History's Most Famous Battles

06/28/21 • 37 min

War! Something so ruinous has the power to both bring communities together whilst conversely ripping them apart. Many have taken place, but why are some remembered more than others? From The Battle of Culloden to The Second World War, we examine the legacies and myths that fire our understanding of war. In this episode, James is joined by Beatrice Heuser, Professor of International Relations at the University of Glasgow, expert historian, and author. Together, they work their way through some of the most renowned conflicts in history.

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After WW2: Life in the Third Reich

After 6 years of war, countries around the world were in a state of ruin in 1945, not least the losing side. The people of Germany had been under the rule of the Nazi party since 1933, and now they sought a way forward under the watchful eyes of the Allies. In this episode, hear Harald Jähner exploring the transformational decade after the Second World War in Germany. Harald and James discuss the experience of forced labourers and prisoners of war returning home, a country facing the crimes of the Holocaust, and other histories of mothers, men and children starting out on the path towards the thriving power of present day Germany. Harald is a cultural journalist and former editor of The Berlin Times, his new book ‘Aftermath: Life in the Fallout of the Third Reich, 1945-1955’ is out now with Penguin Random House.

Next Episode

The Irish at the Somme

105 years ago, it was the eve of the Battle of the Somme. This is regularly remembered as an Anglo-French offensive, and the contributions of Irish soldiers are often overlooked. In this episode, Dan Snow was joined by Heather Jones to discuss the experience of Irish soldiers at one of the bloodiest battles in history. Heather is Professor in Modern and Contemporary European History at UCL.