Host Jim Mowatt spoke with James Falkner, before telling about the battle of Oudenarde in 1708. (I spell this town Oudenaarde, but that is the difference between Dutch and English) He asks Falkner about the show's continuing hero, the Duke of Marlbourough, and about the outcome of the war and that is why the talk would have probably suited better after the show. In the narrative a good portion of the tension is that you do not know in advance, how things are going to work out. However, the interview talked about the war in general and extensively discussed the outcome of the war, thus defusing part of the suspense.Nevertheless, this is once again, a great show and I hope Mowatt will continue to have interviews with specialists. It was very enlightening to learn Falkner's analysis of the war. Even though the Allies (notably the English and Dutch) won and France lost, the result was more like a stand off. France was still powerful and especially the Dutch got bad terms in the peace treaty. The war had bankrupted them and as Falkner put it, made them draw the conclusion that playing the game of empire was not something they could or wanted to keep up with. Hence, the long-term outcome was Britain's hegemony on the seas. Very interesting, but much more effective to consider, after you have heard about troops moving around a town in Belgium.
More Historyzine:
Aftermath of victory,
The Battle of Ramillies,
Winter diplomacy,
The lines of Brabant,
Historyzine at its best.
1 comment:
Good point about the order of the show. It had never really occurred to me before. I know what's going to happen and had never really considered there even was a suspense element to the story.
However, this is a period of history that is not so well known so it makes sense that there will be quite a number of people out there who don't know what's going to happen.
The correct place for that interview should maybe have even been at the end of my telling of the War of the Spanish Succession which may not be all that far away. I may even re-run that interview then. Even though we're in 1708 and the war continues on to 1713 or 1714 (depending upon which country you're following)there are not very many major battles remaining in this narrative. I suspect I shall finish this story in about 6 months or so. I haven't decided what the next special feature will be. I'm tempted by the War of the Austrian Succession but not, as yet, completely committed to that notion.
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