Real Dictators

Introducing: Real Vikings - Episode 1

Fri, 20 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0000

This is a preview of a brand-new show from the Noiser podcast network. Hosted by Iain Glen (Game of Thrones, Silo), Real Vikings takes you on a deep dive into the Viking age.

You’ll board longboats bound for new lands, follow mighty warlords, meet master navigators, and uncover the real figures behind the legends of the sagas.

But we begin on a quiet beach in the south of England, where a cold-blooded murder on the shingle sends shockwaves reverberating throughout Europe…

For more episodes, search ‘Real Vikings’ in your podcast app and hit follow. You can listen to Episode 2 straight after this.

Real Dictators will be back soon with the story of Marshal Tito.

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Jean-Bédel Bokassa Part 3: A Coronation for the Ages

Wed, 31 Dec 2025 00:04:00 -0000

The new emperor of the Central African Republic is introduced to the world in a totally surreal manner - with white horses from Belgium, finery from France and songs from a Broadway musical. The CAR’s finances continue to tumble. A controversial policy about school uniforms leads to one of the most tragic episodes in the country’s history. And as the emperor loses control, old friends become foes, old foes return from the dead, and Bokassa’s day of judgement is at hand…

A Noiser podcast production. Narrated by Paul McGann.

Featuring Louisa Lombard, Richard Moncrieff, Gino Vlavonou.

This is Part 3 of 3.

Real Dictators will be back in the new year with the story of Marshal Tito.

Get early access and ad-free listening by joining Noiser+. Click the subscription banner or go to noiser.com/subscriptions

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Jean-Bédel Bokassa Part 2: The Power Grab, the Châteaux and the Missing Daughter

Wed, 24 Dec 2025 00:00:00 -0000

A new year brings new beginnings in the Central African Republic. President Bokassa attempts to modernise. But at the same time, the mass incarcerations and torture ramp up and corruption takes hold. And then things get really strange… An imposter infiltrates Bokassa’s homelife. A bizarre public competition is launched to marry off the president’s daughters. And the leader takes a significant trip to Colonel Gaddafi’s Libya…

A Noiser podcast production. Narrated by Paul McGann.

Featuring Louisa Lombard, Richard Moncrieff, Gino Vlavonou.

This is Part 2 of 3.

You can listen to the final episode of the Bokassa story straight away, without waiting and without ads, by joining Noiser+. Just click the subscription banner at the top of the feed or go to noiser.com/subscriptions

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Jean-Bédel Bokassa Part 1: The Butcher of Bangui

Wed, 17 Dec 2025 00:00:00 -0000

The former soldier in the French army who seized power in his African homeland. The leader of the Central African Republic who proclaimed himself emperor. The emperor who ruled as an avaricious dictator. Jean-Bédel Bokassa’s time in power in the CAR began with promises of equality and justice. Hailed as a beacon of strength, he would go on to preside over a regime of eccentricity, excess and sadistic cruelty. But decades before the surreal coronation, the 17 wives and the vast collection of luxurious possessions, our story begins in a much humbler setting. In a forested village near the CAR’s southern border, rebellion is in the air…

A Noiser podcast production. Narrated by Paul McGann.

Featuring Louisa Lombard, Richard Moncrieff, Gino Vlavonou.

This is Part 1 of 3.

You can listen to the final two episodes of the Bokassa story straight away, without waiting and without ads, by joining Noiser+. Just click the subscription banner at the top of the feed or go to noiser.com/subscriptions

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Introducing: Charles Dickens Ghost Stories - A Christmas Carol

Mon, 08 Dec 2025 00:00:00 -0000

This is a preview of a brand-new audiobook from the Noiser Podcast Network. Join Sir David Suchet as he reads a selection of Charles Dickens’s most chilling short works, brought to life with sound design and original music.

We’ll encounter dark premonitions of disaster experienced by a lonely railway signalman… A Victorian murder trial cast into chaos when the dead man’s ghost interrupts proceedings… And a sinister haunted hotel, where twelve identical spirits stalk the corridors…

But first, a very special festive gift: Dickens’s most beloved ghost story of all, A Christmas Carol.

You can listen to Part 2 of A Christmas Carol straight after this. Just search for Charles Dickens Ghost Stories in your podcast app or listen at www.noiser.com.

Real Dictators will return on December 17th with the story of Jean-Bédel Bokassa.

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Fidel Castro Part 10: Emergency on an Airplane

Tue, 01 Jul 2025 23:00:00 -0000

The end arrives. Embarrassed at a baseball game, the Maximum Leader responds with arrests and intimidation. We hear first-hand testimony from a Cuban on the receiving end of the violence. A nasty public fall and a painful ordeal in the air show that age and illness are catching up with the dictator. But even as a change of leadership finally takes place, can Cuba ever truly be free from Fidel?

A Noiser podcast production.

Narrated by Paul McGann.

Featuring Michael Bustamante, Anthony DePalma, Lillian Guerra, Orlando Luis Pardo Lazo, Ileana Yarza.

This is Part 10 of 10.

Get every episode of Real Dictators a week early with Noiser+. You’ll also get ad-free listening, bonus material and early access to shows across the Noiser podcast network. Click the subscription banner at the top of the feed to get started. Or go to noiser.com/subscriptions

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Fidel Castro Part 9: Down With Fidel!

Tue, 24 Jun 2025 23:00:00 -0000

After a tragedy in the Florida Straits, a dramatic tug of war takes place between Castro and America - all centred on a five-year-old boy. A new leader in the Soviet Union comes to power with fresh ideas which terrify Fidel. The Berlin Wall crumbles, putting Cuba on the brink. As riots break out in Havana, rebellion is in the air...

A Noiser podcast production.

Narrated by Paul McGann.

Featuring Alvaro Alba, Michael Bustamante, Anthony DePalma, Lillian Guerra, Irene Lopez Kuchilan, Orlando Luis Pardo Lazo, Rogelio Martinez.

This is Part 9 of 10.

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Fidel Castro Part 8: Miami Vice

Tue, 17 Jun 2025 23:00:00 -0000

When a bomb goes off on a south Florida street, it bears all the hallmarks of a Cuban expert. Castroland is going international. As exiles flock to Miami, Fidel sets off on a globe-trotting mission - meeting Colonel Gaddafi in Libya and dispatching troops to Angola. But back at home, not everything is rosy. And when a bus driver rams his vehicle through the gates of an embassy, Castro will encounter a problem unlike any he’s ever faced before…

A Noiser podcast production.

Narrated by Paul McGann.

Featuring Michael Bustamante, Nicholas Griffin, Peter Kornbluh, Orlando Luis Pardo Lazo, Rogelio Martinez, Rick Morales.

This is Part 8 of 10.

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Fidel Castro Part 7: Che Guevara in the Jungle

Tue, 10 Jun 2025 23:00:00 -0000

Castro sets out to create a breed of “new people” - turning Cuba into an island of mini-Fidels. A particular dairy cow becomes a national treasure and hot dog vendors are declared counter-revolutionary, as things get surreal. Fidel’s own sister flees, declaring Cuba a “floating prison”. And as one of the dictator’s right-hand men is killed, the revolution will be rocked to its foundations…

A Noiser podcast production.

Narrated by Paul McGann.

Featuring Michael Bustamante, Carlos Eire, Lillian Guerra, Peter Kornbluh, Orlando Luis Pardo Lazo, Alex von Tunzelmann, Ileana Yarza.

This is Part 7 of 10.

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Fidel Castro Part 6: The Cuban Missile Crisis

Tue, 03 Jun 2025 23:00:00 -0000

The first man in space arrives in Cuba for a special visit. A passenger liner from the Soviet Union docks in Havana. But it’s not carrying tourists. Out in the countryside a massive yet mysterious construction project begins. Stranger-than-fiction plans are put in motion as the CIA tries everything to assassinate Fidel. And as Khrushchev and Castro take the most daring of gambles, the whole world holds its breath…

A Noiser podcast production.

Narrated by Paul McGann.

Featuring Alvaro Alba, Mervyn Bain, Carlos Eire, Peter Kornbluh, Alex von Tunzelmann, Ileana Yarza.

This is Part 6 of 10.

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Fidel Castro Part 5: The Bay of Pigs

Wed, 28 May 2025 09:11:00 -0000

A man who was right there tells us the tale of one of history’s most notorious military failures. Castro’s former lover is given a handful of poison capsules and dispatched to Fidel’s hotel. A Havana schoolboy crosses his fingers as the American bombing begins. And a young activist prepares to do whatever it takes to repel the impending invasion...

A Noiser podcast production.

Narrated by Paul McGann.

Featuring Carlos Eire, Peter Kornbluh, Monica Mercedes Perez Jimenez, Alex von Tunzelmann, Ileana Yarza, Eduardo Zayas-Bazan.

This is Part 5 of 10.

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Fidel Castro Part 4: Havana’s TV Star

Tue, 20 May 2025 23:00:00 -0000

Castro goes on a victory parade, eventually arriving in Havana on top of a tank. Vengeance is wrought on the old dictator’s supporters, as the new leader moves into the Hilton hotel. Fidel takes a trip to Washington - for a sit-down with Richard Nixon. And a regime insider tells us how he turned his back on Castro, only to pay the price...

A Noiser podcast production.

Narrated by Paul McGann.

Featuring Carlos Eire, Lillian Guerra, Jonathan Hansen, Jennifer Lambe, Alex von Tunzelmann, Ileana Yarza, Eduardo Zayas-Bazan. Special thanks to University of Miami Libraries for the use of the Huber Matos archive.

This is Part 4 of 10.

Get every episode of Real Dictators a week early with Noiser+. You’ll also get ad-free listening, bonus material and early access to shows across the Noiser podcast network.

Click the subscription banner at the top of the feed to get started. Or go to noiser.com/subscriptions

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Fidel Castro Part 3: The Mountain Guerrillas

Tue, 13 May 2025 23:00:00 -0000

While Batista tries to convince the world that Castro is dead, Fidel regroups in the mountains. The world’s press descends on Cuba, hoping to meet this elusive rebel, and Fidel is only too happy to grant everyone interviews. Meanwhile, in Havana, Batista’s sick son helps to save him from assassination. But his grip on the island is slipping…

A Noiser podcast production.

Narrated by Paul McGann.

Featuring Anthony DePalma, Carlos Eire, Lillian Guerra, Jonathan Hansen, Jennifer Lambe, Alex von Tunzelmann, Ileana Yarza.Special thanks to University of Miami Libraries for the use of the Huber Matos archive.

This is Part 3 of 10.

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Fidel Castro Part 2: Shipwrecked in the Swamps

Tue, 06 May 2025 23:00:00 -0000

Castro wrestles with Marxism and begins another affair. Attempting to reignite the revolution, he swims naked across the US border. At a get-together in Mexico City, he strikes up a rapport with a scruffy Argentine known as “Che”. Together, in a battered old boat, they will set sail for Cuba - to bring the fight to Batista…

A Noiser podcast production.Narrated by Paul McGann.

