History of the Second World War

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

...because we were left alone. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On September 30, 1938 one of the more controversial events of the interwar period would occur. But first, some background. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We have talked about the Maginot Line and rearmament, now it is time to look at what the French army was planning to do. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If France wanted to compete militarily with the growing power of Germany, it was going to have to start a serious effort to rearm itself. Email: historyofthesecondworldwar@outlook.com Twitter: WorldWar2Pod Website: historyofthesecondworldwar.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Usually these interviews start with a topic and go from there, but in this case I was joined by Dr. Alexander Clarke for a wide ranging discussion on naval history. We talked about the Royal Navy, the perception of its preparations for war, the role that naval aviation played in naval planning during the interwar years, Dr. Clarke's upcoming book on British destroyers, and several other topics. Yo...

In the last years before the war there were many different concerns in Paris, honestly too many to cover in one episode, but this episode discusses a few of them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After the wars were over, there were millions of veterans and each nation and each group of veterans found themselves in different positions. In this interview I was joined by Dr. Martin Crotty, Dr. Neil Diamant, and Dr. Mark Edele to discuss their book that looks at the experiences of veterans from many different nations after both World Wars. Check out The Politics of Veteran Benefits in the Twe...

With the victory of the Popular Front it was time to completely transform French society, to fix all of the problems they had identified in the previous years....right? RIGHT?! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The events of February 6th 1934 would result in a new unity on the French Left, enter the Popular Front. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Release Note: I was unable to record this week, so pulling forward this interview that was going to release later this year. In this interview I was joined by Dr. Michael Hankins to discuss Fighter Pilot Nostalgia before, during and after the Second World War. The conversation ends up far past the Second World War, but I simply cannot resist a discussion of jet fighters. You can follow Dr. Hankins...

Among the most important projects by France during the 1930s would be relations with other nations. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After their victory during the First World War the French had some very real problems. Those problems and their possible solutions would shape French policy during the interwar years. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

During the interwar period the French decided to take a bit of concrete and build some fortifications, 5 billion Francs later they had completed an impressive bit of construction. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Follow Dr. Millington on Twitter: @DrCMillingtonA History of Fascism in France: From the First World War to the National Front https://www.bloomsbury.com/us/history-of-fascism-in-france-9781350006539 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When the Anschluss occurred, there would be no fighting. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

During February 1938 relations between Austria and Germany begin to spiral out of control. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On November 5th 1937 a meeting would take place where Hitler would outline the situation in Europe as he saw it, and why Germany would soon have to go to war. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The concept of joining Austria and Germany was not a new idea though, and certainly not one that originated in Nazi Germany. It was instead something that was quite popular at various points in the past, and during this episode we will look at the roots of Pan-Germanism as a movement in the months and years immediately following the end of the First World War, and also why those Pan-Germanist drea...