wars taught us?
Episode 138: Lebanon - from Paris of the Middle East to a den of the Hezbollah
From 1950 to 1970, Lebanon's Capital, Beirut, was known as the Paris of the Middle East. But after the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) moved its Headquarters to West Beirut in 1971, South Lebanon became an active battlefield against Israel. Fractures in Lebanese society emerged and from 1975 to 1990, it descended into a disastrous Civil War. Amidst the melee, Hezbollah emerged as the new m
Episode 137: Match Fixing in Cricket
In February 1995, Aussie Cricket legend, Shane Warne revealed that he and Tim May had been offered $200,000 each by Pakistan Captain, Salim Malik, to lose the October 1994 Karachi Test against Pakistan. The Qayyum Commission set up by Pakistan, the King Commission by South Africa and the CBI investigation by India, explored instances of Cricket Match Fixing and the players involved. The first ICC
Episode 136: 2026 - US-Iran War
The US-Iran War started on Feb 28, 2026 when the Iranian Spiritual Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei's residential compound was pounded by American and Israelis missiles and bombs. The intent was regime change, but several months in, the regime seems intact and more hardline. So, is there any hope of peace?
Episode 135: 1776 - the Declaration of Independence
Prior to 1776, the American Colonist Leaders were reluctant to go against the Crown. But in January 1776, Thomas Paine published a pamphlet "Common Sense", which laid the foundation for the Declaration of Independence in July 1776.
Episode 134: Soccer - 1950s through 1970s
After 1958, FIFA ensured that the World Cup tournament alternated between continents. Brazil won a record 3rd time in 1970 to get permanent possession of the Jules Rimet Trophy. West German Captain Franz Beckenbauer became the first Captain to lift the new FIFA World Cup in 1974.
Episode 133: Soccer - early times to 1950s
In the mid-19th century, Association Football or Soccer, was introduced in English schools as part of the physical education curriculum. Soccer expanded globally, driven by British sailors, merchants, and engineers, as well as railway and mining companies, who brought the game to Europe, South America, and British colonies. FIFA was established in 1904 to provide rules for international matches so
Episode 132: 1961 - the Berlin Wall
On August 13, 1961, the Communist government of East Germany) began to build a barbed wire and concrete barrier, between East and West Berlin, which came to be known as the Berlin Wall. The primary aim was to prevent mass exodus of East Germans into the affluent West Germany. 28 years later, on November 9, 1989, the Wall came crashing down, heralding an end to the Cold War.
Episode 131: Rivalries - Adidas, Coke, Tesla and Scotland
Great rivalries from history - from the fraternal rivalry that led to Adidas and Puma to the Cola Wars between Coke and Pepsi. Tesla and Edison fought the Current Wars and Scotland continues to maintain a unique identity within Great Britain.
Episode 130: 2026 - Operation Absolute Resolve: Venezuela and Nicolas Maduro
During the early hours of January 3, 2026, the US Forces captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores. While the US called it an operation against narco-terrorism and drug trafficking, the real reason lay in a 1823 doctrine.
Episode 129: the Collapse of Empires - Great Britain and Japan
Collapse of empires starts with economic exhaustion – when an empire stretches itself beyond its resources. The episode dives into detail of the factors that led to the collapse of the Empires of Great Britain and Japan, post WWII.
Episode 128: The origins of phrases
A theater in England stole a playwright's thunder in 1704 to popularize the phrase. The auto industry in the 1920s, heavily promoted and popularized the term "jaywalking" to shift blame for traffic accidents from drivers to pedestrians. Tune in to learn the origins of several other phrases and terms in the English language.
Episode 127: Iran part 2: the Shah, White Revolution and Islamic Revolution
The Shah of Iran initiated the White Revolution in 1963, which aimed to modernize Iran through land reform, women's suffrage, literacy programs, and industrial growth. While it brought economic growth, it also caused social disruption and increased opposition, contributing to the 1979 Islamic Revolution.
Episode 126: Iran - the Qajars, the Constitution and Reza Shah Pahlavi
At the start of the 20th Century, the Qajars ruled Persia (Iran), but their incompetence led to a push for a Constitution for Iran. The British wanted a stable government in Iran and supported an Officer in the Cossack Brigade, Reza Khan in toppling the last Qajar monarch, to start the Pahlavi dynasty in Iran.
