JULY 2016

CONTENTS

Features

Every month

Read about Æthelstan, the first king to rule all of England, on page 51

22 Britain’s darkest day? As we reach its centenary, Gary She eld asks whether the battle of the Somme was as uniquely horri c as we think

29 Somme stories Seven poignant accounts of soldiers who risked their lives on the battle eld in northern France, compiled by Peter Hart

34 The German Somme The Somme o ensive was catastrophic for all sides – Alexander Watson tells the German story of the battle

40 Nuclear fallout David Reynolds traces the factors that made bitter enemies of the USA and USSR in the early years of the Cold War

46 Righteous royal rebel His attempt to seize the crown ended in disaster, but does the Duke of Monmouth deserve his notoriety? Anna Keay nds out

51 Æthelstan and England Tom Holland describes how this brilliant Anglo-Saxon king managed to forge a new country

58 1966: A nation on the edge Why the sixties weren’t so swinging: Alwyn Turner looks at a year when cracks appeared in Britain’s newfound optimism

6 ANNIVERSARIES 11 HISTORY NOW 1 1 The latest history news

1 4 Backgrounder: US presidency 1 6 Past notes: umbrellas

18 LETTERS 21 MICHAEL WOOD’S VIEW 38 OUR FIRST WORLD WAR 67 BOOKS Thelatesthistorytitlesreviewed, plus Daniel Todman on his new bookabouttheSecondWorldWar

77 TV & RADIO The pick of new history programmes

80 OUT &ABOUT 80 History Explorer: cotton

85 Five things to do in July 86 My favourite place: Bologna

93 MISCELLANY 93 Q&A and quiz 94 Samantha’s recipe corner 95 Prize crossword

98 MY HISTORY HERO Cricketer Joe Root chooses SeveBallesteros

44 SUBSCRIBE Save when you subscribe today

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BBC HISTORY (ISSN 1469-8552)

(USPS 024-177) July 2016 is published 13 times a year under licence from BBC Worldwide by Immediate Media Company Bristol Ltd, Tower House, Fairfax Street, Bristol BS1 3BN, UK. Distributed in the US by Circulation Specialists, Inc., 2 Corporate Drive, Suite 945, Shelton CT 06484-6238. Periodicals postage paid at Shelton, CT and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to BBC HISTORY MAGAZINE, PO Box 37495, Boone, IA 50037-0495.

46 Why the Duke of Monmouth’s bid for the crown ended in disaster

58 1966 and all that: when the sixties turned sour

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40 The Cold War: how new rivalries were born

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