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Episode 123: The Japanese Economic Miracle

The Y in History

Release Date: 01/10/2026

Episode 124: Greenland - the Inuit and Denmark show art Episode 124: Greenland - the Inuit and Denmark

The Y in History

By 1500, the Inuit, with their mastery of marine hunting and adaptation to the Arctic, were the established people of Greenland. By 1776, Denmark declared a monopoly trade on Greenland, quietly colonizing it, in the process.  Post WWII, the US offered $100m in gold for the purchase of Greenland, which was rejected by Denmark. In 1953, Denmark once again, quietly transitioned Greenland from a Colony to a district of Denmark, without a referendum.

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Episode 123: The Japanese Economic Miracle show art Episode 123: The Japanese Economic Miracle

The Y in History

The 1950 Korean War provided the necessary boost to the Japanese economy post WWII. But a combination of factors, from export oriented growth to process innovation, spearheaded Japan to the second largest economy in the world from 1968 to 2010. A look at the factors that led to this economic miracle.

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Episode 122: Unbelievable facts from History show art Episode 122: Unbelievable facts from History

The Y in History

Einstein's brain was stolen at the time of his death, for research. The Great Fire of London of 1666, led to the creation of the Insurance industry. Tune in to this episode to listen to some unbelievable facts from history.

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Episode 121: Greatest Heists show art Episode 121: Greatest Heists

The Y in History

The 1976 Societe Generale heist, is considered the Heist of the 20th Century. The 2003 Antwerp Diamond Heist is considered the Heist of the 21st century. But one individual, operating solo pulled off a heist, mid-air in 1971.

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Episode 120: A history of Technology - part II show art Episode 120: A history of Technology - part II

The Y in History

The Industrial Revolution took off on the foundation of Mechanical Engineering. But by mid-20th century, post WWII, electronics triggered a new revolution, miniaturizing devices and bringing sophisticated tech into the home. In late 2022 though, ChatGPT heralded the era of Artificial Intelligence. 

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Episode 119: A history of Technology show art Episode 119: A history of Technology

The Y in History

Mechanical Engineering was the first branch of engineering to be understood by ancient civilizations. The wheel and the plough are testament to this fact. From the wheel to the steam locomotive, this episode traces the evolution of human societies and commerce, with the evolution of technology.

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Episode 118: 1991 - India's Economic Liberation and rise as an economic superpower show art Episode 118: 1991 - India's Economic Liberation and rise as an economic superpower

The Y in History

India's second economic phase began with the landmark economic reforms of 1991, triggered by a balance of payments crisis. These reforms ushered in an era of liberalization, privatization and globalization that dismantled many of the past restrictive economic policies. This shift led to significantly higher growth rates, averaging 6-7% annually, propelling India to become one of the world's fastest-growing major economies.

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Episode 117: 2025 - the Nepal Gen Z Protests show art Episode 117: 2025 - the Nepal Gen Z Protests

The Y in History

Nepal's Gen Z rose in protest against corruption and nepotism in the country following the social media ban imposed by the government in September 2025. Within a week, the protests had resulted in the Prime Minister stepping down and a new interim Prime Minister being sworn in, after winning an online vote conducted by the Gen Z'ers. So have we finally entered the era of social media, on the political front with the new generation using online platforms to determine the political fate their respective countries?

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Episode 116: The Nuremberg and Tokyo Trials show art Episode 116: The Nuremberg and Tokyo Trials

The Y in History

The Nuremberg and Tokyo Trials were based on the London Agreement, signed on August 8, 1945, which was an accord between the United States, Great Britain, France, and the Soviet Union to establish an International Military Tribunal to prosecute the major war criminals of the European Axis. It provided a legal framework that codified crimes against peace, war crimes, and crimes against humanity, laying the foundation for the Nuremberg and Tokyo Trials. Beginning on November 20, 1945, 22 Nazi officials were brought to trial in the city of Nuremberg in Germany. And on May 3, 1946, 28 Japanese...

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Episiode 115: Capitalism, Socialism and Communism show art Episiode 115: Capitalism, Socialism and Communism

The Y in History

Though various forms of Capitalism have existed since ancient times, Adam Smith in 1776, was the first to philosophize the concept of free markets. The Industrial Revolution gave Capitalism a massive boost but the exploitation of labor led Karl Marx to publish the Communist Manifesto in 1848 and Das Kapital in 1867.

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The 1950 Korean War provided the necessary boost to the Japanese economy post WWII. But a combination of factors, from export oriented growth to process innovation, spearheaded Japan to the second largest economy in the world from 1968 to 2010. A look at the factors that led to this economic miracle.