RIVET COUNTER

Listen to all the episodes before anyone else

$2.99/mo or $34.99/yr after trial

History Rage

Paul Bavill
  • 4.9 (33)
  • HISTORY
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Think history is boring? That’s because you’ve only ever heard the fake version. On History Rage, professional historians come in swinging — smashing the myths, clichés, and half-truths that keep getting recycled in classrooms, documentaries, and TikToks. Vikings with horned helmets? Nope. Britain standing alone in 1940? Wrong. Medieval people never bathed? Rubbish. Why listen? Because the truth is way more exciting. You’ll leave every episode with jaw-dropping stories, killer facts to shut down pub bores, and the smug satisfaction of knowing what really happened. 🎧 Episodes drop every Monday. 📲 Follow now and get the history they don’t teach you — raw, raging, and real. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

  1. 1D AGO

    294. Where Have All The Protest Songs Gone? with Fraser McCallum | IWM History Festival Special 2

    Cold War Protest Songs, Punk Anthems, and Nuclear Pop Culture Collide Why did the Cold War produce generations of unforgettable protest songs while today’s crises barely inspire a mainstream anthem? In this electrifying episode of History Rage, host Paul Bavill welcomes back historian, author, and Imperial War Museum senior manager Fraser McCallum to trace the history of protest music from folk ballads and Bob Dylan through punk, hip hop, Live Aid, and Cold War pop classics. From Two Tribes and 99 Red Balloons to Fortunate Son, London Calling, and Born in the USA, Fraser explores how music became the soundtrack to nuclear fear, civil rights, Vietnam, Thatcherism, and the fall of the Berlin Wall. Along the way, the pair discuss why protest songs once dominated Top of the Pops and ask the big question: where have all the decent protest songs gone? Expect passionate debate on: Bob Dylan and the birth of modern protest music Folk traditions, skiffle, and anti-war ballads Vietnam War classics like Fortunate Son and Paint It Black Punk, Thatcherism, and London Calling Nuclear anxiety in Two Tribes and 99 Luftballons Bruce Springsteen, David Bowie, and Cold War Berlin Why modern artists rarely risk overt political protest songs Fraser also shares fascinating insights into how pop culture and Western music seeped through the Iron Curtain, influencing East Germany and the wider Cold War world. Fraser is the author of Cold War Britain. Buy the book from the History Rage Bookshop here: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10120/9780008743994 Listen to Fraser’s specially curated Cold War soundtrack playlists: Apple Music Playlist: https://music.apple.com/gb/playlist/cold-war-britain-the-soundtrack-to-the-book/pl.u-NRp7s3pq7o Spotify Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2lZ7HBrKKyBj31wXKXx2nq?si=-jyLeTguToieWb87K3CG3A&pi=0lbsCZu1SV2xV&nd=1&dlsi=0de49b8d828a4db0 Fraser will also be hosting the IWM History Festival at IWM Duxford on 13–14 June 2026, featuring leading historians, authors, and live discussions surrounded by iconic wartime aircraft. Tickets available here: https://www.iwm.org.uk/events/iwm-duxford/iwm-history-festival Follow Fraser McCallum and the Imperial War Museum online: https://www.iwm.org.uk/ Love the show? Support History Rage by subscribing, leaving a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, and sharing the episode on social media. Follow and contact History Rage: Website: https://historyrage.com/ X: https://x.com/historyrage Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/historyrage/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/historyrage/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    1h 10m

  2. 1D AGO • SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

    The Historic Royal Family Was Way More Dysfunctional than Anything We Have Now with Charlie Higson | Chalke History Festival Special #2

