*Content Warning - This episode contains references to rape and suicide* The Russian Civil War was a brutal episode in the rise of Bolshevik Russia. Taking place between 1917 and 1922 (after the perhaps better known, Russian Revolution) it pitted the Communist Red Army, led by Vladimir Lenin, against a loose coalition of imperialists known as the White Army. It led to five years of chaos, tumult and tragedy, and changed global history and politics as we know it today.In today’s episode, James travelled to the Three Johns Pub in London - the alleged location of a fractious anti-tsarist meeting between Lenin and Trotsky - to find out more about this crucial and chaotic period in Russian history. Joined by military history heavyweight Sir Antony Beevor, author of the Russia, Revolution and Civil War: 1917-1921, to look at this chaotic conflict, they discuss why the Red Army came out on top, how the conflict birthed the infamous gulags, and the legacy of the war on Russia’s military today.Senior Producer was Elena Guthrie. The Assistant Producer was Annie Coloe. Edited by Joseph Knight.If you'd like to watch the Youtube video you can find it hereFor more Warfare content, subscribe to our Warfare newsletter here.If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today! To download, go to Android or Apple store

In the mid-19th century, William Walker led a group of fellow US Expansionists to Nicaragua, in an attempt to seize the country as their own. Some of the first successful filibuster’s, they were on a mission to bring a form of US Democracy to central America - the unexpected catch in a somewhat familiar story of colonisation? They were welcomed with open arms. But soon, Walker’s promises of a new state and open democracy faded away, and a terrifying reign of terror set in. So, what happened in Nicaragua in the 19th century? And just who was William Walker?In this episode, James welcomes Professor, and Author, Michel Gobat to the podcast to help unravel this difficult story. Looking at the politics of 19th century America, the conservative rule that had defined Nicaragua up to this point, and delving into what the contemporary sources say about Walker - is it possible to piece together a complete image of what Walker achieved? And just what happened to him after his reign of terror finished?For more Warfare content, subscribe to our Warfare newsletter here. If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today!

In August 2021, Afghanistan's capital city Kabul, was captured by the Taliban. With scenes of panic, anarchy, and chaos splashed across every major news outlet - it marked the final moments of the War in Afghanistan. With more than 123,000 individuals evacuated by the US Coalition and their Allies, Afghanistan's central government collapsing, and foreign citizens stranded - it begs the question, what happened in Afghanistan? And how did the Taliban win?In this episode, James welcomes Professor Theo Farrell to the podcast to help answer this difficult question. Author of the book 'Unwinnable: Britain's War in Afghanistan', Theo examines where the Coalition went wrong, and if the events of August 2021 could have been avoided. Examining the roles of key players - from Joe Biden to Tony Blair, and the geopolitical state of the world - is it possible to know what went wrong in Afghanistan, and is it possible to guess what happens next?For more Warfare content, subscribe to our Warfare newsletter here. If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today!

Why is it that nobody has used the absolute weapon, the nuclear bomb, since 1945? Was it ever likely that the American arsenal would be used against the Soviet Union? Or was it created solely to prevent nuclear war? If the latter is true, how does a country create the false impression that it is willing to release a weapon of mass destruction? New York Times bestselling author and Pulitzer prize winning journalist, Fred Kaplan, has authored The Bomb: Presidents, Generals and the Secret History of Nuclear War. In this episode, he and James discuss the strategies and motives of those in control of the bombs in the face of multiple crises ... not all of which are generally known.For more Warfare content, subscribe to our Warfare newsletter here. If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today!

What if we could take people completely out of the equation when planning military strikes? Lethal autonomous weapons systems use artificial intelligence to identify, select and kill human targets without human intervention. While with unmanned military drones, the decision to strike is made remotely by a human operator, in the case of lethal autonomous weapons the decision is made by algorithms. But how does this work, and what are the dangers of the proliferation of these weapons?In this episode James is joined by Emilia Javorsky from the Future of Life Institute. Emilia takes us through the probabilities of a future with autonomous weapons, including the risks to our world and to the development of AI.For more Warfare content, subscribe to our Warfare newsletter here. If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today!

