History Guy
@history-guy.bsky.social
Just an ordinary, passionate history enthusiast.
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History Guy
@history-guy.bsky.social
· Nov 11
Viewpoint: What can Plato teach us about Donald Trump? - BBC Newsnight
YouTube video by BBC Newsnight
youtu.be
A reminder.
Democracy-to-demagoguery-to-tyranny.
A warning from Plato (as related by BBC, 2017):
youtu.be/cnzo9qXLFUo?...
Democracy-to-demagoguery-to-tyranny.
A warning from Plato (as related by BBC, 2017):
youtu.be/cnzo9qXLFUo?...
110 years ago today:
Large-scale British and French offensive(s) across Champagne, Artois and Loos.
First British use of poison gas.
The [first] Big Push....
Large-scale British and French offensive(s) across Champagne, Artois and Loos.
First British use of poison gas.
The [first] Big Push....
September 25, 2025 at 3:04 PM
110 years ago today:
Large-scale British and French offensive(s) across Champagne, Artois and Loos.
First British use of poison gas.
The [first] Big Push....
Large-scale British and French offensive(s) across Champagne, Artois and Loos.
First British use of poison gas.
The [first] Big Push....
Reposted by History Guy
Our grandparents knew titanic warfare, genocide, economic dislocation, smashed cities & hideous disease. They clung to the ideals of liberal democracy as if their lives depended on it
These people have known only peace, prosperity, safety and it has blown their minds. They hunger for dislocation.
These people have known only peace, prosperity, safety and it has blown their minds. They hunger for dislocation.
Questions to which the Answer is Not Many
From a Telegraph columnist - who has been on a long journey over the years.
From a Telegraph columnist - who has been on a long journey over the years.
July 23, 2025 at 12:38 PM
Our grandparents knew titanic warfare, genocide, economic dislocation, smashed cities & hideous disease. They clung to the ideals of liberal democracy as if their lives depended on it
These people have known only peace, prosperity, safety and it has blown their minds. They hunger for dislocation.
These people have known only peace, prosperity, safety and it has blown their minds. They hunger for dislocation.
Reposted by History Guy
Today in 1916 Vaux fortress fell to the Germans outside Verdun.
I don’t think I've never studied a grimmer battle. Men fought in pitch darkness in 5 foot tunnels. Dead & wounded trampled underfoot. Flame throwers incinerated enemies & operators alike. Water ran out. Nearly 3000 Germans were killed.
I don’t think I've never studied a grimmer battle. Men fought in pitch darkness in 5 foot tunnels. Dead & wounded trampled underfoot. Flame throwers incinerated enemies & operators alike. Water ran out. Nearly 3000 Germans were killed.
June 7, 2025 at 6:47 PM
Today in 1916 Vaux fortress fell to the Germans outside Verdun.
I don’t think I've never studied a grimmer battle. Men fought in pitch darkness in 5 foot tunnels. Dead & wounded trampled underfoot. Flame throwers incinerated enemies & operators alike. Water ran out. Nearly 3000 Germans were killed.
I don’t think I've never studied a grimmer battle. Men fought in pitch darkness in 5 foot tunnels. Dead & wounded trampled underfoot. Flame throwers incinerated enemies & operators alike. Water ran out. Nearly 3000 Germans were killed.
Reposted by History Guy
Tom Friedman on point here, though he understated the case. Either Trump is the worse negotiator in all the universes of truth and fiction, or he is beginning an alliance with Russia with a joint attempt to subjugate Ukraine (and then much else).
www.nytimes.com/2025/03/04/o...
www.nytimes.com/2025/03/04/o...
Opinion | Trump Is Hiding Something on Ukraine
When you don’t call things by their real name, there is usually a reason.
www.nytimes.com
March 8, 2025 at 9:04 PM
Tom Friedman on point here, though he understated the case. Either Trump is the worse negotiator in all the universes of truth and fiction, or he is beginning an alliance with Russia with a joint attempt to subjugate Ukraine (and then much else).
www.nytimes.com/2025/03/04/o...
www.nytimes.com/2025/03/04/o...
