Peace In Their Time

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:  Field, Andrew Royal Navy Strategy in the Far East 1919-1939: Preparing for War against Japan Frank Cass 2004 Gordon, G.A.H. British Seapower and Procurement between the Wars: A Reappraisal of Rearmament Macmillan Press 1988 Harding, Richard The Royal Navy, 1930-2000: Innovation and Defense Frank Cass 2005   Questions? Comments? Email me at peaceintheirtime@gmail.com

Rearmament presented the leadership of the UK with a dilemma. The economic recovery afforded the military the means necessary to lay at least the groundwork for future success, but not in every branch. And not perfectly anywhere, which hey was the story everywhere else too. What ensued were years of back-and-forth over how the country's slender resources would be allocated.    Bibliography for this episode:  Shay Jr, Robert Paul British Rearmament in the Thirties: Politics and Profits Princeton University Press 1977 Levy, James P. Appeasement and Rearmament: Britain 1936-39 Rowman and Littlefield Publishers, Inc 2006 Price, Christopher Britain, America, and Rearmament in the 1930s: The Cost of Failure Palgrave 2001 Gordon, G.A.H. British Seapower and Procurement between the Wars: A Reappraisal of Rearmament Macmillan Press 1988   Questions? Comments? Email me at peaceintheirtime@gmail.com  

Today I switch over to events in the UK during the 30s and how they handled the challenge of the Axis. I'll be starting off with a look at their economic situation in the aftermath of the Depression and leaving the Gold Standard. Which for once was mostly good news, but still very much a recovery from years of disaster.    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

Today I wrap up this miniseries with a look at French diplomacy during the 30s. Upon recording this episode I realized there may have been not one single success during this entire period, an impressive record even by the standards of this show.    Bibliography for this episode:  Jackson, Julian The Popular Front in France: Defending Democracy, 1934-38 Cambridge University Press 1988 Nere, J. The Foreign Policy of France from 1914 to 1945 Routledge & Kegan Paul Ltd 1975 Jordan, Nicole The Popular Front & Central Europe: The Dilemmas of French Impotence, 1918-1940 Cambridge University Press 1992 Bernard, Philippe and Henri Dubief The Decline of the Third Republic, 1914-1938 Cambridge University Press 1988 Adamthwaite, Anthony Grandeur and Misery: France 1914-1940 Arnold, 1995 Wright, Gordon France in Modern Times, 4th Ed WW Norton Company, Inc, 1987 Fortescue, William The Third Republic in France 1870-1940 Routledge, 2007   Questions? Comments? Email me at peaceintheirtime@gmail.com

Coverage of the French military is wrapped up today with a look at the development and equipment of their navy and air force.    Bibliography for this episode:  Baughen, Greg The Rise and Fall of the French Air Force: French Air Operations and Strategy 1900-1940 Fonthill 2018 Chant, Chris Allied Fighter Aircraft 1939-45 Amber Books 2009 Bishop, Chris The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II Barnes & Noble Inc 1998 Jordan, John & Robert Dumas French Battleships 1922-1956 Seaforth Publishing 2009 Jordan, John & Jean Moulin French Destroyers 1922-1956 Seaforth Publishing 2015 Jordan, John & Jean Moulin French Cruisers 1922-1956 Seaforth Publishing 2013 Martindale, E.V. Submarines of World War II 1939-45 Amber Books 2024   Questions? Comments? Email me at peaceintheirtime@gmail.com

Equipment and organization episode! Even if the French commanders got thoroughly discredited after 1940, the actual gear used by the army kept a decent reputation. But that might not be entirely justified as their arsenal was riddled with deficiencies all its own.    Bibliography for this episode:  Doughty, Robert Allan The Seeds of Disaster: The Development of French Army Doctrine 1919-1939 Archon Books 1985 Porch, Douglas Defeat and Division: France at War, 1939-1942 Cambridge University Press 2022 Bishop, Chris The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II Barnes & Noble Inc 1998 Johnson, Lee The French Army 1939-45 Osprey Publishing 1998 Porter, David World War II Tanks: Western Allies 1939-45 Amber Books 2009   Questions? Comments? Email me at peaceintheirtime@gmail.com  

I'm talking about bunkers today and I desperately hope you guys are as excited as I am.    Bibliography for this episode:  Doughty, Robert Allan The Seeds of Disaster: The Development of French Army Doctrine 1919-1939 Archon Books 1985 Kaufmann, J.E. and H.W. Kaufmann Fortress France: The Maginot Line and French Defenses in World War II Praeger Security International 2006 Porch, Douglas Defeat and Division: France at War, 1939-1942 Cambridge University Press 2022   Questions? Comments? Email me at peaceintheirtime@gmail.com

Today we move away from the overview history of France to focus on purely military matters. Namely, how the French went wrong in preparing for the next war and how that would play into the disaster of 1940.    Bibliography for this episode:  Doughty, Robert Allan The Seeds of Disaster: The Development of French Army Doctrine 1919-1939 Archon Books 1985 Kaufmann, J.E. and H.W. Kaufmann Fortress France: The Maginot Line and French Defenses in World War II Praeger Security International 2006 Porch, Douglas Defeat and Division: France at War, 1939-1942 Cambridge University Press 2022   Questions? Comments? Email me at peaceintheirtime@gmail.com