Episode 125: 1960 - OPEC - the emergence of a national oil cartel
On September 14, 1960, Venezuela, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, and Kuwait officially formed OPEC to ensure that oil-producing nations, rather than private companies, had the power to stabilize international oil prices. The cartel really flexed its muscle when the global economy was brought to its knees during the 1973 Oil Embargo on the US and its allies.
Episode 124: Greenland - the Inuit and Denmark
By 1500, the Inuit, with their mastery of marine hunting and adaptation to the Arctic, were the established people of Greenland. By 1776, Denmark declared a monopoly trade on Greenland, quietly colonizing it, in the process. Post WWII, the US offered $100m in gold for the purchase of Greenland, which was rejected by Denmark. In 1953, Denmark once again, quietly transitioned Greenland from a Colon
Episode 123: The Japanese Economic Miracle
The 1950 Korean War provided the necessary boost to the Japanese economy post WWII. But a combination of factors, from export oriented growth to process innovation, spearheaded Japan to the second largest economy in the world from 1968 to 2010. A look at the factors that led to this economic miracle.
Episode 122: Unbelievable facts from History
Einstein's brain was stolen at the time of his death, for research. The Great Fire of London of 1666, led to the creation of the Insurance industry. Tune in to this episode to listen to some unbelievable facts from history.
Episode 121: Greatest Heists
The 1976 Societe Generale heist, is considered the Heist of the 20th Century. The 2003 Antwerp Diamond Heist is considered the Heist of the 21st century. But one individual, operating solo pulled off a heist, mid-air in 1971.
Episode 120: A history of Technology - part II
The Industrial Revolution took off on the foundation of Mechanical Engineering. But by mid-20th century, post WWII, electronics triggered a new revolution, miniaturizing devices and bringing sophisticated tech into the home. In late 2022 though, ChatGPT heralded the era of Artificial Intelligence.
Episode 119: A history of Technology
Mechanical Engineering was the first branch of engineering to be understood by ancient civilizations. The wheel and the plough are testament to this fact. From the wheel to the steam locomotive, this episode traces the evolution of human societies and commerce, with the evolution of technology.
Episode 118: 1991 - India's Economic Liberation and rise as an economic superpower
India's second economic phase began with the landmark economic reforms of 1991, triggered by a balance of payments crisis. These reforms ushered in an era of liberalization, privatization and globalization that dismantled many of the past restrictive economic policies. This shift led to significantly higher growth rates, averaging 6-7% annually, propelling India to become one of the world's faste
Episode 117: 2025 - the Nepal Gen Z Protests
Nepal's Gen Z rose in protest against corruption and nepotism in the country following the social media ban imposed by the government in September 2025. Within a week, the protests had resulted in the Prime Minister stepping down and a new interim Prime Minister being sworn in, after winning an online vote conducted by the Gen Z'ers. So have we finally entered the era of social media, on the polit
Episode 116: The Nuremberg and Tokyo Trials
The Nuremberg and Tokyo Trials were based on the London Agreement, signed on August 8, 1945, which was an accord between the United States, Great Britain, France, and the Soviet Union to establish an International Military Tribunal to prosecute the major war criminals of the European Axis. It provided a legal framework that codified crimes against peace, war crimes, and crimes against humanity, l
Episiode 115: Capitalism, Socialism and Communism
Though various forms of Capitalism have existed since ancient times, Adam Smith in 1776, was the first to philosophize the concept of free markets. The Industrial Revolution gave Capitalism a massive boost but the exploitation of labor led Karl Marx to publish the Communist Manifesto in 1848 and Das Kapital in 1867.
Episode 114: the Bermuda Triangle
The mystery of the Bermuda Triangle dates back to 1492 when Christopher Columbus was attempting to reach Asia. During his journey, he passed through this infamous region of water, and according to his notes, something peculiar happened to his compass. He observed that "at the commencement of the night, the needles turned a half point northwest, and in the morning, they turned somewhat more northwe
Episode 113: 2025 - Israel's Operation Rising Lion
On June 13, 2025, Israel initiated Operation Rising Lion against Iran, shifting the balance of power in the Middle East. Iran's nuclear sites were bombed, its Air Defense Systems, crippled and top military leadership and nuclear scientists, assassinated. But did Israel achieve the objectives of this operation?
