Radio War Nerd EP #135 — Years Of Lead, Part 1
Guest: Annibale, Italian war nerd
Recorded May 29, 2018
Radio War Nerd's popular series on Italy in the 20th c. [EP 131, EP 134] continues! This episode, "Annibale" gives a brief update explainer about Italy's 2018 political crisis—then takes us back to the 20th century, through the beginnings of Italy's "Years Of Lead": the violent & disorienting period from 1969-early 1980s, of deadly bombings, neo-fascist terrorism, radical leftist unrest, spooky coup conspiracies, Red Brigades kidnappings . . . And we meet some larger-than-life radical aristocrats, like the fascist Prince Junio Valerio Borghese and his failed coup conspiracy, and the radical leftist publisher-aristocrat, Giangiacomo Feltrinelli . . .
At 2:10:37 the War Nerd & Ames look at current war news: In Yemen, Saudi/UAE coalition forces closing in on the port city Hodeida, the one port servicing the starving Houthi region . . . Reports of Israeli-Russia deal to let Assad forces retake southwest corner of Syria, but without "Iranian" (Hezbollah) forces . . . British TV Channel 4 visits East Ghouta, discovers Islamist rebels who controlled it for years made life "Hell" for its residents . . . The Guardian's Simon Tisdall's propaganda piece rebranding Al Qaeda-run Idlib as a feminist paradise . . . Islamist beheadings in Mozambique . . .
Listen to the first two episodes in our "20th-c. Italy" series with Annibale: EP 131, on the Italian Resistance Movements 1943-45; and EP 134 on Post-War Italy politics, reaching back from 1919 - 1960 . . .
Total time: 2:43:46
Comments (19)
Weird question but for Annibale: has he ever seen/read anything about Yaroslav Stetsko masterminding the Italicus express train bombing in 1974 ?
The colonialist white supremacist assumptions in the comments section of RWN is so anachronistic.
What
ohhh that margarethe von trotta film die bleierne zeut is so good! its english title is marianne and juliane. didnt know it coined the phrase thats so cool!
*zeit
Amazing.
The Italian movie Il Divo (about Andreotti and the years of lead) is fantastic. I would wait to watch until you have heard part 2 as it assumes that you know a bit about the years of lead.
I recommend you you Italian movies made during the "Years if Led" about Gladio, like Elio Petri's Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion. Petri also made a novie about Aldo Moro, starring the same actor, Gian Maria Volonte, a Communist.
You guys should do a spin off podcast with Annibale just on Italian history since the Risorgimento. Would pay another ten bucks a month for that. Also while neither of you guys seem exactly nostalgic for your Bay Area roots, since you're talking live shows I'll just say I'd love to see you out here.
Perhaps Annibale and Andrea Signorelli together would be awesome. I disagree on "since the Risorgimento" (exclusively) - the Ninja Turtles Period definitely should be included.
Great guest. What a wealth of information! Maybe you can consider making another series with Annibale chronicling the Italian unification. It's one of those subjects I'm interested to learn about but not to the extent of reading a thick book about.
yes great idea!
Annibale is Great! He should have his own podcast. Could you cut these into one long piece? Also, you have mugs?
all good ideas
Was this episode pushed the the RSS feed? I don't see it showing up in Overcast. Thanks as always!
fixed!
I don't think it's a right wing position to oppose migration anarchy. It does not help these African migrants to be dumped in the streets of Europe. There is no work. These men are from subsistance farming communities in Africa. The old and young rely on these men. They are the workforce of these communities. The old and young will now suffer and maybe starve because of this insane social engineering project sponsored by these NGO's who are providing an adventure for these men. I would do the same thing. There's nothing right about it.
I could understand a "Europe is full" argument but I'm a bit perplexed by your dubbing it an adventure or a social experiment by NGOs; it was rather a punishment unleashed on Europe by Gaddafi in retaliation for Hillary's military adventure. When the boats are permitted to leave Libya, Europe's only options are to let them drown or process them, generally keeping them locked up in camps. No matter how you look at it, that's not a social experiment on the European part, nor is it an adventure for the Africans.
Been eagerly anticipating this one!