For France, lacking in both population count, natural resources, and industry when compared to their hostile neighbor, the colonies were indispensable. But the lackluster engagement from the Popular Front government would help drive local leaders from forming partnerships with their imperial overlords, as even a supposedly friendly government ruled with a clumsy hand. So while the major components of the empire were productive, the people actually living there began envisioning futures separate from Paris.    Bibliography for this episode:  Jackson, Julian The Popular Front in France: Defending Democracy, 1934-38 Cambridge University Press 1988 Roberts, AD The Cambridge History of Africa: Volume 7 from 1905 to 1940 Cambridge University Press 1986 Conklin, Alice L et al France and Its Empire Since 1870 Oxford University Press 2011 Thomas, Martin The French Empire at War, 1940-45 Manchester University Press 1998 Brocheux, Pierre and Daniel Hemery Indochina: An Ambiguous Colonization 1858-1954 University of California Press 2009   Questions? Comments? Email me at peaceintheirtime@gmail.com

The honeymoon period of the Popular Front was basically nil within the actual French government. The establishment may have been willing to entertain limited reforms, but sweeping changes were out of the question, killing the momentum of the entire movement and dooming it to failure.    Bibliography for this episode:  Jackson, Julian The Politics of Depression in France, 1932-1936 Cambridge University Press 1985 Jackson, Julian The Popular Front in France: Defending Democracy, 1934-38 Cambridge University Press 1988 Bernard, Philippe and Henri Dubief The Decline of the Third Republic, 1914-1938 Cambridge University Press 1988 Adamthwaite, Anthony Grandeur and Misery: France 1914-1940 Arnold, 1995 Wright, Gordon France in Modern Times, 4th Ed WW Norton Company, Inc, 1987 Fortescue, William The Third Republic in France 1870-1940 Routledge, 2007 Weber, Eugene The Hollow Years: France in the 1930s WW Norton & Company Inc 1994   Questions? Comments? Email me at peaceintheirtime@gmail.com

By the time the Popular Front came to power it seemed like nothing would be the same in France. Politics were polarizing, the Communists became a viable electoral force, and the old order appeared dead and buried. Strikes were sweeping the nation and the business class appeared to be in retreat. It wouldn't last, but it felt great at the time.    Bibliography for this episode:  Jackson, Julian The Politics of Depression in France, 1932-1936 Cambridge University Press 1985 Jackson, Julian The Popular Front in France: Defending Democracy, 1934-38 Cambridge University Press 1988 Bernard, Philippe and Henri Dubief The Decline of the Third Republic, 1914-1938 Cambridge University Press 1988 Adamthwaite, Anthony Grandeur and Misery: France 1914-1940 Arnold, 1995 Wright, Gordon France in Modern Times, 4th Ed WW Norton Company, Inc, 1987 Fortescue, William The Third Republic in France 1870-1940 Routledge, 2007 Weber, Eugene The Hollow Years: France in the 1930s WW Norton & Company Inc 1994   Questions? Comments? Email me at peaceintheirtime@gmail.com

Switching topics to France in the mid-to-late 1930s, today I cover the early coming together of the Popular Front in France. Expect becoming re-acquainted with the political and economic situation there at the time, as well as an introduction to the key factions and figures that would comprise the Front.    Bibliography for this episode:  Jackson, Julian The Politics of Depression in France, 1932-1936 Cambridge University Press 1985 Jackson, Julian The Popular Front in France: Defending Democracy, 1934-38 Cambridge University Press 1988 Bernard, Philippe and Henri Dubief The Decline of the Third Republic, 1914-1938 Cambridge University Press 1988 Adamthwaite, Anthony Grandeur and Misery: France 1914-1940 Arnold, 1995 Wright, Gordon France in Modern Times, 4th Ed WW Norton Company, Inc, 1987 Fortescue, William The Third Republic in France 1870-1940 Routledge, 2007 Weber, Eugene The Hollow Years: France in the 1930s WW Norton & Company Inc 1994   Questions? Comments? Email me at peaceintheirtime@gmail.com

Today I finally wrap this miniseries with a look at the Hitler Youth, how it developed and its role in the Nazi state. I also touch on the effects of Nazism on the German educational system. Like most things it had any effect on, it wasn't great!   Bibliography for this episode:  HW Koch The Hitler Youth: Origins and Development 1922-1945 Cooper Square Press 2000 (originally Barnes & Noble Books 1975) Evans, Richard J. The Third Reich in Power Penguin Press 2005 Gellately, Robert Hitler's True Believers: How Ordinary People Became Nazis Oxford University Press 2020 Questions? Comments? Email me at peaceintheirtime@gmail.com

Today I take a look at the development of the Nazi security apparatus while under the supervision of the SS. This will include a proper description of the activities of the Gestapo, as well as how the regular police fit into the picture, and how these groups interacted with the SD. Plus, a guest appearance from the SA.    Bibliography for this episode:  Hohne, Heinz The Order of the Death's Head: The Story of Hitler's SS Penguin Books 2000 Weale, Adrian Army of Evil: A History of the SS Penguin Books 2010 Siemens, Daniel Stormtroopers: A New History of Hitler's Brownshirts Yale University Press 2017   Questions? Comments? Email me at peaceintheirtime@gmail.com

