Aspects of History

For much of the Cold War, Sweden presented itself as a neutral country standing apart from the confrontation between NATO and the Soviet Union. In reality, its strategic position left it acutely exposed to the possibility of Soviet attack, and behind the public policy of non-alignment lay extensive secret preparations for occupation and resistance. Among them was a clandestine civilian network designed to survive invasion, gather intelligence and organise sabotage behind enemy lines.

In this episode of the Aspects of History⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ podcast, Paul Burke, host of Spymasters, talks to political scientist Johan Wennström, author of The Stay Behinds: Sweden’s Cold War Guardians, about the origins, organisation and operation of this secret resistance movement. They discuss how the network emerged in 1949 from wartime preparations for resistance, why it remained under Swedish national control despite cooperation with the CIA and MI6, and how it operated through tightly compartmentalised cells of ordinary civilians.

Johan also explains Sweden’s apparently neutral position during the Cold War, the very real fear of Soviet invasion, the network’s links to the Swedish state and its eventual legalisation in 1955.

Episode Links

The Stay Behinds: Sweden’s Cold War Guardians

Johan Links

Johan online

Johan on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Johan on Substack

Johan on Instagram

Paul Links

Paul on ⁠Spymasters and Aspects of Crime

Paul online

Paul on ⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠

Paul on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠

Aspects of History Links

AoH ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

AoH on Instagram
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Remain loyal to Britain or join the Indian National Army and its campaign for Indian independence? Set against the backdrop of atrocities committed by their captors, this was the choice faced by many in the Indian Army.

In this episode of the Aspects of History⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ podcast, historian and author Gautam Hazarika joins Phil Craig to discuss the experiences of Indian soldiers captured by the Japanese following the fall of Singapore in February 1942. He explains how an unexpected discovery of a manuscript produced inside Changi Prison led him to investigate a largely overlooked aspect of the war in Southeast Asia.

Gautam’s book, The Forgotten Indian Prisoners of World War II: Surrender, Loyalty, Betrayal and Hell, documents the experiences of those who escaped Singapore, the difficult reintegration of soldiers on both sides of the divide, and the families left behind, including the ‘waiting wives’ who spent years without news of their husbands. This is a story not simply about strategy and battle, but about memory and the human cost of war.

Episode Links

The Forgotten Indian Prisoners of World War II: Surrender, Loyalty, Betrayal and Hell⁠

Gautam Links

Gautam online

Gautam on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Gautam on Facebook

Gautam on LinkedIn

Phil Links

Phil on ⁠⁠The Scandal Mongers

Phil on ⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠

Phil on ⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠

Aspects of History Links

AoH ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠
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The murder of a Danish prince becomes a tale of espionage, diplomacy and ancient secrets, as American and Irish diplomats become caught up in a struggle involving the Crown of Denmark, a thousand-year-old mystery and Vladimir Putin’s schemes for a resurgent Russian empire.

⁠Reign of Secrets⁠ is the first novel in the Whit Ransom thriller series and, on this week's episode, Zeb Baker-Smith⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Editor of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Aspects of History⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, is joined by its author, James P. Cain, whose remarkable career from politics, law and professional sport, to the world of international diplomacy as U.S. Ambassador to Denmark inspired the gripping narrative.

His experiences at the heart of American politics and transatlantic affairs, paired with a serious engagement with European history, saw him discuss the enduring significance of monarchies, ways in which historical narratives are being manipulated for geopolitical ends, and the changing relationship between America and Europe.

Episode Links

Reign of Secrets

James P. Cain Links

Jim ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Jim on Instagram

Jim on Facebook

Aspects of History Links

AoH ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Zeb Links

Zeb on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Zeb on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram

Zeb on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠
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One unforgettable delivery, a genius athlete and a defining figure for many - but still the most teasing historical question remains... can single moments and instances shape eras?

This week on the podcast, ⁠⁠Zeb Baker-Smith⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Editor of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Aspects of History⁠⁠⁠⁠, is joined by author Brendan Cooper to discuss his new book, ⁠Ball of the Century⁠, a remarkable exploration of Shane Warne's iconic first Ashes delivery at Old Trafford on 4th June 1993.

He traces the story of the Australian leg spinner's rise, the psychological hold he exerted over English cricket, and the wider cultural landscape of Britain and the Ashes during the 1990s. We discuss how sporting mythology, memory and the enduring power of Ashes folklore combined to transcend the boundaries of sport and transform Warne into a cultural icon.

Episode Links

Ball of the Century

Brendan Cooper Links

Brendan ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Brendan on Twitter/X

Aspects of History Links

AoH ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Zeb Links

Zeb on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Zeb on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram

Zeb on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠
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There’s nothing like a summer blockbuster to get cinema back to the top of the agenda. One of the main talking points of the year so far, Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey has split opinion but no doubt it’s achieved conversation.

In this episode, the first of the newly-rebooted Film Club, Zeb Baker-Smith⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Editor of ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Aspects of History⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, is joined first by classicist and YouTuber Erica Stevenson (aka MoAn Inc.) to discuss her new book, The Odyssey Effect, and explore the extraordinary afterlife of Homer’s poem, from the epic tradition’s oral beginnings to this year’s long-awaited adaptation, before welcoming film editor Henry Thackray for an in-depth chat about the film itself.

Together, the guests examine why Homer's epic continues to inspire successive generations, debate Nolan's interpretation of the character of Odysseus, the challenge of translating the poem to the screen, the director's commitment to practical effects and spectacle, and whether the film succeeds both as a blockbuster and as adaptation of one of history and literature’s greatest stories.

Episode Links

The Odyssey Effect: How Homer's Epic Poem Shaped the World

Erica Stevenson Links

Erica ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Erica on ⁠Instagram

Erica on ⁠⁠YouTube

Erica on Facebook

Erica on X/Twitter

Henry Thackray Links

Henry ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online

Henry on ⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Aspects of History Links

AoH ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠online⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

AoH on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Zeb Links

Zeb on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Twitter /X⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Zeb on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠

Zeb on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Substack⁠
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