Reposted by History Guy
Russia’s leaders have said nothing about peace. They have made a list of demands on the US, the fulfillment of which allows them to broaden the war against Ukraine. And the US simply fulfills all of these Russian demands without question. That is only a peace process in the Orwellian sense.
March 6, 2025 at 3:24 PM
Russia’s leaders have said nothing about peace. They have made a list of demands on the US, the fulfillment of which allows them to broaden the war against Ukraine. And the US simply fulfills all of these Russian demands without question. That is only a peace process in the Orwellian sense.
Reposted by History Guy
Here I react to the shameful encounter between American leaders and media and the Ukrainian president. No doubt there were more, but I saw five failures on our side: of hospitality, decency, democracy, strategy, and independence. Please watch and share.
snyder.substack.com/p/five-failu...
snyder.substack.com/p/five-failu...
Five Failures in the Oval Office (video)
America hurt itself badly today.
snyder.substack.com
February 28, 2025 at 10:15 PM
Here I react to the shameful encounter between American leaders and media and the Ukrainian president. No doubt there were more, but I saw five failures on our side: of hospitality, decency, democracy, strategy, and independence. Please watch and share.
snyder.substack.com/p/five-failu...
snyder.substack.com/p/five-failu...
Reposted by History Guy
There is no movie for this.
All through my life American culture has conjured up images of its own demise.
But no Dr Strangelove, Fatal Impact, Manchurian Candidate et al imagined a portion of the US electorate gleefully welcoming oblivion in the arms of its enemy.
There is no movie for this
All through my life American culture has conjured up images of its own demise.
But no Dr Strangelove, Fatal Impact, Manchurian Candidate et al imagined a portion of the US electorate gleefully welcoming oblivion in the arms of its enemy.
There is no movie for this
February 25, 2025 at 9:22 PM
There is no movie for this.
All through my life American culture has conjured up images of its own demise.
But no Dr Strangelove, Fatal Impact, Manchurian Candidate et al imagined a portion of the US electorate gleefully welcoming oblivion in the arms of its enemy.
There is no movie for this
All through my life American culture has conjured up images of its own demise.
But no Dr Strangelove, Fatal Impact, Manchurian Candidate et al imagined a portion of the US electorate gleefully welcoming oblivion in the arms of its enemy.
There is no movie for this
Introducing Adobe Photoshop 1.0 in 2025 - Photoshop 35th Anniversary
YouTube video by Robert Hranitzky
www.youtube.com
February 22, 2025 at 10:54 AM
Reposted by History Guy
If Trump wants to see elections in Ukraine, all he has to do is use the power he keeps talking about to get the Russian invaders off Ukrainian soil. Then martial law in Ukraine ends, and elections will follow.
February 19, 2025 at 11:08 PM
If Trump wants to see elections in Ukraine, all he has to do is use the power he keeps talking about to get the Russian invaders off Ukrainian soil. Then martial law in Ukraine ends, and elections will follow.
Reposted by History Guy
A reminder.
Democracy-to-demagoguery-to-tyranny.
A warning from Plato (as related by BBC, 2017):
youtu.be/cnzo9qXLFUo?...
Democracy-to-demagoguery-to-tyranny.
A warning from Plato (as related by BBC, 2017):
youtu.be/cnzo9qXLFUo?...
Viewpoint: What can Plato teach us about Donald Trump? - BBC Newsnight
YouTube video by BBC Newsnight
youtu.be
November 11, 2024 at 7:28 PM
A reminder.
Democracy-to-demagoguery-to-tyranny.
A warning from Plato (as related by BBC, 2017):
youtu.be/cnzo9qXLFUo?...
Democracy-to-demagoguery-to-tyranny.
A warning from Plato (as related by BBC, 2017):
youtu.be/cnzo9qXLFUo?...
Reposted by History Guy
Of course it’s a coup. Miss the obvious, lose your republic.
open.substack.com/pub/snyder/p...
open.substack.com/pub/snyder/p...
Of course it’s a coup
Miss the obvious, lose your republic
open.substack.com
February 5, 2025 at 2:59 PM
Of course it’s a coup. Miss the obvious, lose your republic.
open.substack.com/pub/snyder/p...
open.substack.com/pub/snyder/p...
Lieutenant Colonel V. F. Eberle (RE) on a Western Front Christmas, near Bazentin, 1916:
"For a short period the foulness and desolation that surrounded us were forgotten."
'With a Royal Engineers Field Company in France and Italy', Pen & Sword, 2020
#Christmas
#WW1
"For a short period the foulness and desolation that surrounded us were forgotten."
'With a Royal Engineers Field Company in France and Italy', Pen & Sword, 2020
#Christmas
#WW1
December 25, 2024 at 4:23 PM
Lieutenant Colonel V. F. Eberle (RE) on a Western Front Christmas, near Bazentin, 1916:
"For a short period the foulness and desolation that surrounded us were forgotten."
'With a Royal Engineers Field Company in France and Italy', Pen & Sword, 2020
#Christmas
#WW1
"For a short period the foulness and desolation that surrounded us were forgotten."
'With a Royal Engineers Field Company in France and Italy', Pen & Sword, 2020
#Christmas
#WW1
Reposted by History Guy
Ukrainian cultural diplomacy is when a global star performs a world-famous hit accompanied by a Ukrainian military bandura player.
Sting sings with bandura player Taras Stolyar "Shape of My Heart"
culturalforces.military / Instagram
Sting sings with bandura player Taras Stolyar "Shape of My Heart"
culturalforces.military / Instagram
December 23, 2024 at 5:38 PM
Ukrainian cultural diplomacy is when a global star performs a world-famous hit accompanied by a Ukrainian military bandura player.
Sting sings with bandura player Taras Stolyar "Shape of My Heart"
culturalforces.military / Instagram
Sting sings with bandura player Taras Stolyar "Shape of My Heart"
culturalforces.military / Instagram
A good thread highlighting just a few of the ways REALITY (that of cross-border commerce) itself is what "betrays" Brexit (i.e. undermines the absurd claims made for the structuralised degradation of one's OWN trading environment), and why UK politics STILL goes round in unicorn-seeking circles...
1/ Ok, so instead of just making jokes about the EU Reset, I wanted to do a very simplified thread on:
- what the actual problem is Keir Starmer is trying to solve;
- the options on the table; and
- why this shit is hard.
This will be very long. I'm sorry.
Let's get wonky.
- what the actual problem is Keir Starmer is trying to solve;
- the options on the table; and
- why this shit is hard.
This will be very long. I'm sorry.
Let's get wonky.
December 23, 2024 at 3:29 PM
A good thread highlighting just a few of the ways REALITY (that of cross-border commerce) itself is what "betrays" Brexit (i.e. undermines the absurd claims made for the structuralised degradation of one's OWN trading environment), and why UK politics STILL goes round in unicorn-seeking circles...
Reposted by History Guy
Consequences for Russia of loss in Syria:
1. Reminder that Russia often loses wars;
2. Difficulty in maintaining colonial extraction in Africa;
3. Possibility of new pipelines to Europe;
4. Doctrine of supporting dictators fails.
1. Reminder that Russia often loses wars;
2. Difficulty in maintaining colonial extraction in Africa;
3. Possibility of new pipelines to Europe;
4. Doctrine of supporting dictators fails.
December 9, 2024 at 10:11 PM
Consequences for Russia of loss in Syria:
1. Reminder that Russia often loses wars;
2. Difficulty in maintaining colonial extraction in Africa;
3. Possibility of new pipelines to Europe;
4. Doctrine of supporting dictators fails.
1. Reminder that Russia often loses wars;
2. Difficulty in maintaining colonial extraction in Africa;
3. Possibility of new pipelines to Europe;
4. Doctrine of supporting dictators fails.
Reposted by History Guy
Beware the terrifying Christmas pudding! Giving you nightmares since 1895.
