Podcasts about Munich Agreement

Crikey, I barely stepped away from the microphone yesterday and we had a double whammy news-wise. Phil Goff sacked as High Commissioner to London for an intemperate comment and question, Greg Foran resigning as Air New Zealand CEO. I heard someone on The Huddle with Ryan Bridge last night saying Greg Foran can now become the High Commissioner, Adrian Orr would become Air New Zealand CEO, and Phil Goff will take over as Reserve Bank Governor - all change. Boy, will Phil Goff be kicking himself all the way back to New Zealand, all the way back to the farm at Clevedon. You are on the pig's back when you get a gig like that – it is a sweet deal. And one intemperate comment ... I think he was just trying to be a bit too clever, showing he's done his homework, showing that he was well read, making appointed remark about somebody the world regards as a graceless buffoon (well, members of Phil Goff's world regard as a graceless buffoon), and he loses his gig, and rightly so. He was asking a question of the Finnish Foreign Affairs Minister at a Chatham House event in London. Goff said he'd been rereading a speech by former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill after the Munich Agreement. “He turned to Chamberlain, he said ‘You had the choice between war and dishonour. You chose dishonour, yet you will have a war',” Goff then said “President Trump has restored the bust of Churchill to the Oval Office. But do you think he really understands history?” So Phil Goff was making it well researched, clever-dick, pointed remark about the American president. What on Earth did he think was going to happen? He was stripped of his position immediately by Winston Peters. The Foreign Affairs Minister said Phil Goff's comments were deeply disappointing. They did not represent the views of the New Zealand Government and made his position as High Commissioner to London untenable. So a number of comments around that. Phil Goff was sacked by Winston Peters immediately. Winston Peters did not have to consult the Prime Minister before doing so – there was no need for him to consult. He was presented with a problem in his own department, and he dealt with it in the appropriate fashion. That's why you have managers, that's why you have ministers. Everything doesn't filter up to the CEO. Imagine in your own organisation if every single decision in your department had to go to the CEO. Why have a dog and bark yourself? So there was no need to consult. Was he sacked because the Government's sucking up, particularly to Donald Trump in the US? No. As Winston Peters pointed out yesterday, and as numerous foreign affairs experts have concurred, Phil Goff would have been sacked if he had made the comment of any foreign leader. When you're in a diplomatic role, you have to be diplomatic, and that wasn't. And what about the Chatham House rules? Chatham House is an actual place where people congregate to debate, discuss ideas primarily around foreign policy, but also about other things. It's a meeting place for pointy heads where they can float and toss ideas around, and they don't have to worry about it being attributable back to them. The rules say when a meeting or part thereof is held under the Chatham House rules, participants are free to use the information received but neither the identity nor the affiliation of the speakers, nor that of any other participant, may be revealed. So Chatham House rules guarantee people can speak freely within the walls. But in this case, the Chatham House rules had not been invoked because it was being live streamed, so you're not going to be able to shield the identity of the speakers because it's being live streamed. So that's why the comments became public, despite the fact they were in Chatham House – oh irony of ironies. The rules have to be invoked. They weren't, and apparently, according to Chatham House, it's not terribly often that they are. So there we go. That's what happened. He stuffed up royally and he's paid the price. And nobody will be more disappointed, I imagine, than Phil Goff except Mrs Goff because that would have been a lovely reward for a long period of time being an uxorious, fabulous support. Being a politician's partner or spouse would not be an easy gig. So you get the cushy number in London, feet up, gorgeous little holidays popping off around Europe. Now back to the farm in Clevedon, tail between the legs. Back on the ride on mower, no gardener for you anymore. He's had his punishment. He's heading home and Winston Peters did exactly the right thing. Ten out of ten for the Foreign Affairs Minister. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How historic are Trump 2.0's first few weeks? For the veteran correspondent, Nick Bryant, the longtime BBC man in Washington DC, what the Trump regime has done in the first few weeks of his second administration is as historic as the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. It's the end of the America we haver known for the last seventy years, he says. Bryant describes Trump's rapprochement with Russia as Neville Chamberlain style appeasement and notes the dramatic shifts in U.S. foreign policy, particularly regarding Ukraine and European allies. He sees Trump's actions as revealing rather than changing America's true nature. Bryant also discusses the failures of the Dems, the role of Elon Musk in the administration, and structural changes to federal institutions. Despite all the upheaval, Bryant suggests this isn't so much "goodbye to America" as a revelation of the cynically isolationist forces that were always present in American society.Here are the five KEEN ON takeaways from our conversation with Nick Bryant:* Historic Transformation: Bryant sees Trump's second term as a pivotal moment in world history, comparable to the fall of the Berlin Wall, with rapid changes in global alliances and particularly in America's relationship with Russia, which he characterizes as "appeasement."* Democratic Party Crisis: He analyzes how the Democrats' failures stemmed from multiple factors - Biden's delayed exit, Kamala Harris's weak candidacy, and the lack of time to find a stronger replacement. While Trump's victory was significant, Bryant notes it wasn't a landslide.* Elon Musk's Unexpected Role: An unforeseen development Bryant didn't predict in his book was Musk's prominent position in Trump's second administration, describing it as almost a "co-presidency" following Trump's assassination attempt and Musk's subsequent endorsement of Trump.* Federal Government Transformation: Bryant observes that Trump's dismantling of federal institutions goes beyond typical Republican small-government approaches, potentially removing not just bureaucratic waste but crucial expertise and institutional knowledge.* Trump as Revealer, Not Changer: Perhaps most significantly, Bryant argues that Trump hasn't changed America but rather revealed its true nature - arguing that authoritarianism, political violence, and distrust of big government have always been present in American history. FULL TRANSCRIPT Andrew Keen: Hello, everybody. About eight months ago, we had a great show with the BBC's former Washington correspondent, Nick Bryant. His latest book, "The Forever War: America's Unending Conflict with Itself," predicted much of what's happening in the United States now. When you look at the headlines this week about the U.S.-Russia relationship changing in a head-spinning way, apparently laying the groundwork for ending the Ukrainian war, all sorts of different relations and tariffs and many other things in this new regime. Nick is joining us from Sydney, Australia, where he now lives. Nick, do you miss America?Nick Bryant: I covered the first Trump administration and it felt like a 25/8 job, not just 24/7. Trump 2.0 feels even more relentless—round-the-clock news forever. We're checking our phones to see what has happened next. People who read my book wouldn't be surprised by how Donald Trump is conducting his second term. But some things weren't on my bingo card, like Trump suggesting a U.S. takeover of Gaza. The rapprochement with Putin, which we should look on as an act of appeasement after his aggression in Ukraine, was very easy to predict.Andrew Keen: That's quite a sharp comment, Nick—an act of appeasement equivalent to Neville Chamberlain's umbrella.Nick Bryant: It was ironic that J.D. Vance made his speech at the Munich Security Conference. Munich was where Neville Chamberlain secured the Munich Agreement, which was seen as a terrible act of appeasement towards Nazi Germany. This moment feels historic—I would liken it to the fall of the Berlin Wall. We're seeing a complete upending of the world order.Back at the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, we were talking about the end of history—Francis Fukuyama's famous thesis suggesting the triumph of liberal democracy. Now, we're talking about the end of America as we've known it since World War II. You get these Berlin Wall moments like Trump saying there should be a U.S. takeover of Gaza. J.D. Vance's speech in Munich ruptures the transatlantic alliance, which has been the basis of America's global preeminence and European security since World War II.Then you've seen what's happened in Saudi Arabia with the meeting between the Russians and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, completely resetting relations between Washington and Moscow. It's almost as if the invasions of Ukraine never happened. We're back to the situation during the Bush administration when George W. Bush famously met Vladimir Putin, looked into his soul, and gave him a clean bill of health. Things are moving at a hurtling pace, and it seems we're seeing the equivalent of a Berlin Wall tumbling every couple of days.Andrew Keen: That's quite dramatic for an experienced journalist like yourself to say. You don't exaggerate unnecessarily, Nick. It's astonishing. Nobody predicted this.Nick Bryant: When I first said this about three weeks ago, I had to think long and hard about whether the historical moments were equivalent. Two weeks on, I've got absolutely no doubt. We're seeing a massive change. European allies of America are now not only questioning whether the United States is a reliable ally—they're questioning whether the United States is an ally at all. Some are even raising the possibility that nations like Germany, the UK, and France will soon look upon America as an adversary.J.D. Vance's speech was very pointed, attacking European elitism and what he saw as denial of freedom of speech in Europe by governments, but not having a single word of criticism for Vladimir Putin. People are listening to the U.S. president, vice president, and others like Marco Rubio with their jaws on the ground. It's a very worrying moment for America's allies because they cannot look across the Atlantic anymore and see a president who will support them. Instead, they see an administration aligning itself with hard-right and far-right populist movements.Andrew Keen: The subtitle of your book was "America's Unending Conflict with Itself: The History Behind Trump in Advance." But America now—and I'm talking to you from San Francisco, where obviously there aren't a lot of Trump fans or J.D. Vance fans—seems in an odd, almost surreal way to be united. There were protests on Presidents Day earlier this week against Trump, calling him a tyrant. But is the thesis of your book about the forever war, America continually being divided between coastal elites and the hinterlands, Republicans and Democrats, still manifesting itself in late February 2025?Nick Bryant: Trump didn't win a landslide victory in the election. He won a significant victory, a decisive victory. It was hugely significant that he won the popular vote, which he didn't manage to do in 2016. But it wasn't a big win—he didn't win 50% of the popular vote. Sure, he won the seven battleground states, giving the sense of a massive victory, but it wasn't massive numerically.The divides in America are still there. The opposition has melted away at the moment with sporadic protests, but nothing really major. Don't be fooled into thinking America's forever wars have suddenly ended and Trump has won. The opposition will be back. The resistance will be back.I remember moments in the Obama administration when it looked like progressives had won every battle in America. I remember the day I went to South Carolina, to the funeral of the pastor killed in that terrible shooting in Charleston. Obama broke into "Amazing Grace"—it was almost for the first time in front of a black audience that he fully embraced the mantle of America's first African-American president. He flew back to Washington that night, and the White House was bathed in rainbow colors because the Supreme Court had made same-sex marriage legal across the country.It seemed in that moment that progressives were winning every fight. The Supreme Court also upheld the constitutionality of Obamacare. You assumed America's first black president would be followed by America's first female president. But what we were seeing in that summer of 2015 was actually the conservative backlash. Trump literally announced his presidential bid the day before that awful Charleston shooting. You can easily misread history at this moment. Sure, Trump looks dominant now, but don't be fooled. It wouldn't surprise me at all if in two years' time the Republicans end up losing the House of Representatives in the congressional midterm elections.Andrew Keen: When it comes to progressives, what do you make of the Democratic response, or perhaps the lack of response, to the failure of Kamala Harris? The huge amount of money, the uninspiring nature of her campaign, the fiasco over Biden—were these all accidental events or do they speak of a broader crisis on the left amongst progressives in America?Nick Bryant: They speak of both. There were really big mistakes made by the Democrats, not least Joe Biden's decision to contest the election as long as he did. It had become pretty clear by the beginning of 2024 that he wasn't in a fit state to serve four more years or take on the challenge of Donald Trump.Biden did too well at two critical junctures. During the midterm elections in 2022, many people predicted a red wave, a red tsunami. If that had happened, Biden would have faced pressure to step aside for an orderly primary process to pick a successor. But the red wave turned into a red ripple, and that persuaded Biden he was the right candidate. He focused on democracy, put democracy on the ballot, hammered the point about January 6th, and decided to run.Another critical juncture was the State of the Union address at the beginning of 2024. Biden did a good job, and I think that allayed a lot of concerns in the Democratic Party. Looking back on those two events, they really encouraged Biden to run again when he should never have done so.Remember, in 2020, he intimated that he would be a bridge to the next generation. He probably made a mistake then in picking Kamala Harris as his vice presidential candidate because he was basically appointing his heir. She wasn't the strongest Democrat to go up against Donald Trump—it was always going to be hard for a woman of color to win the Rust Belt. She wasn't a particularly good candidate in 2020 when she ran; she didn't even make it into 2020. She launched her campaign in Oakland, and while it looked good at the time, it became clear she was a poor candidate.Historical accidents, the wrong candidate, a suffering economy, and an America that has always been receptive to someone like Trump—all those factors played into his victory.Andrew Keen: If you were giving advice to the Democrats as they lick their wounds and begin to think about recovery and fighting the next battles, would you advise them to shift to the left or to the center?Nick Bryant: That's a fascinating question because you could argue it both ways. Do the Democrats need to find a populist of the left who can win back those blue-collar voters that have deserted the Democratic Party? This is a historical process that's been going on for many years. Working-class voters ditched the Democrats during the Reagan years and the Nixon years. Often race is part of that, often the bad economy is part of that—an economy that's not working for the working class who can't see a way to map out an American dream for themselves.You could argue for a left-wing populist, or you could argue that history shows the only way Democrats win the White House is by being centrist and moderate. That was true of LBJ, Jimmy Carter, and Bill Clinton—all Southerners, and that wasn't a coincidence. Southern Democrats came from the center of the party. Obama was a pragmatic, centrist candidate. Kennedy was a very pragmatic centrist who tried to bring together the warring tribes of the Democratic Party.Historically, you could argue Democrats need to move to the center and stake out that ground as Trump moves further to the right and the extremes. But what makes it harder to say for sure is that we're in a political world where a lot of the old rules don't seem to apply.Andrew Keen: We don't quite know what the new rules are or if there are any rules. You describe this moment as equivalent in historic terms to the fall of the Berlin Wall or perhaps 9/11. If we reverse that lens and look inwards, is there an equivalent historical significance? You had an interesting tweet about Doge and the attempt in some people's eyes for a kind of capture of power by Elon Musk and the replacement of the traditional state with some sort of almost Leninist state. What do you make of what's happening within the United States in domestic politics, particularly Musk's role?Nick Bryant: We've seen American presidents test the Constitution before. Nobody in the modern era has done it so flagrantly as Donald Trump, but Nixon tried to maximize presidential powers to the extent that he broke the law. Nixon would have been found guilty in a Senate trial had that impeachment process continued. Of course, he was forced to resign because a delegation of his own party drove down Pennsylvania Avenue and told him he had to go.You don't get that with the Republican Party and Donald Trump—they've fallen behind him. FDR was commonly described as an American dictator. H.L. Mencken wrote that America had a Caesar, a pharaoh. Woodrow Wilson was maximalist in his presidential powers. Abraham Lincoln was the great Constitution breaker, from trashing the First Amendment to exceeding his powers with the Emancipation Proclamation. Thomas Jefferson's Louisiana Purchase was unconstitutional—he needed congressional approval, which he didn't have.There's a long history of presidents breaking rules and Americans being okay with that. Lincoln has never been displaced from his historical throne of grace. FDR is regarded as one of the great presidents. What sets this moment apart is that constraints on presidents traditionally came from the courts and their own political parties. We're not seeing that with Donald Trump.Andrew Keen: What about the cultural front? There's talk of Trump's revenge, taking over the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., revenge against traditional scientists, possibly closing some universities. Is this overdramatic, or is Trump really taking revenge for what happened between 2020 and 2024 when he was out of power?Nick Bryant: Trump is in a vengeful mood—we always thought Trump 2.0 would be a project of vengeance. Republican presidents have always thought parts of the administrative state work against them, and Trump is dismantling it at warp speed. Elon Musk is going into various government departments acting like he's heading a hostile takeover of the federal government.Reagan launched a rhetorical assault on federal government, which was really a creation of the New Deal years under FDR. That period saw massive expansion of federal government into people's lives with Social Security and the welfare net. We haven't seen this kind of assault on federal government since then. Trump is also trying to dismantle what he regards as America's cultural establishment, which he sees as too white, too elitist, too intellectual. He's trying to remold America, its government, and cultural institutions in his own image.Andrew Keen: You've mentioned Reagan. I came to the U.S. like you—you came as a grad student to study American history. I came in the '80s and remember the hysteria at UC Berkeley over Reagan—that he would blow up the world, that he was clueless, a Hollywood actor with no right to be in politics. Is it conceivable that Trump could be just another version of Reagan? In spite of all this hysteria, might this second Trump regime actually be successful?Nick Bryant: You can't rule out that possibility. The mistake made about Reagan was seeing him as a warmonger when he really wanted to be a peacemaker. That was the point of ending the Cold War—he wanted to win it, but through gambles on people like Gorbachev and diplomatic moves his advisors warned against.There are analogies to Trump. I don't think he's a warmonger or wants to send U.S. troops into countries. He's described some surprising imperial ambitions like taking over Greenland, though Harry Truman once wanted that too. Trump wants to make peace, but the problem is on what terms. Peace in Ukraine, in Trump's view, means a massive win for Vladimir Putin and the sidelining of the Ukrainian people and America's European allies.There wasn't a big cost to Reagan's peacemaking—the European alliance stayed intact, he tinkered with government but didn't go after Social Security. The cost of Trump is the problem.Andrew Keen: The moral cost or the economic cost?Nick Bryant: Both. One thing that happened with Reagan was the opening of big disparities in income and wealth in American society. That was a big factor in Donald Trump's success—the paradox of how this billionaire from New York became the hero of the Rust Belt. When the gulf between executive pay and shop floor pay became massive, it was during the Reagan years.You see the potential of something similar now. Trump is supercharging an economy that looks like it will favor the tech giants and the world's richest man, Elon Musk. You end up worsening the problem you were arguably setting out to solve.You don't get landslides anymore in American politics—the last president to win 40 states was George Herbert Walker Bush. Reagan in '84 won 49 out of 50 states, almost getting a clean sweep except for Mondale's home state of Minnesota. I don't think Trump will be the kind of unifying president that Reagan was. There was a spontaneity and optimism about Reagan that you don't see with Trump.Andrew Keen: Where are the divisions? Where is the great threat to Trump coming from? There was a story this week that Steve Bannon called Elon Musk a parasitic illegal immigrant. Is it conceivable that the biggest weakness within the Trump regime will come from conflict between people like Bannon and Musk, the nationalists and the internationalist wing of the MAGA movement?Nick Bryant: That's a fascinating question. There doesn't seem to be much external opposition at the moment. The Democrats are knocked out or taking the eight count in boxing terms, getting back on their feet and taking as long as they can to get their gloves up. There isn't a leader in the Democratic movement who has anywhere near Trump's magnetism or personal power to take him on.Maybe the opposition comes from internal divisions and collapse of the Trump project. The relationship with Elon Musk was something I didn't anticipate in my book. After that assassination attempt, Musk endorsed Trump in a big way, put his money behind him, started offering cash prizes in Pennsylvania. Having lived at Mar-a-Lago during the transition with a cottage on the grounds and now an office in the White House—I didn't anticipate his role.Many people thought Trump wouldn't put up with somebody who overshadows him or gets more attention, but that relationship hasn't failed yet. I wonder if that speaks to something different between Trump 2.0 and 1.0. Trump's surrounded by loyalists now, but at 78 years old, I think he wanted to win the presidency more than he wanted the presidency itself. I wonder if he's happy to give more responsibility to people like Musk who he thinks will carry out his agenda.Andrew Keen: You've been described as the new Alistair Cooke. Cooke was the father of Anglo-American journalism—his Letter from America was an iconic show, the longest-running show in radio history. Cooke was always very critical of what he called the big daddy state in Washington, D.C., wasn't a fan of large government. What's your take on Trump's attack on large government in D.C.? Is there anything in it? You spent a lot of time in DC. Are these agencies full of fat and do they need to be cut?Nick Bryant: Cutting fat out of Washington budgets is one of the easy things—they're bloated, they get all these earmarks, they're full of pork. There's always been a bloated federal bureaucracy, and there's a long historical tradition of suspicion of Washington going back to the founding. That's why the federal system emerged with so much power vested in the states.Reagan's revolution was based on dismantling the New Deal government. He didn't get that far in that project, but rhetorically he shifted America's views about government. He emphasized that government was the problem, not the solution, for four decades. When Bill Clinton became president, he had to make this big ideological concession to Reaganism and deliver Reaganite lines like "the era of big government is over."The concern right now is that they're not just getting rid of fat—they're getting rid of expertise and institutional knowledge. They're removing people who may be democratic in their thinking or not on board with the Trump revolution, but who have extensive experience in making government work. In moments of national crisis, conservative ideologues tend to become operational liberals. They rely on government in disasters, pandemics, and economic crises to bail out banks and industries.Conservatives have successfully planted in many Americans' heads that government is the enemy. Hillary Clinton saw a classic sign in 2006—a protester carrying a sign saying "get your government hands off my Medicare." Well, Medicare is a government program. People need government, expertise, and people in Washington who know what they're doing. You're not just getting rid of waste—you're getting rid of institutional knowledge.Andrew Keen: One of the more colorful characters in these Trump years is RFK Jr. There was an interesting piece in the National Review about RFK Jr. forcing the left to abandon the Kennedy legacy. Is there something symbolically historical in this shift from RFK Sr. being an icon on the left to RFK Jr. being an icon on the libertarian right? Does it speak of something structural that's changed in American political culture?Nick Bryant: Yes, it does, and it speaks to how America is perceived internationally. JFK was always seen as this liberal champion, but he was an arch pragmatist, never more so than on civil rights. My doctoral thesis and first book were about tearing down that myth about Kennedy.The Kennedys did inspire international respect. The Kennedy White House seemed to be a place of rationality, refinement, and glamor. JFK embodied what was great about America—its youth, dynamism, vision. When RFK was assassinated in California, weeks after MLK's assassination, many thought that sense of America was being killed off too. These were people who inspired others internationally to enter public service. They saw America as a beacon on a hill.RFK Jr. speaks of a different, toxic American exceptionalism. People look at figures like RFK Jr. and wonder how he could possibly end up heading the American Health Department. He embodies what many people internationally reject about America, whereas JFK and RFK embodied what people loved, admired, and wanted to emulate.Andrew Keen: You do a show now on Australian television. What's the view from Australia? Are people as horrified and disturbed in Australia as they are in Europe about what you've called a historic change as profound as the fall of the Berlin Wall—or maybe rather than the fall of the Berlin Wall, it's the establishment of a new kind of Berlin Wall?Nick Bryant: One of Australia's historic diplomatic fears is abandonment. They initially looked to Britain as a security guarantor in the early days of Australian Federation when Australia became a modern country in 1901. After World War II, they realized Britain couldn't protect them, so they looked to America instead. America has underwritten Australia's security since World War II.Now many Australians realize that won't be the case anymore. Australia entered into the AUKUS deal with Britain and America for nuclear submarine technology, which has become the basis of Australia's defense. There's fear that Trump could cancel it on a whim. They're currently battling over steel and aluminum tariffs. Anthony Albanese, the center-left prime minister, got a brief diplomatic reprieve after talking with Trump last week.A country like Australia, much like Britain, France, or Germany, cannot look on Trump's America as a reliable ally right now. That's concerning in a region where China increasingly throws its weight around.Andrew Keen: Although I'm guessing some people in Australia would be encouraged by Trump's hostility towards China.Nick Bryant: Yes, that's one area where they see Trump differently than in Europe because there are so many China hawks in the Trump administration. That gives them some comfort—they don't see the situation as directly analogous to Europe. But it's still worrying. They've had presidents who've been favorable towards Australia over the years. Trump likes Australia partly because America enjoys a trade surplus with Australia and he likes Greg Norman, the golfer. But that only gives you a certain measure of security.There is concern in this part of the world, and like in Europe, people are questioning whether they share values with a president who is aligning himself with far-right parties.Andrew Keen: Finally, Nick, your penultimate book was "When America Stopped Being Great: A History of the Present." You had an interesting tweet where you noted that the final chapter in your current book, "The Forever War," is called "Goodbye America." But the more we talk, whether or not America remains great is arguable. If anything, this conversation is about "hello" to a new America. It's not goodbye America—if anything, America's more powerful, more dominant, shaping the world more in the 2020s than it's ever done.Nick Bryant: It's goodbye to the America we've known for the last 70 years, but not goodbye to America itself. That's one of the arguments of the book—Trump is far more representative of the true America than many international observers realize. If you look at American history through a different lens, Trump makes perfect sense.There's always been an authoritarian streak, a willingness to fall for demagogues, political violence, deep mistrust of government, and rich people making fortunes—from the robber barons of the late 19th century to the tech barons of the 21st century. It's goodbye to a certain America, but the America that Trump presides over now is an America that's always been there. Trump hasn't changed America—he's revealed it.Andrew Keen: Well, one thing we can say for sure is it's not goodbye to Nick Bryant. We'll get you back on the show. You're one of America's most perceptive and incisive observers, even if you're in Australia now. Thank you so much.Nick Bryant: Andrew, it's always a pleasure to be with you. I still love the country deeply—my fascination has always been born of great affection.Nick Bryant is the author of The Forever War: American's Unending Conflict with Itself and When America Stopped Being Great, a book that Joe Biden keeps in the Oval Office. He was formerly one of the BBC's most senior foreign correspondents, with postings in Washington DC, New York, South Asia and Australia. After covering the presidencies of Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Donald Trump and Joe Biden, he left the BBC in 2021, and now lives in Sydney with his wife and children. Nick studied history at Cambridge and has a doctorate in American history from Oxford.Named as one of the "100 most connected men" by GQ magazine, Andrew Keen is amongst the world's best known broadcasters and commentators. In addition to presenting the daily KEEN ON show, he is the host of the long-running How To Fix Democracy interview series. He is also the author of four prescient books about digital technology: CULT OF THE AMATEUR, DIGITAL VERTIGO, THE INTERNET IS NOT THE ANSWER and HOW TO FIX THE FUTURE. Andrew lives in San Francisco, is married to Cassandra Knight, Google's VP of Litigation & Discovery, and has two grown children.Keen On America is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit keenon.substack.com/subscribe

