PODCAST · history
When Diplomacy Fails Podcast
by Zack Twamley
WDF examines how wars broke out, how they were concluded, and their consequences. Expect juicy diplomacy, sneaky intrigue, fascinating characters, and incredible drama. By Dr Zack Twamley, qualified history nerd. Current Series: The July Crisis Patreon Series: The Age of Bismarck Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
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Goodbye For Now
Between working full time and the impending arrival of baby WDF, I would be lying if I pretended as if nothing was going to change. It is, in fact, time to accept that I am only one man. But that's okay, because soon this man will be a daddy! A huge thanksss to you for sticking with the show, and...
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#70: July Crisis Q&A
During this series we have encountered a wide variety of fascinating characters and controversial decisions, but even though the story of why the world went to war in 1914 is finally finished, that doesn't mean we covered everything. After over a year of content, I felt it was only right to turn...
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State of the Podcast Address 21 July 2025
It's been a while since I last checked in with you, and I've been sitting on some incredible news for a while now. If you'd like to know how things are about to change, then make sure you listen in! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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#69: The First World War - Whose Fault Is It Anyway? Part 3
In our final part, we bring this saga of a series to an end by focusing our attention on the most focused on country of all - Germany. We know what Germany did from 1 August, from the declarations of war to the rape of Belgium, but what about before? What about the period 29-30 July, when the war...
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#68: The First World War - Whose Fault Is It Anyway? Part 2
For generations, examinations of the First World War excluded arguably the most important actor - Russia. In this episode, we will hone in on the Tsar's court and his ministers. We will analyse their mindset at crucial moments in the crisis, particularly the 29-30 July, where general mobilisation...
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#67: The First World War - Whose Fault Is It Anyway? Part 1
By now we've seen the absolute worst that Europe had to offer in 1914. We've seen naive statesmen, misinformed statesmen, distrustful statesmen, desperate statesmen, and everything in between. But when it comes to the question of who was responsible or whose fault the outbreak of war actually…
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The Unreality of Realism w/ Alexander von Sternberg
Something special for you here - Alex and I had a great conversation about realism in international relations on his History Impossible podcast, and he was good enough to let me publish it on my feed. If you like political discussions, current affairs, and hearing a bit more about my academia...
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#66: The July Crisis - Conclusion
What have we learned after 65 episodes of background, analysis, and day-to-day coverage of the most consequential diplomatic failure in human history? What can we say about those responsible for what happened, and is there any value in searching for guilt? Can we distinguish between guilt or...
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#65: 5 August 1914 - 'This Frantic Stampede to Hell'
The world was at war, and there was much to do. In London, attention turned to the British Expeditionary Force. The BEF had been ruled out several times before, but that did not have to matter. How many divisions could Britain send, and to where? What of the Dominions, or India, or Egypt? How…
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#64: 4 August 1914 IV - The Final Countdown
With only hours left until the ultimatum expired, the mood in London and Berlin was anxious and excited. Was this truly it? Was the Anglo-German relationship now destined to die in a war over Belgium? Some could not bring themselves to believe it, but in London, the Cabinet was at least agreed....
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#63: 4 August 1914 III - A Mere Scrap of Paper
The 1839 Treaty on Belgian neutrality was a mere scrap of paper - that was the phrase which doomed Bethmann Hollweg, and Germany, to moral condemnation. It was the excuse which conquerors of all shapes and sizes had trotted out, when what they really meant was might makes right. Britain and the...
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#62: 4 August 1914 II - The Last Ultimatum
No matter what Britain did, it was impossible for Germany to evacuate Belgium. War was inevitable. Why, then, did most of Britain not even realise it? The straightforward image we have in our minds of Britain taking a stand against the flagrant violation of Belgium is, in fact, a somewhat...
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#61: 4 August 1914 I - Into Belgium
Germany's invasion of Belgium had finally begun. After several anxious days of negotiations, warnings, and second guessing, Berlin was firmly set on its path. But what path was that? War had been declared on Russia and France, and now Belgium was in their warpath, but was their any wider strategy...
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#60: 3 August 1914 IV - Who Turned Out The Lights?
In the evening of 3 August, Germany finally declared war on France. The war, Berlin insisted, was caused by hostile French acts, but most knew better. The Italians certainly did. In a series of painful communications between Berlin, Vienna, and Rome, Italian neutrality was crystallised. Austria...
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#59: 3 August 1914 III - House on Fire
Finally, Sir Edward Grey was ready to make his case to the House of Commons. Parliament had been starved of news for a week, and the press had done their best to fill in the gaps, but the whole country was desperate for an update. What would the government do if the rumours were true, and Germany...
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#58: 3 August 1914 II - Brussels Doubts
The German ultimatum to Belgium had roused the Brussels government and rallied the nation, but other than this, much was still unclear by the early afternoon of this Bank Holiday Monday. News of Belgium's determination to resist took a surprisingly long time to arrive, but more than that, how…
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#57: 3 August 1914 I - Illusions and Delusion
The German army was firmly in control of German policy, but its next steps were obvious to any contemporary with even the slightest grasp of the situation. The detour into Belgium had been flagged long in advance by the French, and could only be looked at in one way. The solution, though not...
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#56: 2 August 1914 IV - Let Loose World Madness
Even as Moltke examined Germany's strategic options, the world was turning against Germany. Berlin pressed its case by pointing out the Russian sins of dishonesty and pre-emption, but was anyone listening? Britain's diplomats in Berlin, St Petersburg, and Vienna had had enough. The news from...
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#55: 2 August 1914 III - Lichnowsky's Last Stand
While Germany covered itself in infamy, the German ambassador in London did his best to maintain the fragile Anglo-German relationship. His mission was ultimately doomed, but no one could accuse Prince Max Lichnowsky of failing to try. An avid Anglophile and advocate of closer ties between the…
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The State of America w/ Thom Daly - Part 2
In this second part of my conversation with Thom, we discuss the unlawful way in which the Trump administration behaves at home, including its treatment of citizens who hold views which the President does not like. It is free speech for me, but not for thee, and we look at the historical context...
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The State of America w/ Thom Daly - Part 1
In this first of two episodes with Thom Daly, we focus on the United States and its position in the world following the Trump administration's many blunders and betrayals in foreign policy, trade policy, and many more things besides. If you believe what Trump has done is antithetical to America…
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#54: 2 August 1914 II - Britain Decides On War
The traditional picture of British intervention in the First World War normally comes down to one issue - Belgium. On 4 August, Britain did declare war on Germany. However, before this monumental step took place, Britain had already made its choice - or, rather, the British Cabinet had. The…
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#53: 2 August 1914 I - Into Luxemburg
The Schleiffen Plan demanded an invasion of the small Grand Duchy of Luxemburg, where German forces would seize key railway installations, facilitating their march into Belgium, and then to France. Of course, nobody told the Luxemburgers, but Berlin was very eager to make it clear that this...
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#52: 1 August 1914 IV - Desperate Diplomacy
Now that it was clear Germany would have to face the Entente, and likely Britain's imminent intervention, Berlin became much more active in sending diplomatic feelers across Europe. Romania, Bulgaria, Italy, and the Ottoman Empire, were all ideal targets. Some were erstwhile allies, others...
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#51: 1 August 1914 III - The Kaiser's Rollercoaster
We open with the shattered dreams of Kaiser Wilhelm II, as the British claim a 'misunderstanding' must have occurred to make Berlin believe Britain and France could remain neutral. The rollercoaster of emotions ended with Wilhelm's bitter confirmation to Moltke - he could do what he liked now.…
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#50: 1 August 1914 II - 'There Must Be Some Misunderstanding'
In the final hours of peace, the German government was led to believe that a miracle had occurred. Incredibly, Britain had affirmed its intention not only to remain neutral, but to guarantee the neutrality of France as well. Where had such a monumental offer come from? Was it legitimate, or the...
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Trump Betrays Ukraine - What is America Doing?
