Monthly Archives: December 2018

So Christmas has come and gone. Good food and good company shared round an open fire. New Year approaches with a further chance for great stories over a glass of wine. But who to invite? My ‘New Year Three’ would … Continue reading →

In December 1952, a thick smog, known locally as a pea-souper, engulfed London. Although no stranger to fogs and mists, the city is built on marshy land, the pea-souper of 1952 was to prove so devastating that is caused a … Continue reading →

The Dutch famine of 1944–45 was the result of a perfect storm of conditions that ravaged the western part of the country. Brutal weather, decisions by the Dutch Government in exile, the German army’s decision to destroy bridges and docks … Continue reading →

The Congress of Vienna in 1814-15 politically realigned Europe after Napoleon’s defeat. The main goal was to resize the nations within Europe creating a balance of power and, it was hoped, a lasting peace. Some countries, such as France, lost … Continue reading →

The Finnish civil war of 1918 was, it could be argued, the key event in the nation’s history. A decisive break with Russia, which had controlled Finland since 1809, the war led Finland ultimately to independence. The war lasted barely … Continue reading →