The “Great Man” style of history is often scoffed on, but does it have a part to play in the story of the Taiping Civil War? Which plays a bigger role in history-individual choices and decisions made by powerful individuals, or the larger contextual trends acting on those individuals? Ultimately a mix of these two styles of history may help us understand how mixed cultural and religiously syncretic systems of belief, combined with translated religious texts and Christian teachings wound up in the hands of perhaps the one man willing and able to set off the pressure cooker that was China in the mid 19th century. This is the second episode in a series on the Taiping Civil War or the Taiping Rebellion in China. It focuses on the spread of Christianity in China during the 19th century and the ways that old belief systems mixed to create something new. -Consider Supporting the Podcast!- Support the podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/reflectinghistory Check out my podcast serie...
From 1850-1864, China was swallowed by a wave of chaos and destruction that was bizarre, unprecedented, and apocalyptic. Some historians estimate that the Taiping Civil War left more than 20 million dead in it's wake. The tale is often told as the strange story of the Taiping leader Hong Xiuquan, who claimed to be the younger brother of Jesus and essentially started his own version of Christianity in China. But there is more to the story, and understanding the Taiping Civil War starts with understanding some of the broader themes at play in 19th century China. Nationalism, economic crises, environmental degradation, western imperialism, cultural syncretism, and other forces combined with the fever dreams of one man to change the world forever. This episode focuses on a broad overview of the Taiping Civil War and some of the major themes that will be at play in this series. Future episodes will go more in depth as well as focus on the human element of the catastrophe. -Consider Suppo...
Hey everyone, this is a bonus episode from my Patreon feed. Hope you enjoy it. If you want to support the podcast, you can click the link here: https://www.patreon.com/reflectinghistory "The Bear" by William Faulkner is one of the legendary stories in American literature. Written many decades ago, I think it still has something important to tell us about Manifest Destiny, nature, unity, truth, beauty, and more. A boy's journey to find and hunt a mythical bear can also teach us something about the value of struggle and endurance. Maybe we aren't there yet, but one day we could be. And that's worth enduring for. Read the story here:https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=sites&srcid=ZGVmYXVsdGRvbWFpbnx0aGV2aXJ0dWFsZW5nbGlzaG5vdGVib29rfGd4OjFiYjYyNDA4NTQwZDkyMjc Support on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/reflectinghistory Try my audio course: Why do 'good' people support evil leaders? What allure does Fascism hold that enables it to garner popular support? And what lessons can history teach us about today? My audio course 'A Beginners Guide to Understanding & Resisting Fascism: Nazi Germany and the Battle for the Human Heart' explores these massive questions through the lens of Nazi Germany and the ordinary people who lived, loved, collaborated and even resisted during those times. Through exploring the past, I hope to unlock lessons that all learners on the course can apply to the present day - from why fascism attracts people to how it can be resisted. I'm donating 20% of the proceeds to Givewell's Maximum Impact Fund, and the course also comes with a 100% money back guarantee. Check it out at https://avid.fm/reflectinghistory
In this episode, I sat down with Vietnam War veteran and now best selling author William V. Taylor to talk about his memoir “On Full Automatic: Surviving 13 Months In Vietnam.” During the discussion we talked about his enlistment and training process, the types and nature of combat during his time there, the role of the environment and how factors like heat and terrain affected him, his relationship to civilians in Vietnam, his changing view of the nature of the enemy as the war went on, the ways that big picture military strategy often clashed with the realities on the ground, the human element of war, the importance of letter writing for him, and ultimately his thoughts on one of the main questions he asks in his book: was it worth it? Bill Taylor, author of "On Full Automatic: Surviving 13 Months in Vietnam" served in the First Battalion, Third Marine Regiment in Vietnam for 13 months in 1967 and 1968. He has spoken for Veteran’s Organizations and to local schools about the Vietnam War. He currently belongs to the VFW, Military Order of the Purple Heart, Disabled American Veterans, Third Marine Division Association, and the Marine Corp League. He has been a Chapter Commander of the Military Order of the Purple Heart. Visit his website https://www.williamvtaylor.com. Support the podcast:https://www.patreon.com/reflectinghistory Reflecting History on Twitter: @reflectinghist If you like the podcast and have 30 