After that disgraceful display in the White House, I couldn't stay silent any longer. Three years on from when I first offered my thoughts on the situation, in this very personal and raw episode, I cover the multilayered implications of the current crisis. What is Trump playing at? Is this new…
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#49: 1 August 1914 I - Rolling The Iron Dice
We're in the endgame now, but somehow, not everyone got the message. There was plenty of waiting to be done. Berlin was waiting on Russia's reply to its ultimatum, and France was also expected to reply, but the generals felt they could not wait. Who knew how far Russia's mobilisation had gone, or...
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#48: 31 July 1914 V - Britain On Defence
In our final JULY episode of the July Crisis, we return to Britain, where the pressure was building to make a decision. Russian mobilisation was clearly in the air, and if the news was true, German mobilisation would soon follow. Was peace possible even now? Many in Britain insisted it could, and...
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#47: 31 July 1914 IV - 'A Finger's Breadth From War'
Now that Berlin had accepted that war with Russia was inevitable, it remained to prepare the diplomatic ground. German diplomacy had worked behind the scenes to court Romania and the Ottoman Empire, but the latter effort bore the most significant fruit. The Italians were less dependable, but…
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#46: 31 July 1914 III - 'We'd Like Those Chaps To Be In It Too'
As the news of Russian mobilisation and Germany's Kriegsgefahr spread across Europe, urgent telegrams followed. Whether in London, Berlin, or Paris, the picture was becoming clearer, but that did not mean contemporaries were content to allow the march to war. The Tsar had burned his bridges in...
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#45: 31 July 1914 II - From Russia with Lies
Russian general mobilisation was underway, and with red imperial posters announcing this grave new step, it could hardly be kept a secret. Yet, somehow, Germany seemed the only power truly in the loop. The question was, why were France and Britain unaware of it? Were they unaware, thanks to their...
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#44: 31 July 1914 I - Start Spreading the News
By now, Europe was on a knife edge. In Berlin, more and more rumours were pouring in that Russian general mobilisation was underway. In Vienna, no statesman was willing to make any concessions. Paris and London were both running shockingly blind. In St Petersburg, the morning of 31 July meant the...
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#43: 30 July 1914 V - Britain on the Fence
The 30 July was a turning point for the British Cabinet. When the German Chancellor made his bid for British neutrality, yet refused to guarantee the independence of Belgium or to rule out annexations of French colonies, it set in motion a terrible chain of events. Sir Edward Grey planned to use...
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#42: 30 July 1914 IV - Smash Your Telephone!
The Russian decision to commence general mobilisation against Austria and Germany was made in the afternoon of 30 July, ultimately by the Tsar. It took 24 hours of intense pressure by several leading Russian officials, but after backtracking the previous day, Tsar Nicholas was finally persuaded…
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#41: 30 July 1914 III - Immediate Danger of War
Welcome to our first episode of 2025! We return to a pivotal moment in the crisis, when Germany experienced yet another 180 in policy. A day which began with a frantic German effort to pressure Austria into making concessions soon devolved into the more familiar mission - preparing the realm for...
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#40: 30 July 1914 II - 'A Very Ticklish Thing'
As Thursday 30 July progressed, one thing seemed clear to the German Chancellor and Foreign Minister - Austria had to be stopped, before the crisis deteriorated any further. Use the code KAISER to get 40% off your first month of a $5 membership on Patreon - 50+ hours of exclusive content…
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#39: 30 July 1914 I - Caught in the Net
Use the code KAISER to get 40% off your first month of a $5 membership on Patreon - 50+ hours of exclusive content including the Age of Bismarck await! Not sure what to get your favourite history friend? Why not give them the gift of a free month of our $5 membership? By the morning of 30 July...
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#38: 29 July 1914 IV - Vienna Waits For You!
Use the code WDF24 at checkout and get 50% off a $5 monthly membership on Patreon! This offer will expire soon! By the evening of 29 July, a new wave of panic was overcoming the German government. In Berlin, the question of restraining Austria had long been treated with a wink and a nod, but news...
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#37: 29 July 1914 III - First Contact, Second Thoughts
Use the code WDF24 at checkout and get 50% off a $5 monthly membership on Patreon! Austria's bombardment of Belgrade represented the first shots of the First World War, though contemporaries could not have known this yet - they were more focused on what Russia was doing. As news of Russia's…
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The Age of Bismarck Wants YOU!
