Episodes

  • The Siege of Leningrad with Sinclair McKay

    The Siege of Leningrad with Sinclair McKay
    Apr 18 2025
    In August 1941 Army Group North of the Wehrmacht approached the suburbs of Leningrad, as St. Petersburg was called. Within days the city was surrounded, and would remain so for nearly two and a half years. The suffering endured by its residents was horrifying and included widespread cannibalism. But this is a city of art, architecture, literature, music and dance, the home of Alexander Pushkin and a place of revolution. Joining to discuss St. Petersburg is author Sinclair McKay, author of a new book as we discuss the window to the west through the prism of the siege. Sinclair McKay Links Saint Petersburg: Sacrifice and Redemption in the City That Defied Hitler Aspects of History Links Latest Issue out - Annual Subscription to Aspects of History Magazine only $9.99/£9.99 Ollie on X Aspects of History on Instagram Get in touch: history@aspectsofhistory.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
    Show more Show less
    46 mins
  • WW2 Titans: Churchill, Brooke & Ismay, with John Kiszely & Gordon Corrigan

    WW2 Titans: Churchill, Brooke & Ismay, with John Kiszely & Gordon Corrigan
    Apr 15 2025
    On 25th December 1941, General Alan Brooke (or Alanbrooke) was appointed Chief of the Imperial General Staff, the commanding officer of the British Army during the Second World War. His new boss, Winston Spencer Churchill was a hard taskmaster with high standards who had no problem with sacking generals. But, he had a helping hand in the form of General Pug Ismay, soldier, statesman and diplomat. Joining today are two historians, John Kiszely, the author of a biography of Ismay, and Gordon Corrigan, author of a book on Churchill. Today we discuss the dynamics between the three men and other generals such as Montgomery, Wavell and Auchinleck. John Kiszely Links Ismay: Soldier, Statesman, Diplomat, by John Kiszely Gordon Corrigan Links Blood, Sweat and Arrogance: The Myths of Churchill's War Aspects of History Links Latest Issue out - Annual Subscription to Aspects of History Magazine only $9.99/£9.99 Ollie on X Aspects of History on Instagram Get in touch: history@aspectsofhistory.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
    Show more Show less
    51 mins
  • WW2 Family History and the 1980s with Helen Lederer

    WW2 Family History and the 1980s with Helen Lederer
    Apr 11 2025
    Today’s guest is Helen Lederer, actress, comedian, writer and the author of Not That I’m Bitter, her life’s memoir which includes the 1980s comedy scene, and her family story during the Second World War which we’re going to talk about today. Helen Lederer Links Not That I’m Bitter My IWM: Helen Lederer - Aspects of History Aspects of History Links Latest Issue out - Annual Subscription to Aspects of History Magazine only $9.99/£9.99 Ollie on X Aspects of History on Instagram Get in touch: history@aspectsofhistory.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
    Show more Show less
    42 mins
  • The Greek Revolution with Yanni Kotsonis

    The Greek Revolution with Yanni Kotsonis
    Apr 4 2025
    On 17 March 1821 the Greek Revolution began in the small town of Areopoli, part of the Mani Peninsula in the Peloponnese. An uprising against the Ottoman Empire was soon joined by many communities throughout the Peloponnese and Greece. Now, many Greeks that would disagree with where it began, but the more important question is why? Joining today is historian Yanni Kotsonis, author of The Greek Revolution and the Violent Birth of Nationalism as we discuss the revolution, what it meant for Greeks, for those in wider Europe, what happened during ten years of violence and how the Revolution is viewed in Greece today. Yanni Kotsonis Links The Greek Revolution and the Violent Birth of Nationalism Aspects of History Links Latest Issue out - Annual Subscription to Aspects of History Magazine only $9.99/£9.99 Ollie on X Aspects of History on Instagram Get in touch: history@aspectsofhistory.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
    Show more Show less
    53 mins
  • Film Club: Cross of Iron (1977)