Featuring Michael J. Bustamante, Carlos Eire, Lillian Guerra, Jonathan Hansen, Irene Lopez, Alex von Tunzelmann, Eduardo Zayas-Bazan.

This is Part 2 of 10.

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Fidel Castro Part 1: Rise of ‘The Crazy One’

Tue, 29 Apr 2025 23:00:00 -0000

Fidel Castro - a revolutionary turned strongman dictator, beloved by his supporters and loathed by his enemies. The bête noire of the United States who pushed the world to the brink of annihilation. The ultimate political survivor who evaded hundreds of barely believable assassination attempts. We scroll back to the early years of the one they would call El Loco. It all begins on a farm in the east of Cuba - an island paradise with dark undercurrents swirling beneath the surface…

A Noiser podcast production.

Narrated by Paul McGann.

Featuring Michael J. Bustamante, Carlos Eire, Lillian Guerra, Jonathan Hansen, Peter Kornbluh, Jennifer Lambe, Rogelio Martinez, Orlando Luis Pardo Lazo, Alex von Tunzelmann, Ileana Yarza, Eduardo Zayas-Bazan.

Special thanks to University of Miami Libraries for the use of the Huber Matos archive.

This is Part 1 of 10.

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Introducing: Titanic: Ship of Dreams - Episode 1

Tue, 08 Apr 2025 23:00:00 -0000

This is a taster episode of a brand-new podcast from the Noiser podcast network. Join host Paul McGann as he explores life and death on the most famous ship in history.

You’ll be right there on board - setting sail from Southampton, chugging across the Atlantic, striking the iceberg and sinking into the icy depths. We’ll hear the harrowing tales of the victims and the testimonies of the lucky survivors. And Paul explores his own family story, following his great uncle Jimmy McGann - a trimmer down in Titanic’s engine room.

Search ‘Titanic: Ship of Dreams’ in your podcast app and hit follow to get new episodes each Tuesday. Or listen at noiser.com

Episode 2 is live now on Titanic: Ship of Dreams.

Real Dictators will be back on April 30th with the story of Fidel Castro.

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Benito Mussolini Part 7: Break for the Border…

Wed, 29 Jan 2025 00:00:00 -0000

As Italy switches sides, Hitler hatches a plan to rescue his pal. But with the Axis collapsing on all fronts, Mussolini makes for Switzerland - stowed away and in disguise. For Il Duce’s enemies, the race is on to get to him first. His downfall will come at the hands of his own people…

A Noiser production, written by Jeff Dawson.

Many thanks to Giulia Albanese, Joshua Arthurs, John Foot, Nicholas O’Shaughnessy, Lisa Pine, Helen Roche.

This is Part 7 of 7.

Real Dictators will be back soon with, among others, the stories of Fidel Castro and Jean-Bédel Bokassa as well as some bonus content. Stay tuned...

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Benito Mussolini Part 6: The Road to Perdition

Wed, 22 Jan 2025 00:00:00 -0000

It all starts to go horribly wrong… After the disastrous invasion of Greece, Mussolini sends troops to Russia. Benito’s Blitz prompts bemusement in Britain. An Italian assassin somehow survives the firing squad. A famous American mobster helps the Allies in Sicily. And Il Duce’s son telephones his father with devastating news…

A Noiser production, written by Jeff Dawson.

Many thanks to Giulia Albanese, Joshua Arthurs, John Foot, Nicholas O’Shaughnessy, Lisa Pine, Helen Roche.

This is Part 6 of 7.

Get every episode of Real Dictators a week early with Noiser+. You’ll also get ad-free listening, bonus material and early access to shows across the Noiser network. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started. Or, if you’re on Spotify or Android, go to noiser.com/subscriptions.

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Benito Mussolini Part 5: The Pact of Steel

Wed, 15 Jan 2025 00:00:00 -0000

At the Munich Conference, Mussolini postures as a peacemaker. With Hitler in the ascendancy, the Rome-Berlin Axis is upgraded to a military alliance. High on fascist adrenaline, Il Duce invades Albania. Soon, in the backdraft of the German Blitzkrieg, he will declare war on Britain and France…

A Noiser production, written by Jeff Dawson.

Many thanks to Giulia Albanese, Joshua Arthurs, John Foot, Nicholas O’Shaughnessy, Lisa Pine, Helen Roche, Thomas Weber.

This is Part 5 of 7.

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Benito Mussolini Part 4: A Fine Bromance

Wed, 08 Jan 2025 00:00:00 -0000

Il Duce uses propaganda to become a folk hero - part saint, part Father Christmas. He bans journalists from mentioning his birthday or the fact he’s a grandfather - to promote an image of eternal youth. Ernest Hemingway arrives in Switzerland to interview the Italian strongman, and sees right through him. Italy launches a genocidal campaign in Libya and gets away with it. And as the World Cup comes to the Fatherland, Benito Mussolini prepares to finally meet one Adolf Hitler…

A Noiser production, written by Jeff Dawson.

Many thanks to Giulia Albanese, Joshua Arthurs, John Foot, Nicholas O’Shaughnessy, Lisa Pine, Helen Roche.

This is Part 4 of 7.

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Benito Mussolini Part 3: Murder in Broad Daylight

Wed, 01 Jan 2025 00:00:00 -0000

World leaders line up to hail the new Italian strongman. But the fascists are already silencing dissenting voices. An epochal discovery in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings unleashes a curse, or so Mussolini believes. Il Duce gets his top off in the wheat fields - making sure to be caught on camera. He comes to an arrangement with the Pope and meets the woman who will ultimately die by his side. Meanwhile, an Anglo-Irish aristocrat prepares to make an astonishing attempt on Mussolini’s life…

A Noiser production, written by Jeff Dawson.

Many thanks to Giulia Albanese, Joshua Arthurs, John Foot, Nicholas O’Shaughnessy, Lisa Pine, Helen Roche.

This is Part 3 of 7.

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Benito Mussolini Part 2: The March on Rome

Wed, 18 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0000

Wounded at the Front, Mussolini’s war ends early. A playboy aristocrat forms his own private army, offering inspiration to Il Duce. As Italian workers go on strike, Mussolini’s goons crack skulls on the streets. And in a smoke-filled hall in Milan, he declares the birth of a new movement. His fascists will soon begin an audacious march on the capital…

A Noiser production, written by Jeff Dawson.

Many thanks to Giulia Albanese, Joshua Arthurs, John Foot, Nicholas O’Shaughnessy, Lisa Pine, Helen Roche.

This is Part 2 of 7.

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Introducing: Sherlock Holmes Short Stories

Mon, 16 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0000

A brand-new release from the Noiser Network. Join Hugh Bonneville on a thrilling journey through Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s most celebrated Holmes mysteries - read in their original, masterful form.

If you enjoy this taster episode, search ’Sherlock Holmes Short Stories’ in your podcast app and hit follow for more episodes. Or follow this link: https://podfollow.com/sherlock-holmes-short-stories-1

Part 2 of The Adventure of the Speckled Band is live now and waiting for you.

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Benito Mussolini Part 1: Italy’s Fascist Godfather

Wed, 11 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0000

We begin at the end… in 1945, with a pile of bodies dumped in Milan then strung up for all to see. Among them, the most powerful man in Italy. One of the most significant figures in modern history. How did it come to this? In this episode, we scroll back to follow the start of Benito Mussolini’s extraordinary rise. From humble origins as the son of a blacksmith and a schoolteacher, Il Duce will emerge as an incendiary journalist and activist. And before long, the onetime vagrant and draft-dodger will be on his way to the front line of World War One…

A Noiser production, written by Jeff Dawson.

Many thanks to Giulia Albanese, Joshua Arthurs, John Foot, Nicholas O’Shaughnessy, Lisa Pine, Helen Roche.

This is Part 1 of 7.

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General Videla Part 4: Dictator in the Courtroom

Wed, 20 Nov 2024 00:00:00 -0000

The Falklands War casts a long shadow over Argentina as the junta teeters on the verge of collapse. The country slowly returns to democracy. But that isn’t the end of Videla’s time in the spotlight. As a heroic legal case is brought against him, justice for his victims finally seems within reach. We’ll meet a man who sat mere feet away from Videla in the courtroom - a young prosecutor with the hopes of a nation resting on his shoulders…

A Noiser production, written by John Bartlett.

Many thanks to Edward Brudney, Robert Cox, Marguerite Feitlowitz, Francesca Lessa, Sara Méndez, Luís Moreno Ocampo, Ernesto Semán.

This is Part 4 of 4.

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General Videla Part 3: God, Football, the Falklands

Wed, 13 Nov 2024 00:00:00 -0000

The 1978 FIFA World Cup rolls into Argentina. A surreal fortnight ensues. Fans flock to revamped stadia, while just metres away prisoners cower - hidden in secret torture facilities. As foreign journalists begin to join the dots, Videla goes into statesman mode. With the tournament in the balance, the dictator and a famous friend pay Argentina’s opponents a friendly visit. It will result in one of the most contentious games in history…

A Noiser production, written by John Bartlett.

Many thanks to Edward Brudney, Robert Cox, Marcela Mora y Araujo, Rhys Richards, Ernesto Semán.

This is Part 3 of 4.

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General Videla Part 2: Mr Clean’s Dirty War

Wed, 06 Nov 2024 00:00:00 -0000

Videla’s dirty war begins. ‘Subversives’ are rooted out, with torture centres established across the land - including one known as the ‘Argentine Auschwitz’. Education, music, children’s books and haircuts are subjected to new regulations. And as the Junta garners international attention, Videla will employ elaborate means to gloss over the atrocities…

A Noiser production, written by John Bartlett.

Many thanks to Edward Brudney, Robert Cox, Marguerite Feitlowitz, Francesca Lessa, Sara Méndez, Ernesto Semán.

This is Part 2 of 4.

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General Videla Part 1: The Skinny One and the Witch

Wed, 30 Oct 2024 00:00:00 -0000

Argentina. The story of a gaunt, hawkish man who earned the nickname “the Hitler of the Pampa”. A man whose awkward bearing belied his capacity for cruelty. A dictator who literally stole the children of his prisoners. In 1925, Jorge Rafael Videla is born into a country at a crossroads. But no one can imagine just how deeply he will impact Argentina over the next 87 years…

A Noiser production, written by John Bartlett.

Many thanks to Edward Brudney, Robert Cox, Marguerite Feitlowitz, Francesca Lessa, Ernesto Semán.

This is Part 1 of 4.