seconds to spare, consider leaving a review on iTunes/Apple Podcasts...It helps! Try my audio course: Why do 'good' people support evil leaders? What allure does Fascism hold that enables it to garner popular support? And what lessons can history teach us about today? My audio course 'A Beginners Guide to Understanding & Resisting Fascism: Nazi Germany and the Battle for the Human Heart' explores these massive questions through the lens of Nazi Germany and the ordinary people who lived, loved, collaborated and even resisted during those times. Through exploring the past, I hope to unlock lessons that all learners on the course can apply to the present day - from why fascism attracts people to how it can be resisted. I'm donating 20% of the proceeds to Givewell's Maximum Impact Fund, and the course also comes with a 100% money back guarantee. Check it out athttps://avid.fm/reflectinghistory
In this episode I sat down with historian Susan Carruthers to discuss her new book "Dear John: Love and Loyalty in Wartime America." We discuss the history of the Dear John letter in times of war, how relationships and emotional life are stressed during times of war, social norms and gender roles in regards to letter writing in times of war, the sweeping changes in the technology of communication between spouses of military members, the psychology surrounding these topics, the nature of institutions and how they can lean into narratives that may or may not follow from evidence, and more. Susan L. Carruthers is Professor of US and International History, University of Warwick. The author of six books, including The Good Occupation: American Soldiers and the Hazards of Peace, she taught for fifteen years at Rutgers University-Newark, and has held visiting fellowships at Harvard, Princeton, and the Woodrow Wilson Center. She was a finalist for the 2017 PEN Hessell-Tiltman prize. Support the podcast: https://www.patreon.com/reflectinghistory Reflecting History on Twitter: @reflectinghist If you like the podcast and have 30 seconds to spare, consider leaving a review on iTunes/Apple Podcasts...It helps! Try my audio course: Why do 'good' people support evil leaders? What allure does Fascism hold that enables it to garner popular support? And what lessons can history teach us about today? My audio course 'A Beginners Guide to Understanding & Resisting Fascism: Nazi Germany and the Battle for the Human Heart' explores these massive questions through the lens of Nazi Germany and the ordinary people who lived, loved, collaborated and even resisted during those times. Through exploring the past, I hope to unlock lessons that all learners on the course can apply to the present day - from why fascism attracts people to how it can be resisted. I'm donating 20% of the proceeds to Givewell's Maximum Impact Fund, and the course also comes with a 100% money back guarantee. Check it out at https://avid.fm/reflectinghistory
What is freedom? Is it possible to truly make free decisions? How does this relate to the political concept of tyranny? In a world where freedom is often seen as one of the highest ethical priorities, it's worth taking a closer look at what freedom really is. Questions about freedom have been pondered since the beginnings of humanity, including the Ancient Greek philosophers Socrates and Plato offering analysis on the topic that is still relevant today. Read Book IX of Plato's Republic here: http://classics.mit.edu/Plato/republic.10.ix.html Support the podcast: https://www.patreon.com/reflectinghistory Reflecting History on Twitter: @reflectinghist If you like the podcast and have 30 seconds to spare, consider leaving a review on iTunes/Apple Podcasts...It helps! Try my audio course: Why do 'good' people support evil leaders? What allure does Fascism hold that enables it to garner popular support? And what lessons can history teach us about today? My audio course 'A Beginners Guide to Understanding & Resisting Fascism: Nazi Germany and the Battle for the Human Heart' explores these massive questions through the lens of Nazi Germany and the ordinary people who lived, loved, collaborated and even resisted during those times. Through exploring the past, I hope to unlock lessons that all learners on the course can apply to the present day - from why fascism attracts people to how it can be resisted. I'm donating 20% of the proceeds to Givewell's Maximum Impact Fund, and the course also comes with a 100% money back guarantee. Check it out at https://avid.fm/reflectinghistory
