The Rest Is History

The slaughter and bloodshed on the Western Front in World War One helped shape the narrative of the 20th century. But was it a case of lions led by donkeys? Gary Sheffield, historian and author of Forgotten Victory: The First World War - Myths and Realities, joins Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook to explore events on the Western Front. A Goalhanger Films & Left Peg Media production Produced b...

From the Ice Age to the Winter of Discontent, climate and weather have hugely impacted historical events. Wars halted by freezing conditions, Prime Ministers thrown out of office by an electorate made angrier by the weather. Dominic Sandbrook and Tom Holland review their top ten weather affected moments in time. A Goalhanger Films & Left Peg Media production Produced by Jack Davenport Exec Pro...

“A war begun for no wise purpose.” This description of the First Anglo-Afghan War, fought in the early-mid 19th Century, could stand as an epitaph for most conflicts in the region since. William Dalrymple has written extensively about the history of Afghanistan and he joins Dominic Sandbrook and Tom Holland to take a deep dive into this ‘graveyard of empires’. A Goalhanger Films & Left Peg Med...

In the first of a two-part series exploring the history of Afghanistan, Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook examine the nation’s complicated relationships with empires and discuss its role in the ‘Great Game’. A Goalhanger Films & Left Peg Media production Produced by Jack Davenport Exec Producer Tony Pastor *The Rest Is History Live Tour 2023*: Tom and Dominic are back on tour this autumn! See...

Once there was darkness and then there was light. What was the Enlightenment and why did it matter? Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook explore the Enlightenment and its path towards reason, science, revolution and the guillotine. A Goalhanger Films & Left Peg Media production Produced by Jack Davenport Exec Producer Tony Pastor *The Rest Is History Live Tour 2023*: Tom and Dominic are back on t...

The games afoot! Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook discuss the world’s favourite consulting detective. Why has the popularity of Sherlock Holmes survived more than a century and what do the stories tell us about Victorian and Edwardian London? A Goalhanger Films & Left Peg Media production Produced by Jack Davenport Exec Producer Tony Pastor *The Rest Is History Live Tour 2023*: Tom and Domini...

Even the memory of them is enough to make most people shudder. As thousands of British students wait nervously for their A-level and GCSE results, Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook are joined by educationalist Daisy Christodoulou to discuss the fascinating history of the examination. Your time starts now. *The Rest Is History Live Tour 2023*: Tom and Dominic are back on tour this autumn! See them...

60 years ago this month, the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) began building a barrier that divided the city of Berlin. It stood until 1989 and came to symbolise the front line of the Cold War. Iain MacGregor, author of "Checkpoint Charlie: The Cold War, the Berlin Wall and the Most Dangerous Place on Earth", joins Tom and Dominic to discuss the history of the Wall, the ideological divide...

What does it mean to be a Spartan? How much of this Spartan image is real and how much is based on projections and prejudices of others? Tom and Dominic delve into the Ancient Greek world and take us inside the minds and reality of this civilisation. They also analyse the film “300” and look at what it got right and wrong.  A Goalhanger Films & Left Peg Media production Produced by Jack Davenp...

Tom and Dominic continue their journey through the history of the Olympics, turning their attention from post-war to the present day.  They discuss Cold War rivalries, financial extravagance, the influence of TV and the darkest moments in Olympic history. A Goalhanger Films & Left Peg Media production Produced by Jon Gill Exec Producer Tony Pastor *The Rest Is History Live Tour 2023*: Tom and...

In 1896 the Olympic Games were reborn in Athens. Here we look at the forgotten tales and little known facts from the start of the modern Olympics through to the outbreak of the Second World War. Tom tells us about the greatest race of all time, whilst Dominic reveals he is somewhat of an Olympics sceptic. A Goalhanger Films & Left Peg Media production Produced by Jon Gill Exec Producer Tony Pa...

With the Games underway in Tokyo, Tom and Dominic look back to the Ancient Olympics. They discuss the heroic but incredibly violent stories of the Greek superstars of 2500 years ago, and why the Games were bad news for women, animals and cheats. Plus, Tom reveals how his cricketing woes were compounded by an Ancient Greek poet. A Goalhanger Films & Left Peg Media production Produced by Jack Da...