    From exploding kings to civil wars, Britain’s royals were never respectable. Comedy legend, author and podcast host Charlie Higson joins History Rage to dismantle the myth that today’s monarchy is uniquely scandalous. From William the Conqueror’s warring sons to murderous Plantagenets, abusive Hanoverians and Edward VII’s infamous Parisian “sex chair”, Charlie argues the Royal Family has always been gloriously dysfunctional. Drawing from his brilliant new book Willy, Willy, Harry, Stee, Charlie takes Paul Bavill on a whirlwind tour through a thousand years of royal chaos, revealing why modern headlines about Harry, Meghan and Prince Andrew are tame compared to the behaviour of their ancestors. Expect exploding corpses, imprisoned wives, civil wars, royal affairs, fathers and sons at war, and the astonishing truth behind Britain’s longest-running soap opera. In this episode: • Why William the Conqueror’s family immediately descended into violence • The endless cycle of Plantagenet betrayal and civil war • Why Edward II may have been too normal to be king • The shocking dysfunction of the Georgian monarchy • The real story behind George IV and Queen Caroline • Edward VII’s scandalous private life and surprising political successes • Why the monarchy survives despite centuries of scandal Charlie also explains why Britain remains fascinated by royalty — and why countries that abolished monarchies still recreate them through celebrity dynasties and political families. Charlie Higson will be appearing at the Chalke History Festival on Sunday 28th June. Tickets available here: https://www.chalkefestival.com/ Buy Charlie’s book here: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10120/9780008741051 Follow Charlie Higson: • https://x.com/monstroso Follow and support History Rage: • https://historyrage.com/ • https://www.patreon.com/historyrage • https://www.facebook.com/historyragepodcast • https://www.instagram.com/historyragepodcast/ • https://x.com/historyrage If you enjoy sharp historical debate, outrageous true stories and irreverent takes on Britain’s past, subscribe now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever you get your podcasts.

    1h 10m

  3. 4D AGO • SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

    The Fall of the Byzantine Empire was NOT inevitable with Laura Bolick

    The Byzantine Empire didn’t have to fall—history simply chose differently. The fall of Constantinople in 1453 is often presented as the inevitable end of a decaying empire—but what if that narrative is completely wrong? In this episode of History Rage, historian and author Laura Bolick dismantles one of history’s most persistent myths: that the Byzantine Empire was doomed long before the Ottoman cannons fired. Drawing on her book Saving Byzantium: The Struggle to Salvage an Empire, Laura reveals a world full of missed opportunities, fragile alliances, political infighting, and last-minute efforts that nearly changed history. Rather than a slow collapse caused by decadence, the Byzantine story is one of diplomacy, survival, and desperate attempts to rally Western support that very nearly worked. At the heart of this story are two remarkable figures—Cardinal Johannes Bessarion and Isidore of Kiev—who risked everything to secure military aid from Western Europe. Their mission to unite the Orthodox and Catholic Churches was intended to bring the crusading forces that might have saved Constantinople. Incredibly, Ottoman commanders themselves nearly abandoned the siege before a final breakthrough changed the course of history forever. This episode explores the deeper causes behind the fall of Byzantium, including Western complacency, internal European conflicts, and the dangerous assumption that great cities could never truly fall. It’s a powerful reminder that history isn’t predetermined—it's shaped by decisions, timing, and human choices. In This Episode, We Discuss: • Why the fall of Constantinople was not historically inevitable • How Western Europe failed to support Byzantium when it mattered most • The political and religious tensions between Orthodox and Catholic Churches • The role of crusades in late medieval diplomacy • How the Ottomans engineered one of history’s most remarkable sieges • What Byzantium’s fall teaches us about modern geopolitical complacency About the Guest Laura Bolick is an art historian and researcher specialising in late medieval Byzantium and Renaissance intellectual culture. Her work focuses on the cultural survival of Byzantium and the figures who fought to preserve its legacy. Book: Saving Byzantium: The Struggle to Salvage an Empire Buy from the History Rage Bookshop: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10120/9781398122192 (Using this link supports independent bookshops and the podcast.) Follow Laura Bolick • Check your preferred bookseller for Saving Byzantium: The Struggle to Salvage an Empire • Look out for talks, articles, and appearances connected to Byzantine and Renaissance history Follow & Support History Rage Love bold historical debate and myth-busting scholarship? Here’s how to stay connected: • Website: https://historyrage.com • Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/historyrage • Facebook: https://facebook.com/historyrage • Instagram: https://instagram.com/historyrage Support the Podcast • Subscribe on Apple Podcasts • Listen ad-free for £3/month via Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/historyrage • Share this episode with fellow history enthusiasts Your support helps keep historical myths under siege. Why This Episode Matters History often looks inevitable in hindsight—but as this episode reveals, the fall of Byzantium was anything but certain. From near-abandoned sieges to failed crusades and shifting alliances, the fate of Constantinople hung on fragile moments and human decisions. Understanding those moments doesn’t just reshape medieval history—it challenges how we think about the future.

