1 00:00:00,080 --> 00:00:02,760 Speaker 1: Hey there, history fans, We're taking the day off, but 2 00:00:02,840 --> 00:00:05,800 Speaker 1: don't worry. We've got plenty of classic shows to tide 3 00:00:05,800 --> 00:00:09,119 Speaker 1: you over. Check out these selections from previous years of 4 00:00:09,160 --> 00:00:11,480 Speaker 1: This Day in History Class, and I'll meet you back 5 00:00:11,520 --> 00:00:16,120 Speaker 1: here tomorrow with a brand new episode. See you then, Hi, 6 00:00:16,560 --> 00:00:17,320 Speaker 1: I'm Eves. 7 00:00:17,880 --> 00:00:20,920 Speaker 2: Welcome to This Day in History Class, a show that 8 00:00:20,960 --> 00:00:28,480 Speaker 2: reveals a little bit more about history, day by day. 9 00:00:30,720 --> 00:00:35,800 Speaker 2: The day was May thirtieth, nineteen fifty three. Just before midday, 10 00:00:36,280 --> 00:00:40,360 Speaker 2: Edmund Hillary of New Zealand and Nepali Sherpa Tenzing Norgay 11 00:00:40,800 --> 00:00:44,120 Speaker 2: reached the summit of Mount Everest, the highest point above 12 00:00:44,200 --> 00:00:48,239 Speaker 2: global means sea level. The pair became the first recorded 13 00:00:48,280 --> 00:00:51,800 Speaker 2: people to summit the mountain, and since then thousands of 14 00:00:51,840 --> 00:00:56,480 Speaker 2: people have attempted to climb Everest. Mount Everest is located 15 00:00:56,480 --> 00:00:59,680 Speaker 2: in the Himalayas in Nepal and Tibet. It's the highest 16 00:00:59,680 --> 00:01:03,440 Speaker 2: mountain on Earth above sea level. The climb to the 17 00:01:03,440 --> 00:01:07,560 Speaker 2: top of the mountain is extremely challenging and dangerous. Oxygen 18 00:01:07,640 --> 00:01:10,240 Speaker 2: levels are low at the summit, and the weather is 19 00:01:10,400 --> 00:01:14,880 Speaker 2: cold and unpredictable. The first recorded attempt to climb Mount 20 00:01:14,920 --> 00:01:18,840 Speaker 2: Everest happened in nineteen twenty one, when a British expedition 21 00:01:18,920 --> 00:01:21,880 Speaker 2: treked miles across the Tibetan plateau to the bottom of 22 00:01:21,880 --> 00:01:24,680 Speaker 2: the mountain. They had to cut their climbs short when 23 00:01:24,720 --> 00:01:28,520 Speaker 2: a storm broke out, but mountaineer George Lee Mallory was 24 00:01:28,600 --> 00:01:32,880 Speaker 2: determined to complete the climb. Mallory, along with George Finch 25 00:01:32,880 --> 00:01:35,480 Speaker 2: and Jeffrey Bruce, took a shot at the climb the 26 00:01:35,520 --> 00:01:38,000 Speaker 2: next year, but did not make it to the top. 27 00:01:39,120 --> 00:01:43,240 Speaker 2: Later in nineteen twenty two, Mallory attempted to summit Everest again, 28 00:01:43,680 --> 00:01:46,959 Speaker 2: but the climb ended in disaster when several sherpas died 29 00:01:47,040 --> 00:01:51,600 Speaker 2: in an avalanche. Two years later, climber Edward Norton approached 30 00:01:51,600 --> 00:01:55,960 Speaker 2: the summit without using artificial oxygen, setting a world altitude 31 00:01:55,960 --> 00:02:00,400 Speaker 2: record but not reaching the top. That same year, Mallory 32 00:02:00,440 --> 00:02:03,600 Speaker 2: and climber Andrew Irvine set off on an attempt to 33 00:02:03,640 --> 00:02:06,919 Speaker 2: reach the summit, but the two were never seen alive again, 34 00:02:07,440 --> 00:02:10,320 Speaker 2: and Mallory's body was found on the mountain. In nineteen 35 00:02:10,400 --> 00:02:15,600 Speaker 2: ninety nine, more people attempted to summit