"There are decades where nothing happens, and there are weeks where decades happen." Vladimir Lenin's famous words beg the question: are some moments in history more significant than others? Are there "crossroads" time periods in history where a given path can branch into multiple different pathways? What are some examples of these crossroads moments and what creates these seismic shifts in the trajectory of history? Support the podcast: https://www.patreon.com/reflectinghistory Reflecting History on Twitter: @reflectinghist If you like the podcast and have 30 seconds to spare, consider leaving a review on iTunes/Apple Podcasts...It helps! Try the audio course: Why do 'good' people support evil leaders? What allure does Fascism hold that enables it to garner popular support? And what lessons can history teach us about today? My audio course 'A Beginners Guide to Understanding & Resisting Fascism: Nazi Germany and the Battle for the Human Heart' explores these massive questions through the lens of Nazi Germany and the ordinary people who lived, loved, collaborated and even resisted during those times. Through exploring the past, I hope to unlock lessons that all learners on the course can apply to the present day - from why fascism attracts people to how it can be resisted. I'm donating 20% of the proceeds to Givewell's Maximum Impact Fund, and the course also comes with a 100% money back guarantee. Check it out at https://avid.fm/reflectinghistory
Is it possible to ever be truly happy? What if your happiness rests on a backbone of degradation and exploitation? Is it right to sacrifice the few for the many? What should be done about injustice in the world? All of these questions and more are contemplated in Ursula Le Guin's amazing short story "The Ones Who Walk Away From Omelas." Read the story here: https://learning.hccs.edu/faculty/emily.klotz/engl1302-6/readings/the-ones-who-walk-away-from-omelas-ursula-le-guin/view Support the podcast: https://www.patreon.com/reflectinghistory Reflecting History on Twitter: @reflectinghist If you like the podcast and have 30 seconds to spare, consider leaving a review on iTunes/Apple Podcasts...It helps! Try the audio course: Why do 'good' people support evil leaders? What allure does Fascism hold that enables it to garner popular support? And what lessons can history teach us about today? My audio course 'A Beginners Guide to Understanding & Resisting Fascism: Nazi Germany and the Battle...
From universities down to the Hitler Youth, the education system in 1930's Germany was co-opted by Nazi ideology. In what ways did the endorsement of Nazi ideals by prominent thinkers and intellectuals impact popular opinion? In what ways did the education system change to align itself with Nazi beliefs? How did this impact ordinary people? Try the audio course: Why do 'good' people support evil leaders? What allure does Fascism hold that enables it to garner popular support? And what lessons can history teach us about today? My audio course 'A Beginners Guide to Understanding & Resisting Fascism: Nazi Germany and the Battle for the Human Heart' explores these massive questions through the lens of Nazi Germany and the ordinary people who lived, loved, collaborated and even resisted during those times. Through exploring the past, I hope to unlock lessons that all learners on the course can apply to the present day - from why fascism attracts people to how it can be resisted. I'm donating 20% of the proceeds to Givewell's Maximum Impact Fund, and the course also comes with a 100% money back guarantee. Check it out at https://avid.fm/reflectinghistory Support the podcast: https://www.patreon.com/reflectinghistory Reflecting History on Twitter: @reflectinghist If you like the podcast and have 30 seconds to spare, consider leaving a review on iTunes/Apple Podcasts...It helps!
For as long as there has been history, there has been a struggle to interpret and analyze that history. Different perspectives, ideologies, and approaches permeate the study of the past. So which interpretation of history is the correct one? Could we all come to a consensus? What if we had a time machine that allowed us to all go back to the same moment and take the guess work and perspective out of history, leaving behind only the facts and the evidence? What would thinking about these questions tell us about what history means and who deserves to have access to it? Ken Liu uses the World War II era atrocities of Japanese Unit 731 to analyze these questions and more in his epic short story "The Man Who Ended History." Read the story here: https://bbs.pku.edu.cn/attach/93/f6/93f63ba1560a8e2d/liu_the_man_who_ended_history.pdf Support the podcast: https://www.patreon.com/reflectinghistory Reflecting History on Twitter: @reflectinghist If you like the podcast and have 30 seconds to spare, consider leaving a review on iTunes/Apple Podcasts...It helps! Try my audio course: Why do 'good' people support evil leaders? What allure does Fascism hold that enables it to garner popular support? And what lessons can history teach us about today? My audio course 'A Beginners Guide to Understanding & Resisting Fascism: Nazi Germany and the Battle for the Human Heart' explores these massive questions through the lens of Nazi Germany and the ordinary people who lived, loved, collaborated and even resisted during those times. Through exploring the past, I hope to unlock lessons that all learners on the course can apply to the present day - from why fascism attracts people to how it can be resisted. I'm donating 20% of the proceeds to Givewell's Maximum Impact Fund, and the course also comes with a 100% money back guarantee. Check it out at https://avid.fm/reflectinghistory