Podcast
Aspects of History
Hosted by Oliver Webb-Carter · EN
The editor of Aspects of History, Ollie Webb-Carter, interviews historians and authors on the past - from the ancient world right up to the modern day. In each episode, Ollie seeks to get to the bottom of a story or scrutinise a figure from history. There are bonus episodes too, from current events and anniversaries to the Aspects of History Film Club.
21episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
The Big Little War with James Dunford Wood
May 13, 202500:44:34Tap to summarizeIn early May of 1941, in the deserts of Iraq that had seen the armies of Alexander battle Darius, a force of 9000 Arabs and Iraqis descended on the small British airfield of Habbinayah. Only 39 pilots and a small collection of antiquated and obsolete aircraft stood between British maintenance of crucial oilfields, and their loss and consequent disaster for fuel supplies to the British Army and the Royal Navy in Egypt and throughout the Mediterranean. Joining today is James Dunford Wood who describes the extraordinary story of defiance and heroism that he has described as a Second World War Rorke’s Drift. James Dunford Wood Links The Big Little War: A World War II Epic The War Diaries of Colin Dunford Wood Aspects of History Links Latest Issue out - Annual Subscription to Aspects of History Magazine only $9.99/£9.99 Ollie on X Aspects of History on Instagram Get in touch: history@aspectsofhistory.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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You Might Also Like: MrBallen Podcast: Strange, Dark & Mysterious Stories
May 13, 2025Tap to summarizeIntroducing You Can't Read This Book (PODCAST EXCLUSIVE EPISODE) from MrBallen Podcast: Strange, Dark & Mysterious Stories.Follow the show: MrBallen Podcast: Strange, Dark & Mysterious Stories This is a special bonus episode of "You Can't"One night in 2020, a woman named Beth Van Oss paced back and forth in a small room in the house she shared with her boyfriend, Mike, in rural Colorado. She dialed Mike’s phone number again, and put her phone to her ear. But just like the last time she’d called – he didn’t answer. Now, Beth was afraid. He had left that morning, headed for the woods, promising her that when he came back – they would finally have everything they had ever dreamed of. And he had taken something with him. Something that he had become obsessed with. Something that Beth had begged him to forget about, and throw away. But he had refused. And now, he was gone. Beth dialed the phone again, but this time, she called the police. For 100s more stories like these, check out our main YouTube channel just called "MrBallen" -- https://www.youtube.com/c/MrBallenIf you want to reach out to me, contact me on Instagram, Twitter or any other major social media platform, my username on all of them is @mrballenSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info. DISCLAIMER: Please note, this is an independent podcast episode not affiliated with, endorsed by, or produced in conjunction with the host podcast feed or any of its media entities. The views and opinions expressed in this episode are solely those of the creators and guests. For any concerns, please reach out to team@podroll.fm.
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Victory 1945 with Al Murray
May 9, 202500:47:36Tap to summarizeAt 1830 hours on 4th May 1945, Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery accepted the unconditional surrender of German forces in northwestern Europe from Admiral Hans Georg von Friedeberg. This was one of a number of surrenders that took place across the European theatre of World War Two. Months later Japan surrendered with a radio statement that has since become a satirical masterpiece. Al Murray joins to discuss these and more as we delve into whether Monty won the surrenders, and did the Americans have no option but to drop those two atomic bombs? Al Murray Links Victory '45: The End of the War in Eight Surrenders Aspects of History Links Latest Issue out - Annual Subscription to Aspects of History Magazine only $9.99/£9.99 Ollie on X Aspects of History on Instagram Get in touch: history@aspectsofhistory.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Women of the Troubles with Martin Dillon
May 6, 202500:51:01Tap to summarizeOn the afternoon of 6 March 1988 in Gibraltar on the southern tip of the Iberian peninsular, Mairead Farrell and two other Provisional IRA volunteers of were shot dead by members of the Special Air Service. The three were on an operation to target one of the last outposts of the British Empire, but their movements were known to the security services. Farrell was one of a small number of female IRA members in an organisation dominated by men. How were mothers, wives, daughters and sisters impacted by the violence over 30 years of conflict in Northern Ireland? And how do they deal with the trauma 25 years after the Good Friday Agreement? Joining today is the acclaimed journalist and writer Martin Dillon, author of The Dirty War, The Shankill Butchers and Stone Cold, as well as his most recent, The Sorrow and the Loss: The Tragic Shadow Cast by the Troubles on the Lives of Women. Martin Dillon Links The Sorrow and the Loss: The Tragic Shadow Cast by the Troubles on the Lives of Women The Dirty War The Shankill Butchers: A Case Study of Mass Murder Stone Cold Martin Dillon Aspects of History Links Latest Issue out - Annual Subscription to Aspects of History Magazine only $9.99/£9.99 Ollie on X Aspects of History on Instagram Get in touch: history@aspectsofhistory.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Bose & Post War Empires with Phil Craig