Statues: Parliament Square In the final part of their epic trilogy, Tom and Dominic arrive at Parliament Square to explore the statues of world leaders including Winston Churchill, Nelson Mandela and Mahatma Gandhi.  A Goalhanger Films & Left Peg Media production Produced by Jack Davenport Exec Producer Tony Pastor *The Rest Is History Live Tour 2023*: Tom and Dominic are back on tour this aut...

Tom and Dominic continue their tour of London’s statues, arriving in Whitehall. War leaders, useless royals and courtesans all feature. A Goalhanger Films & Left Peg Media production Produced by Jack Davenport Exec Producer Tony Pastor *The Rest Is History Live Tour 2023*: Tom and Dominic are back on tour this autumn! See them live in London, New Zealand, and Australia! Buy your tickets here:...

In the first of a three part series Tom and Dominic take a walking tour of central London to examine the statues of Trafalgar Square and explore the stories behind them.  A Goalhanger Films & Left Peg Media production Produced by Jack Davenport Exec Producer Tony Pastor *The Rest Is History Live Tour 2023*: Tom and Dominic are back on tour this autumn! See them live in London, New Zealand, and...

Tom and Dominic are joined by historian William Dalrymple to tell the fascinating and shocking story of the East India Company in the 18th century. How could a gang of “spectacularly corrupt” merchants conquer vast parts of Asia from a small office in London with just 35 employees? And how did the company’s actions pave the way for British government rule in India. A Goalhanger Films & Left Pe...

Henry VIII had the most notorious marital relations of any king in history. Tom and Dominic discuss the six women who became his queen. How did they influence the course of the Reformation? And which one would have done best on Love Island? A Goalhanger Films & Left Peg Media production Produced by Jack Davenport Exec Producer Tony Pastor *The Rest Is History Live Tour 2023*: Tom and Dominic a...

No country has enjoyed a greater influence on the English than Italy. Ahead of the European Championship final, Dominic Sandbrook and Tom Holland explore the history of Rome, Italy and England. A Goalhanger Films & Left Peg Media production Produced by Jack Davenport Exec Producer Tony Pastor *The Rest Is History Live Tour 2023*: Tom and Dominic are back on tour this autumn! See them live in L...

No war has divided public opinion more than the conflict in Vietnam. Andrew Preston, Cambridge University Professor of American History, joins Dominic Sandbrook and Tom Holland to discuss the international politics surrounding the conflict. A Goalhanger Films & Left Peg Media production Produced by Jack Davenport Exec Producer Tony Pastor *The Rest Is History Live Tour 2023*: Tom and Dominic a...

Ahead of the two countries’ encounter at Wembley, Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook discuss Anglo-Danish history through the ages. Vikings, the destruction of Copenhagen and royal dogs all feature prominently. A Goalhanger Films & Left Peg Media production Produced by Jack Davenport Exec Producer Tony Pastor *The Rest Is History Live Tour 2023*: Tom and Dominic are back on tour this autumn! Se...

Tom and Dominic discuss how to write history books for kids. What topics are they interested in? What will they find boring? How much detail is acceptable when writing about mass killings and violence? And why it's best to get an 8 year old to do the proof reading A Goalhanger Films & Left Peg Media production Produced by Jack Davenport Exec Producer Tony Pastor *The Rest Is History Live Tour...

On the eve of a huge sporting encounter in Rome between the English and Ukrainian football teams, Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook explore the history binding the two nations. Crimea, The Light Brigade and Florence Nightingale all make the starting line-up. A Goalhanger Films & Left Peg Media production Produced by Jack Davenport Exec Producer Tony Pastor *The Rest Is History Live Tour 2023*:...

The British Empire: good, bad or neither? And how does its legacy shape us today? Journalist Sathnam Sanghera, author of “Empireland”, joins Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook to explore this timely, fascinating and hugely controversial subject. A Goalhanger Films & Left Peg Media production Produced by Jack Davenport Exec Producer Tony Pastor *The Rest Is History Live Tour 2023*: Tom and Domin...

With England and Germany set to do sporting battle once again, Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook explore the historical events which have shaped the relationship between two or Europe’s super powers. A Goalhanger Films & Left Peg Media production Produced by Jack Davenport Exec Producer Tony Pastor *The Rest Is History Live Tour 2023*: Tom and Dominic are back on tour this autumn! See them liv...

Settle down by the fire and prepare to be haunted. Roger Clarke, author of A Natural History of Ghosts, joins Tom Holland and Dominic Sandbrook to wonder whether ghost stories evolve to reflect the age in which the apparition appears. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices