In 1991 the historic city of Dubrovnik came under dramatic siege by land and sea after Croatia claimed independence from the collapsing Yugoslavia.
As thousands fled for their lives from the one-sided onslaught, ITN war reporter Paul Davies and his small crew headed daringly into the heart of the conflict.
In this episode of Reporting History, Paul looks back on his Diary of a Siege, which became among the most famous war reportage ITN has ever broadcast and the singular and defining account of the battle.
He rewatches his epic eyewitness reporting, recounts the moment he was hit by incoming shelling, and explains the incredible and inventive lengths he went to in order to smuggle the footage out of the bombarded city to show the world what was happening.
Paul’s extended report influenced the White House and the Kremlin and exposed the Yugoslav lies to help bring the siege to an end.
It would ultimately be scrutinised in extraordinary circumstances as Paul became cross-examined by Slobodan Milosevic as the former Serbian and Yugoslav president led his own futile defence at his war crimes trial at The Hague.
Reporting History sees journalists join News At Ten anchor Tom Bradby to revisit their remarkable reports from the defining events of the modern age.
The guests reveal the drama that occurred off camera, from war reporting and frontline journalism to historic global events.
Timings:
00:00 Intro
01:16 The fall of Yugoslavia
02:24 The danger heading to Dubrovnik
08:13 Capturing the shocking demolition on camera
16:13 The moment Paul is hit by a shell
19:37 The people of Dubrovnik under siege
21:22 Why the city was left undefended
23:55 Getting the diary of a siege tapes out
26:06 Paul’s cross-examination by Slobodan Milosevic
28:23 Paul’s return to Dubrovnik
31:28 The importance of eyewitness journalism
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