Aspects of History
232 episodes - English - Latest episode: 8 days ago - ★★★★★ - 19 ratingsThe editor of Aspects of History, Ollie Webb-Carter, interviews historians and authors on the past - from the ancient world right up to the modern day. In each episode, Ollie seeks to get to the bottom of a story or scrutinise a figure from history. There are bonus episodes too, on current events and anniversaries to the Aspects of History Film Club.
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Episodes
William Adams & Shogun with Giles Milton
April 25, 2024 04:00 - 33 minutesOn the 19th April 1600, after nearly two years at sea, William Adams, one of only nine surviving crew members, made land at modern day Usuki, on the east coast of Japan. He was starving, scurvy ridden and close to death. So began an extraordinary story as Adams rose up the ranks to become a revered figure in Japan even today. So much so that a new Disney TV series, Shogun has been making waves starring Cosmo Jarvis as Adams and Giles Milton joins to tell his story. Giles Milton Links Samurai ...
Film Club: The Passion of the Christ (2004)
April 23, 2024 04:00 - 49 minutesThe release of The Passion of the Christ in 2004 caused outrage, fury and accusations of antisemitism and sadomasochism. With Easter recently celebrated, we thought it time to re-examine Mel Gibson's passion project (sorry), as director Tim Hewitt joins to talk Jim Caviezel, controversy and even a QAnon. Links The Passion of the Christ on Wikipedia The Passion of the Christ on IMDB Interview with Mel Gibson Christopher Hitchens on Mel Gibson's The Passion of the Christ Ollie on X Tim on X Lea...
The Berlin Wall with Iain MacGregor
April 20, 2024 04:00 - 53 minutesThe Berlin Wall stood for 28 years, but up until the very end, on the 9th November 1989, the whole world thought it was permanent. It's now 35 years since the Wall fell, but how did it get built, what was its impact, and how did it fall? Iain MacGregor, author of Checkpoint Charlie, joins as we go back the dark days of the Cold War through to its end. Iain MacGregor Links Checkpoint Charlie: The Cold War, the Berlin Wall and the Most Dangerous Place on Earth Iain on X Aspects of History Links...
Patrick Leigh Fermor with Artemis Cooper
April 13, 2024 04:00 - 59 minutesOn a dark night in April 1944 a German general was returning to his villa on the Nazi occupied island of Crete. Suddenly, two men, dressed as Wehrmacht soldiers, emerged from the darkness and stopped the car. The two men were British officers, and together with Cretan resistance fighters, they bundled the general into the back, and drove through Heraklion and 22 checkpoints. So began one of the most audacious operations of World War Two, orchestrated by Patrick Leigh Fermor, autodidact, write...
James I with Steven Veerapen
April 05, 2024 23:00 - 50 minutesOn the 24th March 1603 at Richmond Palace Elizabeth I died. She had not named a successor, but James VI of Scotland was proclaimed king in London that same day, and he headed south to accede to the English throne. What sort of man was he, and how had his rule in Scotland shaped his character? Steven Veerapen joins to discuss James, his rule, the union of the crowns of Scotland and England and the new show Mary & George which has been making waves in its depiction of the Stuart court. Steven V...
Colonial Kenya & the Mau Mau with Nicholas Rankin
March 30, 2024 01:00 - 58 minutesThe Mau Mau Uprising ran from 1952 to 1960 in a Kenya administered by Britain. The conflict was a brutal one, with atrocities committed by both sides and it remains controversial to this day. Nicholas Rankin grew up in Kenya from the of 3 to 13, arriving in 1954 and he has written a moving and powerful book that addresses the questions of rebellion and colonialism. Nicholas Rankin Links Trapped in History: Kenya, Mau Mau and Me Telegram from Guernica: The Extraordinary Life of George Steer, ...
