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SEPTEMBER 2023

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The Great War, 1914–1918. We see those dates so often on memorials and in museums, in books and on TV, that it’s easy to forget that this four-year span was not predetermined. The actors of the time did not know when the conflict would end, and some had the power to shorten it dramatically. That, at least, is the contention of Holger Afflerbach, who argues in this month’s cover feature that there were opportunities to bring the war to an earlier close, if only leaders had chosen to grasp them. There were undoubtedly arguments against an earlier settlement, but the human cost of prolonging the slaughter – an average of 11,000 lives lost every day – was considerable, and the turmoil that resulted from the war haunted Europe for decades. You’ll find Holger’s piece on page 35, and please do write in to our Letters pages with your responses to it.

On a lighter note this month, I’m sure many of you will be familiar with the astonishing ‘true-life’ stories emblazoned across the covers of magazines such as Chat a nd Take a Break. We thought it would be interesting to imagine how a publication of this type would look in the Georgian era, highlighting some of the scandals of that age, and you’ll find our composition on page 27. It kicks off a fascinating piece by Emily Brand, who looks beyond the sensations to reveal a society that was undergoing all manner of change.

I hope you enjoy the issue.

Rob A t ta r Editor

THIS ISSUE’S CONTRIBUTORS

Emily Brand “The scandals of the gossip-hungry Georgian era might make even modern politicians blush, but they can tell us so much about the values and anxieties that underpinned British society at the time.” Emily reveals eight scandals that rocked Georgian society on page 27

Charlotte Lydia Riley “My new book explores the many and varied ways in which the empire suffused British society, politics and culture, and the long hangover from British imperial rule today.” Charlotte unpicks the complicated legacy of the British empire on page 66

Christopher Harding “It is the fear that stalks ever y resident of Tokyo today: the coming of the next big earthquake. The 1923 earthquake stands as a vivid reminder that the flipside of Japanese culture’s worship of nature is a deep sense of vulnerability to its power.” Christopher delves into the disaster that transformed Japan on page 52

THREE THINGS I’VE LEARNED THIS MONTH

1. A p i oneer i ng man o f p r i n t Consid e r i ng my j ob r o l e , I c ou l dn’t f a i l to b e interested in reading about Samuel Jules Celestine

Edwards, Br i t a i n’s fi r s t b l ac k e d i to r. Kavita Puri shares his little-known l i fe s to r y on page 18 .

2. S l ow and s t eady

In this month’s D i d You K n ow? I was f as c i nate d to read that the winner of t he fi r s t c a r r ac e i n t he US

managed an average speed of just 7mph (page 45). Formula 1 it certainly wasn’t.

3. Booze c r u i s e s There are lots of great details in Rober t Blackmore’s piece on Tudor traders. One that particularly stuck out to me was the fact that in just one year (1605) 1.6 million pints of beer were shipped to

Europe from por ts in Kent (page 62).

Emma Griffin “We are still in the early stages of this funding crisis, and I don’t know how i t ’s going to play out – but what I do already see is a reduction of how possible i t is for some students to study history, and that’s something that concerns me very much.” Emma considers the current dangers facing history degrees on page 11

Contact us P H O N E Subscriptions & back issues 03330 162115 Editorial 0117 300 8699 EMAIL Subscriptions & back issues www.buysubscriptions.com/ contactus Editorial historymagazine @historyextra.com POST Subscriptions & back is sues BBC History Magazine, PO Box 3320, 3 Queensbridge, Northampton, NN4 7BF. Basic annual subscription rates: UK: £84.50, Eire/Europe: € 120, USA: $168.87, AUS/NZ: AU$180 ROW: $136

In the US/Canada you can contact us at: PO Box 37495, Boone, I A 50037, BHIcus t ser v@cds fulfillment.com, britsubs.com/ history, Toll-free 800-342-3592

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