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Nick Lloyd's "The Western Front: The History of the Great War, Volume 1" provides a comprehensive narrative of the Great War in Belgium and France from 1914 to 1918. As the first volume of a planned trilogy, this work aims to offer a nuanced understanding of this pivotal theater, moving beyond common myths and focusing on the operational perspective of senior commanders across all involved powers. 1914 HINDENBERG Here's a summary of the key aspects, figures, and events covered: Lloyd's Ambition and Approach Comprehensive Narrative: Lloyd, a reader in military and imperial history at King's College London, undertook this "big project" to create a grand narrative of the entire Western Front, encompassing the French sector, American sector, and the German story, alongside the often-emphasized British perspective. Focus on Senior Commanders: A primary goal was to view the war from the lens of senior commanders, challenging the traditional portrayal of them as "donkeys or butchers and bunglers." Lloyd aims to help readers appreciate the immense pressures and difficulties these individuals faced, offering a "cooler perspective" on their successes and errors. Trilogy: This book is the first of three volumes; future volumes will cover the Eastern Front and global warfare in the Middle East and Africa. Lloyd emphasizes that while other fronts are mentioned, the Western Front remained the decisive theater where Germany, France, Britain, and America determined the war's outcome. British Involvement and Leadership Initial Reluctance: Britain initially entered the conflict with a limited commitment, deploying only four infantry divisions and one cavalry division as the British Expeditionary Force (BEF), a "small army" compared to the French (80 divisions) and Germans (over 100 divisions). This reflected a desire for "limited liability" to the Western Front, contrasting sharply with French demands for more manpower. Early Leaders: H.H. Asquith (Prime Minister) was reportedly distracted by personal affairs at the war's outset. Lord Kitchener (Minister of War) was a professional soldier and hero of the empire, wary of deep British involvement but committed to supporting the French. Field Marshal Sir John French (Commander-in-Chief, BEF) was a Boer War hero who found himself "out of his depth" by 1914, struggling with the war's scale and intensity. During the August 1914 retreat, French considered pulling the BEF out of the line due to immense losses and pressure, a move Kitchener personally intervened to prevent, ordering French to stay and fight. Frencheventually "breaks down" due to losses and pressure and is sent home at the end of 1915. Later Leadership and Strategy: David Lloyd George (Prime Minister from late 1916) is credited as "the prime minister that wins the war" in Britain. He showed great energy in revitalizing British industry and re-equipping the army, despite having poor relations with his top generals. Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig replaced French as Commander-in-Chief of the BEF. Haig and Lloyd George had fundamentally different strategic outlooks, leading to "constant arguments and backstabbing". At the Battle of the Somme (1916), Haig favored a breakthrough strategy, aiming for maneuver and cavalry deployment to defeat the German army. However, his army commander, Rawlinson, advocated a "bite and hold" strategy, focusing on concentrated artillery to smash enemy lines, take ground, then consolidate before repeating, acknowledging that a grand breakthrough was not yet feasible for the largely "green" British army. German Strategy and Commanders Initial Invasion: The German invasion of France and Belgium in 1914 was based on the ambitious Schlieffen Plan, which aimed for a massive attack through Belgium to outflank French defenses and destroy their army in a grand battle of envelopment. Helmuth von Moltke the Younger (Chief of the General Staff) was under immense pressure and altered the Schlieffen Plan, weakening its critical right wing, and ultimately suffered a nervous breakdown by mid-September 1914. Moltke's controversial decision to order General Kluck's First Army to turn southeast instead of enveloping Paris contributed to the failure of the Schlieffen Plan, despite Kluck initially ignoring the order. Kaiser Wilhelm: His character was inconsistent, often described as a "weather vane," and he gradually became a less central figure as Hindenburg and Ludendorff gained influence from 1916. Erich von Falkenhayn (replaces Moltke in 1914) was the architect of the Verdun Offensive (1916). His vision was unique, aiming not for territorial gains but for attrition: to "kill Frenchmen" and exhaust them. Political Interference: Chancellor Theobald von Bethmann-Hollweg often opposed Falkenhayn's desire for unrestricted submarine warfare due to diplomatic concerns (e.g., fear of American entry), illustrating the German military's tendency to prioritize tactical effectiveness over political and strategic issues, which was ultimately "fatal". French Efforts and Leadership Joseph Joffre (Commander of French Forces): Described as a "great hero" of the French army, Joffrepossessed remarkable calmness and an ability to absorb punishment and react quickly. His leadership was crucial in defeating the Schlieffen Plan and counterattacking at the Battle of the Marne in September 1914, preventing a German victory. Raymond Poincaré (President of the French Republic): A nationalist deeply involved in military analysis, Poincaré was central to the political efforts to reassert civilian primacy over the army and secure British manpower commitments. General Castelnau (Joffre's chief of staff): A deeply religious man who personally lost three sons in the war, Castelnau exemplifies the human cost and personal horror experienced by some senior commanders, helping to humanize these figures in Lloyd's narrative. Robert Nivelle: An artillery officer who rose rapidly due to his successes at Verdun, Nivelle replaced Joffrein December 1916. He attempted a decisive breakthrough in his Nivelle Offensive in April 1917 with a "formula" for success, but it failed catastrophically due to his being "out of his depth" at the command-in-chief level, leading to French army issues including mutiny. Philippe Pétain: Replaced Nivelle, Pétain became a "savior of France." He was renowned for his deep understanding of battlefield realities and a strong connection with his troops. At Verdun, he innovated by rotating divisions out of the line for rest and recuperation, contrasting with the German practice of fighting units "until basically there's not a lot left". Ferdinand Foch (Supreme Allied Commander from April 1918): Foch is widely regarded as one of the most important generals of the war. He was an energetic and charismatic leader who successfully coordinated the American, British, and French forces in 1918, leading them to victory in the multinational war. His reputation continues to strengthen over time. American Involvement Entry into War: The United States declared war on Germany and Austria in April 1917. General John J. Pershing arrived in Paris in June 1917 to lead the American Expeditionary Force (AEF), despite having only 113,000 men in the army at the time. Rejection of Amalgamation: Pershing steadfastly resisted French and British desires to "amalgamate" American manpower into their existing divisions, insisting that American soldiers fight as an independent army. He argued that the Allies had a poor record of "not killing your own troops". German Miscalculation: Germany severely underestimated how quickly the United States could build and deploy an army, believing it would take years. This misjudgment ultimately contributed to their defeat once the Americans demonstrated their seriousness in 1918. American involvement became "crucial" by 1917, changing the atmosphere. Evolution of Warfare on the Western Front From Movement to Stalemate: The initial German invasion failed to achieve a decisive victory, leading to the establishment of trench warfare after the Battle of the Marne. Realization of No Breakthrough: After the Second Battle of Champagne (1915), Allied and Germancommanders like Joffre and Falkenhayn began to recognize that a "grand shattering breakthrough" was not achievable in the foreseeable future. Constant Adaptation: This realization led to a continuous arms race. As Allied artillery and tactics improved, German defenses evolved from single lines to complex "zones of pill boxes," making progress difficult and bloody. The war became an intense exercise in violence where commanders constantly adapted to a "cauldron of war". Key Battles and Their Significance Battle of the Marne (September 1914): Joffre's successful counterattack forced the Germans to retreat, effectively ending the Schlieffen Plan and leading to the beginning of trench warfare. Second Battle of Champagne (September-October 1915): A major French offensive that, despite immense effort and casualties, failed to achieve a decisive breakthrough, solidifying the understanding that trench deadlock could not be easily broken. Verdun (1916): Falkenhayn's attrition battle, designed to "kill Frenchmen," concentrated immense firepower in a small area, creating a "moonscape effect." While not decisive in destroying the French, it was a moment where "things start to go wrong for Germany," from which she never truly recovers. Somme (1916): A British and French offensive intended to relieve pressure on Verdun, but also driven by Haig's ambition for a breakthrough. The debate between breakthrough and Rawlinson's "bite and hold" strategy highlighted the dilemmas of Western Front warfare. Nivelle Offensive (April 1917): A disastrous French attempt at a breakthrough, which highlighted Nivelle'soverreach and led to significant disillusionment and mutiny within the French army. End of the War and its Legacy German Defeat: Lloyd's book argues that the German army was "falling apart" and "defeated rapidly in 1918" despite the persistent "stab in the back" myth that claimed they were betrayed at home. Armistice Decision: The decision by the Allies not to invade Germany was primarily political, as the British and French were "totally exhausted," while the Americans were "much fresher" and more keen to continue. Lloyd considers the armistice "fair on all sides". Lloyd's work underscores that the Western Front was a complex, multinational struggle marked by evolving strategies, immense pressures on commanders, and profound human costs, which ultimately determined the course of the Great War and cast a long shadow over the 20th century.

Nick Lloyd's "The Western Front: The History of the Great War, Volume 1" provides a comprehensive narrative of the Great War in Belgium and France from 1914 to 1918. As the first volume of a planned trilogy, this work aims to offer a nuanced understanding of this pivotal theater, moving beyond common myths and focusing on the operational perspective of senior commanders across all involved powers. 1919 LONDON CHURCHILL Z PERSHING Here's a summary of the key aspects, figures, and events covered: Lloyd's Ambition and Approach Comprehensive Narrative: Lloyd, a reader in military and imperial history at King's College London, undertook this "big project" to create a grand narrative of the entire Western Front, encompassing the French sector, American sector, and the German story, alongside the often-emphasized British perspective. Focus on Senior Commanders: A primary goal was to view the war from the lens of senior commanders, challenging the traditional portrayal of them as "donkeys or butchers and bunglers." Lloyd aims to help readers appreciate the immense pressures and difficulties these individuals faced, offering a "cooler perspective" on their successes and errors. Trilogy: This book is the first of three volumes; future volumes will cover the Eastern Front and global warfare in the Middle East and Africa. Lloyd emphasizes that while other fronts are mentioned, the Western Front remained the decisive theater where Germany, France, Britain, and America determined the war's outcome. British Involvement and Leadership Initial Reluctance: Britain initially entered the conflict with a limited commitment, deploying only four infantry divisions and one cavalry division as the British Expeditionary Force (BEF), a "small army" compared to the French (80 divisions) and Germans (over 100 divisions). This reflected a desire for "limited liability" to the Western Front, contrasting sharply with French demands for more manpower. Early Leaders: H.H. Asquith (Prime Minister) was reportedly distracted by personal affairs at the war's outset. Lord Kitchener (Minister of War) was a professional soldier and hero of the empire, wary of deep British involvement but committed to supporting the French. Field Marshal Sir John French (Commander-in-Chief, BEF) was a Boer War hero who found himself "out of his depth" by 1914, struggling with the war's scale and intensity. During the August 1914 retreat, French considered pulling the BEF out of the line due to immense losses and pressure, a move Kitchener personally intervened to prevent, ordering French to stay and fight. Frencheventually "breaks down" due to losses and pressure and is sent home at the end of 1915. Later Leadership and Strategy: David Lloyd George (Prime Minister from late 1916) is credited as "the prime minister that wins the war" in Britain. He showed great energy in revitalizing British industry and re-equipping the army, despite having poor relations with his top generals. Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig replaced French as Commander-in-Chief of the BEF. Haig and Lloyd George had fundamentally different strategic outlooks, leading to "constant arguments and backstabbing". At the Battle of the Somme (1916), Haig favored a breakthrough strategy, aiming for maneuver and cavalry deployment to defeat the German army. However, his army commander, Rawlinson, advocated a "bite and hold" strategy, focusing on concentrated artillery to smash enemy lines, take ground, then consolidate before repeating, acknowledging that a grand breakthrough was not yet feasible for the largely "green" British army. German Strategy and Commanders Initial Invasion: The German invasion of France and Belgium in 1914 was based on the ambitious Schlieffen Plan, which aimed for a massive attack through Belgium to outflank French defenses and destroy their army in a grand battle of envelopment. Helmuth von Moltke the Younger (Chief of the General Staff) was under immense pressure and altered the Schlieffen Plan, weakening its critical right wing, and ultimately suffered a nervous breakdown by mid-September 1914. Moltke's controversial decision to order General Kluck's First Army to turn southeast instead of enveloping Paris contributed to the failure of the Schlieffen Plan, despite Kluck initially ignoring the order. Kaiser Wilhelm: His character was inconsistent, often described as a "weather vane," and he gradually became a less central figure as Hindenburg and Ludendorff gained influence from 1916. Erich von Falkenhayn (replaces Moltke in 1914) was the architect of the Verdun Offensive (1916). His vision was unique, aiming not for territorial gains but for attrition: to "kill Frenchmen" and exhaust them. Political Interference: Chancellor Theobald von Bethmann-Hollweg often opposed Falkenhayn's desire for unrestricted submarine warfare due to diplomatic concerns (e.g., fear of American entry), illustrating the German military's tendency to prioritize tactical effectiveness over political and strategic issues, which was ultimately "fatal". French Efforts and Leadership Joseph Joffre (Commander of French Forces): Described as a "great hero" of the French army, Joffrepossessed remarkable calmness and an ability to absorb punishment and react quickly. His leadership was crucial in defeating the Schlieffen Plan and counterattacking at the Battle of the Marne in September 1914, preventing a German victory. Raymond Poincaré (President of the French Republic): A nationalist deeply involved in military analysis, Poincaré was central to the political efforts to reassert civilian primacy over the army and secure British manpower commitments. General Castelnau (Joffre's chief of staff): A deeply religious man who personally lost three sons in the war, Castelnau exemplifies the human cost and personal horror experienced by some senior commanders, helping to humanize these figures in Lloyd's narrative. Robert Nivelle: An artillery officer who rose rapidly due to his successes at Verdun, Nivelle replaced Joffrein December 1916. He attempted a decisive breakthrough in his Nivelle Offensive in April 1917 with a "formula" for success, but it failed catastrophically due to his being "out of his depth" at the command-in-chief level, leading to French army issues including mutiny. Philippe Pétain: Replaced Nivelle, Pétain became a "savior of France." He was renowned for his deep understanding of battlefield realities and a strong connection with his troops. At Verdun, he innovated by rotating divisions out of the line for rest and recuperation, contrasting with the German practice of fighting units "until basically there's not a lot left". Ferdinand Foch (Supreme Allied Commander from April 1918): Foch is widely regarded as one of the most important generals of the war. He was an energetic and charismatic leader who successfully coordinated the American, British, and French forces in 1918, leading them to victory in the multinational war. His reputation continues to strengthen over time. American Involvement Entry into War: The United States declared war on Germany and Austria in April 1917. General John J. Pershing arrived in Paris in June 1917 to lead the American Expeditionary Force (AEF), despite having only 113,000 men in the army at the time. Rejection of Amalgamation: Pershing steadfastly resisted French and British desires to "amalgamate" American manpower into their existing divisions, insisting that American soldiers fight as an independent army. He argued that the Allies had a poor record of "not killing your own troops". German Miscalculation: Germany severely underestimated how quickly the United States could build and deploy an army, believing it would take years. This misjudgment ultimately contributed to their defeat once the Americans demonstrated their seriousness in 1918. American involvement became "crucial" by 1917, changing the atmosphere. Evolution of Warfare on the Western Front From Movement to Stalemate: The initial German invasion failed to achieve a decisive victory, leading to the establishment of trench warfare after the Battle of the Marne. Realization of No Breakthrough: After the Second Battle of Champagne (1915), Allied and Germancommanders like Joffre and Falkenhayn began to recognize that a "grand shattering breakthrough" was not achievable in the foreseeable future. Constant Adaptation: This realization led to a continuous arms race. As Allied artillery and tactics improved, German defenses evolved from single lines to complex "zones of pill boxes," making progress difficult and bloody. The war became an intense exercise in violence where commanders constantly adapted to a "cauldron of war". Key Battles and Their Significance Battle of the Marne (September 1914): Joffre's successful counterattack forced the Germans to retreat, effectively ending the Schlieffen Plan and leading to the beginning of trench warfare. Second Battle of Champagne (September-October 1915): A major French offensive that, despite immense effort and casualties, failed to achieve a decisive breakthrough, solidifying the understanding that trench deadlock could not be easily broken. Verdun (1916): Falkenhayn's attrition battle, designed to "kill Frenchmen," concentrated immense firepower in a small area, creating a "moonscape effect." While not decisive in destroying the French, it was a moment where "things start to go wrong for Germany," from which she never truly recovers. Somme (1916): A British and French offensive intended to relieve pressure on Verdun, but also driven by Haig's ambition for a breakthrough. The debate between breakthrough and Rawlinson's "bite and hold" strategy highlighted the dilemmas of Western Front warfare. Nivelle Offensive (April 1917): A disastrous French attempt at a breakthrough, which highlighted Nivelle'soverreach and led to significant disillusionment and mutiny within the French army. End of the War and its Legacy German Defeat: Lloyd's book argues that the German army was "falling apart" and "defeated rapidly in 1918" despite the persistent "stab in the back" myth that claimed they were betrayed at home. Armistice Decision: The decision by the Allies not to invade Germany was primarily political, as the British and French were "totally exhausted," while the Americans were "much fresher" and more keen to continue. Lloyd considers the armistice "fair on all sides". Lloyd's work underscores that the Western Front was a complex, multinational struggle marked by evolving strategies, immense pressures on commanders, and profound human costs, which ultimately determined the course of the Great War and cast a long shadow over the 20th century.

