On December 3rd, 1971, India and Pakistan go to war on two fronts, battling for the future of Bangladesh. In the East, the Indian army races against time, hoping to capture Dacca and force a Pakistani surrender before the United Nations can demand a ceasefire. Meanwhile, Richard Nixon and Henry Kissinger unleash a fusillade of diplomatic pressure to frighten a defiant Indira Gandhi into compliance. After months of imprisonment, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman learns what has happened to his country. The war ends, and a new era begins. 

SOURCES:

Bass, Gary K. The Blood Telegram: Nixon, Kissinger, and a Forgotten Genocide. 2013.

Bennet-Jones, Own. The Bhutto Dynasty. 2020.

Carney, Scott. Miklian, Jason. The Vortex: A True Story of History’s Deadliest Storm, an 

Unspeakable War, and Liberation. 2022.

Chang, Jung. Halliday, Jon. Mao: The Unknown Story. 2005.

Frank, Katherine. Indira: The Life of Indira Nehru Gandhi. 2001.

Gewen, Barry. The Inevitability of Tragedy: Henry Kissinger and his World. 2020.

Hiro, Dilip. The Longest August: The Unflinching Rivalry Between India and Pakistan. 2015.

Hitchens, Christopher. The Trial of Henry Kissinger. 2001.

Hoodbhoy, Pervez. Pakistan: Origins, Identity and Future. 2023.

Jalal, Ayesha. The Struggle for Pakistan. 2014.

James, Lawrence. Raj: The Making and Unmaking of British India. 1997.

Jayakar, Pupul. Indira Gandhi: A Biography. 1975.

Khosa, Faisal. The Making of Martyrs in India, Pakistan & Bangladesh. 2021.

K.S. Nair. December In Dacca. 2022.

Keay, John. India: A History. 2000.

Mookherjee, Nayanika. The Spectral Wound. 2015.

Raghavan, Srinath. 1971: A Global History of the Creation of Bangladesh. 2013.

Rose, Leo. Sisson, Richard. War and Secession. Pakistan, India, and the Creation of Bangladesh. 1990.

Saikia, Yasmin. Women, War, and the Making of Bangladesh. 2011.

Schanberg, Sydney.”He Tells Full Story of Arrest and Detention.” New York Times Jan 1972

Schendel, Willem van. A History of Bangladesh. 2009.

Schwartz, Thomas Alan. Henry Kissinger and American Power. 2020.

Sengupta, Nitish. Land of Two Rivers: A History of Bengal. 2011.

Siddiqi, A. R. Yahya Khan: The Rise and Fall of a Soldier. 2020. 

Tudda, Chris. A Cold War Turning Point: Nixon and China, 1969-1972. 2012.

Walsh, Declan. The Nine Lives of Pakistan. 2020.

Zakaria, Anam. 1971: A People’s History from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and India. 2019.

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As Yahya Khan’s crackdown in East Pakistan sparks a refugee crisis and a guerilla insurgency, the neighboring nation of India, led by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, must decide how to respond. Meanwhile, President Richard Nixon and Henry Kissinger pursue secret talks with Communist China. In Madison Square Garden, musicians George Harrison and Ravi Shankar organize a massive charity concert for the people of Bangladesh. 

SOURCES:

Bass, Gary K. The Blood Telegram: Nixon, Kissinger, and a Forgotten Genocide. 2013.

Bennet-Jones, Own. The Bhutto Dynasty. 2020.

Carney, Scott. Miklian, Jason. The Vortex: A True Story of History’s Deadliest Storm, an 

Unspeakable War, and Liberation. 2022.

Chang, Jung. Halliday, Jon. Mao: The Unknown Story. 2005.

Frank, Katherine. Indira: The Life of Indira Nehru Gandhi. 2001.

Gewen, Barry. The Inevitability of Tragedy: Henry Kissinger and his World. 2020.

Hiro, Dilip. The Longest August: The Unflinching Rivalry Between India and Pakistan. 2015.

Hitchens, Christopher. The Trial of Henry Kissinger. 2001.

Hoodbhoy, Pervez. Pakistan: Origins, Identity and Future. 2023.

Jalal, Ayesha. The Struggle for Pakistan. 2014.

James, Lawrence. Raj: The Making and Unmaking of British India. 1997.

Jayakar, Pupul. Indira Gandhi: A Biography. 1975.

Khosa, Faisal. The Making of Martyrs in India, Pakistan & Bangladesh. 2021.

K.S. Nair. December In Dacca. 2022.

Keay, John. India: A History. 2000.

Mookherjee, Nayanika. The Spectral Wound. 2015.

Raghavan, Srinath. 1971: A Global History of the Creation of Bangladesh. 2013.

Rose, Leo. Sisson, Richard. War and Secession. Pakistan, India, and the Creation of Bangladesh. 1990.

Saikia, Yasmin. Women, War, and the Making of Bangladesh. 2011.

Schendel, Willem van. A History of Bangladesh. 2009.

Schwartz, Thomas Alan. Henry Kissinger and American Power. 2020.

Sengupta, Nitish. Land of Two Rivers: A History of Bengal. 2011.

Tudda, Chris. A Cold War Turning Point: Nixon and China, 1969-1972. 2012.

Walsh, Declan. The Nine Lives of Pakistan. 2020.

Zakaria, Anam. 1971: A People’s History from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and India. 2019.

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Join me for a special featured episode of BEEF, a scripted podcast narrated by award-winning host Bridget Todd. This episode tells the story of explorers Sir Richard Burton and Captain John Hanning Speke as they face unimaginable dangers, and their own divisiveness, while searching for the source of the Nile River.

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On March 25th, 1971, President Yahya Khan launches Operation Searchlight in East Pakistan, a brutal military crackdown intended to snuff out Bengali separatism and restore West Pakistani authority. Meanwhile, an American diplomat in Dacca named Archer Blood begins reporting and documenting the slaughter, hoping to convince his government to step in and restrain Yahya. In Washington, D.C., President Richard Nixon and his national security advisor Henry Kissinger weigh the political costs of intervening in the atrocities, while secretly planning a groundbreaking outreach to Communist China. 

SOURCES:

Bass, Gary K. The Blood Telegram: Nixon, Kissinger, and a Forgotten Genocide. 2013.

Bennet-Jones, Own. The Bhutto Dynasty. 2020.

Carney, Scott. Miklian, Jason. The Vortex: A True Story of History’s Deadliest Storm, an 

Unspeakable War, and Liberation. 2022.

Chang, Jung. Halliday, Jon. Mao: The Unknown Story. 2005.

Frank, Katherine. Indira: The Life of Indira Nehru Gandhi. 2001.

Gewen, Barry. The Inevitability of Tragedy: Henry Kissinger and his World. 2020.

Hiro, Dilip. The Longest August: The Unflinching Rivalry Between India and Pakistan. 2015.

Hitchens, Christopher. The Trial of Henry Kissinger. 2001.

Hoodbhoy, Pervez. Pakistan: Origins, Identity and Future. 2023.

Jalal, Ayesha. The Struggle for Pakistan. 2014.

James, Lawrence. Raj: The Making and Unmaking of British India. 1997.

Jayakar, Pupul. Indira Gandhi: A Biography. 1975.

Khosa, Faisal. The Making of Martyrs in India, Pakistan & Bangladesh. 2021.

K.S. Nair. December In Dacca. 2022.

Keay, John. India: A History. 2000.

Mookherjee, Nayanika. The Spectral Wound. 2015.

Raghavan, Srinath. 1971: A Global History of the Creation of Bangladesh. 2013.

Rose, Leo. Sisson, Richard. War and Secession. Pakistan, India, and the Creation of Bangladesh. 1990.

Saikia, Yasmin. Women, War, and the Making of Bangladesh. 2011.

Schendel, Willem van. A History of Bangladesh. 2009.

Schwartz, Thomas Alan. Henry Kissinger and American Power. 2020.

Sengupta, Nitish. Land of Two Rivers: A History of Bengal. 2011.

Tudda, Chris. A Cold War Turning Point: Nixon and China, 1969-1972. 2012.

Walsh, Declan. The Nine Lives of Pakistan. 2020.

Zakaria, Anam. 1971: A People’s History from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and India. 2019.

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In the wake of the deadly Bhola Cyclone, 50 million Pakistanis go to the polls on December 7th, 1970 and cast their votes in a national election, which yields unexpected and destabilizing results. As the emergent factions fight for control of Pakistan’s nascent democracy, the political process slowly disintegrates and the gulf between East and West Pakistan becomes irreconcilable.

SOURCES:

Bass, Gary K. The Blood Telegram: Nixon, Kissinger, and a Forgotten Genocide. 2013.