    50 min

  4. 4D AGO

    293. Drones Aren’t Modern: The Victorian Origins of Unmanned Warfare with Mark Piesing

    Drones didn’t start in Silicon Valley — they began with Victorians and war Drones feel like the defining weapon of the 21st century — cheap, disposable, and terrifyingly effective. But what if that belief is completely wrong? In this episode of History Rage, aviation historian and journalist Mark Piesing explodes the modern myth surrounding drones and reveals a truth that stretches back more than 120 years. Long before satellites, digital cameras, or GPS, Victorian engineers were already imagining — and building — pilotless weapons designed to change warfare forever. From Nikola Tesla’s radio-controlled boats in the 1890s, to British attack drones planned during the First World War, this episode traces how unmanned warfare evolved through failed experiments, secret Cold War programmes, and nuclear testing — long before the Predator ever flew. Mark explains why the “father of the drone” was a British engineer targeted by German assassins, how Marilyn Monroe began her career on a drone production line, and why US Navy admirals were signing orders for thousands of attack drones before the Battle of Midway. Along the way, Paul and Mark explore why these technologies repeatedly promised to change war — and why military bureaucracy so often held them back. This is not a story of sudden innovation. It’s a story of persistence, secrecy, and ideas far ahead of the technology needed to make them work. And it explains why today’s drone warfare in Ukraine looks eerily familiar to predictions made in 1898. If you think drones are a modern invention, prepare to be very, very angry. Guest: Mark Piesing Mark Piesing is an award-winning journalist and aviation historian specialising in unmanned systems, aerospace innovation, and Cold War technology. His work has appeared with the Smithsonian, Royal Aeronautical Society, and major international publications. Read more here: https://markpiesing.com/2025/07/03/i-was-asked-to-write-this-piece-by-history-com-how-drones-have-upended-warfare/ Follow & contact Mark Twitter/X: @markpiesingInstagram: @markpiesingwrites Further listening History Rage Episode 196 – Mark rages against polar explorers: https://pod.fo/e/2c75bdHistory Rage Episode 53 – Nikola Tesla with Iwun Morus: https://pod.fo/e/16c1d5 About History Rage History Rage is the podcast where historians unleash their fury on the myths, half-truths, and bad history we all think we know. Hosted by Paul Bavill, each episode gives an expert one burning misconception to destroy — loudly, passionately, and with evidence. Follow History Rage Twitter/X: @HistoryRageInstagram: @historyrageWebsite: www.historyrage.com Support the Podcast If you enjoy independent, expert-led history without ads, you can support History Rage in several ways: £3/month – Ad-free listening via Apple Podcasts or Patreon£5/month – Ask questions to future guests and receive the coveted History Rage mug👉 Support the show at patreon.com/historyrage Or simply tell someone else about the podcast — word of mouth keeps History Rage alive. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    53 min

  5. 5D AGO • SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

    Where Have All the Protest Songs Gone? With Fraser McCallum | IWM History Festival Special 2

    Cold War Protest Songs, Punk Anthems, and Nuclear Pop Culture Collide Why did the Cold War produce generations of unforgettable protest songs while today’s crises barely inspire a mainstream anthem? In this electrifying episode of History Rage, host Paul Bavill welcomes back historian, author, and Imperial War Museum senior manager Fraser McCallum to trace the history of protest music from folk ballads and Bob Dylan through punk, hip hop, Live Aid, and Cold War pop classics. From Two Tribes and 99 Red Balloons to Fortunate Son, London Calling, and Born in the USA, Fraser explores how music became the soundtrack to nuclear fear, civil rights, Vietnam, Thatcherism, and the fall of the Berlin Wall. Along the way, the pair discuss why protest songs once dominated Top of the Pops and ask the big question: where have all the decent protest songs gone? Expect passionate debate on: • Bob Dylan and the birth of modern protest music • Folk traditions, skiffle, and anti-war ballads • Vietnam War classics like Fortunate Son and Paint It Black • Punk, Thatcherism, and London Calling • Nuclear anxiety in Two Tribes and 99 Luftballons • Bruce Springsteen, David Bowie, and Cold War Berlin • Why modern artists rarely risk overt political protest songs Fraser also shares fascinating insights into how pop culture and Western music seeped through the Iron Curtain, influencing East Germany and the wider Cold War world. Fraser is the author of Cold War Britain. Buy the book from the History Rage Bookshop here: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10120/9780008743994 Listen to Fraser’s specially curated Cold War soundtrack playlists: Apple Music Playlist: https://music.apple.com/gb/playlist/cold-war-britain-the-soundtrack-to-the-book/pl.u-NRp7s3pq7o Fraser will also be hosting the IWM History Festival at IWM Duxford on 13–14 June 2026, featuring leading historians, authors, and live discussions surrounded by iconic wartime aircraft. Tickets available here: https://www.iwm.org.uk/events/iwm-duxford/iwm-history-festival Follow Fraser McCallum and the Imperial War Museum online: https://www.iwm.org.uk/ Love the show? Support History Rage by subscribing, leaving a review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify, and sharing the episode on social media. Follow and contact History Rage: Website: https://historyrage.com/ X: https://x.com/historyrage Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/historyrage/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/historyrage/

    1h 10m

  6. MAY 7 • SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

    Weimar is a place not a crazy republic with Katja Hoyer | Chalke History Festival Special 1

    Weimar Was a Real Place Before It Became a Political Warning The “Weimar Republic” has become shorthand for collapse, extremism, and economic chaos — but as historian and author Katja Hoyer argues in this episode of History Rage, Weimar was first and foremost a real town with a rich cultural history stretching back centuries. Home to Goethe, Schiller, Liszt and Nietzsche, Weimar was long considered the spiritual and intellectual heart of Germany before it ever became associated with democratic failure. In this fascinating conversation, Katja dismantles the clichés surrounding interwar Germany by exploring how ordinary people experienced extraordinary political change. Through the lives of Weimar residents — bookbinders, teachers, social democrats and shopkeepers — she reveals how hope, apathy, fear and economic despair gradually transformed a fragile democracy into a dictatorship. From the optimism surrounding Germany’s first truly democratic elections in 1919 to the devastation of hyperinflation, the Great Depression, and the rise of Nazism, this episode explores how extremism becomes acceptable when people feel abandoned by politics. Katja explains why the Nazis initially remained a fringe movement, how the economic crash of 1929 changed everything, and why so many ordinary Germans convinced themselves to look away from the horrors developing around them. The discussion also examines Weimar’s proximity to Buchenwald concentration camp and the uncomfortable realities of what civilians knew — or chose not to know — as Nazi brutality escalated. This is a powerful exploration of how democratic societies fracture, and why understanding the everyday experience of historical change matters now more than ever. Katja’s new book, Weimar: Life on the Edge of Catastrophe, is available here: https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10120/9780241681244 You can also hear Katja on her podcast Reichs and Republics, and follow her work here: Substack: https://www.katjahoyer.uk/ X/Twitter: https://x.com/hoyer_kat 🎟️ Katja Hoyer will also be appearing at the Chalke History Festival on Friday 26 June. Tickets available here: https://www.chalkefestival.com/ If you enjoy History Rage, please follow, rate and review the podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify — it genuinely helps new listeners discover the show. You can support the podcast and become an official History Rager here: https://www.patreon.com/historyrage Follow and contact History Rage: Website: https://historyrage.com X/Twitter: https://x.com/historyrage Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/historyrage Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/historyrage

    56 min

  7. MAY 6

    292. Blitz Spirit is NOT Keep Calm and Carry On with Joshua Levine | IWM Festival Special

    The Blitz myth shattered: courage, crime, and chaos behind stoicism The familiar story of Britain’s Blitz—calm, united, unshaken—is one of the most powerful myths of the Second World War. But in this gripping episode of History Rage, historian Joshua Levine dismantles the “Keep Calm and Carry On” narrative and reveals a far more complex reality. Drawing on firsthand accounts and deep archival research, Joshua shows how the Blitz was not a single story of resilience, but a patchwork of human experiences. Alongside genuine moments of solidarity—strangers comforting each other under falling bombs—there were also spikes in crime, looting, black marketeering, and deeply personal tragedies driven by desperation. We explore how wartime propaganda helped shape the enduring myth of the “Blitz Spirit,” promoting unity while downplaying panic, fear, and social tension. Even the iconic “Keep Calm and Carry On” poster was barely used during the war, despite becoming a defining symbol decades later. Joshua also uncovers how the Blitz became a turning point in British society. Class boundaries blurred, communities were reshaped, and people lived with an intensity that led to dramatic social change—including what he provocatively describes as a “first sexual revolution.” At the same time, the government’s response to bombing and homelessness laid early foundations for the modern welfare state. This episode challenges everything you thought you knew about wartime Britain—and replaces myth with nuance, humanity, and truth. 👤 About the Guest Joshua Levine is a leading social historian and author specialising in modern British history and the Second World War. 📖 The Secret History of the Blitz Buy your copy here (and support independent bookshops): 👉 https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10120/9781398550681 🎤 Live Event: Joshua will be speaking at the Imperial War Museum History Festival at IWM Duxford on Saturday 13th June. 🎟️ Tickets available here: https://www.iwm.org.uk/events/iwm-duxford/iwm-history-festival Check out the IWM Sound Archive at: https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/sound 🎧 Follow History Rage Stay connected and never miss an episode: 🌐 Website: www.historyrage.com 🐦 Twitter/X: @HistoryRage 📘 Instagram: @historyrage 📩 Email: historyragepod@gmail.com 💥 Support the Show Love what you hear? Become a History Rager on Patreon: 👉 £5/month gets you: Entry into the monthly book draw 📚Access to exclusive listener Q&As 🎙️The coveted History Rage mug ☕ If you’re tired of oversimplified history, this episode is your antidote—revealing the Blitz as it truly was: messy, contradictory, and profoundly human. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

    57 min

  8. MAY 4 • SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

    Blitz Spirit is NOT Keep Calm and Carry On with Joshua Levine | IWM Festival Special

    The Blitz myth shattered: courage, crime, and chaos behind stoicism The familiar story of Britain’s Blitz—calm, united, unshaken—is one of the most powerful myths of the Second World War. But in this gripping episode of History Rage, historian Joshua Levine dismantles the “Keep Calm and Carry On” narrative and reveals a far more complex reality. Drawing on firsthand accounts and deep archival research, Joshua shows how the Blitz was not a single story of resilience, but a patchwork of human experiences. Alongside genuine moments of solidarity—strangers comforting each other under falling bombs—there were also spikes in crime, looting, black marketeering, and deeply personal tragedies driven by desperation. We explore how wartime propaganda helped shape the enduring myth of the “Blitz Spirit,” promoting unity while downplaying panic, fear, and social tension. Even the iconic “Keep Calm and Carry On” poster was barely used during the war, despite becoming a defining symbol decades later. Joshua also uncovers how the Blitz became a turning point in British society. Class boundaries blurred, communities were reshaped, and people lived with an intensity that led to dramatic social change—including what he provocatively describes as a “first sexual revolution.” At the same time, the government’s response to bombing and homelessness laid early foundations for the modern welfare state. This episode challenges everything you thought you knew about wartime Britain—and replaces myth with nuance, humanity, and truth. 👤 About the Guest Joshua Levine is a leading social historian and author specialising in modern British history and the Second World War. 📖 The Secret History of the Blitz Buy your copy here (and support independent bookshops): 👉 https://uk.bookshop.org/a/10120/9781398550681 🎤 Live Event: Joshua will be speaking at the Imperial War Museum History Festival at IWM Duxford on Saturday 13th June. 🎟️ Tickets available here: https://www.iwm.org.uk/events/iwm-duxford/iwm-history-festival Check out the IWM Sound Archive at: https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/sound 🎧 Follow History Rage Stay connected and never miss an episode: 🌐 Website: www.historyrage.com 🐦 Twitter/X: @HistoryRage 📘 Instagram: @historyrage 📩 Email: historyragepod@gmail.com 💥 Support the Show Love what you hear? Become a History Rager on Patreon: 👉 £5/month gets you: • Entry into the monthly book draw 📚 • Access to exclusive listener Q&As 🎙️ • The coveted History Rage mug ☕ If you’re tired of oversimplified history, this episode is your antidote—revealing the Blitz as it truly was: messy, contradictory, and profoundly human.

    57 min
See All (382)

Trailers

4.9
out of 5
33 Ratings

About

Think history is boring? That’s because you’ve only ever heard the fake version. On History Rage, professional historians come in swinging — smashing the myths, clichés, and half-truths that keep getting recycled in classrooms, documentaries, and TikToks. Vikings with horned helmets? Nope. Britain standing alone in 1940? Wrong. Medieval people never bathed? Rubbish. Why listen? Because the truth is way more exciting. You’ll leave every episode with jaw-dropping stories, killer facts to shut down pub bores, and the smug satisfaction of knowing what really happened. 🎧 Episodes drop every Monday. 📲 Follow now and get the history they don’t teach you — raw, raging, and real. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Information

  • Creator
    Paul Bavill
  • Years Active
    2021 - 2026
  • Episodes
    382
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2022-2025 Paul Bavill
  • Show Website
    History Rage
  • Provider
    PAUL BAVILL

You Might Also Like