E35 A World Between Wars

In this intro to a new series of episodes, Sam B, Liam, and Russian Sam give a brief overview of the turbulence that rocked the entire planet in the 20-year span between the first and second World Wars. Topics in this episode include the unsuccessful workers' revolutions in 1919 Central Europe and the ensuing rise of fascism, the American attempt to "return to normalcy" after war abroad and social unrest at home, and the birth of groundbreaking artistic movements like German Expressionism and New Objectivity that documented the chaotic unease of the interwar period. As this series progresses, expect in-depth discussions of interwar politics and culture, with episodes on popular topics like the Spanish Civil War as well as more obscure areas like the rise of occultism, Japan's 1936 military coup, and the way modern opera and theater interacted with the legacy of one World War and the lead-up to another. This is a huge topic and we're planning on bringing a few friends to help us understand these issues. If you have any suggestions for episode topics or know somebody who might want to come on as a guest, be sure to drop us a line! Hosted by Liam, Russian Sam, and Halal Sam.