fWotD Episode 2824: The Holocaust in Bohemia and Moravia Welcome to Featured Wiki of the Day, your daily dose of knowledge from Wikipedia’s finest articles.The featured article for Monday, 27 January 2025 is The Holocaust in Bohemia and Moravia.The Holocaust in Bohemia and Moravia resulted in the deportation, dispossession, and murder of most of the pre-World War II population of Jews in the Czech lands that were annexed by Nazi Germany between 1939 and 1945. Before the Holocaust, the Jews of Bohemia were among the most assimilated and integrated Jewish communities in Europe; antisemitic prejudice was less pronounced than elsewhere on the continent. The first anti-Jewish laws in Czechoslovakia were imposed following the 1938 Munich Agreement and the German occupation of the Sudetenland. In March 1939, Germany invaded and partially annexed the rest of the Czech lands as the Protectorate of Bohemia and Moravia. More anti-Jewish measures followed, imposed mainly by the Protectorate administration (which included both German and Czech officials). Jews were stripped of their employment and property, required to perform forced labor, and subject to discriminatory regulations including, in September 1941, the requirement to wear a yellow star. Many were evicted from their homes and concentrated into substandard housing.Some 30,000 Jews, from the pre-invasion population of 118,310, managed to emigrate. Most of the remaining Jews were deported to other Nazi-controlled territories, starting in October 1939 as part of the Nisko plan. In October 1941, mass deportations of Protectorate Jews began, initially to Łódź Ghetto. Beginning in November 1941, the transports departed for Theresienstadt Ghetto in the Protectorate, which was, for most, a temporary stopping-point before deportation to other ghettos, extermination camps, and other killing sites farther east. By mid-1943, most of the Jews remaining in the Protectorate were in mixed marriages and therefore exempt from deportation.About 80,000 Jews from Bohemia and Moravia were murdered in the Holocaust. After the war, surviving Jews—especially those who had identified as Germans before the war—faced obstacles in regaining their property and pressure to assimilate into the Czech majority. Most Jews emigrated; a few were deported as part of the expulsion of Germans from Czechoslovakia. The memory of the Holocaust was suppressed in Communist Czechoslovakia, but resurfaced in public discourse after the fall of the Iron Curtain in 1989.This recording reflects the Wikipedia text as of 00:30 UTC on Monday, 27 January 2025.For the full current version of the article, see The Holocaust in Bohemia and Moravia on Wikipedia.This podcast uses content from Wikipedia under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License.Visit our archives at wikioftheday.com and subscribe to stay updated on new episodes.Follow us on Mastodon at @wikioftheday@masto.ai.Also check out Curmudgeon's Corner, a current events podcast.Until next time, I'm generative Ayanda.

On 17th September 1938, in Munich, one of the most extraordinary meetings in history took place. Neville Chamberlain launched an extraordinary and unprecedented diplomatic coup. Boarding a plane, he set off to meet Adolf Hitler in a desperate attempt to prevent war over Czechoslovakia, following the Nazis' territorial incursions into Czechoslovakia. Little did he know that Hitler was already planning to launch a full blown war on the first of October - just two weeks later. Chamberlain, in his own mind the man of the hour, boldly wrestling the fate of Europe back under control, left with the goodwill of the British public behind him. Arriving at the Berghoff, Hitler's fabled eerie, the two men talked and debated for three hours. Finally, Hitler agreed not to precipitate military action while Chamberlain discussed the situation with his Cabinet. Ominously, both men were delighted by the turn of events. Upon returning home, Chamberlain declared himself convinced of Hitler's reliability, despite knowing full well of the atrocities he had already committed. Finally, in September 1938, another totemic emergency meeting of the main European powers took place in Munich, and an agreement - the consequences of which would change the world - was reached. Chamberlain would return to Britain a hero, but given the war that would follow, should he instead have been cast as a traitor? Join Tom and Dominic as they discuss the Munich Agreement: one of the most discussed, and infamous diplomatic instances in history, which has forever since shaped the way that Western nations have addressed international affairs. Had Neville Chamberlain delayed war with Germany, or inevitably doomed Czechoslovakia and Poland to the ruthless ravages of Adolf Hitler and his Nazi party? _______ Twitter: @TheRestHistory @holland_tom @dcsandbrook Producer: Theo Young-Smith Assistant Producer: Tabby Syrett Editor: Jack Meek Executive Producers: Jack Davenport + Tony Pastor Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Send us a textListen to this episode before you read Hercule Poirot's Christmas. Join Grinch Caitlin and Chad Scrooge as they discuss the historical contexts surrounding the creation of Agatha Christie's beloved character, Hercule Poirot. You'll get tips on how to read the book, where to read the book, and what to look out for as you read.   This is a spoiler-free episode. (Inspiration for the fireplace sounds in the background, courtesy of Honey and the cheese stick.)Theme Music: The Black Cat by Aaron Kenny.Spotify Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2gPoZ4x7CqkG4AzlZ9SKFVLearn more about Simon Schama's Power of Art here:https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0887235/episodes/?season=1&ref_=tt_eps_sn_1Sources: https://www.agathachristie.com/stories/hercule-poirots-christmashttps://agathachristie.fandom.com/wiki/Hercule_Poirot%27s_Christmas#Charactershttps://moonlight-detective.blogspot.com/2022/12/hercule-poirots-christmas-1938-by.html

The Munich Agreement had bought peace. But at a price. The highest had, of course, been paid by Czechoslovakia which lost much of its territory. But there was also a cost in the increasing distrust of the Soviet Union, another of the protecting powers of the Czechs, which had simply been left out of the Munich negotiations, towards the Western Powers. In Britain, though, Chamberlain enjoyed a burst of popularity, as the man who'd preserved the peace. It would be short-lived, however, as the enormity of the betrayal of the Czechs sank in. And after the sheer horror of the pogrom across Germany known as Kristallnacht, there was a swing against appeasement and against the government. That became stronger after Germany occupied the rest of Czechoslovakia in March 1939. The invasion in effect tore the Munich Agreement to shreds. Now the pressure for a strong stance against Hitler, and in particular to come to an agreement with the Soviet Union to help, became too powerful for Chamberlain to resist. But the British conducted negotiations with the Soviet Union in such a casual way, so dismissively of the Soviets, that failure was unavoidable. Within days of the collapse of the negotiations, the Soviet Union announced that it had signed a Non-Aggression Pact with the Nazi Germany. This was one of the most shameful international agreements ever signed. But Britain's stance had contributed to it. What's worse, the pact, the second biggest shock of 1939, would lead within a week to the biggest of all. Which we'll tackle, appropriately, in a week's time. Illustration: David Low, ‘Rendez-vous'. Music: Bach Partita #2c by J Bu licensed under an Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivatives (aka Music Sharing) 3.0 International License

With the Austrian annexation complete, Hitler could now start eying up his next target, Czechoslovakia again. Although Italy had proved absolutely no help to Britain in trying to stop Hitler's move against Austria, Chamberlain had given his word to put in place an agreement which would accept the Italian occupation of Abyssinia in return for some Italian commitments in the Mediterranean, over the Suez Canal, and to stop intervening in the Spanish Civil War. Chamberlain seems to have felt that he had to go ahead with this agreement and submitted it to the Commons for approval. With Conservative anti-appeasers rather muted, even Churchill, the opposition had to be led by Attlee. He was Leader of the Opposition, which was now oddly enough a paid post. He had also strengthened his position in the Labour Party, especially since two colleagues, Bevin and Dalton, had forced through a change of policy to stop opposing the government's plans for defence spending – they felt that such expenditure was increasingly needed in the face of the growing threats from the dictatorships. Attlee also spoke out loudly in defence of the Spanish Republic, especially after a visit there in late 1937. The House of Commons approved the agreement with Italy despite the opposition to it. That in effect turned a blind eye to Italy's breach of international law in Abyssinia. Now Hitler prepared his next breach of such law. Faced with what seemed to be an imminent Nazi invasion of Czechoslovakia, Chamberlain travelled out to see Hitler three times, on the last occasion accompanied by the French Prime Minister, Daladier, and the Italian dictator, Mussolini. The resulting Munich Agreement, which allowed Germany to absorb a huge part of Czechoslovakia, on the pretext of protecting the German-speaking minority in those areas, left the country defenceless to future attack. In the parliamentary debate on the Agreement, Churchill emerged as the champion of the anti-appeasement cause, though Attlee too spoke out powerfully against it. But there was relief across the country and in most parts of the House of Commons that peace had apparently been preserved. That left the anti-appeasers swimming against the current of public and political opinion. The peace that Chamberlain had bought would, however, not last long. Illustration: Chamberlain waving the Munich Agreement on his return to England at Heston Aerodrome. ‘Peace for our time'. Public Domain Music: Bach Partita #2c by J Bu licensed under an Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivatives (aka Music Sharing) 3.0 International License

In this captivating episode of English Plus Podcast, we explore five defining moments where history veered off course. What do the Battle of Little Bighorn, the Munich Agreement, the Cuban Missile Crisis, the annexation of Hawaii, and the horrors of the Congo Free State have in common? They all show the dangerous consequences of arrogance, appeasement, brinkmanship, colonial ambition, and unchecked power. Join Danny as we uncover the lessons these events hold for us today—lessons that warn us against the traps of overconfidence, diplomatic missteps, and the dark side of empire-building. To unlock the full episode and gain access to our extensive back catalogue, consider becoming a premium subscriber on Apple Podcasts or Patreon. And don't forget to visit englishpluspodcast.com for even more content, including articles, in-depth studies, and our brand-new audio series now available in our English Plus Podcast's shop!

