444. The First Emperor of China

‘If it became necessary immediately to discard every line and method of communications used on the front, except one, and it were left to me to select that one method, I should unhesitatingly choose the pigeons’, wrote Major General Fowler, Chief of Signals and Communications of the British Army, after the First World War. On today's podcast Tom and Dominic are joined by Gordon Corera, the BBC's Security Correspondent and author of 'Operation Columba: The Secret Pigeon Service', to discuss the often under-appreciated role of pigeons throughout the course of history. Join The Rest Is History Club for ad-free listening to the full archive, weekly bonus episodes, live streamed shows and access to an exclusive chatroom community. *The Rest Is History Live Tour 2023*: Tom and Dominic are back on tour this autumn! See them live in London, New Zealand, and Australia! Buy your tickets here: restishistorypod.com Twitter:  @TheRestHistory @holland_tom @dcsandbrook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

1 Aug 202253min

Tom and Dominic are again joined by Iain MacGregor to discuss the climax of the Battle of Stalingrad, Pavlov's House, and the Red Army's counter offensive that ultimately defeated the Axis forces. Join The Rest Is History Club for ad-free listening to the full archive, weekly bonus episodes, live streamed shows and access to an exclusive chatroom community. *The Rest Is History Live Tour 2023*: Tom and Dominic are back on tour this autumn! See them live in London, New Zealand, and Australia! Buy your tickets here: restishistorypod.com Twitter:  @TheRestHistory @holland_tom @dcsandbrook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

28 Jul 202248min

Stalingrad: the bloodiest battle of the Second World War. Tom and Dominic are joined by Iain MacGregor to discuss the build up, context and outbreak of the Battle of Stalingrad. A second Stalingrad episode will be released on Thursday to your podcast feed. However, if you are part of The Rest Is History Club, you get the second episode right NOW! Join The Rest Is History Club for ad-free listening to the full archive, weekly bonus episodes, live streamed shows and access to an exclusive chatroom community. *The Rest Is History Live Tour 2023*: Tom and Dominic are back on tour this autumn! See them live in London, New Zealand, and Australia! Buy your tickets here: restishistorypod.com Twitter:  @TheRestHistory @holland_tom @dcsandbrook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

25 Jul 202248min

Welcome to the fifth and final episode in our London Week. Enjoyed the series? Click here to become a member of The Rest Is History Club - you'll get ad-free listening to the full archive, weekly bonus episodes, live streamed shows and access to an exclusive chatroom community. London: Moments A drunk elephant, a polar bear swimming in the Thames, and Metroland are discussed by Tom and Dominic in the final London Week episode, as they explore the Royal Menagerie at the Tower of London and the expansion of the metropolitan railway.  *The Rest Is History Live Tour 2023*: Tom and Dominic are back on tour this autumn! See them live in London, New Zealand, and Australia! Buy your tickets here: restishistorypod.com Twitter:  @TheRestHistory @holland_tom @dcsandbrook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

22 Jul 202233min

Welcome to the fourth episode in our London Week mini-series. To get tomorrow's final episode right now, become a member of The Rest Is History Club - you'll also get ad-free listening to the full archive, weekly bonus episodes, live streamed shows and access to an exclusive chatroom community. London: Haunted London Join Tom and Dominic for a special live, on location episode as they walk around central London exploring the haunted remnants of the past. *The Rest Is History Live Tour 2023*: Tom and Dominic are back on tour this autumn! See them live in London, New Zealand, and Australia! Buy your tickets here: restishistorypod.com Twitter:  @TheRestHistory @holland_tom @dcsandbrook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

21 Jul 202250min

Welcome to the third episode in our new mini-series: LONDON WEEK. From Monday to Friday we're releasing an episode daily. Monday's 'Londinium' and Thursday's 'Haunted London' are live episodes we recorded on location earlier this year. On Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday we're releasing episodes on 'Places', 'People', and 'Moments' from London's past. To get ALL episodes right now, become a member of The Rest Is History Club - you'll also get ad-free listening to the full archive, weekly bonus episodes, live streamed shows and access to an exclusive chatroom community. London: People Henry Fielding and C.L.R. James - two figures who are part of the furniture in London's history. Tom and Dominic debate and discuss their lives and legacy in the latest episode of London Week.  *The Rest Is History Live Tour 2023*: Tom and Dominic are back on tour this autumn! See them live in London, New Zealand, and Australia! Buy your tickets here: restishistorypod.com Twitter:  @TheRestHistory @holland_tom @dcsandbrook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

20 Jul 202239min

Welcome to the second episode in our new mini-series: LONDON WEEK. From Monday to Friday we'll release an episode daily. Monday's 'Londinium' and Thursday's 'Haunted London' are live episodes we recorded on location earlier this year. On Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday we're releasing episodes on 'Places', 'People', and 'Moments' from London's past. To get ALL episodes right now, become a member of The Rest Is History Club - you'll also get ad-free listening to the full archive, weekly bonus episodes, live streamed shows and access to an exclusive chatroom community. London: Places In the second episode of London Week, Tom and Dominic focus on two very different historical places in London's past, discussing Barking Abbey and the 2i's Coffee Bar. *The Rest Is History Live Tour 2023*: Tom and Dominic are back on tour this autumn! See them live in London, New Zealand, and Australia! Buy your tickets here: restishistorypod.com Twitter:  @TheRestHistory @holland_tom @dcsandbrook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

19 Jul 202237min

Welcome to the first episode in our new mini-series: LONDON WEEK. From Monday to Friday we'll release an episode daily. Today's 'Londinium' and Thursday's 'Haunted London' are live episodes we recorded on location earlier this year. On Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday we'll be releasing episodes on 'Places', 'People', and 'Moments' from London's past. To get ALL FIVE episodes right now, become a member of The Rest Is History Club - you'll also get ad-free listening to the full archive, weekly bonus episodes, live streamed shows and access to an exclusive chatroom community. *The Rest Is History Live Tour 2023*: Tom and Dominic are back on tour this autumn! See them live in London, New Zealand, and Australia! Buy your tickets here: restishistorypod.com Twitter:  @TheRestHistory @holland_tom @dcsandbrook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

18 Jul 202253min