Tito: President of Yugoslavia

A Yugoslav revolutionary leader, who served in every major conflict of his lifetime - Josip Broz Tito ruled Yugoslavia for 35 years. Successfully leading the establishment and maintenance of a socialist federation in Yugoslavia and balancing between the global superpowers of the Cold War, his contribution to history cannot be undermined. But his rule wasn't without controversy or violence; while he managed to balance ethnic and national tensions to some extent, his regime was criticised for human rights abuses, censorship, and limitations on individual freedoms all while Yugoslavia was under a one-party system. So who exactly was Tito, and what legacy did he leave behind?


In the third episode of our Dictators series, James welcomes Robert Niebuhr to the podcast, to take a deep dive into Tito's life and policies. Looking at Tito's nonalignment policy, international relations, and the legacy he's left behind in Eastern Europe today - what happened to Tito, and how can his rule still be felt today?


You can buy Robert's book here.


Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world renowned historians like Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code WARFARE. Download the app on your smart TV or in the app store or sign up here.


You can take part in our listener survey here.


For more Warfare content, subscribe to our Warfare Wednesday newsletter here.