Today is the first of a two-parter covering the General SS. The sub-section of the group covered a lot of the administrative activities, but also oversaw the efforts to merge the police forces of Germany into the organization. This would never be totally completed, but the closeness of the SS and law enforcement in Germany was such that they would be linked for most of the Third Reich's existence. On top of that, there was the SD lurking around offering yet another instrument of monitoring and control.    Bibliography for this episode:  Hohne, Heinz The Order of the Death's Head: The Story of Hitler's SS Penguin Books 2000 Weale, Adrian Army of Evil: A History of the SS Penguin Books 2010 Questions? Comments? Email me at peaceintheirtime@gmail.com

Name of the episode says it all. Today covers the pre-war development of the SS-TV, the Concentration/Death Camp guards, and the SS-VT, the early form of the Waffen-SS.    Bibliography for this episode:  Hohne, Heinz The Order of the Death's Head: The Story of Hitler's SS Penguin Books 2000 Weale, Adrian Army of Evil: A History of the SS Penguin Books 2010 Questions? Comments? Email me at peaceintheirtime@gmail.com

No story of the militarization of German society would be complete without talking about the SS. Possibly the most iconic image of Nazi Germany, aside from images of its victims, was the ominous, black-clad figure. This first installment will introduce the group, its general composition, as well as some of its high-level developments to start off this miniseries within a miniseries.    Bibliography for this episode:  Hohne, Heinz The Order of the Death's Head: The Story of Hitler's SS Penguin Books 2000 Weale, Adrian Army of Evil: A History of the SS Penguin Books 2010 Questions? Comments? Email me at peaceintheirtime@gmail.com    

The lengths that I covered last week that the Nazis went to in order to keep the people happy were not done for the love of leisure. The demands of the Third Reich and its rearmament drive were all-consuming and behind the facade of a happy, prosperous Germany was a reality of unrelenting labor.    Bibliography for this episode:  Kershaw, Ian Popular Opinion & Political Dissent in the Third Reich: Bavaria 1933-1945 Oxford University Press 1983 Gellately, Robert Hitler's True Believers: How Ordinary People Became Nazis Oxford University Press 2020 Tooze, Adam Wages of Destruction: The Making and Breaking of the Nazi Economy Penguin Books 2006 Evans, Richard J. The Third Reich in Power Penguin Press 2005 Kershaw, Ian Hitler 1936-1945: Nemesis W.W. Norton and Company 2000 Kershaw, Ian Hitler 1889-1936: Hubris W.W. Norton and Company 1998 Questions? Comments? Email me at peaceintheirtime@gmail.com

The aggression and militarization of society in Nazi Germany may have been most openly expressed in its rearmament and bellicose foreign policy, but a critical element too was in how that state engaged with its own people. Getting everyone onboard with a general war was no small task for a state in its infancy, and this week I start taking a look at how Nazism engaged with people on the street.    Bibliography for this episode:  Gellately, Robert Hitler's True Believers: How Ordinary People Became Nazis Oxford University Press 2020 Tooze, Adam Wages of Destruction: The Making and Breaking of the Nazi Economy Penguin Books 2006 Evans, Richard J. The Third Reich in Power Penguin Press 2005 Emondson, C. Earl The Heimwehr and Austrian Politics, 1918-1936 The University of Georgia Press 1978 Kershaw, Ian Hitler 1936-1945: Nemesis W.W. Norton and Company 2000 Kershaw, Ian Hitler 1889-1936: Hubris W.W. Norton and Company 1998 Questions? Comments? Email me at peaceintheirtime@gmail.com

It seemed that after the re-occupation of the Rhineland that Hitler had gotten the measure of the UK and France, and that what had seemed impossible previously was now quite the opposite. To that end, he was finally able to achieve one of the biggest goals of both the Nazis and German nationalists in general: the unification of Austria to Germany.    Bibliography for this episode:  Tooze, Adam Wages of Destruction: The Making and Breaking of the Nazi Economy Penguin Books 2006 Evans, Richard J. The Third Reich in Power Penguin Press 2005 Emondson, C. Earl The Heimwehr and Austrian Politics, 1918-1936 The University of Georgia Press 1978 Kershaw, Ian Hitler 1936-1945: Nemesis W.W. Norton and Company 2000 Toland, John Adolf Hitler, Volume 1 Doubleday & Company Inc 1976 Questions? Comments? Email me at peaceintheirtime@gmail.com

The name of the game for 1930s Germany was escalation. Not just in armaments, but in diplomatic moves as well. From small moves to prevent coalitions forming against them, to major plays to bring down the Versailles order, the Nazis only grew bolder as they began to realize the West lacked the wherewithal to stop them.    Bibliography for this episode:  Tooze, Adam Wages of Destruction: The Making and Breaking of the Nazi Economy Penguin Books 2006 Evans, Richard J. The Third Reich in Power Penguin Press 2005 Kershaw, Ian Hitler 1889-1936: Hubris W.W. Norton and Company 1998 Kershaw, Ian Hitler 1936-1945: Nemesis W.W. Norton and Company 2000 Toland, John Adolf Hitler, Volume 1 Doubleday & Company Inc 1976 Questions? Comments? Email me at peaceintheirtime@gmail.com

