On War & Society features interviews with the most prominent historians of war and society. Guests discuss their cutting-edge research, the challenges associated with doing history, and life 'behind the book.'
When Things Fall Apart: The Nigerian Civil War and Intervention in Humanitarian Crisis with Walter McLean
The Nigerian Civil War which began in 1967 was precipitated by a series of military coups that destabilised the nation. The southeastern Igbo region declared itself the Republic of Biafra, prompting a retaliatory declaration of war and a crippling embargo by Nigeria's military government. The ensuing conflict lasted until 1970, resulting in over 100,000 military casualties and more than a million civilian deaths from ethnic cleansing, malnutrition and disease. Humanitarian efforts provided critical relief for up to two million people.
Amidst the conflict international humanitarian organisations played a crucial role. Kyle Pritchard sits down with Walter McLean to discuss the fragility of post-colonial governments and institutions, the complexities of ethnic nationalism versus territorial integrity, and the challenges faced by international organisations in addressing humanitarian crises when geopolitical interests are at play.
Walter describes the dedication and sacrifice of the ground and aircrew of CANAIRELIEF, one of the largest humanitarian airlifts in history, organised by Joint Church Aid. The mission was vital in protecting countless lives and highlighted the dire need for coordinated global efforts in crisis response. The operation involved nightly flights to deliver food and medical supplies to the besieged population, showcasing remarkable dedication and sacrifice. The tragic loss of four Canadians who died in a crash in August 1969 is commemorated in the CANAIRELIEF memorial plaque at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Toronto.
Walter McLean is the co-founder of the Canadian University Services Overseas (CUSO) and was Presbyterian Chaplain to the University of Nigeria between 1962 and 1967. In 1976, he was elected Alderman for the City of Waterloo. He was then the Secretary of State for Canada in 1984, Minister of State and Immigration between 1985 and 86, and Special Representative of African and Commonwealth Affairs between 1987 and 1993. He was also the Commonwealth Observer at the 1994 election in South Africa at the end of apartheid.
Episode host: Kyle Pritchard, Digitial Content Manager at the Laurier Centre for the Study of Canada
7 Sept 2021
Oh! What a Visual War with Beatriz Pichel
The First World War was a literary conflict producing some of the most memorable poems, novels and plays of the twentieth century. While the Second World War left behind a striking visual record, including famous pictures such as Raising the Flag on Iwo Jima and Wait for Me Daddy, the First World War is not generally remembered as a visual conflict. But the war’s visual record is massive. States promoted the use of photography at the front for their historical and propaganda value. Kodak’s portable pocket vest camera was promoted to soldiers, whose private albums took on greater meaning after the war as tokens of remembrance and objects of mourning. Often treated as mere visual representations of the war’s textual record, historians are also now considering the history of the photographs themselves. Who took them and for what purpose? What did the photographer leave out of the image and why? As material objects, what did they mean to the owner and how they remembered their war experiences? In this episode of On War & Society, Dr. Beatriz Pichel, author of the new book Picturing the Western Front: Photography, Practices and Experiences in First World War France discusses the visual legacy of the First World War, the importance of treating photographs as primary sources, the controversies over colourisation and the future of photographic history in an age of visual abundance.
1 Aug 2021
The American War in Vietnam with Rob Thompson
In 1965, in the coastal province of Phú Yên, US Armed Forces embarked on an effort to pacify one of the least-secured regions of South Vietnam. Often described as the “other war” to win the “Hearts and minds” of the Vietnamese, pacification was, in reality, a destructive process that relied on the means of conventional warfare to succeed. Clearing, holding, and destroying communist incursions in the provinces would win the loyalty of the South Vietnamese and therefore the war. Nearly a decade later, US Armed Forces were gone and, Phú Yên, like many other provinces, was under Hanoi’s control, not Saigon’s. For these reasons, historians have taken a greater interest in how pacification was conducted on the ground. In this episode, Dr. Robert Thompson explains the significance of pacification to America’s defeat, his thoughts on Ken Burn’s popular documentary, and some of the myths that have shaped our understandings of America’s War in Vietnam.
Reach and audience
Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.
Apple Podcasts (US)
5.0 / 5
1 ratings
Contact On War & Society
Guest appearances
Books guests
Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.
Host of On War & Society?
Claim your podcast to manage its listing and keep your show details accurate.
Pod Engine is an independent podcast discovery and analytics service and is not affiliated with or endorsed by this podcast. Artwork and show content belong to their owners. Full legal notice.
Explore this show Podcast research with Pod Engine
