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David Reynolds rocks. Always enjoy his history episodes. Hope he makes more contemporary episodes.

We must not forget what they died for in the Great War.David Reynolds telling of this story is extremely important.

Another David Reynolds masterpiece..I would love to sit in to one of his lectures at his university or he came to Australia -- then i'd be there , for sure. In 2015 I was travelling on the overnight from Vienna to Warsaw by train -- a Polish friend explained " . we are now in the claimed Polish part .. " prior to the Polish boulder ..." -- he was born after ww2 This is , again , such in depth information. More documents , David , you are a marvel ! MORE , MORE , .. PLEASE!

the morph at 22:40 is amazing! as always, a very insightful series that draws together the seemingly disparate threads of 20th century history.

David Reynolds is one of the super realtors of the worlds history. I cant wonder why there is not more video docs by this genius presenter. More please ,David

This chap is spot on he can weave history his forensic unpicking of the "warp and Weft of time" is compelling

Totally enjoy how the narrator presented these Timelines, very informative and it’s title is very appropriate ..it helps us put the timeline of history in proper perspective .👍

To me, the overall theme of this series is that when the people are being forced into anything, they will eventually rebel. Sometimes it seems there is little choice for leaders given the circumstances of the day, but it remains true that resentment will grow and people will rise up. Most people want to be free and be among people who share many things in common. That's not racist, it's just observation.

Great series,very incisive and accurate,especially pointing out the feelings of Australia and the Commonweath after being 'left in the lurch' by the TORIES IN '73....As ponted out by Paul Keating the Australian Treasurer.The Brits cant take them for granted anymore....they have gone elsewhere for their markets,hahaha

There needs to be a 4th episode about the affects of nationalism in the middle east after the great war and how the U.S and Britain worked to contain it only for it to backfire into the tragedy it is today, not only for democracies but also for Arabic nations.

Outstanding series of documentaries on WWI and the following years leading up to WWII. Too bad history isn't taught like this in schools.

Dr Reynolds makes a case for the EU against the backdrop of European national struggles from the Great War on. But, given recent "history", and a resurgence of nationalist/populist sentiment (e.g. Britain, Hungary, Poland, Austria), perhaps there's another chapter yet to be written to describe the shade under the Long Shadow. "The genie of nationalism" is still out of the bottle. It was Junker this week who just made a derogatory comment about those people who "love their countries".

Thankful for all this useful historical record and long perspective on human nature.

Dear David Reynolds and Timeline, you're beautiful brother. No one else could have tied to vacillating history of Europe through the 20th century so well. Thank you Sir for a perfect story. Bravo.-Paul

An interesting take on the after affect's of the war and the role nationalism played in European politics then and now. As an American, I look at the war through a different lens since outside of Pearl Harbor, my nation didn't experience the long conflict at the at the ground level. There was no battle for New York and at the end of the day we came out of both wars stronger than when we went in. But then we picked up the mantle of world management for lack of better term and spent a lot of blood and treasure on matters that 100 years earlier would not have concerned us. The shadow of both wars does spread far and wide. As for the fate of nationalism moving forward, I believe it is being replaced by a form of global corporatism. National identities are being submerged into global markets and the new alliances between corporate entities and state-run government's is altering the way people look at each other and to a large extent how future conflicts will unfold and be fought. There may be a time when large armies roam the countryside again, grabbing up resources along the way, but not before the age of the technocrat has run its course. The world is linked in a unique way where the old rules not only do not apply, most have been scrubbed from the national consciousness. Strange times indeed.

Great Doco Shocking History, So Much Sadness, Lives and Families Torn Apart.

One correction, he kept saying ulster and northern ireland as if they were the same. Ulster has nine counties of which six are northern ireland.

I love the Timeline series....good enough to be courses in (the) humanities.

Terrifically well done done and professional presentation of a very important subject. RS. Canada

When Sinn Fein (which is Irish for "We Ourselves,") was founded in 1905, its original goal wasn't for independence from the UK, at least not yet, but to have an Irish assembly in Dublin, much like the Austro-hungarian empire had Vienna and Budapest for the Austrian and Hungarian parts of the empire. However, it was after the Easter Rising that those who fought in and survived the Rising that joined the party, reorganising it to match what was proclaimed in the Declaration of Irish Independence in April 1916. When they won ~70 of the ~100 Irish seats in the British parliament in the general election of 1918, those (at the time) newly elected MP's refused to take their seats at Westminster. Instead, they met in the Mansion House in Dublin, forming the first Dáil Éireann, intended to reflect their goal of becoming fully independent from Britain. However, because of a combination of the noise from the Unionists in the north, not wanting any part of a United and independent Ireland, and reluctance (to say the very least) for Ireland to leave the United Kingdom, it sowed the seeds for yet more bloodshed on an island that had already seen more than its fair share of violence and bloodshed (during the Irish War of Independence, there were two Bloody Sundays, one in Dublin in 1920 and one in Belfast in 1921, not to be confused with the one that occurred in Derry/Londonderry in 1972 during the Troubles)

I think that 2 additional episodes are clearly warranted: Middle East and Africa. For certain, the arbitrary post Versailles Treat boundaries in Africa and the ME have contributed immensely to the troubles both they face there today and conversely those effects on us in the West. A lot of fake countries in the areas with a mish-mash of populations that have no business being squeezed into one country or another. They are legacies of the "great" empires of 14-18 definitely created as such for divide and conquer purposes. All in all, I enjoyed the 3 part documentary. Very informative. Just wonder how many tan suits and blue shirts gave their lives in the making of it. Also, some absolutely stunning location shooting. Thank you!!!

*I would love to be at a dinner party with David Reynolds. especially as a history and war buff*

This man is the best ww2 narrator ever. He is Sir David Attenborough version of history

I love Wales ❤️ long live Cardiff! Reynolds is a great and pragmatic historian 👍

A good little series. For those of you complaining that it's not really internationally balanced....It's not supposed to be. It was made in Britain for British people...

Excellent series I am quite impressed.

Brilliant series.

The Czechoslovakian government also confiscated the properties of the Orphaned children of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in 1921. I believe they even confiscated most of the belongings inside as well. The descendants of the archduke have been trying to claim restitution for the chateau Konopiste.

Sir David Reynolds, you are superb and valued 😊

Katherine Was, thank you for replying. People having pride in their nation, no matter what nation in the world that happens to be, does not automatically mean that they think they are better some person from another nation. Think about it, if you have pride in your family does that mean you think your family is better than the family next door. Of course not.

Old King Coal! I encourage you British people to know what our forefathers have been through so we can live without the pain and misery they endured, it's far from over naturally, #OurHistory 📚

The events of 1968 in Czechoslovakia had nothing to do with nationalism. That's a complete misunderstanding of what was really going on here. In Hungary 1956 perhaps, but the events of Prague spring 1968 were far from nationalist. The Czechs and Slovaks wanted the end of totalitarian government, the reforms of the socialist system, more freedom of speech, more democracy. Quite a lot of people didn't even want the end of socialism. There was no nationalist agenda. That's what the Soviets (and Russians nowadays) maintained.

Very recommendable! Lot of things I have never learnt of like e.g. the Kadan massacre. However, Reynolds gravely errs that the EU supplanted national sovereignty

interesting but imperfect series. worth remembering that history is storytelling. one can patch together pretty much any narrative from a century worth of events...

Excellent documentary.

Episodes year on year could be made on this whole subject. WW1 hasn't been played out yet.

Well obviously the Hapsburg's and Austria Hungary were technically Landlocked , I know not physically but landlocked by the United Kingdom. Gibraltar guarded the Mediterranean exit and the Suez canal was under french and British control. How could the hapsburgs conduct trade when both exits to the open sea were guarded and one had the advantage to England and France of being able to charge fees to use the canal , and prevent passage into the Atlantic through the strait of Gibraltar.

Excellent and thought provoking

One small correction. The Easter Rising of 1916 was not led by Sinn Féin, however the party reaped the political benefits of being erroneously blamed by the British for the rising. In the 1918 general election they won 75% of the seats leading to the declaration of a Republic and the subsequent War of Independence.

He is a spellbinding speaker. He must be a superb University lecturer as well.

Exceptional documentary....

WOW, he was allowed exclusive entrance to the Palace of Versailles - damn, this guy rates!

@16:00 The story of the statue is interesting, the caribou, as it was for the Newfoundland regiments. The new Newfoundlanders fought 2 world wars and only joined Canadian confederation in 1949.

