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1913: The Year Before

Documentaries

Factual: History

Michael Portillo challenges the notion of calm before the storm of the Great War

Michael Portillo explores the cultural, political and economic upheaval forgotten in the familiar images of Edwardian and Georgian calm before the brutal shock of the Great War

1913: The Year Before: 1913: The Year Before - Omnibus

1913: The Year Before: 1913: The Year Before - Omnibus: Episode 1: Omnibus Week One

Episode 1

Episode 1: Omnibus Week One

1913: The Year Before - Omnibus

Omnibus Week One

BBC Radio 4 - 1913: The Year Before, 1913: The Year Before - Omnibus, Omnibus Week One

Michael Portillo challenges the notion of calm before the storm of the Great War.

Michael Portillo explores the cultural, political and economic upheaval forgotten in the familiar images of Edwardian and Georgian calm before the brutal shock of the Great War.

The one hundredth anniversary of the start of the First World war looms on the horizon. 1914 is a date forged into the British consciousness, just as it's carved into monuments the length and breadth of the UK and many places beyond. With that awareness comes an understanding that it was the war to end all wars, shocking the culture, politics, and societies of Europe, but particularly Britain, out of their comfortable progress and reshaping everything.
But in this series Michael Portillo challenges that notion. Looking at a series of themes, the suffrage movement, the Irish question, the decline of the liberal party and the arts, he argues that to a large extent Britain was already in a state of flux by 1913 and many of the developments we think of as emanating from or being catalysed by the war, were actually in full flow.

In the first programme Michael samples the atmosphere of June 1913.

Producer
Tom Alban.

Intelligent speech, the most insightful journalism, the wittiest comedy, the most fascinating features and the most compelling drama and readings anywhere in UK radio.

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1913: The Year Before

1913: The Year Before - Omnibus

Episode 1: Omnibus Week One

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