History Uncensored

How was Israel created, why was it established in the Middle East, and what decisions shaped the country we know today?

As Israel votes in its first national election since the October 7, 2023 attacks, the country's history is once again closely linked to its present. With the war in Gaza and the future of Israelis and Palestinians still at the centre of global attention, understanding how the region reached this point has never been more important.

In this episode of History Uncensored, we explore the story behind Israel's creation in 1948 and how the movement for a Jewish homeland reshaped Palestine. From the events that led to Israel's establishment to the displacement of Palestinians and the ongoing struggle between two peoples with competing national aspirations, we look at how the past continues to shape the politics, conflicts, and future of the Middle East.

(00:01:20) Before Zionism there was Zion

(00:02:07) Why Jews wanted a homeland

(00:09:11) Theodor Herzl and political Zionism

(00:12:30) Pogroms rip through the Russian Empire

(00:14:08) Could Israel have been somewhere else?

(00:16:23) Why Palestine?

(00:23:29) A dictator’s offer

(00:26:47) Partition Plan for Palestine

(00:30:08) 1948 - Israel is born

#history #israel #elections #palestine
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Why does France have such a long history of political unrest and revolution? As the latest riots dominate the headlines and President Emmanuel Macron speaks out, understanding France’s past may offer important clues to the tensions unfolding today.

In this episode, Tim Marshall and Bianca Nobilo explore why France has experienced such recurring political upheaval and how centuries of revolution, regime change and resistance continue to shape the country’s political culture.

(00:00:12) A timeline of riots & revolution

(00:00:26) Can history explain Paris' protests?

(00:01:52) Normandy and a broken bargain

(00:04:18) Birth of the barricade

(00:06:39) Power concentrated in Paris

(00:07:49) How the weather shaped history

(00:11:15) Taking to the streets

(00:15:17) France’s final kings

(00:20:49) Ideas beyond borders

(00:26:13) The role of historic memory

(00:28:43) 'Violence can pay'

(00:31:02) Join the club! Exclusive content
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Was the suspected plague death of Darya Shipilova in Russia an accident, or could it point to a wider threat from biological weapons?

In this episode, hosts Bianca Nobilo and Tim Marshall investigate the history of plague as a weapon, exploring how it has been used and feared from ancient Egypt to the modern day. As questions emerge over the circumstances surrounding the suspected case in Russia, we examine the history of biological warfare, the dangers of weaponising deadly diseases, and the concerns surrounding Russia’s potential bioweapons capabilities.

(00:00:19) Plague as a weapon

(00:01:02) Soviet biological weapons program

(00:07:06) How it spread: Fleas, rats & trade

(00:09:25) Empire weakened by plague

(00:11:41) 'Leaking out of every orifice'

(00:15:17) Black Death, The Decameron & Bianca's pirate links

(00:18:25) Shakespeare & the bubonic plague

(00:22:13) Who else used biological warfare? Germany, Japan & Unit 731

(00:29:54) Empathy with our ancestors

(00:31:57) Watch more History Uncensored & 'avoid cliches like the plague'
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Who are the Houthis, and how did they become powerful enough to challenge Saudi Arabia and disrupt global trade?

Following the attack on Riyadh airport, Bianca Nobilo and Tim Marshall examine how Yemen’s long running war has become a major regional and global security threat.

From Yemen’s strategic position on the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb strait to the origins of the Houthi movement and its long running rivalry with Saudi Arabia, we explore why instability on the kingdom’s southern border poses such a significant security threat.

(00:00:00) Bianca and Tim discuss "Why now?"

(00:02:01) How ancient geography shapes today

(00:04:50) Look to history to understand the Houthis

(00:08:30) Enter British empire

(00:12:49) An Iranian proxy?

(00:18:26) Path to resolution?

(00:20:39) Asymmetric warfare
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The news is out… Tim Marshall joins Bianca Nobilo as co-host of History Uncensored!

In this brand-new episode, Tim and Bianca explore the strange, dramatic and often terrifying history of aircraft hijackings.

Following the attack aboard a Flydubai flight travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv on September 30, they look back at the origins of hijackings, the political motives behind them and their evolution into a defining feature of modern terrorism.

From the Cold War and Russia to 9/11, Tim and Bianca revisit some of the most notorious hijackings in history.

(00:00:00) Hijackings 'as old as air travel'

(00:00:40) BIG NEWS - welcoming Tim Marshall

(00:01:19) Flydubai to 9/11 - History of hijacking

(00:02:19) Hijacking's origins

(00:04:40) Before hijacking there was piracy

(00:08:39) Baron Franz Nopcsa

(00:10:44) First recorded aircraft hijacking??

(00:12:47) Terrorism was not always the reason

(00:14:27) D.B. Cooper mystery, 1971

(00:16:24) Hijackings reflect geopolitical tension

(00:22:44) The changing face of hijacking

(00:24:57) Flydubai incident 2026

(00:27:34) Terrorism as theatre and propaganda of the deed

(00:34:14) Dawson's Field hijackings

(00:37:58) How will historians view the Flydubai attack?

(00:42:13) History Uncensored's goal
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