AWESOME! THANKS FOR THIS IMPORTANT INFORMATION. BLESSINGS.

"More ambitious Germans" Charles de Gaulle on the set up of the EEC in 1957.

Quite interesting hearing a Britisher say "imperial oppression" pertaining to Ireland. That's just the intro!

It's a very interesting trilogy of programs. As to the final point, however, I am fearful of what is currently happening in both Hungary and in Poland, where nationalistic governments are firmly in power. I wonder if at some point their EU membership will be rescinded.

Excellent!!!

Nationalism and a country asserting its inherent right to self government and sovereignty are two very different things. French citizens, for example, have the right and moral obligation to ensure they control the destiny of their country. The EU exists in direct contravention to these principles. An un-elected political body by definition does not govern by consent of those governed. Jealously guarding your homeland's sovereignty and independence is, and should always be, an expression of love.

WW1 never really ended. Tensions continued and so did wars. You could argue that it still really has not come to an end.

Great documentary. Really fantastic. Everyone should watch this three part series, it would hopefully tame some of their more extreme nationalistic sentiments.

The whole idea was to dismember the ethnic mass of the former enemies - Germans, Hungarians and Bulgarians and create large new client states like Yugoslavia and Romania. It might have been boring for Lloyd George to listen about obscure towns in Silesia but the solution - national self-determination of contested areas - proposed by President Wilson was excluded from the start. The result was simply impossible to live with.

Brilliant!

Nationalism within the 13 colonies is what separated them from the British into bringing together people who were not individually the same and didn't have the same outlook on politics' and religion and just about everything else. But one thing the people wanted was freedom from British Rule. That can be a clunky way or explaining what actually was going on. This is the reason why in trying to devise what went wrong, people lose focus on what went right. Or in what was the causes of the working man into either them going towards or pushing away from a political ideology. I've seen too many documentaries on Jonestown to notice that the issue pushed by the Newsagents are just as polished as if the group was as easily explained as a episode of Sesame Street. If something can be defined within a 45-50 minute expose there is scads of information ignored. It's like when talking to Christians about how the Greek words within the Bible had more words in it then in English and they say it can be condensed. Bringing to their mind that the Hebrew texts are in the same way. And seeing how some words would have to be not one word definition but maybe a full chapter to expose the whole meaning within.

22 minutes in: “The British had gained control over the post office and the city” (full demolition mode) Me: Thank god for swat

A Nation Once Again 🇮🇪

At least we are going forward, my great grandfather had to face his own countries military simply for striking to try and win a few more shillings, and the name of the man that ordered the armed forces onto British streets Winston Churchill... ☘️

Very informative.....

This is more in the nature of an anti-nationalism/pro-EU polemic than an attempt to rationalise the direct consequences of WW1.

Excellent!

As in the previous 2 episodes; the sound of birds doesn't change the fact that YOU AREN'T ACTUALLY THERE

Professor Reynolds is sharp and hugely informative. This was clearly made before Brexit, Covid and the Ukrainian war and its attendant energy & military crisis . All of which have changed the political and military landscape in only seven years. Edward Heath said "That if the British were given a choice between the open sea and Europe. They would choose the open sea ". Britain has returned to the open sea, while west Europe has increased its integration and centralisation according to design , Covid and energy prices.. While most Eastern Europe has resisted the centralising drive has increasingly become more nationalist . In ways which Professor Reynolds described as happening in 1918 . The EU is often seen as an imperial idea in Central and Eastern Europe , despite its economic advantages. Germany runs the EU and this is not lost on nations in the east who have suffered at the hands of both Russian and German imperialism. Professor Reynolds mentioned "ethnic cleaning " in 1918 and 1945 in Czechoslovakia. However it happened in southern Ireland against Protestants and in Northern Ireland in reverse. But the major incidents of this terrible euphemism. was in Central and Eastern Europe especially during and after the Second World War. The Germans & Russians committed genocide against the Poles, Ukrainians. and Balts. The Poles were expelled west into eastern Germany from their eastern provinces. The German population numbering millions was driven out and territory is now part of the Polish Republic. The same story happened in the Balkans with all different ethnic groups and there. It erupted again at the end of the C20th century when Yugoslavia was torn apart principally by Croats and Serbs .Who had been on opposite sides in the Great War. Yugoslavia then crashed into six nations. The late C19th century France allied herself against Germany with Russia. Normally Germany allied itself with Russia, because it suited both their hegemonies in eastern Europe. The Germans did it in 1939 in order to avoid a two front war, which permitted the Russians to grab a big slice of Eastern Europe. Today Paris and Berlin are much concerned with their relationship with Russia than they are about the destinies. of. "troublesome" Ukrainians . Moldavians and Georgians. Of course no one wants to repeat the two world wars or anything like it. However. the Americans and British view the Russian invasion of Ukraine in a global sense Likewise Japan . Australia and New Zealand fear for their security if Russia prevails. They share the British sensibility. of the "open sea. ". Hence high profile Anglosphere aid to Eastern Europe and Ukraine . The British army has an armoured unit stationed in Estonia . At the same time there has been a tightening of global alliances between the US , Uk and Anglosphere plus Japan in the Pacific. It seems the narrative is still. dominated by the concerns of the C20th century in the second quarter of the 21st. The Five Eyes is the world's closest. security arrangement. based upon the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the US. Four of these states share the same head of state and more than a lingering common nationalism. The US is in it, because it is a super power , but it is also an English speaking global trader and became allied to the others in 1917.

