Politics documentaries
Hong Kong's Fight for Freedom
Hong Kong, 2019: Protests against a new extradition bill spiral into some of the worst violence the city has ever seen, as thousands of Hongkongers feel their freedom is under threat and take to the streets.
Using artificial intelligence to protect their identities, this two-part documentary series tells the extraordinary story of the uprising through the eyes of four young people at the heart of the movement.
Magna Carta
The Magna Carta is perhaps the most famous constitutional document in history. Originally created to curb the wrongdoings of King John, it contributed to making everyone – including the monarch – subject to the rule of law. The document, which was inked on animal skin, had a profound influence on England and the wider world and it inspired many others, including the American Declaration of Independence and the UN’s Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
In this BBC documentary, renowned historian David Starkey explores the origins of the Magna Carta, and poses the question whether it is time to resurrect this document that is the symbol of individual freedom.
Leaving Afghanistan
Political insiders tell the story of the US-led coalition’s desperate attempts to end the war in Afghanistan during its two decades of occupation.
When America finally withdrew its troops from Afghanistan in August 2021, it was the culmination of almost 20 years of failed attempts to bring an end to the conflict – and a decision that effectively surrendered Afghanistan to the resurgent Taliban. What started as a mission to capture Osama Bin Laden, ended with four successive presidents trying to find a way to end a campaign that killed tens of thousands of soldiers and civilians and destroyed a nation. Now insiders and experts key players and politicians tell the story of this disastrous war.
BBC at War
Hailed and derided in equal measure, in 1939 the BBC had yet to establish its reputation.
In this enthralling history documentary on BBC Select, Jonathan Dimbleby reveals how the BBC fought not only Hitler during World War II, but also the British government to become the institution it is today.
What impact did the BBC’s wartime broadcasts have on the British public and on the Nazi hordes abroad?
Could Hitler Have Been Stopped?
In this thought provoking history documentary, leading historians consider strategies that could have been used to avoid conflict with Hitler and prevent World War II.
Before the war began, nations adopted a policy of appeasement to the Nazi regime. But the threat of Hitler and the lengths he would go to achieve his barbaric aims were constantly underestimated.