Everest via Tibet 36 00:02:15,720 --> 00:02:19,400 Speaker 2: and then Nepal. The north route up Everest through Tibet 37 00:02:19,480 --> 00:02:22,560 Speaker 2: was closed and Nepal only allowed one trip from the 38 00:02:22,600 --> 00:02:27,640 Speaker 2: south annually. Britain had DIBs on nineteen fifty three, France 39 00:02:27,760 --> 00:02:31,360 Speaker 2: was set for nineteen fifty four, in Switzerland for nineteen 40 00:02:31,440 --> 00:02:36,480 Speaker 2: fifty five. In nineteen fifty two, Tinzig, Norgay and Raymond 41 00:02:36,560 --> 00:02:39,880 Speaker 2: Lambert attempted the feet and made it to just below 42 00:02:39,960 --> 00:02:43,240 Speaker 2: the South summit, but they had to turn around for supplies. 43 00:02:44,240 --> 00:02:47,160 Speaker 2: The next year, a British expedition under the command of 44 00:02:47,200 --> 00:02:51,400 Speaker 2: Colonel John Hunt was put together. New Zealanders Edmund Hillary 45 00:02:51,480 --> 00:02:55,160 Speaker 2: and George Low, as well as Sherpa Tenzig Norgay were 46 00:02:55,200 --> 00:02:59,480 Speaker 2: part of the expedition. The climbers had specially equipped clothing, 47 00:03:00,080 --> 00:03:04,480 Speaker 2: radio equipment, and oxygen systems. The team had brought three 48 00:03:04,560 --> 00:03:08,639 Speaker 2: hundred and sixty two porters, twenty sherpas, and ten thousand 49 00:03:08,680 --> 00:03:13,160 Speaker 2: pounds of luggage. On March tenth, the nineteen fifty three 50 00:03:13,240 --> 00:03:18,120 Speaker 2: British Everest expedition set out from Katmandu in April and May. 51 00:03:18,520 --> 00:03:22,320 Speaker 2: They ascended the mountain on the night of May twenty ninth. 52 00:03:22,560 --> 00:03:26,440 Speaker 2: Hillary and Norgay, the second assault team, prepared for the 53 00:03:26,440 --> 00:03:30,720 Speaker 2: climb to the summit. Tenzing had made six summit attempts 54 00:03:30,720 --> 00:03:34,640 Speaker 2: before this one, Their oxygen supply was short and the 55 00:03:34,680 --> 00:03:37,400 Speaker 2: pair would have to do with three lids a minute 56 00:03:37,520 --> 00:03:41,360 Speaker 2: rather than the four they had planned for. They ate sardines, 57 00:03:41,520 --> 00:03:45,240 Speaker 2: jam and honey, and drank hot water with lemon. By 58 00:03:45,280 --> 00:03:48,320 Speaker 2: six point thirty in the morning on May thirtieth, Hillary 59 00:03:48,440 --> 00:03:51,840 Speaker 2: and Norgay left camp for the summit in negative seventeen 60 00:03:51,920 --> 00:03:56,280 Speaker 2: degree fahrenheit weather with two twenty pounds cylinders of oxygen, 61 00:03:56,680 --> 00:04:00,480 Speaker 2: one of which was only partially filled. By nine in 62 00:04:00,520 --> 00:04:04,360 Speaker 2: the morning, they reached the South summit, and at eleven 63 00:04:04,480 --> 00:04:09,120 Speaker 2: thirty am, the two became the first to summit Mount Everest. 64 00:04:10,120 --> 00:04:13,440 Speaker 2: Hillary took three photos of his climbing partner and laid 65 00:04:13,440 --> 00:04:16,960 Speaker 2: down across tenzing left some suites at the top of 66 00:04:17,000 --> 00:04:19,880 Speaker 2: the mountain. They made their way back down to camp. 67 00:04:20,000 --> 00:04:23,760 Speaker 2: Fifteen minutes after they reached the summit. Queen Elizabeth the 68 00:04:23,800 --> 00:04:27,760 Speaker 2: second Knight at Hillary for the achievement. Norgay received the 69 00:04:27,800 --> 00:04:32,680 Speaker 2: British Empire Medal for the feat. Hillary