Table of contents for No. 45 in All About History

TAIZONG OF TANG 598-649 Shimin, one of 22 Tang princes, suspected his older brother and heir to the throne was about to have him killed, so he moved first. He murdered his brother, then forced his father to abdicate and took the throne as Taizong (‘supreme ancestor’). He proved a great ruler, reducing taxes, balancing rival factions and controlling his government with brilliant subordinates. Though at first anti-Buddhist, he changed his mind when a monk, Xuanzang, journeyed to India to research Buddhism and returned with 520 cases of scrolls, to lasting fame. Under Taizong and his heirs, Tang culture reached a peak of unity, self-confidence, artistry and international prestige. Wu of Han’s tomb in the capital (today’s Xian) contains miniature statues of men and animals to sustain him in the…

The tide of destruction and violence that heralded the Cultural Revolution was masterminded by Chairman Mao. It was an effort to purge any lingering elements of capitalism and tradition from communist China, and at the forefront were fanatical followers known as the Red Guard. These young students were spurred on by their devotion to the party, and they brutally persecuted perceived ‘enemies of the revolution’ such as intellectuals, party officials and ‘closet capitalists’. Armed with The Little Red Book of quotations from Mao, the Red Guard were the personification of Mao’s considerable power and influence. DAILY WORSHIP RITUAL The daily worship of Chairman Mao is a must for all Red Guard members. This can take the form of bowing to an image of him or a reading from the Red…

01 The British needed to sell opium In the late-18th century, the privately owned British East India Company bought tea from China – more than 4,000 tons a year by 1800. To offset the cost, it needed a product to sell. In 1773, the company took control of the trade in opium, which was a much in-demand drug in China. 02 Opium was the spearhead of empire The Chinese government tried to suppress the trade, but it went underground and generated vast profits. In China, a cash shortage caused economic chaos. To seize control, the British sent a commissioner, Lord Napier, to the main port of Guangzhou, but he died of dysentery. 03 Hong Kong was seized by the British China, jubilant after the death of Lord Napier, saw a…

By 10am, the first Japanese aircraft began arriving back at their carriers, now lying just 300 kilometres north of Oahu, with the second wave of planes following closely behind. Despite insistent pleas from Commander Fushida – who had led the first wave – to launch the third part of the assault, Admiral Nagumo decided against it. Unsure of the location of the American aircraft carriers, he was unwilling to risk it for fear of being spotted and attacked from the air, so he withdrew. The Japanese fleet retreated back into the vast blue expanse from which it had appeared just hours earlier. On Hawaii, however, the local population were steeling themselves for an invasion as rumours of Japanese paratroop assaults and amphibious landings spread. At 12.30pm, the Honolulu Police Department…

“As the unofficial secretary of labour, she supported higher wages, improved working conditions and brought about greater social welfare benefits” Standing beside her husband on the balcony of Argentina’s Casa Rosada palace, Eva Perón looked out across a mass of more than 1 million people. As she stepped up to the microphone, the captivated crowd fell silent, and her commanding voice began to echo throughout the capital’s main square. The inspiring speech that followed championed the descamisados – meaning ‘shirtless ones’, the term worn with pride by the country’s working class labourers – thanking them for supporting her and her husband, President Juan Perón. As she made her closing remarks, the crowd erupted in a deafening chorus of cheers and applause, and a chant of “con Evita” (“with Evita”) began…

SIR WILLIAM COMPTON The king’s first groom of the stool, Compton was one of Henry’s closest friends and controlled access to the monarch. He was even trusted enough to be used as a messenger between the king and his mistress. CARDINAL THOMAS WOLSEY The son of an Ipswich butcher, Wolsey rose to become the most powerful man in England besides the king. The two were close until Wolsey failed to secure the annulment of Henry’s first marriage. SIR HENRY GUILDFORD Described as “a lusty young man well beloved of the king,” Guildford became Henry’s master of the revels, putting him in charge of organising entertainments for the king. He also served on several military campaigns. CHARLES BRANDON, DUKE OF SUFFOLK Brandon and Henry were childhood friends and remained close for…