Bennet-Jones, Own. The Bhutto Dynasty. 2020.

Carney, Scott. Miklian, Jason. The Vortex: A True Story of History’s Deadliest Storm, an 

Unspeakable War, and Liberation. 2022.

Chang, Jung. Halliday, Jon. Mao: The Unknown Story. 2005.

Frank, Katherine. Indira: The Life of Indira Nehru Gandhi. 2001.

Gewen, Barry. The Inevitability of Tragedy: Henry Kissinger and his World. 2020.

Hiro, Dilip. The Longest August: The Unflinching Rivalry Between India and Pakistan. 2015.

Hitchens, Christopher. The Trial of Henry Kissinger. 2001.

Hoodbhoy, Pervez. Pakistan: Origins, Identity and Future. 2023.

Jalal, Ayesha. The Struggle for Pakistan. 2014.

James, Lawrence. Raj: The Making and Unmaking of British India. 1997.

Jayakar, Pupul. Indira Gandhi: A Biography. 1975.

Khosa, Faisal. The Making of Martyrs in India, Pakistan & Bangladesh. 2021.

K.S. Nair. December In Dacca. 2022.

Keay, John. India: A History. 2000.

Mookherjee, Nayanika. The Spectral Wound. 2015.

Raghavan, Srinath. 1971: A Global History of the Creation of Bangladesh. 2013.

Rose, Leo. Sisson, Richard. War and Secession. Pakistan, India, and the Creation of Bangladesh. 1990.

Saikia, Yasmin. Women, War, and the Making of Bangladesh. 2011.

Schendel, Willem van. A History of Bangladesh. 2009.

Schwartz, Thomas Alan. Henry Kissinger and American Power. 2020.

Sengupta, Nitish. Land of Two Rivers: A History of Bengal. 2011.

Tudda, Chris. A Cold War Turning Point: Nixon and China, 1969-1972. 2012.

Walsh, Declan. The Nine Lives of Pakistan. 2020.

Zakaria, Anam. 1971: A People’s History from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and India. 2019.

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In March 1971, the nation of Pakistan was split apart by a vicious civil war, eventually culminating in the creation of a new state: Bangladesh. In this first episode of a multi-part series, we trace the origins of the conflict and introduce the key historical figures involved. 

SOURCES:

Bass, Gary K. The Blood Telegram: Nixon, Kissinger, and a Forgotten Genocide.

Bennet-Jones, Own. The Bhutto Dynasty. 

Carney, Scott. Miklian, Jason. The Vortex: A True Story of History’s Deadliest Storm, an 

Unspeakable War, and Liberation. 

Chang, Jung. Halliday, Jon. Mao: The Unknown Story. 

Frank, Katherine. Indira: The Life of Indira Nehru Gandhi. 

Gewen, Barry. The Inevitability of Tragedy: Henry Kissinger and his World. 

Hiro, Dilip. The Longest August: The Unflinching Rivalry Between India and Pakistan. 

Hitchens, Christopher. The Trial of Henry Kissinger. 

Hoodbhoy, Pervez. Pakistan: Origins, Identity and Future. 

Jalal, Ayesha. The Struggle for Pakistan.

James, Lawrence. Raj: The Making and Unmaking of British India. 

Jayakar, Pupul. Indira Gandhi: A Biography. 

Khosa, Faisal. The Making of Martyrs in India, Pakistan & Bangladesh. 

K.S. Nair. December In Dacca

Keay, John. India: A History. 

Mookherjee, Nayanika. The Spectral Wound. 

Raghavan, Srinath. 1971: A Global History of the Creation of Bangladesh. 

Rose, Leo. Sisson, Richard. War and Secession. Pakistan, India, and the Creation of Bangladesh.

Saikia, Yasmin. Women, War, and the Making of Bangladesh. 

Schendel, Willem van. A History of Bangladesh.

Schwartz, Thomas Alan. Henry Kissinger and American Power. 

Sengupta, Nitish. Land of Two Rivers: A History of Bengal. 

Tudda, Chris. A Cold War Turning Point: Nixon and China, 1969-1972.

Walsh, Declan. The Nine Lives of Pakistan. 

Zakaria, Anam. 1971: A People’s History from Bangladesh, Pakistan, and India. 

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In January of 1948, Alfred Kinsey releases his first book, Sexual Behavior in the Human Male, igniting a firestorm of controversy across the United States. As the Professor scrambles to capitalize on his newfound fame and pen a sequel, his methodology comes under attack from skeptical academics and religious conservatives. Meanwhile, Kinsey’s research team at the Institute of Sex Research embarks on a series of increasingly bizarre – and politically dangerous – sexual adventures. 

SOURCES:

Allen, Judith A. The Kinsey Institute: The First Seventy Years. 2017.

Brenot, Phillipe. The Story of Sex. 2016. 

D’Emilio, John. Freedman, Estelle. Intimate Matters: The History of Sexuality in America. 1988.

Donna J. Drucker, “‘A Noble Experiment’: The Marriage Course at Indiana University, 1938-1940,” IMH September 2007 https://www.jstor.org/stable/27792817?read-now=1&seq=7#page_scan_tab_contents

Gary, Brett. Dirty Works. Obscenity on Trial in America’s First Sexual Revolution. 2021.

Hardy, Gathorne. Sex: The Measure of All Things: A Life of Alfred C. Kinsey. 1998.

Hegarty, Peter. Gentlemen’s Disagreement. 2013.

Jones, James H. Alfred C. Kinsey: A Life. 1997.

Wimpee, Rachel. Iacobell, Teresa. “Funding a Sexual Revolution: The Kinsey Reports.” Jan 9 2020. Rockefeller Archive Center.

https://resource.rockarch.org/story/funding-a-sexual-revolution-the-kinsey-reports/

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As Dr. Alfred Kinsey begins his foray into sex research in 1938, he faces a rising tide of controversy at Indiana University, and is soon confronted with an ultimatum. While his research develops and his methodology takes shape, Kinsey is forced to reckon with hard truths about sex – and himself. 

SOURCES:

Allen, Judith A. The Kinsey Institute: The First Seventy Years. 2017.

Brenot, Phillipe. The Story of Sex. 2016. 

D’Emilio, John. Freedman, Estelle. Intimate Matters: The History of Sexuality in America. 1988.

Donna J. Drucker, “‘A Noble Experiment’: The Marriage Course at Indiana University, 1938-1940,” IMH September 2007 https://www.jstor.org/stable/27792817?read-now=1&seq=7#page_scan_tab_contents

Gary, Brett. Dirty Works. Obscenity on Trial in America’s First Sexual Revolution. 2021.

Hardy, Gathorne. Sex: The Measure of All Things: A Life of Alfred C. Kinsey. 1998.

Hegarty, Peter. Gentlemen’s Disagreement. 2013.

Jones, James H. Alfred C. Kinsey: A Life. 1997.

Wimpee, Rachel. Iacobell, Teresa. “Funding a Sexual Revolution: The Kinsey Reports.” Jan 9 2020. Rockefeller Archive Center.

https://resource.rockarch.org/story/funding-a-sexual-revolution-the-kinsey-reports/

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In 1948, Dr. Alfred Kinsey wrote the book on sex. “The Kinsey Report”, as it came to be known, was a pioneering scientific study on the sexual habits of ordinary Americans. Divided into Male and Female Volumes, it challenged longstanding myths about sex and the religious ideology that upheld them. In this first installment of a three-part series, we explore the life, times and motivations of the enigmatic man behind the Kinsey Report – Dr. Alfred Kinsey. 

SOURCES:

Allen, Judith A. The Kinsey Institute: The First Seventy Years. 2017.

Brenot, Phillipe. The Story of Sex. 2016. 

D’Emilio, John. Freedman, Estelle. Intimate Matters: The History of Sexuality in America. 1988.

Donna J. Drucker, “‘A Noble Experiment’: The Marriage Course at Indiana University, 1938-1940,” IMH September 2007

Gary, Brett. Dirty Works. Obscenity on Trial in America’s First Sexual Revolution. 2021.

Hardy, Gathorne. Sex: The Measure of All Things: A Life of Alfred C. Kinsey. 1998.

Hegarty, Peter. Gentlemen’s Disagreement. 2013.

Jones, James H. Alfred C. Kinsey: A Life. 1997.

Wimpee, Rachel. Iacobell, Teresa. “Funding a Sexual Revolution: The Kinsey Reports.” Jan 9 2020. Rockefeller Archive Center.

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This featured guest episode of History Daily examines the events of November 16th, 1720. On that day, the trials of notorious pirates Anne Bonny, Mary Read, and John Rackham began in Spanish Town, Jamaica.

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