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
Apr 22, 2020 • 26min
Class origin, social stigma and the Stalin Constitution 1935-39
By 1935 the Soviet regime appeared to relax its stance towards citizens deemed to be class enemies and their children. Stalin said: "A son does not answer for the father." However, persecution of former Kulaks and former members of the Tsarist order continued regardless, as many Soviet employers or teachers did not wish to appear lenient towards 'social aliens' in case the political mood changed and they were accused of anti Soviet sympathies. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Apr 16, 2020 • 45min
140 Days to Hiroshima: Explaining History Interview with David Barrett
This special episode of the Explaining History Podcast features historian David Barrett, whose new book 140 Days to Hiroshima examines the decision making regarding the dropping of the first atomic bomb on Hiroshima. This is the first of two interviews with David and it explores the decisions by the Joint Chiefs of Staff and President Truman to use the bomb instead of an amphibious landing in the Japanese home islands.You can purchase the book here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/140-Days-Hiroshima-Untold-Surrender/dp/1635765811.There are further reviews of the book here: https://www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews/david-dean-barrett/140-days-to-hiroshima/, and you can read David's further writings on Hiroshima at the History News Network here: https://historynewsnetwork.org/article/174871. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Apr 14, 2020 • 27min
China's Neoliberal Turn - 1978
In the late 1970s, as Britain, America and other wealthy countries were developing free market solutions to the problems of inflation and low growth, China selected aspects of capitalism to incorporate into its economy, while maintaining the fiction that it was a communist society. This podcast explores how China transformed the world economy in the 1980s as a result. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Apr 8, 2020 • 27min
France, China and Vietnam 1949-51
By 1949 the development of a communist state in China radically changed the fortunes of France in Vietnam, a shift in dynamics that made the war for France virtually un-winnable. In 1950, a well armed Democratic Republic of Vietnam Army inflicted devastating losses on the French along the Chinese border, supported by Chinese supplies and training. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Apr 1, 2020 • 26min
The aftermath of the fall of the Philippines: May 1942
By the summer of 1942 the Japanese military was drunk on the victories it had achieved in the previous six months of war. It had over run Singapore, Malaya, Burma and Indochina, and it had dealt America a huge blow at Pearl Harbour and had seized the American protectorate of the Philippines. It was precisely this arrogance and risk taking that would result in a series of naval disasters and defeats in the summer of 1942, starting with setbacks at the Battle of the Coral Sea. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Mar 26, 2020 • 26min
Poison gas on the Western Front - 1915-18
Between 1915 and 1918 all sides in the First World War used poison gas against one another, but it was Germany that was the biggest pioneer of battlefield chemical weapons. The last year of the war saw the highest intensity of gas use as the desperation by all sides for a breakthrough intensified. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Mar 17, 2020 • 27min
Leninism and the Communist Party of Great Britain - 1921
Delve into the early 20th-century clash of ideologies as Lenin's influence shapes the Communist Party of Great Britain. Discover the dilemmas of democratic centralism and its autocratic drift through Harry Pollitt's rise within the party. Unpack the political tensions of the 1920s, including fears of uprisings and the fraught relationship with the Labour Party. Explore the historical connections between English socialism and Marxism while unraveling the complexities of ideological justifications for controversial political actions.
Mar 10, 2020 • 26min
The Continuity of Italian fascism after 1945 (Part four)
Fascist bombing campaigns and planned coups, leading up to a massacre in Bologna in 1980 brought the threat of splinter group fascism to the Italian government's attention. The MSI (Italian social movement) attempted to broaden its appeal and mask its overtly fascist politics during a period where there was widespread revisionism about the legacy of Mussolini and an attempt to partly rehabilitate the fascist era in mainstream politics and discourse. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Mar 3, 2020 • 26min
The post war decades and the neoliberal turn
In the aftermath of the Second World War a set of global institutions allied with a social democratic shift in several leading world economies to create a relatively stable post war economic order. The long and bitter memories of the 1930s and the destruction of the Second World War gave rise to this post war new order. By the 1970s this had started to fall into decline and provide opportunities for the political and economic insurrectionaries of neoliberalism to seize control of economic agendas around the world. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Feb 25, 2020 • 26min
The continuity of Italian fascism post 1945 (part three)
In the 1960s, splinter groups from the right wing Italian Social Movement began to believe that only a military coup in Italy could save the country from the threat of communism. By the late 1960s they began actively planning and carrying out bombing campaigns across Italy in order to 'prepare the population' for direct rule by the army. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
