Thu, 26 November 2015
You guys are the best, so you deserve to know what's new and what's about to happen in the life of WDF as well as Zack's life too! Within this long-winded, but also very frank and surprisingly personal episode, you'll discover Zack's plans for the future in academia, exciting news about his Masters and the direction this podcast should go in. Whether you stick it out to the end or only listen to bits of it, I feel indebted to you listeners, and I feel like I owe you updates like these. Feedback is welcome - please be nice, I am sensitive at the moment... Thanksssss!
Direct download: State_of_the_Podcast_Address_26_11_2015.mp3
Category:History -- posted at: 11:19pm UTC
Comments[2]
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Dear Zack, From a Yank way out on the West coast, (living just about 50 miles from Jamie Jeffers, I might add.) I wanted to say I really appreciated the state of the podcast address. Congratulations on your honor for the dissertation. I personally love the current series, although I think many of the geopolitical imperatives that brought Britain into The Great War have roots that go back even further, because we see similar strategies and tactics being used by the British in their desire to maintain the balance of power on the continent as far back as the 17th century. I do understand the need to keep the project at a limited scope so that it not become too unwieldy. On a more personal note, I want to encourage you to pursue your quest for your Doctorate. Your passion for these subjects is obvious and it is what makes you so enjoyable to listen to, as well as the fair minded approach that you take with controversial characters. As long as you have that passion, you will be successful in whatever historical endeavor you choose to pursue. I, like you, at a young age was fascinated by history. Might have come from all of the museums my Mum drug me to as a child, and all of the books that I read about great lands and events, distant in both time and space. When I was twelve I read through the entire History of US Naval Operations in WWII by Samuel Eliot Morrison. In 15 large volumes. Twice. I loved history and literature. My father, may he rest in peace, was determined that I should get a business degree because that is where the jobs are. So as the dutiful son I successfully achieved my undergraduate degree in Business Administration-Marketing, entered the business world, and hated just about every minute of it. Within four years of graduation I made an abrupt change to driving American style Semi Trucks, what you in Europe call Lorries. Twenty-one years later I do enjoy my job, most of the time, but I always wonder what would have happened if I had been a little less dutiful. To sum up -- follow your passion, and your success will follow. And If you can bring fair, well reasoned scholarship to the masses in such a way that it is entertaining and informative, a lot of success will follow. Think big -- a When Diplomacy Fails Internet Channel, with real history documentaries. Finally, again, I love the current subject. Here in the colonies, we often don't realize the huge impact the Great War had on the world. Our part in it was so small,our influence on the outcome so minor, that to us it can seem that our modern history started December 7,1941. We don't recognize the small rock slides that led to the avalanche that came out of Japan in the 1930s. The opening of Japan to trade by American naval force and the US control of the Philippines after the Spanish American war are two factors that would lead to the environment of tension in the Pacific in the years leading up to Pearl Harbor. These things I know, the reasons why the wealthiest empire the world had ever seen went to war in 1914 I know far less about. Sorry for such a long comment, but you are a remarkable young man, quite talented yet humble as well. I just wanted to share my life experience and encourage you to follow your passion. God Bless Harold H. Hayward III
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