In 1905, Germany precipitates an international crisis over French intervention in Morocco, hoping to drive a wedge between France and Britain.

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Fanfare

Opening Theme

“Arabesca” from 12 danzas españolas, arranged for guitar.
Composed in 1880 by Enrique Granados Campiña. Public domain.
Performed by William Riley. Public domain recording. Source.

Except when otherwise indicated, the contents of this podcast are © and ℗ 2015, 2016 by Mark Painter, all rights reserved. Some sound effects used by arrangement with Pond 5.

The Entente Cordiale had been a tremendous diplomatic success for Britain. Now, the British government hopes to come to a similar understanding with Russia, and possibly with Germany as well. But Russia, losing a war with Britain’s ally, Japan, is not feeling much love for the United Kingdom. And Germany’s naval buildup is a major bone of contention between her and Britain.

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Fanfare

Opening Theme

“Rule, Britannia!”
Composed in 1740 by Thomas Arne. Public domain.

Closing Theme

Except when otherwise indicated, the contents of this podcast are © and ℗ 2015, 2016 by Mark Painter, all rights reserved. Some sound effects used by arrangement with Pond 5.

By 1905, the Conservatives had controlled the British government for nearly twenty years. But they could not control the forces that were transforming British society. The Liberals are poised to take power, but the rise of the Labour Party poses the question, are even the Liberals out of touch with modern Britain?

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Fanfare

Opening Theme

Fanfare-Rondeau
Composed in 1729 by Jean-Joseph Mouret. Public domain.

“Ja, vi elsker dette landet” (“Yes, We Love This Country”)
Composed in 1864 by Rikard Nordraak. Public domain.
Performed by the United States Navy Band. Public domain recording. Source.

Except when otherwise indicated, the contents of this podcast are © and ℗ 2015, 2016 by Mark Painter, all rights reserved. Some sound effects used by arrangement with Pond 5.

Today is the 240th anniversary of the independence of the United States of America. So, there will be no new episode this week, but we will be back next week!

In 1905, the hitherto unknown Albert Einstein publishes four papers on the photoelectric effect, Brownian motion, relativity, and mass/energy equivalence, that revolutionize modern physics.

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Fanfare

Opening Theme

Violin Sonata No. 26 in B♭
Composed in 1781 by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. Public domain.
Performed by Corey Cerovsek, violin, and Jeremy Denk, piano, and used pursuant to a Creative Commons license. Details.

Except when otherwise indicated, the contents of this podcast are © and ℗ 2015, 2016 by Mark Painter, all rights reserved. Some sound effects used by arrangement with Pond 5.

This week, we conclude our series on the Russo-Japanese War by pondering the meaning of the war, and what lessons people of the time could or should have taken from it.

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Fanfare

Opening Theme

Closing Theme

Except when otherwise indicated, the contents of this podcast are © and ℗ 2015, 2016 by Mark Painter, all rights reserved. Some sound effects used by arrangement with Pond 5.

This week, part five of our series on the Russo-Japanese War, covering the final days of the war. The Second Pacific Squadron is defeated at the Battle of Tsushima Strait, mutiny breaks out aboard Potemkin, and US President Theodore Roosevelt brokers a peace treaty.

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Fanfare

Opening Theme

“Flight of the Bumblebee” from The Tale of Tsar Saltan
Composed in 1900 by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. Public domain.
Performed by the United States Army Band. Public domain recording. Source.

Scheherazade, Opus 35
Composed in 1888 by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. Public domain.
Public domain recording. Source.

Closing Theme

Except when otherwise indicated, the contents of this podcast are © and ℗ 2015, 2016 by Mark Painter, all rights reserved. Some sound effects used by arrangement with Pond 5.

This week, part four of our series on the Russo-Japanese War, covering Bloody Sunday, the Battle of Mukden, and Admiral Rozhdestvensky’s struggle to get his fleet to the Pacific.

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Fanfare

Opening Theme

“God Save the Tsar”
Composed in 1833 by Alexei Lvov. Public domain.
Public domain recording. Source.

Russian Easter Festival Overture, Opus 36
Composed in 1888 by Nikolai Rimsky-Korsakov. Public domain.
Performed by The Czech National Symphony Orchestra. Public domain recording. Source.

Closing Theme

Except when otherwise indicated, the contents of this podcast are © and ℗ 2015, 2016 by Mark Painter, all rights reserved. Some sound effects used by arrangement with Pond 5.

This week, part three of our series on the Russo-Japanese War, covering the Battle of Liaoyang, and the fall of Port Arthur. The Russian Empress, Alexandra, gives birth to a boy, Alexei Nikolayevitch, and the Imperial Family soon learn that he has hemophilia.

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Playlist:

Fanfare

Opening Theme

Night on Bald Mountain
Composed in 1867 by Modest Mussorgsky. Public domain.
Performed by the Skidmore College Orchestra. Public domain recording. Source.

“Shika No Tone”
Traditional. Public domain.
Public domain recording. Source.

Closing Theme

Except when otherwise indicated, the contents of this podcast are © and ℗ 2015, 2016 by Mark Painter, all rights reserved. Some sound effects used by arrangement with Pond 5.