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The Donner Party

A gruesome tale of the American West, fleeing Vietnam by boat, plus Rasputin's murder in Tsarist Russia, remembering the Millenium Bug, and Soviet hero Alexei Stakhanov.

In 1846, a group of pioneers were trying to reach California by wagon when they were trapped by snow over the winter - and some were driven to cannibalism to survive. Their gruesome story has become a legend of the American West. Plus, fleeing Vietnam by boat, remembering the drama of the Millenium Bug, recalling Rasputin's murder in Tsarist Russia and we hear from the daughter of Soviet hero, Alexei Stakhanov.

PHOTO: The slopes of Mount Whitney in the Sierra Nevada range, near Lone Pine, California, USA. 20/04/2008.

50 minutes

Last on

Mon 4 Jan 2016 04:06GMT

Broadcasts

  • Sat 2 Jan 2016 09:06GMT
  • Sat 2 Jan 2016 11:06GMT
  • Sun 3 Jan 2016 02:06GMT
  • Sun 3 Jan 2016 22:06GMT
  • Mon 4 Jan 2016 04:06GMT

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