went on more adventures, 70 00:04:32,720 --> 00:04:36,160 Speaker 2: including to the North and South Poles. He established the 71 00:04:36,240 --> 00:04:41,520 Speaker 2: Himalayan Trust and assisted Sherpas in Nepal. Norgay became the 72 00:04:41,560 --> 00:04:45,000 Speaker 2: first director of Field Training of the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute 73 00:04:45,040 --> 00:04:49,760 Speaker 2: in Darjeeling and later founded a trekking adventure company. The 74 00:04:49,800 --> 00:04:53,640 Speaker 2: effects climbers have on Mount Everest in the environment, as 75 00:04:53,680 --> 00:04:56,799 Speaker 2: well as the danger of conditions on Everest for climbers, 76 00:04:57,080 --> 00:05:01,560 Speaker 2: remains a topic of debate. Jeff Coo and hopefully you 77 00:05:01,640 --> 00:05:05,080 Speaker 2: know a little more about history today than you did yesterday. 78 00:05:06,839 --> 00:05:10,320 Speaker 2: And as an additional note, there has been controversy over 79 00:05:10,360 --> 00:05:13,360 Speaker 2: whether Norgay and Hillary were really the first to get 80 00:05:13,400 --> 00:05:16,840 Speaker 2: to the summit. Some say that Andrew Irvine and George 81 00:05:16,880 --> 00:05:19,480 Speaker 2: Mallory made it to the top on their fatal climb 82 00:05:19,760 --> 00:05:23,760 Speaker 2: and just did not make it back down. Thank you 83 00:05:23,880 --> 00:05:28,159 Speaker 2: for joining me today. You can find us on Twitter, Instagram, 84 00:05:28,200 --> 00:05:35,320 Speaker 2: and Facebook at TDIHC podcast And if you are interested 85 00:05:35,400 --> 00:05:38,880 Speaker 2: in learning more about history, you can listen to the 86 00:05:38,920 --> 00:05:43,360 Speaker 2: show Unpopular, a new podcast hosted by me that's about 87 00:05:43,400 --> 00:05:46,200 Speaker 2: people who took a stand against the status quo to 88 00:05:46,440 --> 00:05:50,679 Speaker 2: create meaningful change. You can subscribe on the iHeartRadio app, 89 00:05:50,800 --> 00:05:55,159 Speaker 2: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to podcasts. Thanks again 90 00:05:55,279 --> 00:06:03,960 Speaker 2: for listening and we'll see you again tomorrow. Hey y'all, 91 00:06:04,040 --> 00:06:06,679 Speaker 2: I'm Eves and welcome to this day in History Class 92 00:06:06,880 --> 00:06:09,760 Speaker 2: a podcast where we open the book of history, flip 93 00:06:09,800 --> 00:06:20,880 Speaker 2: through it and tear out a page. The day was 94 00:06:20,920 --> 00:06:25,839 Speaker 2: May thirtieth, nineteen sixty seven. The Republic of Biafra declared 95 00:06:25,839 --> 00:06:30,320 Speaker 2: its independence from Nigeria. In nineteen fourteen, the Colony and 96 00:06:30,360 --> 00:06:35,240 Speaker 2: Protectorate of Nigeria was established. British Governor General Frederick Lugard 97 00:06:35,440 --> 00:06:38,800 Speaker 2: instituted a policy of indirect rule and this set up. 98 00:06:38,920 --> 00:06:43,159 Speaker 2: Traditional structures were allowed to remain to establish regulations, but 99 00:06:43,360 --> 00:06:47,880 Speaker 2: they were subordinate to British officials. Britain used existing ethnic 100 00:06:48,000 --> 00:06:51,839 Speaker 2: and social divisions to keep Nigerians from organizing effective political 101 00:06:51,880 --> 00:06:56,320 Speaker 2: resistance to its rule. It encouraged competition between Nigeria's largest 102 00:06:56,320 --> 00:07:01,440 Speaker 2: ethnic groups, the House of Fulani, Ebo, and