WWII - A Bringer of Great Change

History has been drastically transformed by both long-term and short-term phenomena. The Renaissance, Reformation, Enlightenment and the Industrial Revolution easily describe the former while the French Revolution, the Great War and WWII fall under the rubric of the latter.
Having been born less than twenty five years after WWII therefore come of age in the milieu of the Cold War (essentially the spawn of WWII) I have somewhat of an emotional attachment to this historical turning point. Both my grandfather and granduncle fought in the war and its events (certainly its impact on World Jewry) continue to influence my personal way of thinking.
What follows is a list that I have compiled of important changes and transformations that were either galvanized or transformed both indirectly or directly by World War Two (not in any order)

1. The Cold War – In a sense this was the leftover fallout of the uneasy alliances that made possible the defeat of the Axis Powers. It was defined by the emergence of an ideological struggle (East v West or Communism v Capitalism).
2. Consolidation of the position of the US as a world power – Before WWII the US was viewed as more of an economic power than a military giant after the war it was clear that the US was both.
3. Decline of Britain as a World Power – Britain was already on the decline following the turmoil of the Great War but World War Two confirmed and augmented this deterioration. What would follow in the years to come was a retreat from Empire (The crown Jewel of India would gain self determination in 1947) and the abdication of Britain as the primary defender of Western Democracy.
4. Weakening of France – The French decline while paralleling that of Britain was in many ways even more severe in that it was motivated by that nation’s inglorious performance in WWII. Humbling defeats in French Indochina were to follow.
5. Growth of Socialism in Western Europe – Socialism would grow unfettered on the free side of the continent with policies of industrial nationalization and extension of big government being adopted to placate a war weary populace. Some have argued that the decline of Western Europe as a key player and a believer in its own sense of exceptionality is a consequence of the socialist mind frame.
6. Germany and Japan were successfully pegged back and weakened so that they could be rebuilt into democratic (and economic) powerhouses in the image of the allies.
7. Extension of the Iron Curtain – Eastern Europe and a vast Soviet Union would for sometime fall under the Totalitarian control of the Marxist-Leninist dogma.
8. Transition of China to Maoism – The Japanese invasion of China debilitated the central nationalist government (who fought bravely against the outsiders) leaving them devoid of the wherewithal to defeat Mao and his Communist insurgents.
9. Independence drive for global colonial regions – The Mother countries lost their will to govern their colonial empires inspiring the success through peaceful and violent means of grassroots liberation movements Within the next thirty to forty years the vast European controlled territories would assume their new status as self governing nation states (Winds of Change).
10. The Birth of the Nuclear Age – The bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki signalled this beginning of this Age but the development beforehand (such as the Manhattan Project and the competing Axis initiatives) that had their impetus with the war effort.
11. Improvement in Medicine – Vast strides in medical triage, use of antibiotics and surgical techniques were greatly accelerated by the war.
12. Development of Weapons Technology – As expected this was ubiquitous across all fields from gun manufacturing/munitions, to tank production, to armed vehicle and naval warfare (Sonar, depth charges, sea mines etc.) - In the fields of aviation great strides were made with respect to jet technology, plane manoeuvrability and payload transportation and release.
13. Espionage enhancement – Not only was the effectiveness of cloak and dagger spying, sabotage and other types of covert action improved over the course of the war many of the modern intelligence gathering services were born and grew to maturity in this volatile environment.
14. The End of the Great Depression – There is some debate as to whether World War II actually ended the Great Depression but it certainly impacted the production and employment profiles of the nations involved in a positive sense.
15. The Women’s Movement receives a big boost – With many of the men at war women provided an important role on the production line at the Home Front. The symbol of Rosie the Riveter and the boost that she gave First Wave Feminism in the work environment would forever change the traditional structure of western society.
16. Formation of the United Nations – Although it has not lived up to its original intention and certainly sports a history of both success and failure the genesis of the UN (Dumbarton Oaks Conference – October 1944) has its origins in World War Two.
17. Global Economics – Both the IMF and the World Bank were organizations that were set up to stabilize and mend international economics after the horrors of WWII (and to some extent the Great Depression). They continue to play a key role in global financer today.
18. Space Race – While its history is marred in the Cold War the prototypes of the Rockets developed by both the US and the Soviets trace their background to Germany’s World War II V1 and V2 Programs (Wunderwaffen). These developments also pre-staged the missile delivery era associated with the Nuclear Arms Race.
19. The Holocaust and an enhanced sensitivity towards genocide – While the message has been somewhat mixed and not always consistent our awareness of issues of human rights abuse (so often flatly ignored before WWII – look at the Armenian Genocide of 1915) has been highlighted by the Shoah.
20. Formation of the State of Israel – Its possible that the Jewish state may have come into fruition without the occurrence of WWII (the Balfour Declaration was signed in 1917) but the war and the ramifications of the Holocaust certainly sped up the process.
21. Oil Politics – The inability of the both the Third Reich and Japan to secure stable oil supplies for their respective war machines contributed to the failure of each of these military forces. Consequently oil politics as a driver for both political economy and industrial production would be highlighted by this truism.
22. The Computer Age – The Code breaking machine driven initiatives at Bletchley Park together with the early computer ENIAC saw their light in World War II. Alan Turing and the Bletchley crowd greatly shortened the war and set in motion the embryonic Information Age.

