Podcast Episodes

Talking about Europe - Interview with Jacob Field

This week I was fortunate enough to interview Jacob Field, the author of A history of Europe in bite sized chunks. We discussed the future of the EU, the nature of medieval Christendom and the legacy…

Published on 6 years, 9 months ago

The expansion of the Indian Army 1939-43

During the Second World War the Indian Army grew in size by a factor of ten. This radical transformation would have profound consequences for post war India and the independence movement.

Explaining…

Published on 6 years, 9 months ago

Harold Wilson and Britain's 'special relationship' with America 1964-5

In the mid 1960s a weak pound and the Vietnam War combined to place pressure on Anglo American relations and the belief in the mind of British prime minister Harold Wilson of the diplomatic 'special …

Published on 6 years, 9 months ago

Truman's foreign policy problems 1945-46

In 1945, following the death of Franklin Roosevelt, Harry Truman, a foreign policy novice, was determined to take a tough line with the Soviet Union but was no match for Stalin, despite the detonatio…

Published on 6 years, 10 months ago

Berlin and Munich in the 1920s

Before the First World War, Munich was the home of Germany's avante garde, with vibrant socialist and anarchist parties, whereas Berlin was the home of militarism and conservatism. By the mid 1920s, …

Published on 6 years, 10 months ago

Asocial prisoners in the Nazi camp system

One key part of Nazi racial policy was the 'cleansing of the aryan racial body', which meant extreme repressive policies to poor, criminal, deviant and unemployed Germans who did not conform to the s…

Published on 6 years, 10 months ago

Soviet utopianism and the construction of Stalinist Russia

In the 1930s a generation of young Soviet citizens were motivated to work for the development of a socialist society. Massive urban reconstruction projects, an obsession with aviation and the develop…

Published on 6 years, 11 months ago

The Ottoman Empire and the First World War 1914 (PT1)

Between August and October 1914, the Ottoman Empire attempted to play both sides in the First World War off against the other. The empire pledged to Germany that it would go to war against Russia and…

Published on 6 years, 11 months ago

Roosevelt, Truman and Cold War diplomacy 1944-46

The death of Roosevelt in 1945 left Harry Truman a politician with limited foreign policy experience surrounded by Roosevelt's top aides and ministers. Truman had little knowledge of international af…

Published on 6 years, 11 months ago

Kazakhstan's Dark Shadows: An interview with journalist Joanna Lillis

This is a special feature length episode of the Explaining History podcast, featuring an interview with Joanna Lillis who brings with her thirteen years of experience in Kazakhstan. We discuss the ex…

Published on 7 years ago