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BONUS: Dictators’ Books

Tue, 24 Sep 2024 23:00:00 -0000

Almost every dictator, at one time or another, has put pen to paper. Some have wrestled with ideas, with philosophy. Many have merely vented - spewing their diatribes onto the page. Others have made forays into fiction, poetry and drama… with varying degrees of success.

Noiser writer Duncan Barrett spoke to a man who’s made it his mission to wade through all kinds of dictators’ writings. Daniel Kalder is author of The Infernal Library, also published as Dictator Literature: A History of Bad Books by Terrible People.

Scroll down the Real Dictators feed for episodes on the dictators mentioned in this conversation. The stories of Jorge Rafael Videla and Benito Mussolini will be coming later this year.

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Pinochet Part 3: Searching for the Disappeared

Tue, 10 Sep 2024 23:00:00 -0000

Pinochet consolidates control, creating a terrifying new secret police force. The dictator’s war on communism extends abroad, as Chile joins Operation Condor. But how long can Pinochet’s global allies allow him to go unchecked? And will the families of the murdered and the disappeared ever find justice?

A Noiser production, written by Sean Coleman.

Many thanks to John Bartlett, Mark Ensalaco, Peter Kornbluh.

This is Part 3 of 3.

To get an exclusive NordVPN deal, head to https://nordvpn.com/realdictators to get an extra 4 months on the 2-year plan. There’s no risk with Nord’s 30-day money-back guarantee.

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Pinochet Part 2: The Caravan of Death

Tue, 03 Sep 2024 23:00:00 -0000

September 11th, 1973. The touchpaper is lit. President Allende realises he’s been double-crossed. Pinochet keeps his cards close to his chest. A loyal naval admiral finds his cars sabotaged and his phone lines cut. And as Allende and his bodyguards prepare to defend the palace, the first soldiers take to the streets of Santiago…

A Noiser production, written by Sean Coleman.

Many thanks to John Bartlett, Mark Ensalaco, Peter Kornbluh.

This is Part 2 of 3.

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Pinochet Part 1: An Arrest in London

Tue, 27 Aug 2024 23:00:00 -0000

We travel to South America. In September 1973, Augusto Pinochet seizes power in Chile following a coup d’état. The aim is to topple the country’s socialist president. And it succeeds. But how does Pinochet - a seemingly unremarkable army man - come to lead the notorious uprising? And after that, how do he and his wife consolidate power, remaining in post for 17 long and bloody years?

A Noiser production, written by Sean Coleman.

Many thanks to John Bartlett, Mark Ensalaco, Peter Kornbluh.

This is Part 1 of 3.

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Introducing: D-Day: The Tide Turns - Episode 1

Wed, 05 Jun 2024 23:00:00 -0000

This is a taster episode of a brand-new podcast from the Noiser network. Host Paul McGann follows the real people involved in the D-Day landings.

It’s 1944 and Europe is in the grip of the Nazi war machine. But on the shores of Great Britain, thousands of men and women are planning the great fightback. What will it take to turn the tide of World War 2?

Search ‘D-Day: The Tide Turns’ in your podcast app and hit follow to get new episodes each Thursday. Or listen at noiser.com

Episode 2 is live now on D-Day: The Tide Turns.

Real Dictators will be back soon with the story of Augusto Pinochet.

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Oliver Cromwell Part 4: The Conquest of Ireland

Tue, 07 May 2024 23:00:00 -0000

In the final part of the Cromwell story, outrage at the King’s execution leads Ironsides to wage war on Scotland and, notoriously, Ireland. Insurgencies over, he’ll become Lord Protector - king in all but name. But as discontent continues to spread, the unthinkable will once again become possible. The Stuart monarchy couldn’t be restored… could it?…

A Noiser production, written by Jeff Dawson.

Many thanks to Peter Gaunt, Clare Jackson, Anna Keay, John Morrill, Nicholas O’Shaughnessy, Micheál Ó Siochrú.

This is Part 4 of 4.

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Oliver Cromwell Part 3: To Kill a King…

Tue, 30 Apr 2024 23:00:00 -0000

With the King in captivity, both sides seek a settlement. But when Charles escapes, all trust is broken. For Cromwell there is only one course of action - a solution that will plunge the British Isles into unknown territory. His Majesty must be put on trial…

A Noiser production, written by Jeff Dawson.

Many thanks to Peter Gaunt, Clare Jackson, Anna Keay, John Morrill, Nicholas O’Shaughnessy, Micheál Ó Siochrú.

This is Part 3 of 4.

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Oliver Cromwell Part 2: Civil War Across the Realms

Tue, 23 Apr 2024 23:00:00 -0000

England is plunged into conflict. Oliver Cromwell, an obscure politician, soon proves himself an outstanding military commander. King Charles, meanwhile, unveils his own star signing - a dashing young cavalry officer named Prince Rupert. A daring mission featuring the Queen threatens to tip the balance the Royalists’ way. But Cromwell’s New Model Army will prove itself unstoppable…

A Noiser production, written by Jeff Dawson.

Many thanks to Peter Gaunt, Clare Jackson, Anna Keay, John Morrill, Nicholas O’Shaughnessy, Micheál Ó Siochrú.

This is Part 2 of 4.

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Oliver Cromwell Part 1: The Rise of Ironsides

Tue, 16 Apr 2024 23:00:00 -0000

Say “Oliver Cromwell” today and certain things come to mind. He won the English Civil War and prompted the execution of Charles I. He purged the realm with such zeal that he even cancelled Christmas. In Ireland, where Cromwell’s troops besieged its towns with a notorious barbarity, his name is still used as a curse. “The greatest prince that ever ruled England”, as one historian called him? Or, as Winston Churchill would counter, a tyrant and a despot?

A Noiser production, written by Jeff Dawson.

Many thanks to Peter Gaunt, Clare Jackson, Anna Keay, John Morrill, Nicholas O’Shaughnessy, Micheál Ó Siochrú.

This is Part 1 of 4.

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Introducing: The Curious History of Your Home - Baths

Thu, 11 Apr 2024 23:00:00 -0000

A brand-new podcast from the Noiser network. Join domestic historian Ruth Goodman as she explores the remarkable, often epic, tales behind everyday objects.

This taster episode is all about the bath.

A murderous emperor builds the grandest bath complex ever seen in Ancient Rome. The arrival of a new disease spells trouble for the bathhouses of Tudor London. An excitable Victorian clergyman extolls the virtues of skinny dipping. And World War Two plays a surprising role in kickstarting the hot tub craze…

If you enjoy this taster episode, search ‘The Curious History of Your Home’ in your podcast app and hit follow to get new episodes every Tuesday.

Or follow this link: https://podfollow.com/the-curious-history-of-your-home

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Enver Hoxha Part 2: Stalin’s Shadow, Europe’s North Korea

Wed, 20 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0000

As a new premier takes charge in Moscow, Hoxha makes a new friend in China. The Albanian dictator tasks an entire media industry with maintaining his image. But as his country sinks into an economic mire and his own health deteriorates, Hoxha and Albania’s isolation will be complete. How will the country even begin to escape his clutches?

A Noiser production, written by Sean Coleman. Many thanks to Bernd Fischer, Artan Hoxha and Shannon Woodcock.

This is Part 2 of 2.

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Enver Hoxha Part 1: The Albanian School Teacher

Wed, 13 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0000

From 1944 to 1985, Enver Hoxha ran Albania as an extraordinarily repressive Stalinist dictatorship. But how did a middle class teacher from the provinces become the most powerful man in the country and a key player in the communist world? What did he do to turn Albania into one of the most isolated countries in the world? And how did ‘Uncle Enver’ keep his citizens in the dark for so much of the 20th century?

A Noiser production, written by Sean Coleman. Many thanks to Bernd Fischer, Artan Hoxha and Shannon Woodcock.

This is Part 1 of 2.

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Herod the Great Part 2: Murders in the Family

Wed, 27 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0000

Herod leaves Rome to wrest Judea from the Parthians. He will marry a princess, commission extraordinary building works, and even murder his in-laws as he tries to win over his people. But how will that desperate quest shape his subjects’ lives, and his own legacy? And what of Herod’s most notorious act - the Slaughter of the Innocents?

A Noiser production, written by Kate Harrison.

This is Part 2 of 2.

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Herod the Great Part 1: Ruler of Galilee

Wed, 20 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0000

Herod - you may well know the name from the Nativity story. The cruel king who learns of a prophecy proclaiming a Messiah and orders the slaughter of innocent children in response. He’s become synonymous with almost pantomime villainy. At the same time, Herod changed the face of the Middle East in the 1st century BC. His reign featured dazzling architectural ventures and significant legal changes… as well as social division, political intrigue and murderous family drama. So, all in all, who really was this iconic figure of the immediate pre-Christian era?

A Noiser production, written by Kate Harrison.

This is Part 1 of 2.

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Saddam Hussein Part 5: The War on Terror

Wed, 13 Dec 2023 00:00:00 -0000

In the aftermath of 9/11, President Bush and Prime Minister Blair send troops back into Iraq. In a highly symbolic moment, beamed around the world, a giant statue of Saddam comes crashing down. But as the Iraqi dictator performs his vanishing act, how soon can they track him down? And after Saddam’s toppling, how will ordinary Iraqis fare?

A Noiser production, written by Duncan Barrett.

This is Part 5 of 5.

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Saddam Hussein Part 4: The First Gulf War

Wed, 06 Dec 2023 00:01:00 -0000

After Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait, US forces are deployed to the region. For some Iraqis, it seems like the perfect time to rise up against their dictator. As economic sanctions bite, Saddam treats himself to a bit of retail therapy. All the while, his sons are becoming terrifying figures in their own right. A family crisis is about to snowball into a murderous feud…

A Noiser production, written by Duncan Barrett.

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Saddam Hussein Part 3: Oil and the Ayatollah

Wed, 29 Nov 2023 00:01:00 -0000

Saddam nationalises the Iraq Petroleum Company and clashes with the new leader of Iran. A man called ‘Chemical Ali’ commits one of the most heinous atrocities of modern times. Meanwhile, sculptures of the Iraqi dictator are commissioned across the land. With his personality cult firmly established, Saddam is ready for war…

A Noiser production, written by Duncan Barrett.

For more on Saddam and his cook, listen to our bonus episode on Dictators’ Chefs.

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Saddam Hussein Part 2: Enforcer, Frontman, Mafia Godfather

Wed, 22 Nov 2023 00:01:00 -0000

Saddam consolidates his own power base, appointing friends and relatives to key positions. We hear a remarkable account from a woman whose own family was targeted by his secret police. Soon, the deputy will be in pole position to move against his mentor. And after that, Saddam will shore up the loyalty of his party with an act of political theatre for the ages…

A Noiser production, written by Duncan Barrett.