Nick Lloyd's "The Western Front: The History of the Great War, Volume 1" provides a comprehensive narrative of the Great War in Belgium and France from 1914 to 1918. As the first volume of a planned trilogy, this work aims to offer a nuanced understanding of this pivotal theater, moving beyond common myths and focusing on the operational perspective of senior commanders across all involved powers. 1914 ROYAL FLYING CORPS Here's a summary of the key aspects, figures, and events covered: Lloyd's Ambition and Approach Comprehensive Narrative: Lloyd, a reader in military and imperial history at King's College London, undertook this "big project" to create a grand narrative of the entire Western Front, encompassing the French sector, American sector, and the German story, alongside the often-emphasized British perspective. Focus on Senior Commanders: A primary goal was to view the war from the lens of senior commanders, challenging the traditional portrayal of them as "donkeys or butchers and bunglers." Lloyd aims to help readers appreciate the immense pressures and difficulties these individuals faced, offering a "cooler perspective" on their successes and errors. Trilogy: This book is the first of three volumes; future volumes will cover the Eastern Front and global warfare in the Middle East and Africa. Lloyd emphasizes that while other fronts are mentioned, the Western Front remained the decisive theater where Germany, France, Britain, and America determined the war's outcome. British Involvement and Leadership Initial Reluctance: Britain initially entered the conflict with a limited commitment, deploying only four infantry divisions and one cavalry division as the British Expeditionary Force (BEF), a "small army" compared to the French (80 divisions) and Germans (over 100 divisions). This reflected a desire for "limited liability" to the Western Front, contrasting sharply with French demands for more manpower. Early Leaders: H.H. Asquith (Prime Minister) was reportedly distracted by personal affairs at the war's outset. Lord Kitchener (Minister of War) was a professional soldier and hero of the empire, wary of deep British involvement but committed to supporting the French. Field Marshal Sir John French (Commander-in-Chief, BEF) was a Boer War hero who found himself "out of his depth" by 1914, struggling with the war's scale and intensity. During the August 1914 retreat, French considered pulling the BEF out of the line due to immense losses and pressure, a move Kitchener personally intervened to prevent, ordering French to stay and fight. Frencheventually "breaks down" due to losses and pressure and is sent home at the end of 1915. Later Leadership and Strategy: David Lloyd George (Prime Minister from late 1916) is credited as "the prime minister that wins the war" in Britain. He showed great energy in revitalizing British industry and re-equipping the army, despite having poor relations with his top generals. Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig replaced French as Commander-in-Chief of the BEF. Haig and Lloyd George had fundamentally different strategic outlooks, leading to "constant arguments and backstabbing". At the Battle of the Somme (1916), Haig favored a breakthrough strategy, aiming for maneuver and cavalry deployment to defeat the German army. However, his army commander, Rawlinson, advocated a "bite and hold" strategy, focusing on concentrated artillery to smash enemy lines, take ground, then consolidate before repeating, acknowledging that a grand breakthrough was not yet feasible for the largely "green" British army. German Strategy and Commanders Initial Invasion: The German invasion of France and Belgium in 1914 was based on the ambitious Schlieffen Plan, which aimed for a massive attack through Belgium to outflank French defenses and destroy their army in a grand battle of envelopment. Helmuth von Moltke the Younger (Chief of the General Staff) was under immense pressure and altered the Schlieffen Plan, weakening its critical right wing, and ultimately suffered a nervous breakdown by mid-September 1914. Moltke's controversial decision to order General Kluck's First Army to turn southeast instead of enveloping Paris contributed to the failure of the Schlieffen Plan, despite Kluck initially ignoring the order. Kaiser Wilhelm: His character was inconsistent, often described as a "weather vane," and he gradually became a less central figure as Hindenburg and Ludendorff gained influence from 1916. Erich von Falkenhayn (replaces Moltke in 1914) was the architect of the Verdun Offensive (1916). His vision was unique, aiming not for territorial gains but for attrition: to "kill Frenchmen" and exhaust them. Political Interference: Chancellor Theobald von Bethmann-Hollweg often opposed Falkenhayn's desire for unrestricted submarine warfare due to diplomatic concerns (e.g., fear of American entry), illustrating the German military's tendency to prioritize tactical effectiveness over political and strategic issues, which was ultimately "fatal". French Efforts and Leadership Joseph Joffre (Commander of French Forces): Described as a "great hero" of the French army, Joffrepossessed remarkable calmness and an ability to absorb punishment and react quickly. His leadership was crucial in defeating the Schlieffen Plan and counterattacking at the Battle of the Marne in September 1914, preventing a German victory. Raymond Poincaré (President of the French Republic): A nationalist deeply involved in military analysis, Poincaré was central to the political efforts to reassert civilian primacy over the army and secure British manpower commitments. General Castelnau (Joffre's chief of staff): A deeply religious man who personally lost three sons in the war, Castelnau exemplifies the human cost and personal horror experienced by some senior commanders, helping to humanize these figures in Lloyd's narrative. Robert Nivelle: An artillery officer who rose rapidly due to his successes at Verdun, Nivelle replaced Joffrein December 1916. He attempted a decisive breakthrough in his Nivelle Offensive in April 1917 with a "formula" for success, but it failed catastrophically due to his being "out of his depth" at the command-in-chief level, leading to French army issues including mutiny. Philippe Pétain: Replaced Nivelle, Pétain became a "savior of France." He was renowned for his deep understanding of battlefield realities and a strong connection with his troops. At Verdun, he innovated by rotating divisions out of the line for rest and recuperation, contrasting with the German practice of fighting units "until basically there's not a lot left". Ferdinand Foch (Supreme Allied Commander from April 1918): Foch is widely regarded as one of the most important generals of the war. He was an energetic and charismatic leader who successfully coordinated the American, British, and French forces in 1918, leading them to victory in the multinational war. His reputation continues to strengthen over time. American Involvement Entry into War: The United States declared war on Germany and Austria in April 1917. General John J. Pershing arrived in Paris in June 1917 to lead the American Expeditionary Force (AEF), despite having only 113,000 men in the army at the time. Rejection of Amalgamation: Pershing steadfastly resisted French and British desires to "amalgamate" American manpower into their existing divisions, insisting that American soldiers fight as an independent army. He argued that the Allies had a poor record of "not killing your own troops". German Miscalculation: Germany severely underestimated how quickly the United States could build and deploy an army, believing it would take years. This misjudgment ultimately contributed to their defeat once the Americans demonstrated their seriousness in 1918. American involvement became "crucial" by 1917, changing the atmosphere. Evolution of Warfare on the Western Front From Movement to Stalemate: The initial German invasion failed to achieve a decisive victory, leading to the establishment of trench warfare after the Battle of the Marne. Realization of No Breakthrough: After the Second Battle of Champagne (1915), Allied and Germancommanders like Joffre and Falkenhayn began to recognize that a "grand shattering breakthrough" was not achievable in the foreseeable future. Constant Adaptation: This realization led to a continuous arms race. As Allied artillery and tactics improved, German defenses evolved from single lines to complex "zones of pill boxes," making progress difficult and bloody. The war became an intense exercise in violence where commanders constantly adapted to a "cauldron of war". Key Battles and Their Significance Battle of the Marne (September 1914): Joffre's successful counterattack forced the Germans to retreat, effectively ending the Schlieffen Plan and leading to the beginning of trench warfare. Second Battle of Champagne (September-October 1915): A major French offensive that, despite immense effort and casualties, failed to achieve a decisive breakthrough, solidifying the understanding that trench deadlock could not be easily broken. Verdun (1916): Falkenhayn's attrition battle, designed to "kill Frenchmen," concentrated immense firepower in a small area, creating a "moonscape effect." While not decisive in destroying the French, it was a moment where "things start to go wrong for Germany," from which she never truly recovers. Somme (1916): A British and French offensive intended to relieve pressure on Verdun, but also driven by Haig's ambition for a breakthrough. The debate between breakthrough and Rawlinson's "bite and hold" strategy highlighted the dilemmas of Western Front warfare. Nivelle Offensive (April 1917): A disastrous French attempt at a breakthrough, which highlighted Nivelle'soverreach and led to significant disillusionment and mutiny within the French army. End of the War and its Legacy German Defeat: Lloyd's book argues that the German army was "falling apart" and "defeated rapidly in 1918" despite the persistent "stab in the back" myth that claimed they were betrayed at home. Armistice Decision: The decision by the Allies not to invade Germany was primarily political, as the British and French were "totally exhausted," while the Americans were "much fresher" and more keen to continue. Lloyd considers the armistice "fair on all sides". Lloyd's work underscores that the Western Front was a complex, multinational struggle marked by evolving strategies, immense pressures on commanders, and profound human costs, which ultimately determined the course of the Great War and cast a long shadow over the 20th century.

Nick Lloyd's "The Western Front: The History of the Great War, Volume 1" provides a comprehensive narrative of the Great War in Belgium and France from 1914 to 1918. As the first volume of a planned trilogy, this work aims to offer a nuanced understanding of this pivotal theater, moving beyond common myths and focusing on the operational perspective of senior commanders across all involved powers. 1914 BELGIUM Here's a summary of the key aspects, figures, and events covered: Lloyd's Ambition and Approach Comprehensive Narrative: Lloyd, a reader in military and imperial history at King's College London, undertook this "big project" to create a grand narrative of the entire Western Front, encompassing the French sector, American sector, and the German story, alongside the often-emphasized British perspective. Focus on Senior Commanders: A primary goal was to view the war from the lens of senior commanders, challenging the traditional portrayal of them as "donkeys or butchers and bunglers." Lloyd aims to help readers appreciate the immense pressures and difficulties these individuals faced, offering a "cooler perspective" on their successes and errors. Trilogy: This book is the first of three volumes; future volumes will cover the Eastern Front and global warfare in the Middle East and Africa. Lloyd emphasizes that while other fronts are mentioned, the Western Front remained the decisive theater where Germany, France, Britain, and America determined the war's outcome. British Involvement and Leadership Initial Reluctance: Britain initially entered the conflict with a limited commitment, deploying only four infantry divisions and one cavalry division as the British Expeditionary Force (BEF), a "small army" compared to the French (80 divisions) and Germans (over 100 divisions). This reflected a desire for "limited liability" to the Western Front, contrasting sharply with French demands for more manpower. Early Leaders: H.H. Asquith (Prime Minister) was reportedly distracted by personal affairs at the war's outset. Lord Kitchener (Minister of War) was a professional soldier and hero of the empire, wary of deep British involvement but committed to supporting the French. Field Marshal Sir John French (Commander-in-Chief, BEF) was a Boer War hero who found himself "out of his depth" by 1914, struggling with the war's scale and intensity. During the August 1914 retreat, French considered pulling the BEF out of the line due to immense losses and pressure, a move Kitchener personally intervened to prevent, ordering French to stay and fight. Frencheventually "breaks down" due to losses and pressure and is sent home at the end of 1915. Later Leadership and Strategy: David Lloyd George (Prime Minister from late 1916) is credited as "the prime minister that wins the war" in Britain. He showed great energy in revitalizing British industry and re-equipping the army, despite having poor relations with his top generals. Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig replaced French as Commander-in-Chief of the BEF. Haig and Lloyd George had fundamentally different strategic outlooks, leading to "constant arguments and backstabbing". At the Battle of the Somme (1916), Haig favored a breakthrough strategy, aiming for maneuver and cavalry deployment to defeat the German army. However, his army commander, Rawlinson, advocated a "bite and hold" strategy, focusing on concentrated artillery to smash enemy lines, take ground, then consolidate before repeating, acknowledging that a grand breakthrough was not yet feasible for the largely "green" British army. German Strategy and Commanders Initial Invasion: The German invasion of France and Belgium in 1914 was based on the ambitious Schlieffen Plan, which aimed for a massive attack through Belgium to outflank French defenses and destroy their army in a grand battle of envelopment. Helmuth von Moltke the Younger (Chief of the General Staff) was under immense pressure and altered the Schlieffen Plan, weakening its critical right wing, and ultimately suffered a nervous breakdown by mid-September 1914. Moltke's controversial decision to order General Kluck's First Army to turn southeast instead of enveloping Paris contributed to the failure of the Schlieffen Plan, despite Kluck initially ignoring the order. Kaiser Wilhelm: His character was inconsistent, often described as a "weather vane," and he gradually became a less central figure as Hindenburg and Ludendorff gained influence from 1916. Erich von Falkenhayn (replaces Moltke in 1914) was the architect of the Verdun Offensive (1916). His vision was unique, aiming not for territorial gains but for attrition: to "kill Frenchmen" and exhaust them. Political Interference: Chancellor Theobald von Bethmann-Hollweg often opposed Falkenhayn's desire for unrestricted submarine warfare due to diplomatic concerns (e.g., fear of American entry), illustrating the German military's tendency to prioritize tactical effectiveness over political and strategic issues, which was ultimately "fatal". French Efforts and Leadership Joseph Joffre (Commander of French Forces): Described as a "great hero" of the French army, Joffrepossessed remarkable calmness and an ability to absorb punishment and react quickly. His leadership was crucial in defeating the Schlieffen Plan and counterattacking at the Battle of the Marne in September 1914, preventing a German victory. Raymond Poincaré (President of the French Republic): A nationalist deeply involved in military analysis, Poincaré was central to the political efforts to reassert civilian primacy over the army and secure British manpower commitments. General Castelnau (Joffre's chief of staff): A deeply religious man who personally lost three sons in the war, Castelnau exemplifies the human cost and personal horror experienced by some senior commanders, helping to humanize these figures in Lloyd's narrative. Robert Nivelle: An artillery officer who rose rapidly due to his successes at Verdun, Nivelle replaced Joffrein December 1916. He attempted a decisive breakthrough in his Nivelle Offensive in April 1917 with a "formula" for success, but it failed catastrophically due to his being "out of his depth" at the command-in-chief level, leading to French army issues including mutiny. Philippe Pétain: Replaced Nivelle, Pétain became a "savior of France." He was renowned for his deep understanding of battlefield realities and a strong connection with his troops. At Verdun, he innovated by rotating divisions out of the line for rest and recuperation, contrasting with the German practice of fighting units "until basically there's not a lot left". Ferdinand Foch (Supreme Allied Commander from April 1918): Foch is widely regarded as one of the most important generals of the war. He was an energetic and charismatic leader who successfully coordinated the American, British, and French forces in 1918, leading them to victory in the multinational war. His reputation continues to strengthen over time. American Involvement Entry into War: The United States declared war on Germany and Austria in April 1917. General John J. Pershing arrived in Paris in June 1917 to lead the American Expeditionary Force (AEF), despite having only 113,000 men in the army at the time. Rejection of Amalgamation: Pershing steadfastly resisted French and British desires to "amalgamate" American manpower into their existing divisions, insisting that American soldiers fight as an independent army. He argued that the Allies had a poor record of "not killing your own troops". German Miscalculation: Germany severely underestimated how quickly the United States could build and deploy an army, believing it would take years. This misjudgment ultimately contributed to their defeat once the Americans demonstrated their seriousness in 1918. American involvement became "crucial" by 1917, changing the atmosphere. Evolution of Warfare on the Western Front From Movement to Stalemate: The initial German invasion failed to achieve a decisive victory, leading to the establishment of trench warfare after the Battle of the Marne. Realization of No Breakthrough: After the Second Battle of Champagne (1915), Allied and Germancommanders like Joffre and Falkenhayn began to recognize that a "grand shattering breakthrough" was not achievable in the foreseeable future. Constant Adaptation: This realization led to a continuous arms race. As Allied artillery and tactics improved, German defenses evolved from single lines to complex "zones of pill boxes," making progress difficult and bloody. The war became an intense exercise in violence where commanders constantly adapted to a "cauldron of war". Key Battles and Their Significance Battle of the Marne (September 1914): Joffre's successful counterattack forced the Germans to retreat, effectively ending the Schlieffen Plan and leading to the beginning of trench warfare. Second Battle of Champagne (September-October 1915): A major French offensive that, despite immense effort and casualties, failed to achieve a decisive breakthrough, solidifying the understanding that trench deadlock could not be easily broken. Verdun (1916): Falkenhayn's attrition battle, designed to "kill Frenchmen," concentrated immense firepower in a small area, creating a "moonscape effect." While not decisive in destroying the French, it was a moment where "things start to go wrong for Germany," from which she never truly recovers. Somme (1916): A British and French offensive intended to relieve pressure on Verdun, but also driven by Haig's ambition for a breakthrough. The debate between breakthrough and Rawlinson's "bite and hold" strategy highlighted the dilemmas of Western Front warfare. Nivelle Offensive (April 1917): A disastrous French attempt at a breakthrough, which highlighted Nivelle'soverreach and led to significant disillusionment and mutiny within the French army. End of the War and its Legacy German Defeat: Lloyd's book argues that the German army was "falling apart" and "defeated rapidly in 1918" despite the persistent "stab in the back" myth that claimed they were betrayed at home. Armistice Decision: The decision by the Allies not to invade Germany was primarily political, as the British and French were "totally exhausted," while the Americans were "much fresher" and more keen to continue. Lloyd considers the armistice "fair on all sides". Lloyd's work underscores that the Western Front was a complex, multinational struggle marked by evolving strategies, immense pressures on commanders, and profound human costs, which ultimately determined the course of the Great War and cast a long shadow over the 20th century.