Send us a Text Message.Ever wonder how the simple happenings on a homestead can mirror the profound lessons of our lives? From the growth of our chicks to the unexpected challenges with our garden, this episode begins with heartwarming updates from the homestead that make us pause and reflect on our blessings. We then transition into a heartfelt prayer, expressing gratitude to God and seeking His continued guidance and protection. Our conversation underscores the importance of nurturing our relationship with God and our spouses every single day, while also contemplating the serious consequences of sin and the transformative power of Jesus' forgiveness. Moreover, we examine Winston Churchill's perspective on the Munich Agreement, drawing lessons from history about the dangers of appeasement.As we continue, the episode takes a deep dive into the metaphorical pendulum of American politics, suggesting a consistent leftward swing over the past century. We draw thought-provoking parallels to historical events, such as the Munich Agreement, and explore how various societal shifts—from the separation of church and state to feminist movements and immigration policies—have reshaped traditional family structures and societal values. This chapter stresses the importance of standing firm against ideologies perceived as encroaching, echoing Churchill's staunch opposition to appeasement. Concluding with a call to action, we emphasize the necessity of making challenging decisions to defend our values, much like choosing to stand against perceived evil in our personal lives and broader society. Join us for a compelling reflection on faith, history, and the need to uphold our core beliefs.Support the Show.The American Soul Podcasthttps://www.buzzsprout.com/1791934/subscribe

Send us a Text Message.How often do we pause our busy lives to truly prioritize our relationship with God? In this thought-provoking episode of the American Soul Podcast, we begin with a heartfelt update from our homestead, sharing the simple joys of watching our chicks grow and tackling the yard work. This personal reflection serves as a reminder to make time for God every day, challenging us to evaluate if we are loving God with all our heart, soul, and might as Jesus commanded. We also discuss the importance of showing love to our spouses and aligning our daily actions with our professed values.Freedom of speech is under siege in Britain and the United States. Highlighting recent incidents where individuals faced arrest for online posts deemed offensive, we explore the double standards and potential for civil unrest. Drawing parallels to Winston Churchill's era, we discuss the dangers of censorship and the rejection of religious values. By warning of the alliance between leftist tyranny and radical elements, we underscore the urgent need to defend our freedoms to prevent a repeat of history.Appeasement has a cost, and history has taught us this lesson time and again. We reflect on the Munich Agreement, invoking Churchill's warnings about the dangers of appeasement, and draw comparisons to contemporary issues like abortion, separation of church and state, and LGBTQ rights. Emphasizing the moral and societal costs of compromising on fundamental Christian values, we urge Americans to recognize the impossibility of peaceful coexistence with opposing ideologies without losing our core beliefs. Just as Churchill stood firm against tyranny, we call for unwavering resolve in standing up for our convictions and turning our nation back to God and Jesus Christ.Support the Show.The American Soul Podcasthttps://www.buzzsprout.com/1791934/subscribe

What is fascism? Is it an anomaly in the history of modern Europe? Or its culmination? In Anti-Colonialism and the Crises of Interwar Fascism (Bloomsbury, 2023), Dr. Michael Ortiz makes the case that fascism should be understood, in part, as an imperial phenomenon. He contends that the Age of Appeasement (1935-1939) was not a titanic clash between rival socio-political systems (fascism and democracy), but rather an imperial contest between satisfied and unsatisfied empires. Historians have long debated the extent to which Western imperialisms served as ideological and intellectual precursors to European fascisms. To date, this scholarship has largely employed an “inside-out” methodology that examines the imperial discourses that pushed fascist regimes outward, into Africa, Asia, and the Americas. While effective, such approaches tend to ignore the ways in which these places and their inhabitants understood European fascisms. Addressing this imbalance, Anti-Colonialism adopts an “outside-in” approach that analyses fascist expansion from the perspective of Indian anti-colonialists such as Jawaharlal Nehru, Subhas Bose, and Mohandas Gandhi. Seen from India, the crises of Interwar fascism-the Second Italo-Ethiopian War, Spanish Civil War, Second Sino-Japanese War, Munich Agreement, and the outbreak of the Second World War-were yet another eruption of imperial expansion analogous (although not identical) to the Scramble for Africa and the Treaty of Versailles. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose forthcoming book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. 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

What is fascism? Is it an anomaly in the history of modern Europe? Or its culmination? In Anti-Colonialism and the Crises of Interwar Fascism (Bloomsbury, 2023), Dr. Michael Ortiz makes the case that fascism should be understood, in part, as an imperial phenomenon. He contends that the Age of Appeasement (1935-1939) was not a titanic clash between rival socio-political systems (fascism and democracy), but rather an imperial contest between satisfied and unsatisfied empires. Historians have long debated the extent to which Western imperialisms served as ideological and intellectual precursors to European fascisms. To date, this scholarship has largely employed an “inside-out” methodology that examines the imperial discourses that pushed fascist regimes outward, into Africa, Asia, and the Americas. While effective, such approaches tend to ignore the ways in which these places and their inhabitants understood European fascisms. Addressing this imbalance, Anti-Colonialism adopts an “outside-in” approach that analyses fascist expansion from the perspective of Indian anti-colonialists such as Jawaharlal Nehru, Subhas Bose, and Mohandas Gandhi. Seen from India, the crises of Interwar fascism-the Second Italo-Ethiopian War, Spanish Civil War, Second Sino-Japanese War, Munich Agreement, and the outbreak of the Second World War-were yet another eruption of imperial expansion analogous (although not identical) to the Scramble for Africa and the Treaty of Versailles. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose forthcoming book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/history

What is fascism? Is it an anomaly in the history of modern Europe? Or its culmination? In Anti-Colonialism and the Crises of Interwar Fascism (Bloomsbury, 2023), Dr. Michael Ortiz makes the case that fascism should be understood, in part, as an imperial phenomenon. He contends that the Age of Appeasement (1935-1939) was not a titanic clash between rival socio-political systems (fascism and democracy), but rather an imperial contest between satisfied and unsatisfied empires. Historians have long debated the extent to which Western imperialisms served as ideological and intellectual precursors to European fascisms. To date, this scholarship has largely employed an “inside-out” methodology that examines the imperial discourses that pushed fascist regimes outward, into Africa, Asia, and the Americas. While effective, such approaches tend to ignore the ways in which these places and their inhabitants understood European fascisms. Addressing this imbalance, Anti-Colonialism adopts an “outside-in” approach that analyses fascist expansion from the perspective of Indian anti-colonialists such as Jawaharlal Nehru, Subhas Bose, and Mohandas Gandhi. Seen from India, the crises of Interwar fascism-the Second Italo-Ethiopian War, Spanish Civil War, Second Sino-Japanese War, Munich Agreement, and the outbreak of the Second World War-were yet another eruption of imperial expansion analogous (although not identical) to the Scramble for Africa and the Treaty of Versailles. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose forthcoming book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/critical-theory

What is fascism? Is it an anomaly in the history of modern Europe? Or its culmination? In Anti-Colonialism and the Crises of Interwar Fascism (Bloomsbury, 2023), Dr. Michael Ortiz makes the case that fascism should be understood, in part, as an imperial phenomenon. He contends that the Age of Appeasement (1935-1939) was not a titanic clash between rival socio-political systems (fascism and democracy), but rather an imperial contest between satisfied and unsatisfied empires. Historians have long debated the extent to which Western imperialisms served as ideological and intellectual precursors to European fascisms. To date, this scholarship has largely employed an “inside-out” methodology that examines the imperial discourses that pushed fascist regimes outward, into Africa, Asia, and the Americas. While effective, such approaches tend to ignore the ways in which these places and their inhabitants understood European fascisms. Addressing this imbalance, Anti-Colonialism adopts an “outside-in” approach that analyses fascist expansion from the perspective of Indian anti-colonialists such as Jawaharlal Nehru, Subhas Bose, and Mohandas Gandhi. Seen from India, the crises of Interwar fascism-the Second Italo-Ethiopian War, Spanish Civil War, Second Sino-Japanese War, Munich Agreement, and the outbreak of the Second World War-were yet another eruption of imperial expansion analogous (although not identical) to the Scramble for Africa and the Treaty of Versailles. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose forthcoming book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/world-affairs

What is fascism? Is it an anomaly in the history of modern Europe? Or its culmination? In Anti-Colonialism and the Crises of Interwar Fascism (Bloomsbury, 2023), Dr. Michael Ortiz makes the case that fascism should be understood, in part, as an imperial phenomenon. He contends that the Age of Appeasement (1935-1939) was not a titanic clash between rival socio-political systems (fascism and democracy), but rather an imperial contest between satisfied and unsatisfied empires. Historians have long debated the extent to which Western imperialisms served as ideological and intellectual precursors to European fascisms. To date, this scholarship has largely employed an “inside-out” methodology that examines the imperial discourses that pushed fascist regimes outward, into Africa, Asia, and the Americas. While effective, such approaches tend to ignore the ways in which these places and their inhabitants understood European fascisms. Addressing this imbalance, Anti-Colonialism adopts an “outside-in” approach that analyses fascist expansion from the perspective of Indian anti-colonialists such as Jawaharlal Nehru, Subhas Bose, and Mohandas Gandhi. Seen from India, the crises of Interwar fascism-the Second Italo-Ethiopian War, Spanish Civil War, Second Sino-Japanese War, Munich Agreement, and the outbreak of the Second World War-were yet another eruption of imperial expansion analogous (although not identical) to the Scramble for Africa and the Treaty of Versailles. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose forthcoming book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/intellectual-history

What is fascism? Is it an anomaly in the history of modern Europe? Or its culmination? In Anti-Colonialism and the Crises of Interwar Fascism (Bloomsbury, 2023), Dr. Michael Ortiz makes the case that fascism should be understood, in part, as an imperial phenomenon. He contends that the Age of Appeasement (1935-1939) was not a titanic clash between rival socio-political systems (fascism and democracy), but rather an imperial contest between satisfied and unsatisfied empires. Historians have long debated the extent to which Western imperialisms served as ideological and intellectual precursors to European fascisms. To date, this scholarship has largely employed an “inside-out” methodology that examines the imperial discourses that pushed fascist regimes outward, into Africa, Asia, and the Americas. While effective, such approaches tend to ignore the ways in which these places and their inhabitants understood European fascisms. Addressing this imbalance, Anti-Colonialism adopts an “outside-in” approach that analyses fascist expansion from the perspective of Indian anti-colonialists such as Jawaharlal Nehru, Subhas Bose, and Mohandas Gandhi. Seen from India, the crises of Interwar fascism-the Second Italo-Ethiopian War, Spanish Civil War, Second Sino-Japanese War, Munich Agreement, and the outbreak of the Second World War-were yet another eruption of imperial expansion analogous (although not identical) to the Scramble for Africa and the Treaty of Versailles. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose forthcoming book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/south-asian-studies

What is fascism? Is it an anomaly in the history of modern Europe? Or its culmination? In Anti-Colonialism and the Crises of Interwar Fascism (Bloomsbury, 2023), Dr. Michael Ortiz makes the case that fascism should be understood, in part, as an imperial phenomenon. He contends that the Age of Appeasement (1935-1939) was not a titanic clash between rival socio-political systems (fascism and democracy), but rather an imperial contest between satisfied and unsatisfied empires. Historians have long debated the extent to which Western imperialisms served as ideological and intellectual precursors to European fascisms. To date, this scholarship has largely employed an “inside-out” methodology that examines the imperial discourses that pushed fascist regimes outward, into Africa, Asia, and the Americas. While effective, such approaches tend to ignore the ways in which these places and their inhabitants understood European fascisms. Addressing this imbalance, Anti-Colonialism adopts an “outside-in” approach that analyses fascist expansion from the perspective of Indian anti-colonialists such as Jawaharlal Nehru, Subhas Bose, and Mohandas Gandhi. Seen from India, the crises of Interwar fascism-the Second Italo-Ethiopian War, Spanish Civil War, Second Sino-Japanese War, Munich Agreement, and the outbreak of the Second World War-were yet another eruption of imperial expansion analogous (although not identical) to the Scramble for Africa and the Treaty of Versailles. This interview was conducted by Dr. Miranda Melcher whose forthcoming book focuses on post-conflict military integration, understanding treaty negotiation and implementation in civil war contexts, with qualitative analysis of the Angolan and Mozambican civil wars. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/european-studies

In this episode, the hosts continue their series on the fall of the French Third Republic and discuss the Munich Conference. They start by giving shoutouts to new subscribers and positive comments on YouTube. They then provide background information on the French Third Republic and the remilitarization of the Rhineland. The hosts discuss the weak leadership in France and the role of Neville Chamberlain in Great Britain. They explain the events leading up to the Munich Conference and the negotiations that took place. The episode ends with a discussion on the May and September crises and the leverage Hitler had over the Allies. The conversation explores the events leading up to the Munich Conference and the themes of leadership, appeasement, and the consequences of speaking from a position of weakness. It highlights the lack of confidence in Western leaders and the importance of inspiring courage and strength. The Munich Agreement, signed by the Allies and Hitler, is discussed, along with the impact of the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact on the invasion of Poland. The main takeaway is that preventing war requires a strong and assertive stance, rather than appeasement.TakeawaysWeak leadership and a lack of strong alliances contributed to the fall of the French Third Republic.Neville Chamberlain's policy of appeasement and belief in Hitler's good intentions proved to be a grave mistake.Hitler's leverage and willingness to go to war gave him the upper hand in negotiations.The Munich Conference highlighted the failure of the Allies to effectively address Hitler's aggression. Leadership plays a crucial role in international affairs, and weak leaders can lead to disastrous consequences.Speaking and negotiating from a position of weakness and appeasement does not work in preventing war.Preventing war requires a strong and assertive stance, backed by a willingness to use force if necessary.The Munich Agreement and the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact are examples of failed attempts at appeasement.Chapters00:00 Background and Weak Leadership07:48 The Munich Conference40:40 The September Crisis and Negotiations44:16 French Foreign Minister and Avoiding War46:04 Blaming Czechoslovakia for Germany's Resort to Force51:19 Leadership and Courage55:06 Lack of Confidence in Western Leaders56:33 Leadership and Inspiring Courage58:42 Leadership and Defeatism01:00:56 The Munich Conference01:04:28 Italian Proposal and Munich Agreement01:09:49 Chamberlain's Concerns and Hitler's Response01:11:21 Reaction to the Munich Agreement01:17:36 Speaking from a Position of Weakness and Appeasement01:21:00 The Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact and the Invasion of Poland01:24:45 Preventing War with a Bigger Stick --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theloinsofhistory/support

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The failures of Jerusalem's last Davidic king leave us with great lessons about leadership. Supplemental Materials: Click here to read the text of Winston Churchill's speech protesting the Munich Agreement. 

