Cooper Talks
75 episodes - English - Latest episode: 7 months ago - ★★★★★ - 1 ratingA series of episodes to help develop an awareness and understanding of major issues in History and Politics across the USA, UK, Europe and global politics and ideologies; everything for the A Level History, Politics, GCSE History and just those with a curiosity and interest.
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Episodes
UK Politics: Party Systems
December 05, 2023 00:00 - 40 minutes - 28.1 MBA look at how we catorgorise UK politicsl parties and what a Party system is and how we could approach an essay defining the type of party system that best describes the UK.
Episode 16: The Cold War: The Collapse of the Warsaw Pact
May 01, 2023 00:00 - 32 minutes - 29.8 MBIn this episode I look at the events in Eastern Europe in 1988-89 that resulted from Gorbachev's New Thinking and how they would lead to the collapse of the Warsaw Pact and freedom and political changes that would effectively end the Cold War in Europe.
Episode 15: The Cold War: Gorbachev and the ending of the Cold War
April 28, 2023 00:00 - 32 minutes - 22.4 MBA look at Gorbachev and his New Thinking, including rhe impact it had on the Soviet Union, the Warsaw Pact and the Cold War with America.
Episode 13: The Cold War: Reagan and the Second Cold War
April 26, 2023 00:00 - 24 minutes - 17.1 MBLooking at Reagan’s more aggressive stance and the beginning of a more aggressive period in the Cold War after Detente.
Episode 14: The Cold War: Changing leaders 1980-85
April 26, 2023 00:00 - 10 minutes - 7.39 MBA look at the period 1980-85 and the changing leadership in the USSR
Episode 12: The Cold War: Solidarity
April 23, 2023 00:00 - 20 minutes - 14 MBA look at the rise of Solidarity in Poland in the ewrly 1980s, consdering its importance for the rest of the Cold War
Episode 11: The Cold War: The Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan
March 23, 2023 00:00 - 27 minutes - 18.8 MBAn episode looking at the wvents around the 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. Sometimes described as the USSR’s Vietnam, it ended detente and drained the USSR leading to the eventual collapse of Communism in Europe.
Episode 10: The Cold War: Detente
March 19, 2023 00:00 - 36 minutes - 24.9 MBA look at what detente was and why it happened. Its a vague idea thet reflects a concept more than an wvwnt but I’ll be looking at the impact it had on the Cold War, the key events within it and touch in its ending
Episode 7: The History of Western Medicine: Penicillin
February 06, 2023 00:00 - 4 minutes - 10.7 MBA look at the development of penicillin in the fight against infections.
Episode 6: The History of Western Medicine: Lung Cancer
January 25, 2023 00:00 - 35 minutes - 24.5 MBA look at the attitudes, causes and treatments around lung cancer in the UK targetted for the GCSE course and how it shows the devleopment in medical practice and attitudes.
Episode 8: Russia and the USSR: The Red Terror and moves towards totalitarianism
January 10, 2023 00:00 - 50 minutes - 34.3 MBIn this episode, which links in with the previous one on the civil war, we look at the developmwnt of oppresive means of control and the rise of the Res Terror as the Bolsheviks establish a totalitarian dictatorship across Russia and the newly established USSR
Episode 7: Russia and the USSR: The Civil War
January 08, 2023 00:00 - 41 minutes - 28.5 MBA look at the Civil War and its impact on Russia and the Bolsheviks.
Episode 6: Russia and the USSR: How the Bolsheviks secured control
January 03, 2023 00:00 - 32 minutes - 22.4 MBFollowing on from the Bolshevik seizure of power in October 1917, we look here at the decrees and actions taken to secure their control over the whole of Russia and how this in turn triggered a rise in anti-Bolshevik opposition that would lead to the Civil War.
Episode 4: Russia and the Soviet Union: The Provisional Government
January 02, 2023 00:00 - 38 minutes - 26.7 MBA look at the work of the Provisional Government between February and October 1917, covering the early hopes and successes, the military failings, Lenin’s return from exile, the July Days and Kerenskey’s rise. Ultimatley we will see how the Provisional Government failed to take its chance and allowed the Bolsheviks to seize power in October 1917z
Episode 3: Russia and the Soviet Union: The impact of WWI
December 30, 2022 00:00 - 38 minutes - 26.8 MBA look at how World War I changed things in Russia, leading to hige discontent and eventually the February Revolution and end of Tsairst rule.
