The results of the 2019 General Election have just been announced. The Conservative Party - led by Boris Johnson - has just secured a large Parliamentary majority. The Editorial Team offer some early analysis of the 2019 election, linking it to the General Elections of 1945 and 1997.

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In episode #85, our special guest Don N. Hagist - Managing Editor of The Journal of the American Revolution - discusses a range of themes related to the life and times of the British Redcoats in the 1770s and 1780s. Did British soldiers really get thrashed to within an inch of their lives as punishment? Were they forced to serve in the British Army against their will? Were soldiers often drunk when they committed to serve? Why did they enlist for service overseas? Why were the British Army unable to overcome the American rebels by 1783? What were the options for a soldier as he neared retirement? In this exciting episode, all of these questions are answered by Don N. Hagist.

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In this episode of the Versus History Podcast, the team explore all things 'Matilda'. Who she was and the things that she did during her exciting, yet turbulent, existence ... all is explored here. She was Empress Matilda - but referred to herself as a female King - during the 12th century. She was undoubtedly a strong female figure during the Middle Ages. Let @VersusHistory guide you through!

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The Weimar Republic might have been 'borne out of Germany's defeat in WW1', but it had a relatively enlightened, democratic, inclusive and forward-thinking codified constitution. To what extent was this a strength or a weakness? What were its most important terms in the 1920s and early 1930s? Is talk of the constitution being central to the demise of the Weimar Republic overstated?

In this Podcast, the @VersusHistory Editorial Team discuss the Constitution of the Weimar Republic in Germany, 1919-1933.

Dr. John Woolf (@drjohnwoolf) - the expert in things related to the Victorian Freak Shows and author of the oustanding new book 'The Wonders' - presents a radical new history of the Victorian age. In this episode, we discover the truth behind 'The Greatest Showman' and we meet the forgotten and extraordinary freak performers whose talents and disabilities helped define an era.

Dr Woolf discusses John Merrick, known as the Elephant Man, plus a range of other interesting characters in this podcast. You can purchase his work from all good booksellers worldwide and visit his website at www.johnwoolf.co.uk.

Versus History Editors discuss the beginning of a new academic year and their news, views and observations from summer 2019. Welcome back to the Versus History Podcast! Topics include Donald Trump, Boris Johnson, Brexit, The Queen, Weather, Soccer and sunken wrecks off the coast of Canada.

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Dr David Silkenat (@davidsilkenat) is a Senior Lecturer in American History from the University of Edinburgh and the co-host of The Whisky Rebellion Podcast. He joins the Versus History Podcast this week for a detailed interview about the causes, events, consequences and significance of the American Civil War.

The Civil War itself raged from 1861 to 1865 and was fought between the North (Union) and the South (Confederacy). It ended in a victory for the North, but the scars and ramifications of the conflict can still be felt today. Dr Silkenat answers a range of questions on the conflict, providing an excellent overview that is of interest to all.

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Before the United States of America declared its independence on 4 July 1776, the British Government controlled America's trade with the world. In 1773, the Colonists destroyed a quantity of tea owned by the British East India Company, leading to Britain closing off the Port of Boston, Massachusetts. The Boston Tea Party is often cited as being one of the key triggers for the American Revolution. However, did the little-known '1732 Hat Act' - which aimed to stifle the Colonial trade in hats and force them to buy from Britain - serve to damage the relationship between Britain and America some 40 years previously?

In this episode, @VersusHistory discuss the 1732 Hat Act and its impact on the relationship between Britain and America.

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WW2 ended disasterously for both Mussolini and Italy. In this second episode, Dr. Dave Brown takes us through the Italian invasion of Abyssinia in 1935, the pathway to global war for Italy in the late 1930s, the relationship between Mussolini and the other Fascist members of the Pact of Steel and much, much more. Dr Brown discusses Mussolini’s war aims, objectives actions and outcomes at length, including the the invasion of Greece, the Italian decision to join WW2, Mussolini’s qualities as a war leader (or lack thereof!) and his eventual downfall.

In the second of a two part series of special episodes of the @VersusHistory Podcast, we are joined by Dr. Dave Brown (@DBrownF6History) for this overview of Benito Mussolini and the key features of the man and his time in office. For terms of use, please visit www.versushistory.com

The Italian ‘Duce’ Benito Mussolini was the first fascist dictator to rise to power in Europe, inspiring others such as Adolf Hitler in Germany and Franco of Spain in the process. Mussolini became the 27th Prime Minister of Italy in October 1922, having undertaken the infamous ‘March on Rome’ that year. The ‘Duce’ of Fascism was a complex character, and his tenure in office was often turbulent. He was the architect of some highly controversial domestic and foreign policy objectives, such as the alliance with Hitler, the invasion of Abyssinia, the invasion of Greece and the decision to join WW2, to name but a few.

In the first of a two part series of special episodes of the @VersusHistory Pocast, we are delighted to be joined by Dr. Dave Brown (@DBrownF6History) for an overview of Benito Mussolini and the key features of the man and his time in office. For terms of use, please visit www.versushistory.com