Collective security

Sphere, 12 December 1936, 496
1930s, Air defence, Books, Civil defence, Collective security, Maps, Periodicals, Pictures, Publications

It’s that quote again — III

After the drama of 1934, ‘the bomber will always get through’ appears less frequently in the British Newspaper Archive (BNA) in 1935 (though still at about twice the level than in 1932 or 1933). But it is still mostly being used in a very political way. This is not surprising, with the general election contested […]

Origin of the League of Nations
1910s, 1920s, 1930s, 1940s, Collective security, Conferences and talks, Disarmament, International air force, Pictures, Radio, Sounds, Turning points in history

Turning points: the League of Nations

I did my second Turning Point for ABC New England radio today, and chose to talk about the founding the League of Nations in 1920. The League is usually considered to be a failure, because it didn’t prevent the Second World War or even play any significant role after the Italian invasion of Abyssinia. But

1910s, 1920s, 1930s, Air defence, Books, Civil defence, Collective security, Games and simulations, International air force, Nuclear, biological, chemical

Gaming the knock-out blow — III

A key element in any wargame is the scenario. It sets the boundaries in time and space of the simulation, as well as its initial conditions. For a historical wargame, a scenario might be the battle of Cannae, or the British and Canadian sectors at D-Day. Creating such scenarios involves researching orders of battle, contemporary

1940s, Air defence, Civil defence, Collective security, Disarmament, International air force, Periodicals, Pictures, Post-blogging 1940-2, Words

Saturday, 15 March 1941

The war news today is much closer to home for the Glasgow Herald than usual. A big air raid last night on ‘a Central district of Scotland’ (5) is vividly described, as though the reporter had witnessed it: readers would know for themselves just how far away it was. One Nazi ‘plane which appeared to

1940s, Air defence, Aircraft, Collective security, International air force, Periodicals, Pictures, Post-blogging 1940-2

Friday, 14 March 1941

The big news today is that the latest Italian offensive against Greek forces in the Tepelini sector has been a disaster. War correspondents estimate 10,000 Italian casualties, including 2000 dead; yet ‘it was stated in authoritative circles in London yesterday that the Italians do not appear to have made any perceptible progress’ (5). This is

1940s, Aircraft, Civil defence, Collective security, International air force, Periodicals, Pictures, Post-blogging 1940-2

Wednesday, 12 March 1941

The Glasgow Herald, like many early-twentieth-century ‘provincial’ newspapers, made a serious effort to cover war and other international news, as well as reporting on national and local issues. (In fact, it almost seems more interested in what’s happening overseas than it is in London or even Edinburgh.) Its highmindedness is also evident in its lack

1930s, 1940s, After 1950, Cold War, Collective security, Nuclear, biological, chemical, Phantom airships, mystery aeroplanes, and other panics, Radio

The field marshal and the ghost rockets

Field Marshal Jan Smuts, prime minister of South Africa, broadcast a speech on the BBC on 29 September 1946. He talked about the prospects for peace in the post-war world, a subject on which he could claim some authority, since he had helped unify Anglophones and Afrikaners after the Boer War, and was involved in

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