Episode 112: A history of Cyberattacks
The first computer virus is believed to have been used in 1969 at the University of Washington Computer Center. A person who has never been named installed a program that came to be known as "RABBITS Virus" on one of the computers. The program began replicating itself until it overwhelmed the computer causing it to shut down. Over the years, the scale and sophistication of cyber attacks has increa
Episode 111: Global Aviation Disasters
The 1956 Grand Canyon Air crash, the 1977 Tenerife Air Disaster and the 2005 Air France 744 crash were air disasters that had a lasting impact on avaiation safety.
Episode 110: 1989 - Tiananmen Square massacre
The Tiananmen Square protests started in April 1989 with students protesting in favor of a proper state funeral for the popular but disgraced reformist leader, Hu Yaobang. Tensions between the Student Leaders and Chinese government escalated due to a series of missteps from the Chinese government. On June 4, 1989, army tanks rolled into the Tiananmen Square to crush the revolt via military might.
Episode 109: The US rise to Global Power
The Spanish-American War of 1898 marked the first milestone of the US making an appearance as a global power. But the period between the two World Wars was one of isolation for the US. However, once it entered WWII in 1941, the US showed it military, economic and financial might, emerging as a global Super power, by the end of the War.
Episode 108: Pakistan Terror Camps
After the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979, the CIA began a covert operation known as "Operation Cyclone", aiming to support Afghan mujahideen through funding, training, and supplying weapons. Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa region became the hub for the mujahideen training camps. Gradually, Pakistan expanded its terror training infrastructure and expertise to its north eastern border with Ind
Episode 107: Globalization - a history
European Explorers kicked off globalization during the Age of Discovery as they ventured to find a sea route to India and circumnavigate the globe. This was followed by the first wave of globalization from 1870 to 1914. Post WWII, the US led the establishment of a new financial order which culminated in China joining the WTO in December 2001.
Episode 106: 1914 - the Panama Canal
After taking over from the French, the US oversaw the successful opening of the Panama Canal on August 15, 1914. 3 Chief Engineers - Wallace, Stevens and Goethals overcame several odds, both engineering and manpower related, during their respective tenures, to see the Canal through to completion. Equally commendable was the contribution of Chief Sanitation Officer, William Gorgas in defeating the
Episode 105: 2023 - the Israel Gaza War
Post the Oct 7 attack by Hamas, Israel declared war in Gaza. Initially, the civilian population was asked to migrate South, but subsequently, Southern Gaza was attacked as well, leading to a human catastrophe. Towards late 2024, several Hamas and Hezbollah leaders were assassinated, but peace continues to evade the region, with both sides hardening their stance. But, there is a glimmer of hope.
Episode 104: 2023 - the HAMAS Oct 7 Attack
On October 7, 2023, HAMAS surprised Israel by infiltrating into Israeli territory after breaching its defenses along its border with Gaza. Who were the masterminds and who were the financiers? And how did HAMAS manage to keep Israel in the dark about this operation? Tune in for some eye-opening revelations.
Episode 103: Espionage - the Moles
During and after WWII, the Cambridge Five spy for the KGB while working within the British government. CIA's billion dollar spy volunteers to be a mole to exact revenge on Soviet Russia. The Head of German Military Intelligence during WWII tries to sabotage Hitler's plans as he gets disillusioned with Hitler's leadership.
Episode 102: 1948 - the Marshall Plan
On April 3, 1948, President Harry Truman signed the Economic Recovery Act of 1948, aka the Marshall Plan. Named after Secretary of State George Marshall, who in 1947 proposed that the United States provide economic assistance to restore the economic infrastructure of postwar Europe, the Plan contributed $13.3 billion in aid to 16 European nations between 1948 and 1951. The successful design, plann
Episode 101: US Democracy and Oligarchy
In 2010, the Supreme Court issued a ruling in Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission case that corporations (and, by extension, unions and other groups) may make unlimited expenditures on messages encouraging votes for or against specific candidates, so long as they're not coordinated with candidates or parties. This gave birth to Super PACs and a foray of oligarchs in the US democratic pr
Episode 100: Nuclear disaster - near misses
Several times during the Cold War, the World came dangerously close to a nuclear disaster. In 1961 and 1968, B52 Bombers carrying nuclear bombs met with accidents nearly leading to a nuclear catastrophe. In 1983, one Soviet Lt. Col. single handedly saved the world from WWIII when he categorized an alarm about 5 missiles being launched at the Soviet Union, a false alarm. NATO conducted a WWIII simu
Episode 99: US Healthcare - a history
From a global perspective, there are four main models of health care, each of which takes a different approach both legislatively and in practical terms of how it affects a populace's ability to obtain health care coverage and services. In 1929, Blue Cross established the first employer-sponsored health coverage in Dallas as a partnership between the Baylor University hospital and its patients. O
Episode 98: US Presidential Elections (1936 - 1996)
FDR led the US and the World out of the Great Depression, and success in WWII. Harry Truman followed suit but the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution formally set term limits on US Presidency. The JFK-Nixon election of 1960 was very close and Nixon refused to contest the results to keep America's image on the global front, intact. LBJ saw the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which led to th
Episode 97: Bizarre Events from History
From the Dancing Plague of 1518 to the Korea Axe Tree Incident 1976, several bizarre events from history are reviewed in this episode. It includes the soldier who returned after 30 years and an animal species who emerged victorious in a fight with humans.