Women's Secret Diaries with Sarah Gristwood
March 23, 2024 01:00 - 32 minutesSarah Gristwood returns to talk about the secret diary entries of women's diaries, from the 1st January all the way to the 31st December. There are many great names, and some less well-known, but we delve into some heart-breaking, funny, tragic and shocking accounts written with stunning honesty. Sarah Gristwood Links Secret Voices: A Year of Women’s Diaries Sarah on X Aspects of History Links Subscribe to the magazine: only £/$9.99 per year Ollie on X Get in touch: [email protected]...
The Rise of the Mafia with Louis Ferrante
March 16, 2024 01:00 - 55 minutesThis week's guest is a man who has lived about what he writes. Louis Ferrante was a former member of the Gambino crime family, one of the Five Families of New York. He rose up the ranks until he was convicted of crimes and sent to prison where he became a changed man. He has now written a fantastic first volume of three on the history of the mafia, Borgata, and he chatted with our editor on the rise of the mob from their humble beginnings in Sicily through to the 1930s prohibition in the US. ...
Film Club: Schindler's List (1993)
March 13, 2024 05:00 - 1 hourSteven Spielberg's 1993 masterpiece is hugely influential even today. His adaptation of the Thomas Keneally's Booker Prize winning Schindler's Ark, filmed in black and white, brought the Holocaust to a mass audience. Joining Ollie to discuss the film are Roger Moorhouse and Tim Hewitt, and they look into the history, the filmmaking process and much more. Links Discussed The Forgers: The Forgotten Story of the Holocaust’s Most Audacious Rescue Operation, by Roger Moorhouse Spielberg interview...
The Arctic Convoys with John McKay
March 09, 2024 05:00 - 44 minutesOn the 2nd September 1942 in Loch Ewe, Scotland, a large convoy of ships carrying food, ammunition, tanks, artillery pieces and materiel set sail for Archangel, Russia. This convoy would be of vital importance to the Soviet troops fighting the Nazis at Stalingrad. The Germans did all they could to disrupt and destroy the ships of the Royal Navy and Merchant Navy, and many of the green recruits, at sea for the first time, had the freezing weather conditions to deal with as well as the enemy. J...
Great British Commanders: WW1 Also Rans with Gordon Corrigan
March 02, 2024 05:00 - 1 hourGordon returns to discuss those WW1 Commanders that lost out to Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig. Plenty of talent here, and some less so, however we start off with Alanbrooke as he was barely discussed in the previous episode. The list Admiral Jellicoe Admiral Beatty General Wilson General Plumer General Chetwode General Allenby Major TE Lawrence General Maude Field Marshal Robertson (the Editor's favourite) Gordon Corrigan Links Mud, Blood and Poppycock: Britain and the Great War Douglas Hai...
Film Club: Bonnie & Clyde (1967)
February 29, 2024 05:00 - 36 minutesYou've read the story of Jesse James Of how he lived and died. If you're still in need; Of something to read, Here's the story of Bonnie and Clyde. So wrote Bonnie Parker, partner to Clyde Barrow and the famous couple that attracted fans, headlines, cops and in the end, bullets. Ollie and Tim discuss the iconic film and include the regular categories including Simon Baker Award for Best Performance, and the Argo Award for Most Inaccurate Scene. Links Discussed Bonnie & Clyde Bonnie's Poetry ...
Film Club: Public Enemies (2009)
February 27, 2024 05:00 - 49 minutesOn the 22nd July 1934 John Dillinger left a movie theatre in Chicago having just enjoyed the Clark Gable film, Manhattan Melodrama. He didn't get far before FBI agents shot him four times - the era of the romantic bank robber was over - or was it? Johnny Depp's portrayal of Dillinger is iconic, even if we think the legacy rating of Public Enemies is low. Also starring Christian Bale, Marion Cotillard, Jason Clarke, Billy Crudup, Stephen Lang, Branka Katic, Stephen Dorff, David Wenham and Jame...
