In the 15th century, guns were often seen as the devil’s weapon. Unchivalrous and “unmanly”, they were viewed with suspicion by the European elite. Within a hundred years, this had changed. Guns were now luxury items among the rich, sometimes in odd, novelty combination with axes, polearms or with multiple barrels. Today, we’ll be exploring why and when this changed.
Today's Guest: Catherine Fletcher link to Catherine's "show notes": https://catherinefletcher.info/books/the-firearm-revolution/the-firearm-revolution-a-guide-to-primary-sources/
By 1812 Imperial France, under the leadership of Napoleon had become the dominant force in Europe. Only Britain and Portugal were still fighting against an Empire that now stretched from the shores of the Atlantic and the Mediterranean to modern Russia. It was at this point that a young United States decided to declare war on Britain. For the next two years, the countries would fight battles on land and sea to try and establish supremacy over North America. It was a war that would end in stalemate and reconciliation, but which - if things had gone differently - could have changed the fate of Europe and the US forever.
On 9th November 1918, with a revolution underway in Germany, a new republic was declared in Berlin. The next day, German Chancellor Friedrich Ebert and General Wilhelm Groener, acting in the name of the Supreme Army Command, concluded the Ebert–Groener Pact. This saw the German army pledge to support the new republic, as long as the government acted promptly against any leftist uprisings. The Germany military in the two world wars is endlessly discussed. Much less talked about, is the Reichswehr, the military as it existed in the era of the Weimar Republic. Yet the Reichswehr, and its officers, were critical to the Republic’s survival and, in some ways, eventually it’s fall. Today, we’re going to explore its fascinating history. Reading & Resources:
- "The Oxford Handbook of the Weimar Republic" * Edited by Nadine Rossol and Benjamin Ziemann
- "Schöner Gigolo, armer Gigolo" (Handsome Gigolo, Poor Gigolo)
- "Living the German Revolution, 1918-19: Expectations, Experiences, Responses" (2024)
- "Dachau and the SS: A Schooling in Violence" (2015)
Works by Today's Guest: Dr. Christopher Dillon:
- "Living the German Revolution, 1918-19: Expectations, Experiences, Responses" (2024)
- "Dachau and the SS: A Schooling in Violence" (2015)
For football fans, just the mention of Liverpool’s ‘Kop End’ evokes an image of a packed stand full of fans. Many other football clubs also have a Kop stand too.
But why do those stands have that name?
In this episode we’ll be talking about the Battle of Spion Kop. Fought in South Africa in the dying years of the Victorian era, the battle was the bloodiest day for the British army up until the First World War. The battle featured incredible heroism, command incompetence and the presence of figures such as Winston Churchill and Mahatma Gandhi. So let’s look at the battle which, as a notable historian once said: “became the byword for a bloodbath.
