Norman Stone obituary

[The Awesome Berbaslug!!!]

Pretty much the main thing I remember from reading Tim Pat Coogan's book about Eamon De Valera was a piece of poetry, included in a diplomatic pouch from David Gray the American ambassador from 1940-45, who was married to roosevelt's aunt. his time here was not happy, but in the midst of various diplomatic pouches complaining about Ireland and the Irish, and accounts of seances he attended, there was this poem.

"Mussolini gave the order to advance against the Foe,
So it's off to Abyssinia the Organ Grinders go.
Now they're increasingly incapable of any sort of Grind,
For they're home from Abyssinia with their organs left behind

The Hordes of Abyssinia have returned to hearth and home,
With Knick-knacks for the mantel, Imported straight from Rome.
While the Pope is innundated with requests to join the Choir
From men whose normal voices are at least an octave higher

Mussolini Mounts the rostrum as the regiments Return,
With the Unknown Eunuch ashes, in a truly roman Urn.
Says he- "This great occasion for recognition truly calls
What shall we give the heroes- And the heroes answer "Balls."

It's amazing what sticks in your mind over the years.

[MsD]

I'm struggling to imagine on a theoretical level how you could have an unbiased view of Hitler. To be neutral is to be pro, surely.

Well, the cake thing is kinda relatable.

[elguapo4]

David Starkey seems to have made a lot of enemies,his obituary should be entertaining when the time comes.

[Evariste Euler Gauss]

So I'm guessing from the lack of responses to my query above that it is not in fact true that the first bombs dropped from an aircraft were British bombs in Iraq.

[ursus arctos]

If we are looking at heavier than air craft,it is Italy against the Ottomans in Libya in 1911.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-13294524

The Austrians dropped bombs from balloons over Venice in 1849

The British bombing of Mesopotamia was nonetheless important for a number of reasons.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-29441383

[ursus arctos]

Posting of links from my tablet seems to be problematic. I will try to fix them later.

[Nefertiti2]

ursus is right- I've been trying to find my copy of The History of Bombing by Sven Lindqvist † (RIP by the way) The first bombs from a plane were dropped by the Italians in Libya. But the systematic bombing of civilians as a war strategy was first carried out by the British in Iraq- which contextualises my remark about the "lighthearted" Biggles-type anecdote by Nocturnal Submission

[sw2borshch]

Hand grenades were thrown from WW1 planes, no?

Interesting bit in the obit about him being handsy/a sex pest, then later suggesting Thatch was forgivey about people being drunk around her as long as they gave ideological support. I've drawn a parallel.

[Satchmo Distel]

Just read his short history of Turkey. His treatment of the Armenian genocide is equivocal at best and leans on some whataboutery comparing it to massacres of Muslims in the Balkans and Caucasus. His answer to the genocide question is that it depends on how you define it, which is a weak dodge given that he offers no definition himself. I think Stone has an eye on not offending the academic colleagues he had in Turkey.

However, the history up to 1914 is entertaining and has stimulated me to look for deeper academic studies of the Ottomans.

[Satchmo Distel]

On the obituary itself, I ought to note that Richard Evans is a very dull writer on the Third Reich, although his role in bringing down David Irving was laudable and his book on that trial is essential.