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Witness History Episodes

  1.

    The Reclusive JD Salinger

    It's 65 years since JD Salinger's classic novel The Catcher in the Rye was published

  2. Jacqueline Du Pre

    Jacqueline Du Pre makes one of the most famous classical recordings of the 20th Century

  3. The University of Texas Shooting

    In August 1966 14 people were shot dead in America's first mass shooting at a university

  4. Spying for America in Russia

    The story of Russian spy Alexandr Ogorodnik and his CIA handler, Marti Peterson.

  5. The Tangshan Earthquake

    In 1976, one of the deadliest earthquakes in history hit the city of Tangshan in China

  6. Meeting Picasso

    In the summer of 1951 art historian John Richardson met Pablo Picasso for the first time.

  7. The First CIA Coup in Latin America

    In 1954 CIA-backed officers overthrew Guatemala's elected government.

  8. Race Riots in Liverpool

    In 1981 police used CS gas for the first time in mainland Britain to control race riots

  9. The Beilis Case: an Anti-Jewish Trial

    In 1913, a Russian Jew, Mendel Beilis, was falsely accused of a murder.

  10. Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart

    In 1958 the Nigerian writer published his first book, revolutionising African literature.

  11. The Death of Bruce Lee

    The film star and martial arts legend died suddenly in Hong Kong in 1973.

  12. The Srebrenica Massacre

    In July 1995 Bosnian Serb troops murdered thousands of Bosnian Muslim men and boys.

  13. Medicare

    In July 1966, the US government health insurance programme Medicare came into force.

  14. Dutch Elm Disease

    In the 1970s Dutch Elm disease killed millions of Elm trees in England, France and the US

  15. 1916: Central Asia Rebels Against the Russian Empire

    In 1916, Muslims in Central Asia rose up against Russian imperial rule.

  16. Child refugees from the Spanish Civil War

    In 1937, Britain took in 4000 Basque children at the height of fighting in northern Spain

  17. The Nestle Boycott

    In July 1977 US campaigners launched a boycott against Nestle over the sale of baby milk.

  18. The Mumbai Train Bombings

    In July 2006, seven coordinated explosions tore through packed commuter trains in Mumbai.

  19. Forced Sterilisation in Peru

    In the 1990s, President Alberto Fujimori launched a family planning programme in Peru.

  20. War in Slovenia

    In 1991, Yugoslav army tanks moved into Slovenia to try to stop it becoming independent

  21. The Assassination of Anwar Sadat

    On October 6th 1981, Egyptian president Anwar Sadat was killed by army officers.

  22. Executions in Cuba

    In July 1989 four Cuban army officers were convicted of drug trafficking and executed.

  23. Spanish Republic

    The writers and artists who took part in cultural missions during the Spanish Civil War.

  24. The Sale of London Bridge

    In July of 1967 London Bridge put up for sale. American Robert P McCulloch bought it

  25. The Renovation of Leonardo da Vinci's Last Supper

    In 1999, after 20 years of restoration work, the masterpiece was revealed to the public.

  26. Denmark's second EU Referendum

    In 1993, Denmark held a second referendum on greater EU integration

  27. Starbucks: The Early Days

    It is 45 years since the multibillion-dollar coffee company opened in Seattle in the USA.

  28. Born on the Fourth of July

    Ron Kovic is a former US Marine turned peace activist whose story became a Hollywood film

  29. The Trial of Saddam Hussein

    On 1 July 2004, Saddam Hussein made his first appearance in a Baghdad courtroom.

  30. World War One: The Battle of the Somme

    BBC archive recordings of veterans who fought in one of the bloodiest battles in history

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