An illustration from an 1895 annual published by the British satirical magazine ‘Judy.’
From the collections of Cambridge University Library (CUL 1895.9.91) @theulspeccoll.bsky.social
An illustration from an 1895 annual published by the British satirical magazine ‘Judy.’
From the collections of Cambridge University Library (CUL 1895.9.91) @theulspeccoll.bsky.social
December 20, 2024 at 3:23 PM
Beware the terrifying Christmas pudding! Giving you nightmares since 1895.
An illustration from an 1895 annual published by the British satirical magazine ‘Judy.’
From the collections of Cambridge University Library (CUL 1895.9.91) @theulspeccoll.bsky.social
An illustration from an 1895 annual published by the British satirical magazine ‘Judy.’
From the collections of Cambridge University Library (CUL 1895.9.91) @theulspeccoll.bsky.social
Reposted by History Guy
I have only just come across this. It is also circulating on X. Raises some questions about this place. Worth a read.
1/IMPORTANT thread about Bluesky funding and origins. Many folks know that it was seeded by Jack Dorsey around a libertarian vision of a magical network that wouldn’t need moderation because it would be decentralized and baked into a protocol (somehow).
November 16, 2024 at 7:02 PM
I have only just come across this. It is also circulating on X. Raises some questions about this place. Worth a read.
Reposted by History Guy
Each of Trump's proposed appointments is a surprise. It is comforting to think that he is simply a vengeful old man, lashing out. This is unlikely. He and Musk and Putin have been talking for years. And the whole idea was that this time he had a plan.
snyder.substack.com/p/decapitati...
snyder.substack.com/p/decapitati...
Decapitation Strike
Preserving America from Trump's Appointments
snyder.substack.com
November 15, 2024 at 6:34 PM
Each of Trump's proposed appointments is a surprise. It is comforting to think that he is simply a vengeful old man, lashing out. This is unlikely. He and Musk and Putin have been talking for years. And the whole idea was that this time he had a plan.
snyder.substack.com/p/decapitati...
snyder.substack.com/p/decapitati...
www.theguardian.com/media/2024/n...
Why the Guardian is no longer posting on X
Why the Guardian is no longer posting on X
Why the Guardian is no longer posting on X
We will stop posting from our official editorial accounts on the platform, but X users can still share our articles
www.theguardian.com
November 13, 2024 at 12:09 PM
www.theguardian.com/media/2024/n...
Why the Guardian is no longer posting on X
Why the Guardian is no longer posting on X
Guardian – 12/11/1918:
This is the great day – the great day of Peace...
www.theguardian.com/world/from-t...
This is the great day – the great day of Peace...
www.theguardian.com/world/from-t...
November 11, 2024 at 8:14 PM
Guardian – 12/11/1918:
This is the great day – the great day of Peace...
www.theguardian.com/world/from-t...
This is the great day – the great day of Peace...
www.theguardian.com/world/from-t...
A reminder.
Democracy-to-demagoguery-to-tyranny.
A warning from Plato (as related by BBC, 2017):
youtu.be/cnzo9qXLFUo?...
Democracy-to-demagoguery-to-tyranny.
A warning from Plato (as related by BBC, 2017):
youtu.be/cnzo9qXLFUo?...
Viewpoint: What can Plato teach us about Donald Trump? - BBC Newsnight
YouTube video by BBC Newsnight
youtu.be
November 11, 2024 at 7:28 PM
A reminder.
Democracy-to-demagoguery-to-tyranny.
A warning from Plato (as related by BBC, 2017):
youtu.be/cnzo9qXLFUo?...
Democracy-to-demagoguery-to-tyranny.
A warning from Plato (as related by BBC, 2017):
youtu.be/cnzo9qXLFUo?...