Europe is in a bit of a fix, with a belligerent Russia to its East, and the traditional ally and protector disinterested to the West, governments are only starting to think about maybe increasing defence spending. In Britain, we are behind our continental allies and still trying to find excuses not to improve defence capability.

So who better to get on than a former General, Barney White-Spunner, who has written a book about five armies that saved Europe (spoiler alert, one of them is American), and so we chat about what that means for the present.

BWS Links

Nations in Arms: Five Armies That Made Europe

Ukraine Links

⁠⁠Convoy for Ukraine, run by my friend Ian Wilson-Young⁠⁠

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Herodotus is known as the father of history, and the next historian out the blocks, Thucydides, took the idea, and it was very much an idea in infancy, and produced a work that is still discussed by politicians and generals 2,500 years later.

There is a new translation of the History of the Peloponnesian War by the great translator Robin Waterfield, and he enters the club with historian Polly Low to discuss Thucydides, his style as a historian, the Peloponnesian War and plenty more.

Thucydides Links

The History of the Peloponnesian War, Translated by Robin Waterfield

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Today’s episode is a subject that has been prominent in the last few years, the Atlantic slave trade, and today’s book, Survivors is a quite brilliant one that focusses on one voyage in particular, the Clotilda.

Joining is Hannah Durkin who tells the harrowing tail of one boat’s enslaved people, from when they are capture in West Africa, through to their journey across the Atlantic, to Mobile Alabama, and then the story of the descendants.

Hannah Durkin Links

Survivors: A History of the Last Captives of the Atlantic Slave Trade

Ukraine Links

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This is the first movie to appear on the History Book Club pod. It's perhaps the most influential film to depict combat in the last thirty years. Steven Spielberg's epic captures the pathos of warfare.

In this episode we discuss

Saving Private Ryan Links

Bixby Letter

Best Performance

Most Egregious Overracting

Biggest Plot Flaw

Historical Inaccuracy

What if Tarantino Made It?

Who won the film?

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This week we are going back to late 17th and early 18th century Britain, a time when politics as we recognise today was formed: the development of the party system – Whigs and Tories, The Act of Union with Scotland, and foreign wars often unpopular at home.

Joining me, is George Owers, and as you heard he describes a fantastic romp through the period, which is the subject of his book The Rage of Party.

George Owers Links

Rage of Party: How Whig Versus Tory Made Modern Britain

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The History Book Club is staying with the 20th century as we discuss

Jonathan Glancey joins the club – he’s an aircraft enthusiast, writer on architecture as well as being a thoroughly interesting chap with a lovely voice so we talk about British produced bombers and fighters

Jonathan Glancey Links

V-Force: Britain's Nuclear Bombers and the Cold War⁠

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After last week’s episode on the Iranian Revolution, I wanted to stay with the 1970s, and so Jason Burke joins me to discuss terrorism during the period, and specifically the Red Army Faction and Palestinian paramilitaries who would cooperate throughout the decade. This is an era when air travel was luxurious, booze sodden and fun – not like now sadly. Another element of flying back then was the very real risk that a couple of hairy Baader Meinhof gang members would hijack your plane, having waltzed through lax security.

Jason is the author of The Revolutionists and he joins to discuss the ideologies as well as characters such as Carlos the Jackal, Leila Khaled

Jason Burke

The Revolutionists

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As you may be aware, there is an uprising across Iran, and

Joining me is Scott Anderson, the author of King of Kings,

Scott AndersonKing of Kings: The Fall of the Shah, the 1979 Iranian Revolution and the Unmaking of the Modern Middle East

Oliver Webb-Carter Links

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Latest film club is to celebrate the publication of Roger Moorhouse's latest book, Wolfpack, and it's Das Boot, the Wolfgang Petersen masterpiece.

Links

Wolfpack

Das Boot on Wikipedia

Ollie on X

Tim on X

Roger on X

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Latest film club is to celebrate the publication of Roger Moorhouse's latest book, Wolfpack, and it's Das Boot, the Wolfgang Petersen masterpiece.

Links

Wolfpack

Das Boot on Wikipedia

Ollie on X

Tim on X

Roger on X

Latest Issue out - Annual Subscription to Aspects of History Magazine only $9.99/£9.99

Aspects of History on Instagram

Get in touch: [email protected]

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices