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Did 35,000 Americans die building the Panama Canal?

We fact check a claim made by Donald Trump about the construction of the world famous canal.

The construction of the Panama Canal linking the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans through Central America is considered one of the greatest engineering feats of all time. It also caused enormous human suffering and loss of life. Donald Trump claimed in a recent interview that 35,000 Americans died in the canal’s construction. But is that true? Tim Harford finds out, with the help of Matthew Parker, author of Hell’s Gorge: The Battle to Build the Panama Canal.

Presenter: Tim Harford
Producer: Jon Bithrey
Researcher: Tom Farmer
Editor: Richard Vadon
Sound Engineer: Graham Puddifoot

(Boat Crossing on the Panama Canal in Panama
Credit: Keystone-France/Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images)

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9 minutes

Last on

Sun 10 Sep 2023 23:50GMT
Â鶹ÊÓƵAV World Service except East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa & Â鶹ÊÓƵAV Afghan Radio

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  • Sat 9 Sep 2023 04:50GMT
    Â鶹ÊÓƵAV World Service except East and Southern Africa, Europe and the Middle East & West and Central Africa
  • Sat 9 Sep 2023 10:50GMT
    Â鶹ÊÓƵAV World Service East and Southern Africa & Europe and the Middle East only
  • Sun 10 Sep 2023 08:50GMT
    Â鶹ÊÓƵAV World Service West and Central Africa
  • Sun 10 Sep 2023 10:50GMT
    Â鶹ÊÓƵAV World Service except East and Southern Africa, Europe and the Middle East & West and Central Africa
  • Sun 10 Sep 2023 22:50GMT
    Â鶹ÊÓƵAV World Service East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa only
  • Sun 10 Sep 2023 23:50GMT
    Â鶹ÊÓƵAV World Service except East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa & Â鶹ÊÓƵAV Afghan Radio

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