We all know the Germans annexed Austria in 1938, but the story of how they tried to overthrow their southern neighbor in 1934 doesn't get as much attention. Today I'll be covering the politics and instability that created a window of opportunity, or perhaps more the scant impression of one, to be exploited by the Nazis.   Bibliography for this episode:  Emondson, C. Earl The Heimwehr and Austrian Politics, 1918-1936 The University of Georgia Press 1978 Beller, Steven A Concise History of Austria Cambridge University Press 2007 Evans, Richard J. The Third Reich in Power Penguin Press 2005 Kershaw, Ian Hitler 1889-1936: Hubris W.W. Norton and Company 1998 Questions? Comments? Email me at peaceintheirtime@gmail.com

Military conquest was always an ambition of Hitler and the Nazis, a central thesis of theirs was that war was necessary to strengthen their nation. But while the military was built-up almost from scratch, victories were sought on the diplomatic front. Which is the new facet of German aggression being moved onto. Today specifically be about the Geneva Disarmament Conference, the colossal waste of time it wound up being, and how it set the tone for Nazi diplomacy in the future.    Bibliography for this episode:  Bennett, Edward W. German Rearmament and the West, 1932-1933 Princeton University Press 1979 Nere, J. The Foreign Policy of France from 1914 to 1945 Routledge & Kegan Paul Ltd 1975 Kitching, Carolyn J. Britain and the Geneva Disarmament Conference: A Study in International History Palgrave Macmillan 2003 Questions? Comments? Email me at peaceintheirtime@gmail.com

For the 200th episode I'm taking a dive into the minutia of the German Army's arsenal. Ironically, some of the most famous German weapons were only introduced in the later half of the war, when they were losing ground left and right. The years of their build-up and conquest were marked by much more modest pieces of equipment that nevertheless had their qualities.

Was the German Army of WWII the unstoppable demon army of military myth? Or were they the luckiest flock of goose-steppers ever to visit Paris? Turns out they were simply a professional force that brought just enough new ideas to the table that they made everybody else look bad there for a while. Today I break down the broad strokes of German doctrine and organization for its army, everybody's favorite WWII topic since 1945.    Questions? Comments? Email me at peaceintheirtime@gmail.com

I know that half the military history internet is devoted to the technical specs of the German military in WWII, but for completions sake I'm going to be adding to that pile. Today I cover the organization, doctrine, and models of weapon used by the two supporting branches of the German military.    Bibliography for this episode:  Deist, Wilhelm The Wehrmacht and German Rearmament MacMillan Press Ltd 1986 Bishop, Chris The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II Barnes & Noble Inc 1998 Donald, David Warplanes of the Luftwaffe Aerospace Publishing Ltd 1994 Williamson, Gordon Hitler's Navy: The Kriegsmarine in World War II Osprey Publishing Ltd 2022 Williamson, Gordon German Light Cruisers 1939-45 Osprey Publishing Ltd 2003 Questions? Comments? Email me at peaceintheirtime@gmail.com  

In the second half of this installment, I wrap up the woes the Wehrmacht faced by the end of the 30s, problems that would never be fully resolved. Also covered is the Blomberg-Fritsch Affair, two unrelated scandals that nevertheless Hitler used as cover to solidify control of the army.    Bibliography for this episode:  Tooze, Adam Wages of Destruction: The Making and Breaking of the Nazi Economy Penguin Books 2006 Evans, Richard J. The Third Reich in Power Penguin Press 2005 Kershaw, Ian Hitler 1889-1936: Hubris W.W. Norton and Company 1998 Kershaw, Ian Hitler 1936-1945: Nemesis W.W. Norton and Company 2000 Deist, Wilhelm The Wehrmacht and German Rearmament MacMillan Press Ltd 1986 Questions? Comments? Email me at peaceintheirtime@gmail.com

I've been slacking a lot on the release schedule, so enjoy a second episode for this week. Today I'm still talking about rearmament, but this time it's just the planning on the military side. Turns out expanding your army to support thirty times more troops, all the while building a world-class air force from scratch, and half-heartedly constructing a navy in a little over half a decade creates some problems.    Bibliography for this episode:  Tooze, Adam Wages of Destruction: The Making and Breaking of the Nazi Economy Penguin Books 2006 Evans, Richard J. The Third Reich in Power Penguin Press 2005 Kershaw, Ian Hitler 1889-1936: Hubris W.W. Norton and Company 1998 Kershaw, Ian Hitler 1936-1945: Nemesis W.W. Norton and Company 2000 Deist, Wilhelm The Wehrmacht and German Rearmament MacMillan Press Ltd 1986 Questions? Comments? Email me at peaceintheirtime@gmail.com

The reality of Nazi Germany's bid to conquer Europe and dominate the world was that it simply lacked the economic capacity to actually do those things. That didn't stop Hitler from trying though, and he pushed the economy to the breaking point getting as many weapons and the biggest army he could.    Bibliography for this episode:  Tooze, Adam Wages of Destruction: The Making and Breaking of the Nazi Economy Penguin Books 2006 Evans, Richard J. The Third Reich in Power Penguin Press 2005 Jeffreys, Diarmuid Hell's Cartel: IG Farben and the Making of Hitler's War Machine Metropolitan Books 2008 Kershaw, Ian Hitler 1889-1936: Hubris W.W. Norton and Company 1998 Kershaw, Ian Hitler 1936-1945: Nemesis W.W. Norton and Company 2000 Deist, Wilhelm The Wehrmacht and German Rearmament MacMillan Press Ltd 1986 Questions? Comments? Email me at peaceintheirtime@gmail.com

A sudden transformation of the economy needed collaborators to be carried out in such a short time frame as the Nazis were demanding. And it also demanded a closer relationship between the state and capital, leading to an unholy alliance that brought out the worst in both the German business class and the upper echelons of the Nazi government. 

One of the most striking accomplishments of the Nazi state during the 1930s was the speed with which it built an army capable of conquering Europe. It wasn't a perfect army mind you, but it was capable all the same. And given that it was built up from the weak interwar army in just six years, well something unusual was afoot in Germany. And that something was a startling overhaul of the economy towards war production, to an extent unheard of in peacetime. The first stage of this masked war economy is where I'll be starting on this new miniseries covering the rise of the Nazi war machine. 

I bring my coverage of the Italo-Ethiopian war to a close today with a two-topic episode. First I cover events and changes in Italy brought on by the war, and then I give a general overview of the brutal regime and resulting insurgency in Ethiopia.    Bibliography for this episode:  Mockler, Anthony Haile Selassie's War Oliver Branch Press 2003 Pearce, Jeff Prevail: The Inspiring Story of Ethiopia's Victory over Mussolini's Invasion, 1935-41 Skyhorse Publishing 2014 Strang, G. Bruce Collision of Empires: Italy's Invasion of Ethiopia and its International Impact Rutledge 2013 Gooch, John Mussolini and His Generals Cambridge University Press, 2007 Mallett, Robert Mussolini in Ethiopia, 1919-1935: The Origins of Fascist Italy's African War Cambridge University Press 2015 Kallis, Aristotle A. Fascist Ideology: Territory and Expansionism in Italy and Germany, 1922-1945 Routledge 2000 Bosworth, RJB Mussolini's Italy Penguin Group 2005 Bosworth, RJB Mussolini Oxford University Press 2002 Whittam, John Fascist Italy Manchester University Press 1995 Morgan, Phillip Italian Fascism 1919-1945 St. Martin's Press 1995   Questions? Comments? Email me at peaceintheirtime@gmail.com

One immediate effect of the Italians invading Ethiopia was that it kicked the international crisis that had formed beforehand into overdrive. Most governments might have preferred to keep to a light touch response, but public outcry was such that governments had to either respond or face actual consequences. But despite public pressure and the downfall of some politicians, help was badly lacking for the Ethiopians.    Bibliography for this episode:  Strang, G. Bruce Collision of Empires: Italy's Invasion of Ethiopia and its International Impact Rutledge 2013 Mockler, Anthony Haile Selassie's War Oliver Branch Press 2003 Pearce, Jeff Prevail: The Inspiring Story of Ethiopia's Victory over Mussolini's Invasion, 1935-41 Skyhorse Publishing 2014 Mallett, Robert Mussolini in Ethiopia, 1919-1935: The Origins of Fascist Italy's African War Cambridge University Press 2015   Questions? Comments? Email me at peaceintheirtime@gmail.com

Today I conclude the events of the initial Italian invasion of Ethiopia. It's an anti-climatic affair, with the collapse of the main Ethiopian armies the big challenge facing the invaders were the distances and geography involved. Still, there were numerous half-hearted gestures that delayed the Italians establishing their rule for many months after proper hostilities had concluded, and which set the stage for a long period of unrest that the occupiers were never able to control.   Bibliography for this episode:  Mockler, Anthony Haile Selassie's War Oliver Branch Press 2003 Pearce, Jeff Prevail: The Inspiring Story of Ethiopia's Victory over Mussolini's Invasion, 1935-41 Skyhorse Publishing 2014 Strang, G. Bruce Collision of Empires: Italy's Invasion of Ethiopia and its International Impact Rutledge 2013 Gooch, John Mussolini and His Generals Cambridge University Press, 2007 Mallett, Robert Mussolini in Ethiopia, 1919-1935: The Origins of Fascist Italy's African War Cambridge University Press 2015 Kallis, Aristotle A. Fascist Ideology: Territory and Expansionism in Italy and Germany, 1922-1945 Routledge 2000 Bosworth, RJB Mussolini's Italy Penguin Group 2005 Bosworth, RJB Mussolini Oxford University Press 2002 Whittam, John Fascist Italy Manchester University Press 1995 Morgan, Phillip Italian Fascism 1919-1945 St. Martin's Press 1995   Questions? Comments? Email me at peaceintheirtime@gmail.com