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Saddam Hussein Part 1: Son of the Alleyways

Wed, 15 Nov 2023 00:01:00 -0000

In the spring of 1937, a child dies and his brother is born. Translated from Arabic, the newborn’s name - Saddam - means ‘one who confronts’. As his life will demonstrate, it couldn’t be more appropriate. So how does a boy from a tough peasant background go on to rise to the very top of Iraq’s leadership? How does his journey towards global infamy begin?

Narrated by Paul McGann. A Noiser production, written by Duncan Barrett.

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Macías Nguema Part 2: Hiding in the Jungle with all the Money

Wed, 08 Nov 2023 00:01:00 -0000

With President Macías in power, educated Equatoguineans come under attack, as a bizarre vendetta is pursued against teachers, lawyers and doctors. Things take a turn for the metaphysical, as Macías declares himself God. Finally, as paranoia completely overwhelms him, his inner circle will take matters into their own hands…

Narrated by Paul McGann. A Noiser production, written by Sean Coleman.

This is Part 2 of 2.

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Macías Nguema Part 1: The Dachau of Africa

Wed, 01 Nov 2023 00:01:00 -0000

This is the extraordinary, blood-curdling story of a dictator you may never have heard of. From 1968-1979, the African nation of Equatorial Guinea was helmed by its first, and to date only, freely elected president. Initially, Francisco Macías Nguema was seen by the Spanish colonial authorities as a safe choice. He proved to be anything but. Things went off the rails at an astonishing rate, as Macías rapidly turned the country into what would be called the ‘Dachau of Africa’. His is a tale of sheer opportunism on the way up, and drug-fuelled paranoia on the way down…

Narrated by Paul McGann. A Noiser production, written by Sean Coleman.

This is Part 1 of 2.

Get every episode of Real Dictators a week early with Noiser+. You’ll also get ad-free listening, bonus material and early access to shows across the Noiser network. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started with a 7-day free trial. Or, if you’re on Spotify or Android, go to noiser.com/subscriptions.

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Hitler: The Bunker and the End (Part 25)

Tue, 03 Oct 2023 23:01:00 -0000

We reach the dramatic conclusion of Hitler’s downfall. With the Battle of Berlin raging, the Führer makes his last stand. Underground, in a bunker beneath the Chancellery, he will conduct the final act of his life: a macabre ritual of marriage, murder and suicide…

A Noiser production, written by Jeff Dawson.

This is Part 25 of the Hitler Story. Scroll down the Real Dictators feed for earlier episodes.

For ad-free listening, exclusive content and early access to new episodes, join Noiser+. Click the Noiser+ banner to get started with a 7-day free trial. Or, if you’re on Spotify or Android, go to noiser.com/subscriptions.

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Hitler: Operation Valkyrie, Blowing up the Führer (Part 24)

Tue, 26 Sep 2023 23:01:00 -0000

A delusional Hitler downplays the Normandy Landings. A group of generals, meanwhile, attempts an audacious military coup. And with Allied bombers pounding the Fatherland, Germany’s dictator plays his next card… Scientific wonder-weapons that will turn the war back his way…

A Noiser production, written by Jeff Dawson.

This is Part 24 of the Hitler Story. Scroll down the Real Dictators feed for earlier episodes.

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Hitler: Mussolini’s Prison Break (Part 23)

Tue, 19 Sep 2023 23:01:00 -0000

In Italy, Il Duce is overthrown. So Hitler stages a daring mission to rescue his fascist partner. With the Red Army rampant, another epochal battle sends the Wehrmacht on the retreat. Soon, more bad news will reach the Berghof, as Allied troops start landing in Normandy. But with the Führer fast asleep in his quarters, will anyone dare to break it to him?

A Noiser production, written by Jeff Dawson.

This is Part 23 of the Hitler Story. Scroll down the Real Dictators feed for earlier episodes.

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Hitler: The Battle of Stalingrad (Part 22)

Tue, 12 Sep 2023 23:01:00 -0000

The myth of the Nazi war machine is blown apart in one of the pivotal battles of World War 2. Serious questions arise as to Hitler’s leadership, encouraging a growing German resistance. As Allied forces eye Sicily, a paranoid Führer retreats further into himself. His war of conquest is becoming a war of defence…

A Noiser production, written by Jeff Dawson.

This is Part 22 of the Hitler Story. Scroll down the Real Dictators feed for earlier episodes.

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Adolf Hitler: The Final Solution (Part 21)

Tue, 05 Sep 2023 23:01:00 -0000

This is Part 21 of the Hitler Story. You can start listening here. Or, scroll down the Real Dictators feed for earlier episodes.

We pick up the story in 1942. World War 2 is well underway and the Führer is still in the box seat. But he is not as untouchable as he used to be. Nazi high-ups gather at the Wannsee Conference, honing a plan to exterminate an entire race. With the war in Russia on the rocks, and Hitler increasingly AWOL, Goebbels struggles to control the narrative. The resistance is growing. A leading figure of the Third Reich is about to be taken out in broad daylight…

A Noiser production, written by Jeff Dawson.

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Introducing: Real Survival Stories - Glacier Escape

Wed, 16 Aug 2023 23:01:00 -0000

Noiser presents a brand-new podcast. Real Survival Stories brings you astonishing tales of ordinary people thrust into extraordinary survival situations.

In this taster episode, two friends embark on an awe-inspiring trip into the mountains. But then, one false step sends Jim Davidson and Mike Price plummeting into a crevasse. Trapped deep beneath the surface of a glacier, surrounded by sheer walls of ice, Jim will come to realise there’s only one way he can possibly escape…

If you enjoy this taster episode, search ‘Real Survival Stories’ in your podcast app and hit follow to get new episodes every Thursday. There are more epic tales live now and waiting for you.

Real Dictators will return on August 30th for Noiser+ subscribers and September 6th for general release, as we begin the final set of episodes from the Adolf Hitler story.

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Attila the Hun Part 2: The Scourge of God

Tue, 08 Aug 2023 23:01:00 -0000

We track Attila’s progress as he rampages through Gaul. A family bust-up sparks an extraordinary alliance, as Attila gets engaged to the Roman Emperor’s sister. With the Huns storming deep into Western Europe, their king is on a collision course with his old friend Aetius. Will the Romans’ fragile coalition hold? Or will the prophecy of the Sword of Mars be realised?

A Noiser production, written by Mark Piesing.

This is Part 2 of 2.

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Attila the Hun Part 1: The Sword of Mars

Tue, 01 Aug 2023 23:01:00 -0000

We’re in south-eastern Europe in the 400s AD. The once mighty Roman Empire is riven in two. And on the Great Hungarian Plain a fearsome enemy is rising. The Huns’ king, Attila, will become a terrifying, iconic figure. A byword for plundering and pillaging. The archetypal warlord. But who was he really, according to those who observed him? What did Attila do that was so significant? And is his bloody reputation entirely deserved?

A Noiser production, written by Mark Piesing.

This is Part 1 of 2.

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Manuel Noriega Part 3: Bush Invades Panama

Tue, 11 Jul 2023 23:01:00 -0000

The Americans go all-in, deploying stealth bombers, helicopters and tens of thousands of troops to Panama. Meanwhile, agents attempt to penetrate the dictator’s inner circle, as a US operative befriends Noriega’s mistress. Will the missions succeed? Or will Noriega slip away again?

A Noiser production, written by Duncan Barrett.

This is Part 3 of 3.

For ad-free listening, exclusive content and early access to new episodes, join Noiser+. Now available for Apple and Android users. Click the Noiser+ banner on Apple or go to noiser.com/subscriptions to get started with a 7-day free trial.

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Manuel Noriega Part 2: A Tale of Two Spy Chiefs

Tue, 04 Jul 2023 23:01:00 -0000

Shielded by a puppet president, Noriega takes power. But the spymaster struggles in his new role as dictator. The war on drugs escalates in dramatic fashion. As the tide turns against Noriega, he will find himself on a collision course with the man about to assume the US presidency: George H.W. Bush…

A Noiser production, written by Duncan Barrett.

This is Part 2 of 3.

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Manuel Noriega Part 1: The Narco Dictator

Tue, 27 Jun 2023 23:01:00 -0000

For two decades, Manuel Noriega stamped his authority on Panama - first as the country’s brutal intelligence chief, and later, from 1983-89, as its de facto military ruler. A gangster up to his neck in drug trafficking, gun running and organised crime. But also, a key asset of the CIA. How did a poor boy from Panama grow up to become such a chameleon on the world stage? And why does so much of the Noriega story remain in the shadows?

A Noiser production, written by Duncan Barrett.

This is Part 1 of 3.

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BONUS: Dictators’ Chefs

Tue, 09 May 2023 23:01:00 -0000

For this special bonus episode, Noiser writer Duncan Barrett sat down for a chat with Witold Szabłowski, author of How to Feed a Dictator: Saddam Hussein, Idi Amin, Enver Hoxha, Fidel Castro and Pol Pot Through the Eyes of Their Cooks.

The role of personal chef to a dictator is a fascinating one. It’s an extremely intimate relationship. These cooks have literally nourished tyrants. They’ve satisfied their culinary cravings, altered their moods for better and worse, and even influenced their policies. So what can they tell us about dictators’ appetites?

Real Dictators will return soon for Season 5.

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Introducing: Detectives Don’t Sleep - The Nazi Art Mystery (Part 1 of 3)

Mon, 17 Apr 2023 23:01:00 -0000

The makers of Real Dictators present a brand-new podcast: Detectives Don’t Sleep. Step beyond the police tape to shadow the real detectives who worked history’s most intriguing cases.

In this taster episode, we’re hot on the heels of international art detective Arthur Brand. He is hunting down a pair of lost statues… Two giant bronze horses that were once beloved by none other than Adolf Hitler. But a case of missing artworks quickly spirals into something far more dangerous - a deadly neo-Nazi conspiracy…

If you enjoy this taster episode, search ‘Detectives Don’t Sleep’ in your podcast app and hit follow to get new episodes every Tuesday.

Part 2 of the Nazi Art Mystery is live now on the Detectives Don’t Sleep podcast.

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Hitler: Attack on Russia, War with America… (Part 20)

Wed, 15 Mar 2023 00:01:00 -0000

The Führer’s deputy embarks on an astonishing secret mission. After baling out Mussolini in the Balkans, German troops finally march into the Soviet Union. Undeterred by the bloodshed, Hitler will sign off 1941 by declaring war on the United States…

A Noiser production, written by Jeff Dawson.

Scroll down the Real Dictators feed for episodes on Hitler’s early years and rise to power.

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Adolf Hitler vs Winston Churchill (Part 19)

Wed, 08 Mar 2023 00:01:00 -0000

Installed in Downing Street, Churchill arrives with a bang. The Battle of Britain rages in the skies, while the Nazis plot a seaborne invasion across the English Channel. And Hitler extends his network of allies, seeking to bring the Spanish and Japanese strongmen to the table…

A Noiser production, written by Jeff Dawson.

Scroll down the Real Dictators feed for episodes on Hitler’s early years and rise to power.

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Hitler: A Brush With Death… (Part 18)

Wed, 01 Mar 2023 00:01:00 -0000

World War Two begins. After the invasion of Poland, Hitler sets his sights on Scandinavia. A devastating lightning war rolls over Western Europe, as the German panzers arrive in Paris. Meanwhile, the Führer’s British lover makes an attempt on her own life. And a lone clockmaker decides to bump off Hitler once and for all…

A Noiser production, written by Jeff Dawson.

Scroll down the Real Dictators feed for episodes on Hitler’s early years and rise to power.

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Hitler’s Birthday, Poland’s Doom (Part 17)

Wed, 22 Feb 2023 00:01:00 -0000

Hitler continues his Godfather act, ignoring the Munich settlement and gobbling up the rest of Czechoslovakia. As he turns 50, the Führer is showered with extravagant birthday gifts. Meanwhile, behind the scenes, the finishing touches are put to a shock pact with Stalin. But Britain and France draw a line. An invasion of Poland will mean war…

A Noiser production, written by Jeff Dawson.

Scroll down the Real Dictators feed for episodes on Hitler’s early years and rise to power.

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Hitler: The Gathering Storm... (Part 16)

Wed, 15 Feb 2023 00:01:00 -0000

Hitler expands the Third Reich, annexing Austria and the Sudetenland. Britain and France seek a diplomatic solution at the Munich Conference. But how long will appeasement keep war at bay? Meanwhile, the Nazis stir up an orgy of anti-Jewish violence, Kristallnacht...

A Noiser production, written by Jeff Dawson.

This is Part 16 of the Hitler Story. Scroll down the Real Dictators feed for episodes on Hitler’s early years and rise to power.

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Adolf Hitler: Unassailable Führer (Part 15)

Wed, 08 Feb 2023 00:01:00 -0000

This is Part 15 of the Hitler Story. You can start listening here. Or, scroll down the Real Dictators feed for episodes on Hitler’s early years and rise to power.

We pick up the tale in the mid-1930s. From struggling artist to veteran soldier of the trenches, now Hitler is transformed into Germany’s dictator. The new Third Reich is in the spotlight at the Berlin Olympics. Behind the scenes, the armed forces expand at an alarming rate. The infamous Nuremberg Laws are unveiled. And Hitler dispatches an old friend on a suicide mission...

A Noiser production, written by Jeff Dawson.

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Robert Mugabe Part 4: A Game of Thrones

Wed, 30 Nov 2022 00:01:00 -0000

At the age of 93, Mugabe’s days in office are numbered. But the succession crisis threatens to tear Zimbabwe apart. In South Africa, exiles hatch an extraordinary plan to oust him. And when the dictator’s own wife throws her hat into the ring, Mugabe’s house of cards will begin tumbling down…

A Noiser production, written by Duncan Barrett.

This is Part 4 of 4.

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Robert Mugabe Part 3: Zimbabwe’s Tsunami

Wed, 23 Nov 2022 00:01:00 -0000

After two decades in office, Mugabe has already shown himself to be a tyrant. At the dawn of the 21st century, the outside world sits up and takes notice. Mugabe seizes white-owned farms and drags his country into the greatest economic crisis since the Wall Street Crash. But the resistance is growing stronger…

A Noiser production, written by Duncan Barrett.

This is Part 3 of 4.

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Robert Mugabe Part 2: The Leopard’s True Spots…

Wed, 16 Nov 2022 00:01:00 -0000

Mugabe is now the leader of independent Zimbabwe. But behind the façade of democracy, he is already governing through fear. Emboldened, he unleashes a campaign of genocide on his opponents. For now, for the most part, the international community turns a blind eye. But the arrival of a new prime minister - not in Zimbabwe but in faraway Britain - will herald Mugabe’s first great crisis…

A Noiser production, written by Duncan Barrett.

This is Part 2 of 4.

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Robert Mugabe Part 1: The Young Scholar

Wed, 09 Nov 2022 00:01:00 -0000

For almost four decades, Robert Mugabe held the reins of power in Zimbabwe with an iron grip. As a youthful idealist, he led a revolutionary movement that put his country back in African hands. But once in power, he presided over a regime of brutality and jaw-dropping corruption. So what events helped form Mugabe? And how did he manoeuvre himself from obscurity to power?

A Noiser production, written by Duncan Barrett.

This is Part 1 of 4.

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Robert Mugabe: Coming Soon on Real Dictators…

Tue, 25 Oct 2022 23:01:00 -0000

Beginning Wednesday November 9th. We’re in Zimbabwe for the extraordinary story of Robert Mugabe.

Early access to new episodes for Noiser+ subscribers.

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Lenin Part 4: Ghost at the Kremlin

Tue, 18 Oct 2022 23:01:00 -0000

With power finally in Bolshevik hands, state terror arrives in Russia. The Soviet Union is born. But, installed in Red Square, Lenin’s health is ailing. Will his creation live on beyond his death? And which of his lieutenants, jostling for position, will take up the baton?

A Noiser production, written by Dan Smith.

This is Part 4 of 4.

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Lenin Part 3: First Russia, Then the World…

Tue, 11 Oct 2022 23:01:00 -0000

The Tsar is deposed as the people of the Russian Empire rise up. Marooned in Switzerland, Vladimir Lenin prepares for an extraordinary journey home, by land and sea. It will involve the closest of shaves, multiple disguises, and the covert help of Russia’s deadliest enemy…

A Noiser production, written by Dan Smith.

This is Part 3 of 4.

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Lenin Part 2: Underground, On the Run

Tue, 04 Oct 2022 23:01:00 -0000

Vladimir Lenin meets Joseph Stalin. Turning to crime to pay their way, the revolutionaries struggle to stay ahead of the authorities. As the First World War upends Russia, the Bolsheviks wait for their moment. In the meantime, Lenin’s love life takes an unconventional turn...

A Noiser production, written by Dan Smith.

This is Part 2 of 4.

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Lenin Part 1: The Revolution is Born

Tue, 27 Sep 2022 23:01:00 -0000

Vladimir Lenin changed the course of history like very few ever have. He turned Russia upside down and created the first communist state. As the founder of the Soviet Union, he ensured the world would never be the same again. But long before his time in power, his life is something straight out of a spy thriller. Young Vladimir enjoys a happy, comfortable childhood. That is, until a double tragedy puts him on a very different path...

A Noiser production, written by Dan Smith.

This is Part 1 of 4.

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Vladimir Lenin: Coming Soon on Real Dictators…

Tue, 13 Sep 2022 23:01:00 -0000

The story of Lenin - leader of the Russian Revolution, founder of the Soviet Union - begins Wednesday September 28th.

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Napoleon Part 6: Showdown at Waterloo

Tue, 06 Sep 2022 23:01:00 -0000

With Napoleon deposed and in exile, it appears to be game over. But even now he is planning a comeback. After the mother of all prison breaks, Napoleon marches back up through France. Reinstating himself as emperor, he will rally his troops for one last battle...

A Noiser production, written by Jeff Dawson.

This is Part 6 of 6.

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Napoleon Part 5: Downfall in Russia

Tue, 30 Aug 2022 23:01:00 -0000

Napoleon’s blockade of Britain begins. Amidst the fall-out, France launches an invasion of Spain. The Duke of Wellington arrives on the scene. After another dispute with Russia, Bonaparte assembles his biggest ever army. It will do the unthinkable and march on Moscow...

A Noiser production, written by Jeff Dawson.

This is Part 5 of 6.

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Napoleon Part 4: The Emperor Strikes Back

Tue, 23 Aug 2022 23:01:00 -0000

Bonaparte storms back into Italy, reconquering all that had been lost. Back home, in Notre-Dame Cathedral, thousands of dignitaries watch on as the untouchable general crowns himself emperor. Intent on destroying Britain, he plans a seaborne invasion. But Lord Nelson has other ideas…

A Noiser production, written by Jeff Dawson.

This is Part 4 of 6.

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Napoleon Part 3: The Egyptian Adventure

Tue, 16 Aug 2022 23:01:00 -0000

Napoleon sails for the Middle East. After the Battle of the Pyramids, a scientific mission makes remarkable findings, introducing the Western world to the mysteries of Ancient Egypt. But after a drubbing from Britain’s naval supremo, Horatio Nelson, Napoleon does a runner. His return to Paris is timed to perfection. Almost by accident, Bonaparte will seize power...

A Noiser production, written by Jeff Dawson.

This is Part 3 of 6.

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Napoleon Part 2: The Italian Job

Tue, 09 Aug 2022 23:01:00 -0000

After a quickie wedding, Napoleon Bonaparte dashes south to take command of the French Army in Italy. Here he announces himself with a devastating display of battlefield brilliance. In Milan, he gets a taste for political rule and good living. Napoleon will return to Paris both as a military hero and a budding statesman...

A Noiser production, written by Jeff Dawson.

This is Part 2 of 6.

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Napoleon Part 1: The Humble Corsican

Tue, 02 Aug 2022 23:01:00 -0000

You’ve heard the name Napoleon Bonaparte. But who was he, really? In 1769 a boy is born on the Mediterranean island of Corsica. He will go on to become an emperor - a virtual god in his adopted homeland, a nemesis to his international foes. So how does Napoleon become the most powerful man on Earth? And why doesn’t he stop, even once he has it all?

A Noiser production, written by Jeff Dawson.

This is Part 1 of 6.

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Napoleon: Coming Soon on Real Dictators…

Tue, 19 Jul 2022 23:01:00 -0000

The story of Napoleon Bonaparte begins Wednesday August 3rd.

Early access to new episodes for Noiser+ subscribers.

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Pol Pot Part 4: The Killing Fields

Tue, 05 Jul 2022 23:01:00 -0000

Pol Pot constructs a secretive one-party state. Cambodia descends into hell as his twisted social experiment begins. Finally, the shifting sands of geopolitics will create challenges for the Khmer Rouge. Pol Pot will be forced back into the jungle. But even then, the man with untold blood on his hands will somehow evade justice.

A Noiser production, written by Dan Smith. Many thanks to Elizabeth Becker and University of Washington Libraries for archive audio.

This is Part 4 of 4.

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Pol Pot Part 3: Vietnam War, Cambodian Revolution

Tue, 28 Jun 2022 23:01:00 -0000

The Khmer Rouge launch their revolution against Sihanouk… until Sihanouk himself is stabbed in the back. America’s action in Vietnam escalates, spilling over the border with catastrophic consequences. The enigmatic Pol Pot will emerge from the bloodshed to become the most powerful man in the land. At the outset of ‘Year Zero’, the true horror will begin...