Nick Lloyd's "The Western Front: The History of the Great War, Volume 1" provides a comprehensive narrative of the Great War in Belgium and France from 1914 to 1918. As the first volume of a planned trilogy, this work aims to offer a nuanced understanding of this pivotal theater, moving beyond common myths and focusing on the operational perspective of senior commanders across all involved powers. 1914-1918 US MERCHANT NAVY Here's a summary of the key aspects, figures, and events covered: Lloyd's Ambition and Approach Comprehensive Narrative: Lloyd, a reader in military and imperial history at King's College London, undertook this "big project" to create a grand narrative of the entire Western Front, encompassing the French sector, American sector, and the German story, alongside the often-emphasized British perspective. Focus on Senior Commanders: A primary goal was to view the war from the lens of senior commanders, challenging the traditional portrayal of them as "donkeys or butchers and bunglers." Lloyd aims to help readers appreciate the immense pressures and difficulties these individuals faced, offering a "cooler perspective" on their successes and errors. Trilogy: This book is the first of three volumes; future volumes will cover the Eastern Front and global warfare in the Middle East and Africa. Lloyd emphasizes that while other fronts are mentioned, the Western Front remained the decisive theater where Germany, France, Britain, and America determined the war's outcome. British Involvement and Leadership Initial Reluctance: Britain initially entered the conflict with a limited commitment, deploying only four infantry divisions and one cavalry division as the British Expeditionary Force (BEF), a "small army" compared to the French (80 divisions) and Germans (over 100 divisions). This reflected a desire for "limited liability" to the Western Front, contrasting sharply with French demands for more manpower. Early Leaders: H.H. Asquith (Prime Minister) was reportedly distracted by personal affairs at the war's outset. Lord Kitchener (Minister of War) was a professional soldier and hero of the empire, wary of deep British involvement but committed to supporting the French. Field Marshal Sir John French (Commander-in-Chief, BEF) was a Boer War hero who found himself "out of his depth" by 1914, struggling with the war's scale and intensity. During the August 1914 retreat, French considered pulling the BEF out of the line due to immense losses and pressure, a move Kitchener personally intervened to prevent, ordering French to stay and fight. Frencheventually "breaks down" due to losses and pressure and is sent home at the end of 1915. Later Leadership and Strategy: David Lloyd George (Prime Minister from late 1916) is credited as "the prime minister that wins the war" in Britain. He showed great energy in revitalizing British industry and re-equipping the army, despite having poor relations with his top generals. Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig replaced French as Commander-in-Chief of the BEF. Haig and Lloyd George had fundamentally different strategic outlooks, leading to "constant arguments and backstabbing". At the Battle of the Somme (1916), Haig favored a breakthrough strategy, aiming for maneuver and cavalry deployment to defeat the German army. However, his army commander, Rawlinson, advocated a "bite and hold" strategy, focusing on concentrated artillery to smash enemy lines, take ground, then consolidate before repeating, acknowledging that a grand breakthrough was not yet feasible for the largely "green" British army. German Strategy and Commanders Initial Invasion: The German invasion of France and Belgium in 1914 was based on the ambitious Schlieffen Plan, which aimed for a massive attack through Belgium to outflank French defenses and destroy their army in a grand battle of envelopment. Helmuth von Moltke the Younger (Chief of the General Staff) was under immense pressure and altered the Schlieffen Plan, weakening its critical right wing, and ultimately suffered a nervous breakdown by mid-September 1914. Moltke's controversial decision to order General Kluck's First Army to turn southeast instead of enveloping Paris contributed to the failure of the Schlieffen Plan, despite Kluck initially ignoring the order. Kaiser Wilhelm: His character was inconsistent, often described as a "weather vane," and he gradually became a less central figure as Hindenburg and Ludendorff gained influence from 1916. Erich von Falkenhayn (replaces Moltke in 1914) was the architect of the Verdun Offensive (1916). His vision was unique, aiming not for territorial gains but for attrition: to "kill Frenchmen" and exhaust them. Political Interference: Chancellor Theobald von Bethmann-Hollweg often opposed Falkenhayn's desire for unrestricted submarine warfare due to diplomatic concerns (e.g., fear of American entry), illustrating the German military's tendency to prioritize tactical effectiveness over political and strategic issues, which was ultimately "fatal". French Efforts and Leadership Joseph Joffre (Commander of French Forces): Described as a "great hero" of the French army, Joffrepossessed remarkable calmness and an ability to absorb punishment and react quickly. His leadership was crucial in defeating the Schlieffen Plan and counterattacking at the Battle of the Marne in September 1914, preventing a German victory. Raymond Poincaré (President of the French Republic): A nationalist deeply involved in military analysis, Poincaré was central to the political efforts to reassert civilian primacy over the army and secure British manpower commitments. General Castelnau (Joffre's chief of staff): A deeply religious man who personally lost three sons in the war, Castelnau exemplifies the human cost and personal horror experienced by some senior commanders, helping to humanize these figures in Lloyd's narrative. Robert Nivelle: An artillery officer who rose rapidly due to his successes at Verdun, Nivelle replaced Joffrein December 1916. He attempted a decisive breakthrough in his Nivelle Offensive in April 1917 with a "formula" for success, but it failed catastrophically due to his being "out of his depth" at the command-in-chief level, leading to French army issues including mutiny. Philippe Pétain: Replaced Nivelle, Pétain became a "savior of France." He was renowned for his deep understanding of battlefield realities and a strong connection with his troops. At Verdun, he innovated by rotating divisions out of the line for rest and recuperation, contrasting with the German practice of fighting units "until basically there's not a lot left". Ferdinand Foch (Supreme Allied Commander from April 1918): Foch is widely regarded as one of the most important generals of the war. He was an energetic and charismatic leader who successfully coordinated the American, British, and French forces in 1918, leading them to victory in the multinational war. His reputation continues to strengthen over time. American Involvement Entry into War: The United States declared war on Germany and Austria in April 1917. General John J. Pershing arrived in Paris in June 1917 to lead the American Expeditionary Force (AEF), despite having only 113,000 men in the army at the time. Rejection of Amalgamation: Pershing steadfastly resisted French and British desires to "amalgamate" American manpower into their existing divisions, insisting that American soldiers fight as an independent army. He argued that the Allies had a poor record of "not killing your own troops". German Miscalculation: Germany severely underestimated how quickly the United States could build and deploy an army, believing it would take years. This misjudgment ultimately contributed to their defeat once the Americans demonstrated their seriousness in 1918. American involvement became "crucial" by 1917, changing the atmosphere. Evolution of Warfare on the Western Front From Movement to Stalemate: The initial German invasion failed to achieve a decisive victory, leading to the establishment of trench warfare after the Battle of the Marne. Realization of No Breakthrough: After the Second Battle of Champagne (1915), Allied and Germancommanders like Joffre and Falkenhayn began to recognize that a "grand shattering breakthrough" was not achievable in the foreseeable future. Constant Adaptation: This realization led to a continuous arms race. As Allied artillery and tactics improved, German defenses evolved from single lines to complex "zones of pill boxes," making progress difficult and bloody. The war became an intense exercise in violence where commanders constantly adapted to a "cauldron of war". Key Battles and Their Significance Battle of the Marne (September 1914): Joffre's successful counterattack forced the Germans to retreat, effectively ending the Schlieffen Plan and leading to the beginning of trench warfare. Second Battle of Champagne (September-October 1915): A major French offensive that, despite immense effort and casualties, failed to achieve a decisive breakthrough, solidifying the understanding that trench deadlock could not be easily broken. Verdun (1916): Falkenhayn's attrition battle, designed to "kill Frenchmen," concentrated immense firepower in a small area, creating a "moonscape effect." While not decisive in destroying the French, it was a moment where "things start to go wrong for Germany," from which she never truly recovers. Somme (1916): A British and French offensive intended to relieve pressure on Verdun, but also driven by Haig's ambition for a breakthrough. The debate between breakthrough and Rawlinson's "bite and hold" strategy highlighted the dilemmas of Western Front warfare. Nivelle Offensive (April 1917): A disastrous French attempt at a breakthrough, which highlighted Nivelle'soverreach and led to significant disillusionment and mutiny within the French army. End of the War and its Legacy German Defeat: Lloyd's book argues that the German army was "falling apart" and "defeated rapidly in 1918" despite the persistent "stab in the back" myth that claimed they were betrayed at home. Armistice Decision: The decision by the Allies not to invade Germany was primarily political, as the British and French were "totally exhausted," while the Americans were "much fresher" and more keen to continue. Lloyd considers the armistice "fair on all sides". Lloyd's work underscores that the Western Front was a complex, multinational struggle marked by evolving strategies, immense pressures on commanders, and profound human costs, which ultimately determined the course of the Great War and cast a long shadow over the 20th century.

Nick Lloyd's "The Western Front: The History of the Great War, Volume 1" provides a comprehensive narrative of the Great War in Belgium and France from 1914 to 1918. As the first volume of a planned trilogy, this work aims to offer a nuanced understanding of this pivotal theater, moving beyond common myths and focusing on the operational perspective of senior commanders across all involved powers. 1916 VERDUN Here's a summary of the key aspects, figures, and events covered: Lloyd's Ambition and Approach Comprehensive Narrative: Lloyd, a reader in military and imperial history at King's College London, undertook this "big project" to create a grand narrative of the entire Western Front, encompassing the French sector, American sector, and the German story, alongside the often-emphasized British perspective. Focus on Senior Commanders: A primary goal was to view the war from the lens of senior commanders, challenging the traditional portrayal of them as "donkeys or butchers and bunglers." Lloyd aims to help readers appreciate the immense pressures and difficulties these individuals faced, offering a "cooler perspective" on their successes and errors. Trilogy: This book is the first of three volumes; future volumes will cover the Eastern Front and global warfare in the Middle East and Africa. Lloyd emphasizes that while other fronts are mentioned, the Western Front remained the decisive theater where Germany, France, Britain, and America determined the war's outcome. British Involvement and Leadership Initial Reluctance: Britain initially entered the conflict with a limited commitment, deploying only four infantry divisions and one cavalry division as the British Expeditionary Force (BEF), a "small army" compared to the French (80 divisions) and Germans (over 100 divisions). This reflected a desire for "limited liability" to the Western Front, contrasting sharply with French demands for more manpower. Early Leaders: H.H. Asquith (Prime Minister) was reportedly distracted by personal affairs at the war's outset. Lord Kitchener (Minister of War) was a professional soldier and hero of the empire, wary of deep British involvement but committed to supporting the French. Field Marshal Sir John French (Commander-in-Chief, BEF) was a Boer War hero who found himself "out of his depth" by 1914, struggling with the war's scale and intensity. During the August 1914 retreat, French considered pulling the BEF out of the line due to immense losses and pressure, a move Kitchener personally intervened to prevent, ordering French to stay and fight. Frencheventually "breaks down" due to losses and pressure and is sent home at the end of 1915. Later Leadership and Strategy: David Lloyd George (Prime Minister from late 1916) is credited as "the prime minister that wins the war" in Britain. He showed great energy in revitalizing British industry and re-equipping the army, despite having poor relations with his top generals. Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig replaced French as Commander-in-Chief of the BEF. Haig and Lloyd George had fundamentally different strategic outlooks, leading to "constant arguments and backstabbing". At the Battle of the Somme (1916), Haig favored a breakthrough strategy, aiming for maneuver and cavalry deployment to defeat the German army. However, his army commander, Rawlinson, advocated a "bite and hold" strategy, focusing on concentrated artillery to smash enemy lines, take ground, then consolidate before repeating, acknowledging that a grand breakthrough was not yet feasible for the largely "green" British army. German Strategy and Commanders Initial Invasion: The German invasion of France and Belgium in 1914 was based on the ambitious Schlieffen Plan, which aimed for a massive attack through Belgium to outflank French defenses and destroy their army in a grand battle of envelopment. Helmuth von Moltke the Younger (Chief of the General Staff) was under immense pressure and altered the Schlieffen Plan, weakening its critical right wing, and ultimately suffered a nervous breakdown by mid-September 1914. Moltke's controversial decision to order General Kluck's First Army to turn southeast instead of enveloping Paris contributed to the failure of the Schlieffen Plan, despite Kluck initially ignoring the order. Kaiser Wilhelm: His character was inconsistent, often described as a "weather vane," and he gradually became a less central figure as Hindenburg and Ludendorff gained influence from 1916. Erich von Falkenhayn (replaces Moltke in 1914) was the architect of the Verdun Offensive (1916). His vision was unique, aiming not for territorial gains but for attrition: to "kill Frenchmen" and exhaust them. Political Interference: Chancellor Theobald von Bethmann-Hollweg often opposed Falkenhayn's desire for unrestricted submarine warfare due to diplomatic concerns (e.g., fear of American entry), illustrating the German military's tendency to prioritize tactical effectiveness over political and strategic issues, which was ultimately "fatal". French Efforts and Leadership Joseph Joffre (Commander of French Forces): Described as a "great hero" of the French army, Joffrepossessed remarkable calmness and an ability to absorb punishment and react quickly. His leadership was crucial in defeating the Schlieffen Plan and counterattacking at the Battle of the Marne in September 1914, preventing a German victory. Raymond Poincaré (President of the French Republic): A nationalist deeply involved in military analysis, Poincaré was central to the political efforts to reassert civilian primacy over the army and secure British manpower commitments. General Castelnau (Joffre's chief of staff): A deeply religious man who personally lost three sons in the war, Castelnau exemplifies the human cost and personal horror experienced by some senior commanders, helping to humanize these figures in Lloyd's narrative. Robert Nivelle: An artillery officer who rose rapidly due to his successes at Verdun, Nivelle replaced Joffrein December 1916. He attempted a decisive breakthrough in his Nivelle Offensive in April 1917 with a "formula" for success, but it failed catastrophically due to his being "out of his depth" at the command-in-chief level, leading to French army issues including mutiny. Philippe Pétain: Replaced Nivelle, Pétain became a "savior of France." He was renowned for his deep understanding of battlefield realities and a strong connection with his troops. At Verdun, he innovated by rotating divisions out of the line for rest and recuperation, contrasting with the German practice of fighting units "until basically there's not a lot left". Ferdinand Foch (Supreme Allied Commander from April 1918): Foch is widely regarded as one of the most important generals of the war. He was an energetic and charismatic leader who successfully coordinated the American, British, and French forces in 1918, leading them to victory in the multinational war. His reputation continues to strengthen over time. American Involvement Entry into War: The United States declared war on Germany and Austria in April 1917. General John J. Pershing arrived in Paris in June 1917 to lead the American Expeditionary Force (AEF), despite having only 113,000 men in the army at the time. Rejection of Amalgamation: Pershing steadfastly resisted French and British desires to "amalgamate" American manpower into their existing divisions, insisting that American soldiers fight as an independent army. He argued that the Allies had a poor record of "not killing your own troops". German Miscalculation: Germany severely underestimated how quickly the United States could build and deploy an army, believing it would take years. This misjudgment ultimately contributed to their defeat once the Americans demonstrated their seriousness in 1918. American involvement became "crucial" by 1917, changing the atmosphere. Evolution of Warfare on the Western Front From Movement to Stalemate: The initial German invasion failed to achieve a decisive victory, leading to the establishment of trench warfare after the Battle of the Marne. Realization of No Breakthrough: After the Second Battle of Champagne (1915), Allied and Germancommanders like Joffre and Falkenhayn began to recognize that a "grand shattering breakthrough" was not achievable in the foreseeable future. Constant Adaptation: This realization led to a continuous arms race. As Allied artillery and tactics improved, German defenses evolved from single lines to complex "zones of pill boxes," making progress difficult and bloody. The war became an intense exercise in violence where commanders constantly adapted to a "cauldron of war". Key Battles and Their Significance Battle of the Marne (September 1914): Joffre's successful counterattack forced the Germans to retreat, effectively ending the Schlieffen Plan and leading to the beginning of trench warfare. Second Battle of Champagne (September-October 1915): A major French offensive that, despite immense effort and casualties, failed to achieve a decisive breakthrough, solidifying the understanding that trench deadlock could not be easily broken. Verdun (1916): Falkenhayn's attrition battle, designed to "kill Frenchmen," concentrated immense firepower in a small area, creating a "moonscape effect." While not decisive in destroying the French, it was a moment where "things start to go wrong for Germany," from which she never truly recovers. Somme (1916): A British and French offensive intended to relieve pressure on Verdun, but also driven by Haig's ambition for a breakthrough. The debate between breakthrough and Rawlinson's "bite and hold" strategy highlighted the dilemmas of Western Front warfare. Nivelle Offensive (April 1917): A disastrous French attempt at a breakthrough, which highlighted Nivelle'soverreach and led to significant disillusionment and mutiny within the French army. End of the War and its Legacy German Defeat: Lloyd's book argues that the German army was "falling apart" and "defeated rapidly in 1918" despite the persistent "stab in the back" myth that claimed they were betrayed at home. Armistice Decision: The decision by the Allies not to invade Germany was primarily political, as the British and French were "totally exhausted," while the Americans were "much fresher" and more keen to continue. Lloyd considers the armistice "fair on all sides". Lloyd's work underscores that the Western Front was a complex, multinational struggle marked by evolving strategies, immense pressures on commanders, and profound human costs, which ultimately determined the course of the Great War and cast a long shadow over the 20th century.

