[Episode 3 of 4] 'You certainly won't understand what ordinary Russians see in Vladimir Putin if you don't understand what happened in the 1990s. A time of utter, utter collapse.' In part three of our Soviet Union, Russia and Putin series, Tom and Dominic drill down into the details of the chaos in 90s Russia, the laughing stock Yeltsin became on the global stage, and Putin's brutal rise to power on the back of the Second Chechen War. The final episode in the series is out tomorrow - or get it n...
Mar 09, 2022•40 min•Ep 161•Transcript available on Metacast [Episode 2 of 4] This episode of The Rest Is History marks the second instalment in our four part series on the Soviet Union, Russia and the rise of Vladimir Putin. From the 70th anniversary of the Russian Revolution in 1987 to the fall of the Soviet Union on Christmas Day 1991, this episode is jam-packed full of late Soviet drama. Tune in now to hear about the abuse Yeltsin received after his attempted suicide, the failed Soviet coup of 1991 and Putin's return from East Germany. Next episode ou...
Mar 08, 2022•34 min•Ep 160•Transcript available on Metacast [Episode 1 of 4] Welcome to our new four part series on the latter years of the Soviet Union, its fall, Putin's early life and his subsequent rise to power. Today's episode focuses on Brezhnev, Putin's formative years, his early KGB career and Gorbachev's descent into chaos. Was Putin a nationalist or a communist? What changed from Brezhnev to Gorbachev? What was Putin doing in East Germany during the Soviet twilight years? Next episode out tomorrow - or get them all at once by heading to restis...
Mar 07, 2022•37 min•Ep 159•Transcript available on Metacast How much do you know about the lethal price people have paid over the centuries to look fashionable? In today's episode Tom and Dominic are joined by Dr. Alison Matthews David to discuss the dark secrets behind the history of garments. Join The Rest Is History Club for ad-free listening to the full archive, weekly bonus episodes, live streamed shows and access to an exclusive chatroom community. Producer: Dom Johnson Exec Producers: Tony Pastor & Jack Davenport *The Rest Is History Live Tour 202...
Mar 03, 2022•59 min•Ep 158•Transcript available on Metacast What's Vladimir Putin like to deal with in person? In our new podcast "The Rest Is Politics", Tony Blair's former spokesperson Alastair Campbell and former Tory MP and cabinet minister Rory Stewart dive into the latest on Ukraine, give their insight into the most effective next steps for NATO, explain how Russian money has affected British politics, and discuss celebrity activism. Subscribe and listen to the full episode on: Apple Spotify Or search "The Rest Is Politics" wherever you get your po...
Mar 02, 2022•13 min•Transcript available on Metacast What happened to the Roman Empire after its fall? In the second of two episodes, Tom and Dominic discuss where Rome endured, how its ghost still haunts 21st century geopolitics, and which member of the British Royal Family Tom thinks is the last true Roman! Join The Rest Is History Club for ad-free listening to the full archive, weekly bonus episodes, live streamed shows and access to an exclusive chatroom community. Producer: Dom Johnson Exec Producer: Jack Davenport *The Rest Is History Live T...
Mar 01, 2022•50 min•Ep 157•Transcript available on Metacast Tom and Dominic explore what Edward Gibbon called “the greatest, perhaps, and most awful scene in the history of mankind”: the decline and fall of the Roman Empire. Join The Rest Is History Club for ad-free listening to the full archive, weekly bonus episodes, live streamed shows and access to an exclusive chatroom community. Producer: Dom Johnson Exec Producer: Jack Davenport *The Rest Is History Live Tour 2023*: Tom and Dominic are back on tour this autumn! See them live in London, New Zealand...
Feb 28, 2022•56 min•Ep 156•Transcript available on Metacast With eastern Europe apparently on the brink of war and Vladimir Putin citing history as pretext, what exactly is Ukraine? Is it distinct from Russia, and how long has it existed? Tom and Dominic run through a brutal and fractured history, from the Viking conquest and Kyivan Rus', to the ever-shifting landscape in the early modern period, to the incredibly complicated Russian Civil War, right up to the modern day. *The Rest Is History Live Tour 2023*: Tom and Dominic are back on tour this autumn!...
Feb 23, 2022•1 hr 19 min•Ep 155•Transcript available on Metacast Want to know more about the history of the Vikings in the East and how it relates to modern day Russia and Ukraine? Listen to our bumper episode on the topic from earlier this year, where Tom and Dominic drill down into the birth of Kyiv. Join The Rest Is History Club for ad-free listening to the full archive, weekly bonus episodes, live streamed shows and access to an exclusive chatroom community. Producer: Dom Johnson Exec Producer: Jack Davenport Twitter: @TheRestHistory @holland_tom @dcsandb...
