MAY 2016
CONTENTS Features
Every month 6 ANNIVERSARIES
11 HISTORY NOW
1 1 The latest history news 14 Backgrounder: North Korea 16 Past notes: sugar
18 LETTERS 21 MICHAEL WOOD’S VIEW 58 OUR FIRST WORLD WAR
65 BOOKS he latest releases, plus Kate T Summerscale on a Victorian murder
77 TV & RADIO The pick of new history programmes Discover how Edward IV nearly won and lost the Wars of the Roses, on page 40
80 OUT & ABOUT
22 Thomas More Was the Tudor statesman a saint or sinner? Joanne Paul offers a fresh interpretation of his life
30 Turning the tide in Burma James Holland recalls a little-known, but crucial, Allied victory against Japan in the Second World War
34 Unusual underwear Spencer Mizen picks out some surprising garments from yesteryear
40 Warrior of the Roses AJ Pollard re-examines Edward IV’s role in the bloody 15th-century civil wars
46 After the Rising Diarmaid Ferriter charts 100 turbulent years of Anglo-Irish relations
50 Triumph at Jutland Nick Hewitt argues that the 1916 naval clash was pivotal in the First World War
60 Fairy danger Richard Sugg reveals how these mythical beings caused terror in the 19th century
80 History Explorer: the golden age of sail 85 Five things to do in May 86 My favourite place: Berlin
93 MISCELLANY
93 Q&A and quiz 94 Samantha’s recipe corner 95 Prize crossword
98 MY HISTORY HERO
Ben Elton enthuses about William Shakespeare
38 SUBSCRIBE 200th issue exclusive offer* when you subscribe today
*Offer available to UK Direct Debit orders only USPS Identification Statement BBC HISTORY (ISSN 1469-8552) (USPS 024-177) May 2016 is published 13 times a year under licence from BBC Worldwide by Immediate Media Company Bristol Ltd, Tower House, Fairfax Street, Bristol BS1 3BN, UK. Distributed in the US by Circulation Specialists, Inc., 2 Corporate Drive, Suite 945, Shelton CT 06484-6238. Periodicals postage paid at Shelton, CT and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to BBC HISTORY MAGAZINE, PO Box 37495, Boone, IA 50037-0495.
BRIDGEMAN/MARY EVANS/NATIONAL ARMY MUSEUM/GETTY/©VICTORIA AND ALBERT MUSEUM, LONDON/TOPFOTO/MOVIESTILLSDB.COM
60 The sinister world of 19th-century fairies 30 How the Allies learned to defeat the Japanese
BBC History