Aspects of History

Napoleon’s marshals were among the most formidable soldiers of the
Napoleonic Wars, rising from backgrounds ranging from the working classes to the old aristocracy to become the senior military figures of the French Empire. But behind the battlefield victories lay a complicated world of rivalries, ambition, wealth, infidelity and fierce competition for Napoleon’s favour.

In this episode of the ⁠Aspects of History⁠ podcast, ⁠Andrew Roberts joins ⁠Phil Craig⁠ to discuss his new book, ⁠⁠Napoleon and his Marshals. They explore Napoleon’s relationship with his commanders, his extraordinary micromanagement, the rivalries that increasingly undermined the Grande Armée, and the ways in which his marshals’ ambitions and personal loyalties shaped the course of the wars.

Andrew also considers the marshals’ roles in the collapse of Napoleon’s
empire, from the disasters of Spain and Russia to Waterloo and the Hundred
Days. He also gives his verdict in the ultimate Napoleonic pub quiz –
identifying the bravest, maddest, cleverest, luckiest and least pleasant of
Napoleon’s commanders – and reflects on whether his own view of Napoleon has changed after a lifetime spent studying him.

Episode Links

Napoleon and his Marshals: Victory, Rivalry, Betrayal

Andrew Links

Andrew online⁠

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Phil Links

Phil ⁠⁠online⁠⁠

Phil on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠The Scandal Mongers⁠⁠⁠

Phil on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Phil on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠

Aspects of History Links

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As the Second World War in Europe entered its final weeks, the outcome was no longer in doubt – but the fighting continued with extraordinary intensity. From the Allied crossing of the Rhine and the German defence of their homeland to the liberation of Belsen and the final bombing raids, the last days of the war were marked by courage, confusion, brutality and tragedy.

In this episode of the Aspects of History podcast, Max Hastings joins Phil Craig to discuss his new book, Plunder. They explore why so many German soldiers continued to fight when defeat was inevitable, the persistence of the Nazi killing machine, the liberation of Belsen, and the difficult encounters between Allied troops and those emerging from the camps and prisoner-of-war system.

Max also discusses the extraordinary individual stories he uncovered while researching the final weeks of the war and the importance of bearing witness – and why, even after a lifetime of writing about the Second World War, there are still stories that deserve to be better known.

Episode Links

Plunder: The Last of the War in Europe, 1945

Max Links

Max ⁠⁠online⁠⁠

Phil Links

Phil ⁠online⁠

Phil on ⁠⁠⁠⁠The Scandal Mongers⁠⁠

Phil on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Phil on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠

Aspects of History Links

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Thomas Cromwell and Oliver Cromwell are among the most recognisable figures of Tudor and Stuart history – but few people realise that they were related. Separated by a century, their lives were shaped by remarkably similar rises from relative obscurity to the centre of English political life.

In this episode of the Aspects of History⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ podcast, historian
Miranda Malins joins Mark Turnbull to discuss her new book, ⁠The House of Cromwell. Together they explore the Cromwell family’s origins, its two
branches, the wealth and estates inherited from Thomas Cromwell, and how
fortunes were made and lost across the Tudor and Stuart periods.

Miranda also explores the striking parallels between Thomas and Oliver, from their early obscurity and religious convictions to their relationships with Parliament and the Reformation. The conversation also considers how both men’s reputations have changed over the centuries – and how their family continued to navigate the political and religious upheavals of the 16th and 17th centuries.

Episode Links

The House of Cromwell: Power, Family and the Making of Modern Britain

Miranda Malins Links

Miranda ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Miranda on ⁠⁠Twitter/X⁠⁠

Miranda on ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠

Miranda on ⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠

Mark Turnbull Links

Mark ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠

Mark on ⁠⁠⁠Twitter/X⁠⁠⁠

Mark on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠

Mark on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Facebook⁠⁠⁠

Aspects of History Links

AoH ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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What happens when one of the most pivotal decisions of the Second World War rests on something as unpredictable as the weather? The new feature film, Pressure, takes us behind the D-Day invasion, where meteorologists and Allied command must decide whether conditions are right for the Normandy landings.

In this special ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Aspects of History⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Film Club episode, bestselling historian Giles Milton joins Zeb Baker-Smith⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ again, this time to discuss the historical reality behind the film – from the competing teams of British and American meteorologists to James Stagg’s role in presenting their forecasts to Eisenhower. They discuss what the film gets right and wrong, including its portrayals of Eisenhower and Montgomery, and the figures it leaves out.

Zeb is then joined by film editor Henry Thackray⁠ to discuss Pressure
as cinema: Andrew Scott and Brendan Fraser’s performances, its chamber-piece structure, use of maps and weather charts, and its attempt to create suspense when the audience already knows the outcome. They also ask whether its intimate approach offers a refreshing alternative to the familiar D-Day blockbuster.

Episode Links

D-Day: The Soldiers' Story

Giles Milton Links

Giles ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Giles on ⁠Twitter/X⁠

Giles on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠

Giles on ⁠⁠Facebook⁠

Henry Thackray Links

Henry ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠

Henry on ⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Aspects of History Links

AoH ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Zeb Links

Zeb on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Zeb on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠
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The Sixties are often remembered as a decade of sweeping social and cultural change. But how much really changed for ordinary people? From deindustrialisation and urban redevelopment to immigration, race relations and the shifting attitudes of a younger generation, Britain in the mid-1960s was a far more complicated place than the familiar images of the Beatles and a swinging London suggest.

In this episode of the podcast, David Kynaston joins Zeb Baker-Smith⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Editor of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Aspects of History⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, to discuss ⁠Deep into the Sixties: Britain 1965–66, the latest volume in his Tales of a New Jerusalem chronicle of post-war Britain. They dissect the realities behind the decade's reputation for modernisation and liberalisation, and how contemporary diaries, newspapers and personal accounts demonstrate the gap between political and cultural change and everyday life.

David also discusses his approach to social history, the value of diaries in capturing the ‘big’ and ‘small’ moments of ordinary lives, and the economic pressures facing Harold Wilson's Labour government. The conversation concludes with England's 1966 World Cup victory, and what that day reveals about Britain and its changing mood.

Episode Links

Deep into the Sixties: Britain 1965–66

David Kynaston Links

David ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Aspects of History Links

AoH ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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AoH on Instagram⁠⁠

AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Zeb Links

Zeb ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Zeb on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Zeb on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠

Zeb on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠
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