English Football with Gavin Mortimer
February 24, 2024 05:00 - 50 minutesWe've ignored the suitcase from Sepp Blatter bulging with cash and returned to football's roots to discuss the origins in England, the class system, the rise of the working class and the might Preston North End side of 1888/89 - thought Arsene Wenger did it first with the Invincibles and diet? Well you'd be wrong - it was PNE under William Sudell. We also look at public (private) schools - click here for the rules of Harrow Football (still played today), transport, technology and the two wor...
The Attack on Pearl Harbor with Alan Bardos
February 22, 2024 05:00 - 37 minutesEarly on the morning of 7th December 1941, Japanese fighters, dive bombers and torpedo planes descended on the port of Pearl Harbor, the headquarters of the American Pacific Fleet. Within minutes the balance of power had changed, and four days later Hitler declared war on the US. Alan Bardos joins to discuss the attack, the intelligence failures leading up to it, Japanese and American antagonism beforehand and Taranto, the template the Japanese followed in their plans. Alan Bardos Links Risin...
Shogun: 17th Century Japan with Frederik Cryns
February 20, 2024 05:00 - 34 minutesWe discuss medieval Japan in today's episode, in preparation for the new TV show, Shogun. Professor of Japanese History Frederik Cryns joins to discuss the practice of suicide - Seppuku, the clash of cultures as Japan was visited by Portuguese merchants, Jesuits and in 1600, the first Brit: William Adams. Links Discussed Shogun In the Service of the Shogun: The Real Story of William Adams, by Frederik Cryns Seppuku Ollie on X Email us: [email protected] Learn more about your ad ch...
The History of Ballet with Lucy Ashe
February 17, 2024 05:00 - 46 minutesIn May 1940 the Sadler's Wells Ballet Company took the brave, or as some might think foolhardy, decision to go on tour to mainland Europe, several months after the outbreak of World War Two. The result was a hasty retreat from the Netherlands as the Germans invaded. Lucy Ashe joins to talk about the evolution of Ballet from the royal courts of Europe to Versailles and the Sun King, Louis XIV, to the Ballet Russe as the Russians came to dominate. Margot Fonteyne, Ninette de Valois and Rudolf N...
Napoleon Bonaparte with Louis Sarkozy
February 10, 2024 09:16 - 56 minutesBonaparte: Greatest Frenchman or Corsican Ogre? Progressive or reactionary? Louis Sarkozy, the author of a new book on Napoleon, joins to discuss his image in France, Russia, Prussia and England; attempts to cancel him; and his love of reading. We at Aspects of History are fascinated by the man who invited both scorn and admiration from Britain, as well as fear and respect throughout Europe. Thousands of books have been written about him, but do we really understand him? Louis Sarkozy Links N...
The War in Ukraine with Yaroslav Trofimov
February 03, 2024 02:00 - 47 minutesYaroslav Trofimov is the Foreign Affairs Correspondent of the Wall Street Journal, a native of Ukraine, and the author of Our Enemies Will Vanish. He joins to talk about the war and the ramifications of the conflict in a geo-political sense. With the war now entering it's third year, and with no end in sight, how do we see this play out, and what lessons will China and other totalitarian states draw? This is an existential fight for Ukraine, and Yaroslav brings not only insight, but also a de...
SpyMasters with Antonia Senior
January 31, 2024 05:00 - 22 minutesAntonia Senior joins to discuss her new podcast SpyMasters, from Aspects of History. She and Ollie chat the Cambridge Spies, David Petraeus and the latest spy fiction as she talks about what we can expect. Links SpyMasters David McCloskey David Petraeus Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Great British Commanders: WW2 Also Rans with Gordon Corrigan
January 27, 2024 05:00 - 55 minutesGordon Corrigan, the Major, returns as we go through those commanders from the Second World War that missed out when we settled on Bill Slim. The big names from the Army, Royal Navy and Royal Air Force are here: Montgomery, Alexander, Alanbrooke, Auchinleck, Pound, Cunningham, Harris, Dowding, Parks and Portal. Gordon gives his view, and in particular it's Monty who takes quite a bit of flak. Auchinleck, Harris and Cunningham gain his approval, as does Alexander and Alanbrooke. Episode Links ...
