Peace In Their Time

Episode 232 - The B-Team

The tour of the British Empire concludes with a quick check-in on the four Dominion countries that fought alongside the UK during WWII. 

 

Bibliography for this episode: 

1. Brown, Judith & Louis, Roger The Oxford History of the British Empire: Volume IV - The Twentieth Century Oxford University Press 1999
2. Roberts, AD The Cambridge History of Africa: Volume 7 from 1905 to 1940 Cambridge University Press 1986
3. Darwin, John The Empire Project: The Rise and Fall of the British World System 1830-1970 Cambridge University Press 2009
4. Bothwell, Robert The Penguin History of Canada Penguin Books Ltd 2006
5. Bashford, Alison and Stuart MacIntyre The Cambridge History of Australia Volume 2: The Commonwealth of Australia Cambridge University Press 2013
6. King, Michael The Penguin History of New Zealand Penguin Books 2003

 

Questions? Comments? Email me at peaceintheirtime@gmail.com

Episode 231 - British Asia

For this latest installment on the British Empire during the 30s, I am taking a look at the major Asian holdings. This includes both the formal colonies in the east, and the more informal imperial network in the west. 

 

Bibliography for this episode: 

1. Brown, Judith & Louis, Roger The Oxford History of the British Empire: Volume IV - The Twentieth Century Oxford University Press 1999
2. Fromkin, David A Peace to End All Peace: The Fall of the Ottoman Empire and the Creation of the Modern Middle East Holt Paperback 1989
3. Darwin, John The Empire Project: The Rise and Fall of the British World System 1830-1970 Cambridge University Press 2009
4. Tarling, Nicholas The Cambridge History of Southeast Asia, Volume 2: The 19th and 20th Centuries Cambridge University Press 1992

 

Questions? Comments? Email me at peaceintheirtime@gmail.com

Episode 230 - British Africa

Since I missed a couple weeks I figured I'd do a little catch-up on the release schedule. Today I provide a (very) basic overview of conditions in British Africa, how the colonies contributed to the UK's capabilities, and also touch on Britain's complex relationship with the Egyptians. 

 

Bibliography for this episode: 

1. Brown, Judith & Louis, Roger The Oxford History of the British Empire: Volume IV - The Twentieth Century Oxford University Press 1999
2. Roberts, AD The Cambridge History of Africa: Volume 7 from 1905 to 1940 Cambridge University Press 1986
3. Darwin, John The Empire Project: The Rise and Fall of the British World System 1830-1970 Cambridge University Press 2009

 

Questions? Comments? Email me at peaceintheirtime@gmail.com

Episode 229 - A Fading Crown Jewel

The struggle for India never truly stopped during the 1930s, although the resistance to the British Raj was hardly ever as straight-forward as it is portrayed in the West. Bouts of open protests and resistance marked the first half of the decade, but the second half saw the opening up of political offices across the country. This result in a rush for power that stabilized the Raj, but only just. 

 

Bibliography for this episode: 

 

1. Sarkar, Sumit Modern India 1885-1947 Macmillan India Ltd 1983
2. Brown, Judith Modern India: The Origins of an Asian Democracy Oxford University Press 1994

 

Questions? Comments? Email me at peaceintheirtime@gmail.com

 

Episode 228 - Return to the Raj

Leaving the British isles behind for now, I'm going to be spending the next couple of episodes covering its empire's crown jewel, India. The turn of the decade to the 30s saw the British Raj in crisis as laws confirming the colony's system of government had to be approved, and the Indians were not about to have the status quo get reaffirmed. Resistance would materialize in the form of Gandhi's celebrated Salt Satyagraha, but that would merely be the first round in the renewed struggle with the British authorities.   

 

Bibliography for this episode: 

 

1. Sarkar, Sumit Modern India 1885-1947 Macmillan India Ltd 1983
2. Brown, Judith Modern India: The Origins of an Asian Democracy Oxford University Press 1994

 

Questions? Comments? Email me at peaceintheirtime@gmail.com

Episode 227 - Of Two Minds About the Sky

Today is the last of the military overviews for the foreseeable future, and I'm covering the Royal Air Force! They were famous for their fighters, but their extensive pool of bombers dominated the attentions of the branch's planners until close to the outbreak of the war. 