70th Anniversary of V-J Day

V-J Day is traditionally celebrateed in the UK on the 15th of August although the Japanese only officially surrendered to the US on the 2nd of September (document was signed aboard the USS Missouri). The 15th of August is also known as the 'memorial day for the end of the war'.
From London - Great to see some of the Veterans coming out to celebrate.

What was the Bruneval Raid?

The Bruneval Raid, better known by its codename Operation Biting, was a small but highly significant British operation during World War II. Conducted on the night of 27–28 February 1942, the raid targeted a German Würzburg radar installation near Bruneval on the Normandy coast of northern France.

The objective was not simply to destroy the installation. British intelligence wanted to capture components of the Würzburg radar intact so that British scientists could examine the technology and better understand how the German radar network operated.

A company-sized force of British paratroopers, commanded by Major John Frost, was dropped into France several miles from the radar station. After landing, the troops moved toward the installation, overwhelmed the German defenders, and dismantled key components of the Würzburg radar. They also captured a German radar technician, whose knowledge provided additional intelligence.

The raiders then withdrew toward the coast, where Royal Navy landing craft were waiting to evacuate them. Despite encountering German resistance during the withdrawal, the majority of the force successfully reached the evacuation point and returned to Britain.

The raid came at a cost. The British suffered two men killed, eight wounded, and six captured, although casualty figures can vary slightly depending on how the wounded and missing are categorized. German casualties were also inflicted during the fighting.

Nevertheless, Operation Biting was considered a clear success. The captured radar components were brought back to Britain and examined by British scientists, providing valuable information about German radar technology. The operation helped British intelligence and scientists develop a better understanding of the German air-defense system and contributed to the broader technological contest between British and German radar capabilities.

The raid also demonstrated the potential of airborne forces to conduct highly specialized operations deep inside enemy territory. Rather than attempting to hold territory, the paratroopers had a very specific objective: strike, capture, collect intelligence, and withdraw.

This made Bruneval an important precursor to the specialized airborne and commando operations that would become increasingly prominent later in the war. Its lessons in intelligence gathering, reconnaissance, airborne deployment, naval evacuation, and close coordination between different branches of the armed forces would prove valuable as the Allies prepared for much larger operations.

Operation Biting was not on the scale of later Allied operations such as Operation Overlord, but its importance lay precisely in what it accomplished with a relatively small force. It demonstrated that carefully planned airborne troops could penetrate occupied Europe, seize highly sensitive enemy technology, and escape before the Germans could bring overwhelming reinforcements to bear.

For such a small operation, the intelligence gained was remarkably valuable—and Bruneval became an early example of the increasingly sophisticated combination of special forces, intelligence, technology, and airborne warfare that characterized the later Allied war effort.

Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire

This ia brilliant series that is well worth watching. It is divided into 13 Parts.

For the Full Playlist go to: Rise and Fall of the Roman Empire


Part 1 - Marius and the Northern Barbarians
Part 2 - The Servile Wars
Part 3 - Conquests of Julius Caesar
Part 4 - Setback at Teutoburg Forest
Part 5 - Conquest of Britain
Part 6 - Dacian Wars (Trajan)
Part 7 - Wars of Marcus Arurelius
Part 8 - Religious Wars
Part 9 - Aurelian (Soldier Emperor)
Part 10 - Constantine
Part 11 - The Barbarian General Stilicho and Alaric
Part 12 - Ricimer the Puppet Master
Part 13 - Fall of the Empire in the West

Western History 15: Who were the Mycenaeans?

The Mycenaeans dominated the last phase of the Greek Bronze Age. They were a land based people who followed on (and partly overlapped) with the Minoans. The period from 1600-1100 BC book ends the Mycenaean era. This was the time of the Trojan Epic Cycle mythologized in the writing of Homer (Iliad and Odyssey). Key Mycenaean towns include Mycenae, Athens, Thebes, Pylos and Midea. Their influence extended to both the Greek mainland and the Peloponnesian peninsular and included some of the colonies in and around Asia Minor.

The first phase of the Mycenaean era was noted for its Shaft Graves for the burial of the elite. It was also characterized by palace hall complexes known as Megarons. Following on from the Shaft Grave Era was the Koine era that was characterized by its fresco art and extensive use of the Linear B writing style. Scribes played an important role in Mycenaean society that was hierarchically structured with palace officials at the top, merchants and farmers lower down and slaves at the bottom. The military played a key role and commerce was very important as well. Mycenaean artefacts have been found in Bavaria and England.

Climate change, earthquakes, famine (a recurring theme in the demise of the old orders) and an invasion from the Dorian or Sea People are believed to have contributed to the demise of the Mycenaean civilization.

Western History 14: Where did writing develop in the Near East?

Most of the Great Civilizations that provided the springboard for the early development of the West had sophisticated writing systems. The Mesopotamians used a wedge shaped writing known as Cuneiform, the Egyptians preferred Hieroglyphics, the Minoans made use of the Linear A script (the later Myceneans opted for the Linear B form).

Hieroglyphics, a pictograph type writing system would morph over time into hieratic (used by the priests) and demotic (popular script). Hieroglyph, demotic and Greek are all found on the famous Rosetta Stone that was discovered in 1799.
Writing conveyed ideas, laws and immortalized the knowledge of a civilization. It also provided an important framework for the implementation of trade deals.

The Phoenician alphabet probably had the biggest impact on the early development of writing in the west. It is the oldest verified consonantal alphabet (or abajd) and is derived from Egyptian Hieroglyphics. Both the Paleo-Hebrew and Greek Alphabets developed from the Phoenician script.

The Western History 13: Who were the Minoans?

Historian Will Durant called the Minoans the “first link in the chain of European history.” The Minoan civilization developed on the Aegean island of Crete and was dominant between approximately 2000 and 1450 BCE. Much of what we know about the Minoans stems from the work of British archaeologist Arthur Evans, who rediscovered and excavated the remains of this civilization in the early 20th century.

The Minoans were accomplished traders with an advanced maritime network and were also notable for their architectural achievements. The elaborate palace at Knossos, which provides the setting for the legendary King Minos—from whose name the term “Minoan” is derived—is the most famous example of this architectural tradition. Other important palatial centres were located at Phaistos, Malia, and Kato Zakros.

The Bronze Age Minoan civilization exerted a significant influence over the surrounding islands and the Greek mainland, where it established smaller settlements and trading centres, including Akrotiri on Santorini. The Minoans also maintained extensive commercial contacts with Egypt, the Canaanite world of the eastern Mediterranean, and the city-states of Asia Minor. Minoan craftsmanship was highly sophisticated, particularly in pottery, metalwork, jewellery, and fresco painting. Their society also appears to have afforded women a comparatively prominent social and religious role, although the precise nature of gender relations remains difficult to determine.

