Mr B’s History Blog

In 1848, a wave of revolutions engulfed the continent of Europe, apparently signalling the death knell of a string of despotic regimes and heralding the arrival of a new dawn of freedom and liberty. Events didn’t quite play out that way in the end as the revolutionary movements ran out of steam and the old order made a comeback in many states. Now in 2011 a string of popular uprisings have spread like wild fire across North Africa and the Middle East triggering the collapse of a series of authoritarian regimes. Will these revolts follow the same course as in 1848? Will they bring about long lasting changes in the area? Or will the revolutions fail to realise their objectives. How far can we draw parallels between these two periods? Here are a series of links to articles comparing 1848 and 2011 and looking at their similarities and differences.

1. Foreign Affairs.com

2. The Breaking Time

3. Mondediplo

4. History for Everyone

5. Common Dreams

Also have a look at the excellent BBC microsite on the Middle East revolts

The League of Nations was set up after the First World War in an attempt to avoid future conflcit by encouraging nations to resolved their differences peacefully. But what obstacles did this new organisation face in its first decade of existence. Look at the Wallwisher and the video and add your own ideas based on your knowledge of the period.

It’s the 10th anniversary of 9/11 when nearly 3,000 people died after hijacked airliners were crashed into the Twin Towers of the World Trade Center in New York, the Pentagon and a field in Pennsylvania. Although it is still too early to judge the full effects of these horrific events, there is little doubt that they changed the world.

The attacks, for which al-Qaeda claimed responsibility, helped spur the USA and her allies into wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, led to increased tension between Muslim and non-Muslim worlds, inspired devastating terror attacks in Bali, Madrid, London and Mumbai, prompted governments to restrict their citizens’ freedoms, and provided the backdrop for torture and abuse following the abduction or arrest of suspects.

The attacks remain an emotive and controversial subject and arguments continue to rage about the the explanations for them and the ways in which they have shaped the world in which we live. A good place to start examining the subject is through the BBC’s pages on the 10th anniversary, while the special coverage from other news organisations such as Al-Jazeera is also worth investigating.

The English Civil War between King Charles I and Parliament, which broke out in 1642, played a pivotal role in shaping the subsequent development of the British Isles. For a brief introduction into this complex conflict take a look at this Timelines TV video clip. If you want a look at what happened after Charles’ execution and during the Cromwellian era, then the next video in the series will give you a preview.

Claude Stanley Choules, the last known combat veteran of the First World War, died on Thursday in Perth, Western Australia. He was 110. Choules was born on 3 March, 1901, in Pershore, Worcestershire, one of seven children. In 1917, he joined the battleship HMS Revenge, from which he watched the 1918 surrender of the German high seas fleet, the main battle fleet of the German navy during the war.
You can see a short video of him here.
Take a look at this post on Harry Patch, the last soldier living in Europe to have fought in the trenches of the First World War, who died in July 2009.

The decision to use the atomic bomb on the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaski in August 1945 is one of the most controversial and emotive issues in modern history. Truman’s decision to use the weapons has been a matter of fierce debate ever since the Second World War. Did it save hundreds of thousands of Allied and Japanese lives by bringing the war to a rapid conclusion or was it a cynical demonstration of American power designed to intimidate the Soviet Union with an eye on the post war world?

Take a look at some of the original documents in the Harry S. Truman Library and an excellent series of film clips from the History Channel on the debate before reaching your own conclusions.

Although most exam courses focus on the causes of the Second World War and then its aftermath, an understanding of what happened during the waris vital if you are to make sense of the post war world. The National Archives has an excellent interactive overview of the different theatres in the war, while the BBC has a comprehensive site dedicated to the war. The British Pathé news site has a host of preview videos from the wartime newsreels which are also well worth looking at.

The Reformation was to have momentous consequences for the History of Europe, dividing the Christian church into two rival camps made up of Catholics and Protestants. In England, the Reformation received its first major boost when Henry VIII broke with Rome but its roots went much deeper. Have a look at these two Timelines TV videos: The first on Henry VIII’s split from Rome and the second on some of the background to the Reformation. The BBC also gives a valuable outline of this relgious revolution.

Holocaust memorial day is next month on January 27th. It is a time to reflect on the horrific events that led to the deaths of over 6 million Jews and other minorities as a result of the Nazi extermination campaign during the Second World War. Unfortunately similar atrocities have continued to occur. This hard-hitting video looks at the issue and provides us with plenty of food for thought.
Holocaust Memorial Day

For more information on the Holocaust take a look at this series of animated maps by the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum.