Archive for the ‘History’ Category
Two massacres in 1937
January 27th, 2010 by Roger Darlington
There were two infamous massacres in 1937, one in the West, one in the East: the bombing by the Luftwaffe of Guernica in Spain [more information here] and the rampage by the Japanese in Nanjing in China [more information here]. The death toll in both events is disputed. At the time, the Basque government reported […]
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What would Cyrus the Great make of it?
January 24th, 2010 by Roger Darlington
There’s something more than faintly ironic about the argument between a democratic state like Britain and an authoritarian nation like Iran over an artefact that some claim is the first proclamation of human rights in history. I refer to the British Museum object known as the Cyrus cylinder and you can read about the dispute […]
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Earthquakes as killers
January 23rd, 2010 by Roger Darlington
The web site Anwers.com today carries this interesting information: “Nearly every day of the year, somewhere on earth, an earthquake occurs. Most happen in unpopulated areas, or are so mild that they go unnoticed by the general public. But, there are about 18 major earthquakes a year, with those of the strongest intensity occurring about […]
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Holocaust Memorial Day
January 20th, 2010 by Roger Darlington
Here in the UK, in one week’s time, it will be Holocaust Memorial Day. You can light a virtual candle candle and access information materials here. Of course, the Holocaust is a huge and complex subject but I found this book really informative and insightful.
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The Great Dying
January 2nd, 2010 by Roger Darlington
Among the many interesting facts I read in the Christopher Potter book “You Are Here” [my review here] – which I’ve just finished – is that, during the Permian period of around 250 million years ago, up to 96% of all species then on earth was destroyed – possibly as a result of a meteor. […]
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Did the Nazis have a stealth bomber?
December 20th, 2009 by Roger Darlington
Two of my many interests are aviation and history, so I was drawn to a recent television programme about an aircraft developed in Nazi German called the Horten 229. This ‘bat wing’ aircraft utilised amazingly advanced design and technology which effectively made it the world’s first stealth aircraft. As the war was ending, American troops […]
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Visit to British Museum
December 14th, 2009 by Roger Darlington
I spent a few hours today at the British Museum in central London. I wanted to see two things. The first was the current exhibition on what I have always known to be Montezuma, the king of the Aztecs. However, I learned that he is now known as Moctezuma and his people are now called […]
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“Gillean’s Children”
October 29th, 2009 by Roger Darlington
Getting a film made is a tough enterprise. This site explains one man’s attempt to have the story of his father – a British Military Intelligence officer in the Second World War – made into a movie.
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The modern history of Iran
October 18th, 2009 by Roger Darlington
In just under two weeks time, Vee and I will be travelling to Iran for what promises to be an unusual and fascinating holiday. In preparation for the trip, I have already read a full history of Iran which I reviewed here. Now I have just completed a more detailed history of the last century […]
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60 years of Communist China
October 1st, 2009 by Roger Darlington
Today marks the 60th anniversary of the creation of the the People’s Republic of China. You can read my review of a book on the history of China here, my review of a biography of Mao here, and my review of a book on modern China here. In 2000, Vee and I made a fascinating […]
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