Welcome to our podcast on the causes of World War 2. Today, we will be discussing the major factors that led to one of the deadliest wars in history. The first major cause of World War 2 was the Treaty of Versailles, which was imposed on Germany after World War 1. The Treaty forced Germany to accept blame for the war and pay reparations. Additionally, Germany was not allowed to have a large military and lost a significant amount of territory. The humiliation faced by Germany under this treaty paved the way for the spread of ultra-nationalism in Germany, which ultimately contributed to the rise of fascism. The second major cause was the failure of the League of Nations. The League was established in 1919 to keep world peace, with the aim that all countries would be members and disputes could be settled by negotiation rather than by force. Unfortunately, the League failed, as not all countries joined, and it had no army to prevent military aggression such as Italy's invasion of Ethiopia in Africa or Japan's invasion of Manchuria in China. The third major cause was the worldwide economic depression of 1929. In Europe, political power shifted to totalitarian and imperialist governments in several countries, including Germany, Italy, and Spain. In Asia, a resource-starved Japan began to expand aggressively, invading China and maneuvering to control a sphere of influence in the Pacific. The fourth major cause was the rise of fascism, which promised to minister to peoples' wants more effectively than democracy and presented itself as the one sure defense against communism. Benito Mussolini established the first fascist European dictatorship during the interwar period in Italy in 1922. Adolf Hitler, the leader of the German National Socialist (Nazi) party, preached a racist brand of fascism, and in 1933, he became the German Chancellor, establishing himself as dictator. The fifth major cause was the policy of appeasement. Although Britain and France knew of Hitler's actions, they thought a stronger Germany would stop the spread of communism from Russia. An example of appeasement was the Munich Agreement of September 1938, in which Britain and France allowed Germany to annex areas in Czechoslovakia where German-speakers lived. However, in March 1939, Germany broke its promise and invaded the rest of Czechoslovakia, and even then, neither Britain nor France was prepared to take military action. In conclusion, the major causes of World War 2 were numerous, and they included the impact of the Treaty of Versailles following World War 2, the worldwide economic depression, failure of appeasement, the rise of militarism in Germany and Japan, and the failure of the League of Nations. These factors all contributed to the escalation of tensions, ultimately leading to the deadliest war in human history. Thank you for tuning in to our podcast. #UPSC #IASprep #civilserviceexam #IASexamination #IASaspirants #UPSCjourney #IASexam #civilservice #IASgoals #UPSC2022 #IAS2022 #civilservant #IAScoaching #UPSCmotivation #IASmotivation #UPSCpreparation #IASpreparation #UPSCguide #IASguide #UPSCtips #IAStips #UPSCbooks #IASbooks #UPSCexamstrategy #IASexamstrategy #UPSCmentorship #IASmentorship #UPSCcommunity #IAScommunity #UPSCpreparation #IASpreparation #UPSCguide #IASguide #UPSCtips #IAStips #UPSCbooks #IASbooks #UPSCexamstrategy #IASexamstrategy #UPSCmentorship #IASmentorship #UPSCcommunity #IAScommunity --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/theiascompanion/message

Sometimes Doing the Right Thing is Hard Caution! This is the cynical and bitter version of the Develop This! podcast! In this episode, Dennis vents his frustrations about the difficulty of building coalitions even when you're trying to do the right thing. Dennis has made a conscious decision to be less like Neville Chamberlain and more like Winston Churchill.....Never, never, never, give up Economic development professionals are often at the nexus of difficult projects Everyone wants to impact workforce but doing meaningful work and doing the right thing is hard You would think it would be easy to build coalitions and that everyone would understand what's at stake if we fail to take action Unfortunately, local politics, egos, and turf battles can derail even the best intentions Neville Chamberlain was prime minister of the United Kingdom from 1937 to 1940. He is best known for his role in the Munich Agreement of 1938 which ceded parts of Czechoslovakia to Hitler and is now the most popular example of the foreign policy known as appeasement. Winston Churchill was an inspirational statesman, writer, orator and leader who led Britain to victory in the Second World War. He served as Conservative Prime Minister twice - from 1940 to 1945 (before being defeated in the 1945 general election by the Labour leader Clement Attlee) and from 1951 to 1955.  Dennis would love to hear your stories of how you have overcome obstacles that your organization has faced. Contact him at dennis@developthispodcast.com or call 319-753-0690          

In March 1938, Germany declared its annexation of Austria. Soon after, Hitler demanded that the Sudetenland, an area of Czechoslovakia with a heavy German population, also be added to the Reich. On 15 September, Hitler met with the leaders of Great Britain and France, signing the Munich Agreement, in which the western Allies formally recognized Hitler's territorial expansion. Hitler declared the Sudetenland to be "the last territorial demand I have to make in Europe." But was it? Join Sean and James and you will find out!

During WWII, it is known that the Nazis were experimenting on prisoners of war, but they weren't the only ones. Follow me down the rabbit hole to find out what the Japanese were doing in Unit 731.*** https://www.patreon.com/rabbitholeconspiracyhttps://wwiifoundation.org/timeline-of-wwii/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manchuria https://www.ushmm.org/collections/bibliography/anschluss https://www.britannica.com/event/Munich-Agreement https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DT6z0wRPAwg https://unit731.org/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4nPxik59oE Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Just weeks after the Munich Agreement avoided a war, Germany was wracked by a spasm of internal anti-Semitic violence.

Democrats want COVID amnesty. No thanks. This is the equivalent of the Hitler-Chamberlain Munich Agreement. I reveal the biggest bombshell that no-one is talking about from the Pelosi attack. The FBI is fabricating evidence of far-right extremism. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit drewallen.substack.com

In Episode 145 of the CounterVortex podcast, Bill Weinberg contrasts statements from anarchists in Ukraine and Russia—who call unequivocally for Putin's defeat and removal from power—with the relentless lecturing from stateside "leftists" that the Ukrainians must cede territory in exchange for "peace." These stateside voices include (inevitably) Medea Benjamin and (of course) Noam Chomsky on (predictably) Amy Goodman's Democracy Now. They actually call for the United States to "negotiate" with Russia—the Great Powers deciding the fate of Ukraine, without the participation of the Ukrainians (exactly as in the 1938 Munich Agreement, in which Czechoslovakia was betrayed to the Nazis). Both these ostensible leftist positions line up with figures from the political establishment. On Chomsky's and Benjamin's side are Elon Musk and Donald Trump. On the side of the intransigent Ukrainian and Russian anarchists are Ukraine's former defense minister Andriy Zagorodnyuk writing in Foreign Affairs, and President Joe Biden, who told CNN: "Nothing about Ukraine without Ukraine." Is it possible that Joe Biden has a more progressive position than Noam Chomsky? Actually, yes. Listen on SoundCloud or via Patreon. https://www.patreon.com/countervortex Production by Chris Rywalt We ask listeners to donate just $1 per weekly podcast via Patreon -- or $2 for our new special offer! We now have 44 subscribers. If you appreciate our work, please become Number 45!

Putin relies on making subtle and not so subtle nuclear war threats and has done so for years. Currently, it's his way of making his war crimes and ethnic cleansing seem not so bad in comparison, and trying to deter meaningful response from Ukraine's allies to try to hold him accountable. We debate whether Russia would actually use a nuclear weapon, what the repercussions would be for Russia and the world if they were to do that, and discuss the strategies on dealing with nuclear threats that do not give in to Russian blackmail.   We also discuss the important historical context to today's war and crisis with Russian fascism–the unfinished business of World War II. We go through the ways world leaders have fallen for Putin's mind games, including Germany ensuring greater dependence on Russian gas, something we've long warned against, even though they knew they were leaving themselves vulnerable to Russia's energy weaponization, according to a stunning admission by Chancellor Scholz. While our bonus episode looks at Putin's little helper – Elon Musk – we provide a peace plan of our own: get Ukraine what it needs to end the war quickly, because the Munich Agreement – giving Hitler land in exchange for peace – didn't work in 1938, and the Minsk I and II negotiations with Russia promising essentially the same thing in recent years hasn't worked either. Russia's invasion of Ukraine is not just a war; it's ethnic cleansing. And it's impossible to negotiate with a fascist state that doesn't think you should exist.   The Gaslit Nation Early Show returns! This week, we open with our reaction to the unsurprising news that Elon Musk, the world's richest sh*tposter, was allegedly communicating with Putin before pushing Russian propaganda on Twitter in a so-called "peace deal" proposal (a.k.a. helping Russia re-group given that it's losing, badly, to Ukraine). Musk denies talking to Putin, but what about a Kremlin proxy, like maybe his financial backers from Russian ally Saudi Arabia in the Twitter deal? We discuss all that and more, answering questions from our listeners at the Democracy Defender level and higher, including what to do about movement in-fighting, what did Saudi Arabia get out of Jared Kushner so far, and where the hell is our justice for January 6th? We'll be back with an all new Gaslit Nation Q&A so keep your questions coming!

In Episode 144 of the CounterVortex podcast, Bill Weinberg notes Putin's annexation of Ukraine's Donbas region not only came on exactly the same day as the 1938 Munich Agreement, which approved Hitler's annexation of Czechoslovakia's Sudetenland—it was also the same day that Putin launched two of his previous criminal military adventures. On Sept. 30, 1999, Russian tanks rolled into Chechnya, marking the start of the Second Chechen War, with massive aerial bombardment of the region's capital city of Grozny. On Sept. 30, 2015, Russia began air-strikes in Syria, marking the start of a massive military intervention on behalf of the Bashar Assad dictatorship, in which the city of Aleppo would be virtually destroyed by bombardment. And in Putin's new war of aggression in Ukraine, the Azov seaport of Mariupol has been similarly nearly obliterated. A review of this history reveals Vladimir Putin as a serial city-destroyer, who must be deposed and put on trial for his crimes against humanity. Listen on SoundCloud or via Patreon. https://www.patreon.com/countervortex Production by Chris Rywalt We ask listeners to donate just $1 per weekly podcast via Patreon -- or $2 for our new special offer! We now have 44 subscribers. If you appreciate our work, please become Number 45!

In Episode 143 of the CounterVortex podcast, Bill Weinberg notes the all too telling irony that Putin's annexation of Ukraine's Donbas region came on exactly the same day as the 1938 Munich Agreement, which approved Hitler's annexation of Czechoslovakia's Sudetenland region. Russian annexation of the Donbas was preceded by that of Crimea, just as the Nazi annexation of Sudetenland was preceded by that of Austria. This is the same pattern of escalation toward world war—only this time Putin's overt nuclear threats make the stakes even higher. Signs of hope include the anti-draft uprising in Russia and mass exodus of Russian youth, which undermine Putin's war effort and threaten his very regime. War Resisters International has issued a petition demanding that European states offer asylum to all Russian deserters and conscientious objectors to military service. Alas, much of the Western "left" continues to cover up for Putin's criminal aggression. Dissident websites such as CounterVortex and Balkan Witness debunk the Russian war propaganda being recycled by Putin's internet partisans on the pro-fascist pseudo-left. Listen on SoundCloud or via Patreon. https://www.patreon.com/countervortex Production by Chris Rywalt We ask listeners to donate just $1 per weekly podcast via Patreon -- or $2 for our new special offer! We now have 44 subscribers. If you appreciate our work, please become Number 45!

On September 30, 1938, the Munich Agreement is reached. To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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Seen by many as the ultimate act of failed appeasement, the Munich Agreement was tabled on 29 September and signed in the early hours of the next ...

"go home and sleep quietly in your beds"

(Bonus) Arthur Neville Chamberlain 18 March 1869 – 9 November 1940) was a British politician of the Conservative Party who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from May 1937 to May 1940. He is best known for his foreign policy of appeasement, particularly for his signing of the Munich Agreement on 30 September 1938, ceding the German-speaking Sudetenland region of Czechoslovakia to Nazi Germany led by Adolf Hitler. Following the German invasion of Poland on 1 September 1939, which marked the beginning of the Second World War, Chamberlain announced the declaration of war on Germany two days later and led the United Kingdom through the first eight months of the war until his resignation as prime minister on 10 May 1940.

(Bonus) The Munich Agreement was an agreement concluded at Munich on 30 September 1938, by Germany, the United Kingdom, France, and Italy. It provided "cession to Germany of the Sudeten German territory" of Czechoslovakia, despite the existence of a 1924 alliance agreement and 1925 military pact between France and the Czechoslovak Republic, for which it is also known as the Munich Betrayal. Most of Europe celebrated the Munich agreement, which was presented as a way to prevent a major war on the continent. The four powers agreed to the German annexation of the Czechoslovak borderland areas named the Sudetenland, where more than three million people, mainly ethnic Germans, lived. Adolf Hitler announced that it was his last territorial claim in Northern Europe.

"persons bathing there were liable to the death penalty"

大家應該都有感覺，現在世界上已經失去有理想的政治家，只剩下政客之流，差別只在於吃像好不好看、貪婪程度的差別而已，像是高齡99歲的美國前國務卿季辛吉（Henry Kissinger），絕對就是其中貪婪至極、又貪戀權力的最好代表，甚至他的遺禍至今台灣以及全世界都還在承受後果。 1972年他促成當時總統尼克森訪問中共，當年兩國簽訂《上海公報》結束敵對並準備建交，接下來開啟對中交往政策（engagement），1979年卡特政府接棒正式建交。半個世紀以來，他據傳訪問中共不下百次，被中共力捧為「中國的老朋友」，由此就知道兩方利益交換之深。 2022年5月23日他以視訊出席世界經濟論壇（World Economic Forum）春季達沃斯（Davos）會議，公開表示烏克蘭放棄烏東頓巴斯（Donbas）和南部克里米亞（Crimea）等地以換取和平協議，才能儘快結束戰爭，當然這種無恥、拿別人國家當利益，同意俄羅斯併吞烏克蘭部分領土的論點，當即遭到烏克蘭總統澤倫斯基嚴重抗議，認為這是重蹈二戰前屈從霸權之覆轍，這老賊季辛吉當然掀起批評風波。 澤倫斯基批評他在達沃斯會議的言論，相當於1938年二戰之前力主對納粹綏靖的《慕尼黑協定》（Munich Agreement）​​，當時遭到納粹迫害逃離德國的他年僅15歲，可能過的太爽都忘了。而猶太裔的澤倫斯基，諷刺他活在過去：「看來季辛吉先生的日曆不是2022年而是1938年，他以為不是在達沃斯，而是在當年的慕尼黑與大家說話。在真正的1938年，當他與家人逃離納粹德國時才15歲。」那今天我們就來說說澤倫斯基口中的《慕尼黑協定》。….. 新書歷史偵探：南九州篇已經上各大電子書商城 fb專頁：https://www.facebook.com/historysquare/ FB社團：https://www.facebook.com/groups/873307933055348 Podcast : http://kshin.co​ 電子書著作 Amazon : https://reurl.cc/g8lprR​ Readmoo ：https://reurl.cc/jqpYmm​ Kobo : https://reurl.cc/GdDLgW​ Google : https://reurl.cc/9ZyLyn​

Neville Chamberlain has been ridiculed for the 1938 Munich Agreement between Britain and France on one side and Nazi Germany on the other. Instead of being derided, Chamberlain should be praised. Chamberlain tried to avoid a world war. He failed, but a least he tried. And, even though he did not completely avoid World War II, his actions ensured that Britain did not lose the war. Britain remaining in the war throughout 1940 and into 1941 allowed for an eventual Allies victory. As some historians have phrased it, Chamberlain did not win World War II but he prevented the UK from losing the Battle of Britain in 1940 by making sure that Britain had enough fighter planes and an adequate radar system.

In the 1930s, the biggest American media celebrities were four foreign correspondents: Dorothy Thompson, John Gunther, H.R. Knickerbocker, and Vincent Sheehan. They were household names in their heyday, as famous as their novel-writing Lost Generation counterparts, F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway. They helped shape what Americans knew about the world between the two World Wars by landing exclusive interviews with the epic political figures of their day, including Hitler, Mussolini, and Franco, as well as Trotsky, Gandhi, Nehru, Churchill, and FDR. But they also went beyond state press releases and listened closely to dissidents in European nations and heard alarming reports of violence against these authoritarian regimes. And they made waves at home and abroad. H.R. Knickerbocker was the only foreign reporter whose dispatches Mussolini bothered to read. Goebbels called Knickerbocker an “international liar and counterfeiter.” John Gunther shot to fame with the book Inside Europe (1936), arguing that “unresolved personal conflicts in the lives of various European politicians may contribute to the collapse of our civilization.”These reporters warned their readers that the dictators wouldn't be satisfied with the territories they conquered. They vehemently objected to policies of appeasement, and they predicted the coming of the Second World War, putting together the stories they covered—the Italian invasion of Ethiopia in 1935, the Spanish Civil War that broke out the next year, the 1938 German annexation of Austria, and the carve-up of Czechoslovakia in the Munich Agreement—to make startlingly accurate judgments about what would come next. The story of these four journalists – and how they changed the news media irrevocably – is told by today's guest Deborah Cohen, author of Last Call at the Hotel Imperial: The Reporters Who Took on a World at War. We see how these figures told the major stories of the day as reporters but also shaped them as opinion columnists and book authors. Contests over objectivity in the media aren't new to the 21st century but age-old. These conflicts about taking sides heated up to a boiling point in the 1930s. Were reporters eyewitnesses or advocates? How far should they go in trying to shape public opinion? We'll get into all that and more in this episode.

Not delivering the needed, behavior-changing consequences to Putin and Russia is the international equivalent of defunding the police. And will have similar results. This 10 minute episode will help us in our lives, and help us to think through the issues surrounding us. N.B. This is a complete blog, also acting as a signpost, pointing you to this episode on both the new Revolution 2.0™https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCw5CDliD-PRQE_8bO4Eg98Q ( YouTube) channel, and where you enjoy your podcasts, e.g.,https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/revolution-2-0/id1353135552 ( Apple),https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9yZXZvbHV0aW9uMi0wLm9yZy9mZWVkL3BvZGNhc3Qv ( Google) andhttps://open.spotify.com/show/6rr6fi3AMW0GoAfYQ64lf9 ( Spotify). Continuing. Russia is governed by paranoid, autocratic rulers. It has been invaded three times, twice by the Germans, and once by France under Napoleon. Napoleon captured Moscow before retreating, and Germany under Hitler came within spitting distance. Partly as a consequence, Russia is hungry for huge amounts of “buffer” countries on its borders to help protect it. Russia has long been a bold, cruel aggressor notably in the last 90 or so years. 1. In 1932/3, Russia under Stalin induced a famine in Ukraine, killing upwards of 3M people. Stalin then replaced the dead population with Russians, helping to create today's minority Russian-leaning population in eastern Ukraine. 2. In 1939, Russia invaded Finland with 21 divisions totalling 450,000 men. 3. Also in 1939, Russia under Stalin sided with Hitler and Nazi Germany by signing the Molotov–Ribbentrop non-aggression pact, allying the two dictatorships. 4. In 1948, Russia under Stalin attempted to https://revolution2-0.org/kyiv-kiev-we-need-candy-bombers-not-city-bombers-will-you-volunteer-ep-390/ (starve and freeze out divided Berlin) in an attempt to have the entire city for himself. 5. More well known is the failed 1979 Russian invasion of Afghanistan. The US supplied the Afghans with the highly effective Stinger missiles, essentially creating a No-Fly zone over Afghanistan. 6. In 2008, Russia used force to occupy the 20% of the country of Georgia it declared to be leaning to Russia. Sound familiar? 7. Russia has twice attacked Chechnya, attempting to topple its anti-Russian government. In 1999, then-Prime Minister Vladimir Putin led the military response against Chechnya. https://www.history.com/topics/vladimir-putin (Putin), Boris Yeltsin's handpicked successor as President, said of the Chechen defenders, “We will rub them out, even in the toilet.” Again, does anything sound familiar? 8. In 2014, Russia invaded and annexed Crimea, then a part of Ukraine. And now Ukraine itself. What country is next? Does anyone believe that almost a century of Russian aggression will end with Ukraine? Does anyone believe any dictator when he says that he is finally satisfied, and does not want to gobble up more territory, power and people?  In 1938, British Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain, believed Hitler when the Nazi leader signed the Munich Agreement saying that he would finally be finished with his many territory grabs if he could just have Czechoslovakia. Even as Chamberlain was triumphantly waving the paper signed by “Herr Hitler,” claiming that, “We will have peace in our time,” Winston Churchill responded with, “He (Chamberlain), had a choice between war and dishonor. He chose dishonor.” Hitler attacked Poland in 1939, breaking the agreement and starting WWII. Churchill became Prime Minister the next year. Sanctions might be hurting Russia, but they are not stopping the invasion and the killing. We must do more now to help Ukraine, Eastern Europe, NATO, and ourselves. It's past time for a No-Fly Zone over Ukraine. In the mid-seventies, Fram oil filters became well-known due an ad campaign that featured the slogan, “You can pay me now, or pay me later.” The mechanic in the ad offered the viewer a simple proposition: Pay me now...