72,000 Some historians estimate that this was the number of people executed during the course of Henry’s reign. This is likely to be an exaggeration, and the true figure will never be known with any certainty. 300 The number of Protestants his daughter, Mary, burned at the stake. Yet she is the one remembered as the more bloodthirsty monarch. 60 The number of houses and palaces Henry owned at the time of his death. Henry was an enthusiastic builder, and spent exorbitant sums on enlarging and beautifying his many residences. Of these, the best surviving example is Hampton Court Palace. 154 Henry was a great lover of music, and among his vast collection of musical instruments, all looked after by the keeper of the king’s instruments, were 154 recorders.…

What is it about flying vintage planes that attracts you? Beautiful old, hand-crafted flying machines – they are wonderful, classic works of art and engineering. I find them very romantic and aspirational. I have two aeroplanes: one is my 1942 Boeing Stearman, the Spirit of Artemis, and the other is a 1941 Ryan Recruit. Who are your heroes of the skies? I love the interwar era, the Golden Age of Aviation. Those I particularly admire are Lady Heath, Lady Bailey, Amelia Earheart, Amy Johnson, Beryl Markham, Jean Batten and company. The challenge [of flying] was exponentially greater for these women because they were up against a totally male-dominated establishment and faced many obstructions and obstructive attitudes on the ground before they even climbed into their cockpits. What was it like…

TROOPS 4,500 HORSE 2,500 FOOT 2,000 GUIDO DA LANDRIANO LEADER A leading municipal office in Milan, he was highly respected by the Milanese troops. Strengths An aggressive commander expertly skilled in battlefield tactics. Weakness Went into battle without all of the troops available to him. MILANESE MILITIA KEY UNIT Milan’s wealth bought the finest weapons and equipment for its well-trained citizen soldiers. Strengths High motivation because they were fighting for the right to govern themselves. Weakness Untested against well-led feudal cavalry in an open field battle. PIKE KEY WEAPON A four-metre-long wooden shaft topped by an iron spearhead used for thrusting. Strengths A superb defensive weapon against cavalry attacks. Weakness Unwieldy in close combat against other foot soldiers.…

14 APRIL 1846 The party sets out The Donners and the Reeds pack up their belongings and leave Springfield, Illinois; their journey begins. 27 JUNE 1846 A warning The wagon train meets James Clyman at Fort Laramie, who tells them not to take the route Hastings described. 20 JULY Breaking for the cutoff Against advice, the Donner Party separates from the larger wagon train and heads towards the Hastings Cutoff. 16 DECEMBER The Folorn Hope leaves A small group heads into the mountains on snowshoes. They quickly run out of supplies and turn to cannibalism. EARLY NOVEMBER Snowed in The group arrives at Truckee Lake but the weather is too bad to continue. They camp at the lake. 5 OCTOBER A murder James Reed kills John Snyder while being attacked…

Author Nicholas Booth Publisher The History Press Price £20 Released Out now Few corners of the Third Reich are as drenched in mythology and misinformation as that of Nazi dalliances with the occult. A staple of popular culture (see Indiana Jones, Captain America: The First Avenger, etc), this folderol has scanty relationship with fact, as Nicholas Booth’s Lucifer Rising makes clear. Taking in the dizzying volume of Britain’s WWII intelligence agencies and a formidable roster of big name characters – decadent occultist Aleister Crowley and Bond creator Ian Fleming appear on the cover as the totemic two – Booth debunks some of the dafter myths, leaving a fascinating tale about the use of astrology for propaganda. Everyone involved who seems to genuinely believe in this stuff – from Crowley, the…

Certificate 12 Director Tom Vaughan Cast Jenna Coleman, Rufus Sewell, Tom Hughes Distributor ITV Studios Global Entertainment Released Out now on DVD Trading the TARDIS for a tiara, Doctor Who’s Jenna Coleman takes on the role of an 18-year-old Queen Victoria, showing us another side to the British monarch. We watch as she gets tipsy at state functions, flirts with the prime minister and has the odd temper tantrum, and she’s all the more likable for it. Akin to a fairy tale, Victoria is kept locked away, manipulated by her mother and Sir John Conroy. But when it’s time for the four-foot-11 princess to become queen, she changes her name and sends the pair away. So far, so accurate. Indeed, writer Daisy Goodwin remains mostly faithful to the facts, only…

Author Melanie Clegg Publisher Pen and Sword Books Price £19.99 Released Out now Mary, Queen of Scots, is one of the most famous and iconic monarchs the world has ever known. Less famed but no less formidable was her mother, Marie de Guise. When a brief courtship with Henry VIII came to nothing, this worldly, wily woman married James V of Scotland, and after only four years of marriage, would go on to rule the nation as a widow. Marie’s story is often a footnote in the life of her daughter, yet it was thanks to her political wheeler-dealing, shrewd cunning and sheer charm that Mary made it to the hotly-contested throne at all. From Marie’s childhood at the glittering court of the Lorraine dynasty – alive with intrigue, scandal…

Photos Scans of snaps that offer insight to the past Antiques and objects Show off your family heirlooms, mementos and retro curios Letters from the past Old correspondence can hold a wealth of historical info and fascinating stories News clippings Articles reporting on iconic events Amazing stories Interesting or insightful tales passed down from your ancestors Eyewitness accounts Did you witness a historic event in person? Share it today Family trees A chance to boast about famous or significant ancestors…

MICHAEL BROWN Author Bio Michael Brown is professor of Medieval Scottish history at the University of St Andrews. He is the author of several books including The Wars Of Scotland, 1214›1371 (2004). On an autumn morning in 1297, a Scottish army of spearmen, knights, squires, townsmen and peasants looked down from the rocky crag where they were encamped. Below them, the wide River Forth looped through a marshy plain, the only crossing a narrow wooden bridge and causeway. Since dawn the Scots had watched the movements of a large English army assembled on the far side of the river beneath the rock of Stirling Castle. The Scots would have seen the arming of several hundred knights and men at arms, and may have wondered how a mob of poorly trained…

While fully aware of the USA’s industrial capacity, Yamamoto gambled on the nation not having the resolve to fight a protracted overseas war. He asserted that Japan’s only chance for victory would be in a crippling pre-emptive attack. He believed it would force the USA to negotiate peace terms that would allow Japan free rein in East Asia. Any long war with the US, he claimed, however, would be disastrous for Japan. His latter prediction proved to be unerringly accurate.…

Almost as soon as the raid was over, the Japanese-American population was targeted for revenge both on Hawaii and on the mainland. As well as racist assaults, innocent citizens became subject to official persecution when, 74 days after the attack, Roosevelt issued Executive Order 9066. This forced more than 110,000 Japanese Americans to leave their homes along the US’s West Coast to be sent to one of ten detention camps in an isolated part of the US’s vast interior. Not one was charged with a crime and about 70 per cent of those imprisoned were actually US-born citizens. Although the government called these camps ‘relocation centres’, they were surrounded by barbed wire and policed by armed soldiers. Families sent to them lived in barrack blocks with no running water and…

Prague, 1618 Until recently, Prague and the lands of Habsburg had been enjoying an atmosphere of religious tolerance and freedom. The Reformation had swept over the region and rooted itself in its people, with Protestantism quickly overtaking Catholicism as the dominant religion. As the Bohemian capital, Prague became a centre of politics and culture, fertile with fine art and exciting discoveries in science and astronomy, attracting some of the most celebrated scholars in all of Europe. However, this peace could only last so long, and tensions began to rise with the spread of counter-Reformation. In 1617, this all came to a head when the childless emperor, Matthias, appointed his cousin Ferdinand as his heir. Ferdinand is anything but tolerant, and has abandoned the policy of religious freedom with Protestants targeted.…

ENTERTAIN HIM Henry’s most famous fool, Will Somer, was highly favoured. He was given gifts of clothes, and participated in court entertainments. Cardinal Wolsey also gave Henry his own fool, Patch, in an attempt to retain his favour. FEED HIM Henry enjoyed good food and fine wine. Piero le Doux was one of his most famous cooks, and was handsomely rewarded for his skills with gifts from the king. Mrs Cornwallis, meanwhile, was responsible for making the king’s puddings. LAVISH HIM WITH GIFTS Henry was particularly fond of clothes and jewels, and his accounts show regular payments for both. At New Year 1534, Anne Boleyn presented the king with a gold fountain featuring three naked women who were “garnished with diamonds”. CONVERSE WITH HIM Henry was learned and cultured, and…

