Russian history – Page 9 – General History

Romanticism

From the late 18th to the middle of the 19th century there was an almost radical revolt against simple reasoning, the sciences, all authority and most traditions, against order and discipline, which overcame (and to a certain extent subdued) Western civilisation. This was the sweeping movement of Romanticism.

It meant social, political and moral reform, yes, but manifested itself above all in the arts; one could claim that the two major extremes of art are Classicism and Romanticism. Subsequent movements are generally regarded as being associated with one or the other. (more…)

By Dean Swift| 2012-05-20T16:05:07+00:00 May 20th, 2012|Czech History, English History, English Language, French History, German History, Philosophy, Russian history, Spanish History, Today, World History|1 Comment

The ‘Indignants’ and Anarchy: what it is all about

We see on the daily news programmes that ‘Los Indignados’ have returned to the Puerta del Sol and the Plaza de Cataluña in Spain, and various other municipal hot points in Europe, to celebrate an anniversary. It was in May last year that European city-dwellers learned to put up with their plazas and places filled to saturation with the young and the old, of every sex, of every class, of every profession, setting up camp, breaking out the same tired old political cant on badly spelled, cheaply printed placards. These are the ‘Indignants’. (more…)

By Dean Swift| 2012-05-14T08:02:36+00:00 May 14th, 2012|English History, French History, German History, Philosophy, Russian history, Spanish History, Today|0 Comments

Canada

This is the second largest country in the world, and yet there is little mention of her in the media. Unless one of Canada’s great cities holds an Olympic Games, as did Montreal, you never hear about Canada. The same situation abounds with the two great islands of New Zealand. The reason for this lack of newsworthyness is probably that Canada (and New Zealand) are very well governed, exceedingly rich, and both are willing members of the Commonwealth of Nations. (more…)

By Dean Swift| 2012-05-07T11:11:40+00:00 May 7th, 2012|English History, French History, History of Afghanistan, History of New Zealand, Russian history, Today, US History, World History|0 Comments

Holocaust – the comments

Hundreds of comments have been posted on General-History following publication last year of the article on The Holocaust. Some comments are learnéd, some are not. Many are openly anti-Semitic. A few show sympathy with the victims. Some question the figures quoted. Anyone can find out the figures for themselves simply by making enquiries in any office of records in any of the countries I am about to list, or simply asking for statistics in Tel Aviv. For those commentarists who claim the Holocaust did not actually happen one feels sorry for those who must endure life near them. (more…)

By Dean Swift| 2012-04-30T18:39:13+00:00 April 30th, 2012|Czech History, Dutch History, Estonia, A History, French History, German History, Greek History, History of the Low Countries, Italian History, Jewish History, Romanian History, Russian history, World History|2 Comments

Henry VIII of England – The Tyrant King

Henry VIII England

Taken from the point of view of their victims, Henry VIII of England was (almost) the equal of Ivan the Terrible of Russia (1530 – 84). Both had a merciless way with opponents. Both had their closest confidants and advisors killed. Both are considered by many of their countrymen as great and powerful monarchs of whom one should be proud.

Henry was born in Greenwich, London in June 1491. As a young man he excelled in sports and music, spoke and wrote in French, Latin and English. He and friends invented the game of royal tennis which evolved into Lawn Tennis within four hundred years. He succeeded to the English throne at eighteen, after the death of his father, first of the Tudor dynasty, who had won it in battle against the crowned and annointed Plantagenet king Richard III. (more…)

By Dean Swift| 2017-07-21T14:48:52+00:00 April 27th, 2012|English History, Russian history, World History|0 Comments

Two US generals from World War II

Continuing our series on important military leaders from the 1939-1945 war, we briefly examine the careers of two very well-known names from North America – Marshall and Patton. Actors played them both in many Hollywood films. General Marshall appears in an opening sequence of Saving Private Ryan (q.v.), and George C. Scott memorably portrayed Patton in the film of that name (1970).

George C. Marshal / history.com

George Catlett Marshall was born in 1880. He managed to become not only a distinguished soldier, but combined his military experience with that of a statesman, by no means an easy task. He had no career other than a soldier’s, rising rapidly through the ranks after West Point to become US Chief of Staff in 1939. In fact he stayed in that post until 1945. (more…)

By Dean Swift| 2012-04-16T17:11:15+00:00 April 16th, 2012|German History, Russian history, US History, World History|0 Comments

Guderian, Keitel & von Rundstedt: II World War generals

Field Marshall Gerd von Rundstedt / en.wikipedia.com

These three German generals were all born in the 19^th century. The first named in the title was probably the greatest tank commander the world has seen; certainly the professional-Greek columnist columnist Taki insists he was. Keitel ran a risk the other two avoided: he became a leading member of the National Socialist Party and was in fact an organiser within it. As a not particularly inventive or successful serving soldier this was unwise, and he must have regretted his Nazism when accused of massive war crime at the Nuremberg Trials. Neither Guderian nor von Rundstedt were admirers of Nazi excesses or Hitler. Rundstedt famously said (in Paris) “I refuse to go to Berlin to talk to that Bavarian corporal . . .” (more…)

By Dean Swift| 2012-04-12T12:21:28+00:00 April 12th, 2012|French History, German History, Russian history, US History, World History|0 Comments

Indo-China; some history

In the latter part of the nineteenth century the words Indo-China did not mean much to the average European. Map draughtsmen knew the word was applied (by the French) to five dependencies in south-east Asia from 1887. In fact the word stayed until 1954. (more…)

By Dean Swift| 2012-04-08T10:37:40+00:00 April 8th, 2012|History of Korea, Russian history, US History, World History|0 Comments

What happened to Napoleon’s Marshals?

Murat shot after Waterloo / executedtoday.com

Murat shot (by the French) after Waterloo / executedtoday.com

To reach the rank of Marshal in the French army before the Revolution (q.v.) was the highest achievement for a soldier. After the Revolution however, the rank was dismissed as ‘elitist’, only to be re-installed again in 1804 by Napoleon Bonaparte. It is said Bonaparte did this in an attempt to re-construct a system of honours (which was elitist) in France. The Emperor appointed 26 Marshals between 1804 and 1815. Where two of them are especially of interest to General – History, I have formed brief biographies. (more…)

By Dean Swift| 2012-03-19T11:36:28+00:00 March 19th, 2012|French History, Italian History, Russian history, Spanish History, World History|0 Comments

The Normandy Landings & the Invasion

British and Commonwealth troops at Gold beach / paranormalknowledge.com

Until Mr Spielberg thought about a soldier with 3 dead brothers called Ryan there had been a number of films made about the Allied invasion through France which eventually, painfully slowly, brought World War II to a jagged end. One of these was a sort of ‘combined ops’ made in 1962, only eighteen years after the event. Hollywood contributed not a few stars and the money; Britain, France and Germany several more fine actors and the technical advisers. The final product was called The Longest Day. The finished movie used a lot of actual film shot during the Landings, an idea that provided a genuine feel, as well as horror. Above all, The Longest Day emphasised the undoubted fact that the Normandy Landings of June 1944 were a result of a brave attempt at co-ordination between the Allies – not an easy task when most generals from whatever nation can behave like a bad-tempered chorus of prima donnas and ballerinas. (more…)

By Dean Swift| 2012-03-15T11:43:47+00:00 March 15th, 2012|English History, French History, German History, Russian history, US History, World History|1 Comment