your In 103 00:07:01,520 --> 00:07:05,359 Speaker 2: nineteen fifty four, Britain divided Nigeria into the Northern, Western, 104 00:07:05,360 --> 00:07:08,200 Speaker 2: and Eastern regions, with the latter two in the southern 105 00:07:08,200 --> 00:07:11,600 Speaker 2: half of the federation. Each region was soon dominated by 106 00:07:11,600 --> 00:07:14,240 Speaker 2: an ethnic group, the House of Fulani in the North, 107 00:07:14,480 --> 00:07:18,000 Speaker 2: the Yorba in the West, and the Ebo in the East. 108 00:07:18,400 --> 00:07:21,480 Speaker 2: As the British consolidated their power in the region, ethnic 109 00:07:21,520 --> 00:07:25,120 Speaker 2: and religious tension escalated. At the same time, the British 110 00:07:25,120 --> 00:07:29,000 Speaker 2: based descent from the Nigerians who challenged British rule. In 111 00:07:29,080 --> 00:07:33,240 Speaker 2: nineteen sixty Nigeria gained independence from Britain. Abu Bakar to 112 00:07:33,320 --> 00:07:37,200 Speaker 2: Fawa Balewa became the first prime minister, but the period 113 00:07:37,360 --> 00:07:41,640 Speaker 2: just after independence was marked by violent leadership transitions and 114 00:07:41,840 --> 00:07:47,400 Speaker 2: regional hostilities. Though some nationalists wanted a unified Nigeria, the 115 00:07:47,440 --> 00:07:50,960 Speaker 2: state was immensely divided. The government was led by the 116 00:07:51,000 --> 00:07:53,920 Speaker 2: Northern People's Congress in alliance with the National Council of 117 00:07:54,000 --> 00:07:58,119 Speaker 2: Nigerian Citizens, and in nineteen sixty three the country became 118 00:07:58,160 --> 00:08:01,520 Speaker 2: a republic, but ethnic com as well as economic and 119 00:08:01,560 --> 00:08:05,840 Speaker 2: social imbalances brought tensions to a head. In January of 120 00:08:05,880 --> 00:08:09,160 Speaker 2: nineteen sixty six, the civilian government was deposed in a 121 00:08:09,240 --> 00:08:13,440 Speaker 2: coup and General Aguiyi Iransi and Ebo became the head 122 00:08:13,480 --> 00:08:16,400 Speaker 2: of state. Ebo leaders claimed the coup was an attempt 123 00:08:16,440 --> 00:08:19,600 Speaker 2: to save Nigeria from dissolution, but the House of Holani 124 00:08:19,640 --> 00:08:24,520 Speaker 2: and Yorba people remained suspicious. The new administration abolished the 125 00:08:24,520 --> 00:08:28,160 Speaker 2: federation and instituted a unitary state, but the leaders of 126 00:08:28,200 --> 00:08:32,160 Speaker 2: the coup were accused of favoring Ebo domination. In July 127 00:08:32,200 --> 00:08:35,520 Speaker 2: of nineteen sixty six, General Yakubu gowen and Anga from 128 00:08:35,559 --> 00:08:38,440 Speaker 2: the Middle Bill of Nigeria led a counter coup with 129 00:08:38,520 --> 00:08:42,640 Speaker 2: help from northern groups. Agui Iransi was killed along with 130 00:08:42,760 --> 00:08:45,240 Speaker 2: thousands of others from the South who were living in 131 00:08:45,280 --> 00:08:49,360 Speaker 2: the North. Gowwan restored the federal state. He promised to 132 00:08:49,400 --> 00:08:54,160 Speaker 2: restore democratic rule, but continued ethnic tensions led to massacres. 133 00:08:55,240 --> 00:08:58,800 Speaker 2: Thousands of Southern Nigerians living in the North, particularly Ebos, 134 00:08:58,920 --> 00:09:03,200 Speaker 2: were killed. Northern Nigerians were also targeted in Eastern Nigeria. 