THE LADY HAWK HELENE DUTRIEU 1877-1961, BELGIAN Known as ‘la femme épervier’ (the lady hawk) for her daring speed stunts, Belgian Dutrieu won the French Coupe Femina for the women’s world nonstop flight record in 1911 and out flew 14 male competitors to win the King’s Cup in Florence, Italy. She even refused to wear a corset. THE ADVENTURER JEAN BATTEN 1909-82, NEW ZEALANDER Having convinced her father to move with her from New Zealand to England to pursue her passion, Batten became a long-distance, solo-flying sensation. Her 1934 England-to-Australia flight earned her (along with Amelia Earhart) the Harmon Trophy. THE MILITARY ACE SABIHA GÖKÇEN 1913-2001, TURKISH The world’s first female fighter pilot was an adopted daughter of Mustafa Kamal Atatürk, founder and first president of Turkey. She flew fighter…

YÜCEL YANIKDAG Associate professor of history and international studies at the University of Richmond in Virginia, USA, Yücel Yanikdag specialises in the late Ottoman Empire and the early Turkish Republic. His book, Healing The Nation: Ottoman Prisoners Of War, Nationalism And Medicine In Turkey, 1914-1939, was published in 2013 by Edinburgh University Press. Having stood on their own against several enemies in the Balkan Wars, the Young Turks in power vowed to actively seek an alliance in 1914. The Ottoman minister of war, Enver Pasha, orchestrated an alliance with Germany. However, had his request for a treaty been declined by Berlin, Russia would have quickly reconsidered allying with the Ottomans. Suspecting Kaiser Wilhelm II would attempt to accept the Ottoman alliance offer with the intention of persuading Istanbul to declare…

The man responsible for the terrible events that befell the Donner party never set foot in the so-called Camp of Death. The ambition of Lansford W Hastings was such that he did not always look before he leapt, and this was certainly true of his dreams of California. Hastings was born in 1819 in Ohio and grew up there, studying law and becoming a practicing attorney. However, when the opportunity to head west rolled along, he jumped at it, and embraced the pioneer lifestyle with great enthusiasm. After spending some time in Oregon, he headed south to California, and saw a great potential for land development. Although he’d travelled on horseback, he’d never taken the route with a wagon train and wrote his book without really knowing what he was…

Author Mark Barnes Publisher Casemate UK Price £25 Released Out now As with any modern conflict, World War II saw many British news agencies sending photographers into the field to capture footage of the ongoing war, their work contributing to the growing British newspaper pool of images that appeared in the press at the time and are now preserved in archived collections. Mark Barnes’s The Liberation Of Europe is a beautifully presented collection of 400 such pictures, taken by photographers from The Times, that present a striking pictorial tour of the events of the war’s final year, both at home and on the continent. The coverage of the European campaign is comprehensive, starting at the preparations for D-Day before following the advance into Germany, the surrender of German forces and…

Creator Stuart Elliot Cast Alex Langlands, Ruth Goodman, Peter Ginn Distributor BBC/RLJ Entertainment Released Out now on DVD Anyone who has watched and enjoyed the BBC’s Farm series will recognise the three presenters of Full Steam Ahead. Langlands, Goodman and Ginn once again don period attire and get their hands dirty, shovelling coal and throwing around mail bags while also investigating the social impact of the railways on Britain’s landscape and its future. This series makes clear the huge effects the railways had on the face of Britain. It begins with the horse-drawn railways that preceded steam in the 19th century, transporting slate to be used on roofs for the new workers’ houses that came with the railways. We then discover the use of coal and development of passenger trains,…

