The 'Great Leap Forward' was an initiative of Chairman Mao in China, which took place between 1958 to 1962. In short, Mao and the Chinese Communist Party aimed to rapidly transform China from an agricultural and agrarian economy into an industrial powerhouse, fit to compete with the Western world. This was to be done through a process of rapid industrialisation and the collectivisation of agriculture, with a special emphasis on steel production.

In this episode, Conal (@prohistoricman) and Elliott (@thelibrarian6) answer the key questions posed by Patrick (@historychappy).

For terms of use, please visit www.versushistory.com

Margaret Thatcher a.k.a the ‘Iron Lady’ was the Conservative Party Prime Minister of Britain between 1979 and 1990. She was the first woman to lead a major political party in the western world and the first female Prime Minister of Britain. Moreover, she is one of the few British politicians to have an ‘ism’ named after her: ‘Thatcherism’. During her tenure, she ushered in a period of privatisation, rolling back the frontiers of the state, a reduction in the role of trade unions, Britain won the Falklands War and she also led the Conservative Party to victory in three general elections. She was loved by some and loathed by others. Either way, Britain changed significantly during her time as Prime Minister.

In this episode, the @VersusHistory Editorial Team discuss Margaret Thatcher. Patrick O’Shaughnessy (@historychappy) fields a range of questions from Conal Smith (@prohistoricman) and Elliott Watson (@thelibrarian6).

For terms of use, please visit www.versushistory.com

The City of Nottingham is situated in the East Midlands of England. Approximately an hour and twenty minutes north of London by train, the City has much to offer and a rich and vibrant history. With two professional football teams and a cricket team within a short walk of the railway station, it has much to offer on the sporting front. However, what about Robin Hood? Sherwood Forest? The Castle? Rock City Nightclub? The Lace Market? The University of Nottingham and Nottingham Trent University? Brian Clough? Trent Bridge?

In this episode of the @versushistory podcast, the Editors warmly welcomed Nottingham 'born and bred' Jamie O'Dowd (@odowdspace) for his whistle-stop overview of Nottingham's history.

For terms of use, please visit www.versushistory.com

The period 1918 to 1923 was highly turbulent for the Weimar Republic. Following the armistice at the end of World War One, Germany was forced to sign the Treaty of Versailles in 1919. With the Kaiser in exile, Germany experienced democracy for the first time. The new Weimar Government had a reparations bill of 6.6 billion GBP, carried the blame for having signed both the armistice and the Treaty of Versailles, suffered extreme hyperinflation, in addition to numerous rebellions from the extreme political right and left. While Germany did survive, this was a very testing period.

In this episode, the @VersusHistory team evaluate the problems faced by Germany 1918-1923, considering political, economic and social issues. For terms of use, please visit www.versushistory.com

Warfare has been a feature of society for thousands of years. Human beings have been surprisingly adept at inventing new weapons and strategies to help gain an advantage in war throughout the course of history. Since WW1, the landscape of the battlefield has changed dramatically. Tanks, aeroplanes, missiles and drones are just some of the new inventions that have changed warfare in the recent past. However, significant inventions in warfare weaponry predate this conflict.

In this episode, the Editors of @VersusHistory discus a range of weapons that changed the nature of warfare through time. The discussion pivots on three weapons: the Longbow, the Rifle and the Nuclear Bomb. For terms of use, please visit www.versushistory.com

Queen Elizabeth I - daughter of Henry VIII and Ann Boleyn - reigned from 1558 to 1603 as Queen of England. Elizabeth was not the first woman to rule as Queen in her own right, but she is perhaps one of the most historically significant English sovereigns of all time. Elizabeth never married, preferring instead to rule alone under the moniker ‘The Virgin Queen’, but she was linked to many potential suitors, both domestic and foreign. Elizabeth - a Protestant - reversed the Catholic religious policies imposed by her sister, initially opting for a ‘Middle Way’ but taking a more hardline approach to Catholics after the Pope excommunicated her in 1570. Clearly, there were a number of potential threats to Elizabeth, the Spanish Armada in 1588 being one of them. However, other challenges such as the arrival of Mary Queen of Scots in England, the domestic rise of Puritanism and a number of Catholic lead plots to topple her present challenges, too.

In this Podcast, the @VersusHistory Editorial Team analyse these threats to Queen Elizabeth in light of their historical context and offer a range of analysis, insight and supporting historiography to support the discussion. For terms of use, please visit www.versusistory.com

King Richard III was King of England and Lord of Ireland from 1483 until his defeat and death at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485, to the forces of Henry Tudor (who became King Henry VII until his death in 1509). Richard III was the last king of the House of York and also the last of the Plantagenet dynasty. His defeat at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485, was the decisive battle of the Wars of the Roses, which ended the Middle Ages and started the Tudor dynasty, which would reign until 1603. King Richard III was a controversial character and historical interpretations of him have not all been favourable. However, his body was discovered in the English City of Leicester in 2012, buried underneath a local authority car park, some 527 years after his defeat at Bosworth, precipitating a renewed interest and fascination in the ‘Car Park King’.

In this episode, Rachel Aryton from the King Richard III Visitor Centre in Leicester joins us for an interview on all things King Richard. Was Richard really a terrible King? Did Richard murder his nephews? What caused the Wars of the Roses? Why did the Battle of Bosworth happen? Why did Richard lose? Why should you visit the Richard III Museum in Leicester? Find out the answers to all of these key questions in this Podcast!

Please visit www.versushistory.com for terms of use.

The Versus History Editors and Guests discuss the key achievements of 2018 and their favourite episodes and blog posts. A few jokes are thrown in along the way, along with the vision for 2019. Happy Holidays and all the best for 2019! Please visit www.versushistory.com for terms of use.

The Gallipoli Campaign of 1915-1916 during World War One resulted in a defeat for Britain, France and the British Empire against the Ottoman Empire. The Allies sought to capture control of the Dardanelles, to weaken the Ottomans and ultimately open a supply route to Russia. The Allies launched a large naval attack, followed by an amphibious landing on the peninsula, which was ultimately rebuffed by the Ottomans at the cost of many casualties and a severe blow to Sir Winston Churchill’s military planning and personal prestige. The campaign is considered by some to be the beginning of Australian and New Zealand national consciousness, with 25 April, the anniversary of the landings, known as "ANZAC Day".

In this episode, Elliott (@thelibrarian6) summarises the reasons why Britain was beaten in this particular campaign during World War One, answering the questions posed by Patrick (@historychappy). For terms of use, please visit www.versushistory.com

This special episode celebrates the launch of Co-Editor Elliott's (@thelibrarian6) new book, entitled 'Blowing Up The Nazis'. The book contains a treasure trove of historical information on the Nazis. Think you know everything there is to know about the Nazis? Think again. Do you know what a Beefsteak Nazi is? Were you aware that the Holocaust can be traced back to the murder of one German baby? Did you know that the Nazis were able to control Hollywood during the 1930's?

Our ever-expanding library of books and podcasts just welcomed another addition. Elliott (that’s L. Watson) has written an extraordinary book that explores elements of Nazi history that are so far from common knowledge as to render them astonishing. Throughout the chapters of Blowing up the Nazis, Elliott reveals remarkable histories that range from über violent SA leader, Ernst Röhm, being a gay rights activist, Coca Cola using the swastika in their marketing, and the ‘Hitler salute’ actually being part of the American ‘Pledge of Allegiance’ ceremony.

If you are in any way interested in discovering more than you ever knew about the Nazis, then this book is for you. Blowing up the Nazis: What you didn’t know will blow your mind. Available in paperback and ebook on Amazon.