A Noiser production, written by Dan Smith.

This is Part 3 of 4.

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Pol Pot Part 2: Welcome to the Jungle

Tue, 21 Jun 2022 23:02:00 -0000

Saloth Sar, the young man who will become Pol Pot, arrives in France in 1949. In just a few short months, he will be transformed into a die-hard communist rebel. Meanwhile, in Cambodia, things are coming to the boil. Returning from Europe, Sar goes to ground with the Vietnamese communists. He begins to prepare his very own revolution…

A Noiser production, written by Dan Smith.

This is Part 2 of 4.

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Pol Pot Part 1: Tyrant in the Shadows

Tue, 21 Jun 2022 23:01:00 -0000

Cambodia today is many people’s idea of heaven on earth. But in the 1970s it was a netherworld of death and despair. Under Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge, in just four years around a quarter of the population perished. Pol Pot was a uniquely anonymous dictator - a man who preferred to operate in the shadows. So who was he? And how did he come to lead such a staggeringly bloody regime?

A Noiser production, written by Dan Smith.

This is Part 1 of 4.

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Pol Pot: Coming Soon on Real Dictators…

Tue, 14 Jun 2022 23:01:00 -0000

The story of the Cambodian dictator, Pol Pot, begins Wednesday June 22nd.

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Introducing: Real Outlaws - Billy the Kid Part 1

Tue, 24 May 2022 23:01:00 -0000

From Noiser, Real Outlaws is the new podcast that travels back in time to when rogues and bandits followed a code all of their own. In this taster episode, we’re on the trail of Billy the Kid - perhaps the best-known outlaw in American history. Hero or villain? You decide.

Follow Real Outlaws to get Part 2 now.

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Julius Caesar Part 3: Murder in the Senate

Tue, 17 May 2022 23:01:00 -0000

Caesar departs Egypt with his lover, Cleopatra, secure on the throne. After crushing Pompey’s allies, he returns to Rome. His rule proves popular with the masses. But senators grow concerned by his increasing megalomania. With the Ides of March approaching, conspirators hatch an historic assassination plot…

A Noiser production, written by Jeff Dawson.

This is Part 3 of 3.

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Julius Caesar Part 2: Rendezvous With Cleopatra

Tue, 10 May 2022 23:01:00 -0000

Caesar’s campaign in Gaul begins. An invasion on an epic scale, it will also include two missions to the rain-lashed island of Britain. Back home, however, the collapse of the Triumvirate pushes Rome towards civil war. The conflict will spill across the Mediterranean, driving Julius Caesar into the arms of a certain Queen Cleopatra…

A Noiser production, written by Jeff Dawson.

This is Part 2 of 3.

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Julius Caesar Part 1: The Roman Dictator

Tue, 03 May 2022 23:01:00 -0000

Politician, writer, warrior, lover... Julius Caesar was the dictator-for-life who became the absolute ruler of Rome and its domains. His life was a series of extraordinary and gruesome adventures. The young student kidnapped by pirates. The general who butchered the people of Gaul and led the Roman legions into Britain. The lothario famously entranced by Cleopatra. But how much truth do the legends contain?

A Noiser production, written by Jeff Dawson.

This is Part 1 of 3.

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Julius Caesar: Coming Soon on Real Dictators...

Tue, 26 Apr 2022 23:01:00 -0000

Join us on a trip to Ancient Rome. The first of three episodes on the legendary Roman general drops Wednesday May 4th.

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Genghis Khan Part 2: Rise of the Mongols

Tue, 29 Mar 2022 23:01:00 -0000

The leader brings reforms to his newly unified Mongol nation. The man formerly known as Temüjin will now conquer an empire bigger than any before in recorded history. But what are the innovations that underpin his supremacy? And how will history judge him - as a cruel tyrant, or a great leader?

A Noiser production, written by Dan Smith.

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Genghis Khan Part 1: Underdog to Emperor

Wed, 23 Mar 2022 00:01:00 -0000

We're in the Mongol lands of Central Asia in the late 1100s. This is a place of nomadic warriors, a region divided between tribes. But one man will emerge to unite them. Armed with the greatest military mind of his age, he will lead the Mongol peoples far beyond their own borders. A terror to his enemies, he will build a reputation unmatched for cruelty and barbarism. So how does a boy from humble origins come to rule an empire twice the size of Ancient Rome's?

A Noiser production, written by Dan Smith.

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Hitler: Night of the Long Knives (Part 14)

Wed, 16 Mar 2022 00:01:00 -0000

To ward off the Western Allies, Hitler takes a trip to Venice to visit Mussolini. At home, meanwhile, Hitler’s paramilitaries, the SA, are growing restless. In a final savage act, the mother of all purges, Hitler will liquidate anyone who has ever wronged him. Under the unassailable German Führer, the Third Reich will begin…

A Noiser production, written by Jeff Dawson.

Scroll to Season 2 for episodes on Hitler’s early years.

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Hitler: The Reichstag Fire (Part 13)

Wed, 09 Mar 2022 00:01:00 -0000

Installed as Chancellor, Hitler briefs his army chiefs to prepare for war. But first, he must deal with enemies at home… After the German parliament building is set ablaze, Hitler seizes the opportunity to eliminate all political opposition. His opponents will be dragged away to the first of the infamous camps.

A Noiser production, written by Jeff Dawson.

Scroll to Season 2 for episodes on Hitler’s early years.

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Adolf Hitler Seizes Power (Part 12)

Wed, 02 Mar 2022 00:01:00 -0000

As Hitler-mania sweeps the land, the Nazis win an election landslide. But Hitler finds himself shut out by the Prussian elite, at least until he can grind them into submission. Finally, the unthinkable happens. Adolf Hitler becomes Chancellor of Germany.

A Noiser production, written by Jeff Dawson.

Scroll to Season 2 for episodes on Hitler’s early years.

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Hitler's Secret Family (Part 11)

Wed, 23 Feb 2022 00:01:00 -0000

After the Wall Street Crash, the German economy nosedives. The Nazis find themselves within grasp of government. As Adolf Hitler makes headlines across Europe, secret relatives come out of the woodwork. With Hitler’s newfound fame comes the whiff of scandal, and a personal tragedy that could derail everything.

A Noiser production, written by Jeff Dawson.

Scroll to Season 2 for episodes on Hitler’s early years.

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Hitler's Women & Joseph Goebbels (Part 10)

Wed, 16 Feb 2022 00:01:00 -0000

Adolf Hitler, at large once again, finds himself barred from public life. Retreating to the mountains, he finds a new home and a female companion. It won’t be the last of Hitler’s relationships to end in an attempted suicide. Meanwhile, backed by Joseph Goebbels, the self-proclaimed führer plots his comeback as a respectable politician.

A Noiser production, written by Jeff Dawson.

Scroll to Season 2 for episodes on Hitler’s early years.

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Introducing: Short History Of... Bonnie and Clyde

Fri, 11 Feb 2022 02:01:00 -0000

From the creators of Real Dictators we present Short History Of... Hosted by Paul McGann, this show gives you a front-row seat as history’s most incredible moments play out right before you. Forged by the Great Depression, Bonnie and Clyde became icons of lawlessness, thrilling and shocking America with their crime sprees and doomed romance. But what drove them to lives of such violence? And with the full might of the police against them, how did it all end?

This is a Short History of Bonnie and Clyde.

Written by Danny Marshall, with thanks to Paul Schneider, journalist and author of Bonnie and Clyde – The Lives Behind The Legend.

If you enjoy this episode follow Short History Of... for weekly episodes.

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Hitler in Prison & Mein Kampf (Part 9)

Wed, 09 Feb 2022 00:01:00 -0000

Adolf Hitler, now a national celebrity, begins his jail term. Besieged by well-wishers, he has faith his time inside will be short. To keep the Nazi flame burning, he decides to write a new book. “Mein Kampf” will one day make Hitler a best-selling author and a multi-millionaire. But how will it be received right now, in the new thriving Germany?

A Noiser production, written by Jeff Dawson.

This is Part 9 of the Hitler Story. Scroll to Season 2 for episodes on Hitler’s early years.

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Adolf Hitler's Day in Court (Part 8)

Wed, 02 Feb 2022 00:01:00 -0000

Munich, Germany. November 1923. The Nazis have just attempted to launch a revolution. But instead, Adolf Hitler now finds himself on the run from the law. Unless he makes it to the border, the firing squad beckons. But in fact, as unlikely as it seems, Hitler is about to take Germany by storm.

A Noiser production, written by Jeff Dawson.

This is Part 8 of the Hitler Story. You can start listening here. Or, scroll to Season 2 for episodes on Hitler’s early years.

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Turkmenbashy Part 2: Putin, Taliban, Internet Shutdown

Wed, 26 Jan 2022 00:01:00 -0000

As the new Turkmen leader, Saparmurat Niyazov has absolute power. He uses it to construct one of history’s most surreal regimes. Rebuilding the capital city in white marble, he puts his own mother at the forefront of public life. A series of absurd policies begins. Even as the War on Terror lands on his doorstep, the tyrant seems unstoppable. But, somehow, opposition will emerge, culminating in a dramatic attempt on his life.

A Noiser production, written by Dan Smith. Research by Derek Henry Flood.

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Turkmenbashy Part 1: Soviet Stooge, Hermit Tyrant

Fri, 14 Jan 2022 10:29:00 -0000

Turkmenistan in Central Asia. Somewhere unremarkable, you might assume. But you’d be wrong. Away from prying eyes, an extraordinary story unfolded here. In the early 1990s, a man called Saparmurat Niyazov creates a brand-new state from the rubble of the Soviet Union. His regime will be a case study in modern tyranny, filled with bizarre pronouncements and barely believable laws. As ‘Turkmenbashy’, or ‘Head of the Turkmen’, Niyazov rules into the 2000s, turning Turkmenistan into a North Korea 2.0. But how does he get away with it?

A Noiser production, written by Dan Smith. Research by Derek Henry Flood.

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Idi Amin Part 6: The Entebbe Raid

Wed, 22 Dec 2021 00:01:00 -0000

Four Israeli jets descend on Uganda under cover of night. An audacious commando mission begins. It will spark the beginning of the end for Idi Amin. After a fatally ill-judged war with Tanzania, the tyrant will be ousted. Leaving a grim legacy behind him, he’ll begin a surreal retirement thousands of miles away.

A Noiser production, written by Jeff Dawson.

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Idi Amin Part 5: Husband, Father, Movie Star

Wed, 15 Dec 2021 00:01:00 -0000

We delve into Amin’s private life, taking in his many marriages, mistresses and children. The President makes a triumphant return to the boxing ring, seemingly in his element. He participates in a barely believable film about his own life. But, away from the limelight, the Ugandan people have had enough.