Today I cover the big battles of the war, and sad to say, they do not go Ethiopia's way at all. Despite promising tactical successes in the first few months of the conflict, the weight of Italian firepower finally overwhelmed the defenders on all fronts.    Bibliography for this episode:  Mockler, Anthony Haile Selassie's War Oliver Branch Press 2003 Pearce, Jeff Prevail: The Inspiring Story of Ethiopia's Victory over Mussolini's Invasion, 1935-41 Skyhorse Publishing 2014 Strang, G. Bruce Collision of Empires: Italy's Invasion of Ethiopia and its International Impact Rutledge 2013 Gooch, John Mussolini and His Generals Cambridge University Press, 2007 Mallett, Robert Mussolini in Ethiopia, 1919-1935: The Origins of Fascist Italy's African War Cambridge University Press 2015 Kallis, Aristotle A. Fascist Ideology: Territory and Expansionism in Italy and Germany, 1922-1945 Routledge 2000 Bosworth, RJB Mussolini's Italy Penguin Group 2005 Bosworth, RJB Mussolini Oxford University Press 2002 Whittam, John Fascist Italy Manchester University Press 1995 Morgan, Phillip Italian Fascism 1919-1945 St. Martin's Press 1995   Questions? Comments? Email me at peaceintheirtime@gmail.com

Today I finally begin covering the actual Italian invasion of Ethiopia, which will take three installments. The first few months of the invasion were marked by a slow Italian advance, Ethiopia getting its army together, and the invaders quickly turning to chemical weapons.    Bibliography for this episode:  Mockler, Anthony Haile Selassie's War Oliver Branch Press 2003 Pearce, Jeff Prevail: The Inspiring Story of Ethiopia's Victory over Mussolini's Invasion, 1935-41 Skyhorse Publishing 2014 Strang, G. Bruce Collision of Empires: Italy's Invasion of Ethiopia and its International Impact Rutledge 2013 Gooch, John Mussolini and His Generals Cambridge University Press, 2007 Mallett, Robert Mussolini in Ethiopia, 1919-1935: The Origins of Fascist Italy's African War Cambridge University Press 2015 Kallis, Aristotle A. Fascist Ideology: Territory and Expansionism in Italy and Germany, 1922-1945 Routledge 2000 Bosworth, RJB Mussolini's Italy Penguin Group 2005 Bosworth, RJB Mussolini Oxford University Press 2002 Whittam, John Fascist Italy Manchester University Press 1995 Morgan, Phillip Italian Fascism 1919-1945 St. Martin's Press 1995   Questions? Comments? Email me at peaceintheirtime@gmail.com

This week I cover the other two branches of the Italian military, the navy and air force. Like the army, the get bad reputations. Also like the army, there are reasons for this, which I get into during the episode. 

It's finally time to take a specific look at the fighting forces of one of the major players in our story. And since this is a new kind of episode for me, I'm happy that I'm taking the baby step of talking about one of the smaller examples. Italy gets maligned a lot during this period, and there are good reasons for this, but today I not only want to cover how its army worked, but also where these deficiencies came from.    Questions? Comments? Email me at peaceintheirtime@gmail.com

I'm trying something new today, and this episode isn't intended to advance the narrative at all, but it is intended to give a crash-course on military organization and important kinds of equipment. It's not intended for everyone, as some of you already know everything that I cover, and many of you who do not are not going to be interested in the material. And that's OK! I just wanted to throw this out there just to get a baseline of familiarity of the material established.

The Ethiopian Crisis kicked off over a border incident in the village of Walwal in October-December 1934, and then proceeded to slow-burn develop until the Italian invasion actually came in October 1935. It was a period of diplomatic maneuverings, and served to deliver a fatal blow to the system of collective security that had been so painfully built up during the 1920s.    Strang, G. Bruce Collision of Empires: Italy's Invasion of Ethiopia and its International Impact Rutledge 2013 Mockler, Anthony Haile Selassie's War Oliver Branch Press 2003 Pearce, Jeff Prevail: The Inspiring Story of Ethiopia's Victory over Mussolini's Invasion, 1935-41 Skyhorse Publishing 2014 Gooch, John Mussolini and His Generals Cambridge University Press, 2007 Mallett, Robert Mussolini in Ethiopia, 1919-1935: The Origins of Fascist Italy's African War Cambridge University Press 2015 Kallis, Aristotle A. Fascist Ideology: Territory and Expansionism in Italy and Germany, 1922-1945 Routledge 2000 Bosworth, RJB Mussolini's Italy Penguin Group 2005 Bosworth, RJB Mussolini Oxford University Press 2002 Whittam, John Fascist Italy Manchester University Press 1995 Morgan, Phillip Italian Fascism 1919-1945 St. Martin's Press 1995   Questions? Comments? Email me at peaceintheirtime@gmail.com