Episode 2: Russia and the USSR: The years before World War I
December 26, 2022 00:00 - 36 minutes - 25.2 MBA look at the retun to autocratic rule following the 1905 Revolution ans how the Tsar tried to ignore the demands for change. All of this helps explain why, when things went so wrong in World War I it lead to the Tsar losing all control and power in the February Revolution if 1917.
Episode 1: Russia and the Soviet Union: Tsarist background and 1905
December 22, 2022 00:00 - 34 minutes - 23.7 MBA very quick look at the Tsarist regieme, the problems it faced and of Russia as a whole up to and including the Revolution of 1905.
Episode 5: The History of Western Medicine: Cholera in the 19th Century and John Snow.
December 04, 2022 00:00 - 21 minutes - 14.4 MBA quick look at Cholera and the outbreaks in 19th century London. The work of John Snow in identifying dirty water as the source and the attempts to improve the water supply.
Episode 4: The History of Western Medicine: Edward Jenner and small pox
November 30, 2022 00:00 - 29 minutes - 19.9 MBIn this episode I take a look at the work of Edward Jenner and the development of vaccines at the end if the 18th centruy and how vaccines became popular and successful at ending small pox in the UK.
Episode 3: The History of Western Medicine: William Harvey
November 21, 2022 00:00 - 23 minutes - 16.1 MBIn this episode we look at the work of William Harvey which disproved Galen’s theory thet the liver pumped blood and made dramatic increases in the development of anatomical understanding and medical reseach, if not in diagnosis and treatment during the 17th century.
Episode 2: The History of Western Medicine: The Great Plague of 1665
November 20, 2022 00:00 - 32 minutes - 22.5 MBOne of the medicine case studies we look at the last major outbreak of the bubonic plague in England, known as the Great Plague of 1665. A different outbreak but the same disease as afflcited England during the Black Death, the Great Plague offers a useful comparison between the middle ages and Renaissance period in terms os similarities and differences in attitudes towards the cause and treatment of disease.
Episode 1: The History of Western Medicine: The Black Death
November 09, 2022 00:00 - 26 minutes - 63.9 MBA look at Medieval Medicine, focused on England, lookinng at the Black Death as a case study for attitudes and ideas relating to the causes and cures for illness in this time. Though much if it shows the severe limitiations if medieval medicine, some if the new measures may feel familiar to the modern world. More than anything, it raises the quesrion if why so little change occured follwoing this major pandemic.
The Cold War: The Prague Spring
April 22, 2022 00:00 - 32 minutes - 22.1 MBAn episode looking a the third of three key crises in the middle period of the Cold War. The Prague Spring marks a big test for Brezhnev and parallels the Hungarian Uprising of 1956. Slightly dofferent and showing that, despite Detente, the old super power rivalries were continuing much as before.
Episode 9: The Cold War: The Prague Spring
April 22, 2022 00:00 - 32 minutes - 22.1 MBAn episode looking a the third of three key crises in the middle period of the Cold War. The Prague Spring marks a big test for Brezhnev and parallels the Hungarian Uprising of 1956. Slightly dofferent and showing that, despite Detente, the old super power rivalries were continuing much as before.
Episode 8: The Cold War: The Vietnam War
April 21, 2022 00:00 - 44 minutes - 30.8 MBHere we look at the Vietnam War in summary, covering the causes, origins, path and ultimate faikure of the US to stop the spread of Communism. Very much a highlights episode as the Veitnam War could be an enitre series in its own right, this is designed to give some context and understanding to what was happening in Vietbam and how it impacted the wider Cold War.
The Cold War: The Vietnam War
April 21, 2022 00:00 - 44 minutes - 30.8 MBHere we look at the Vietnam War in summary, covering the causes, origins, path and ultimate faikure of the US to stop the spread of Communism. Very much a highlights episode as the Veitnam War could be an enitre series in its own right, this is designed to give some context and understanding to what was happening in Vietbam and how it impacted the wider Cold War.
Episode 7: The Cold War: The Cuban Missile Crisis
April 13, 2022 00:00 - 32 minutes - 22.2 MBIn this episode we look at the events and consequences of the Cuban Missile Crisis of October 1962. This builds on recent podcast episodes thet shows the building of tensions between the USA and USSR from 1959 until they reach their peak here in 1962. The Cuban Missile Crisis was possobly the closest the world came to a full scale nuclear war during the Cold War and it ushered in a period of relative peace and easing of relations called detente.