Episode 96: US Presidential Elections (1872 - 1932)
From the start of the Civil War to the election of 1928, the Republicans held a stranglehold on the US Presidency barring four Presidential terms from Democrats Grover Cleveland and Woodrow Wilson. However, with the onset of the Great Depression at the time of the election of 1932, the entire political landscape underwent a massive change.
Episode 95: US Presidential Elections (1789 - 1868)
The first US Presidential Elections were held in 1789 and George Washington was elected President. John Adams polled the 2nd highest electoral votes and became Washington's VP. A tie in the Election of 1800 brought in the Twelfth Amendment to the Constitution, which established separate votes for the President and the VP from the election of 1804. The Slavery debate dominated politics through mos
Episode 94: Vietnam War - the battles, bombings, accords and conclusion
Post 1956, several battles are fought between North and South Vietnam. The Gulf of Tonkin Resolution of 1964 gives US President LBJ authority to increase US involvement in the Vietnam War. This is followed by targeted bombings under Operation Rolling Thunder by the US and counter offensives by the Viet Cong like the Tet Offensive. Agent Orange and Napalm droppings lead to a massive ecocide with s
Episode 93: Vietnam War - the origins and early days
Japan occupies Vietnam temporarily, after defeating the French during WWII. After WWII, the French come back and Vietnam gets divided into North and South Vietnam at the 17th parallel. Ho Chi Minh becomes the leader in the North. The French support ex-Emperor Bao Dai in the South, but the US supports his Premier Ngo Dinh Diem. The conflict starts when the US refuses to hold elections in 1956 per t
Episode 92: Covert Ops - Hitler, CIA and Civil War
The July 20 plot was intended to assassinate Hitler and invoke Operation Valkyrie in Germany, post the assassination. LBJ and Nixon got the CIA to snoop on US students under Operation CHAOS. The Union soldiers initiated the Great Locomotive Chase during the Civil War, to cut off the Confederacy's supply routes.
Episode 91: the history of Cinema
In 1891 the Edison Company successfully demonstrated a prototype of the Kinetoscope, which enabled one person at a time to view moving pictures. The first to present projected moving pictures to a paying audience were the Lumière brothers in December 1895 in Paris, France. The first feature-length movie incorporating synchronized dialogue was The Jazz Singer in 1927. A 20-year stretch, from 1927
Episode 90: the physics of Dictatorships
Dictatorships can be classified into Military, Hybrid, Dynastic Civilian and the Democratically elected dictatorships. Dictators aspire to stay in power for a long time and do so by instilling fear in their citizens. And once they've achieved this, some prefer to build a cult following. But under certain circumstances Dictatorships can be toppled and replaced by Democracy.
Episode 89: Singapore - the Economic miracle
The British arrived in Singapore in January 1819 when Sir Stamford Raffles landed on the island, establishing it as a trading post for the British East India Company. Singapore declared independence from Britain in 1963 and became part of Malaysia. Due to political and cultural differences, Singapore separated from Malaysia and became independent in 1965. And that was the start of the economic m
Episode 88: 1975 - Emergency in India
In 1975, the Allahabad High Court finds Prime Minister Indira Gandhi guilty of electoral malpractices during the 1971 election and rules that she needs to step down as Prime Minister. This triggers a series of events that culminate in the imposition of Emergency in India - a period when all civil liberties of common citizens, are taken away by the government.