While much of what we know about the Minoans remains intertwined with mythology, the civilization appears to have experienced a series of catastrophic disruptions. Earthquakes, the enormous volcanic eruption of Thera, and later the arrival of Mycenaean powers all appear to have played a role in the decline of Minoan civilization. By the 15th century BCE, Mycenaean influence had become dominant on Crete and throughout much of the Aegean world.

The Mycenaeans dominated the final phase of the Greek Bronze Age. They were a predominantly land-based civilization that followed, and partly overlapped with, the Minoans. The period from approximately 1600 to 1100 BCE is generally regarded as the Mycenaean era. This was the age associated with the historical background of the Trojan War and the heroic traditions later mythologized in the works attributed to Homer, particularly the Iliad and the Odyssey. Major Mycenaean centres included Mycenae, Athens, Thebes, Pylos, and Midea. Their influence extended across the Greek mainland and the Peloponnese and reached into parts of the Aegean and western Anatolia.

The early phase of the Mycenaean era is particularly noted for its Shaft Graves, which were used for the burial of members of the elite. Mycenaean architecture was also characterized by monumental palace complexes centred on the megaron, a large hall that served as an important architectural and ceremonial feature. Later Mycenaean society became increasingly organized around powerful palace centres and bureaucratic administrations.

The Mycenaeans developed an extensive system of writing known as Linear B, which was used primarily for administrative purposes. Scribes therefore played an important role in palace society. The civilization was highly hierarchical, with rulers and palace officials at the top, followed by administrators, craftsmen, merchants, farmers, and other workers, with enslaved people occupying the lowest levels of society. Military power was central to Mycenaean society, while trade and commerce were also extremely important. Mycenaean artefacts have been discovered across a wide geographical area, including as far north and west as central Europe and Britain, demonstrating the extent of their trading networks.

The collapse of Mycenaean civilization around 1200 BCE remains the subject of considerable debate. A combination of factors—including climate change, earthquakes, famine, internal political instability, and disruptions caused by warfare and the movement of peoples—may have contributed to the collapse of the palace system. The so-called Sea Peoples have sometimes been implicated, although the precise nature of their role remains uncertain.

The Dorian Greeks were one of several Greek-speaking populations that became prominent during the centuries following the collapse of the Mycenaean palace system. Traditionally, the Dorians were associated with regions of northwestern Greece, including Epirus and Macedonia. Their movement southward during the late second millennium BCE has traditionally been linked to the decline of the Mycenaean world, although modern historians debate the extent to which a single “Dorian invasion” actually occurred.

Over the following centuries, Dorian-speaking communities became established across much of the Peloponnese and in other parts of the Greek world. Sparta was the most famous Dorian state and would eventually become one of the two great powers of classical Greece, alongside Athens. Dorian communities also established settlements and colonies across the Aegean and along the coast of Asia Minor.

Greek colonization during the early first millennium BCE was driven by a variety of factors, including population pressure, political conflict, competition for land, and the search for new trading opportunities. It helped spread Greek language and culture throughout the Mediterranean and Black Sea regions.

The Dorians spoke several related dialects of Greek, including Doric varieties associated with the Peloponnese, Crete, the southern Aegean, and northwestern Greece. Unlike the Minoans, whose writing system remains only partially understood, the Mycenaeans had already developed Linear B, an early form of written Greek. Following the collapse of the Mycenaean palace system, however, literacy largely disappeared from the Greek world for several centuries. Much of the culture and history of this period was therefore preserved through oral traditions, including the myths and heroic narratives that were eventually incorporated into Greek literature.

These oral traditions would have an enormous influence on the development of Western literature. The heroic age preserved in Greek mythology—filled with gods, warriors, voyages, dynastic struggles, and legendary conflicts—provided the foundation for literary works that would continue to shape Western culture for centuries.