Volume 9, Number 4, April 2014
Activity
History in the news
Sarah Ward
In this issue of 20TH CENTURY HISTORY REVIEW there are two articles concerned with aspects of the
First World War — Jamie Murrin’s ‘Was Russia ready for the First World War?’ and Mark Rathbone’s
article on the Sarajevo Crisis.
If you watch the news and read other history magazines, you will be aware that this year marks 100
years since the outbreak of the First World War. There will be the chance to see television
programmes, contribute your family’s stories, tag diary records for the National Archives and visit
related exhibitions around the UK.
The First World War debate
The First World War, and debates surrounding it, has also been in the news for another reason — a
lively and impassioned debate between different historians, programme makers and government and
opposition ministers.
Here, we look at the debate and how it could be useful to you. We will look at three main articles. The
first is by Michael Gove, the secretary of state for education since 2010. The second is by the shadow
education secretary, Tristram Hunt. The final article is by Professor Sir Richard Evans, regius
professor of history at the University of Cambridge.
Michael Gove
Before becoming an MP, Michael Gove was a journalist for The Times. He has also contributed to
Prospect magazine and the Spectator. He is the Conservative Party’s secretary of state for education
and was recently responsible for changing the A-level history curriculum. He has strong views on how
history should be taught and on how teachers should deliver the curriculum.
Follow the link below and read the article. It argues that the First World War was a ‘just war’, that wellknown television programmes and films give a misleading impression of Britain’s military commanders
and that historians and teachers are producing a left-wing ideological view of the war that is
unpatriotic.
www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2532923/Michael-Gove-blasts-Blackadder-myths-FirstWorld-War-spread-television-sit-coms-left-wing-academics.html
Questions
(1) How does Gove see the military commanders of the First World War?
(2) What evidence does he give for his interpretation?
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(3) Read again about his views on television programmes like Blackadder. What does he argue is
negative about them?
(4) How does Gove think the First World War should be commemorated?
(5) Think about provenance and purpose for this interpretation. What is Gove’s purpose in writing
this article for the Daily Mail? Does this affect the usefulness and reliability of the
interpretation? If so, in what ways?
Tristram Hunt
Following Gove’s article on 2 January 2014, his Labour counterpart, Tristram Hunt, wrote an article in
answer to it. Before becoming an MP, Hunt was a historian and writer. He still lectures in history at
Queen Mary, University of London and has written books on the English Civil War, a biography of
Friedrich Engels and a book called ‘Building Jerusalem’ about the rise and fall of the Victorian city.
Hunt also has strong views about history teaching.
Hunt’s article appeared in the Guardian on 4 January 2014. He responded to Gove’s charges about
left-wingers being unpatriotic, argued that the causes of the First World War are much more complex
than they are presented in Gove’s article and that the debate about the First World War is not one
appropriate to aid the creation of national identity. Both men differ in their views on how the First World
War should be commemorated. Follow the link below to read Hunt’s article:
www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jan/04/first-world-war-michael-gove-leftbashing-history
Questions
(1) Hunt does not respond directly regarding the ‘lions led by donkeys’ argument. He does give a
different argument about the causes of the war. What is that argument?
(2) What evidence does Hunt give in support of it?
(3) Hunt responds to Gove’s arguments about left-wing politicians and academics with the
example of John Ward, MP for Stoke-on-Trent. How does Hunt explain the response of the
left-wing to the ‘fascism’ of Wilhelm II?
(4) How does Hunt think the First World War should be commemorated?
(5) Compare the usefulness and reliability of Hunt’s article to that of Gove. Are there similar
problems or positive aspects? Are there any different advantages or disadvantages to Hunt’s
account?
Professor Sir Richard Evans
The final article is by Professor Sir Richard Evans. He is a historian, regius professor of history at the
University of Cambridge, and the author of many books on German history. He is perhaps most well
known for his books on the Nazi period but has also written on nineteenth and early twentieth-century
Germany. He was singled out for criticism by Gove in the first article and wrote an article in the
Guardian on 6 January 2014 in response. Follow the link below to read the article:
www.theguardian.com/books/2014/jan/06/richard-evans-michael-gove-history-education
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Questions
(1) Evans does discuss the ‘lions led by donkeys’ debate. How does he critique Gove’s view on
the issue? What does he argue?
(2) All three men have views on the causes of the First World War. Does Evans agree with Gove
or Hunt? What evidence does he give in support of this?
(3) Evans clearly has political views but deals with the ‘right-wing vs left-wing’ aspect of this
debate very differently. What does he say on this issue? Why does his approach differ?
(4) How does Evans think the First World War should be commemorated?
(5) Think again about usefulness and reliability. What is different about Evans here? Why is he
writing and are there any aspects about his purpose and background that make his argument
more or less reliable and useful?
Activity
Political parties have used this debate to try to become more popular with the public but it is also
interesting to historians and students of history. It reveals the key areas of debate, offers a chance to
practise the evaluation skills you need to demonstrate (particularly at A2), and should show you that
increasingly the study of history is relevant to current political ideas and concepts. In summary,
complete the following activities.
(1) Compare the views of Gove, Hunt and Evans on the causes of the First World War.
Evaluate the arguments and decide which interpretation you agree with. Give reasons
for your answer.
(2) Consider history on the television. Do you think television programmes can be useful
for teaching people about history? If you were going to teach a lesson using a
programme, what warnings might you give?
(3) Two out of the three men who wrote the articles are historians. The other is a welleducated journalist. What difference do you think it makes when considering these
important issues as a historian? What benefit can it bring?
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