History Undone

On this episode of History Undone, Darryl Morris, Rear Admiral Dr Chris Parry and Jonathan Parshall discuss one of the most overlooked campaigns of the Second World War: Burma and the South East Asian theatre.Japan occupied the nation from 1942 until 1945 and despite pushing on for a failed invasion of India in 1944, there was an opportunity two years earlier that Japan did not take. So what if Imperial Japan had pushed on and successfully invaded the jewel in the crown of the British Empire? This is History Undone.Welcome to Times Radio History, a channel that looks back at pivotal moments and asks 'What if?'. We'll be looking at key battles, strategic decisions and political outcomes with leading historians and current military experts and tacticians to see what might have happened differently, and more importantly, what impact those differences might have had on the world today.

Darryl Morris is joined by Rear Admiral Dr Chris Parry and Anna Reid to discuss arguably one of the most consequential what ifs of the 20th Century and beyond: the October Revolution in 1917 and subsequent Russian Civil War. It not only ended centuries of tsarist rule and pulled Russia out of the First World War, but led to the creation of the Soviet Union and its most famous figures. Without the Bolshevik victory, would we still have World War 2, the Cold War, the space race or the rise of Putin? This is History Undone.

On this episode of History Undone Darryl Morris is joined by Rear Admiral Dr Chris Parry and Dr Timothy Orr to discuss Robert E Lee's decision to fight for the Confederacy during the American Civil War. Considered the south's finest general, Lee was actually offered command of the Union's forces in Virginia by President Abraham Lincoln, but he would not fight against his home state that had seceded just a day earlier. So what if he had made that monumental decision and become Lee, the Union general instead? This is History Undone.

History Undone's brand new host Darryl Morris is joined by Rear Admiral Dr Chris Parry and Professor Anna Whitelock to discuss one of the most mythologised events in British history: The Gunpowder Plot. Guy Fawkes' name has become the stuff of legend, yet he was just part of a group of 13 conspirators who in 1605 planted 36 barrels of gunpowder beneath Parliament, with the goal of assassinating King James I and everyone else in there that day. Of course the plot failed, and those in Britain still 'remember remember the 5th of November' 420 years later. Yet what if virtually the entire English establishment had been killed that fateful day? This is History Undone.

James Hanson is joined by Rear Admiral Dr Chris Parry and Professor Marcus Bull to discuss one of the most famous and mythologised battles of the 16th century period: The Great Siege of Malta in 1565. It was a fierce battle between empires, faiths and ideals, as the greatly outnumbered Christian Knights Hospitaller, which had been headquartered on the island for 35 years, held out against the might of the Ottoman Empire. Yet what if the Ottomans had succeeded nearly 500 years ago? This is History Undone.

This episode of History Undone is sponsored by Visit Malta. To find out more information, head to visitmalta.com #adJames Hanson is joined by Rear Admiral Dr Chris Parry and the historical consultant on Christopher Nolan's 2017 movie 'Dunkirk' Joshua Levine to describe the miraculous evacuation of British and French troops in 1940. In what was actually a crushing military defeat, the highly unusual plan was carried out with an extraordinary level of success and contributed to Britain's decision to fight on in the Second World War. Yet what if it hadn't worked and over 338,000 allied troops had been lost. This is History Undone.#ChristopherNolan #movie #Dunkirk

James Hanson is joined by Rear Admiral Dr Chris Parry and Dr Klaus Schmider to discuss the monumental decision that has been debated by historians for decades: Adolf Hitler's declaration of war against the US after Pearl Harbour. Was it a necessary action that he needed to take, or a devastating mistake which cost Germany the war? It is undoubtedly one that, had he not made, the Second World War would have looked very different. This is History Undone.This episode of History Undone is sponsored by Visit Malta. To find out more information, head to visitmalta.com #ad

This episode of History Undone is sponsored by Visit Malta. To find out more information, head to visitmalta.com #adJames Hanson is joined by Rear Admiral Dr Chris Parry and Nigel Jones to discuss what could have happened had Britain sued for peace with Nazi Germany after the disastrous fall of France in May 1940. There were some in Britain who were certainly keen on the idea, but the appointment of Winston Churchill, not Lord Halifax as prime minister was just one reason that assured this alternate timeline did not happen. If it had, how would the world view Britain, would we be looking at a Nazi dominated continent and does Operation Barbarossa even succeed? This is History Undone.

James Hanson is joined by Rear Admiral Dr Chris Parry and Professor Alexander Watson to discuss one of the most profound what ifs of 20th century history - the decision by the US to enter the First World War in 1917. Without the nation's involvement does Germany rule much of Eastern Europe, do you still see the rise of the Nazis and are the US and UK allies today? This is History Undone. This episode of History Undone is sponsored by Visit Malta. To find out more information, head to visitmalta.com #ad