As we release our fifth episode of the Age of Bismarck, I decided to take advantage of Patreon's new special offer feature, and give you the chance to get 50% off your first month of support! Maybe you're unsure, so why not listen to this extended teaser from the first episode of the Age of...
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#36: 29 July 1914 II - Shifty Shades of Grey
As they had done up to this point, the British continued to try to find a diplomatic solution to the crisis, even as the opportunities shrank before their eyes. Amidst warnings pinged between London and Berlin that under certain circumstances, their respective neutrality could not be guaranteed,...
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#35: 29 July 1914 I - Hissing Cousins
The dawn of a new day did not bring any new peacemaking opportunities. In their own way, Austria, Germany and Russia were immovable in their main goal - they would not back down, even if it cost them everything. That such a roadblock sat in the way of peace did not prevent Kaiser Wilhelm and Tsar...
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#34: 28 July 1914 III - Britain Tries Again
Although the Austro-Serb War was now a reality, Britain did not know this until the evening of 28 July. In the meantime, Sir Edward Grey was determined to do all he could to make the mediation scheme work. But not everyone Grey dealt with could be described as sincere, and this included members…
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Are the Sanctions Against Russia Working? - 'Punishing Putin' by Stephanie Baker
For two and a half years, Russia has been waging a full scale war against Ukraine. In response, the West has mobilised an economic coalition of states determined to level sanctions against the aggressor, ideally, to force it to the peace table. Clearly, Russia has not been deterred, but how much…
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#33: 28 July 1914 II - Austria Declares War
After weeks of delay, hesitation and complications, Austria-Hungary finally delivered its declaration of war on Serbia shortly after noon on 28 July 1914. This, we are often told, represented the beginning of the First World War. But was it as straightforward as that? Contemporaries did not...
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#32: 28 July 1914 I - The Kaiser's Conundrum
The 28 July 1914 is best remembered today as the point of no return, as Austria declared war on Serbia. However, as we will see in this episode, the announcement of this Austro-Serb war, made in the afternoon, and reaching Europe's capitals by the evening, did not ruin the prospects for peace as…
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#31: 27 July 1914 II - Don't Stop Me Now!
On this otherwise unassuming Monday in 1914, Austria-Hungary was preparing to declare war on Serbia. The declaration would come the following day, but in the meantime, Germany assisted Austria in keeping up appearances. Those tenacious Brits were at it again, and Grey's mediation proposal still...
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#30: 27 July 1914 I - Britain Tries Diplomacy
In this enormous episode, we examine the largely forgotten story of British efforts to resolve the crisis, and efforts at home to prepare the people for what might come next. Although Austria's ultimatum had expired two days before, there was still room for diplomacy to work, and Sir Edward Grey...
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#29: 26 July 1914 II - Better an End in Horror
If Austria-Hungary wanted the war with Serbia, it would have to get its skates on. Europe was eagerly looking for any sign of a way out, even if Austria was not. The British were central in pressing the need for mediation, but they knew that Germany's inclusion was key if it was to work. The...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
WDF examines how wars broke out, how they were concluded, and their consequences. Expect juicy diplomacy, sneaky intrigue, fascinating characters, and incredible drama. By Dr Zack Twamley, qualified history nerd.
Current Series: The July Crisis
Patreon Series: The Age of Bismarck
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
HOSTED BY
Zack Twamley
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When Diplomacy Fails Podcast currently has 744 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is When Diplomacy Fails Podcast about?
WDF examines how wars broke out, how they were concluded, and their consequences. Expect juicy diplomacy, sneaky intrigue, fascinating characters, and incredible drama. By Dr Zack Twamley, qualified history nerd. Current Series: The July Crisis Patreon Series: The Age of Bismarck Hosted on Acast....
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When Diplomacy Fails Podcast releases new episodes frequently with a large back catalog of 744 episodes. Check the episode list for recent publication dates.
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When Diplomacy Fails Podcast is created and hosted by Zack Twamley.
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