A history podcast dedicated to examining the global history of the 1920s and 30s in order to explain the causes of World War II, both large and small. As you might imagine, there’s a lot of ground to cover just to contextualize how the conflict got so out of control. If you love historical deep-dives and play-by-plays of nations in way over their collective heads, this is the show for you. Best niche history podcast out there! PROTIP: If you’re a new listener and are hopelessly confused by me bouncing from topic to topic, the scope of this show has kinda gotten away from me over the years. I have included an index of miniseries in the description of Episode 1 to provide a guide for what I’ve covered so far.
Episodes
Sunday Apr 25, 2021
Sunday Apr 25, 2021
Just as Germany got its internal problems papered over (momentarily), a really big international one popped up. Going all-in on a world war and losing left Germany with a gargantuan reparations bill that they were unable to pay. Both because they didn't have the money, and just as importantly, because the Germans deluded themselves into thinking they shouldn't have to pay it. Cue a French military incursion into the single most important economic zone in the country, a resulting economic crisis, and a legendary bout of hyper-inflation.
Bibliography for this episode:
- Evans, Richard The Coming of the Third Reich Penguin Books, 2003
- Peukert, Detlev The Weimar Republic Suhrkamp Verlag am Main, 1987
- Weitz, Eric Weimar Germany: Promise and Tragedy Princeton University Press 2007
Questions? Comments? Email me at peaceintheirtime@gmail.com
Sunday Apr 18, 2021
Sunday Apr 18, 2021
In the aftermath of the Kapp Putsch, things finally quieted down for Weimar Germany. The Freikorps started to be wound down and the Left found itself in a period of transition, so the time of revolution and counter-revolution faded into the background for a time. But with this new state constantly being at odds with itself, the problems never really went away, they just stayed in that background. And just as things got quiet, the Entente started making noises that would spark a fresh round of national crisis.
Bibliography for this episode:
- Evans, Richard The Coming of the Third Reich Penguin Books, 2003
- Peukert, Detlev The Weimar Republic Suhrkamp Verlag am Main, 1987
- Harman, Chris The Lost Revolution, Germany 1918 to 1923 Haymarket Books 2017
- Weitz, Eric Weimar Germany: Promise and Tragedy Princeton University Press 2007
- Jones, Nigel The Birth of the Nazis Constable & Robinson Ltd 2004
Questions? Comments? Email me at peaceintheirtime@gmail.com
Sunday Apr 11, 2021
Sunday Apr 11, 2021
With the 1918-19 Revolution crushed, the victorious Ebert government probably thought it had some space to start picking up the pieces. Well, think again, because the Freikorps were actively hostile to the new government that they saw as little different than the revolutionaries. Almost from the moment the first dust settled, those groups started plotting against the new state.
Bibliography for this episode:
- Evans, Richard The Coming of the Third Reich Penguin Books, 2003
- Peukert, Detlev The Weimar Republic Suhrkamp Verlag am Main, 1987
- Harman, Chris The Lost Revolution, Germany 1918 to 1923 Haymarket Books 2017
- Weitz, Eric Weimar Germany: Promise and Tragedy Princeton University Press 2007
- Jones, Nigel The Birth of the Nazis Constable & Robinson Ltd 2004
Questions? Comments? Email me at peaceintheirtime@gmail.com
Sunday Apr 04, 2021
Sunday Apr 04, 2021
Bavaria is a region of Germany that had always kept some distance from the larger nation, and maintained its own identity (and at the time even their own monarch) within the Empire. This independent streak continued into the German Revolution of 1918-19 as events there happened concurrently but separately with what was happening nationally, with the region almost breaking away.
Bibliography for this episode:
- Evans, Richard The Coming of the Third Reich Penguin Books, 2003
- Peukert, Detlev The Weimar Republic Suhrkamp Verlag am Main, 1987
- Harman, Chris The Lost Revolution, Germany 1918 to 1923 Haymarket Books 2017
- Weitz, Eric Weimar Germany: Promise and Tragedy Princeton University Press 2007
- Jones, Nigel The Birth of the Nazis Constable & Robinson Ltd 2004
Questions? Comments? Email me at peaceintheirtime@gmail.com
Sunday Mar 28, 2021
Sunday Mar 28, 2021
With revolution gripping Germany, the nation's establishment turned desperate. They unleashed the Freikorps, paramilitary units composed of angry and embittered veterans returning home, all across Germany. What resulted was a nightmare of retribution as the soldiers not only fought to prevent Socialism from taking root, but also took out their frustrations from losing WWI on their own people.
Bibliography for this episode:
- Evans, Richard The Coming of the Third Reich Penguin Books, 2003
- Peukert, Detlev The Weimar Republic Suhrkamp Verlag am Main, 1987
- Harman, Chris The Lost Revolution, Germany 1918 to 1923 Haymarket Books 2017
- Weitz, Eric Weimar Germany: Promise and Tragedy Princeton University Press 2007
- Jones, Nigel The Birth of the Nazis Constable & Robinson Ltd 2004
Questions? Comments? Email me at peaceintheirtime@gmail.com
Sunday Mar 21, 2021
Sunday Mar 21, 2021
With World War One lost, the edifice of Imperial Germany falls apart. But as one door closes, another is opened, and a free for all begins to decide on what a post-Kaiser Germany will look like. The workers and soldiers of the nation take to the streets while the old establishment scrambles to keep as much of their power as they possibly can.
Bibliography for this episode:
- Evans, Richard The Coming of the Third Reich Penguin Books, 2003
- Peukert, Detlev The Weimar Republic Suhrkamp Verlag am Main, 1987
- Harman, Chris The Lost Revolution, Germany 1918 to 1923 Haymarket Books 2017
- Weitz, Eric Weimar Germany: Promise and Tragedy Princeton University Press 2007
- Jones, Nigel The Birth of the Nazis Constable & Robinson Ltd 2004
Questions? Comments? Email me at peaceintheirtime@gmail.com
Sunday Mar 14, 2021
Sunday Mar 14, 2021
Oh boy, it's the Germans. You've either been waiting for or dreading this one. The instability of 20s Germany was critical in making sure a lasting, peaceful equilibrium could not be established in Europe. And that instability was caused by the disintegration of Imperial Germany under the stress of WWI. Turns out staking your legitimacy on militarism only works if you win every time, and to start things off, Germany lost big.
Bibliography for this episode:
- Evans, Richard The Coming of the Third Reich Penguin Books, 2003
- Peukert, Detlev The Weimar Republic Suhrkamp Verlag am Main, 1987
- Harman, Chris The Lost Revolution, Germany 1918 to 1923 Haymarket Books 2017
Questions? Comments? Email me at peaceintheirtime@gmail.com
Sunday Mar 07, 2021
Sunday Mar 07, 2021
This week is the wrap-up on the UK during the 1920s, and all the labor tensions that have plagued the nation up to this point bubble over into a general strike. Workers all over the country walk out and for a brief window Britain is shutdown in a final attempt to rectify working conditions. Plus there's the general wrap-up on the decade up to the Great Depression, and a look at how Britain used its time of predominance post-WWI.
Bibliography for this episode:
- Taylor, AJP The Oxford History of England, Vol 15 Oxford University Press, 1978
- Moway, Charles Loch Britain Between the Wars Methuen & Co, 1972
- Hattersley, Roy Borrowed Time Little, Brown, 2007
Questions? Comments? Email me at peaceintheirtime@gmail.com
Sunday Feb 28, 2021
Sunday Feb 28, 2021
Returning to the domestic UK, the political character of the nation at the end of 1923 continued to evolve beyond the simple conservative/liberal split of yesteryear. It was time for the Labour party to finally move out of opposition and into a leadership role. And like so many things from these years, it didn't go well. This episode has everything. Politics! Economics! That's everything.
Bibliography for this episode:
- Taylor, AJP The Oxford History of England, Vol 15 Oxford University Press, 1978
- Moway, Charles Loch Britain Between the Wars Methuen & Co, 1972
- Hattersley, Roy Borrowed Time Little, Brown, 2007
Questions? Comments? Email me at peaceintheirtime@gmail.com
Sunday Feb 21, 2021
Sunday Feb 21, 2021
Not content with its gains in the Middle East, Britain also wanted to secure its influence in Turkey after WWI. With their Greek allies taking the lead in occupying Turkish lands and Britain itself securing its influence over vital waterways, it initially looked as though things would go their way. But a mixture of imperial rivalry and Greece's lack of resources meant the whole thing was destined to blow up in everybody's faces.
Bibliography for this episode:
- Taylor, AJP The Oxford History of England, Vol 15 Oxford University Press, 1978
- Moway, Charles Loch Britain Between the Wars Methuen & Co, 1972
- Hattersley, Roy Borrowed Time Little, Brown, 2007
Questions? Comments? Email me at peaceintheirtime@gmail.com