BBC World Service - Witness History

The sinking of the Scharnhorst

She was one of Germany's greatest battleships during World War II.

On Christmas Eve 1914, during World War I, British and German soldiers stopped fighting.

How the world's best known evangelist began preaching internationally.

In 1971 the first big rock benefit gig was organised by former Beatle, George Harrison.

Christmas 1984 - a time of hardship for the protesters against the closure of coal mines

Christmas 1996 and the Spice Girls are number one. 'Girl Power' is taking over the world.

An inside account of the moment Bangladesh won independence from Pakistan in 1971.

In December 1986 Kazakhs began protesting against Moscow's rule.

The ANC party took its first violent action in 1961, a bomb at municipal offices in Durban

Twenty years ago the leader of Panama Manuel Noriega, was removed from power by the USA.