Feb 23, 2022•2 hr 33 min•Transcript available on Metacast With Russia seemingly on the brink of invading Ukraine, here's an episode from our archives on the historical relationship between the UK and Ukraine, recorded during last year's European football championships. Join The Rest Is History Club for ad-free listening to the full archive, weekly bonus episodes, live streamed shows and access to an exclusive chatroom community. Producer: Dom Johnson Exec Producer: Jack Davenport Twitter: @TheRestHistory @holland_tom @dcsandbrook Email: restishistorypo...
Feb 23, 2022•41 min•Transcript available on Metacast We've all been to some terrible ones, but what is the most disastrous party in human history? Not at all inspired by recent political events, Tom and Dominic have whittled our listener suggestions down to the ten parties that they think are the most calamitous - tune in to hear which party comes out on top! Join The Rest Is History Club for ad-free listening to the full archive, weekly bonus episodes, live streamed shows and access to an exclusive chatroom community. Producer: Dom Johnson Exec P...
Feb 21, 2022•1 hr 5 min•Ep 154•Transcript available on Metacast On today's episode Tom and Dominic are joined by Friend of the Show, Professor Andrew Preston, to talk about the relationship between the US and religion, both at home and abroad in the 20th and 21st centuries. Why have there been such low levels of anti-clericalism in the US compared to the rest of the world? What's behind the sustained and growing numbers of religious believers in the United States? Was the Cold War really a religious crusade against godless communism? Tune in to hear the boys...
Feb 18, 2022•32 min•Ep 153•Transcript available on Metacast On today's episode Tom and Dominic are joined by Andrew Preston, a Cambridge University professor whose new book focuses on religion in American war and diplomacy. What is the role of religion in the American outlook? How has it shaped foreign policy? What is the relationship between pacifistic religious ideals and a crusading mentality? Join us tomorrow for another episode, which focuses on more recent American history and its relationship with religion. Join The Rest Is History Club for ad-fre...
Feb 17, 2022•48 min•Ep 152•Transcript available on Metacast Happy Valentine's Day! Have you ever wondered why we send each other cards and go out to Carluccio's for dinner on a weeknight? In today's episode, Tom and Dominic drill down into the details - what are its origins? Why were 'Vinegar' Valentines so brutal? And what was an optician's role in Al Capone's St Valentine's Day Massacre? Join The Rest Is History Club for ad-free listening to the full archive, weekly bonus episodes, live streamed shows and access to an exclusive chatroom community. Prod...
Feb 14, 2022•57 min•Ep 151•Transcript available on Metacast Today we're dropping an episode from our friends at Noiser. Their podcast brings us to Munich, Germany. November 1923. The Nazis have just attempted to launch a revolution. But instead, Adolf Hitler now finds himself on the run from the law. Unless he makes it to the border, the firing squad beckons. But in fact, as unlikely as it seems, Hitler is about to take Germany by storm. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Feb 11, 2022•53 min•Transcript available on Metacast Did you think smuggling in Britain was confined to the Jamaica Inn and the beaches of the Cornish coast? If so, you might want to listen to today's podcast, where Tom and Dominic are joined by author and smuggling oracle, Alex Preston. The discussion is wide-ranging, including wrecking, the Hawkhurst Gang and coastal militias. Alex's new book, Winchelsea, is available at all good book retailers. Join The Rest Is History Club for ad-free listening to the full archive, weekly bonus episodes, live ...
Feb 10, 2022•1 hr 12 min•Ep 150•Transcript available on Metacast In the second of two episodes on the Vikings in the East, Tom and Dominic investigate their role in the birth of Russia. Producer: Dom Johnson Exec Producer: Jack Davenport Join The Rest Is History Club for ad-free listening to the full archive, weekly bonus episodes, live streamed shows and access to an exclusive chatroom community. *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: rest...
Feb 08, 2022•52 min•Ep 149•Transcript available on Metacast In this week's episode, Tom and Dominic take a look at the actions, influence and brutalisation of the Vikings in Eastern Europe, including their role in the formation of Russia and Ukraine. Producer: Dom Johnson Exec Producer: Jack Davenport Join The Rest Is History Club for ad-free listening to the full archive, weekly bonus episodes, live streamed shows and access to an exclusive chatroom community. *The Rest Is History Live Tour 2023*: Tom and Dominic are back on tour this autumn! See them l...
Feb 07, 2022•43 min•Ep 148•Transcript available on Metacast How devastating were European arrivals to the Americas in terms of deaths and the introduction of new infectious diseases? Tom and Dominic are joined by Professor Kyle Harper from the University of Oklahoma to discuss the relationship between disease and colonial expansion, the origins of the Spanish flu and the spread of modern forms of infectious disease. Producer: Dom Johnson Exec Producer: Jack Davenport Join The Rest Is History Club for ad-free listening to the full archive, weekly bonus ep...