May 2, 202500:46:20Tap to summarizeAt the end of the Second World War Asian colonies were desperate for independence: India, Burma, Indochina, Malaya and the Dutch East Indies all boasted independence movements that now demanded autonomy. But was Britain, which had fought a costly war against fascism and domination and won, willing to grant self-government to its former colonies? And what of France and the Netherlands, and the characters involved including Subhas Chandra Bose. Joining today is historian Phil Craig, author of 1945: The Reckoning, as we explore figures such as Chandra Bhose and General Kodendera Thimayya, or Thimmy for short, and the way Britain and her allies dealt with independence. Phil Craig Links 1945: The Reckoning: War, Empire and the Struggle for a New World Aspects of History Links Latest Issue out - Annual Subscription to Aspects of History Magazine only $9.99/£9.99 Ollie on X Aspects of History on Instagram Get in touch: history@aspectsofhistory.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Monuments to War with Tessa Dunlop
Apr 25, 202500:49:31Tap to summarizeOn 8 June 1982 the Sir Galahad troop ship was about to offload the Welsh Guards at Bluff Cove in the Falkland Islands. As the guardsmen were waiting, an Argentine Skyhawk attacked and the Galahad was hit. 48 men were killed, and 97 wounded, among them Simon Weston. Weston, a proud Welshman, suffered horrific burns and endured 96 operations and surgical procedures. He is one of many interviewees in a new book on monuments in Scotland, England, Northern Ireland, and of course, Wales, in addition to the one you heard at the top.Joining today is Tessa Dunlop – author of Lest We Forget, War and Peace in 100 Monuments which is just out. Links are in the show notes as we chat those monuments in each country of the United Kingdom.Tessa Dunlop LinksLest We Forget: War and Peace in 100 British MonumentsAlfred the Great - The Telegraph (£)Aspects of History LinksLatest Issue out - Annual Subscription to Aspects of History Magazine only $9.99/£9.99Ollie on XAspects of History on InstagramGet in touch: history@aspectsofhistory.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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Film Club: Downfall (2004)
Apr 22, 202501:23:07Tap to summarizeThis month’s movie is Downfall, directed by Oliver Hirschbiegel and starring Bruno Ganz, the depiction of the last days of Adolf Hitler as we reach the 80th anniversary. Roger Moorhouse, historian of Nazi Germany joins, along with Director Tim Hewitt.LinksDownfall on WikipediaDownfall on IMDBOllie on XTim on XRoger on XLatest Issue out - Annual Subscription to Aspects of History Magazine only $9.99/£9.99Aspects of History on InstagramGet in touch: history@aspectsofhistory.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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The Siege of Leningrad with Sinclair McKay
Apr 18, 202500:45:47Tap to summarizeIn August 1941 Army Group North of the Wehrmacht approached the suburbs of Leningrad, as St. Petersburg was called. Within days the city was surrounded, and would remain so for nearly two and a half years. The suffering endured by its residents was horrifying and included widespread cannibalism. But this is a city of art, architecture, literature, music and dance, the home of Alexander Pushkin and a place of revolution.Joining to discuss St. Petersburg is author Sinclair McKay, author of a new book as we discuss the window to the west through the prism of the siege.Sinclair McKay LinksSaint Petersburg: Sacrifice and Redemption in the City That Defied Hitler Aspects of History LinksLatest Issue out - Annual Subscription to Aspects of History Magazine only $9.99/£9.99Ollie on XAspects of History on InstagramGet in touch: history@aspectsofhistory.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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WW2 Titans: Churchill, Brooke & Ismay, with John Kiszely & Gordon Corrigan
Apr 15, 202500:51:00Tap to summarizeOn 25th December 1941, General Alan Brooke (or Alanbrooke) was appointed Chief of the Imperial General Staff, the commanding officer of the British Army during the Second World War. His new boss, Winston Spencer Churchill was a hard taskmaster with high standards who had no problem with sacking generals. But, he had a helping hand in the form of General Pug Ismay, soldier, statesman and diplomat.Joining today are two historians, John Kiszely, the author of a biography of Ismay, and Gordon Corrigan, author of a book on Churchill. Today we discuss the dynamics between the three men and other generals such as Montgomery, Wavell and Auchinleck.John Kiszely LinksIsmay: Soldier, Statesman, Diplomat, by John KiszelyGordon Corrigan LinksBlood, Sweat and Arrogance: The Myths of Churchill's WarAspects of History LinksLatest Issue out - Annual Subscription to Aspects of History Magazine only $9.99/£9.99Ollie on XAspects of History on InstagramGet in touch: history@aspectsofhistory.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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WW2 Family History and the 1980s with Helen Lederer
Apr 11, 202500:42:29Tap to summarizeToday’s guest is Helen Lederer, actress, comedian, writer and the author of Not That I’m Bitter, her life’s memoir which includes the 1980s comedy scene, and her family story during the Second World War which we’re going to talk about today.Helen Lederer LinksNot That I’m BitterMy IWM: Helen Lederer - Aspects of HistoryAspects of History LinksLatest Issue out - Annual Subscription to Aspects of History Magazine only $9.99/£9.99Ollie on XAspects of History on InstagramGet in touch: history@aspectsofhistory.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
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