"The History repeats itself"!

It's interesting how he describes Scotts and Irish people who revolted against English rule as extremists, fanatics, nationalists, etc.

It's not difficult to disentangle Britain from Continental Europe - there's literally a body of water separating the two!

"The task of untangling the British 'us' from the continent 'them' would be immense." Well well well......... Can he do one on Brexit if they ever figure it out? :P

"The beast of nationalism....is finally being tamed" Me thinks you spoke too soon.

What Europeans did to Africa (1884 - 85 Berlin Conference) was even worse. Resulted in a political situation in Africa that will take at least another century of conflict and bloodshed to resolve.

I appreciate the idea of EU as an alternative. However this reduces the freedoms of the nations and makes them dependent a on one another. This is not always good

Kingdoms,politicians, and religions have kept nations fighting against each other and among themselves! Them v. Us and us v. Them...and the fight goes on...

Your spin on history is interesting, but history is nothing more then the record of human conflicts and interactions. WW2 is an example of two nations attempting to take over the world, and other nations forced to fight back to maintain their sovereignty. Nationalism is the back bone of any and all nations and forms a common bond among their people during times of strife. What I hear here is the old song; Nationalism is bad, no nations, no boarders and then we can all live happily ever after. This is some peoples idea of a world Utopia, the problem is although people can co-exist it must not be forgotten that we are inherently all different with different customs, religions, and beliefs and that is what causes all our problems.

It’s been an interesting series, but I’ve had a pro EU anti nation state humanist vibe from the beginning. Which is fine if that’s your bias, I just wish historians would declare their bias. (If I’m wrong about the host I apologise) I’d also say the run up too 1914 is very complicated I recommend reading The Darkest Days and The Sleepwalkers. Politicians and Militarist talked themselves and the majority who were against war into The Catastrophe that 1914 became. The Vatican called it the war that destroyed civilisation. It’s just amazing that nobody really tried to stop it as the loses grew. And for what ?

You may have been too early in declaring nationalism dismantled within Europe...

In WW1 the French needed British, Irish, Dominion and USA men to sacrifice themselves for their liberty. In WW2 they capitulated and more men of other countries gave their lives for their liberation. Sure there was De Gaulle's Free French - most of them were of dark complexion - yet not many of those were seen in the victory parades. (Funny how French men all suddenly became members of the resistance when the fighting was over). So how do the French show appreciation to its allies? De Gaulle goes to Canada and gives a speech encouraging the independence of Quebec. In my country they bombed and sunk Greenpeace's Rainbow Warrior, with the resulting death of one of the crew. Nationalism? If France is an example of what that concept is; then we are all better of without it.

so far Czechoslovakia has ceased to exist twice. I wonder if it will ever exist again :D

Perpetuates the British myth that the success of Irish nationalism was “caused” by British execution of the 1916 leaders. Placing British tactical actions in April/May 1916 at the center of “explanation” understates the long-term strategic shift toward Irish independence. This is common superficial British thinking, but bad academic history. Irish independence was centuries in the making.

Nationalism was a descendant of former monarchies. As the people asserted themselves in democracies, nationalism gave identity those within the borders regardless of their differences. They weren't Catholics, Jews, or Protestants anymore; instead they were Frenchmen, Germans, Italians, and Englishmen.

NATIONALISM WILL NEVER DIE WERE THERE IS A NATION THERE IS NATIONALISM F.R.J...

Following Boris over the cliff with Brexit seems to be that separation he's talking about. Tensions in Ireland again, borders up, everybody armed and edgy.

audio español por favor

All dictators grab power by ruthless pounding a grievance issue into the brains of the nation. He threaten and cajoles, and the people then lap up his lies and submit to him like lap dogs (Psalm 73:8-12). Only when it is too late do they realize their freedom is gone: they fell into the very net that they spread for someone else (Psalm 11), understanding too late that they were following a RUTHLESS D I C T A T O R , one who turned everything U P S I D E D O W N (Psalm 12). Just understand that the REAL "Day of the Lord" is N O T L I G H T (Isaiah 5:18-20 & Amos 5:18-20, also Isaiah 44:8 = God has no rock for a partner but his word ia like a hammer that CRUSHES the ROCK to POWDER, Jeremiah 23, last verses), SHALOM (to those nearby, and also to those FAR AWAY, Isaiah 57, last verses).

National identity and sovereignty is GOOD. Proud of my British cousins for leaving the EU. !

The photograph alleging the capture of Gavrilo Princip after shooting both Franz Ferdinand and his wife --- is not Princip.

'Us and them' is grammatically incorrect. 'We and they' is correct. Let's blame Pink Floyd.

There is absolutely no reason for the Irish not to hate the English.

Keating was right about Britain. The relationship between UK and AU has always been about what the UK can get instead of mutual gains. UK turned there backs on the old dominions and walked away.

“Suicide as mass phenomenon of modern civilization”...... so we are talking about European immigration policies? Then and now?

The first two episodes are brilliant and reveal much that is new to myself. But he lets himself down with his pro EU stance in the final doc. France took control of the German coal fields after WW1 and used African troops to police the areas . Selective history , omitting events that don't suit the narrative. A common practice among modern historians.

While all along the E.U has created its own divisive form of Nationalism, Europe together nationalism

Yeh thats what we need... An Englishman telling Scottish people how we feel... Don't think so mate. Scottish, NEVER British

"But no we are here, and they are there!" Reminds me of the tyrannical dreams of every 3rd worlder who immigrates to west.

The Beast of Nationalism is alive and well. Hello from America.

The latter half of the documentary is a silly oversimplification about the creation of the EU. It wasn't some new "enlightened thinking". The "German problem" of its nationalism of earlier decades had been subsumed by other greater problems, namely a large number of Soviet troops in East Germany. That's an existential threat, one that Germans couldn't handle on their own. Further, the Germany will to fight had been shattered by the Allies and also the shame of German crimes was drummed into their heads. German nationalism was only allowed to be expressed on the football pitch and at the Olympics. Soviet crimes against Germans such as the mass rapes and the expulsion of Germans by Czechoslovakia and Poland were suppressed. (We saw what happened then the boot of "large power" suppression was removed from the Czechoslovakian throat; the Czechs and Slovaks promptly divorced though they had been living in purported harmony for decades.) Further, German independence of action, i.e. its agency, was constrained by the Allies' occupation.

Would love to know where that home is at 29:00 in the Sudetenland. Tried looking it up phonetically but no go

Congratulations to the citizens of Sweden and Italy. The narrative (propaganda) isn't quite working out Dave is it.

Love the series, but the notion that the European Union was or is in any way a solution to nationalism is, of course, nonsense. Wishful thinking at best.

Good documentary but it has its errors. Sinn Fein had nothing to do with the Easter Rising. It was led by the Irish Republican Brotherhood and Irish Volunteers. Also doesn't recognise the fact the the guerilla war led by Michael Collins who doesn't even get a mention was the reason Britain capitulated and held discussions with Dail Eirean which led to the creation of the Irish Free State.

This can't be correct. Diversity is the greatest strength - how did Austria-Hungary, the most diverse state, not continue forever with ever increasing power?

Britain 1914 ..' we need to protect the independence of smaller nations ....1916 Oh , we didn't mean you Ireland .