“It’s an empathetic portrayal of the royal family, it’s not sanitised but they are treated with respect” Jared Harris It’s been 80 years since the abdication crisis tore the royal family apart. Edward VIII had chosen love over duty, renouncing his title so he could marry the American socialite and divorcée Wallis Simpson. This bold decision dramatically changed the life of his brother, Albert, who had not expected to inherit the crown. Assuming the regnal name of George VI for continuity with his father, he later admitted, “I broke down and sobbed like a child.” The burden of royal duty would not only have an impact on the prince, however, but his entire family. His eldest daughter Elizabeth was now next in line to the throne, and her younger sister…

461 Pope Leo I dies Leo I was one of the longest reigning popes, and one of the most influential. Exactly 780 years later, Pope Celestine IV died, after one of the shortest reigns of just 17 days. 1483 Martin Luther is born The German theologian fought the Roman Catholic Church, particularly over the way the church raised money by selling forgiveness of sins. He was excommunicated in 1521 by Pope Leo X. 1520 Stockholm bloodbath Danish King Christian II executes 82 nobles and townsmen of Stockholm as part of his plan to annex Sweden. This plan backfires and instead ignites the 1521 Swedish War of Liberation. 1619 Descartes has a dream French Philosopher René Descartes dreams that a spirit explains to him how mathematics can be applied to philosophy.…

C.1600 BCE THE CHINESE BRONZE AGE Over the course of five centuries, Shang rule over the lower Yellow River develops the earliest Chinese script, as well as tools made of bronze. 221-210 BCE CHINA IS UNIFIED Qin Shi Huang Di – the first emperor of the Qin Dynasty – unifies China, builds the first Great Wall and is buried with an army of terracotta warriors. 618 A GOLDEN AGE EMERGES After centuries of disunion, Emperor Gaozu founds the Tang and ushers in a golden age of power, government, art and international prestige that will last almost 300 years. 960-1126 NORTHERN SONG DYNASTY BRINGS PEACE The Song initiate an era of stability, presiding over an artistic boom in printing, ceramics and painting. Cities grow and China’s population tops 100 million. 1126…

CLOTHING BOLD COLOURS AND LEG WEAR Long colourful robes were worn underneath armour or on their own, depending on the warrior’s rank. Each warrior’s legs were covered with padded trousers, shin guards or were simply wrapped in cloth, and some wore neck scarves for added protection. WEAPONRY LONG-DISTANCE FIGHTING Warriors would mainly fight with bronze swords or long-shafted weapons, such as and halberds – a combined spear and battleaxe – making it easier to stab the enemy from a distance. Some warriors also used crossbows, with hundreds of arrowheads bundled into their quivers. SQUARE SHOES FAST AND FANCY FOOTWEAR For increased mobility and speed in battle, soldiers wore lightweight shoes made of cloth that were typically square-toed and curved upwards at the front. However, some weapon-wielding warriors wore heavier leather…

KUNG FU ORIGINS 6TH CENTURY, CHINA Buddhist teacher Bodhidharma finds the monks at the Shaolin Temple weak from meditating, so introduces physical training. TANG TRIUMPHS 618, CHINA 13 Shaolin monks fight in battle for Emperor Gaozu of Tang and are rewarded for their service with land and favours. EMBRACING NON-VIOLENCE 1704, CHINA After being driven away by rebel leaders, the monks return to empty-handed fighting so as not to seem threatening to the throne. MOVIE STARDOM 1982, CHINA Despite being jailed during the 1966 Cultural Revolution, the monks gain fame with the release of Jet Li’s film Shaolin Temple.…

Inverlochy This Highland castle beneath Ben Nevis was assaulted in 1297. The attackers were warriors from the Hebrides who were the descendants of the Viking settlers of this region. They would use the Anglo-Scottish wars to plunder and to carve out the great Lordship of the Isles, whose power dominated the west coast. Stirling Sited on a natural outcrop of rock, Stirling Castle was a royal stronghold that commanded the bridge over the River Forth. Possession of the castle was a major objective. In 1304, it was the last fortress that resisted Edward, surrendering when the king deployed his great siege engine, War Wolf. Lanark In 1297, Lanark was just a small town, or burgh, in the valley of the River Clyde. It served as the centre of a sheriffdom.…

