The History of Bad Ideas: The Decisive Battle

Past Present Future

D&HR Media Ltd

Society & Culture, History, News, Politics, Philosophy

4.8 • 747 Ratings

🗓️ 22 June 2025

⏱️ ? minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

In today’s episode about the power of bad ideas, David talks to historian and podcaster Dan Snow about the myth that wars are settled on the battlefield. Why are we so drawn to the idea of the decisive military showdown? Is Napoleon to blame? What are the forces that actually settle military conflicts? Plus: were Abba really so wrong that Waterloo won the war? Out tomorrow: A bonus episode in which David and Dan explore a range of battles to see what got settled and what didn’t: Yarmuk, Hastings, Agincourt, Trafalgar, Warsaw 1920, Stalingrad. To get this and all our bonus episodes plus ad-free listening sign up now to PPF+ https://www.ppfideas.com/join-ppf-plus Next time on The History of Bad Ideas: Charisma Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	So, what are you watching at the moment?
0:01.8	Squid Game, Dad.
0:03.0	Let's watch it together this weekend.
0:04.9	Would that be nice?
0:06.0	What's it on again?
0:06.8	Netflix. You've got EETV, so you just switch it on. What season are we up to? Um, four? That's Stranger Things, Mum. And what about the kids? Don't worry, they'll watch Coca-Mellon for the hundredth time. Switch on Netflix with EETV, plus change up sports and entertainment.
0:04.5	It's TV with the ultimate flex for the hundredth time. Switch on Netflix with EETV. Plus change up sports and entertainment.
0:22.4	It's TV with the ultimate flex for the whole family.
0:25.4	EETV requires EEB Broadband, separate 24-month contracts for TV and broadband content of airy-term supply.
0:30.1	The road stretches before you, but there's trouble ahead, stationary cars.
0:34.1	You're faced with the McDonald's side mission.
0:36.8	Do you, A, join the ever-growing
0:39.0	Q, or B, take the next exit and treat yourself to a glorious Mackey's?
0:45.3	Detouring to McDonald's. Start your side mission today. Hello, my name's David Rumsman and this is past-present future, the History of Ideas podcast.
1:06.6	Today, in our series on the History About Ideas, I'm talking to the historian, broadcaster,
1:12.0	podcaster, Dan Snow, about the idea of the decisive battle.
1:17.1	Why are we so drawn to the thought that wars and indeed history get settled on the battlefield?
1:24.2	What does the idea of the decisive battle miss about how history really works and what
1:30.4	fateful temptations does it put in the way of political and military leaders?
1:39.6	So Dan, we're going to talk about the idea of the decisive battle and we're going to talk about
1:44.0	some battles and the ways in which maybe they create that myth. But I've always, I'm not a
1:49.7	military historian, and this may be a naive question, but I've always been puzzled by battles
	...

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