Photo:  "Poland showed Ivan his place"— “Ivan” is kicked out of Europe's door—a caricature devoted to the Munich Agreement of 1938 expresses the idea that Russia was alien to European civilization.               Description found in The “Russian Bear” in Polish.   Caricature of the Interwar Period (1919–1939) Andrzej de LAZARI, Oleg RIABOV.  #Ukraine: Australia condemns "thugs." Scott Mayman @CBSNews.  https://www.wsj.com/articles/russia-attacks-ukraine-drawing-broad-condemnation-11645682406

Jason gives you a quick overview of The Munich Agreement.Read the essay here: https://historywiththeszilagyis.org/hwts080 Find us on Twitter:The Network: @UFPEarth. The Show: @SzilagyiHistory.Chrissie: @TheGoddessLivia. Jason: @JasonDarkElf.Join us in the Federation Council Chambers on Facebook. Send topic suggestions via Twitter or to hwts@ufp.earth. History with the Szilagyis is supported by our patrons: Susan Capuzzi-De ClerckEd ChinevereLaura DullKris HillPlease visit patreon.com/historywiththeszilagyis United Federation of Podcasts is brought to you by our listeners. Special thanks to these patrons on Patreon whose generous contributions help to produce this podcast and the many others on our network! David WillettJustin OserTim CooperCasey PettittChrissie De Clerck-SzilagyiMahendran RadhakrishnanJim McMahonVictor GamboaVera BibleTom Van ScotterGreg MolumbyKevin ScharfAlexander GatesVanessa VaughanWilliam J. JacksonPeter HongLori KickingerJim StoffelTom ElliotThad HaitAnn MarieJoe MignoneJosh BrewingtonYou can join this illustrious list by becoming a patron here: https://www.patreon.com/ufpearth

The Munich Agreement was signed in September 1938 by Germany, the United Kingdom, France and Italy and permitted the German annexation of the Sudetenland, in western Czechoslovakia. Newt compares this time in history with Putin annexing Crimea and other areas of eastern Ukraine. In Putin's February 21st speech, he signals the rationale for a Russian invasion of Ukraine. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Al and James discuss the new Netflix film Munich: The Edge of War, which is of course based on the book Munich, written by friend of the pod Robert Harris. Is it any good? Was it right to sign the Munich Agreement?James also tells us about recent research he's been doing into the Battle of Luzon and General Douglas MacArthur.A Goalhanger Films productionProduced by Jon GillExec Producer: Tony PastorTwitter: #WeHaveWays @WeHaveWaysPodWebsite: www.wehavewayspod.comEmail: wehavewayspodcast@gmail.com See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This week we examine Netflix's latest war film - Munich: Edge of War, starring Jeremy Irons, George MacKay and Jannis Niewöhner. Directed by Christian Schwochow and based on a bestseller from Robert Harris, Munich follows a German diplomat's desperate attempts to unmask Hitler and his plans during the 1938 Munich Conference. We were lucky enough to be joined by Wesley Livesay, host of the History of the Second World War, Wesley has recently completed an in-depth 9-part series on the Munich Agreement. Join us as we unpack this interesting historical drama. Follow us on Twitter @FightingOnFilm and on Facebook. For more check out our website www.fightingonfilm.com Thanks for listening! 

In this episode of 92Y Talks, Reel Pieces moderator Annette Insdorf interviews Jeremy Irons about the new Netflix film, Munich: The Edge of War. Based on the international bestseller by Robert Harris, the film is an engrossing drama set during the Munich Agreement of 1938, with Europe on the brink of World War II. The conversation was streamed live as part of the 92nd Street Y's online talks series on January 17, 2022.

Munich: The Edge of War is new film set in 1938 at the time of the Munich Agreement when the British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain was making a last ditch attempt to avoid war with Hitler's Germany. Starring Jeremy Irons as Chamberlain it concerns the efforts of a young civil servant, played by George MacKay, who is sent to Munich to secure a document which would change the course of history. The German director Christian Schwochow talks about making a fictional thriller set against a background of historical fact. And as a director of episodes of The Crown he reveals what it's like to be a German making drama out of the British royal family. A postcard from Australia in its multitudes. In the midst of a two year UK-Australia Cultural Exchange, the ABC's C Benedict looks at what the UK means to Australia now. First Nations Australian creatives – Yorta Yorta composer Deborah Cheetham and Dharug artist Janelle Evans – talk about cultural custodianship and bringing Indigenous voices to the world, and sound artist Sia Ahmad finds surprising resonances between her experimental punk ethos and the Cornish independent film Bait. Jo Browning Wroe grew up in a crematorium in Birmingham. She talks to Tom about her debut novel, A Terrible Kindness, about a newly qualified embalmer, William, called in to attend to the dead after the Aberfan disaster in 1966 and the impact it has on his life.

The Munich Agreement had been signed, the territory transfers had started, it was time for the whole area to calm down....right? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On September 30th, just before 2AM, the Munich Agreement was signed. Territory transfers were scheduled to begin less than 24 hours later.

It seemed clear that nobody wanted to force the government in Prague to accept the Godesberg Memorandum and its demands, and war loomed on the horizon.

Chamberlain would triumphantly arrive at Bad Godesberg with the agreements from Prague in hand, the Munich Crisis was now over....and then it absolutely was not.

...because we were left alone.

One of the major events leading up to the Munich agreement was a series of two personal conversations between the British Prime Minister Nivelle Chamberlain and Adolf Hitler. The original idea for these conversations originated in London during conversations that would occur in late August

Flinging off her heels under shellfire in Civil War Spain. Taking tea with Hitler after a Nuremberg rally. Gossipping with Churchill by his goldfish pond. The pioneering 1930s female war correspondent Virginia Cowles did all of these things. In this special episode, we're joined by not one, but two experts to discuss the life of the trailblazing Virginia Cowles. The first is the author Judith Mackrell, whose most recent book, Going with the Boys, follows six women journalists, including Virginia, who reported on the Second World War. The second is multi-award winning journalist and senior foreign correspondent for the Sunday Times, Christina Lamb, who has written the foreword to the re-issue of Virginia's memoir.  We join Virginia in 1938 as she reports from a Europe on the brink of the Second World War.  As ever, maps, images and much more about this episode is to be found at our website tttpodcast.com. Click here to order Virginia Cowles' and Judith Mackrell's book from John Sandoe's who, we are delighted to say, are supplying books for the podcast. Show notes Scene One: September, Nuremberg. Virginia attends a Nuremberg Rally and afterwards has a mind boggling conversation with Unity Mitford, a close friend of Hitler's. Scene Two: August, Prague. Virginia speaks to Czech citizens who fear imminent German aggression.  Scene Three: October, London. Virginia has a conversation with Neville Chamberlain in the aftermath of the Munich Agreement.  Memento: Christina chooses Virginia's high heels, and Judith chooses one of the Nazi government's traditional new year posters depicting an image of a helmeted German soldier with the caption “1939”. People/Social Presenter: Artemis Irvine Guest: Christina Lamb and Judith Mackrell Production: Maria Nolan Podcast partner: Unseen Histories Follow us on Twitter: @tttpodcast_ Or on Facebook See where 1938 fits on our Timeline   

After the events of May and the phantom invasion and Czechoslovakian mobilization, the overall vibe in the area was tense. It also had a real effect on many governmental ministers all over Europe as for the first time in 20 years they had been pushed to what felt like the brink of a European wide war.

In May 1938 a rumor would begin circulating, based on intelligence gathered by Czechoslovak and British sources, that Germany was about to launch an invasion.

On September 30, 1938 one of the more controversial events of the interwar period would occur. But first, some background.