 

Bibliography for this episode: 

 

1. Philpott, I.M. The Royal Air Force 1930-1939 Pen & Sword Books Ltd 2008
2. Bishop, Chris The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II Barnes & Noble Inc 1998
3. Chant, Chris Allied Fighter Aircraft 1939-45 Amber Books Ltd 2009
4. James T.C.G. Growth of Fighter Command, 1936-1940: Air Defense of Great Britain, Volume 1 Routledge 2013

 

Questions? Comments? Email me at peaceintheirtime@gmail.com

Episode 226 - You Get What You Paid For

Now that I've gone off on the army leadership for the British, I switch topics to the actual weapons they used. Which was a far brighter story, just don't ask about the tanks. 

 

Bibliography for this episode: 

 

1. Gordon, David Weapons of the WWII Tommy Pictorial Histories Publishing Co. 2011
2. Bishop, Chris The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II Barnes & Noble Inc 1998
3. Porter, David World War II Tanks: Western Allies 1939-45 Amber Books 2009
4. Taylor, Dick The Second World War Tank Crisis: The Fall & Rise of British Armor 1919-1945 Pen & Sword Books Ltd 2021

 

Questions? Comments? Email me at peaceintheirtime@gmail.com

Episode 225 - Work in Progress

The British Army had a rough go of it in the years leading up to the war and during the first few years. Today I take a look at why that was, and the challenges that had to be addressed under live fire. 

 

Bibliography for this episode: 

1. Dannatt, Richard & Robert Lyman Victory to Defeat: The British Army 1918-40 Osprey Publishing Ltd 2023
2. Fraser, David And We Shall Shock Them: The British Army in the Second World War Hodder & Stoughton 1983
3. Taylor, Dick Armored Warfare in the British Army 1914-1939 Pen & Sword Books Ltd 2022
4. Taylor, Dick The Second World War Tank Crisis: The Fall & Rise of British Armor 1919-1945 Pen & Sword Books Ltd 2021

 

Questions? Comments? Email me at peaceintheirtime@gmail.com

Episode 224 - The Royal Navy

I finally get to go over the notable ships of one of the big navies!

 

Bibliography for this episode: 

1. Hobbs, David British Aircraft Carriers: Design, Development, and Service Histories Seaforth Publishing 2013
2. Friedman, Norman The British Battleship 1906-1946 Seaforth Publishing 2015
3. Konstam, Angus British Aircraft Carriers 1939-45 Osprey Publishing 2010
4. Friedman, Norman British Cruisers: Two World Wars and After Seaforth Publishing 2010
5. Konstam, Angus British Destroyers 1939-45: Pre-War Classes Osprey Publishing 2017
6. Konstam, Angus British Destroyers 1939-45: Wartime Built Classes Osprey Publishing 2017
7. McCartney, Innes British Submarines 1939-45 Osprey Publishing 2006
8. Martindale, E.V. Submarines of World War II 1939-45 Amber Books 2024
9. Bishop, Chris The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II Barnes & Noble Inc 1998

 

Questions? Comments? Email me at peaceintheirtime@gmail.com

Episode 223 - Brittania Will Always Rule the Waves

I finally get to cover one of the truly big navies of the period! In this first episode covering the Royal Navy, I'll be taking a look at the planning and strategy of the British admiralty in the 1930s. Obviously things didn't go according to plan, but it's good to have context on what their intentions were going into the war. 

 

Bibliography for this episode: 

1. Field, Andrew Royal Navy Strategy in the Far East 1919-1939: Preparing for War against Japan Frank Cass 2004
2. Gordon, G.A.H. British Seapower and Procurement between the Wars: A Reappraisal of Rearmament Macmillan Press 1988
3. Harding, Richard The Royal Navy, 1930-2000: Innovation and Defense Frank Cass 2005

 

Questions? Comments? Email me at peaceintheirtime@gmail.com