Explaining History
Nick Shepley
The Explaining History Podcast, created and hosted by Nick Shepley, offers a comprehensive exploration of 20th-century history through weekly episodes. For over a decade, this podcast has been providing students and history enthusiasts with in-depth analyses of key events, processes, and debates that shaped the modern world.The podcast covers a wide range of topics within 20th-century history, including:- Major historical events like World Wars I and II, The rise and fall of communism, fascism and imperialism- Political movements and ideologies- Economic developments and crises- Social and cultural changesEpisodes typically run for about 25 minutes, offering concise yet informative discussions on specific subjects. The podcast invites listeners to engage with complex historical topics in manageable segments, making it ideal for students and busy history enthusiasts.Expert InsightsNick frequently invites expert guests to contribute their knowledge and perspectives, enriching the podcast with diverse viewpoints and specialized expertise. This approach helps listeners understand the competing debates and interpretations surrounding historical events and processes.Educational FocusThe podcast is particularly valuable for students, especially those studying A-level history. It offers targeted content aligned with specific curricula, such as the AQA syllabus for Russian history. This educational focus makes it an excellent supplementary resource for formal history studies.Chronological ApproachWhile the podcast primarily focuses on the 20th century, it adopts a chronological approach to storytelling. This method allows listeners to follow the progression of events and understand how different historical moments are interconnectedEngaging PresentationNick's presentation style combines rigorous historical analysis with an engaging narrative approach. The podcast aims to not only inform but also captivate listeners, making complex historical topics accessible and interesting to a broad audienceBy offering this mix of comprehensive content, expert insights, and engaging presentation, the Explaining History Podcast serves as a valuable resource for anyone looking to deepen their understanding of 20th-century history. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Dec 22, 2020 • 27min
Britain, France, Israel and the Suez conspiracy 1956
In 1956 the British Government, led by Anthony Eden, embarked on a disastrous military adventure with France and Israel that divided the country, split both political parties and was conducted despite the misgivings of the navy and air force. The agreement to attack Egypt was decided by the three main powers at a villa at Sevres weeks before the invasion. Britain wished to removed an irritant in the form of Colonel Nasser, the nationalist leader of Egypt who had nationalised the Suez Canal, the vital waterway between the Mediterranean and the Red Sea, the French wished to destroy him because of his pan Arabist support for the Algerian independence movement, and Israel saw an opportunity to cripple is most deadly neighbour. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Dec 20, 2020 • 26min
Anti Slav hysteria in the Austro-Hungarian Empire - July 1914
Following the shock of the murder of Archduke Franz Ferdinand and his wife Sophie, Vienna, Sarajevo, and other parts of the German and non German speaking empire saw outbreaks of public anger and mourning. However, it was the popular press that falsely presented the assassination as part of a wider conspiracy and created fear and anxiety among German Austrians, leading to police raids and persecution of Serb and non Serb Slavs across the empire. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Dec 17, 2020 • 24min
Poison gas and its long term impact on the 20th Century
By the end of the First World War, the British, French and American Armies were using gas more effectively than Germany, and the German Army's ability to resist gas attacks was crumbling. After the war, the view in Britain that gas had been a uniquely German crime persisted, as did the fear of gas use in future conflicts, particularly against civilians. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Dec 7, 2020 • 25min
Margaret Thatcher, Tony Benn and Great Britain: 1973 - 1983
In the 1970s and 1980s two political figures came to define the polarisation of British politics and society and the end of political consensus between the Conservative and Labour Parties. This podcast explores the ideological worlds of Thatcher and Benn and their impact on the trajectory of both parties. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Nov 14, 2020 • 27min
Rumours, letters and humour in Stalinist Russia 1928-38
In all totalitarian societies, individuals instinctively find ways of navigating and interacting with a repressive state. In the USSR, rumours, jokes and anonymous letters to the authorities, were often ways of expressing deep seated anger with the Stalinist state, whilst trying to avoid the most severe punishments. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Oct 28, 2020 • 42min
The Sino Soviet Split - In conversation with Larry Auton Leaf
In this episode of the Explaining History Podcast, we hear from history teacher and writer Larry Auton Leaf about Mao, Stalin, Khrushchev and Sino Soviet Split Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Oct 25, 2020 • 26min
Lyndon Johnson and the legacy of JFK - 1963
Following the assassination of John F Kennedy, his vice president, Lyndon Johnson, was unexpectedly propelled into the White House, but faced a staff of Kennedy loyalists, including the president's brother Bobby, who he could not trust. Johnson was also faced with the myth of JFK, a public perception of a great and now martyred president. Johnson saw this as an opportunity, rather than a threat, and used the memory of Kennedy for his own ends. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Oct 9, 2020 • 27min
The Battle of Guadalcanal: Part Two
The long battle of attrition by the Japanese Army against the resilient US Marine Corps on Guadalcanal began with serious miscalculations by Japan. Both sides saw the island as a linchpin in the Pacific War and Japan's over confidence and their imperial over stretch led to their eventual defeat, but not before inflicting immense losses on America, on land and at sea. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sep 26, 2020 • 26min
Aspects of working class life in Britain during the 1930s
Working class life in Britain during the 1930s was shaped and reshaped by economic forces. In the first part of the decade, a devastating economic slump in the staple industries of coal, cotton, ships and steel saw the migration of working people to more prosperous parts of the country. In the later 1930s, rising living standards and wages gave some working class households living standards and opportunities they had never experienced before. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Sep 15, 2020 • 25min
Sachsenhausen, Soviet POWs and the origins of the Final Solution
In 1941 Sachsenhausen concentration camp became the first of the existing pre war concentration camps to become a site of mass killings as 9,000 Soviet POWs were murdered there by gas or shooting. Heinrich Himmler, anxious to find more efficient methods of mass murder, was kept informed by his henchman Theodore Eicke and took a keen interest in the killings, knowing that the methods used at Sachsenhausen would be later employed in the mass murder of the Jews. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