Masters of The Air & The Allied Bombing Campaign with Patrick Bishop & Paul Bingley
January 26, 2024 05:00 - 45 minutesThe new Apple TV series has arrived, Masters of the Air, written and produced by John Orloff, of Band of Brothers. It stars Austin Butler (Elvis, Once Upon a Time in Hollywood), Barry Keoghan (Saltburn, Top Boy) and Callum Turner (Queen and Country, The Only Living Boy in New York). We discuss the history behind the show with two historians of the Allied Bombing Campaign. Patrick Bishop is the bestselling author of Bomber Boys and Paul Bingley, historian and author of Bomb Group. Episode Lin...
The Princes in the Tower with History with Jackson Pod
January 23, 2024 05:01 - 44 minutesThe recent Channel Four documentary, The Princes in the Tower: The New Evidence saw historian Philippa Langley and TV personality Judge Rinder examine documents which they believe prove Edward V and Richard Duke of York were not murdered by their uncle Richard III, but were in fact spirited away to mainland Europe. From there they plotted both their return and the overthrow of Henry VII, victor over Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth Field. Joining today me in the first of a new series of ...
Film Club: Conspiracy (2001) - The Wannsee Conference
January 20, 2024 07:12 - 1 hourOn the 20th January 1942 fifteen men met at the Wannsee Villa to discuss what they described as the final solution to the Jewish question. The Holocaust had been underway for many months but what those delegates agreed put in motion the industrial nature of the killings. Roger Moorhouse, historian of Nazi Germany, joins Ollie to discuss the film Conspiracy which starts Kenneth Branagh, Stanley Tucci and Colin Firth. How accurate is it historically? What's the background to the bureaucrats and...
Duelling & Rivet Counters with Ben Kane
January 13, 2024 05:00 - 41 minutesDuring the Napoleonic period, if you got into a serious disagreement and you were of the officer class, then you would challenge your opponent to a duel. Ben Kane joins our editor to discuss duelling, with pistols and swords during the Napoleonic period, as well as 'rivet counters'; readers of historical fiction who get in touch with writers to highlight inaccuracies. Ben is the bestselling author of our Fiction Book of the Month, Napoleon's Spy. Ben Kane Links Ben Kane Napoleon's Spy Ben on ...
The Gothic War & Historical Fiction with Simon Turney
January 06, 2024 05:00 - 40 minutesOne evening in 376AD two Gothic kings attended a lavish dinner thrown by Lupicinus, a Roman general responsible for defending the Empire's eastern border. The bloody conclusion to the party resulted in catastrophe for Rome and the death of an Emperor. Simon Turney, bestselling novelist and historian joins to discuss this event, the wars and historical fiction in general. Simon is a hugely successful author of Marius' Mules, the Damned Emperor series and Para Bellum. Simon Turney Links Para Be...
Great British Commanders: Douglas Haig with Gary Sheffield & Gordon Corrigan
December 30, 2023 05:00 - 1 hourOn the 29th January 1928 Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig died of a heart attack aged 66. Less than ten years earlier he had led the British Army to their greatest victories in the 100 Day Campaign of 1918. As he lay in state thousands of his soldiers marched past paying homage. Two distinguished historians, Gary Sheffield and Gordon Corrigan, join Ollie to discuss why Haig deserves to be remembered alongside Marlborough, Nelson, Wellington and Slim. Gary Sheffield Links Military History Plus P...
Ridley Scott's Napoleon with Adam Zamoyski
December 26, 2023 05:00 - 35 minutesHistorian and biographer Adam Zamoyski talks about the new movie, previous Napoleon films and the strange attitude in France to Bonaparte. Adam Zamoyski Links Napoleon: The Man Behind the Myth 1812: Napoleon's Fatal March on Moscow Rites of Peace: The Fall of Napoleon and the Congress of Vienna YouTube Debate with Jeremy Paxman and Andrew Roberts on Napoleon Narodnost: Russia and Nationalism - Aspects of History Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
SAS Debate: David Stirling - Founder or Phoney? With Gavin Mortimer & Tom Petch
December 23, 2023 05:01 - 51 minutesDavid Stirling was a great salesman, and so have we been seduced into thinking he's not really responsible for the founding of the SAS, and it was instead his brother? We have two distinguished historians join Ollie to debate the question. Both are previous guests of the pod, so this is your opportunity to find the truth or is the question more complicated? Links Discussed David Stirling: The Phoney Major, by Gavin Mortimer 2SAS: Bill Stirling and the forgotten special forces unit of World Wa...