Nick Lloyd's "The Western Front: The History of the Great War, Volume 1" provides a comprehensive narrative of the Great War in Belgium and France from 1914 to 1918. As the first volume of a planned trilogy, this work aims to offer a nuanced understanding of this pivotal theater, moving beyond common myths and focusing on the operational perspective of senior commanders across all involved powers. Here's a summary of the key aspects, figures, and events covered: Lloyd's Ambition and Approach Comprehensive Narrative: Lloyd, a reader in military and imperial history at King's College London, undertook this "big project" to create a grand narrative of the entire Western Front, encompassing the French sector, American sector, and the German story, alongside the often-emphasized British perspective. Focus on Senior Commanders: A primary goal was to view the war from the lens of senior commanders, challenging the traditional portrayal of them as "donkeys or butchers and bunglers." Lloyd aims to help readers appreciate the immense pressures and difficulties these individuals faced, offering a "cooler perspective" on their successes and errors. Trilogy: This book is the first of three volumes; future volumes will cover the Eastern Front and global warfare in the Middle East and Africa. Lloyd emphasizes that while other fronts are mentioned, the Western Front remained the decisive theater where Germany, France, Britain, and America determined the war's outcome. British Involvement and Leadership Initial Reluctance: Britain initially entered the conflict with a limited commitment, deploying only four infantry divisions and one cavalry division as the British Expeditionary Force (BEF), a "small army" compared to the French (80 divisions) and Germans (over 100 divisions). This reflected a desire for "limited liability" to the Western Front, contrasting sharply with French demands for more manpower. Early Leaders: H.H. Asquith (Prime Minister) was reportedly distracted by personal affairs at the war's outset. Lord Kitchener (Minister of War) was a professional soldier and hero of the empire, wary of deep British involvement but committed to supporting the French. Field Marshal Sir John French (Commander-in-Chief, BEF) was a Boer War hero who found himself "out of his depth" by 1914, struggling with the war's scale and intensity. During the August 1914 retreat, French considered pulling the BEF out of the line due to immense losses and pressure, a move Kitchener personally intervened to prevent, ordering French to stay and fight. Frencheventually "breaks down" due to losses and pressure and is sent home at the end of 1915. Later Leadership and Strategy: David Lloyd George (Prime Minister from late 1916) is credited as "the prime minister that wins the war" in Britain. He showed great energy in revitalizing British industry and re-equipping the army, despite having poor relations with his top generals. Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig replaced French as Commander-in-Chief of the BEF. Haig and Lloyd George had fundamentally different strategic outlooks, leading to "constant arguments and backstabbing". At the Battle of the Somme (1916), Haig favored a breakthrough strategy, aiming for maneuver and cavalry deployment to defeat the German army. However, his army commander, Rawlinson, advocated a "bite and hold" strategy, focusing on concentrated artillery to smash enemy lines, take ground, then consolidate before repeating, acknowledging that a grand breakthrough was not yet feasible for the largely "green" British army. German Strategy and Commanders Initial Invasion: The German invasion of France and Belgium in 1914 was based on the ambitious Schlieffen Plan, which aimed for a massive attack through Belgium to outflank French defenses and destroy their army in a grand battle of envelopment. Helmuth von Moltke the Younger (Chief of the General Staff) was under immense pressure and altered the Schlieffen Plan, weakening its critical right wing, and ultimately suffered a nervous breakdown by mid-September 1914. Moltke's controversial decision to order General Kluck's First Army to turn southeast instead of enveloping Paris contributed to the failure of the Schlieffen Plan, despite Kluck initially ignoring the order. Kaiser Wilhelm: His character was inconsistent, often described as a "weather vane," and he gradually became a less central figure as Hindenburg and Ludendorff gained influence from 1916. Erich von Falkenhayn (replaces Moltke in 1914) was the architect of the Verdun Offensive (1916). His vision was unique, aiming not for territorial gains but for attrition: to "kill Frenchmen" and exhaust them. Political Interference: Chancellor Theobald von Bethmann-Hollweg often opposed Falkenhayn's desire for unrestricted submarine warfare due to diplomatic concerns (e.g., fear of American entry), illustrating the German military's tendency to prioritize tactical effectiveness over political and strategic issues, which was ultimately "fatal". French Efforts and Leadership Joseph Joffre (Commander of French Forces): Described as a "great hero" of the French army, Joffrepossessed remarkable calmness and an ability to absorb punishment and react quickly. His leadership was crucial in defeating the Schlieffen Plan and counterattacking at the Battle of the Marne in September 1914, preventing a German victory. Raymond Poincaré (President of the French Republic): A nationalist deeply involved in military analysis, Poincaré was central to the political efforts to reassert civilian primacy over the army and secure British manpower commitments. General Castelnau (Joffre's chief of staff): A deeply religious man who personally lost three sons in the war, Castelnau exemplifies the human cost and personal horror experienced by some senior commanders, helping to humanize these figures in Lloyd's narrative. Robert Nivelle: An artillery officer who rose rapidly due to his successes at Verdun, Nivelle replaced Joffrein December 1916. He attempted a decisive breakthrough in his Nivelle Offensive in April 1917 with a "formula" for success, but it failed catastrophically due to his being "out of his depth" at the command-in-chief level, leading to French army issues including mutiny. Philippe Pétain: Replaced Nivelle, Pétain became a "savior of France." He was renowned for his deep understanding of battlefield realities and a strong connection with his troops. At Verdun, he innovated by rotating divisions out of the line for rest and recuperation, contrasting with the German practice of fighting units "until basically there's not a lot left". Ferdinand Foch (Supreme Allied Commander from April 1918): Foch is widely regarded as one of the most important generals of the war. He was an energetic and charismatic leader who successfully coordinated the American, British, and French forces in 1918, leading them to victory in the multinational war. His reputation continues to strengthen over time. American Involvement Entry into War: The United States declared war on Germany and Austria in April 1917. General John J. Pershing arrived in Paris in June 1917 to lead the American Expeditionary Force (AEF), despite having only 113,000 men in the army at the time. Rejection of Amalgamation: Pershing steadfastly resisted French and British desires to "amalgamate" American manpower into their existing divisions, insisting that American soldiers fight as an independent army. He argued that the Allies had a poor record of "not killing your own troops". German Miscalculation: Germany severely underestimated how quickly the United States could build and deploy an army, believing it would take years. This misjudgment ultimately contributed to their defeat once the Americans demonstrated their seriousness in 1918. American involvement became "crucial" by 1917, changing the atmosphere. Evolution of Warfare on the Western Front From Movement to Stalemate: The initial German invasion failed to achieve a decisive victory, leading to the establishment of trench warfare after the Battle of the Marne. Realization of No Breakthrough: After the Second Battle of Champagne (1915), Allied and Germancommanders like Joffre and Falkenhayn began to recognize that a "grand shattering breakthrough" was not achievable in the foreseeable future. Constant Adaptation: This realization led to a continuous arms race. As Allied artillery and tactics improved, German defenses evolved from single lines to complex "zones of pill boxes," making progress difficult and bloody. The war became an intense exercise in violence where commanders constantly adapted to a "cauldron of war". Key Battles and Their Significance Battle of the Marne (September 1914): Joffre's successful counterattack forced the Germans to retreat, effectively ending the Schlieffen Plan and leading to the beginning of trench warfare. Second Battle of Champagne (September-October 1915): A major French offensive that, despite immense effort and casualties, failed to achieve a decisive breakthrough, solidifying the understanding that trench deadlock could not be easily broken. Verdun (1916): Falkenhayn's attrition battle, designed to "kill Frenchmen," concentrated immense firepower in a small area, creating a "moonscape effect." While not decisive in destroying the French, it was a moment where "things start to go wrong for Germany," from which she never truly recovers. Somme (1916): A British and French offensive intended to relieve pressure on Verdun, but also driven by Haig's ambition for a breakthrough. The debate between breakthrough and Rawlinson's "bite and hold" strategy highlighted the dilemmas of Western Front warfare. Nivelle Offensive (April 1917): A disastrous French attempt at a breakthrough, which highlighted Nivelle'soverreach and led to significant disillusionment and mutiny within the French army. End of the War and its Legacy German Defeat: Lloyd's book argues that the German army was "falling apart" and "defeated rapidly in 1918" despite the persistent "stab in the back" myth that claimed they were betrayed at home. Armistice Decision: The decision by the Allies not to invade Germany was primarily political, as the British and French were "totally exhausted," while the Americans were "much fresher" and more keen to continue. Lloyd considers the armistice "fair on all sides". Lloyd's work underscores that the Western Front was a complex, multinational struggle marked by evolving strategies, immense pressures on commanders, and profound human costs, which ultimately determined the course of the Great War and cast a long shadow over the 20th century.

Nick Lloyd's "The Western Front: The History of the Great War, Volume 1" provides a comprehensive narrative of the Great War in Belgium and France from 1914 to 1918. As the first volume of a planned trilogy, this work aims to offer a nuanced understanding of this pivotal theater, moving beyond common myths and focusing on the operational perspective of senior commanders across all involved powers. 1918 JOHN MONASH Here's a summary of the key aspects, figures, and events covered: Lloyd's Ambition and Approach Comprehensive Narrative: Lloyd, a reader in military and imperial history at King's College London, undertook this "big project" to create a grand narrative of the entire Western Front, encompassing the French sector, American sector, and the German story, alongside the often-emphasized British perspective. Focus on Senior Commanders: A primary goal was to view the war from the lens of senior commanders, challenging the traditional portrayal of them as "donkeys or butchers and bunglers." Lloyd aims to help readers appreciate the immense pressures and difficulties these individuals faced, offering a "cooler perspective" on their successes and errors. Trilogy: This book is the first of three volumes; future volumes will cover the Eastern Front and global warfare in the Middle East and Africa. Lloyd emphasizes that while other fronts are mentioned, the Western Front remained the decisive theater where Germany, France, Britain, and America determined the war's outcome. British Involvement and Leadership Initial Reluctance: Britain initially entered the conflict with a limited commitment, deploying only four infantry divisions and one cavalry division as the British Expeditionary Force (BEF), a "small army" compared to the French (80 divisions) and Germans (over 100 divisions). This reflected a desire for "limited liability" to the Western Front, contrasting sharply with French demands for more manpower. Early Leaders: H.H. Asquith (Prime Minister) was reportedly distracted by personal affairs at the war's outset. Lord Kitchener (Minister of War) was a professional soldier and hero of the empire, wary of deep British involvement but committed to supporting the French. Field Marshal Sir John French (Commander-in-Chief, BEF) was a Boer War hero who found himself "out of his depth" by 1914, struggling with the war's scale and intensity. During the August 1914 retreat, French considered pulling the BEF out of the line due to immense losses and pressure, a move Kitchener personally intervened to prevent, ordering French to stay and fight. Frencheventually "breaks down" due to losses and pressure and is sent home at the end of 1915. Later Leadership and Strategy: David Lloyd George (Prime Minister from late 1916) is credited as "the prime minister that wins the war" in Britain. He showed great energy in revitalizing British industry and re-equipping the army, despite having poor relations with his top generals. Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig replaced French as Commander-in-Chief of the BEF. Haig and Lloyd George had fundamentally different strategic outlooks, leading to "constant arguments and backstabbing". At the Battle of the Somme (1916), Haig favored a breakthrough strategy, aiming for maneuver and cavalry deployment to defeat the German army. However, his army commander, Rawlinson, advocated a "bite and hold" strategy, focusing on concentrated artillery to smash enemy lines, take ground, then consolidate before repeating, acknowledging that a grand breakthrough was not yet feasible for the largely "green" British army. German Strategy and Commanders Initial Invasion: The German invasion of France and Belgium in 1914 was based on the ambitious Schlieffen Plan, which aimed for a massive attack through Belgium to outflank French defenses and destroy their army in a grand battle of envelopment. Helmuth von Moltke the Younger (Chief of the General Staff) was under immense pressure and altered the Schlieffen Plan, weakening its critical right wing, and ultimately suffered a nervous breakdown by mid-September 1914. Moltke's controversial decision to order General Kluck's First Army to turn southeast instead of enveloping Paris contributed to the failure of the Schlieffen Plan, despite Kluck initially ignoring the order. Kaiser Wilhelm: His character was inconsistent, often described as a "weather vane," and he gradually became a less central figure as Hindenburg and Ludendorff gained influence from 1916. Erich von Falkenhayn (replaces Moltke in 1914) was the architect of the Verdun Offensive (1916). His vision was unique, aiming not for territorial gains but for attrition: to "kill Frenchmen" and exhaust them. Political Interference: Chancellor Theobald von Bethmann-Hollweg often opposed Falkenhayn's desire for unrestricted submarine warfare due to diplomatic concerns (e.g., fear of American entry), illustrating the German military's tendency to prioritize tactical effectiveness over political and strategic issues, which was ultimately "fatal". French Efforts and Leadership Joseph Joffre (Commander of French Forces): Described as a "great hero" of the French army, Joffrepossessed remarkable calmness and an ability to absorb punishment and react quickly. His leadership was crucial in defeating the Schlieffen Plan and counterattacking at the Battle of the Marne in September 1914, preventing a German victory. Raymond Poincaré (President of the French Republic): A nationalist deeply involved in military analysis, Poincaré was central to the political efforts to reassert civilian primacy over the army and secure British manpower commitments. General Castelnau (Joffre's chief of staff): A deeply religious man who personally lost three sons in the war, Castelnau exemplifies the human cost and personal horror experienced by some senior commanders, helping to humanize these figures in Lloyd's narrative. Robert Nivelle: An artillery officer who rose rapidly due to his successes at Verdun, Nivelle replaced Joffrein December 1916. He attempted a decisive breakthrough in his Nivelle Offensive in April 1917 with a "formula" for success, but it failed catastrophically due to his being "out of his depth" at the command-in-chief level, leading to French army issues including mutiny. Philippe Pétain: Replaced Nivelle, Pétain became a "savior of France." He was renowned for his deep understanding of battlefield realities and a strong connection with his troops. At Verdun, he innovated by rotating divisions out of the line for rest and recuperation, contrasting with the German practice of fighting units "until basically there's not a lot left". Ferdinand Foch (Supreme Allied Commander from April 1918): Foch is widely regarded as one of the most important generals of the war. He was an energetic and charismatic leader who successfully coordinated the American, British, and French forces in 1918, leading them to victory in the multinational war. His reputation continues to strengthen over time. American Involvement Entry into War: The United States declared war on Germany and Austria in April 1917. General John J. Pershing arrived in Paris in June 1917 to lead the American Expeditionary Force (AEF), despite having only 113,000 men in the army at the time. Rejection of Amalgamation: Pershing steadfastly resisted French and British desires to "amalgamate" American manpower into their existing divisions, insisting that American soldiers fight as an independent army. He argued that the Allies had a poor record of "not killing your own troops". German Miscalculation: Germany severely underestimated how quickly the United States could build and deploy an army, believing it would take years. This misjudgment ultimately contributed to their defeat once the Americans demonstrated their seriousness in 1918. American involvement became "crucial" by 1917, changing the atmosphere. Evolution of Warfare on the Western Front From Movement to Stalemate: The initial German invasion failed to achieve a decisive victory, leading to the establishment of trench warfare after the Battle of the Marne. Realization of No Breakthrough: After the Second Battle of Champagne (1915), Allied and Germancommanders like Joffre and Falkenhayn began to recognize that a "grand shattering breakthrough" was not achievable in the foreseeable future. Constant Adaptation: This realization led to a continuous arms race. As Allied artillery and tactics improved, German defenses evolved from single lines to complex "zones of pill boxes," making progress difficult and bloody. The war became an intense exercise in violence where commanders constantly adapted to a "cauldron of war". Key Battles and Their Significance Battle of the Marne (September 1914): Joffre's successful counterattack forced the Germans to retreat, effectively ending the Schlieffen Plan and leading to the beginning of trench warfare. Second Battle of Champagne (September-October 1915): A major French offensive that, despite immense effort and casualties, failed to achieve a decisive breakthrough, solidifying the understanding that trench deadlock could not be easily broken. Verdun (1916): Falkenhayn's attrition battle, designed to "kill Frenchmen," concentrated immense firepower in a small area, creating a "moonscape effect." While not decisive in destroying the French, it was a moment where "things start to go wrong for Germany," from which she never truly recovers. Somme (1916): A British and French offensive intended to relieve pressure on Verdun, but also driven by Haig's ambition for a breakthrough. The debate between breakthrough and Rawlinson's "bite and hold" strategy highlighted the dilemmas of Western Front warfare. Nivelle Offensive (April 1917): A disastrous French attempt at a breakthrough, which highlighted Nivelle'soverreach and led to significant disillusionment and mutiny within the French army. End of the War and its Legacy German Defeat: Lloyd's book argues that the German army was "falling apart" and "defeated rapidly in 1918" despite the persistent "stab in the back" myth that claimed they were betrayed at home. Armistice Decision: The decision by the Allies not to invade Germany was primarily political, as the British and French were "totally exhausted," while the Americans were "much fresher" and more keen to continue. Lloyd considers the armistice "fair on all sides". Lloyd's work underscores that the Western Front was a complex, multinational struggle marked by evolving strategies, immense pressures on commanders, and profound human costs, which ultimately determined the course of the Great War and cast a long shadow over the 20th century.

Where do we go and what happens next after the dust at long last settles on an experience that sent tremors through a community? That's the question pondered in the final moments of Adolescence, the recent smash hit Netflix drama, which last night swept the 2025 Emmys. It's also, in part, the question at the heart of our conversation today with the show's co-writer – BAFTA-winning screenwriter and playwright Jack Thorne, who joins Al not just to discuss the show's creation, but to wade through the impact of this show that shook Britain. Adolescence stirred real-life change in a way few TV shows can. It caused parents and legislators to ask important questions about the digital realms their kids disappear into behind closed doors. It's been made available to every school pupil in Britain for free. And there are growing calls for a ban on smartphones in schools, all because of this one-take tale of a 13-year-old boy driven to unthinkable violence by corrosive content served to him on his phone. In the spoiler conversation you're about to hear, Jack tells us his conflicted feelings over the show's handling of Katie, the young girl whose death propels the show. He tells us about the fifth episode he would have loved to have written, focusing on Jamie's friends. And you'll also hear about Jack's research into real-life online misogyny, preying upon the insecurities of boys like Jamie.Script Apart is hosted by Al Horner and produced by Kamil Dymek. Follow us on Instagram, or email us on thescriptapartpodcast@gmail.com.To get ad-free episodes and exclusive content, join us on Patreon.Get coverage on your screenplay by visiting ScriptApart.com/coverage. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Florida Congressman Randy Fine (R-FL) joined Alan Skorski for a hard-hitting interview on the current war against Hamas, the rise of global antisemitism, and the dangers posed by unchecked radical Islam. The discussion opened with Israel's recent targeted strike in Qatar that eliminated top Hamas leaders, followed by the brutal terrorist attack in Jerusalem carried out by two Arab terrorists from Ramallah, which left six civilians murdered and many more wounded. Skorski placed these events in the broader context of what he described as the “greatest wave of Palestinianist and Islamist-inspired antisemitism since the 1930s in Germany.” Citing reports from MEMRI, Rep. Fine declared bluntly: “Mainstream Islam hates America and hates Jews.” He accused Western leaders of ignoring the radical Muslim threat, warning that the same mistakes which devastated Europe are now being repeated in America. “Europe has warmly welcomed Muslim terrorists to move to their countries,” he said. “They have ‘no-go zones,' and in Britain, you can get arrested for criticizing Islam.” Fine pointed to Islamist activists' own words that their goal is to migrate to the West, outbreed the local population, and take over societies from within. “These are not my words,” he emphasized. “These are their words.” Turning to Israel, Fine dismissed accusations that Israel is causing “starvation” in Gaza as nothing more than blood libels. “It was never Israel's responsibility to feed, clothe, and babysit Gazans,” he argued, noting that most Gazans openly support Hamas. “If they want the suffering to end, they should pressure Hamas to release the hostages. It's that simple.” Drawing a historical parallel, Fine reminded listeners that the United States did not negotiate with Japanese civilians during WWII. “America did what it had to do, including dropping two nuclear bombs to end the war. Israel should do whatever it takes to win.” The conversation also touched on the disturbing infiltration of extremist Muslims into the U.S. health care system. Skorski and Fine highlighted cases of Muslim medical professionals openly calling for violence against Jews—including a Florida dentist who lost his license after Fine took action. On the issue of antisemitism on college campuses, Fine reiterated his commitment to holding university presidents accountable for tolerating antisemitic professors and student groups. “University leaders who turn a blind eye to Jew-hatred must be forced to act—or be removed.” Throughout the interview, Congressman Fine's message was clear: radical Islam poses a direct threat to America, Europe, and Israel alike, and the refusal of political leaders to confront it only fuels its spread. -VIN News Alan Skorski Reports 15SEP2025 - PODCAST

Welcome to Britain's most haunted house — 30 East Drive in Pontefract — where a seemingly ordinary family home turned into a prison of nightmares. What started with mysterious puddles, floating dust clouds, and furniture that moved on its own quickly escalated into full-blown poltergeist chaos. Known by the Pritchard family as Fred, the Black Monk of Pontefract wasn't just mischievous — it was terrifying, violent, and maybe even hungry (yes, this spirit snacked on sandwiches). From eggs exploding mid-air to priests fleeing after failed exorcisms, the Pritchard family lived through a haunting so wild it inspired an actual horror film. But in between the chills, there are moments so bizarre they're almost funny — like disembodied fur gloves conducting a hymn sing-along. Still, the poltergeist's obsession with teenage Diane, culminating in a nightmarish attempt to drag her away, proved this was no harmless prankster. Links to photos and video mentioned: 30 East Drive Recent Happenings Untaken photo Shadow in corridor video - appears at 21:43 Book Mentioned:  Poltergeist: A Classic Study in Destructive Hauntings by Colin Wilson Watch the video version here. Have ghost stories of your own? E-mail them to us at twogirlsoneghostpodcast@gmail.com New Episodes are released every Thursday and Sunday at 12am PST/3am EST (the witching hour, of course). Corinne and Sabrina hand select a couple of paranormal encounters from our inbox to read in each episode, from demons, to cryptids, to aliens, to creepy kids... the list goes on and on. If you have a story of your own that you'd like us to share on an upcoming episode, we invite you to email them to us!  If you enjoy our show, please consider joining our Patreon, rating and reviewing on iTunes & Spotify and following us on social media! Youtube, Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and Discord. Edited by Jaimi Ryan and produced by Emma Leventer and Jaimi Ryan, original music by Arms Akimbo! Disclaimer: the use of white sage and smudging is a closed practice. If you're looking to cleanse your space, here are some great alternatives! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Why is Chatham High-street both futuristic and riddled with the past? Why was it a magnet for historical figures such as King John, Charles II, Nelson and Charles Dickens, and the location for some of the most totemic moments in British history? Is it really a melting pot of every epoch - from the Roman invasion of Britain, to the Napoleonic Wars, and to the Second World War - and therefore the most historically significant high-street in the world?  ______ Try Adobe Express for free now at https://www.adobe.com/uk/express/spotlight/designwithexpress?sdid=HM85WZZV&mv=display&mv2=ctv or by searching in the app store. Learn more at https://uber.com/onourway ______ The Rest Is History Club: Become a member for exclusive bonus content, early access to full series and live show tickets, ad-free listening, our exclusive newsletter, discount book prices on titles mentioned on the pod, and our members' chatroom on Discord. Just head to therestishistory.com to sign up, or start a free trial today on Apple Podcasts: apple.co/therestishistory. For more Goalhanger Podcasts, head to www.goalhanger.com _______ Twitter: @TheRestHistory @holland_tom @dcsandbrook Producer: Theo Young-Smith Assistant Producers: Tabby Syrett + Aaliyah Akude Video Producers: Harry Swan + Jack Meek + Charlie Rodwell Social Producer: Harry Balden Executive Producers: Jack Davenport + Tony Pastor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Allister Heath is a French-British journalist and commentator, known for his free-market views and sharp critiques of UK politics. He's the editor of The Sunday Telegraph and a former editor of City A.M., with a background in economics from LSE and Oxford. Triggernometry is proudly independent. Thanks to the sponsors below for making that possible: - Hirsch Organic Grass Fed Beef Organ Supplement: get 10% off at https://hirschorganic.com/pages/trigger - Protect your wealth with The Pure Gold Company. Get your free investor guide at https://pure-gold.co/trigger - Book your tickets at battleofideas.org.uk. Use code TRIGGER25 for a 20% discount on all tickets. Join our exclusive TRIGGERnometry community on Substack! https://triggernometry.substack.com/ OR Support TRIGGERnometry Here: Bitcoin: bc1qm6vvhduc6s3rvy8u76sllmrfpynfv94qw8p8d5 Shop Merch here - https://www.triggerpod.co.uk/shop/ Advertise on TRIGGERnometry: marketing@triggerpod.co.uk Find TRIGGERnometry on Social Media: https://twitter.com/triggerpod https://www.facebook.com/triggerpod/ https://www.instagram.com/triggerpod/ About TRIGGERnometry: Stand-up comedians Konstantin Kisin (@konstantinkisin) and Francis Foster (@francisjfoster) make sense of politics, economics, free speech, AI, drug policy and WW3 with the help of presidential advisors, renowned economists, award-winning journalists, controversial writers, leading scientists and notorious comedians. 00:00 - Introduction 07:15 - Things Have To Get Worse 14:15 - People Don't Understand The Level Of Debt We're In 19:42 - We're Going To Have Real Austerity 27:24 - Labour Isn't Capable Of Reducing Spending 35:41 - The Left Doesn't Understand Economics 41:25 - What Does Reform Need To Do To Succeed? 48:29 - How Much Of An Impact Can Jeremy Corbyn's Party Make? 53:52 - Words Matter! 01:00:14 - What's The One Thing We're Not Talking About That We Really Should Be? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join us for daily coverage of the Vuelta a España recorded on the road as the race makes its way from Turin to Madrid. Our daily coverage features race analysis, interviews and daily postcards from  Spain. OUR SPONSORS, LLOYDS The Cycling Podcast is proudly supported by Lloyds. Last year, Lloyds began a multi-year partnership with British Cycling, which includes becoming  title sponsors of the Lloyds Tour of Britain races for men and women. Lloyds also sponsors the Great Britain team and National Championships across a range of disciplines – road racing, track cycling, mountain biking, BMX and cyclo-cross. Thanks to sponsorship from Lloyds, The Cycling Podcast will be covering the Lloyds Tour of Britain Men with daily episodes for the first time. Check out the full route of the race on the British Cycling website. Follow us on social media: Twitter @cycling_podcast Instagram @thecyclingpodcast Friends of the Podcast Sign up as a Friend of the Podcast at thecyclingpodcast.com to listen to new special episodes every month plus a back catalogue of more than 300 exclusive episodes. The Cannibal & Badger Friends of the Podcast can join the discussion at our new virtual pub, The Cannibal & Badger. A friendly forum to talk about cycling and the podcast. Log in to your Friends of the Podcast account to join in. The 11.01 Cappuccino Our regular email newsletter is now on Substack. Subscribe here for frothy, full-fat updates to enjoy any time (as long as it's after 11am). The Cycling Podcast is on Strava The Cycling Podcast was founded in 2013 by Richard Moore, Daniel Friebe and Lionel Birnie.

On this week's Defense & Aerospace Report Business Roundtable, sponsored by Bell, Dr. “Rocket” Ron Epstein of Bank of America Securities, and Richard Aboulafia of the AeroDynamic advisory consultancy join host Vago Muradian to discuss Wall Street gains ground on expectations the Federal Reserve will cut borrowing rates next week on a shaky jobs market; Denmark picked Europe's SAMP-T air and missile defense system over the US Patriot system as part of a wider air and missile defense upgrade worth $9 billion; Boeing's unionized machinists in St Louis rejection of the company's latest offer to end a month long strike; low-cost carrier Avelo Airlines order for 50 Embraer E195-E2 jetliners in a $4.4 billion deal . . . the arrival of two Northrop Grumman B-21 bombers at Edwards Air Force Base for flight testing; and takeaways from the world's biggest defense show, the DSEI exhibition in London; including how US companies are increasing cooperation with global partners like cooperative venture between Lockheed Martin's Skunk Works and BAE Systems' Falcon Works to develop innovative new unmanned systems, and Global Combat Air Program led by Britain with Italy and Japan suggests there would be room for Germany and Spain on the program to develop a new sixth generation air system should the countries — already frustrated with France's hold on the SCAF program — what to jump ship and be part of a more collaborative effort.

 The end is almost in sight — this is our 20th daily podcast from the Vuelta a España 2025, recorded on the road as the race heads towards Madrid. Each episode brings race analysis, rider interviews, and daily postcards from Spain.  OUR SPONSORS, LLOYDS The Cycling Podcast is proudly supported by Lloyds. Last year, Lloyds began a multi-year partnership with British Cycling, which includes becoming  title sponsors of the Lloyds Tour of Britain races for men and women. Lloyds also sponsors the Great Britain team and National Championships across a range of disciplines – road racing, track cycling, mountain biking, BMX and cyclo-cross. Thanks to sponsorship from Lloyds, The Cycling Podcast will be covering the Lloyds Tour of Britain Men with daily episodes for the first time. Check out the full route of the race on the British Cycling website. EPISODE SPONSOR NordVPN Get NordVPN two-year plan + four months extra ➼ https://nordvpn.com/tcp It's risk-free with Nord's 30-day money-back guarantee.  Follow us on social media: Twitter @cycling_podcast Instagram @thecyclingpodcast Friends of the Podcast Sign up as a Friend of the Podcast at thecyclingpodcast.com to listen to new special episodes every month plus a back catalogue of more than 300 exclusive episodes. The Cannibal & Badger Friends of the Podcast can join the discussion at our new virtual pub, The Cannibal & Badger. A friendly forum to talk about cycling and the podcast. Log in to your Friends of the Podcast account to join in. The 11.01 Cappuccino Our regular email newsletter is now on Substack. Subscribe here for frothy, full-fat updates to enjoy any time (as long as it's after 11am). The Cycling Podcast is on Strava The Cycling Podcast was founded in 2013 by Richard Moore, Daniel Friebe and Lionel Birnie.

He looked like the friendly neighbor everyone trusted. A soft-spoken civil servant with a kind smile, Dennis Nilsen appeared anything but dangerous. But behind the closed doors of his North London flat, he harbored some of the darkest secrets in British criminal history. Between 1978 and 1983, Nilsen lured young men into his home, where he murdered them—and kept their bodies hidden for weeks, even months, before disposing of them in ways that shocked the nation.

