August 16, 2026

How WW2 transformed Asia

For decades, the history of the Second World War has been told through predominately western eyes. That, writes historian Hans van de Ven, simply has to change. Hans's new book, Blood Dawn, sets out to reset the focus, exploring the conflict's story from an Asian perspective. In this episode, Hans tells Spencer Mizen how WW2 supercharged the fight for independence from European domination across India, China and Indonesia – and, in doing so, transformed a continent ----- GO BEYOND THE PODCAST  If you'd like to delve further into why the Second World War in Asia is often overlooked, then check out a podcast we ran with the broadcaster Kavita Puri in 2025: https://bit.ly/4nRYOOS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Also available on Apple Podcasts ↗