Ethiopia was not Mussolini's preferred target in the early 1930s. His expansionist ambitions gravitated more towards the Balkans, and Yugoslavia in particular. But diplomatic and military realities, the pressure of an emerging fascist rival, and Italy's own weakness forced his attention towards East Africa as an alternative.    Bibliography for this episode:    Gooch, John Mussolini and His Generals Cambridge University Press, 2007 Mallett, Robert Mussolini in Ethiopia, 1919-1935: The Origins of Fascist Italy's African War Cambridge University Press 2015 Kallis, Aristotle A. Fascist Ideology: Territory and Expansionism in Italy and Germany, 1922-1945 Routledge 2000 Bosworth, RJB Mussolini's Italy Penguin Group 2005 Bosworth, RJB Mussolini Oxford University Press 2002 Whittam, John Fascist Italy Manchester University Press 1995 Morgan, Phillip Italian Fascism 1919-1945 St. Martin's Press 1995   Questions? Comments? Email me at peaceintheirtime@gmail.com

I wrap up the intro to Ethiopia this week by covering the key points of Menelik's successful reign, and the rise to power of Ras Tafari Makonnen. Who before this episode is finished will have established himself under his much more famous royal name of Haile Selassie. His reign would see forceful attempts at modernization, which was carried out against a ticking clock, as there always seemed to be a threat to Ethiopia.    Bibliography for this episode:    Marcus, Harold G. A History of Ethiopia University of California Press 1994 Adejumobi, Saheed A. The History of Ethiopia Greenwood Press 2007 Questions? Comments? Email me at peaceintheirtime@gmail.com

Today marks the start of another new miniseries, this time cover the Italian invasion of Ethiopia. But before I get going on the main topic, I'm going to be spending the next two episodes introducing modern Ethiopia. If you missed the overview histories from last season, you're in luck as this is a crash course how the country unified and survived the scramble for Africa.    Bibliography for this episode:    Marcus, Harold G. A History of Ethiopia University of California Press 1994 Adejumobi, Saheed A. The History of Ethiopia Greenwood Press 2007 Questions? Comments? Email me at peaceintheirtime@gmail.com

Given all the misfortune to have befallen the Roosevelt administration going into the 1934 mid-terms, you'd probably think FDR and the Democrats were going to pay a political price. Well, turns out their opposition wasn't exactly the most effectual. Or in the case of Huey Long it was complicated by actually being a Democrat at the time. Anyway, today I'm looking at the early opposition figures to the New Deal, and how they failed to counter the new normal in the United States.    Bibliography for this episode:    Kennedy, David M. Freedom From Fear: The American People in Depression and War 1929-1945 Oxford University Press 1999 Hiltzik, Michael The New Deal: A Modern History Simon and Schuster 2011 Schlesinger Jr, Arthur M. The Age of Roosevelt Volume II: The Coming of the New Deal 1933-1935 First Mariner Books 2003 Katznelson, Ira Fear Itself: The New Deal and the Origins of Our Time W.W. Norton and Company, Inc 2013 Smith, Jason Scott A Concise History of the New Deal Cambridge University Press 2014 Engerman, Stanley L. and Robert E. Gallman The Cambridge Economic History of the United States, Volume III: The Twentieth Century Cambridge University Press 2000 Questions? Comments? Email me at peaceintheirtime@gmail.com

One of the big criticisms of the New Deal, and one of the most valid, was the fact that it didn't do much of anything to try and tackle the plight of African-Americans. Sure, the relief efforts and public works projects were mostly made available to all Americans. But these efforts didn't reckon with the institutional discrimination of the country, nor the fact that they had toiled as second-class citizens for generations already, and therefore would have benefited enormously from reforms to address that. Those reforms were not forthcoming, and today we'll get into why, along with other ways African-Americans experienced the New Deal.    Bibliography for this episode:    Kennedy, David M. Freedom From Fear: The American People in Depression and War 1929-1945 Oxford University Press 1999 Hiltzik, Michael The New Deal: A Modern History Simon and Schuster 2011 Schlesinger Jr, Arthur M. The Age of Roosevelt Volume II: The Coming of the New Deal 1933-1935 First Mariner Books 2003 Katznelson, Ira Fear Itself: The New Deal and the Origins of Our Time W.W. Norton and Company, Inc 2013 Smith, Jason Scott A Concise History of the New Deal Cambridge University Press 2014 Engerman, Stanley L. and Robert E. Gallman The Cambridge Economic History of the United States, Volume III: The Twentieth Century Cambridge University Press 2000 Questions? Comments? Email me at peaceintheirtime@gmail.com

Organized labor might as well have been pronounced dead during the 1920s, and the Depression didn't seem like it'd be a big help in rejuvenating it. But thanks to a dramatic policy change from the Roosevelt administration, unions got a new lease on life. This would of course be challenged by the owner class, and the first couple years of worker resurgence would be met with physical force.    Bibliography for this episode:    Kennedy, David M. Freedom From Fear: The American People in Depression and War 1929-1945 Oxford University Press 1999 Hiltzik, Michael The New Deal: A Modern History Simon and Schuster 2011 Schlesinger Jr, Arthur M. The Age of Roosevelt Volume II: The Coming of the New Deal 1933-1935 First Mariner Books 2003 Katznelson, Ira Fear Itself: The New Deal and the Origins of Our Time W.W. Norton and Company, Inc 2013 Smith, Jason Scott A Concise History of the New Deal Cambridge University Press 2014 Engerman, Stanley L. and Robert E. Gallman The Cambridge Economic History of the United States, Volume III: The Twentieth Century Cambridge University Press 2000 Questions? Comments? Email me at peaceintheirtime@gmail.com

By 1933 the bright golden haze on America's meadows had been dimmed down to a featureless beige. Twelve years of bad times, which included four years of outright Depression, had wrecked the nation's farms. It would take unprecedented levels of intervention and organization to bring the truly lean years to a conclusion, and the collateral damage would be severe.    Bibliography for this episode:    Kennedy, David M. Freedom From Fear: The American People in Depression and War 1929-1945 Oxford University Press 1999 Hiltzik, Michael The New Deal: A Modern History Simon and Schuster 2011 Schlesinger Jr, Arthur M. The Age of Roosevelt Volume II: The Coming of the New Deal 1933-1935 First Mariner Books 2003 Katznelson, Ira Fear Itself: The New Deal and the Origins of Our Time W.W. Norton and Company, Inc 2013 Smith, Jason Scott A Concise History of the New Deal Cambridge University Press 2014 Engerman, Stanley L. and Robert E. Gallman The Cambridge Economic History of the United States, Volume III: The Twentieth Century Cambridge University Press 2000 Questions? Comments? Email me at peaceintheirtime@gmail.com

Possibly the most defining programs of the New Deal were the public works projects that created well-paying jobs for millions of Americans in the depths of the Depression. This shouldn't be a surprise, much of the nation's most iconic infrastructure, still in use in many cases to the modern day, was built through these programs. But they were not without controversy as today I'll be covering today alongside the accomplishments.    Bibliography for this episode:    Kennedy, David M. Freedom From Fear: The American People in Depression and War 1929-1945 Oxford University Press 1999 Hiltzik, Michael The New Deal: A Modern History Simon and Schuster 2011 Schlesinger Jr, Arthur M. The Age of Roosevelt Volume II: The Coming of the New Deal 1933-1935 First Mariner Books 2003 Katznelson, Ira Fear Itself: The New Deal and the Origins of Our Time W.W. Norton and Company, Inc 2013 Smith, Jason Scott A Concise History of the New Deal Cambridge University Press 2014 Engerman, Stanley L. and Robert E. Gallman The Cambridge Economic History of the United States, Volume III: The Twentieth Century Cambridge University Press 2000 Questions? Comments? Email me at peaceintheirtime@gmail.com

The great economic straight-jacket of the 1920s and 30s was the Gold Standard, which created a global system that seemingly locked everybody into a stable system. I've talked about that enough already, so today I'm talking about how the Roosevelt administration began distancing itself from the old ways. Bibliography for this episode:    Kennedy, David M. Freedom From Fear: The American People in Depression and War 1929-1945 Oxford University Press 1999 Hiltzik, Michael The New Deal: A Modern History Simon and Schuster 2011 Schlesinger Jr, Arthur M. The Age of Roosevelt Volume II: The Coming of the New Deal 1933-1935 First Mariner Books 2003 Katznelson, Ira Fear Itself: The New Deal and the Origins of Our Time W.W. Norton and Company, Inc 2013 Smith, Jason Scott A Concise History of the New Deal Cambridge University Press 2014 Engerman, Stanley L. and Robert E. Gallman The Cambridge Economic History of the United States, Volume III: The Twentieth Century Cambridge University Press 2000 Questions? Comments? Email me at peaceintheirtime@gmail.com

The narrative of the New Deal really kicks off here, as I discuss the work of the National Recovery Administration. Okay, that's not totally accurate. I'm mostly talking about the public antics of its boss, former brigadier general Hugh Johnson. Who will easily win the award for most self-destructive character in this mini-series.    Bibliography for this episode:    Kennedy, David M. Freedom From Fear: The American People in Depression and War 1929-1945 Oxford University Press 1999 Hiltzik, Michael The New Deal: A Modern History Simon and Schuster 2011 Schlesinger Jr, Arthur M. The Age of Roosevelt Volume II: The Coming of the New Deal 1933-1935 First Mariner Books 2003 Katznelson, Ira Fear Itself: The New Deal and the Origins of Our Time W.W. Norton and Company, Inc 2013 Smith, Jason Scott A Concise History of the New Deal Cambridge University Press 2014   Questions? Comments? Email me at peaceintheirtime@gmail.com

Wherein the special session of Congress of 1933 concludes, and I can stop making blurbs about bills and government agencies.    Bibliography for this episode:    Kennedy, David M. Freedom From Fear: The American People in Depression and War 1929-1945 Oxford University Press 1999 Hiltzik, Michael The New Deal: A Modern History Simon and Schuster 2011 Schlesinger Jr, Arthur M. The Age of Roosevelt Volume II: The Coming of the New Deal 1933-1935 First Mariner Books 2003 Katznelson, Ira Fear Itself: The New Deal and the Origins of Our Time W.W. Norton and Company, Inc 2013 Smith, Jason Scott A Concise History of the New Deal Cambridge University Press 2014   Questions? Comments? Email me at peaceintheirtime@gmail.com