Though excluded from decisions on their occupation in the Munich Agreement in 1938, the citizens of the new country of Czechoslovakia were by no means passive for the rest of the war. The story of Czechoslovakian espionage and resistance is one which spans Europe and the length of the war, including assassinations of Nazi leaders and brave battles to the death. George Bearfield is the grandson of Jaroslav Bublík, a key figure in intelligence and the leader of possibly the last parachute drop of the Second World War. He has been studying his grandfather's experiences during the war for his book ‘Foursquare: The Last Parachutist'. In this episode he sheds light on this story and whether an operation which was thought to have been cancelled really went ahead.© Everett Collection/Shutterstock See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tonight's rundown: Chaos in the Biden administration was on full display this week – will they be able to recover in the weeks ahead? With the radical left pushing climate change legislation and vaccine mandates, they hope to create a new mindset among Americans where they need to rely on the government for everything! The NBA will withhold pay from unvaccinated players when they can't perform in states where the vaccine is mandated United Airlines to fire nearly 600 employees for not getting vaccinated  A UCLA professor looks to fight back against the university that suspended him for not giving black students better grades  This Day in History, 1938: Munich Agreement is signed  Final Thought: Fighting for a Concierge Member Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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If you have your Bibles, please open up with me to Hebrews 5:11 through 6:12. I 11 About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. 12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, 13 for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. 14 But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil. 6 Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, 2 and of instruction about washings, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment. 3 And this we will do if God permits. 4 For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt. 7 For land that has drunk the rain that often falls on it, and produces a crop useful to those for whose sake it is cultivated, receives a blessing from God. 8 But if it bears thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to being cursed, and its end is to be burned. 9 Though we speak in this way, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things—things that belong to salvation. 10 For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do. 11 And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, 12 so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. Hebrews 5:11-6:12, ESV This is the word of the Lord. About a year or so before World War 2 broke out in Europe in the late 1930's, attentions on the European continent were already at a fever pitch and war looked inevitable. Yet there was a glimmer of hope that war could somehow be avoided. Then on September 30, 1938 the United Kingdom and Germany entered into a non-aggression pact with each other. At the time when that agreement was signed, along with another agreement known as the Munich Agreement, in the city of Munich I presume, it looked as if this was going to be the breakthrough that would at last bring resolution to the threat of war, at least war between the United Kingdom and Germany. Apparently this is what the prime minister of the time, whose name was Neville Chamberlain, thought too. As the story goes, when Neville Chamberlain, the British prime minister, arrived back in London after signing this non-aggression pact with Germany, Londoners were ecstatic. They cheered for Chamberlain as he hopped off the plane. Chamberlain went to visit the king at Buckingham Palace, and he got cheered once again. Then he held up the signed document to shouts of joy and then he addressed a crowd just outside of 10 Downing Street basically the British version of the White House, where the prime minister lives. This is what he had to say, “My good friends, for the second time in our history a British prime minister has returned from Germany bringing peace with honor. I believe it is peace for our time. Go home and get a nice quiet sleep.” Unfortunately this paper that Chamberlain held up and flaunted as this great success between Germany and the UK was not to be. In fact if anyone had assumed that they had now arrived at some lasting peace with Germany and now they could sit back and relax because the threat of war was over, well they'd be mistaken. In less than a year the United Kingdom and Germany would be at war with each other. Well when we turn to our passage this morning our author is addressing a similar threat in the Christian life. In short it's the threat of assuming that we've arrived. That we're walled off from any kind of spiritual battle and we can therefore, spiritually speaking, go home and sleep in peace. Now of course it is true that when we become Christians, when the Holy Spirit works on our hearts and minds to draw us to Jesus Christ and brings about regeneration, we are in fact secure. There is in fact peace, we have peace with God through Jesus Christ. At the same time, as I'm sure we could all attest to, our struggle with sin continues in this life under the sun. Spiritual threats we know are real and the imperative to tend to the care of our souls is something that we cannot set aside at any point in our spiritual sojourn. Ultimately it's true that the Lord preserves his people, but if there's no desire in the Christian life to grow in spiritual maturity, or if status quo or static Christianity is what characterizes your walk with Christ, or if you're honest with yourself and you realize that you've really only been living as a Christian in name only; well friends those are all signs that it's time to wake up to recognize that you and me are very much engaged in a spiritual battle of sorts. We're not in a truce with our very real spiritual enemies and instead we need to pursue spiritual depth and spiritual maturity. So, our big idea this morning is this, spiritual maturity is the only path forward. As we look at this passage we're going to explore it in three points. 1. A Concerning Diagnosis 2. A Treacherous Warning 3. A Hopeful Encouragement A Concerning Diagnosis Now there's a story that my mom likes to tell about my grandfather, in this case this would be my dad's dad who I never really knew. Unfortunately he died when I was quite young. Apparently my grandfather was a brilliant man, and his brilliance was often intimidating to people in the family. So, as the stories go he would get going on a certain topic in family conversation. He'd begin pontificating about this topic or that topic, whatever it was, often it was something way over your head. You'd sit there and you'd smile and nod, according to my mom, as if you knew exactly what he was talking about, even though you had no idea what he was talking about. Then he would pause in the conversation, he would corner you, and he would ask you questions about what he just said. I guess to see if you're really paying attention and to get your opinion on it too. Now as my mom tells the story, it was a pretty intimidating thing to be in the presence of my grandfather in those environments. It would often jolt you awake and really make you think, “I've got to pay attention next time that he's talking about whatever the case may be.” Well this is perhaps the effect that this passage is intended to have on us too. In the passage that immediately preceded this one, the author of Hebrews was unpacking for us some rich theology about the high priesthood of Jesus Christ. He talked about first what a high priest was. Then he talked about what a high priest did. Then he talked about how Jesus Christ is the perfect embodiment of the high priest from the Old Testament. Now these are all important things to know and believe, but before he goes any further he wants to make sure his audience is tracking with him, because he has some concerns that perhaps they're not in the best spiritual place that they could be. So he gets personal and without pulling any punches he corners his audience and specifically he points out to them three troubling signs that he sees among them. The first of these spiritual signs troubling signs is found right off the bat in verse 11, where he accuses his readers of being dull in hearing. Another way this could be translated, depending on your Bible translation you have, is lazy in hearing or sluggish in hearing. In summary while the author is brimming with excitement over what he has to say to the church, the rich theological truth he wants to expound for them, they're either too distracted or too apathetic to care. I remember many years ago, I got thrust into teaching a first grade Sunday school class at a previous church I was in. I remember going into it really excited to teach all the kiddos about this gospel story that the lesson called me to teach. Yet less than 15 seconds into my teaching of these kids, I could tell that their eyes were fixed on anything but me. They were too distracted to listen and much of that was my own fault. While that's understandable for kids of course, for Christian adults, especially those who have been Christians for some time, this kind of response receives a serious critique from our author. You see they have the capacity to pay attention, they have the capacity to listen, and yet they're not willing to pay attention either because they're dull or lazy or sluggish or probably all of the above. So that's the first critique, the first troubling sign our author points out of his audience, they're dull of hearing. Then second and closely related, we also learn that they're far behind where they need to be in their spiritual growth. We read in verse 12, 12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food. Hebrews 5:12, ESV The situation is that the church and the people that he's addressing should be leaders by this point. They should be spiritual leaders ready to instruct other people in the basics of the gospel. Yet they themselves are all the way back to the starting line. In my studies this week, one commentator pointed out that this troubling sign is actually a sign of selfishness too, because they didn't care to give back what they have received. All they were concerned about was taking and receiving, without a care in the world for turning and then investing in the younger believers in the church. Then the third and final troubling sign of spiritual immaturity we come across is a lack of discernment. Whereas the mature, in verse 14, they're able to distinguish between good and evil. The implication here is that the spiritually immature don't do that. The spiritually immature are said to be those who are quote, “unskilled in the word of righteousness”, and as a consequence they don't know how to distinguish good teaching from bad teaching or good doctrine from poor doctrine or even good decision making from sinful decision making. There isn't as bountiful spiritual fruit as there should be. In the end these three troubling signs that our author points out in verses 11 through 14, are all captured under the image of someone subsisting on milk rather than solid food. Now of course that's not to say that milk is bad. It's not to say that there isn't a time in everyone's life where milk is our primary nutritional source. Yet just as it would be silly for a grown adult to grab a bottle of milk and subsist on that as their primary nutrition, so too those who have been Christians for some time cannot subsist on milk alone. They need solid food because there reaches a point in all of our lives where milk just won't fill us up in this way that it once did when we were spiritual infants. This is the author's point when we get to verses one through three of chapter six, where he then offers, in light of these critiques in light of these troubling signs, a pathway forward. Again in 6:1 we read, therefore in light of all of these troubling signs that he just pointed out and marked that they were getting wrong he says, Therefore let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, Hebrews 6:1, ESV “Let us leave the elementary doctrine of Christ and go on to maturity,” now again it's not as if these elementary doctrines of Christ are bad or it's not as if those things don't have their place, they very much do. The issue though is that you can't read and write at a third-grade level when you're in college. In the same way there comes a time in the life of every Christian when we need to build on what we have earlier received, namely the elementary doctrine of Christ. That's the pathway forward he offers for spiritual maturity, don't get stuck in elementary school when you should, proverbially speaking, be in high school or college. Of course this raises the question then well, what are these elementary doctrines of Christ that our author exhorts his readers, exhorts you and me, that we need to build upon? Well in verses one through two, he tells us six things that these elementary doctrines consist of. We notice, and you can probably see this if you're looking at your Bibles we see; one it consists in repentance from dead works, two faith in God, three instructions about washing (that could also be translated baptisms), four the laying on of hands, five the resurrection of the dead, and six eternal judgment. In the early church these would have been the core doctrines. When I say doctrines that's just another word for teachings, these would have been the core teachings that a new believer would have received upon entering in to the church. They would have been instructed in these things. Although some of the particular doctrines here that are listed aren't entirely clear about what exactly he's getting at, with washings for example or laying out of hands, these can basically all be boiled down into the basic things one needs to learn about Christianity. If you're looking at the list, notice that these first two items in the list, repentance and faith, tell us in summary how you become a Christian. To become a Christian you need to repent of your sins and put your faith in Jesus Christ. The second items in the list we read, the washing and laying on of hands, well that tells us what empowers the Christian life. After all baptism points to regeneration in the Spirit, and a laying out of hands in the Bible often signals the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. To live the Christian life we need the Holy Spirit. The final two things in this list, resurrection and eternal judgment, tell us about the hope that we have after death. So in summary our author is telling us the basics these elementary doctrines of Christ are the basic things we need to know about the beginning of the Christian life. How you become a Christian. Then the middle of the Christian life, well what empowers the Christian life, how do you live the Christian life? Well you can only do that by the power of the Holy Spirit. Then third, the end of the Christian life, the hope that we have to look forward to in the end, which is captured with eternal judge or judgment and resurrection. These are really important things to know. If you're here and you haven't learned these elementary truths of Christianity, we'd love to talk to you about what it means to repent of your sins and to put your faith in Jesus Christ. We'd love to tell you about the work of the Holy Spirit who draws us to a recognition of our sins and then helps us live more and more in accordance with God's word. Then we'd love to also tell you about the eternal hope held out for us in Jesus Christ. There's a hope of eternal life for all those who put their faith in Jesus Christ. Friends, this is the bread and butter of Christianity and our author is in no way pretentious towards these things. Yet if you're a Christian and these are things you know and these are things that you've known for some time, if you're not building on the basics, if you're not diving deeper into the basics, well then you're also losing out on enjoying God as much as you could. You know one of the things my family always teases me about, whenever we go to a restaurant is that I always like to order the same things. I'm a creature of habit. I know what I like and so why would I venture out and try something different when I when I know what's going to fill me up and what's going to satisfy me? Yet occasionally there are times when I give into the peer pressure of my wife, or the peer pressure of friends, and I try something new. It just so happens that nine times out of ten when I try something new, I really like those new things that I tried. Those things often then become my new staple at those restaurants too. Well friends, in the same way that I don't like to stretch myself when I go out to eat, but it's often very good when I do stretch myself, are you stretching yourself in the Christian life? Are you stretching yourself by being involved in things like disciple groups at church, or in Sunday school, or in plunging yourself into the deep end of theology even though that's sometimes really hard and intimidating for us to do? In the same way perhaps that there's a hesitancy to deepen your theological foundation or maybe you're not even sure it's worth your time, these are very good things for us to do. You know one of the common questions we sometimes ask ourselves when we dive into the deep end of theology, or when we're when that's a proposition for us to do, we ask ourselves the question do I need to know this in order to be saved? While that's a really good question to ask ourselves so that we keep our priorities theologically speaking in order, there's sometimes a cynical attitude that also attends that question. In other words, sometimes we rule out deeper theological reflection or we set aside certain questions because we don't see any immediate tangible or practical payoff. Instead we only want to know enough to survive spiritually speaking. Yet if we took the time to stretch ourselves, if we took our time to plunge ourselves into the deep end of theology, I think we'd be surprised at the spiritual flourishing that often follows. Again this doesn't mean that we set aside the basics of the faith at any point. We all have to start somewhere and sometimes we need to come back to the fundamentals periodically in the Christian life to remind ourselves what the priorities are. Yet let me ask you this, are you growing in an upward trajectory? Are you pursuing spiritual maturity? Kids are you paying attention when your mom and dad tells you all of the good things that are found in the Bible when they teach you the Bible? Are you paying attention to your teachers in Sunday school too? Well, this is the opening challenge in our passage, to pursue spiritual maturity. Just as we're called to pursue spiritual maturity, in the next part of our passage our author underscores for us just why this is super important for us to do so. When we come to verses four through eight in our passage, you may notice a warning. In fact this is the third warning passage in Hebrews. We've come across in our study of Hebrews, a number of times, these warning passages. This won't be the last one that we encounter either, we'll reach a few more by the time we finish the book. These warning passages are intended to wake us up and warn us of the dangers of failing to persevere in the Christian life. Essentially the logic between these verses and the ones we just studied goes something like this. You see we all need to grow in maturity and while that looks different for all of us, if we're not growing in maturity, if we're static in the Christian life, and if you have no desire to draw near to God, if your love towards God and your love towards one another has grown cold, well friends that might indicate something troubling about your heart. It may even indicate that you don't know the gospel in the first place. If that's the case, know that to turn your back on Christ and to reject the gospel puts you in a perilous position. Now you may be familiar with the phrase that the best defense is a good offense, it's a sports phrase that's sometimes used. Well in a similar manner if you're not growing in maturity and you have no desire whatsoever to do that, well friends it may only be a matter of time until you find yourself crumbling under the pressures of the world. Again in verses four through six this is what we read. 4 For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5 and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6 and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt. Hebrews 6:4-6, ESV So who are those here who have fallen away that our author has in mind? Who are those who have apostatized? This word apostasy is just a word that refers to those who were once seem to be walking well in Christ, but then completely turn their back on Christ and on the church. So who are those in our passage who have apostatized? Well notice how they're described. Again, they're described as those who have been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come. However, then after experiencing all of those benefits they decide that they don't want anything to do with Jesus Christ or his body any longer. Now on the one hand, one of the doctrines, again doctrines meets teachings, one of the teachings that we gladly confess here at Harvest in the so-called reformed tradition, is a doctrine known as the perseverance of the saints. Now this is a doctrine that teaches us that everyone who truly believes in Jesus Christ, all who truly receive and rest upon Jesus Christ alone for salvation, can never lose that salvation. That's true that Christians, and we've experienced this in our own lives too, Christians we can fall into this sin or we can fall into that sin. There may be times in our lives where we grow cold in love towards God or towards one another, but perseverance of the saints tells us that all true Christians will eventually repent of those sins and they will not ultimately fall away from Jesus Christ. It's a doctrine that we profess, a doctrine that we love, perseverance of the saints. Yet on the other hand this passage that we've just read may appear at first blush to describe a genuine believer who's experienced a genuine salvation and who then falls away for good. So how do we make sense of this? Is this passage in tension with this beloved doctrine of perseverance of the saints? Well the short answer is no. If you've been with us for some time at Harvest for our study of Hebrews, then you may be aware that one of the stories that our author loves to reflect upon are these stories from the so-called wilderness generation in the Old Testament. All the way back in the beginning in the book of Numbers specifically, we hear about Israel's 40 years of wandering in the desert. You see in in the book of Exodus, the Lord led his people out of slavery and captivity in Egypt. Then he led them into a desert wasteland, but in the desert wasteland he fed, and he nourished his people. Yet repeatedly the wilderness generation grumbled against the Lord. They experienced a number of benefits and yet even still many Israelites who experienced those benefits failed to trust in the Lord and in his promises. They may have sojourned all as one people in the desert in their 40 years of wandering, they may have had all had the same Israelite driver's licenses, but some of them didn't actually believe nor trust the Lord in their heart. Well this is the background to the imagery we come across in our passage in verses four through six. You see in the desert the nation of Israel, they were enlightened, they quite literally were guided by a pillar of light as they wandered through the desert. They also tasted the heavenly gift as the Lord rained down manna bread from heaven on them each day. They also shared in the Holy Spirit who rested on Moses and on the elders who in turn taught and shepherded God's people in the wilderness. Understand that the wilderness generation experienced all of these external blessings of being God's people and yet not everyone among the wilderness generation was saved. Not everyone among the wilderness generation truly received the Lord, rested in the Lord, and trusted in the Lord. As the apostle Paul says much later in the book of Romans 9:6, “not all who descended it from Israel belonged to Israel.” The same is true, brothers and sisters, in the church today. The unfortunate reality is that there are some who hear the word, who receive the word it seems, who speak the same Christian lingo that we speak, but who then one day say to themselves that they want nothing to do with others in the church. They want nothing to do with Christ and they walk away. In verses seven through eight, our author provides an illustration of this sobering reality. In summary he tells us that rain falls on the land. Rain falls on all the land, all the land receives the same blessing, but some land produces fruit whereas other land produces thorns. It receives the same blessing, that all receives rain, but some of the land is fruitful and others turn out to be fruitless. The same is true in the church. Understand that all of us are privy to the same external benefits. We're all sitting here hearing the word of God, we're going to come to the table later and receive the sacrament of the Lord's supper, we all get to participate in the fellowship of the body. Yet how many of us know people, maybe even people in your own family, who have said to themselves, “I want nothing to do with Christ any longer.” What's especially devastating about those examples is that, should that rejection of Christ persist in perpetuity, should those individuals that we so love never return to Christ and never return to the church, what that reveals is the heart-wrenching reality that they never really understood the elementary principles of Jesus Christ in the first place. As an aside, if you know people who are in that kind of condition that kind of spiritual state, what I have to offer you is to pray for them. Pray that they would return to Christ. Pray that they would return to the church. Pray that they would repent of their sins, that they would come back to know the Lord, and that they would then grow in spiritual maturity. Ultimately we don't know those who have seemed to walk away, and have done so in a final kind of way. But for those who once with walked with us, but no longer do, pray for them. For you see, those heart-wrenching examples as examples of all the more reason why we need to pursue spiritual maturity in our own lives too. Hopeful Encouragement Now that our author has issued this sobering warning that may have caused much alarm amongst his readers. He then turns to comfort them, and he addresses them with words of encouragement and hope. So in verses 9-12 this leads to our final point hopeful encouragement. Again we could imagine that after hearing these words in verses 4 through 8m that they might have been overcome with anxiety and anxiousness over their spiritual state. The author of Hebrews, though he has concerns, also encourages them in what he knows to be true of them. Again in verses 9 through 12 we read, 9 Though we speak in this way, yet in your case, beloved, we feel sure of better things—things that belong to salvation. 10 For God is not unjust so as to overlook your work and the love that you have shown for his name in serving the saints, as you still do. 11 And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end, 12 so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. Hebrews 6:9-6:12, ESV So here our author provides encouragement to his readers, but it's encouragement based on the real fruit that he sees in their lives. He doesn't just issue encouragement because he said something hard and now he feels the need to balance it with softer words. Sometimes maybe that's our intent, that's sometimes my intent as a non-confrontational person. But for the author of Hebrews, he balances his warning with encouragement because he sees real spiritual fruit in their lives that they should be encouraged about. Notice that he commends them specifically for their love towards each other and their love in serving each other. Now later in the book of Hebrews, in Hebrews chapter 10, the author of Hebrews will return to that same kind of encouragement where he lauds his readers for suffering reproach with each other and for having compassion on those who have been unjustly prisoned for their faith. He's encouraged because they're not just looking out for themselves, they genuinely love each other. Brothers and sisters, that's a mark of spiritual maturity that we should pursue as we grow in our faith too. We should love each other just as Christ Jesus loved us and gave himself for us. Not only should we seek to grow in theological knowledge, although that's really important, but we desperately need to grow in love as well, that's a mark of spiritual maturity. If you can look at your life and you can genuinely say I love God and I love other people, although of course we all do that poorly from time to time, if we can look at our lives and we can see then spiritual repentance characterizing those times when we fail to love well, then be encouraged that Christ is at work in your heart. Even more than that Christ forgives you and still loves you when you mess up and you fail to love God and other people as you should. Yet as our author leaves this passage to move on to the next, he also doesn't want to coddle his readers such that they don't continue to pursue spiritual maturity. Yes they have a lot to be encouraged about, but in his parting words he reminds them to continue imitating people of the faith who have gone before, people like Abraham. That'll be the connection he draws in our next passage that we'll look at in a couple weeks, but also to continue imitating Jesus Christ as we put our faith in Jesus Christ. We receive him as a gift, we're then called even to imitate Jesus Christ. Then to continue waiting on the promises of God with patience and to continue pursuing spiritual maturity rather than falling back into a lazy or complacent attitude towards God or towards his people. It's most certainly true that we are justified by faith in God. We are made right in the eyes of God not based on anything we have done but solely based on the work of Jesus Christ. Our work is evidence of a justified life. For as long as God gives us on this earth, we are called to be a people who press forward to spiritual maturity and get to work at being the kind of people that he desires we would be. Application Once we prepare to close I want to leave us with two applications two things to think about a little bit more as we think about our own spiritual maturity. 1. The first application point is this, worship with intentionality. Let me ask you a question, how much preparation do you typically give before you come to church on Sundays? Do you pray beforehand that the Lord would bless the preaching of the word of God and the those who lead the worship service? Do you pray that the Lord would soften your heart so that you can receive the ministry of the word? Do you ask the Lord that the Lord would help you resolve any conflicts or bitter feelings you have towards anybody else in the church before you enter into this assembly? Understand that coming into worship isn't like coming to a movie theater where you can be indifferent towards the people around you and be entertained by what's on the screen. Corporate worship is in fact a very heavy thing, and as entertaining as Jacob and I are, we're not here to entertain you. To enter into worship then requires that we prepare our minds, that we fight to stay engaged in the process, and that we learn to love and repent of those times when we fail to love the other people we're participating with in worship. Remember one of the primary concerns our author raises is that the church not be sluggish or lazy in hearing. So does that describe you? Now one of the challenges I think we face in the church today, and especially at Harvest and in the so-called reformed tradition where preaching just tends to be a little bit heavy, we're well aware of that is that. We're also being taught through a medium that we need some training in. In other words, when we sit in front of a television at home and we consume entertainment, nobody really needs to tell us how to do that, we sit down, and we absorb. To receive something auditory, to receive something heavier, requires intentionality on our parts. It requires even that we prepare ourselves physiologically before we come into worship. That we get a good night's sleep. That we eat a good breakfast. It requires that we do our best to focus and follow along. As we're engaged in worship too may mean that we take notes to help us focus, it may mean that we keep our Bibles open, and we move back and forth from text to preacher and back again so that we stay engaged in the process. Now of course it's also true that many of us are trying to wrestle kids in the pews, even right now and it's really difficult to pay close attention like you'd like to when you're trying to keep your kids under control from crying out or screaming. However there's grace in that and the Lord will be faithful towards those of you who are struggling in that right now. There may also be times in worship service where Jacob and I get a little bit too heavy from the pulpit, where we're a little bit too difficult to follow and that's something that we need to work on too when we come into the pulpit making the word of God accessible and understandable for everybody who's here and listening. All of us though need to prepare ourselves in one way or another. It's not just the preachers, Jacob and I, who prepare. All of us need to do our best to prepare to come into this assembly, so that we are not sluggish or lazy in hearing the very word of the living God. So that's our first application, don't be lazy or sluggish when you come into the assembly worship with intentionality. 2. Mature with intentionality. Beyond corporate worship which, we call the pinnacle of our week, which it's something all of us I think should give a careful attention to. Let me ask you this, what other disciplines or habits do you have in your life for spiritual maturity? First think about some of the personal habits you have in your life. Do you have structures and habits in place for Bible reading? Moreover do you have an outlet to serve and to fellowship with other people in this church on a weekly basis? Or would your weeks be characterized more as a lone wolf endeavor? Then second, do you take advantage of other opportunities at the church for your spiritual maturity and growth? Yes it's really important that we establish personal habits and personal rhythms in our lives for our growth. It's also true that sometimes it's safe and convenient and it's an easy way out when we don't have to engage with other people, when we don't have to study and learn with difficult people or even serve with people who we might not ordinarily want to serve with. At Harvest we're always trying to think through our discipleship ministries and service opportunities and provide you with opportunities, whether through Sunday school or disciple groups or Bible studies, so that you can mature and grow along with the rest of the body. So that just as you receive the word of God, so to you can also help other people and bring other people along as they are learning the elementary truths of the Christian faith as well. So are you maturing with intentionality? Are you taking advantage of opportunities for solid food, even if those opportunities are more challenging than you would choose for yourself? Whatever you give thoughts or attention to, very simply friends, pursue spiritual maturity. Pursue things that stretch you in the process. In the end pursue spiritual maturity with intentionality and don't get lulled into a false sense of security like Chamberlain was, who thought there was peace for his time, and they could all sit back and sleep. Understand that we are already engaged in a spiritual battle of sorts. We are not in a truce with our three sworn enemies; the world, the flesh, and the devil. Therefore we do not have the luxury to sit back. We are secure in Jesus Christ absolutely, but because we are secure by faith in Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit, friends press forward with freedom and fight the good fight. Let me pray for us. Gracious Heavenly Father, we thank you for your word. We thank you that even though you have hard things to say to us at times, where we need to sit up and pay attention and maybe get on with the hard work of maturing in our faith and maturing in love, that we're also reminded that you love us too. That you don't forsake us. That you don't give up on us. That you've united us to Jesus Christ through faith and that we can never lose our salvation. Lord would we be encouraged by those things, empowered by those things. As we are, would we pursue spiritual maturity, and would you help each and every one of us learn how to do that, and then to help each other in this body learn how to do that too. We pray this in Christ's name. Amen.

