During 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 X/Twitter

Ollie Links

Ollie on X/Twitter

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One 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 Bellum

The Damned Emperors

Marius' Mules

Rise of Emperors (with Gordon Doherty)

Who was Agricola? - Aspects of History

Simon on X/Twitter

Ollie Links

Ollie on X/Twitter

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On 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 Podcast

Forgotten Victory: The First World War: Myths and Realities

Douglas Haig: From the Somme to Victory

The Chief: Douglas Haig and the British Army

Gordon Corrigan Links

Mud, Blood and Poppycock: Britain and the Great War

Douglas Haig: Defeat Into Victory

Get in Touch

Ollie on X/Twitter

[email protected]

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Historian 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

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David 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 War II, by Gavin Mortimer

Speed, Aggression, Surprise, by Tom Petch

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This 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 - Aspects of History

Stanley Kubrick's Napoleon Screenplay

Ollie on X/Twitter

Tim on X/Twitter

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At 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 to Churchill than the titan of World War Two.

My guest today is David Reynolds who has written a book about the great figures who influenced him - Mirrors of Greatness: Churchill and the Leaders Who Shaped Him so we discuss Gandhi, Attlee and Clementine as well as Winston himself.

Since it's Christmas I have an offer of half price on an annual subscription using the code HISTORY50% at our website: Annual Subscription to Aspects of History Magazine - Aspects of History

**Gift Subscriptions available**

David Reynolds Links

Mirrors of Greatness: Churchill and the Leaders Who Shaped Him

Ollie Links

Ollie on X/Twitter

[email protected]

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On 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 internet obsessives who push these ideas.

Jonn is a journalist and author and you'll find his work in The New Statesman, The Guardian and he has a great Substack.

Jonn Elledge Links

Conspiracy: A History of Boll*cks Theories, and How Not to Fall for Them, by Jonn Elledge & Tom Phillips

The Newsletter of (Not Quite) Everything - Substack

Jonn on X/Twitter

Links Discussed

Abbi Richards' brilliant Conspiracy Chart

Do We Live in a Simulation? Chances Are about 50–50

1234: The Beatles in Time, by Craig Brown

Ollie Links

6 Books on Napoleon

Ollie on X/Twitter

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In 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, the cover up, and we try to answer why it happened.

Marshall Poe Links

The Reality of the My Lai Massacre

New Books Network

Massacres in Vietnam

The Vietnam War

Ollie Links

Ollie on the NBN - Entrepreneurship & Leadership

Ollie on X/Twitter

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In 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 great counter-factual of whether they could have take control, and whether there are modern day fascists around.

Martin & Alec Links

Hurrah for the Blackshirts

Rule Britannia

Alec on X/Twitter

Ollie Links

Ollie on X/Twitter

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