The Cold War: The Cuban Missile Crisis
April 13, 2022 00:00 - 32 minutes - 22.2 MBIn this episode we look at the events and consequences of the Cuban Missile Crisis of October 1962. This builds on recent podcast episodes thet shows the building of tensions between the USA and USSR from 1959 until they reach their peak here in 1962. The Cuban Missile Crisis was possobly the closest the world came to a full scale nuclear war during the Cold War and it ushered in a period of relative peace and easing of relations called detente.
The Cold War: The Berlin Wall
April 11, 2022 00:00 - 31 minutes - 21.7 MBIn this episode we look at the cosntruction of the Berlin Wall in 1961. We link it back to Potsdam and the changes that had occured in the 1950s as well as the short term causes that ked to the construction of the physical wall. One of the pivitol moments of the Cold Wat with huge symbokic consequences for the course of the conflict, I hope this epsidoe gives you the important contextual information for understanding the significance of the bulding of the Berlin Wall and why Beelin ...
Episode 6: The Cold War: The Berlin Wall
April 11, 2022 00:00 - 31 minutes - 21.7 MBIn this episode we look at the cosntruction of the Berlin Wall in 1961. We link it back to Potsdam and the changes that had occured in the 1950s as well as the short term causes that ked to the construction of the physical wall. One of the pivitol moments of the Cold Wat with huge symbokic consequences for the course of the conflict, I hope this epsidoe gives you the important contextual information for understanding the significance of the bulding of the Berlin Wall and why Beelin ...
The Cold War: Cuba and the Bay of Pigs
April 06, 2022 00:00 - 30 minutes - 21.2 MBIn this episode we tske a look at how realtions dramatically detriorated at the start if the 1960s. We look breifku at America’s history with Cuba and the Wedteen Hemisphere and how the Cuban Revolution the American response turned Cuba from the American sphere to the Soviet sohere, culminating in the catatrophic Bay of Pigs invasion. These events would olay directly into two major events of thw Cold War; the building if the Berlin Wall and the Cuban Missile Crisis, so this episode ...
Episode 5: The Cold War: Cuba and the Bay of Pigs
April 06, 2022 00:00 - 30 minutes - 21.2 MBIn this episode we tske a look at how realtions dramatically detriorated at the start if the 1960s. We look breifku at America’s history with Cuba and the Wedteen Hemisphere and how the Cuban Revolution the American response turned Cuba from the American sphere to the Soviet sohere, culminating in the catatrophic Bay of Pigs invasion. These events would olay directly into two major events of thw Cold War; the building if the Berlin Wall and the Cuban Missile Crisis, so this episode ...
The Cold War: The Hungarian Uprising
April 05, 2022 00:00 - 37 minutes - 25.5 MBIn this episode I look at the events in Hungary in 1956, looking at the context and issues, the reasons for reforms, the reforms and the Societ reaction. Most importantly, looking at the importnace for the wiser Cold War and how this episode finished the first oeriod of the Cold War, setting the dividing lines for the next 30 years.
Episode 4: The Cold War: The Hungarian Uprising
April 05, 2022 00:00 - 52 seconds - 25.5 MBIn this episode I look at the events in Hungary in 1956, looking at the context and issues, the reasons for reforms, the reforms and the Societ reaction. Most importantly, looking at the importnace for the wiser Cold War and how this episode finished the first oeriod of the Cold War, setting the dividing lines for the next 30 years.
Episode 5: Russia and the Soviet Union: The Kornilov Affair
September 16, 2021 00:00 - 20 minutes - 14.3 MBA look at the Kornilov Affair during 1917; what it was, why it happened and what the consequences were for Kerensky, the Provisional Government and the Bolsheviks.
Russia and the Soviet Union: The Kornilov Affair
September 16, 2021 00:00 - 20 minutes - 14.3 MBA look at the Kornilov Affair during 1917; what it was, why it happened and what the consequences were for Kerensky, the Provisional Government and the Bolsheviks.
Russia and the Soviet Union: The growth of opposition groups in Russia pre-1917
September 05, 2021 00:00 - 23 minutes - 16.2 MBThis is part of a series of episodes to compliment those studying the GCSE course Russia and the Soviet Union 1917-41. In this episode we look at ideas, development and support for three key groups; the Liberals, the Socialist Revolutionaries and the Social Democrats, who would, in turn, be split into the Bolsheviks and Mensheviks. All three would go on to compete for control over Russia in 1917 so this will be important background to understanding what happened in 1917.
Henry VIII: Accession
March 15, 2020 00:00 - 27 minutes - 19 MBLooking at the background to Henry VIII becoming king, considering his upbringing, the threats his father faced, his education and relationship with his mother and his influences. There are many signs that point to later moments of his tyranny and issues that help to explain subsequent events.
Episode 3: Cold War: The Korean War and Developments 1949-55
March 01, 2020 00:00 - 25 minutes - 17.5 MBA look at the Korean War as a case study for containment as well as considering the development of the arms race, China going Communist, new alliances and the death of Stalin.
Cold War: The Korean War and Developments 1949-55
March 01, 2020 00:00 - 25 minutes - 17.5 MBA look at the Korean War as a case study for containment as well as considering the development of the arms race, China going Communist, new alliances and the death of Stalin.
Episode 2: The Cold War: Origins with Soviet Expansion and the Berlin Airlift
February 23, 2020 00:00 - 28 minutes - 19.5 MBIn this episode, I look at how the Cold War developed after the end of World War II, with the reasons and ways in which the USSR was able to assert control over eastern Europe, the American reaction including the Truman doctrine and Marshall Plan and the Berlin blockade and resulting airlift.
The Cold War: Origins with Soviet Expansion and the Berlin Airlift
February 23, 2020 00:00 - 28 minutes - 19.5 MBIn this episode, I look at how the Cold War developed after the end of World War II, with the reasons and ways in which the USSR was able to assert control over eastern Europe, the American reaction including the Truman doctrine and Marshall Plan and the Berlin blockade and resulting airlift.
The Cold War: The origins and conferences
February 22, 2020 00:00 - 27 minutes - 18.7 MBA look at the key ideas and origins of the Cold War, considering the relationship between capitalism and communism before World War II, the context of the conferences and how the seeds were planted for the development of the Cold War and nuclear arms race.
Episode 1: The Cold War: The origins and conferences
February 22, 2020 00:00 - 27 minutes - 18.7 MBA look at the key ideas and origins of the Cold War, considering the relationship between capitalism and communism before World War II, the context of the conferences and how the seeds were planted for the development of the Cold War and nuclear arms race.
UK Politics: Do Parties Still Matter? January 2020
January 07, 2020 00:00 - 52 minutes - 48.2 MBThis is one of my UK politics podcasts, recorded in light of the 2019 election. There are two key parts to it; in the first part I consider the divisions between sections of the two main parties and the ideological divisions that have existed and how they, maybe, have resolved themselves; but maybe not. In the second part, I consider how parties matter in current UK politics, focusing on their role in relation to their key functions, with a bit of an exam focus for those that use the...
Episode 5: History: The Inter War Years; The Road to World War II, Part 2 Sudetenland to War
January 06, 2020 00:00 - 25 minutes - 23.1 MBIn this episode we look at the main aspect of appeasement, the Munich conference and the resulting agreement that gave Hitler the Sudetenland, the reasons for appeasement and the consequences, including the Nazi-Soviet Pact and the outbreak of World War II.
History: The Inter War Years; The Road to World War II, Part 2 Sudetenland to War
January 06, 2020 00:00 - 25 minutes - 23.1 MBIn this episode we look at the main aspect of appeasement, the Munich conference and the resulting agreement that gave Hitler the Sudetenland, the reasons for appeasement and the consequences, including the Nazi-Soviet Pact and the outbreak of World War II.
Episode 4: History: The Inter War Years; The Road to World War II, Part 1 Rearmament to Anschluss
December 12, 2019 00:00 - 30 minutes - 27.6 MBIn this episode I look at the early steps to war, considering Hitler's aims and strategies, the key events and the background of the Great Depression and the failure of the League in Disarmament and over Abyssinia, taking us up to the unification of Austria with Germany.
History: The Inter War Years; The Road to World War II, Part 1 Rearmament to Anschluss
December 12, 2019 00:00 - 30 minutes - 27.6 MBIn this episode I look at the early steps to war, considering Hitler's aims and strategies, the key events and the background of the Great Depression and the failure of the League in Disarmament and over Abyssinia, taking us up to the unification of Austria with Germany.
Politics: The Revolt of the Right
December 10, 2019 00:00 - 31 minutes - 28.7 MBA look at the concept of the revolt of the right, mainly focused on the UK but with reference to Trump in America and European movements. Considering how class dynamics have evolved, the role of the 'left-behind' voter and how the party's have responded. Great for Party topics and voting behaviour.