JULY 1645 John Lilburne is imprisoned in the Tower of London for slandering the speaker of the House of Commons. He is released without charge three months later. 28 OCTOBER 1647 Agitators within the New Model Army meet Cromwell and the army grandees in Putney, to put their case for constitutional reform (the ‘Putney Debates’). OCTOBER 1648 Thomas Rainsborough is killed during a bungled Royalist kidnap attempt. His funeral is attended by thousands wearing green Levellers’ ribbons. 11 SEPTEMBER 1648 The Levellers’ largest petition “To The Right Honourable The Commons Of England” is presented to parliament, signed by a third of all Londoners. 30 JANUARY 1649 Charles I is executed after being convicted of treason and England temporarily becomes a republic. The monarchy will not be restored for 11 years,…

President Roosevelt had long argued that the USA couldn’t remain isolated from what was rapidly becoming a global conflict. By supplying Great Britain and other Allied countries with arms and materiel since the start of 1941, the US had already effectively picked sides. When, in July of that year, Roosevelt issued a trade embargo against Japan after its invasion of French Indo-China, he helped convince the Japanese leadership of the need to curtail American influence.…

USS Pennsylvania Damaged In dry dock at the time, repeated Japanese attempts to torpedo the caisson it was held in failed. Damaged by bombs, 68 of its crew were killed or wounded. USS Arizona Sunk Attacked by ten Kate torpedo planes during the first wave. One torpedo hit the ship’s forward magazine resulting in a gigantic explosion. Of its 1,512 crew, just 335 survived. USS Nevada Seriously damaged Despite being torpedoed, Nevada was able to escape Battleship Row during the attack. It was repeatedly targeted by dive-bombers from the second wave. USS Oklahoma Sunk Hit by three torpedoes early in the raid. As it capsized, a further two torpedoes smashed into its listing hull, and its crew was machine gunned while attempting to abandon ship. USS Tennessee Minor damage Tennessee…

3,581 Number of US casualties at Pearl Harbor 68 Civilians were killed in the raid 347 US aircraft were destroyed or damaged during the raid 29 Japanese planes were destroyed in the attack 32 out of the 461 sailors trapped in the hull of the capsized Oklahoma were saved 1 Just one Japanese prisoner was taken The attack lasted 90 minutes 19 US warships and auxiliary ships were destroyed or damaged during the attacks 5 Japanese mini-subs also participated in the attack. Four were destroyed and one captured…

IS YOUR ENEMY… DECLARE WAR If Henry challenged someone to a wrestling match, they would do best to lose. Francis, king of France, triumphed and the countries were at war within two years. Coincidence? TO THE TOWER! Noble blood could save an enemy’s neck and earn them a cell in the Tower instead. Sir William de la Pole, a distant relative, was incarcerated for 37 years for allegedly plotting against the king. GRUESOME DEATH The punishment for traitors who were not nobility was to be hanged, drawn quartered, with their body parts displayed as a warning to others, while heretics were burned at the stake. OFF WITH THEIR HEAD! Henry’s parting gift to Anne Boleyn was a specialist swordsman from France while others, like Thomas Cromwell, were subjected to several…

1908 Ready for take off Sculptor Thérèse Peltier becomes the first woman to fly in a heavier-than-air craft. On 8 July, she flies 200 metres with Léon Delagrange in Italy. 1910 A licence to fly Baroness Raymonde de Laroche is the first woman to be given a pilot’s licence. She is issued licence #36 of the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale. 1932 Crossing the Atlantic Amelia Earhart completes the first female solo transatlantic flight. She travels more than 3,200 kilometres non-stop across the North Atlantic, from Newfoundland to Ireland. 1938 First helicopter pilot Hanna Reitsch is the first woman to fly a helicopter in 1938. She would go on to become one of the most successful test pilots of Hitler’s Third Reich. 1953 Breaking the sound barrier The first woman to fly…