The white paper of the Munich Agreement is famed as one of history's key stategic blunders. In this episode, Tim Bouverie takes Dan through the old questions about appeasement. Was it right to appease Hitler in order to buy time to re-arm? Why did Chamberlain and Halifax not take action when the Rhineland was re-occupied, or during the Anschluss of 1938, or during the occupation of the Sudetenland? See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

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Taking a chronological approach, The War on Paper tells the story of the most destructive war in history through 20 key documents held in the IWM archives. Ranging from high-level iconic records including the signed order to invade Poland on August 1939 and Hitler's final will and testament, to more personal items such as Kindertransport identity papers and the ration book of Queen Mary, The Queen Mother. Published to coincide with the 80th anniversary of the signing of the Munich Agreement, this audiobook gives a great insight into how 20 pieces of paper came to shape the Second World War and history as we know it.

8 March 2020 Second Sunday of Lent Matthew 17:1-9 + Homily 19 Minutes 12 Seconds Link to the Readings: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/030820.cfm (New American Bible, Revised Edition) From the parish bulletin:    Materialism, fantasy and false worship were the temptations Satan thrust at Christ, and he is tempting our nation the same way. These seductions are a formula for Socialism, which Winston Churchill in 1948 defined as “The philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy.”    A poorly educated generation succumbs to adolescent idealism, bereft of history, unaware that a cult of the state has been a consistent failure, costing countless millions of lives in modern times.    State worship was resisted by the earliest Christians, who refused to offer incense to Caesar. Socialism is simply Communism not yet in power, and its smiling face in the guise of “Democratic Socialism” quickly scowls once it has control. As the economist Ludwig von Mises showed in various ways, the essence of Socialism is coercion and manipulation. Pope John XXIII, quoting Pope Pius XI, taught in 1961: “No Catholic could subscribe even to moderate Socialism.”    Socialism in the guise of benevolence exploits the naïve. As a corollary, Yeats said: “The best lack all conviction, while the worst are full of passionate intensity.” Lack of conviction moved appeasers to sign the Munich Agreement, and in present times it has ceded the Church’s integrity to the Chinese government. Naïve people were scandalized by the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, but Stalin and Hitler were simply Socialists in different uniforms. Just as the National Socialist manifesto of 1920 tried to replace the Church with a pastiche of “Positive Christianity,” which was Christianity without Christ, so has the Chinese government ordered that images of Christ be replaced with images of Party leader Xi Jinping.    In 1931, Pope Pius XI denounced the exaltation of the state as “Idolatry.” He insisted that “Religious socialism, Christian socialism, are contradictory terms; no one can be at the same time a good Catholic and a true socialist.” From a conviction born of suffering under National Socialism and Soviet Socialism, Pope John Paul II maintained that “the fundamental error of Socialism is anthropological . . . [because it] considers the individual person simply as an element, a molecule within the social organism… .”    As the Catholic Church is the largest charitable organization in the world, Catholics should note what a present candidate for his party’s presidential nomination, who calls himself a Democratic Socialist, said years ago: “I don’t believe in charities . . .government, rather than charity organizations, should take over responsibility for social programs.” But Pope Benedict VI has said: “We do not need a State which regulates and controls everything, but a State which, in accordance with the principle of subsidiarity, generously acknowledges and supports initiatives arising from the different social forces . . .”    The prophet Samuel warned the Israelites who wanted a king in charge of everything: “He will take the tenth of your flocks, and you shall be his slaves” (1 Samuel 8:17). That voice is louder now. 

Listen to the Trumpet Daily radio program that aired on February 24, 2020. Visit: www.thetrumpet.com/stephen-flurry [02:00] Events Over the Past Year (14 minutes) At the Personal Appearance Campaign in Belfast this past weekend, I reminded attendees about all the major prophetic events that have occurred in the world over the past year. [16:30] Trump-Russia Collusion, Round 2 (10 minutes) Another leak generated by Adam Schiff claims that Russian President Vladimir Putin is working to reelect President Donald Trump in the 2020 election. But yet again, the rumor lacks any support from hard evidence. Why do the Democrats and their media accomplices continue peddling this conspiracy theory? [27:00] Munich Agreement (25 minutes) What lessons can we learn from Britain’s shameful appeasement of Adolf Hitler in the lead-up to World War II? [52:00] Feedback From Belfast Campaign (3 minutes)

Save Meduza!https://support.meduza.io/enEarlier this month, Meduza published an article by Andrey Pertsev about President Vladimir Putin's shifting rhetoric when discussing the 1939 Soviet-Nazi nonaggression pact, as well as his growing criticism of Polish foreign policy in the year before the USSR cut a deal with Adolf Hitler. Despite being many decades old, these events remain hotly debated in Eastern Europe for obvious reasons: millions died in the conflict, which ended with Poland in the Soviet bloc for more than 40 years, and questions about blame and who only did “what was necessary” are still issues that offend and excite. That is undoubtedly why political elites today in both Russia and Poland often talk about the war, defending their own country's legacy against allegations from abroad. On this episode of “The Naked Pravda,” however, we turn not to political elites, but four historians. Can scholarly work establish blame? Is this something that drives academic work? What is whitewashed in the debate playing out in speeches and news headlines right now? Listen to the show and find out. In this episode: (4:26) Geoffrey Roberts, a professor of history at the University College Cork in Ireland, explains how Vladimir Putin apparently sees the history of the late 1930s. (7:33) Tom Junes, a Marie Sklodowska-Curie Fellow and a historian at the European University Institute in Florence, says the only country we can rationally blame for starting WWII is Nazi Germany. (13:10) Arch Getty, a distinguished research professor of history at UCLA, says Putin gets more right about the history of the late 1930s than he gets wrong. (21:48) Ivan Kurilla, a professor of history and international relations at European University at St. Petersburg, discusses the challenges now facing historians of the 20th century in Russia and Eastern Europe. “The Naked Pravda” comes out on Fridays. Catch every new episode by subscribing at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, or other platforms. If you have a question or comment about the show, please write to Kevin Rothrock at kevin@meduza.io with the subject line: “The Naked Pravda.”

---------------------- Written, produced, and narrated by Remedy Robinson Twitter: @slowdragremedy Email: slowdragwithremedy@gmail.com Podcast music by https://www.fesliyanstudios.com Rate this Podcast: https://ratethispodcast.com/slowdrag ----------------------   Elvis Costello Wiki Resource, Peace in Our Time: http://www.elviscostello.info/wiki/index.php/Peace_In_Our_Time   “Peace in Our Time”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3Xwgm_O1jh0 “Peace in Our Time” Solo live Performance w/ slightly different lyrics: https://youtu.be/AY_Lw53udq8 (extended version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dJH5IqUxrw )   Companion Blog: https://slowdragwithremedy.home.blog/2020/02/02/episode-30-peace-in-our-time/   References: Heston Aerodrome arrival of Neville Chamberlain: https://www.criticalpast.com/video/65675035713_Neville-Chamberlain_reads-the-paper_plane-lands-and-taxis_greeted-by-friends Britain’s Gesture of Peace (1938) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bGG9YT4YXuE Britain’s Appeasement: https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize/guides/ztydcwx/revision/1 Munich Agreement: https://www.britannica.com/event/Munich-Agreement “Slow Drag with Remedy” Episode 6: “Don’t Let Them See You Crying that Way” https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/06-dont-let-them-see-you-crying-that-way/id1478037117?i=1000450193639 A slow drag with “Joe Porterhouse” from the same album, “Goodbye Cruel World.”   So, until next time, Adieu, my little ballyhoo "Peace in Our Time" Lyrics: Out of the airplane stepped Chamberlain with a condemned man's stare But we all cheered wildly, a photograph was taken, As he waved a piece of paper in the air Now the Disco Machine lives in Munich and we are all friends And I slip on my Italian dancing shoes as the evening descends And the bells take their toll once again in victory chime And we can thank God that we've finally got peace in our time There's a man going round taking names no matter who you claim to be As innocent as babies, a mad dog with rabies, you're still a part of some conspiracy Meanwhile there's a light over the ocean burning brighter than the sun And a man sits alone in a bar and says "Oh God, what have we done?" And the bells take their toll once again in victory chime And we can thank God that we've finally got peace in our time They're lighting a bonfire upon every hilltop in the land (In England) Just another tiny island invaded when he's got the whole world in his hands And the Heavyweight Champion fights in the International Propaganda Star Wars There's already one spaceman in the White House what do you want (the same one again) another one for? And the bells take their toll once again in victory chime And we can thank God that we've finally got peace in our time

As a result of the Munich Agreement of September 1938, Czechoslovakia ended up losing 30% of its territory, a third of its population and the greater part of its industry and raw materials.  It was, as Jan Masaryk put it, an “experiment in vivisection”.  The radio archives give vivid insights into the consequences of that experiment, which was to last less than six months and end in occupation and ultimately war. You can find a transcript of the podcast at: https://www.radio.cz/en/section/special/an-experiment-in-vivisection-czechoslovakias-second-republic-1938-1939

George: Comics or offspring? Which ones have been violated now, Professor, mmm? Off he rushes through the bushes as we pause to take sanctuary. At LoughFeg’s Episcopalian Church. Reading the sermon today is the most Reverend… Mauldy? Floyd: The-the dude was steaming angry. Even the big veins in his eyes flared up. Mauldy: Ah Jesus… May God have mercy on his hole! Huwaaa! Huwaaa! Floyd: Sshhh! We’re in a church… He’s listening… Mauldy: My relative, he was buggered by a priest. Floyd: That’s harsh. Mauldy: Look at that sky pilot in the dress up there. What a soldier of morality! Look at his teeth, clenched ever tightly, lest an errant choirboy’s penis should just flop in there by accident. HO! Huuawaa! Ah Mauldy, sick, he comes out with the sick stuff. Floyd: Mauldy, you are well spoken vagabond! Mauldy: Here, that Ace lad’s a loser… he thinks he’s great. But I know his father… (Posh voice) Couldn’t quite get you into private college my boy! Huwaaa! Huwaaa! He’s UCLS. Floyd: Better off doing nothing eh Mauldy? Mauldy: Curse-a-jesus, it’s hard work if you want your dole! They don’t want our likes spending it on  download websites or rotten beer in Correll’s. Floyd: Then it’s a dead end job for me. Mauldy: (Cockney) Why not be a drug deala! Floyd: No, be a principal of a school! That’s easy. Don’t ever need a qualification.  Mauldy: Ah these days you do. Need a qualification to drive a PC or have shit in a toilet. Floyd: Didn’t our last- Mauldy: Come on, let’s get the fuck out of here, I got what I came for. Floyd: You stashed it here? Mauldy: God’s house is a safe house! Huwaaa! Huwaaa! Hey, forget about that posh lad and let’s get this into ya yeah? Floyd: Eh, is that?- Mauldy: That’s right! Floyd: No way! Mauldy: Charlie-charlie-charlie-Haha! You just graduated to the fuckin’ big league! Floyd: Heheheh. Cool. Mauldy: Bring it on! Bite the fist! Arrghgmmmm. Huuawaa! I am, rejoicing! Floyd: Let’s go down to the lough. No one’ll see us down there. Priest: And vultures begin to circle, they start swooping in… Then darkness falls.. Mauldy: No-one’ll see this down here either look it! Floyd: Oh that’s genius, wearing black tights to keep it warm and close. Awesome… Mauldy: Smart eh? Have money rolled up in the sock sure. Floyd: It’s a nice evening for it. Hey! Hey! What about becoming a teacher? That’s a dead end job right? Wit holidays! Mauldy: Fuck all money in that, all the stress. Floyd: This future remains open! Meanwhile, here at LoughFeg’s Lough Feg… Mauldy: Ah fuckin’ jungle! Woargh! Jurassic park! What’s going on? Huwaaa! Huwaaa! Lads with hands the size of shovels coming at ya, not a stitch on them! Have to hide on them. Amongst the weeds! Could get raped! (High voice) But he had a mickey like a wet towel! Ho! Huuaawaa! Sick. Floyd: The doobie brothers to the rescue. Mauldy: Where’s the sounds, where’s the sounds? Floyd: Floyd has some ‘Floyd! Got cool little speakers, look. Mauldy: Bose. That’s cool isn’t it? Floyd: Yeah, Animals, side 1. Cassette… Let’s do it… Mauldy: Aw, I love it! Fuckin’ love it! Get this into ya Gandalf! Come on!   Floyd: Aw yeah, hahahah, yeah… George: Bite the fist! Get it into yaaa! Go on the Mauldy! At that moment elsewhere, Norman Tash is moving molehills. Tash: Gentlemen! Gentlemen! Ace: Hi Mr Tash. Tash: Listen. Regarding the medal, I think I may have the answer. Ace: Oh yeah? Tash: Quid pro quo yes? Brian: That’s in a film isn’t it? Ace: Silence my lamb. Brian: Wha? Tash: I think you should perform an intervention on Floyd. It’s the only way to save him now. Believe me. Ace: That’s all very Masters of the Universe isn’t it? Brian: Floyd does look a bit like a Skeletor.  Tash: If you summon the courage to approach your friend, both of you, to forcefully make him see the error of his ways, to convince him to admit to his indiscretions and seek help… I really think he can- Ace: I am Ace, Prince of Cytheria, Defender of the idiots, at Castle Dumbskull. This one cringes; my fearful Bubbles. Brian: Hello. Tash: Em… Ace: Fabulous naked prowess was revealed to me the day I held aloft my meaty sword and said "By the power of Dumbskull, I have the power!” Brian: (Di-di-di-di! Etc) Ace: Bubbles came with a mighty ‘Asthma Attack’ and I became Intervention-Man, the most powerful man with a Master’s of the Universe. Brian: (Sneeze) Ace: Only three others share this secret: our friends Norman Tash, an inhaler bottle, and some sticky-backed plastic. Together we will end Castle Dumbskull’s evil possession of Skeletor. By the power of Dumbskull! Tash: ACE!!! Shut up! This is not the time to be sarcastic! I‘m aware of the cartoon… Ace: Floyd is hardly on death’s door though. A bit of a spliff and well, some other minor indulgences… Tash: He burnt down half a bloody school! Em, I mean, look you must trust me. And if you do this, I promise you, I will wade deep into Lough Feg and retrieve my medal and restore my honour and acceptance. Okay? Ace: It’s actually not very deep… Brian: Half a metre, it’s more of a pond really. Tash: Then I shall not be out of depth on this issue, correct? And you neither! Brian: Come on Ace, I told you, I’m worried about Floyd, he’s on a slippery slope.Ace: What do you know about- Tash: Accccceee. Ace: Fine! It’s a deal! Medal for an intervention… Brian: Well done Ace, Prince of Cytheria. I’m proud of you. Ace: Have you SEEN her new video? I couldn’t sleep. Look at my bags. Brian: Bulging. Tash: Now in no way is this like the Munich Agreement but I have to first go back to the hospital to remove some bandages as you can see… And also to call in on Wubba but after that I’m getting wet! Ace: Did you say Wubba? What happened to him? Tash: Seems he was at the Chiseltons. Brian: What? Tash: I don’t know the details and frankly I don’t want to. But his head is like a balloon I hear. Brian: Good enough for the fukka. He’s responsible for everything wrong at the moment. Floyd. Sinead! Everything! Tash: Bubbles, now is the time for a little benevolence. Brian: Benevil wha? I’ll bevel him with some violence alright, if he makes it out of hospital. I want to see him! Ace: Let’s find Floyd Bubbles, we’re not going to the hospital! Brian: But but- Ace: I said No! Bubbles: You’re like my father now. (Inhaler) You think you’re the great lad. Ace: Someone has to be my tubular bell. We’re going to action that plan! But first we have science in the new prefab if we can stumble through this jungle… UCLS III (Hogweed) is an Amplevoicepod ear-film production. A feature-length and full-foley aural feast. Welcome back to our U.C.L.S. friends! It’s year 3 at University College LoughFeg State. And it seems Floyd Frisbane has made a new friend and judging by the goings on last night at the main college building, he may find him too hot to handle! Todaytime has us with Accursis ‘Ace’ Byrne and Brian ‘Bubbles’ Waterbury, as they endure Saturday morning detention by planting seeds. Geography teacher Norman Tash is the hero of the hour. And he gets a medal for it! Science Professor Keith Chiselton meanwhile bristles with hardly concealed hatred for all of peoplekind. Come Monday morning, he’s at UCLS gates exchanging unpleasantries with UCLS janitor Richard Soupe. Professor Keith Chiselton: Loving father and comic obsessive. For his daughter Sinead, after her Year One online virginity auction, she’s studying to be a Doctor! Afterwards we go to LoughFeg’s Lough Feg where Accursis, Brian and Floyd gaze at their lint-filled navels. Dick harbours delusions of grandeur with powerful molestation as a UCLS teacher. While at Chiselton Manor, Sinead Chiselton is pumping out the sweat before large-lipped lampoonery leads Peter 'Wubba' O'Toole into launching himself under a wardrobe. Well, it's action-packed isn't it? And there's so much more in this 90-minute audio comedy adventure. Manna for the ears. Amplevoicepod: Podcasting done right.

The Czech Radio archives give us a rich and nuanced picture of the months leading up to the Munich Agreement of September 1938 that resulted in Nazi Germany annexing huge areas of Czechoslovakia. So many recordings survive that we can reconstruct the events leading up to Munich almost day by day. They include insights from many angles, not least the perspective of the German-speakers of Czechoslovakia, those who supported, but also those who opposed Hitler. The archives offer a sober warning of how easily a democratic state can be shattered through rumour, lies and propaganda. You can find a transcript of the podcast at: https://www.radio.cz/en/section/special/czechs-and-germans-in-1930s-czechoslovakia-a-complex-picture

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Few moments in British history have been looked back on as more humiliating than when, in September 1938, Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain flew back from Munich having supposedly been duped by Hitler into thinking that he had secured ‘peace for our time’. Conventional wisdom has regarded Chamberlain’s act as one of foolish appeasement. But we should look again. Marcus Stead is joined by Greg Lance-Watkins, who tells a story about how, as a 19-year-old soldier, he had a chance meeting with former Prime Minister Sir Alec Douglas Home on a train. They discussed Chamberlain and the Munich Agreement. Sir Alec revealed to Greg that far from being an act of appeasement, Chamberlain knew war was coming. However, by pretending to have been duped by Hitler, he had bought Britain vital time to rearm and prepare for war. Sir Alec left Greg in no doubt that Chamberlain had handled the situation brilliantly, and that history has judged him harshly.

26 May 2016 Sixth Sunday of Easter John 14:23-29 + Homily 18 Minutes 5 Seconds Link to the Readings: http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/052619.cfm (New American Bible, Revised Edition) From the parish bulletin:   A chronic temptation of the historian is to play the “Monday morning quarterback” who assumes that he would have made a correct decision in a past crisis. But the players at the time could only postulate consequences. The appeasers who signed the Munich Agreement in 1938 do not enjoy a happy legacy, but then the thought of repeating the carnage of the Great War was unspeakable. In his first use of the term, back in 1911, Churchill described “une politique d’apaisement” as a wise strategy.    A magnanimous Churchill wept at the coffin of Neville Chamberlain and eulogized: “The only guide to a man is his conscience; the only shield to his memory is the rectitude and sincerity of his actions.” But if blundering by innocence is forgivable, not learning from mistakes is unconscionable. That distinguishes innocence from naiveté. Experience has crafted the adage: “Fool me once, shame on you; fool me twice, shame on me.”    Some future historian may impute a lack of probity to the Vatican agreement with Beijing in 2018, which conceded civil interference in the appointment of bishops. Though difficult to assess since the full text has not been published, this clearly contravenes the canonical stricture that “In the future, no rights and privileges of election, nomination, presentation, or designation of bishops are granted to civil authorities.” (Code of Canon Law c. 377.5)    After Pope Pius XI realized that the Reichskonkordat of 1933 had been abused by Nazi Germany, he issued the encyclical Mit brennender Sorge—“with burning indignation.” Damage had been done, just as the Yalta Agreement of 1945 put Poland on the chopping block, a betrayal never forgotten by a Polish pope (Centesimus Annus, n. 24). He denounced the fallacy of communism in Warsaw in 1979, and Reagan did the same in his Westminster speech in 1982. The New York Times displayed its propensity to be fooled more than twice, by editorializing that John Paul II “does not threaten the political order of the nation or of Eastern Europe” and that Reagan was “bordering on delusional.”    While the Holy See invokes two thousand years of diplomatic experience, China beats that by more than twice, and has treated the 2018 agreement as tissue, tearing down churches and persecuting faithful Catholics, not to mention banishing over a million Uighur Muslims and Falun Gong cultists to concentration camps. The issue is not theology but control. The Vatican Secretary of State said that “an act of faith is needed” for the agreement to work, but the heroic Cardinal Zen replied that a “miracle” is needed, and miracles are rare in Rome and Beijing.     Diplomacy is a delicate art, and there have been saints among Catholic emissaries, though few remember Eusebius of Murano, Conrad of Ascoli, Anastasius Apocrisarius, and Fulrad of Saint Denis. There remains the haunting specter of the only diplomat among the Twelve Apostles, “who by transgression fell, that he might go to his own place” (Acts 1:25).

In this months bonus episode, I look a bit more in depth into the Munich Agreement, and what happened to Czechoslovakia in the aftermath of the Agreement and Hitlers eventual invasion.

In this months episode of History Outside the Beer Goggles, we discuss the Munich Agreement briefly, and go on to talk about what each of the major players were doing at this point before the war.

The German invasion of Czechoslovakia was a turning point in Hitler's acts of aggression. This was the necessary step to transition from annexing fellow Germans in Austria to invading the non-German Poland, thus starting the Second World War.

President Trump's tiff with Canadian PM Trudeau. Singapore Summit, another Munich Agreement? "Peace for our time." President Trump's new BFF Kim Jong Un! The superpowers behind the bloody Kim's North Korean regime.

Be Kind To One Another Continue on from the last podcast regarding a loan of righteousness…  Fair vs. Kind  [5:8] O you who believe, you shall be absolutely equitable, and observe GOD, when you serve as witnesses. Do not be provoked by your conflicts with some people into committing injustice. You shall be absolutely equitable, for it is more righteous. You shall observe GOD. GOD is fully Cognizant of everything you do. Submitters [41:33] Who can utter better words than one who invites to GOD, works righteousness, and says, "I am one of the submitters"? [41:34] Not equal is the good response and the bad response. You shall resort to the nicest possible response. Thus, the one who used to be your enemy, may become your best friend. [41:35] None can attain this except those who steadfastly persevere. None can attain this except those who are extremely fortunate. Traits of the Believers [42:37] They avoid gross sins and vice, and when angered they forgive. [42:38] They respond to their Lord by observing the Contact Prayers (Salat). Their affairs are decided after due consultation among themselves, and from our provisions to them they give (to charity). [42:39] When gross injustice befalls them, they stand up for their rights. [42:40] Although the just requital for an injustice is an equivalent retribution, those who pardon and maintain righteousness are rewarded by GOD. He does not love the unjust. [42:41] Certainly, those who stand up for their rights, when injustice befalls them, are not committing any error. [42:42] The wrong ones are those who treat the people unjustly, and resort to aggression without provocation. These have incurred a painful retribution. [42:43] Resorting to patience and forgiveness reflects a true strength of character. Don’t be a pushover - Earth will be inhabited by the meek  Matthew 5:5 - Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. Jordan Peterson https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_5:5 [5:54] O you who believe, if you revert from your religion, then GOD will substitute in your place people whom He loves and who love Him. They will be kind with the believers, stern with the disbelievers, and will strive in the cause of GOD without fear of any blame. Such is GOD's blessing; He bestows it upon whomever He wills. GOD is Bounteous, Omniscient. [52:25] They will meet each other and reminisce among themselves. [52:26] They will say, "We used to be kind and humble among our people. [52:27] "GOD has blessed us, and has spared us the agony of ill winds. [52:28] "We used to implore Him; He is the Most Kind, Most Merciful."  Charlie Brown & Franz Stigler December 20th 1943 B-17 Bomber 40 years later they meet https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_Brown_and_Franz_Stigler_incident  Dehumanization Black vs. whites Jewish Today’s Refugees  The Only Criterion For Distinguishing Among The People [49:13] O people, we created you from the same male and female, and rendered you distinct peoples and tribes, that you may recognize one another. The best among you in the sight of GOD is the most righteous. GOD is Omniscient, Cognizant. Quran: The Ultimate Reference [5:48] Then we revealed to you this scripture, truthfully, confirming previous scriptures, and superseding them. You shall rule among them in accordance with GOD's revelations, and do not follow their wishes if they differ from the truth that came to you. For each of you, we have decreed laws and different rites. Had GOD willed, He could have made you one congregation. But He thus puts you to the test through the revelations He has given each of you. You shall compete in righteousness. To GOD is your final destiny—all of you—then He will inform you of everything you had disputed. Treat Each Other Amicably [17:53] Tell My servants to treat each other in the best possible manner, for the devil will always try to drive a wedge among them. Surely, the devil is man's most ardent enemy.   Being King Means Getting Outside Of Your Comfort Zone [59:8] (You shall give) to the needy who immigrated. They were evicted from their homes and deprived of their properties, because they sought GOD's grace and pleasure, and because they supported GOD and His messenger. They are the truthful. [59:9] As for those who provided them with a home and a refuge, and were believers before them, they love those who immigrated to them, and find no hesitation in their hearts in helping them. In fact, they readily give them priority over themselves, even when they themselves need what they give away. Indeed, those who overcome their natural stinginess are the successful ones.   Self [12:53] "I do not claim innocence for myself. The self is an advocate of vice, except for those who have attained mercy from my Lord. My Lord is Forgiver, Most Merciful." 60 Minutes – Saving The Children https://www.cbsnews.com/news/saving-the-children-on-eve-of-world-war-11-60-minutes/?authenticated=1 Nicholas Winton who went to Prague, and ended up saving the lives of 669 children, mostly Jews, from almost certain death. His story begins at the end of 1938, with Europe on the brink of war. In Germany, violence against Jews was escalating and the infamous Munich Agreement paved the way for Hitler's armies to march unopposed into Czechoslovakia. In London, Nicholas Winton had been following events and knew that refugees fleeing the Nazis were in dire straits. He went to Czechoslovakia to see if there was anything he could do to help. What's strange is that for almost 50 years, he hardly told anyone about what he had accomplished and for 50 years, the children knew nothing about who had saved them or how. Governor & Joseph [12:21] The one who bought him in Egypt said to his wife, "Take good care of him. Maybe he can help us, or maybe we can adopt him." We thus established Joseph on earth, and we taught him the interpretation of dreams. GOD's command is always done, but most people do not know.  Pharaoh’s wife [28:9] Pharaoh's wife said, "This can be a joyous find for me and you. Do not kill him, for he may be of some benefit for us, or we may adopt him to be our son." They had no idea. Be Kind To Your Parents Major Commandments [17:22] You shall not set up any other god beside GOD, lest you end up despised and disgraced. [17:23] Your Lord has decreed that you shall not worship except Him, and your parents shall be honored. As long as one or both of them live, you shall never say to them, "Uff" (the slightest gesture of annoyance), nor shall you shout at them; you shall treat them amicably. [17:24] And lower for them the wings of humility, and kindness, and say, "My Lord, have mercy on them, for they have raised me from infancy." [17:25] Your Lord is fully aware of your innermost thoughts. If you maintain righteousness, He is Forgiver of those who repent. If you want to change the world start by helping your parents with the dishes Feeding Others – Our Instinct to Not Share Food [22:28] They may seek commercial benefits, and they shall commemorate GOD's name during the specified days for providing them with livestock. "Eat therefrom and feed the despondent and the poor." We do it to please God [2:263] Kind words and compassion are better than a charity that is followed by insult. GOD is Rich, Clement. Feed the captive [76:8] They donate their favorite food to the poor, the orphan, and the captive. [76:9] "We feed you for the sake of GOD; we expect no reward from you, nor thanks. Moses Watering In Midyan [28:22] As he traveled towards Midyan, he said, "May my Lord guide me in the right path." [28:23] When he reached Midyan's water, he found a crowd of people watering, and noticed two women waiting on the side. He said, "What is it that you need?" They said, "We are not able to water, until the crowd disperses, and our father is an old man." [28:24] He watered for them, then turned to the shade, saying, "My Lord, whatever provision You send to me, I am in dire need for it." [28:25] Soon, one of the two women approached him, shyly, and said, "My father invites you to pay you for watering for us." When he met him, and told him his story, he said, "Have no fear. You have been saved from the oppressive people."  Abraham You Shall Disown God's Enemies Abraham Disowned His Father [9:113] Neither the prophet, nor those who believe shall ask forgiveness for the idol worshipers, even if they were their nearest of kin, once they realize that they are destined for Hell. [9:114] The only reason Abraham asked forgiveness for his father was that he had promised him to do so. But as soon as he realized that he was an enemy of GOD, he disowned him. Abraham was extremely kind, clement. Roasted Calf vs. Sodom and Gomorrah Lot & Abraham part company - I cut you choose Summary  [90:11] He should choose the difficult path. [90:12] Which one is the difficult path? [90:13] The freeing of slaves. [90:14] Feeding, during the time of hardship. [90:15] Orphans who are related. [90:16] Or the poor who is in need. [90:17] And being one of those who believe, and exhorting one another to be steadfast, and exhorting one another to be kind.  

Hour 1 Way to go, Kentucky?...New requirements to qualify for Medicaid: 20 work hours/week… ‘work’ can mean volunteering or caring for the elderly ...President Trump is in top-notch health…McDonald’s diet, no effects?...Media denial...Passes physical and much more?...eating sticks of butter...Glenn's New Diet Hero? ...Calling Doctor Stu...it's cognitive test time? …Glenn is taking the mental health test, too… ‘is there a Twenty-Fifth Amendment for the show?’   Hour 2  ‘Oh, no, there goes Tokyo?’...False missile alarms in Japan…Hawaii, now this?...maybe Groot was in charge of the button…what if something actually happens??...Upgrading our minds? Continuing our conversation with author and futurist William Hertling... ‘add-on’ technology…will there be pressure to become ‘augmented’ humans? ...Liberal Democrats vs. Progressive Democrats?...Did you see the Cory Booker show yesterday? ...California just declared its independence?... ‘I support you’    Hour 3 FEMA fails, again!?...we DID help Puerto Rico…electricity trapped in a warehouse? ...Bestselling author Robert Harris joins the show to discuss his latest book, ‘Munich: A Novel’…Glenn has long been a fan...Neville Chamberlain vs. Adolf Hitler... ‘a tough old bird’… What if Britain hadn’t signed the Munich Agreement?...Technological 'doomsday' and a war like nothing we've ever seen ...Now it's Pat’s turn to take the test? ...Glenn can remember three words … and only three words, apparently The Glenn Beck Program with Glenn Beck and Stu Burguiere, Weekdays 9am–12pm ET on TheBlaze Radio Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If ever a politician got a bum rap it’s Neville Chamberlain. He has gone down in history as the British prime minster whose policy of appeasement in the 1930s allowed the Nazis to flourish unopposed. He has never been forgiven for ceding part of Czechoslovakia to Hitler in the Munich Agreement of September 1938, and for returning home triumphantly declaring “peace for our time”. The very word “appeasement” is now synonymous with him, signifying a craven refusal to stand up to bullies and aggressors. What a contrast to Winston Churchill, the man who took over as prime minister and who has ever since been credited with restoring Britain’s backbone.But is the standard verdict on Chamberlain a fair one? After all, memories of the slaughter of the First World War were still fresh in the minds of the British, who were desperate to avoid another conflagration. And anyway what choice did Chamberlain have in 1938? There’s a good case for arguing that the delay in hostilities engineered at Munich allowed time for military and air power to be strengthened. See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

April 23, 1939 - On the set of Jack's movie "Man About Town" we meet Guests Binnie Barns and Mark Sandrich with a cameo by Claudette Colbert...all performed in the radio studio by the regular cast with bit players doing the celebrity voices.  Meanwhile, Rochester tries to collect on the bet he made with Jack Benny after the Joe Lewis boxing match. And they subtly take a jab at Chamberlain and his Munich Agreement with Hitler.

The end of World War One saw the creation of Czechoslovakia and the first republic. The Czechs were finding their collective identity and global footing when the Third Reich appeared on the scene. The Czechs and Slovaks were bartered away for the hope of "peace in our time" to appease Hitler. What would follow would lead Czechoslovakia back to protectorate status under Nazi Germany and later, the Soviet Union. It was the end of the first republic and an end of an era.A show by podcastnik.com — visit the site for all projects and news. Visit bohemican.com for more on this project and the Czech Republic. Check out our new show, Past Access! (YouTube Link) Twitter @bohemican | @Travis J Dow | @Podcastnik — Facebook Podcastnik Page — Instagram @podcastnik Podcastnik YouTube | Podcastnik Audio Podcast Support: PayPal | Patreon | Podcastnik Shop | Pete Collman Photography Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy for more information.

Host Matthew Stevenson visits the National Memorial on the Vítkov Hill in Prague to discuss with staff member František Štambera the legacy of 1938 Munich Agreement in the Czech Republic.

Hitler’s sabre rattling earns him Austria and the Munich Agreement. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices