Assassinations Podcast

Salvador Allende was elected president of Chile in 1970. Within three years, he was dead. In Part One of this episode, we witness Allende making powerful enemies in the Nixon administration and among Chilean conservatives. Through economic woes and civil unrest, Allende maintained his radical politics. But those lined up against him would never let a socialist rule in Chile.For more information about the people and music featured in this episode, visit the Assassinations Podcast website.

A Russian journalist living in Ukraine, Arkady Babchenko was supposedly shot to death in his apartment by an assassin operating on behalf of a mysterious Russian conspiracy. Or so the story went ... until Babchenko turned up at a press conference that had been convened to discuss his death. Rather than an assassination, the assembled media was informed that the hoax was perpetrated in order to foil a real plot. But, many have wondered if this explanation makes any sense. What could possibly account for the bizarre series of events that involved spies, an arms dealer, a monk, and a shady security consultancy in the suburbs of Washington, DC?

Patrice Lumumba was the first prime minister of an independent Congo. The leader of a national liberation movement, he fell victim to powerful forces that sought to control his country.Stepping into the crisis in the Congo, Dag Hammarskjold, Secretary-General of the United Nations and one of the most brilliant diplomats of his generation, sought to bring about peace. It was a mission that cost him his life.This episode of Assassinations Podcast will look at the machinations of Congolese politicians, Belgian imperialists, CIA agents, mercenary fighters, and the United Nations - all of which sought, in their own ways, to shape the future of the Congo and control its vast natural resources.For more information about the people and music featured in this episode, visit the Assassinations Podcast website.

Trotsky was a devoted Marxist and the co-leader of the Russian Revolution of 1917.Pushed out of the Soviet Union that he had helped to create, Trotsky was condemned to death.Granted asylum in Mexico, Trotsky was hunted by Stalin's henchmen before being assassinated by a Soviet agent who had posed as a political supporter.In this episode of Assassinations Podcast, we explore the extraordinary and tragic life of Leon Trotsky and witness the brutal death of a revolutionary martyr.For more information about Trotsky and the music used in this week’s episode, visit the Assassinations Podcast website.

Franz Ferdinand, the heir to the Austro-Hungarian Empire, was unpopular in Viennese society and hated by the Serbian nationalists. Though he wanted a quiet life with his beloved family, he accepted his role as heir to the throne - and all the dangers that came with it. But an official visit to Sarajevo in the summer of 1914 was so poorly planned that one aide described the archduke's safety as having been left “in God's hands".Young Serbian revolutionary zealots wanted to strike a blow against the hated House of Habsburg, the imperial rulers of Bosnia. The visit of Franz Ferdinand to Sarajevo gave them the perfect opportunity.Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie survived a bomb thrown at their open-top car as they travelled through Sarajevo. But then - remarkably - they returned via the same route, giving assassins another opportunity to strike.This week on Assassinations Podcast, we explore the history and conspiracies surrounding the murder of the heir to the Austo-Hungarian throne.

Grigori Rasputin, the so-called Mad Monk, was a mystic layman. He had a deep faith and many believed in the power of his prayers. But others saw him as a charlatan who had weaseled his way into the royal household.As his legend spread across Russia, those who were suspicious or jealous of his "powers" castigated him as a sex maniac, a huckster and even a heretic.Rasputin was fiercely loyal to the Romanovs. However, his link with the royals brought scandal to the palace.This week on Assassinations Podcast, we explore his relationship to the royal family, and how his closeness to the Romanovs brought him both fame and, ultimately, destruction.

Are you fascinated by the darker side of history? Do you love uncovering conspiracies and delving into political intrigue?If so, then join me on April 30th when Assassinations Podcast launches its first season by investigating the killing of Gregori Rasputin— a man whose life and death were shrouded in scandal and mystery.Our first season will explore the assassinations of six of the 20th century’s most fascinating figures. I won’t spoil the full lineup just yet, but expect to see a few of history’s most famous assassinations featured this season. We’ll also be taking a look at some of the lesser known, but equally compelling killings that left their mark on history.Thank you for checking out this teaser, and I hope you'll join me next Monday, April 30th when our first episode goes live.