TROOPS 3,000 HORSE 2,500 FOOT 500 FREDERICK I HOHENSTAUFEN LEADER Nicknamed Barbarossa because of his red beard, he campaigned for three decades in Italy in an attempt to re-establish control over the rebellious communes of Lombardy. Strengths He excelled at planning and logistics. Weakness Lacked tactical skill and made rash decisions. GERMAN FEUDAL CAVALRY KEY UNIT Trained for war from a young age, German knights were heavily armoured juggernauts. Strengths Professional horse soldiers whose charge delivered crushing force. Weakness Struggled to overcome disciplined foot soldiers. GERMAN KNIGHT’S SWORD KEY WEAPON Used after the lance broke, a powerful blow from a double-edged sword could inflict a fatal wound. Strengths Expertly crafted by German sword makers, they were unlikely to break in battle. Weakness Required user to be at close quarters with…

• The Ottoman Empire joins the Allies Though leaning more towards siding with Germany, the Ottomans make an alliance with the Allies. 31 July 1914 • Von Sanders asked to leave Under pressure from its allies, the Sublime Porte, the central government of the Ottoman Empire, asks the German military mission headed by General Liman von Sanders to leave Istanbul. 9 August 1914 • Ottomans on the Western Front As the two sides dig in, Ottoman Mehmetçik head to the Western Front. Intending to use them minimally, the French discover the Germans had made significant advances in training Ottoman soldiers. October 1914 • Lifeline to Russia: Turkish Straits As Russian supplies and food run short in the face of a German offensive, they request help from their allies. Convoys of…

“Millard does a fine job of explaining the background to this less-than-noble expedition” Author Candice Millard Publisher Allen Books Price £20.99 Released Out now Winston Churchill believed in divine destiny. As odd as it sounds, central to his psychology was the idea that he had been preselected by a higher power to become Britain’s saviour. It was a bizarre belief he dreamed up during his troubled childhood and one that he clung to all his life. As a politician and military leader it led him to take outrageous gambles, while as a man – particularly a younger one who believed himself invincible – it inspired risk-taking on a staggering scale. The enduring image of Churchill is the World War II version – balding, chubby, defiantly chomping on a cigar –…

Author: Pat Ware Price: £22.99 Publisher: Haynes Publishing In terms of weaponry, the legacy of WWII is still very much with us, most notably in the form of nuclear arms. Although they no longer haunt us in quite the same way as they once did, this book is a chilling reminder of the kind of world they shaped – a world teetering on the brink of Mutually Assured Destruction, or MAD to use its acronym. We find examples of madness all through this fascinating catalogue of an era defined by the ideological conflict between communism and capitalism. We get a full rundown of the arms race, as well as blueprints of bunkers and descriptions of drills and protective equipment that would be of no use at all in the event…

Author Michael Kulikowski Publisher Profile Books Price £25 Released Out now When picturing the Roman Empire, it is easy to think of its emperors as the sole guiding hands that steered the course of this great civilisation, the key personalities that shaped it for good or ill. While ostensibly an examination of those that held the reins during the 2nd to 4th centuries when the empire was at its peak, Michael Kulikowski’s Imperial Triumph is also a detailed study of how the legacy that each emperor left behind wasn’t just in the wars fought and the nations conquered, but also the relationships cultivated, the appointments made, and the connections forged between families from across the empire. With an emperor’s power deriving from those that surrounded him, fully understanding the extent…

In Britain, 18-year-old men were required to serve two years’ national service, which was coming to an end in November 1960. I attended a medical examination at Wrexham and was ordered by an overweight army officer sporting a large moustache to, “stand in line and drop my trousers.” He took hold of my testicles and told me to cough. “Alright son,” he said, “go for your other tests.” I passed and chose to become a teleprinter operator in the RAF; at least it would be inside, I thought. On 14 November 1960, I said goodbye to my wife Betty and my three-month-old son, Peter, and travelled to Cardington, Bedfordshire. Financially it was a struggle for her, but she managed. On my part I received 12 shillings and sixpence, for which…

THEVICTORIAN CULT OF DEATH Lifting the veil on the strange rituals and superstitions MEET THE MITFORDS Torn apart by dictators: the six sisters who defined 1930s Britain ORIGINS OF CHRISTMAS Discover how to celebrate the winter Roman festival Saturnalia PLUS: Nostradamus, The last of the Medici, Battle of Hue, Gothic War, Inside a Tudor banquet, The Great Depression, The secret Order of Assassins, Vikings…