Donald Trump touches down in Britain next week for his state visit and political editor Tim Shipman has the inside scoop on how No. 10 is preparing. Keir Starmer's aides are braced for turbulence; ‘the one thing about Trump which is entirely predictable is his unpredictability,' one ventures. Government figures fear he may go off message on broadcast – he is scheduled to be interviewed by GB News.A second state visit, especially during a second term, is unprecedented. But, as Tim says, ‘Britishness is fashionable in Washington' and no-one likes ‘royal treatment' more than Trump. So, can Starmer take advantage of the President's ‘love of the deal'?Tim joins Will Moore and Lara Prendergast, the Spectator's features and executive editors respectively, in a conversation recorded originally for the Edition podcast. For more from the Spectator, search 'The Edition' wherever you subscribe to your podcasts.Produced by Patrick Gibbons.Become a Spectator subscriber today to access this podcast without adverts. Go to spectator.co.uk/adfree to find out more.For more Spectator podcasts, go to spectator.co.uk/podcasts.Contact us: podcast@spectator.co.uk Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Vampires today? Slick hair, silk capes. Some eve sparkle. Vampires back then? Bloated corpses crawling out of the dirt to ruin your crops and torment you with whispering your sins in the dark. In this week's episode, the Hosts dig deep—literally—into two of Britain's grimiest, creepiest, nastiest vampire legends: the Berwick Revenant and the Melrose Chaplain. These aren't your Victorian nightwalkers with dinner reservations and box seats at the opera! These are medieval undead freakshows with unfinished business. First, we head to Berwick-on-Tweed, where a pious man dies, only to rise again each night—chased through the streets by hellhounds from the fiery below. Then it's off to Melrose Abbey, where a debauched priest refuses to stay in the ground, creeping back from the grave to haunt his former patron - and anyone else who skipped evening prayers. What do these revenants want?... Blood? Maybe... Redemption? Doubtful... Peace? Only if you burn the body and do it fast. Join us as we dive into plague, purgatory, and the part of vampire folklore where the vamps aren't sexy—they're just filthy. Citizens of the Milky Way, prepare yourselves for The Revenants of Berwick & Melrose!Music & Editing by Gage Hurley++++Check out our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/creepstreetpodcastInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/creepstreetpodcastYouTube: https://youtube.com/@creepstreetpodcast5062?feature=sharedTikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@creepstreetpodcast#Vampires #HauntedHistory #ScottishHistory #ParanormalPodcast #TrueParanormal #HauntedScotland #ScottishVampires #Berwick #Melrose #Folklore #CreepStreetPodcast #ParanormalStories #CursedHistory #GhostStories #SupernaturalTales #UrbanLegends #DarkHistory #Macabre #OccultStories #HauntedPlaces #Scotland #ScottishFolklore #ScottishMyths #UKFolklore #UKParanormal #ScottishLegends #ScottishHauntings #Borderlands #HistoricScotland #PodcastLife #StorytellingPodcast #CreepyContent #SpookySeason #TrueHorror #WeirdHistory #HistoryPodcast #FolklorePodcast #SupernaturalPodcast

First: a look ahead to President Trump's state visit next weekTransatlantic tensions are growing as the row over Peter Mandelson's role provides an ominous overture to Donald Trump's state visit next week. Political editor Tim Shipman has the inside scoop on how No. 10 is preparing. Keir Starmer's aides are braced for turbulence. ‘The one thing about Trump which is entirely predictable is his unpredictability,' one ventures. And government figures fear he may go off message on broadcast – he is scheduled to be interviewed by GB News.It is rare for leaders to receive a second visit, especially those in their second term. But, as Tim says, ‘Britishness is fashionable in Washington' and no-one likes ‘royal treatment' more than Trump. So, can Starmer take advantage of the President's ‘love of the deal'? Tim joins the podcast to discuss.Next: why are historical figures being labelled neurodiverse?A new biography of Margaret Thatcher has provoked much discussion by claiming that Britain's former Prime Minister was autistic. The proof for such a claim rests on the Iron Lady's (supposed) lack of a sense of humour, a lack of feeling embarrassed and a tendency to see the world in black and white. But is there a danger in reappraising historical and political figures, particularly when it comes to personal traits? Historians – and frequent Spectator contributors – Robert Tombs and John Keiger joined the podcast to give their verdict.And finally: is everyone on Ozempic?One of the Spectator's writers, under the pseudonym Henrietta Harding, headed out on what she terms ‘Ozempic safari' – spotting the ‘Mounjaro Mummies' as they drop off their children at school. ‘We know what to look for', she says, ‘sunken faces, slightly wasted arms and, of course, envy-inducing weight loss'.But the school gates aren't the only place Ozempic seems to have taken hold. Westminster is awash with politicians who have suspiciously slimmer fitting suits – but why? Associate editor Toby Young and deputy political editor James Heale join the podcast to make sense of the trend for trim.Plus: As President Xi re-emerges, Francis Pike asks who's really in charge in China?Hosted by William Moore and Lara Prendergast.Produced by Patrick Gibbons and Oscar Edmondson. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Victor Davis Hanson and co-host Sami Winc discuss the implications of the recent murder of Iryna Zarutska, Israel's hit on Hamas leaders in Qatar, Homan's interview with Mika, Russian drones in Polish airspace, and Britain's Nigel Farage grows in popularity, and more in the Friday news roundup.See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Today's Headlines: The FBI is in Utah chasing down leads in the Charlie Kirk assassination, releasing video of the suspected gunman's escape and offering $100K for tips. Meanwhile, Trump plans to award Kirk the Medal of Freedom, VP JD Vance escorted his casket, and MAGA lawmakers are pushing for a Capitol statue. Security scares piled on, too—Capitol Police cleared a bomb threat at DNC HQ and multiple HBCUs went into lockdown after threats, all later deemed not credible. Bloomberg dropped 18,000 Epstein emails showing his tight post-conviction ties with Ghislaine Maxwell, plus a spreadsheet of $1.8M in gifts and payments. Across the pond, Britain's ambassador to the U.S. got fired after Epstein's “birthday book” and emails revealed his buddy-buddy relationship with the disgraced financier. On the economy, grocery inflation hit the highest since 2022—coffee up 20%, beef up 16%, even bananas pricier—thanks in part to tariffs. And abroad, Brazil's ex-president Jair Bolsonaro was convicted of plotting a coup, including assassinations of Lula da Silva and others, and sentenced to 27 years. Unsurprisingly, he's crying “witch hunt” as his supporters riot. Resources/Articles mentioned in this episode: NYT: No Arrests in Charlie Kirk's Killing as FBI Seeks Help From Public Independent: MAGA Rep. Anna Paulina Luna calls for Charlie Kirk statue in the Capitol after his assassination Axios: State Department warns immigrants not to mock Kirk's death NBC: DNC headquarters searched for bomb due to threat later deemed ‘not credible ABC News: 'Chilling reminder': Multiple historically Black universities under lockdown after receiving threats Bloomberg: Epstein's Inbox: A Trove of Emails Reveals Ghislaine Maxwell's Secrets BBC: Being US ambassador 'privilege of my life', Mandelson says, after being sacked over Epstein emails Axios: Grocery inflation highest since 2022 as Trump tariffs pile up CNN: Brazil's former President Jair Bolsonaro convicted of plotting coup, sentenced to over 27 years in prison  Morning Announcements is produced by Sami Sage and edited by Grace Hernandez-Johnson Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join us for daily coverage of the Vuelta a España recorded on the road as the race makes its way from Turin to Madrid. Our daily coverage features race analysis, interviews and daily postcards from  Spain. OUR SPONSORS, LLOYDS The Cycling Podcast is proudly supported by Lloyds. Last year, Lloyds began a multi-year partnership with British Cycling, which includes becoming  title sponsors of the Lloyds Tour of Britain races for men and women. Lloyds also sponsors the Great Britain team and National Championships across a range of disciplines – road racing, track cycling, mountain biking, BMX and cyclo-cross. Thanks to sponsorship from Lloyds, The Cycling Podcast will be covering the Lloyds Tour of Britain Men with daily episodes for the first time. Check out the full route of the race on the British Cycling website. EPISODE SPONSOR Saily If you are travelling abroad and want to reduce or even eliminate roaming charges you need an eSim from Saily, brought to you by the creators of NordVPN. ⛵Download the SAILY app and use our code cycling at checkout to get an exclusive 15% off your first purchase. Or go to saily.com/cycling for full details Follow us on social media: Twitter @cycling_podcast Instagram @thecyclingpodcast Friends of the Podcast Sign up as a Friend of the Podcast at thecyclingpodcast.com to listen to new special episodes every month plus a back catalogue of more than 300 exclusive episodes. The Cannibal & Badger Friends of the Podcast can join the discussion at our new virtual pub, The Cannibal & Badger. A friendly forum to talk about cycling and the podcast. Log in to your Friends of the Podcast account to join in. The 11.01 Cappuccino Our regular email newsletter is now on Substack. Subscribe here for frothy, full-fat updates to enjoy any time (as long as it's after 11am). The Cycling Podcast is on Strava The Cycling Podcast was founded in 2013 by Richard Moore, Daniel Friebe and Lionel Birnie.

Nick is joined by Racing Post senior writer Lee Mottershead for the latest from around the racing world. They lead with today's voluntary cancellation of racing in Britain, wonder how it might be best pitched to achieve maximum impact, and consider the bookmakers' and parliamentarians' likely response. Trainer William Haggas joins the conversation. Also on today's show, with the Hillsin enquiry reaching boiling point, we repay the interview that defendant Chris Honour gave this podcast over two years ago, the morning after the race in question. Plus, Sean Levey - booked once again for Aidan O'Brien after last year's Leger heroics - talks through who he'd like to ride out of the trio and gives his candid assessment of Rosallion after another defeat at the weekend. JA McGrath returns for the new season in Hong Kong.

Luke's joined by Ben Swift today to reflect on his emotional Tour of Britain alongside G. Swifty was there to see him over the line in Cardiff and made it to the end of 'stage seven' intact as well. He's not finished racing for the year - and he hopes to carry on into 2026. We wish Swifty well! Over at the Vuelta, big Pippo Ganna earned our Continental Tyres Chapeau of the Day for his excellent win in the stage 17 TT - and all eyes are on Tom Pidcock this weekend. Can he earn his first Grand Tour podium? We'll be back next week to debrief it. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Reform UK kicked off party season in the weirdest way possible – will any of the other parties be able to overshadow them in the coming weeks? Perhaps not for singing and conspiracy theories, but hopefully in policy. The panel previews party conference season. Plus, we discuss who should be the next Labour deputy leader and in the extra bit dive into some dodgy Boris Johnson accusations.  • Get our exclusive NordVPN deal here. It's risk-free with Nord's 30-day money back guarantee!  • Advertisers! Want to reach smart, engaged, influential people with money to spend? (Yes, they do exist). Some 3.5 MILLION people download and watch our podcasts every month – and they love our shows. Why not get YOUR brand in front of our influential listeners with podcast advertising? Contact ads@podmasters.co.uk to find out more • Back us on Patreon or ad-free listening, bonus materials and more.  Presented by Alison Phillips with Zoë Grünewald, Jason Hazeley and Hannah Fearn.  Audio Production by: Robin Leeburn. Art direction: James Parrett. Group Editor: Andrew Harrison. Managing Editor: Jacob Jarvis. OH GOD, WHAT NOW? is a Podmasters production. www.podmasters.co.uk  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Champion trainer of Britain and Ireland Aidan O'Brien joins Emmet Kennedy for a blockbuster preview of the St Leger Festival at Doncaster and Irish Champions Weekend at Leopardstown and the Curragh.

The first account of Jewish children's flight from Nazi Germany to France—and their subsequent escape to America from the Vichy regime At the eve of the Second World War, an estimated 1.6 million Jewish children lived in Nazi-occupied Europe. While 10,000 of them escaped to Britain in the Kindertransport, only some 500 found a new home in France. Here they attempted to begin again—but their refuge would all too soon become a trap.For the first time, Laura Hobson Faure brings to life the experiences of these children, and the Jewish and non-Jewish organizations who helped them. Drawing on survivors' testimonies as well as children's diaries, letters, drawings, songs, and poems, Who Will Rescue Us?: The Story of the Jewish Children who Fled to France and America During the Holocaust (Yale UP, 2025) re-creates their complex journeys, including how some of them eventually found safety in America.Hobson Faure paints a moving portrait of these children and their escape, uncovering their agency in the flight from Nazism—and knits together the network of the many who aided them along the way. Laura Hobson Faure is professor of modern history and chair of Modern Jewish History at Université Paris 1-Panthéon-Sorbonne. She's an expert on French-American Jewish history and the author of The “Jewish Marshall Plan”: The American Jewish Presence in Post-Holocaust France. Geraldine Gudefin is a modern Jewish historian researching Jewish migrations, family life, and legal pluralism. She is currently a Visiting Scholar at the Centre for Asian Legal Studies at the National University of Singapore, and is completing a book titled An Impossible Divorce? East European Jews and the Limits of Legal Pluralism in France, 1900-1939. Find Geraldine here Mentioned in the podcast: Rebecca Clifford, Survivors, Children's Lives after the Holocaust (Yale University Press, 2020). Rebecca Clifford, “Who is a Survivor? Child Holocaust Survivors and the Development of a Generational Identity,” Oral History Forum. Forum d'Histoire Orale 37 (2017). Beth B. Cohen, Child Survivors of the Holocaust: The Youngest Remnant and the American Experience (Rutgers University Press, 2018). Deborah Dwork, Children with a Star: Jewish Youth in Nazi Europe (Yale University Press, 1991). Katy Hazan, “Le sauvetage des enfants juifs de France vers les Amériques, 1933-1947,” in Hélène Harter and André Kaspi, Terres promises: mélanges offerts à André Kaspi, 2008, p. 481-93. Katy Hazan, Rire le jour, pleurer la nuit: les enfants juifs cachés dans la Creuse pendant la guerre, 1939-1944 (Calman-Levy, 2014). Laura Hobson Faure, Manon Pignot, and Antoine Rivière, eds., Enfants en guerre. “Sans famille” dans les conflits du XXe siècle (CNRS, 2023). Sarah L. Holloway, Louise Holt, and Sarah Mills, “Questions of Agency: Capacity, Subjectivity, Spatiality and Temporality,” Progress in Human Geography 43, no. 3 (2019): 458–477. Laurent Joly, L'État contre les Juifs: Vichy, les nazis et la persécution antisémite 1940–1944 (Grasset, 2018). Célia Keren, “Autobiographies of Spanish Refugee Children at the Quaker Home in La Rouvière (France, 1940): Humanitarian Communication and Children's Writings,” Les Cahiers de FRAMESPA 5 (2010). Lisa Moses Leff, The Archive Thief: The Man Who Salvaged French Jewish History in the Wake of the Holocaust (Oxford University Press, 2015). Joanna B. Michlic, “Missed Lessons from the Holocaust: Avoiding Complexities and Darker Aspects of Jewish Child Survivors' Life Experiences,” The Journal of the History of Childhood and Youth 17, no. 2 (Spring 2024): 272–286. See also her forthcoming book. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

New Testament letters are compared with private, business, and administrative letters of Greco-Roman antiquity and analyzed against this background. More than 11,800 Greek and Latin letters – preserved on papyrus, potsherds, and tablets from Egypt, Israel, Asia Minor, North Africa, Britain, and Switzerland – have been edited so far. Among them are not only short notes by writers with poor writing skills, but also extensive letters and correspondences from highly educated authors. They testify to the literary skills of Paul of Tarsus, who knew how to make excellent use of epistolary formulas and even introduced new variations. They also show that some New Testament letters clearly fall outside the framework of standard epistolography, raising new questions about their authors and their genre. The introductions and discussions offered in this volume reflect the current state of the art and present new research results. Letters and Letter Writing (Brill U Schoningh, 2023) also presents over 130 papyrus and ostracon letters newly translated in their entirety. Peter Arzt-Grabner is Associate Professor and head of the Papyrological Research Unit at the Department of Biblical Studies and Ecclesiastical History at the University of Salzburg. He is the author of Philemon (Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 2003) and 2. Korintherbrief (Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 2013) as well as the co-author of More Light from the Ancient Near East: Understanding the New Testament through Papyri (Brill, 2023; with John S. Kloppenborg and Christina M. Kreinecker). He is also a series editor for Papyri and the New Testament (Brill) and Papyrologische Kommentare zum Neuen Testament (Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht). Jonathon Lookadoo is Associate Professor at the Presbyterian University and Theological Seminary in Seoul, South Korea. While his interests range widely over the world of early Christianity, he is the author of books on the Epistle of Barnabas, Ignatius of Antioch, and the Shepherd of Hermas, including The Christology of Ignatius of Antioch (Cascade, 2023). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/new-books-network

The first account of Jewish children's flight from Nazi Germany to France—and their subsequent escape to America from the Vichy regime At the eve of the Second World War, an estimated 1.6 million Jewish children lived in Nazi-occupied Europe. While 10,000 of them escaped to Britain in the Kindertransport, only some 500 found a new home in France. Here they attempted to begin again—but their refuge would all too soon become a trap.For the first time, Laura Hobson Faure brings to life the experiences of these children, and the Jewish and non-Jewish organizations who helped them. Drawing on survivors' testimonies as well as children's diaries, letters, drawings, songs, and poems, Who Will Rescue Us?: The Story of the Jewish Children who Fled to France and America During the Holocaust (Yale UP, 2025) re-creates their complex journeys, including how some of them eventually found safety in America.Hobson Faure paints a moving portrait of these children and their escape, uncovering their agency in the flight from Nazism—and knits together the network of the many who aided them along the way. Laura Hobson Faure is professor of modern history and chair of Modern Jewish History at Université Paris 1-Panthéon-Sorbonne. She's an expert on French-American Jewish history and the author of The “Jewish Marshall Plan”: The American Jewish Presence in Post-Holocaust France. Geraldine Gudefin is a modern Jewish historian researching Jewish migrations, family life, and legal pluralism. She is currently a Visiting Scholar at the Centre for Asian Legal Studies at the National University of Singapore, and is completing a book titled An Impossible Divorce? East European Jews and the Limits of Legal Pluralism in France, 1900-1939. Find Geraldine here Mentioned in the podcast: Rebecca Clifford, Survivors, Children's Lives after the Holocaust (Yale University Press, 2020). Rebecca Clifford, “Who is a Survivor? Child Holocaust Survivors and the Development of a Generational Identity,” Oral History Forum. Forum d'Histoire Orale 37 (2017). Beth B. Cohen, Child Survivors of the Holocaust: The Youngest Remnant and the American Experience (Rutgers University Press, 2018). Deborah Dwork, Children with a Star: Jewish Youth in Nazi Europe (Yale University Press, 1991). Katy Hazan, “Le sauvetage des enfants juifs de France vers les Amériques, 1933-1947,” in Hélène Harter and André Kaspi, Terres promises: mélanges offerts à André Kaspi, 2008, p. 481-93. Katy Hazan, Rire le jour, pleurer la nuit: les enfants juifs cachés dans la Creuse pendant la guerre, 1939-1944 (Calman-Levy, 2014). Laura Hobson Faure, Manon Pignot, and Antoine Rivière, eds., Enfants en guerre. “Sans famille” dans les conflits du XXe siècle (CNRS, 2023). Sarah L. Holloway, Louise Holt, and Sarah Mills, “Questions of Agency: Capacity, Subjectivity, Spatiality and Temporality,” Progress in Human Geography 43, no. 3 (2019): 458–477. Laurent Joly, L'État contre les Juifs: Vichy, les nazis et la persécution antisémite 1940–1944 (Grasset, 2018). Célia Keren, “Autobiographies of Spanish Refugee Children at the Quaker Home in La Rouvière (France, 1940): Humanitarian Communication and Children's Writings,” Les Cahiers de FRAMESPA 5 (2010). Lisa Moses Leff, The Archive Thief: The Man Who Salvaged French Jewish History in the Wake of the Holocaust (Oxford University Press, 2015). Joanna B. Michlic, “Missed Lessons from the Holocaust: Avoiding Complexities and Darker Aspects of Jewish Child Survivors' Life Experiences,” The Journal of the History of Childhood and Youth 17, no. 2 (Spring 2024): 272–286. See also her forthcoming book. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history

This special edition of The Current Thing is a tribute to Charlie Kirk, including a discussion about the good and evil responses to his death, and what this terrible incident means for the future of America and the world. With one of Britain's greatest comics, and always thoughtful commentator, Simon Evans. Nick's links Substack: nickdixon.net YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@nick_dixon X: https://x.com/njdixon Simons' links Website: https://thesimonevans.com/ X: https://x.com/TheSimonEvans  

Sir Ian McEwan is one of Britain's most acclaimed novelists, a Booker prize winner with a career spanning five decades with work that often explores morality, memory, and the intersections of private lives with public events. Sir Ian has long been associated with contemporaries like Martin Amis, Julian Barnes, and Salman Rushdie, who together reshaped the British novel from the 1980s onward. In this episode of Ways to Change the World, he spoke to Krishnan Guru-Murthy about the great issues facing the world from artificial intelligence to the rise of authoritarianism - as well as his latest novel What We Can Know.

The first account of Jewish children's flight from Nazi Germany to France—and their subsequent escape to America from the Vichy regime At the eve of the Second World War, an estimated 1.6 million Jewish children lived in Nazi-occupied Europe. While 10,000 of them escaped to Britain in the Kindertransport, only some 500 found a new home in France. Here they attempted to begin again—but their refuge would all too soon become a trap.For the first time, Laura Hobson Faure brings to life the experiences of these children, and the Jewish and non-Jewish organizations who helped them. Drawing on survivors' testimonies as well as children's diaries, letters, drawings, songs, and poems, Who Will Rescue Us?: The Story of the Jewish Children who Fled to France and America During the Holocaust (Yale UP, 2025) re-creates their complex journeys, including how some of them eventually found safety in America.Hobson Faure paints a moving portrait of these children and their escape, uncovering their agency in the flight from Nazism—and knits together the network of the many who aided them along the way. Laura Hobson Faure is professor of modern history and chair of Modern Jewish History at Université Paris 1-Panthéon-Sorbonne. She's an expert on French-American Jewish history and the author of The “Jewish Marshall Plan”: The American Jewish Presence in Post-Holocaust France. Geraldine Gudefin is a modern Jewish historian researching Jewish migrations, family life, and legal pluralism. She is currently a Visiting Scholar at the Centre for Asian Legal Studies at the National University of Singapore, and is completing a book titled An Impossible Divorce? East European Jews and the Limits of Legal Pluralism in France, 1900-1939. Find Geraldine here Mentioned in the podcast: Rebecca Clifford, Survivors, Children's Lives after the Holocaust (Yale University Press, 2020). Rebecca Clifford, “Who is a Survivor? Child Holocaust Survivors and the Development of a Generational Identity,” Oral History Forum. Forum d'Histoire Orale 37 (2017). Beth B. Cohen, Child Survivors of the Holocaust: The Youngest Remnant and the American Experience (Rutgers University Press, 2018). Deborah Dwork, Children with a Star: Jewish Youth in Nazi Europe (Yale University Press, 1991). Katy Hazan, “Le sauvetage des enfants juifs de France vers les Amériques, 1933-1947,” in Hélène Harter and André Kaspi, Terres promises: mélanges offerts à André Kaspi, 2008, p. 481-93. Katy Hazan, Rire le jour, pleurer la nuit: les enfants juifs cachés dans la Creuse pendant la guerre, 1939-1944 (Calman-Levy, 2014). Laura Hobson Faure, Manon Pignot, and Antoine Rivière, eds., Enfants en guerre. “Sans famille” dans les conflits du XXe siècle (CNRS, 2023). Sarah L. Holloway, Louise Holt, and Sarah Mills, “Questions of Agency: Capacity, Subjectivity, Spatiality and Temporality,” Progress in Human Geography 43, no. 3 (2019): 458–477. Laurent Joly, L'État contre les Juifs: Vichy, les nazis et la persécution antisémite 1940–1944 (Grasset, 2018). Célia Keren, “Autobiographies of Spanish Refugee Children at the Quaker Home in La Rouvière (France, 1940): Humanitarian Communication and Children's Writings,” Les Cahiers de FRAMESPA 5 (2010). Lisa Moses Leff, The Archive Thief: The Man Who Salvaged French Jewish History in the Wake of the Holocaust (Oxford University Press, 2015). Joanna B. Michlic, “Missed Lessons from the Holocaust: Avoiding Complexities and Darker Aspects of Jewish Child Survivors' Life Experiences,” The Journal of the History of Childhood and Youth 17, no. 2 (Spring 2024): 272–286. See also her forthcoming book. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/jewish-studies

Episode 320 Was Mars once home to alien life? The evidence is stronger than ever, since NASA's discovery of rocks marked by patterns similar to those made by microbes on Earth. Found in an area now named Bright Angel, these rocks give us a tantalising insight into Mars' ancient past - but just how definitive is this finding? It's long been thought that when the Roman Empire withdrew from Britain in the early 400s, the result was chaos and economic collapse. But a new archaeological discovery suggests that's not the case. Signs show a boom in the ancient metalworking trade around that time. Do we need to rethink this period of our history entirely? We're constantly discovering more and more ways to boost our microbiome and improve our health – everything from eating more fibre and fermented foods to having pets and embracing dirt. And now there's something else to add to the list: weight lifting. After being put on a weight training programme, a group of sedentary adults showed a surprising uptick in beneficial gut bugs. But how are the two things connected? Chapters: (00:00) Intro (01:19) Strongest evidence for past life on Mars (14:55) The Romans impact on the British economy (23:19) Link between exercise and your microbiome Hosted by Rowan Hooper and Penny Sarchet, with guests Mike Marshall, Mike Tice and Sanjeev Gupta. To read more about these stories, visit https://www.newscientist.com/Get your ticket for New Scientist Live here: https://live.newscientist.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

AP correspondent Charles de Ledesma reports Britain's Prince Harry has arrived in Ukraine for a surprise visit in support of wounded service members.

AP correspondent Charles de Ledesma reports on Europe's response to Russia's drone incursion into Poland; South Korean workers return home from U.S custody; Britain's Prince Harry arrives in Kyiv, Ukraine; and a Royal Opera appearance by Russian soprano Anna Netrebko draws a pro-Ukraine demonstration.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ze3DvZZIu54 Reproduced from ‪@garlandn‬ with thanks. • IMPERIALISM: DECADENT & DOOMED W/JOTI BRAR... Joti Brar: Earlier this week I talked with Garland Nixon about rising discontent in the imperialist heartlands as the economic crisis bites and conditions for workers become ever worse. When inflation is wiping out pay and increasing numbers of people are homeless in the richest countries in the world, is it any wonder that more people are starting to look favourably at the alternative (ie, at socialism)? We talked about the militarisation of the police as governments prepare to suppress rising dissent and unrest. And we talked about the militarisation of the economy as governments prepare to put the whole of society on a war footing. We also looked at the role of the new home secretary Shabana Mahmood, a muslim woman whose job will be to front up the ruling class's pro-zionist, anti-free-speech and anti-immigrant regimes here in Britain. We discussed the situation where police in Britain continue to carry out mass arrests of peaceful protestors holding cardboard signs in solidarity with proscribed organisation Palestine Action, even as British armed forces continue to participate directly in the genocide in Gaza. With all this evidence, it's time we woke up to the fact that neither the capitalist state machinery nor the bourgeois electoral system can be used to solve the very urgent problems we face. Instead of praying for justice (from a weighted and inherently unjust system) and nicer leaders (to front up a system of ruthless exploitation) we need to organise ourselves to dismantle this machinery of war, repression and exploitation and build a state of a new type – one where the working class wields power and takes decisions in its own interests. ______________________________________________ Subscribe! Donate! Join us in building a bright future for humanity! http://www.thecommunists.org http://www.lalkar.org http://www.redyouth.org Telegram: https://t.me/thecommunists Twitter: / cpgbml Soundcloud: /@proletarianradio Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/theCommunists Odysee: https://odysee.com/@proletariantv:2 Facebook: / cpgbml Online Shop: https://shop.thecommunists.org/ Education Program: Each one teach one! http://www.londonworker.org/education... Join the struggle! https://www.thecommunists.org/join/ Donate: https://www.thecommunists.org/donate/

...in which we're joined by Jack Cornish, author, long-distance walker and Head of Paths at The Ramblers to talk about his book The Lost Paths, and the deep history of England and Wales' extensive path network. Recorded live at June's Countrystride Live, we step back in time to learn about Britain's first paths – forged by wandering animals through the post-Ice Age Greatwood – then proceed into the era of the drovers, when food was transported through the landscape over great distances, creating many of the trails we tread today. Turning to some of the least-known chapters in British walking history, Jack discusses the tramping networks of the dispossessed, the revolution of the turnpikes (and the bizarre protests they prompted), and the era of Enclosures, which diminished and fragmented many ancient routeways. He then turns to the post-War legislation that granted us world-class rights of way – a network that needs constant protection, including, locally, at Hayton Woods, east of Carlisle. Diverting briefly to muse upon competitive walking (weird) and train-era rambling mania (wonderful), Jack reveals that one of his all-time favourite paths is along the Cumbrian Solway Coast and explains why paths – as the oldest parts of our heritage still used for their original purpose – are as important as St Paul's Cathedral and Stonehenge. Jack, and The Lost Paths, can be found in various locations online; his Linktree is here. Jack's website is here: jackfcornish.com

In the second and final part of their discussion defence expert Lee Pilgrim and host Iain Ballantyne resume their survey of the Royal Navy and how to fix it. They ponder the need for a new ‘Dreadnought moment' under a leader as radical as the legendary Admiral Jacky Fisher who introduced war-winning tech and a new mindset. Fisher pushed through construction of the all-big-gun, steam turbine powered HMS Dreadnought, which in 1906 made all other battleships obsolete. Lee suggests it will also require a latter-day Julian Corbett, the civilian naval visionary who helped Britain forge a strategy for the immensely powerful Royal Navy of the early 20th Century. In their lively chat, Lee and Iain weigh up the worth of the UK's new Atlantic Bastion concept, and the part uncrewed systems will play in it, along with the need to keep humans in the kill chain if drones are to be a major part of policing the Greenland-Iceland-UK (GIUK) gap.  The latter is the main gateway to the broader Atlantic used by Russian submarines since the Cold War, but Iain and Lee wonder if a less passive, more forward leaning strategy is needed. Also touched on in the discussion is the utility of drones as part of the UK Carrier Strike Group and the  F-35B jet as a fighter-bomber compared to how the Royal Navy used to do things the last time it had big carriers (in the 1970s). •Lee Pilgrim has worked in defence and intelligence - for government and industry - for over 30 years both in the UK and overseas, so has some useful insights into a whole load of interesting things. His social media posts on X are well worth a read. Follow him on that platform @MtarfaL He has also written several articles for Warships IFR and contributed to our forthcoming ‘Guide to the Royal Navy 2026.' •Iain Ballantyne is the founding and current Editor of Warships IFR (first published in 1998) along with its ‘Guide to the Royal Navy' (since 2002) and ‘Guide to the US Navy' (since 2018). Iain is also author of the books ‘Hunter Killers' (Orion) and ‘The Deadly Trade' (Weidenfeld & Nicolson), both about submarine warfare, plus ‘Arnhem: Ten Days in The Cauldron' (published by Canelo). In 2017 Iain was awarded a Fellowship by the British Maritime Foundation, which promotes awareness of the United Kingdom's dependence on the sea and seafarers. Visit his web site Bismarckbattle.com and follow him on X @IBallantyn The new (October) edition of Warships IFR is out 19.9.25 in the UK and also being deployed globally. Visit the magazine web site http://bit.ly/wifrmag  Follow us on X @WarshipsIFR Facebook @WarshipsIFR and Warships IFR TV on YouTube @warshipsifrtv3668  To subscribe to the magazine's digital and/or hard copy variants https://warshipsifr.com/subscriptions/ The ‘Guide to the Royal Navy 2026' mentioned in this podcast episode is published on 18.9.25 and can be ordered here https://sundialmedia.escosubs.co.uk/store/products,guide-to-the-royal-navy-2026_640.htm

00:02:04 | Orsted's courtroom push to restart Revolution Wind sets the tone as US permits wobble and Massachusetts projects face fresh scrutiny. We also unpack Lithuania's fourth delay to its 700 MW auction and the EU's new tripartite contracts bringing governments, developers and industry to the same table for offshore wind, grids and storage.00:14:57 | Back in Britain, Bluefield secures consent across four solar and storage sites, and Fidra's 1.4 GW Thorpe Marsh reaches close with a broad banking club and support from the National Wealth Fund.00:22:47 | In analysis, we stress test the Hydrogen Council's new data, separating pipeline hype from bankable demand and asking where real offtake will land by 2030.Interested in tickets for our Milan event or the awards show? Email conferences@inspiratia.com or buy them directly on our website.Reach out to us at: podcasts@inspiratia.comFind all of our latest news and analysis by subscribing to inspiratiaListen to all our episodes on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other providers. Music credit: NDA/Show You instrumental/Tribe of Noise©2025 inspiratia. All rights reserved.This content is protected by copyright. Please respect the author's rights and do not copy or reproduce it without permission.

A look back at the week’s news with Andrew Mueller. This week, an unusual culprit plays ding dong ditch, the Reform UK conference celebrates “Britain’s favourite political prisoner” and the Epstein files saga continues.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The first account of Jewish children's flight from Nazi Germany to France—and their subsequent escape to America from the Vichy regime At the eve of the Second World War, an estimated 1.6 million Jewish children lived in Nazi-occupied Europe. While 10,000 of them escaped to Britain in the Kindertransport, only some 500 found a new home in France. Here they attempted to begin again—but their refuge would all too soon become a trap.For the first time, Laura Hobson Faure brings to life the experiences of these children, and the Jewish and non-Jewish organizations who helped them. Drawing on survivors' testimonies as well as children's diaries, letters, drawings, songs, and poems, Who Will Rescue Us?: The Story of the Jewish Children who Fled to France and America During the Holocaust (Yale UP, 2025) re-creates their complex journeys, including how some of them eventually found safety in America.Hobson Faure paints a moving portrait of these children and their escape, uncovering their agency in the flight from Nazism—and knits together the network of the many who aided them along the way. Laura Hobson Faure is professor of modern history and chair of Modern Jewish History at Université Paris 1-Panthéon-Sorbonne. She's an expert on French-American Jewish history and the author of The “Jewish Marshall Plan”: The American Jewish Presence in Post-Holocaust France. Geraldine Gudefin is a modern Jewish historian researching Jewish migrations, family life, and legal pluralism. She is currently a Visiting Scholar at the Centre for Asian Legal Studies at the National University of Singapore, and is completing a book titled An Impossible Divorce? East European Jews and the Limits of Legal Pluralism in France, 1900-1939. Find Geraldine here Mentioned in the podcast: Rebecca Clifford, Survivors, Children's Lives after the Holocaust (Yale University Press, 2020). Rebecca Clifford, “Who is a Survivor? Child Holocaust Survivors and the Development of a Generational Identity,” Oral History Forum. Forum d'Histoire Orale 37 (2017). Beth B. Cohen, Child Survivors of the Holocaust: The Youngest Remnant and the American Experience (Rutgers University Press, 2018). Deborah Dwork, Children with a Star: Jewish Youth in Nazi Europe (Yale University Press, 1991). Katy Hazan, “Le sauvetage des enfants juifs de France vers les Amériques, 1933-1947,” in Hélène Harter and André Kaspi, Terres promises: mélanges offerts à André Kaspi, 2008, p. 481-93. Katy Hazan, Rire le jour, pleurer la nuit: les enfants juifs cachés dans la Creuse pendant la guerre, 1939-1944 (Calman-Levy, 2014). Laura Hobson Faure, Manon Pignot, and Antoine Rivière, eds., Enfants en guerre. “Sans famille” dans les conflits du XXe siècle (CNRS, 2023). Sarah L. Holloway, Louise Holt, and Sarah Mills, “Questions of Agency: Capacity, Subjectivity, Spatiality and Temporality,” Progress in Human Geography 43, no. 3 (2019): 458–477. Laurent Joly, L'État contre les Juifs: Vichy, les nazis et la persécution antisémite 1940–1944 (Grasset, 2018). Célia Keren, “Autobiographies of Spanish Refugee Children at the Quaker Home in La Rouvière (France, 1940): Humanitarian Communication and Children's Writings,” Les Cahiers de FRAMESPA 5 (2010). Lisa Moses Leff, The Archive Thief: The Man Who Salvaged French Jewish History in the Wake of the Holocaust (Oxford University Press, 2015). Joanna B. Michlic, “Missed Lessons from the Holocaust: Avoiding Complexities and Darker Aspects of Jewish Child Survivors' Life Experiences,” The Journal of the History of Childhood and Youth 17, no. 2 (Spring 2024): 272–286. See also her forthcoming book. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/american-studies

In an extended version of the programme that was broadcast, Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the influential book John Maynard Keynes wrote in 1919 after he resigned in protest from his role at the Paris Peace Conference. There the victors of World War One were deciding the fate of the defeated, especially Germany and Austria-Hungary, and Keynes wanted the world to know his view that the economic consequences would be disastrous for all. Soon Germany used his book to support their claim that the Treaty was grossly unfair, a sentiment that fed into British appeasement in the 1930s and has since prompted debate over whether Keynes had only warned of disaster or somehow contributed to it. With Margaret MacMillan Emeritus Professor of International History at the University of Oxford Michael Cox Emeritus Professor of International Relations at the London School of Economics and Founding Director of LSE IDEAS And Patricia Clavin Professor of Modern History at the University of Oxford Producer: Simon Tillotson Reading list: Manfred F. Boemeke, Gerald D. Feldman and Elisabeth Glaser (eds.), The Treaty of Versailles: A Reassessment after 75 Years (Cambridge University Press, 1998) Zachary D. Carter, The Price of Peace: Money, Democracy and the Life of John Maynard Keynes (Random House, 2020) Peter Clarke, Keynes: The Twentieth Century's Most Influential Economist (Bloomsbury, 2009) Patricia Clavin et al (eds.), Keynes's Economic Consequences of the Peace after 100 Years: Polemics and Policy (Cambridge University Press, 2023) Patricia Clavin, ‘Britain and the Making of Global Order after 1919: The Ben Pimlott Memorial Lecture' (Twentieth Century British History, Vol. 31:3, 2020) Richard Davenport-Hines, Universal Man; The Seven Lives of John Maynard Keynes (William Collins, 2015) R. F. Harrod, John Maynard Keynes (first published 1951; Pelican, 1972) Jens Holscher and Matthias Klaes (eds), Keynes's Economic Consequences of the Peace: A Reappraisal (Pickering & Chatto, 2014) John Maynard Keynes (with an introduction by Michael Cox), The Economic Consequences of the Peace (Palgrave Macmillan, 2019) Margaret MacMillan, Peacemakers: Six Months that Changed the World (John Murray Publishers, 2001) Etienne Mantoux, The Carthaginian Peace or the Economic Consequences of Mr. Keynes (Oxford University Press, 1946) D. E. Moggridge, Maynard Keynes: An Economist's Biography (Routledge, 1992) Alan Sharp, Versailles 1919: A Centennial Perspective (Haus Publishing Ltd, 2018) Robert Skidelsky, John Maynard Keynes, 1883-1946 (Pan Macmillan, 2004) Jürgen Tampke, A Perfidious Distortion of History: The Versailles Peace Treaty and the Success of the Nazis (Scribe UK, 2017) Adam Tooze, The Deluge: The Great War, America and the Remaking of the Global Order, 1916-1931 (Penguin Books, 2015) Spanning history, religion, culture, science and philosophy, In Our Time from BBC Radio 4 is essential listening for the intellectually curious. In each episode, host Melvyn Bragg and expert guests explore the characters, events and discoveries that have shaped our world.

Ray Dalio turned $5 into $160 billion by decoding how empires rise and fall. Now he warns: America is in decline, the UK is in trouble, China is gaining power…and your wealth could be in danger UNLESS you act fast.  Ray Dalio is a legendary investor, billionaire, and founder of Bridgewater Associates, the world's largest hedge fund with over $160 billion in assets under management. He is also the bestselling author of 5 books, including:, ‘How Countries Go Broke: Principles for Navigating the Big Debt Cycle, Where We Are Headed, and What We Should Do'. He explains:  ⬛ The harsh financial truth about Britain's future and why millionaires are fleeing ⬛ The psychological trick billionaires use that most people never learn ⬛ The "Pain + Reflection = Progress" formula that changed Ray's life ⬛ The dangerous wealth myth that's quietly keeping most people broke ⬛ Why chasing success the wrong way could destroy your future ⬛ Why America's decline is part of an inevitable 500-year cycle (00:00) Intro (05:34) Where Should I Be Living as an Entrepreneur? (06:30) What's Your Honest Perspective of the UK? (11:46) Are You Optimistic About the Future of the UK? (13:12) Are You Optimistic About the US? (15:19) How to Predict What's Coming (17:04) Will the US Dominate Global Power Soon? (22:06) How Would You Fix the UK? (25:28) What Happens Next in History? (29:00) Where Are We in the Predictable Timeframes? (30:33) How Should We Counteract These Risks? (32:53) Most Valuable Skills to Learn Right Now (35:43) What Games to Play in Different Life Seasons (37:55) The Most Important Strategic Decision I Made (44:08) Ads (45:11) The Best Way to Deal With Pain (49:01) How Do I Become a Principle Thinker? (50:42) The Power of Meditation (56:01) Are You Religious? (58:21) How Important Is Hard Work? (01:00:00) The Importance of Being Open-Minded (01:05:16) How to Be a Better Decision Maker (01:09:03) How Do You Find Honest People? (01:11:22) Why Companies Become Less Innovative (01:14:16) How Do You Find Exceptional People? (01:17:45) Ads (01:19:27) What's Your View on AI? (01:28:41) Top 3 Book Recommendations Follow Ray: TikTok - https://bit.ly/4ggWltw  YouTube - https://bit.ly/4m5T9Cc  X - https://bit.ly/3V8KTqc  You can purchase Ray's book, ‘How Countries Go Broke: Principles for Navigating the Big Debt Cycle, Where We Are Headed, and What We Should Do', here: https://amzn.to/4perwK3  You can watch Ray's breakdown of Principles for dealing with the changing world order here:  http://bit.ly/4m6VbSw    The Diary Of A CEO: ⬛ Join DOAC circle here - https://doaccircle.com/  ⬛ Buy The Diary Of A CEO book here - https://smarturl.it/DOACbook  ⬛ The 1% Diary is back - limited time only: https://bit.ly/3YFbJbt  ⬛ The Diary Of A CEO Conversation Cards (Second Edition): https://g2ul0.app.link/f31dsUttKKb  ⬛ Get email updates - https://bit.ly/diary-of-a-ceo-yt  ⬛ Follow Steven - https://g2ul0.app.link/gnGqL4IsKKb Sponsors: Fiverr - https://www.fiverr.com/diary with code DIARY for 10% off your first order Linkedin Ads - https://www.linkedin.com/DIARY   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Join us for daily coverage of the Vuelta a España recorded on the road as the race makes its way from Turin to Madrid. Our daily coverage features race analysis, interviews and daily postcards from  Spain. OUR SPONSORS, LLOYDS The Cycling Podcast is proudly supported by Lloyds. Last year, Lloyds began a multi-year partnership with British Cycling, which includes becoming  title sponsors of the Lloyds Tour of Britain races for men and women. Lloyds also sponsors the Great Britain team and National Championships across a range of disciplines – road racing, track cycling, mountain biking, BMX and cyclo-cross. Thanks to sponsorship from Lloyds, The Cycling Podcast will be covering the Lloyds Tour of Britain Men with daily episodes for the first time. Check out the full route of the race on the British Cycling website. EPISODE SPONSOR Babbel Learn a language the fun, easy way with intuitive 15-minute lessons you can do when you want. Choose from 14 languages including Spanish, French, Italian and German. Listeners can get up to 60% off for a limited time only at babbel.com/cycle Follow us on social media: Twitter @cycling_podcast Instagram @thecyclingpodcast Friends of the Podcast Sign up as a Friend of the Podcast at thecyclingpodcast.com to listen to new special episodes every month plus a back catalogue of more than 300 exclusive episodes. The Cannibal & Badger Friends of the Podcast can join the discussion at our new virtual pub, The Cannibal & Badger. A friendly forum to talk about cycling and the podcast. Log in to your Friends of the Podcast account to join in. The 11.01 Cappuccino Our regular email newsletter is now on Substack. Subscribe here for frothy, full-fat updates to enjoy any time (as long as it's after 11am). The Cycling Podcast is on Strava The Cycling Podcast was founded in 2013 by Richard Moore, Daniel Friebe and Lionel Birnie.

00:01:09 – Nepal's Gen Z Revolution Nepal erupts after a government ban on 26 social media platforms. Gen Z leads protests against censorship and corruption, storming parliament and burning the building. 00:03:33 – Ministry of Information Tyranny The Marxist-led Ministry of Information ordered the bans, sparking a nationwide uprising. Police killed 22 protesters and wounded 300, but the prime minister and home minister were forced to resign. 00:07:20 – Internet Revolt vs. Color Revolution Unlike CIA-backed “color revolutions,” Nepal's revolt is leaderless and grassroots. Protesters used TikTok and Reddit to bypass internet blackouts, proving decentralized resistance can work. 00:12:47 – Martial Law Conditioning Commentary ties Trump's crime crackdowns to martial law conditioning. Troop deployments in U.S. cities are framed as “emergencies” to normalize military presence in civilian life. 00:19:11 – UK Frees London Bomber A UK judge frees 7/7 London bombing mastermind Rashid Aswat while mothers are jailed for social media posts. Critics call it proof Britain abandoned real justice. 00:24:22 – Gold Surges, Dollar Crashes Gold soars nearly 40% YTD, hitting $3,700. Analysts warn Trump's chaotic tariffs, Fed intimidation, and abolition of cash will drive gold even higher as the dollar collapses. 01:20:15 – Tim Kaine Denies God-Given Rights Sen. Tim Kaine claims rights come from government, not God. Trump seizes the moment to pose as a faith defender, despite his Epstein baggage. 01:23:19 – Government Is the Rights Violator Commentary stresses that government is the greatest destroyer of rights, not their source—highlighting the hypocrisy of politicians who swear oaths but ignore them. 01:28:29 – Democrat Faith “Rebrand” Texas Democrat James Talarico, a former seminarian, is pushed as a faith-based alternative to Republicans, but critics say it's Christian grifting to sanitize a party of “gender gaslighting” and radicalism. 01:30:53 – Nick Fuentes as False Prophet Nick Fuentes is blasted as a corrosive influencer who preys on disaffected young men, offering resentment and trolling instead of Christ-centered purpose. 02:22:33 – Leftist Reality as Mental Disorder Dr. Richard Craydon argues the left lives in a “separate reality” of moral relativism, fueling cultural conflict. 02:27:41 – Gen Z Depression Crisis Nearly half of Gen Z reports depression, blamed on tech addiction, loss of faith, and cultural nihilism. 02:45:52 – Medical Profession's COVID Betrayal Ventilator abuse, censorship of natural immunity, and mRNA mandates are condemned as medical corruption serving the state. Follow the show on Kick and watch live every weekday 9:00am EST – 12:00pm EST https://kick.com/davidknightshow Money should have intrinsic value AND transactional privacy: Go to https://davidknight.gold/ for great deals on physical gold/silverFor 10% off Gerald Celente's prescient Trends Journal, go to https://trendsjournal.com/ and enter the code KNIGHTFind out more about the show and where you can watch it at TheDavidKnightShow.com If you would like to support the show and our family please consider subscribing monthly here: SubscribeStar https://www.subscribestar.com/the-david-knight-showOr you can send a donation throughMail: David Knight POB 994 Kodak, TN 37764Zelle: @DavidKnightShow@protonmail.comCash App at: $davidknightshowBTC to: bc1qkuec29hkuye4xse9unh7nptvu3y9qmv24vanh7Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-real-david-knight-show--5282736/support.

This week we're exploring the lives of the pioneering women gardeners of the 20th century who paved the way for women in horticulture today… through music. Composer Omri Kochavi will be sharing how he was inspired by the book ‘An Almost Impossible Thing' by Fiona Davison to create what he calls a 'horti-musical'. Now's the perfect time to think ahead to spring, and daffodil devotee Camilla Bassett-Smith will be joining us to share some of her favourite cultivars, and top tips on getting the most out of your bulbs. And finally we're taking stock after a hot, dry summer. We visit Alex Paines at RHS Garden Rosemoor in Devon to explore how the gardeners there are adapting what, where, and how they plant. Host: Guy Barter Contributors: Omri Kochavi, Camilla Bassett-Smith, Alex Paines Links: An Almost Impossible Thing: The radical lives of Britain's pioneering women gardeners Omri Kochavi's website Ladies in Bloomers RHS Daffodils Daffodil Diaries project RHS Garden Rosemoor

Emma's countdown to the track World Championships is officially ON! Tune in to hear how she's preparing for her first big international event this year. It's fair to say, she's itching to race. Meanwhile Manon has COMPLETED her toughest ever cycling challenge, riding 300km across Wales in one day (yes, just one day) - but what made her so emotional on this week's episode?! The girls also reflect on Geraint Thomas' final race at the Tour of Britain and Emma fills Manon in on Chris Hoy's incredible Tour De 4. We'll be back next week with a very special guest... can you guess who?! Let's just say, it's pretty close to home for Emma. Watts Occurring Femmes is brought to you by Rouvy, and hosted by Pinarello. Want a free month on ROUVY, on us? Use code FEMMES when you sign up and explore everything ROUVY has to offer. SIGN UP HERE: https://rouvy.com/?utm_source=gtcc&utm_medium=direct-buy&utm_campaign=rouvy-brand&utm_term=femmes-podcast ROUVY connects indoor and outdoor by bringing the real routes from around the world to your home and ROUVY's new Route Creator tool allows users to film, upload and ride their favourite loops on ROUVY. Fancy a trip to your local Pinarello retailer? Visit https://pinarello.com/global/en/store-locator to find your local store today. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The latest Epstein fallout played out on both sides of the Atlantic, exposing the same tired playbook of elites protecting their own. In Britain, Ambassador Peter Mandelson was sacked after leaked emails revealed he described Epstein as his “best pal” and defended his conviction as “wrongful.” Across the U.S., Senate Republicans blocked a Democratic measure to release Epstein's case files, hiding behind “national security” while proving once again that child-protection rhetoric vanishes when real accountability is on the line. Meanwhile, newly leaked emails from Epstein's Yahoo account demolished Ghislaine Maxwell's courtroom defense, showing her not as a victim but as the COO of his trafficking operation—micromanaging flights, properties, and staff like it was a corporate empireTogether, these stories show that nothing has really changed since Epstein's death. Politicians feign outrage, the press acts surprised, and the powerful keep burying the truth. Mandelson will quietly resurface, the Senate will keep stonewalling, and Maxwell's receipts will fade into the next news cycle. Survivors remain sidelined while the system that built and protected Epstein carries on intact. What's sold to the public as accountability is really just theater—carefully staged scandals, controlled leaks, and token sacrifices to keep the machinery of power untouched. Epstein may be gone, but the joke is still on us.to contact me:bobbycapucci@protonmail.com