Feb 04, 2022•42 min•Ep 147•Transcript available on Metacast The way we die has been utterly transformed. There have been around 10,000 generations of human beings, but only in the last 3 or 4 have infectious diseases not been an expected and accepted cause of death. What drove the most deadly infectious diseases? Was technological progress and globalisation one of the key causes for its spread over the course of history? Tom and Dominic are joined by Professor Kyle Harper from the University of Oklahoma to discuss the fascinating history of disease and h...
Feb 03, 2022•42 min•Ep 146•Transcript available on Metacast Greatest city on earth. Den of iniquity. Imperial oppressor. Wealth and power. The ancient city of Babylon has been mythologised for millenia, but how much do we actually know and why does it still resonate today? Producer: Dom Johnson Exec Producer: Jack Davenport *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: restishistorypod.com Twitter: @TheRestHistory @holland_tom @dcsandbrook Le...
Jan 31, 2022•1 hr 2 min•Ep 145•Transcript available on Metacast Tune in to hear the second part of The Rest Is History's take on the execution of Charles I and its aftermath. Charles I was executed 373 years ago to the day on 30th January. But was his killing a sinful act of treason or merely one of retributive justice? Tom and Dominic welcome back Professor Ted Vallance from the University of Roehampton to explore one of the most extraordinary events in British history. Producer: Dom Johnson Exec Producer: Tony Pastor *The Rest Is History Live Tour 2023*: T...
Jan 28, 2022•47 min•Ep 144•Transcript available on Metacast Charles I was executed 373 years ago to the day on 30th January. But was his killing a sinful act of treason or merely one of retributive justice? Tom and Dominic welcome back Professor Ted Vallance from the University of Roehampton to explore the build-up, event and aftermath of the trial of Charles I. Producer: Dom Johnson 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 ...
Jan 27, 2022•58 min•Ep 143•Transcript available on Metacast What happened to Gordon at Khartoum? Described by Dominic as the 'greatest media event of the Victorian era', this second parter is not to be missed. Producer: Dom Johnson 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: restishistorypod.com Twitter: @TheRestHistory @holland_tom @dcsandbrook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices...
Jan 25, 2022•1 hr•Ep 142•Transcript available on Metacast Who was General Gordon? Tune in to hear about the life and times of the 'emblematic martyr of the Victorian age'. Producer: Dom Johnson 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: restishistorypod.com Twitter: @TheRestHistory @holland_tom @dcsandbrook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Jan 24, 2022•43 min•Ep 141•Transcript available on Metacast Today Tom and Dominic are joined by historian Dan Jackson to talk about one of the greatest inventions known to man - the railways. Where were they first created? When did they arrive in England? And how did they relate to the standardisation of GMT in Britain? From Eric Hobsbawm to cucumber straighteners, this pod has it all! Producer: Dom Johnson 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, ...
Jan 20, 2022•58 min•Ep 140•Transcript available on Metacast Who killed the Princes in the Tower? The inspiration behind Shakespeare's Richard III, their murder remains one of the greatest mysteries in English history. In the second of two episodes, all eyes turn to Richard III, prime suspect in the disappearance of Edward IV's sons. Tom and Dominic discuss whether Richard likely did kill his nephews, potential other suspects, and whether it was a matter of survival for him to do so. Plus, the greatest question of our time: was Richard III more Raul Castr...
Jan 18, 2022•1 hr•Ep 139•Transcript available on Metacast Who killed the Princes in the Tower? The inspiration behind Shakespeare's Richard III, their murder is one of the greatest mysteries in English history. In the first of two episodes, we start with the princes' father, Edward IV. Tom and Dominic discuss the remarkable parallels between Edward IV and his grandson, Henry VIII, and why Edward's brother, Duke of Clarence, is certainly not a friend of the show. All this, plus Tom's case for why he does a better prince impression than Brian Blessed. Pr...
Jan 17, 2022•51 min•Ep 138•Transcript available on Metacast In part 2 of this centennial episode, Tom and Dominic cover the triggering of the Irish Civil War, the birth of the BBC, and Howard Carter's 'Tutmania'. Plus, have you ever wondered how many stars Dominic's 1995 Edinburgh Fringe performance of Becket REALLY received from The Scotsman? Featuring appearances from Winston Churchill, Michael Collins and Just William, this podcast is not to be missed! Producer: Dom Johnson Exec Producer: Tony Pastor *The Rest Is History Live Tour 2023*: Tom and Domin...
Jan 14, 2022•1 hr 6 min•Ep 137•Transcript available on Metacast 2022 marks 100 years since one of the most important years in modern history. In part 1 Tom and Dominic discuss all things 1922: Bolshevism, fascism, and the significance of The Waste Land and Ulysses. Producer: Dom Johnson 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: restishistorypod.com Twitter: @TheRestHistory @holland_tom @dcsandbrook Learn more about ...
Jan 13, 2022•57 min•Ep 136•Transcript available on Metacast 