Film Club: Napoleon (2023)
December 19, 2023 05:00 - 58 minutesThis month's Film Club is Napoleon, directed by Ridley Scott and starring Joaquin Phoenix and Vanessa Kirby. Links are in the shownotes, including an article on 6 of the best books on napoleon that Ollie has written, as well as other links. We also have a bonus episode coming up when we get Napoleonic historian Adam Zamoyski’s reaction to the film, so do subscribe so as not to miss out. Links Six of the Best: Books on Napoleon - Aspects of History Historians & Hollywood by Adam Zamoyski - Asp...
Winston Churchill with David Reynolds
December 16, 2023 05:00 - 50 minutesAt the age of 17 in 1891 whilst at Harrow School, Winston Churchill learned that his mother was sending him to stay with a French family for Christmas. He wrote to her, ‘My darling Mummy, never would I have believed you would haave been so unkind. I am utterly miserable..I can’t tell you how wretched you have made me feel. Oh my Mummy. I expect you were too busy with your parties and arrangements for Christmas. I comfort myself by this. Your loving son, Winny.' That letter shows there is more...
The History of Conspiracies with Jonn Elledge
December 12, 2023 05:00 - 48 minutesOn the 6th November 1966 Paul McCartney died in a car crash, and he was replaced in the Beatles by William Shears Campbell. Now that’s not actually true, but it hasn’t stopped many people to believe that it is. This theory is just one of many conspiracies that I discuss with Jonn Elledge, co-author (with Tom Phillips) of a book on their history. We talk about whether we’re living in a simulation, JFK and Abraham Lincoln’s assassinations, crop circles and many more - but it’s not always intern...
The Vietnam War: The My Lai Massacre with Marshall Poe
December 09, 2023 05:00 - 1 hourIn November 1969 news broke of a massacre of Vietnamese civilians by US troops in the village of My Lai in the So Tonh district of Kwang Nai in the South Central coast region of Vietnam. The killings themselves had taken place more than a year earlier on the 16th March 1968. It’s difficult to know how many deaths there were – the US army puts the figure at 347, and there are estimates of around 500. Marshall Poe joins to discuss the build up, the massacre itself and the events of that day, th...
British Fascism with Alec Marsh & Martin Pugh
December 05, 2023 05:00 - 51 minutesIn the early 1930s, a new movement threatened to smash the established ruling party, the Conservatives, as well as the Labour party. Led by a charismatic leader, capable of brilliant oration, the British Union of Fascists attracted many to their cause, most notably aristocrats and even royalty. Joining our editor today is Alec Marsh, journalist and author of Rule Britannia, along with historian of the period Martin Pugh, author of Hurrah for the Blackshirts. They discuss it's causes, the grea...
WW2 Italy with James Holland
December 02, 2023 05:00 - 43 minutesJames Holland joins to discuss the Allied campaign in Italy in the autumn of 1943 as they sought to capitalise on the capture of Sicily and head up the boot of the Italian peninsular, to both knock the Italians out the war, and to reach the Nazi factories of southern Germany and Austria. James is the author of The Savage Storm, his new book on the campaign, as well as a myriad of other titles so he is certainly Mr World War Two. James Holland Links The Savage Storm: The Heroic True Story of O...
2023 Books of the Year with The Gang
November 28, 2023 05:00 - 1 hourAntonia Senior, Roger Moorhouse and Richard Foreman join Ollie to discuss their books of the year, as well as current events. Please Note: Episode Recorded 17th November 2023 One guest does curse.. Get in touch: [email protected] X/Twitter Books of the Year One Fine Day, Matthew Parker Adama, Lavie Tidhar Hitler, Stalin, Mum and Dad, Daniel Finkelstein Conflict, General David Petraeus & Andrew Roberts Homer & His Iliad, Robin Lane Fox The Temple of Fortuna, Elodie Harper The Weimar...
Charles I with Mark Turnbull
November 25, 2023 05:00 - 59 minutesWhen Charles Stuart was born in 1600 it was his older brother Henry who was expected to get the top job. Charles was a sickly child, suffering terribly for the first few years of his life. Tragedy then struck and he became Prince of Wales. In today's podcast we hear about his illnesses, his attempts at marriage, and a sympathetic treatment of Charles' dealings with Parliament. We also discover who was responsible for declaring war in 1642. Mark Turnbull is the author of Charles I's Private Li...
Film Club: JFK (1991)
November 22, 2023 05:00 - 1 hourOn the 22nd November 1963 President John F Kennedy was shot and killed in Dallas Texas. The assassination shocked the world. In 1991, Academy Award winner Oliver Stone, a Vietnam veteran, directed JFK starring Kevin Costner. In it he argues a conspiracy and the movie has helped lead to more than 60% of Americans believe him. Director Tim Hewitt joins our editor Ollie to talk the movie, the allegations of conspiracy, their favourite actors, best scene, as well as most inaccurate, and finally t...
Female Spies with Helen Fry
November 18, 2023 05:00 - 42 minutesWomen have been part of the espionage world since intelligence agencies were established in the early 1900s, so it's no great surprise that they became key assets during the First and Second World Wars, but what does that mean? Historian Helen Fry talks with our editor about Mata Hari, Edith Cavell and other less known stories from the Cambridge Spies to the Special Operations Executive. Helen is the author of Women in Intelligence: The Hidden History of Two World Wars Helen Fry Links Women i...
Film Club: Thirteen Days (2000)
November 15, 2023 05:00 - 53 minutesOn the 15th October 1962, President John F Kennedy was presented with photographs showing Soviet nuclear missiles on the island of Cuba, just 90 miles off the Florida coast. So began the Cuban Missile Crisis, depicted in the political thriller Thirteen Days, Directed by Roger Donaldson and starring Kevin Costner. Join our editor Ollie and Director Tim Hewitt as they discuss the film including best scene, best performance, most inaccurate scene and legacy rating. Links Thirteen Days Abyss: Wor...
Kings & Queens with Iain Dale
November 11, 2023 05:00 - 37 minutesWho is our greatest monarch, and who is our most interesting? Where should we start - 1066 or 886? Should we include Louis, Matilda, Lady Jane Grey and of course the Cromwells? Which Prime Minister and ruler would make the greatest combination? Iain Dale joins the editor, along with friends of the show Miranda Malins and Steven Veerapen to discuss these questions and more. Iain Dale Kings and Queens: 1200 Years of English and British Monarchs The Prime Ministers: 55 Leaders, 55 Authors, 300 Y...
The Gunpowder Plot & The Stuarts with Leanda de Lisle
November 04, 2023 05:00 - 47 minutesRemember, remember, The Fifth of November, Gunpowder treason and plot; For I see no reason Why Gunpowder Treason Should ever be forgot. The plan was that on the 5th November 1605, James I would attend the opening of Parliament, and so allow the Gunpowder plotters to blow him and his government, and many of his family, sky hight. What would have happened next? And what of the Stuarts themselves? An extraordinary dynasty; from Mary Queen of Scots, James I, Charles I, Charles II and James II; an...
Israel Palestine with Roberto Mazza
November 01, 2023 05:00 - 56 minutesAfter the horrific terrorist attacks of 7th October our editor discussed the long running Israel Palestine conflict with historian and author Roberto Mazza. Covering the growing Zionist movement in the early 20th century, to the Balfour Declaration through to the British Mandate for Palestine, the 1948 war and the Six Day War in 1967 Roberto discusses how we got to where we are today and whether there is any prospect for peace. Roberto is also a host on the New Books Network, where he hosts h...
The Vikings with Theodore Brun
October 28, 2023 04:00 - 51 minutesThe Vikings are a people so disconnected from us, through time and their paganism, that it's difficult to really know them. Theodore Brun joins Ollie to discuss them, their travels and what we can really know of them. Theo's the author of the Wanderer Chronicles, the latest of which is A Savage Moon. Theodore Brun Links A Savage Moon The Children of Ash and Elm: A History of the Vikings ,by Neil Price Sycamore Tree Ollie Links GB News Interview - Go to 50 Mins In Ollie on X history@aspectsofh...
Film Club: The Bounty (1984)
October 24, 2023 04:02 - 44 minutesOn the 28th April 1789, the crew of HMS Bounty, under the command of Lt. William Bligh, mutinied. Led by Fletcher Christian, Bligh and some of his crew were placed in a rowing boat, whilst the mutineers took the Bounty to the South Pacific.The film, starring Anthony Hopkins and Mel Gibson, depicts these events in a film that is eminently quotable. Director Tim Hewitt joins our editor to chat about the film, including the usual categories, and the true story behind it. Links The Bounty (1984) ...
Post War Conflict with General David Petraeus & Andrew Roberts
October 21, 2023 04:00 - 47 minutesWhen Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine in February 2022, the world entered a new and dangerous phase. The fightback by the Ukrainians is now a pivotal struggle between right and wrong. Added to the recent terrorist attacks in southern Israel, now is an ideal time to hear from General David Petraeus and Lord Andrew Roberts about what the future of conflict looks like, and what the past can tell us. They are the joint authors of Conflict: A Military History of the Evolution of Warfare from 1945 to...
The History of Running with Duncan Larkin
October 19, 2023 04:01 - 43 minutesAre humans designed for long distance running? When was the first running meet? And what about those famous runners in history, from Pheidippides through to the dirtiest race in history. All this and more as writer and runner Duncan Larkin joins the pod to chat history of running. Duncan Larkin Links The 30-Minute Runner: Smart Training for Busy Beginners Run Simple: A Minimalist Approach to Fitness and Well-Being One Minute at 11,000 Feet Born to Run, Christopher McDougall Running with the K...
Film Club: Killers of the Flower Moon (2023)
October 17, 2023 04:01 - 43 minutesNO SPOILERS IN THIS POD The Osage Nation, 1920s, Oklahoma, and a string of unsolved murders take place. In this month's Film Club, myself and Director Tim Hewitt discuss Martin Scorcese's latest, starring Leonardo Di Caprio, Robert De Niro and Lily Gladstone. In the second half, I chat with Chief Standing Bear, leader of the Osage Nation about the film and his people today. Killers of the Flower Moon Links Killers of the Flower Moon (2023) Killers of the Flower Moon: Oil, Money, Murder and th...
The British Army with General Richard Dannatt and Robert Lyman
October 14, 2023 04:00 - 51 minutesAt the end of the First World War in 1918, the British Army had achieved victories that matched any of their predecessors from the previous two centuries, and was a highly motivated, efficient fighting machine. So why then, just over twenty years later, were they routed on battlefield in France in 1940 against their humiliated foe, the German Army. What lessons does the experience of the Army teach us today, as we face new threats, not only from Russia, but also now with terrorism. General Lo...
The British Empire with Matthew Parker
October 07, 2023 04:00 - 44 minutesOn the 29th September 1923 the British Empire reached its largest territorial extent with Britain's responsibility for the Mandate of Palestine. The Empire now covered a quarter of the globe and governed nearly 500 million people. But not all was as it seemed, because soon key colonies were demanding autonomy and the Empire was soon on the decline. Joining Ollie, historian Matthew Parker talks about not only the colonists, but also the colonised covered in his new book One Fine Day that spans...