Episode 87: Explorers and Cosmonauts
Norway's Roald Amundsen was the first to reach the South Pole in Dec, 1911. Tenzing and Hillary became the first to scale Mt. Everest in May of 1953. Yuri Gagarin had the world spellbound as he became the first human in Space in April 1961.
Episode 86: Great Political Upsets
After leading the United Kingdom during WWII, Churchill loses his re-election bid. Harry Truman surprises polls to defeat Republican Thomas Dewey in 1948. Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev is ousted in a very democratic way in the Soviet Union, in 1964.
Episode 85: A history of Medicine
Modern medicine owes a lot of its development to the Ancient civilizations of Greece, India and China. Modern medicine took off after the Industrial Revolution because of faster spread of disease and infection within large industrial communities. The medical professionals were able to understand bacterial diseases way before they understood viruses. But the electron microscope took medical researc
Episode 84: The Children of Dictators
Stalin micromanaged his daughter and she ended up defecting to the US. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. though won the Presidential Office his dictatorial father held, via a democratic election. Mao's children mostly died young.
Episode 83: A history of Tibet
Tibetan Empire reached its zenith under Songtsen Gampo's descendant Tri Song Detsuen in 755 AD who expanded Tibet politically and economically and promoted Buddhism to bring the nation together. However, about a century after him, the empire collapsed and Tibet entered its traditional "dark age." The Mongols conquered Tibet in 1244 but let the local Buddhist leaders manage the administrative affai
Episode 82: Corporate Cheating - Boeing, VW and Wells Fargo
Boeing hid information regarding the MCAS software from its 737-Max flying manual to short circuit the certification. Boeing's cheating cost 346 lives across 2 plane crashes. Volkswagen had a cheat device software in its diesel cars to circumvent the NOX level requirememts in the US and the EU. Wells Fargo opened millions of bank accounts without customer consent. Is there a pattern across these
Episode 81: Putin and Xi - the powerful Authoritarians
Putin was a working class outsider who rose through the ranks to the Country's top job. Once at the top, Putin consolidated his position by eiminating opposition and giving Russia a strategic economic advantage. Xi was a Princeling who ended up on the wrong side during Mao's time. But Xi believed in Mao and came back, aspiring to be Mao 2.0
Episode 80: Cricket - 1950s through 1980s
The West Indies emerge as a force in Cricket as Frank Worrell leads the team to Australia in 1960. South Africa is banned from International Cricket in 1970 due to apartheid. Kerry Packer becomes a major disruptor in International Cricket as he signs up top players for World Series of Cricket.
Episode 79: Cricket - early times to 1950s
Cricket was spread by England through its Colonies. But it needed stars like WG Grace to make it popular enough to become a spectator sport. The England-Australia rivalry led to the Ashes Trophy and containing Aussie star, Don Bradman, led to the infamous Bodyline series between the two sides.
Episode 78: 20th Century Political Assassinations
JFK is assassinated as his convoy drives through Dallas, bringing the US and the rest of the world to a stunned standstill. Egypt's Anwar Sadat is assassinated while inspecting a parade. But Congo's Patrice Lumumba is made to disappear in the most barbaric manner.
Episode 77: Silicon Valley
Railway tycoon Leland Stanford lived in Santa Clara Valley and founded Stanford University in 1891. Another prominent Stanford University figure, Frederick Terman. invested heavily in businesses that would base themselves in the area and employ talented young people. One such business was the original start-up, an electrical company started in a garage by Stanford alumni William Hewlett and David
Episode 76: Financial Coups - Haiti, FDR and Guatemala
In 1914, American Marines rob Haiti's National Bank of $500,000 in Gold Reserves at th ebehest of the National City Bank. Wall Street looks to topple FDR and replace him with a business friendly Dictator. United Fruit, now Chiquita engineers the ouster of the democratically elected Jacobo Arbenz in Guatemala.
Episode 75: Patterns in History
Strategic mistakes in the Russia-Ukraine relationship or a leadership vision that led to lasting impact. This episode evaluates patterns that emerge from the learnings we've had across the previous 74 episodes. Impact from the whims of a deranged leader or the ego trip of two super powers. Some interesting patterns emerge as we traverse history.