A warning that this episode contains descriptions of genocide and terms for groups which were classified that way at the time.In April 1945, the 42nd Rainbow division liberated Dachau Concentration Camp. Having opened it's doors in 1933, it was the first, and longest running, Nazi concentration camp. It's estimated that Dachau had over 188,000 inmates, of which 41,500 were killed - it saw death, suffering and tragedy on an unimaginable level. But despite widespread coverage, and rumours of it's existence, the 42nd Rainbow Division were shocked at what they stumbled across - so how come nobody was prepared for what they were about to find?In this episode, James is joined by Professor Dan Stone, Director of the Holocaust Research Institute at Royal Holloway, to talk about this dark moment in human history. Looking at the creation of the camps, the role the allies played in the liberations, and the incredible make-shift hospitals set up to help the inmates - Dan takes us through this tragic moment of the Second World War, and discusses the legacy that Dachau left behind.You can read more about the Liberation of the Camps in Dan's book. For more Warfare content, subscribe to our Warfare newsletter here. If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today!

Winston Churchill's ascension to Prime Minister in 1940 was a key turning point in world history, ultimately being one of the first steps to help the Allies secure victory in the Second World War. The legacies of Churchill’s decisions still shape our world today, but a lesser known part of this story is that Churchill wasn't the first choice to succeed Neville Chamberlain. So how was Churchill, once a political underdog, able to beat out his rival Lord Halifax, to become the United Kingdom's wartime Prime Minister? And what might have happened if history had gone another way?In this special episode, recorded at the Churchill War Rooms in London, James is joined by World War Two historian Professor John Buckley. Together they explore the epoch-defining significance of Winston Churchill’s ascent to power, and how he guided Britain out of it's darkest hour.For more Warfare content, subscribe to our Warfare newsletter here. If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today!

This episode contains graphic references of violence and tortureThe rise of Islamic State (ISIS) stands as one of the darkest legacies of the Iraq War. Founded as Al-Qaeda in Iraq, the organisation joined the conflict in 2003 by attacking not only Coalition troops but Saddam Hussein’s Iraqi government, the United Nations and Shia muslims alike. Their tactics were so brutal that even Al-Qaeda disavowed itself of them. A decade on from that conflict, IS gained global infamy when it conquered huge swathes of Iraq and Syria between 2013 and 2015, establishing its unrecognised Caliphate quasi-state and murdering anyone who stood in its way.In this episode, James is joined by Joby Warwick, the US journalist who won a Pulitzer Prize for his work investigating Islamic State’s origins. Together, they explore the surprising beginnings of one of the most abhorrent terror organisations the world has seen, how its fighters managed to establish a Caliphate governing by terror millions of people, and what is left of it today.Senior Producer was Elena Guthrie. The Assistant Producer was Annie Coloe. Edited by Aidan Lonergan.For more Warfare content, subscribe to our Warfare newsletter here. If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today!

In early 1945, with an inevitable defeat of Nazi Germany on the horizon, the Allied leaders of the United States, Britain and Russia came together to decide the postwar future of Europe itself. The ‘Big Three’, made up of Roosevelt, Churchill and Stalin - met at Yalta in Crimea, with the reorganisation of Germany a top priority to be discussed. But within a few years of the Yalta Conference, any hopes for a new era of peace was shattered by the arrival of the Cold War.In this episode, James is joined by leading war historian Caroline Kennedy-Pipe, to learn more about what happened at the Yalta conference over those eight momentous days. What deals were struck? Why did the conference fail to stop the Cold War? And why does the Yalta Conference remain such a controversial topic today?Caroline's book is available here.Senior Producer was Elena Guthrie. The Assistant Producer was Annie Coloe. Edited by Aidan Lonergan.For more Warfare content, subscribe to our Warfare newsletter here. If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today!

Perhaps one of the best-known modern dictators, Saddam Hussein ruled Iraq for nearly 30 years before eventually being overthrown in 2003 by the US Coalition. Known for his authoritarian rule, the use of chemical weapons against his own people, and multiple invasions of neighbouring countries - Saddam Hussein's legacy is a dark one. But how did he become President of Iraq in 1979, and what did the Iraqi people really think of him?In the latest episode of our Iraq mini-series, reflecting on 20 years since the invasion of the country, James is joined by Dr Afzal Ashraf to examine just who Saddam Hussein was. Looking at the effect British Colonialism had on his early political career, the relationship between Iraq and the United States, and how lasting Cold War tensions defined this period - how did Saddam Hussein hold onto power for so long, and just who was helping him?The senior Producer was Elena Guthrie. The Assistant Producer was Annie Coloe. Edited by Annie Coloe.For more Warfare content, subscribe to our Warfare newsletter here. If you'd like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad free podcasts and audiobooks at History Hit - subscribe today!