A Noiser production, written by Jeff Dawson.

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Idi Amin Part 4: Expulsion of the Asians

Wed, 08 Dec 2021 00:01:00 -0000

In a speech, Amin makes an extraordinary announcement – something he claims came to him in a dream. All Ugandans of Asian origin must leave the country within 90 days. Thousands of citizens scramble to respond. Meanwhile, out in the countryside, supporters of Obote are massacred in their hundreds. An army of exiles prepares to launch the first serious attempt on Big Daddy’s rule.

A Noiser production, written by Jeff Dawson.

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Idi Amin Part 3: ‘Big Daddy’ Seizes Power

Wed, 01 Dec 2021 00:01:00 -0000

Amin wages war on Buganda’s king. The administration strengthens its grip on power. But after Obote survives an assassination attempt by mere inches, rumours swirl as to the perpetrator’s identity. Brigadier Amin goes on an army recruitment drive. Soon, Obote must depart Uganda to do business abroad. And when he does, who knows what might happen in his absence...

A Noiser production, written by Jeff Dawson.

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Idi Amin Part 2: Warlord In-Waiting...

Wed, 24 Nov 2021 00:01:00 -0000

The curtain falls on the British Empire in Africa. Uganda is free. Idi Amin becomes the right-hand man of the nation's new leader, Milton Obote. Committing unspeakable atrocities against civilians, Amin dodges the law and sets himself up as a rogue arms dealer. Obote had better watch his back.

A Noiser production, written by Jeff Dawson.

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Idi Amin Part 1: The Butcher of Uganda

Wed, 17 Nov 2021 00:01:00 -0000

From 1971 to 1979, President Idi Amin Dada devastated Uganda. The military dictator sank the economy and deported an entire ethnic class. He slaughtered up to half a million of his fellow citizens. All with the persona of 'Big Daddy', the playful joker. His image as a buffoon, however, belied his extraordinary charisma and his mastery of communication. In a continent ravaged by empire, his bloody tale is part of a much larger story. Let's explore the life of Africa's most infamous son.

A Noiser production, written by Jeff Dawson.

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Introducing: History Daily

Mon, 01 Nov 2021 15:25:00 -0000

On History Daily, we do history, daily. Every weekday beginning November 1st, host Lindsay Graham (American Scandal, American History Tellers) takes you back in time to explore a momentous event that happened on this day in history.

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Introducing: Short History Of...

Tue, 10 Aug 2021 23:01:00 -0000

From the creators of Real Dictators comes a brand-new weekly show. Short History Of... gives you a front-row seat as history's most incredible moments play out right before you. In this taster episode, we're in Cuba. It's October 1962. Three men – Kennedy, Khrushchev and Castro – hold the fate of the planet in their hands. A dispute over missiles spirals out of control. All sides brace for war. How did it come to this? And just how close will the world come to nuclear Armageddon? This is a Short History of the Cuban Missile Crisis, Part 1. Search 'Short History Of...' in your podcast app and hit follow for weekly episodes.

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Colonel Gaddafi Part 8: The Arab Spring

Tue, 03 Aug 2021 23:01:00 -0000

By early 2011, Libya is changing. The Arab Spring is underway. A young lawyer from Benghazi organises a protest. Before long, it will become a full-blown rebellion. Colonel Gaddafi, the man who has dominated Libya for four decades, will become a fugitive, soon to meet one of the grisliest ends of any dictator in history.

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Colonel Gaddafi Part 7: 9/11 and a New Ally

Tue, 27 Jul 2021 23:01:00 -0000

On September 11th, 2001, life in the West is transformed in an instant. Amidst the fall-out, Gaddafi spots an opportunity. To the surprise of many, he makes it his mission to re-join the international fold. The Libyan dictator pitches his Bedouin tent on the front lawns of palaces and parliaments across the world. Muammar Gaddafi - the man of many masks - is transforming into the West’s most eccentric friend.

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Colonel Gaddafi Part 6: The Lockerbie Bombing

Tue, 20 Jul 2021 23:01:00 -0000

In 1988, Gaddafi takes his terror to the skies, bringing down a passenger flight over Lockerbie, Scotland. Staffers at the Pentagon team up with Hollywood executives to shore up public opinion against the tyrant. Meanwhile, the Colonel himself looks south - across the Sahara - and prepares to be crowned 'King of Kings'.

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Colonel Gaddafi Part 5: Reagan vs Gaddafi

Tue, 13 Jul 2021 23:01:00 -0000

Gaddafi takes his terror onto the streets of London and Berlin. Libyan agents hunt down his opponents across the globe. The Reagan administration launches airstrikes, targeting the dictator and his inner circle. With the stakes higher than ever, Gaddafi's security network works overtime to stamp out dissent. Thousands of schoolchildren bear witness to a gruesome lesson in tyranny.

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Colonel Gaddafi Part 4: The Munich Olympic Massacre

Tue, 06 Jul 2021 23:01:00 -0000

In the summer of 1972, at the Munich Olympic Games, a festival of sport becomes a terrifying nightmare. The Libyan leader tightens his grip on power at home, while exporting terror abroad. Tension with America is reaching breaking point.

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Colonel Gaddafi Part 3: Vengeance Day

Tue, 29 Jun 2021 23:01:00 -0000

Muammar Gaddafi can’t quite believe his luck. Still in his twenties, he finds himself leader of an oil-rich country. The Colonel wastes no time kicking out the Americans and the Brits. He instigates a 'Vengeance Day' to deal with Libya’s colonial oppressors. Living standards soar for ordinary Libyans. But the cracks are already appearing. Things are about to spin off in a very different direction...

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Colonel Gaddafi Part 2: Gaddafi in London

Tue, 22 Jun 2021 23:01:00 -0000

In the 1960s, Libya gets rich on oil. But, with the wealth squandered, many question the King’s authority. Among them is young Muammar Gaddafi. Sent to England as a military cadet, Gaddafi roams the streets of Swinging London in flowing Bedouin robes. With his training complete, he readies himself for an audacious seizure of power.

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Colonel Gaddafi Part 1: Son of the Desert

Tue, 15 Jun 2021 23:01:00 -0000

‘Brother Leader’, ‘King of Kings’, ‘Falcon of Africa’… ‘The Most Dangerous Man in the World'. Colonel Gaddafi was the Libyan tyrant who abused his people on an industrial scale, until he was murdered by them as they rose up against him. A revolutionary who freed his country from empire, only to squander its riches. Terrorist sponsor one moment, Western ally the next. At the height of World War Two, a Bedouin child is born in Libya’s desert. From these humble origins, Muammar Gaddafi will go on to dominate global events for half a century.

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Franco Part 5: Life After a Dictator

Tue, 08 Jun 2021 23:01:00 -0000

The horrors of the past are buried. After 20 years in power, Franco embraces capitalism and declares himself a moderniser. Spain becomes a leading holiday destination. Later, Franco plans his own succession. The ailing Generalissimo headhunts a dashing young heir. But it remains to be seen whether this successor will keep to Franco’s script.

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Franco Part 4: The Cold War & the President

Tue, 01 Jun 2021 23:01:00 -0000

The ‘White Terror’ continues. Spain’s strongman assumes power in Madrid, herding his defeated enemies into concentration camps. Franco commissions a movie to tell his own life story. Up in the mountains, die-hard rebels continue to resist. After World War Two, Franco seeks to re-brand. ‘El Caudillo’ sets about seducing a brand-new ally: the United States.

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Franco Part 3: The Spanish Civil War

Tue, 25 May 2021 23:01:00 -0000

In July 1936, Spain erupts into civil war. But Francisco Franco is marooned far away in the Canary Islands. A devious rescue mission ensues. Back on Spanish soil, Franco begins the process of conquering his homeland, butchering his enemies as he goes. Mussolini and Hitler lend a hand. Closing in on Madrid, Franco lays the groundwork for a decades-long dictatorship.

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Franco Part 2: Murder in Africa

Tue, 18 May 2021 23:01:00 -0000

In 1917, Franco is posted to northern Spain. He courts a local schoolgirl named Carmen. But soon, a charismatic army superior convinces Franco to return to Africa. In Morocco, he brutalises the local population. Climbing the military ranks, Franco becomes something of a celebrity. Meanwhile, Spain itself spirals towards civil war.

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Franco Part 1: Spain’s Buried Past

Tue, 11 May 2021 23:01:00 -0000

Today, Spain is Europe’s holiday capital. But under the sand lie sinister secrets. From 1939 to 1975, Francisco Franco ruled as the nation’s dictator. Despite his bloody reign, the General died peacefully in his bed at a ripe old age. How was he able to get away with such atrocities? The story begins in the 1890s. Francisco Franco is born and raised on Spain’s Atlantic coast. After joining the army, he’s posted to north Africa. Here, his hunger for recognition will nearly cost him his life...

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Adolf Hitler Part 7: The Day of Treason

Tue, 04 May 2021 23:01:00 -0000

In the final part of Hitler’s Early Years, the Nazi leader launches his very own assault on power: the Munich Putsch. Under cover of darkness, the SA prepare to storm locations across Munich. Hitler himself prepares to kidnap a senior politician. Will the Nazis take over Germany? Or will they fail and fade back into obscurity?

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Adolf Hitler Part 6: Hitler’s Secret Book

Tue, 27 Apr 2021 23:01:00 -0000

The Nazis kickstart their media operation. Desperate to be an icon, Hitler pens a secret autobiography, where he compares his own rise to Jesus’s resurrection. French and Belgian troops cross the German border, while the economy goes into meltdown. Amidst the turmoil, the Nazis plot their very own coup d’état.

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Adolf Hitler Part 5: The Stormtroopers Arrive

Tue, 20 Apr 2021 23:01:00 -0000

Hitler decides he needs an army of his own. The Nazis create a new paramilitary unit – the Sturmabteilung, or SA. These hooligans take National Socialism onto the streets. Hitler assembles an executive team of deputies. They include Ernst Röhm - an army insider with a stockpile of weapons. And a celebrity fighter pilot called Hermann Göring...

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Adolf Hitler Part 4: The Spy Becomes the Nazi Leader

Tue, 13 Apr 2021 20:52:00 -0000

Hitler is sent undercover, tasked with spying on a band of extremists. But he soon falls under their spell and breaks cover to join their ranks. They will soon become the Nazi Party, and this new recruit their leader. Under a new mentor, Adolf Hitler finds his voice. His march towards power is grinding into gear.

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Adolf Hitler Part 3: The 'Stab in the Back'

Tue, 06 Apr 2021 23:01:00 -0000

The Great War ends. Hitler despairs. The Kaiser does a runner. Revolutions break out across Germany. Discharged from hospital, Hitler returns home to Munich, desperate to keep his army job. The Allies gather in Paris to settle the tab for the War. Hitler drinks in far-right conspiracy theories.

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Adolf Hitler Part 2: Hitler in the First World War

Tue, 30 Mar 2021 23:01:00 -0000

June 1914, Sarajevo. An assassination on the street disrupts the entire balance of power in Europe. The First World War explodes into action. Adolf Hitler relocates to Munich. After dodging the draft, he later embraces life as a soldier. But then, serving in Flanders in 1918, a traumatic injury threatens to end his rise to power before it’s even started.

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Adolf Hitler Part 1: Birth of a Führer

Wed, 24 Mar 2021 00:01:00 -0000

You may know something of the Hitler story. But there’s a decent chance you don’t know the half of it. We begin a deep dive into the early years of a man who became the very embodiment of evil. Peeling away Hitler’s own myths about his childhood, we explore how he emerged from obscurity. The future German Führer isn’t born in Germany. Growing up in Austria, he clashes with his father but idolises his mother. Abandoning schoolwork, young Adolf dedicates himself to the artistic life, hoping to make it as a painter. But then tragedy strikes.

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Introducing: Real Narcos Season 2 - Félix Gallardo

Tue, 26 Jan 2021 17:37:00 -0000

From the creators of Real Dictators comes Real Narcos, the show that takes you to the front line of the war on drugs. For Season 2, we're in Mexico. In 1985, Kiki Camarena is a US DEA agent on the trail of Félix Gallardo - the man known as the Mexican Godfather. But Camarena's kidnapping at the hands of the cartel will send shockwaves around the world.

Search 'Real Narcos' in your podcast app and hit follow for more episodes.

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General Tojo Part 4: The Atom Bombs

Mon, 07 Dec 2020 13:15:00 -0000

The walls close in on Hideki Tojo. The General turned Prime Minister takes hands-on control of the military, with catastrophic consequences. Emperor Hirohito pulls the plug. With Tojo forced out of office and on the run from the Allies in Tokyo, the end of World War Two arrives. But its final chapter will change the world forever more.

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General Tojo Part 3: Attack on Pearl Harbor

Mon, 30 Nov 2020 09:21:00 -0000

Japan attacks Pearl Harbor. The Pacific War is underway. In Tokyo, Prime Minister Tojo moves to take every significant government job for himself. Japanese troops sweep through the Malay Peninsula. Thousands of Allied soldiers are interned in prisoner of war camps, in conditions that beggar belief.

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General Tojo Part 2: Terror in China

Sun, 22 Nov 2020 23:00:00 -0000

Major General Hideki Tojo takes command of the secret police - the Kempeitai. The Imperial Japanese Army invades China and terrorises the civilian population. Kempeitai operatives set up a secret lab where they carry out horrific medical and weapons experiments. This is only the beginning. Before long, Prime Minister Tojo will ready the nation for war with the United States.

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General Tojo Part 1: The Young Samurai

Mon, 16 Nov 2020 00:12:00 -0000

General Hideki Tojo led Japan into World War Two and oversaw some of the most horrific war crimes in recorded history. Tojo did not hold absolute power, but he more than earns his place at this table. Ruling under a compliant Emperor, Tojo gathered power to himself. He was the minister who outgrew his master, the bureaucrat whose relentless work ethic took him to the apex of government. Hideki Tojo is born in 1884. Japan is an emerging world power. As a young military officer, the man they call “The Razor” begins his journey up the ladder of Japanese politics.

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Papa Doc Part 3: Vampire of the Caribbean

Wed, 09 Sep 2020 17:53:00 -0000

François Duvalier puts the finishing touches to his terrifying cult of personality. The President for Life declares himself an immaterial being - a spirit that will hover over Haiti even after his body dies. Thoughts turn to succession. His son - "Baby Doc" - waits in the wings. Our contributors reflect on the legacy of Papa Doc - a name that will forever haunt the nightmares of Haitians.

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Papa Doc Part 2: Haiti’s Dictator vs JFK

Wed, 02 Sep 2020 06:22:00 -0000

Haitian dictator “Papa Doc” Duvalier crushes an attempted coup without mercy. Spooked by this near miss, Duvalier forms his own private militia called the Tonton Macoute. They take their name from a terrifying bogeyman of Haitian mythology. As the horrors of the regime become impossible to ignore, President Kennedy decides to lay down a marker.

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Papa Doc Part 1: The Voodoo Tyrant

Wed, 26 Aug 2020 08:31:00 -0000

Just a few hundred miles south of Florida, across the Caribbean Sea, lies Haiti. From 1957 to 1971, this tropical island nation was ruled by a would-be demigod. François Duvalier - better known as “Papa Doc” - wielded the twin powers of state violence and voodoo. Real Dictators takes you behind the scenes of Papa Doc’s maniacal regime. His victims and adversaries tell the story of the medical doctor who became the butcher of his people.

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Mao Zedong Part 3: The Cultural Revolution

Tue, 11 Aug 2020 23:00:00 -0000

Mao’s ‘Cultural Revolution’ sets out to purge the minds of an entire population. Meanwhile, the Supreme Leader himself leads a life of debauchery and excess - as his former doctor remembers. The Chairman seems invincible. But as his health deteriorates, his legacy is anything but assured. Eyewitnesses to his brutality reflect on what Mao means to China today, more than 40 years after his death.

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Mao Zedong Part 2: The ‘Great Leap Forward’

Tue, 04 Aug 2020 22:54:00 -0000

Mao Zedong's Communists come down from the mountains to do battle with the Nationalists. After clinching victory, Mao is greeted by many as a hero. But life under the new Chairman is about to get a whole lot worse. Installed as Supreme Leader, Mao sets about revolutionising the way his people live, work, and even think. His ‘Great Leap Forward’ is intended to be an economic masterplan. Instead, it will drive people across China to the wildest extremes of human behaviour.

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Mao Zedong Part 1: Peasant’s Son, Communist Rebel

Tue, 28 Jul 2020 22:40:00 -0000

In the centre of China’s capital city, Beijing, lies a corpse that no one dares remove. It’s been 44 years since Mao Zedong’s body was laid to rest in the grandiose Chairman Mao Memorial Hall. He may be gone but he is not forgotten. To some, he’s the father of modern China. To many others, he’s a sadistic thug - a man willing to sacrifice millions of lives in pursuit of power. Mao Zedong is born in Hunan Province in 1893. Growing up on his father’s farm, he consumes books and ideas. His rise to the top of the Communist Party will be littered with violent outbursts, setting the tone for the decades to come.

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Joseph Stalin Part 3: Hitler Attacks

Tue, 14 Jul 2020 22:52:00 -0000

Stalin’s regime hits the rocks when Adolf Hitler launches Operation Barbarossa and invades Russia. Nazi tanks plough towards Moscow in a devastating advance. Stalin’s legacy is forged in this fight to the death. In his final years, the strongman succumbs to cardiac problems. His tools for progress have been famine, slavery and execution. Yet to this day, some of his countrymen and women lionise him as the man who turned Russia into a superpower.

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Joseph Stalin Part 2: The Secretary Becomes Dictator

Wed, 08 Jul 2020 12:19:00 -0000

With the First World War underway, Stalin’s journey to dictatorship grinds into gear. After the War, Russia is turned upside down. Stalin thrives in the chaos, masterminding a string of elaborate takedowns of his rivals. Rising to party leader, he visits a ruthless purge on his enemies. But Stalin’s brutality does not go unchallenged. The peasants revolt, while a showdown with his own wife at a dinner party has tragic consequences.

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Joseph Stalin Part 1: The Young Bank Robber

Wed, 01 Jul 2020 05:00:00 -0000

Joseph Stalin - the “man of steel” - was the party secretary who plotted a route to absolute power, becoming head of the Eastern Bloc and chief nemesis of the United States. But how did a man from the Georgian frontier of the Russian Empire do it? In 1917, the 300-year-old Romanov Dynasty collapses. The communist Bolsheviks storm the Winter Palace and seize power. From this band of revolutionaries, a future bloody dictator - a man with an extraordinary backstory - begins to emerge...

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Kim Jong-il Part 3: Nuclear Armed

Wed, 24 Jun 2020 05:00:00 -0000

Installed as dictator, Kim Jong-il builds an all-powerful state that dominates the lives and minds of its people. North Korea is wracked by famine. The people adapt to survive - we hear from one man who flouted the rules and paid a horrific price. Lurid rumours emerge about how the ‘Dear Leader’ spends his leisure time. And Kim Jong-il begins work on an arsenal of nuclear weapons that will spook the world and pave the way for his own son’s ascent to power.

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Kim Jong-il Part 2: Time to Make a Movie…

Mon, 15 Jun 2020 05:00:00 -0000

Kim Jong-il has risen to become propaganda chief under the rule of his father. Now, he hatches an audacious plan to turn North Korea into a filmmaking powerhouse. South Korea’s finest actress and leading director are kidnapped and find themselves on boats bound for the North. Elsewhere, Kim launches a charm offensive at the armed forces, readying the ground for his coronation. And his father dies, leaving the path to power seemingly clear...

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Kim Jong-il Part 1: Birth of North Korea

Mon, 08 Jun 2020 05:00:00 -0000

Kim Jong-il built a rogue state with nuclear missiles trained on its enemies – all while living a life of the utmost luxury. In the first episode of Real Dictators, we piece together the early life of this tyrant and that of the country he came to rule. Kim Jong-il is born during World War Two. His father – Kim Il-sung – fights the Japanese and helps found the state of North Korea. After the War, son and nation grow up together, as Kim Jong-il begins his own rise to power. Historians trace Kim’s early years, while defectors from North Korea reflect on the propaganda they grew up with.

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Trailer: Real Dictators

Sat, 11 Apr 2020 17:41:00 -0000

How does a single human being convince thousands to kill for them and millions to turn a blind eye?

Real Dictators is the new podcast series hosted by Paul McGann (Dr Who, Luther, Withnail and I) that explores the hidden lives of history’s tyrants.

We encounter the American-trained doctor, “Papa Doc” Duvalier, who used modern medicine to convince the people of Haiti that he was a Voodoo god. There’s Kim Jong-il, who developed nuclear warheads alongside blockbuster movies. There’s Mao Zedong – the peasant’s son who transformed China, presiding over the catastrophic Great Chinese Famine and the bloody Cultural Revolution. And Joseph Stalin, the man who turned Russia into a superpower and set the stage for the Cold War, while upending and destroying the lives and livelihoods of millions of his own people.

Real Dictators fuses immersive, dramatic storytelling with interviews with world-renowned experts. The voices of historians sit alongside an array of regime insiders such as Jang Jin-sung – a former psychological warfare officer for Kim Jong-il – and François Benoit, a survivor of ‘Papa Doc’ Duvalier’s reign of terror.

New episodes on Wednesdays from May 2020.

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