135 00:09:03,679 --> 00:09:06,880 Speaker 2: After the programs in the North, thousands of Ebos fled 136 00:09:06,920 --> 00:09:11,320 Speaker 2: to their traditional lands in southern and Eastern Nigeria. Gwan's 137 00:09:11,320 --> 00:09:14,520 Speaker 2: government did not respond to Ebo appeals for justice, and 138 00:09:14,600 --> 00:09:19,199 Speaker 2: support grew for Ebo secession. On May thirtieth, nineteen sixty seven, 139 00:09:19,480 --> 00:09:23,000 Speaker 2: the Eastern Region seceded and proclaimed the Republic of Biafra. 140 00:09:24,080 --> 00:09:28,079 Speaker 2: Ebo leader General Ameica Ojuku declared the Republic of Biafra 141 00:09:28,400 --> 00:09:32,120 Speaker 2: a free and sovereign state. He also recommended that Biafra 142 00:09:32,200 --> 00:09:35,320 Speaker 2: become a member of the Commonwealth of Nations and adopt 143 00:09:35,400 --> 00:09:40,000 Speaker 2: a federal constitution based on the new provincial units. Ojuku 144 00:09:40,080 --> 00:09:43,480 Speaker 2: proclaimed that all ties between the Republic of Biafra and 145 00:09:43,679 --> 00:09:47,680 Speaker 2: the Federal Republic of Nigeria were dissolved. He also declared 146 00:09:47,720 --> 00:09:51,880 Speaker 2: that any contractual obligation entered into by any authority or 147 00:09:52,000 --> 00:09:55,720 Speaker 2: organization within the Republic of Biafra would be considered as 148 00:09:55,880 --> 00:09:58,480 Speaker 2: entered into with the government of the Republic of Biafra. 149 00:09:59,520 --> 00:10:02,520 Speaker 2: The Niji government turned to violence to reclaim the region. 150 00:10:03,280 --> 00:10:05,760 Speaker 2: For more than two years, Biafra and the government of 151 00:10:05,880 --> 00:10:10,000 Speaker 2: Nigeria were engaged in a civil war. Biafra did gain 152 00:10:10,040 --> 00:10:13,400 Speaker 2: recognition from some African states and a received aid from 153 00:10:13,400 --> 00:10:18,479 Speaker 2: international organizations, but Ojuku fled the country and Biafra surrendered 154 00:10:18,520 --> 00:10:22,320 Speaker 2: in January of nineteen seventy. More than a million people 155 00:10:22,360 --> 00:10:25,880 Speaker 2: are estimated to have died during the civil war, including 156 00:10:26,000 --> 00:10:30,600 Speaker 2: many Biafran civilians who died from starvation. After the war, 157 00:10:30,720 --> 00:10:34,640 Speaker 2: the Nigerian government adopted a policy of no victor, no vanquished. 158 00:10:35,000 --> 00:10:39,240 Speaker 2: Biafra was reabsorbed into Nigeria. The federal government proceeded to 159 00:10:39,280 --> 00:10:42,840 Speaker 2: consolidate its power and the Ebos grew more influential, but 160 00:10:42,880 --> 00:10:47,840 Speaker 2: they were still marginalized. I'm eave Chefcote and hopefully you 161 00:10:47,960 --> 00:10:51,040 Speaker 2: know a little more about history today than you did yesterday. 162 00:10:51,960 --> 00:10:54,600 Speaker 2: And if you have any comments our suggestions, you can 163 00:10:54,640 --> 00:10:57,079 Speaker 2: send them to us via email at this day at 164 00:10:57,080 --> 00:10:59,840 Speaker 2: iHeartMedia dot com. You can also hit us up on 165 00:11:00,000 --> 00:11:05,000 Speaker 2: social media. We're at t D I HC podcast. Thanks 166 00:11:05,040 --> 00:11:06,760 Speaker 2: so much for listening to the show and we'll see 167 00:11:06,760 --> 00:11:18,720 Speaker 2: you tomorrow. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, 168 00:11:18,800 --> 00:11:21,440 Speaker 2: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.