Episode 74: 2016 - the Panama Papers
The Panama Papers refer to the 11.5 million leaked encrypted confidential documents that were the property of Panama-based law firm Mossack Fonseca. The documents were released on April 3, 2016, by the German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung (SZ), dubbing them the "Panama Papers." The document exposed more than 140 politicians from more than 50 countries, connected to 214,000 offshore companies i
Episode 73: Artificial Intelligence - a history
The Turing Test in 1950 established the baseline for evaluating the real intelligence of a machine. To this day, no machine or software has been able to pass the Turing test. But do the next generation of ChatBots like ChatGPT have th epotential to pass the test?
Episode 72: The Spice Trade
The long-range spice trade began in around 1000 BCE with the movement of cinnamon, and perhaps pepper, from India and Indonesia to Egypt. For the next 1000 years, the Arabs served as the sole middlemen of the spice trade. In 1498, the Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama made the first sea voyage from Europe to India, via the southernmost tip of Africa. The mission was driven by a desire to find a d
Episode 71: Immigration across the globe
Over half of the emigration before the 1870s was from the British Isles, with much of the remainder from northwestern Europe. As migration increased along with new transportation technologies in the 1880s, regions of intensive emigration spread south and east as far as Portugal, Russia, and Syria. Migration to Southeast Asia and lands around the Indian Ocean and South Pacific consisted of over 29
Episode 70: The Middle East Peace Accords
Resolution 242 passed by the UN Security Council on 22 November 1967 embodied the principle that has guided most of the subsequent peace plans aound the Israel-Palestine conflict - the exchange of land for peace. From the Camp David Accords of 1978 to the Oslo Agreement of 1993, several peace accords were signed by the two sides, yet peace continues to elude the region.
Episode 69: 1918 - World War I - key battles, the impact and conclusion
The US entered WWI after the Zimmermann Telegram was intercepted by the British where Germany asked Mexico to join the War against the US. US entering the War turned the tide in favor of the Allies as battle fatigue started overpowering Germany and Russia. Russia saw the Czar abdicating while Germany saw its sailors refusing to fight. The War ended with Germany signing an armistice agreement with
Episode 68: 1914 - World War I - the origins and early days
On the eve of WWI, alliances galore across Europe with Germany aligned with Austria-Hungary and France aligned with Russia. All that is needed is a trigger and that happens on June 28, 1914 with the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the heir to the Austria-Hungary throne. The alliances declare war on each but Germany ends up fighting on two fronts. The episode explores the conditions that
Episode 67: Cold War Era-Eastern Europe Uprisings
The East German uprising of 1953 began as a series of strikes and protests at living standards; it soon turned political, with town halls being stormed amid vocal demands for German reunification. The Soviets had to intervene with military force to quell the rebellion. On August 20, 1968, the Soviet Union led Warsaw Pact troops in an invasion of Czechoslovakia to crack down on reformist trends in
Episode 66: Hyperinflation - the worst cases in history
The conventional marker for hyperinflation is 50% per month, first proposed in 1956 by Phillip Cagan, a professor of economics at Columbia University. Hyperinflation is the rapid, massive, and unmanageable increase in prices. In recent times, the worst cases of hyperinflation in history are Hungary from 1945 to 1946, Zimbabwe from 2007 to 2008 and Yugoslavia from 1992 to 1994. In all the three cas
Episode 65: Nearshoring and China+1
With a rise in geopolitical tensions with China, the World is looking to diversify its supply chain. Mexico presents an attractive nearshoring destination for manufacturers because of its proximity to the United States. The NAFTA enables free trade between the three signatory countries (US, Canada and Mexico) by reducing tariffs and other trade barriers. Vietnam, in China's neighborhood is emergin
Episode 64: Modern Engineering Marvels
On August 16, 1858, Britain sent the United States an inaugural message via a transatlantic telegraph cable. In it, Queen Victoria congratulated President James Buchanan on their countries' mutual success at building the very cable she was using to talk to him. The International Space Station is a truly global effort: nations ranging from America to Russia provided parts for and assembled the I
Episode 63: 1980 - Iran - Iraq War
In September 1980, Iraqi forces launched a full-scale invasion of neighboring Iran, beginning the Iran-Iraq War. Fueled by territorial, religious and political disputes between the two nations, the conflict ended in an effective stalemate and a cease-fire nearly eight years later, after more than half a million soldiers and civilians had been killed.
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