    Film Club: Cross of Iron (1977)
    Apr 1 2025
    Welcome to Aspects of History’s film club. Every month we pick a historical film and chat about it with myself, filmmaker Tim Hewitt and historian Roger Moorhouse. This month it’s Cross of Iron starring James Coburn, Maximilian Schell, James Mason and David Warner. We chat about the movie then it’s our awards including the much coveted Simon Baker award for best performance. Links Cross of Iron on Wikipedia Cross of Iron on IMDB 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: history@aspectsofhistory.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
    Show more Show less
    1 hr and 1 min
  • Women's History with Miranda Malins & Sarah Gristwood

    Women's History with Miranda Malins & Sarah Gristwood
    Mar 29 2025
    During March we’ve had Women’s History Month, and in that vein I invited two Aspects of History authors on to discuss. Sarah Gristwood is a historian and the editor of the recent Secret Voices, and Miranda Malins is a novelist and historian, and is currently writing a non fiction book on the Cromwell dynasty. We discuss whether we need Women’s History months and the challenges facing women in history, and women writing history. Aspects of History has produced an anthology of female writing, Herstory, which is available in the show notes, and throughout March our Substack has featured many women historians and fiction writers. Women's History Links Herstory - Aspects of History Anthology featuring authors including Antonia Fraser and Lucy Worsley Aspects of History's Substack Secret Voices, A Year of Women’s Diaries, Edited by Sarah Gristwood The Puritan Princess & The Rebel Daughter, by Miranda Malins Aspects of History Links Latest Issue out - Annual Subscription to Aspects of History Magazine only $9.99/£9.99 Ollie on X Aspects of History on Instagram Get in touch: history@aspectsofhistory.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
    Show more Show less
    38 mins
  • Hadrian's Wall with Alistair Tosh

    Hadrian's Wall with Alistair Tosh
    Mar 26 2025
    In around 108AD, the Legio IX Hispania, or the Ninth Legion, a unit of just over 5,000 men, was last recorded at York in Britannia, and possibly heading north towards Caledonia, modern day Scotland. What happened next no one knows for sure, and the Ninth disappeared from historical record. The loss would have been a stunning humiliation for the Rome, but what would be the response of Hadrian, the emperor who took power a few years later in 117AD? Within a few years a new wall dividing Britannia from the wild Novantae and Selgovae tribes would be constructed, a wall that still stands today and is named after the emperor under which it was built. Joining the pod today is writer Alistair Tosh, author of Edge of Empire: Siege, and we chat Hadrian’s Wall in this bonus pod. Episode Links Edge of Empire: Siege, by Alistair Tosh Aspects of History Links Latest Issue out - Annual Subscription to Aspects of History Magazine only $9.99/£9.99 Ollie on X Aspects of History on Instagram Get in touch: history@aspectsofhistory.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
    Show more Show less
    39 mins
  • Operation Varsity with Saul David

    Operation Varsity with Saul David
    Mar 22 2025
    On the morning of 24th March 1945 the British and Canadian 6th Airborne Division and the American 17th Airborne Division began parachuting into German held territory on the eastern side of the River Rhine. So began the largest single lift airborne operation of all time as nearly 17,000 men were dropped, using nearly two thousand transport planes and defended by around 3,000 fighters. Varsity was the last major operation of the war as the allies successfully made it onto German held territory and the route to Berlin was clear, though they were behind the Soviets in that race. Joining to discuss is Saul David, bestselling military historian and author of Sky Warriors, his account of the British airborne troops during the Second World War. Saul David Links Sky Warriors Saul on X Aspects of History Links Latest Issue out - Annual Subscription to Aspects of History Magazine only $9.99/£9.99 Ollie on X Aspects of History on Instagram Get in touch: history@aspectsofhistory.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
    Show more Show less
    42 mins
adbl_web_global_use_to_activate_webcro768_stickypopup