Your weekly Breezer - the joyride for a curious mind.
From the folks at the Batting the Breeze podcast... The Breezer is our weekly newsletter where curiosity knows no bounds! Spend a few minutes discovering historical snippets and fascinating facts related to the forthcoming week, with a dash of "lots more". Thanks, Steve
You are receiving this newsletter because you wisely signed up via Batting the Breeze. If it has been forwarded to you and you would like to receive your own free copy, please sign up here. :)
The Breezer -the joyride for a curious mind: A weekly newsletter from me, Steve Winduss, at the Batting the Breeze podcast. Spend a few minutes with me discovering historical snippets and fascinating facts related to the forthcoming week. Add to that updates relating to the podcast, a touch of humour and a dash of "lots more". - 9th February 2025.
Happy Sunday!
I try to switch on the news as little as possible at the moment. A two-minute scan of BBC.com each morning tells me pretty much everything I need to know. Yesterday, I stayed on site a little longer. I had seen a short clip of thousands of displaced Palestinians trying to return home to the north. Their worldly goods comprised anything they could carry and no more.
I wondered what home looked like. The BBC journalist described the north of Gaza as a “depopulated buffer zone of rubble”. But it was their home, and they were going back.
I watched a clip of overwhelmed Jewish families welcoming home their loved ones from Palestinian captivity. The joy in both camps couldn’t disguise the fact that there were no winners.
This week, the citizens of Dresden in Germany will remember their city’s former inhabitants’ similar return home to rubble 80 years ago this week.
There were no winners then either.
Arthur Travers Harris was head of RAF Bomber Command from 1942 to 1945. He became known for his aggressive strategic approach to bombing campaigns against Nazi Germany in the latter stages of World War II.
Sir Arthur Harris, c1942-45.
In early June 1942, Harris delivered his iconic speech, a forerunner of what was to come:
The Nazis entered this war under the rather childish delusion that they were going to bomb everyone else, and nobody was going to bomb them. They sowed the wind, and now they are going to reap the whirlwind. ARTHUR HARRIS - Head of RAF Bomber Command
Following successful “Thousand Bomber Raids” on the German cities Cologne, Essen and Bremen in May-June 1942, Harris was knighted. The press dubbed him “Bomber” Harris.
Public opinion would turn against Sir Arthur Travers “Bomber” Harris within three years. By 1945, the momentum of the war had swung comfortably in favour of the Allies. Nonetheless, Harris ordered the area bombing of the German city of Dresden. It would be a landmark decision. Eighty years ago next Thursday, 13 February 1945, 796 Lancaster bombers departed various RAF airfields across England. In two waves three hours apart, the Lancasters dropped 1,250 tons of high-explosive and incendiary bombs on the city. The raid was repeated the following night.
Dresden after “Bomber” Harris' area bombing, 1945.
Dresden was obliterated. 25,000 civilians died a grizzly death in the inferno while most of Dresden’s cultural landmarks were destroyed.
Between the two night-time raids, 311 US B-17 Flying Fortresses carried out daytime raids, continuing the bombardment of Dresden.
However, 62 of the B-17s were blown off course and offloaded 150 tons of explosives and incendiaries onto the city of Prague by mistake; a tragic error among many in the fog of war.
Out of curiosity… The Air Chief Marshal just prior to Bomber Harris’ tenure as head of Bomber Command was Sir Hugh Dowding.
Sir Hugh remained in position past his intended retirement to successfully guide the RAF to victory in the Battle of Britain in 1940.
Dowding died 55 years ago next Saturday, 15 February 1970, aged 87.
The total number of Bomber Command aircrew at the outset of World War II was 125,000. By the end of the war, 55,500 men would have been killed in action, 8,500 wounded and a further 10,000 captured. This amounted to a total 60% of aircrew. Harris was outraged that his Bomber Command crew were denied a campaign medal due to the controversy caused by area bombing. Churchill had distanced himself from the tactics and failed to mention the contribution of Bomber Command in his Victory in Europe speech in May 1945.
Sir Arthur “Bomber” Harris (left) and Air Chief Marshall Hugh Dowding outside RAF Church St Clement Danes, Strand, London.
Harris and area bombing have remained a historical point of debate since the war. Did the tactic shorten the length of the war, hence saving lives, or was it reckless at such a late stage in the conflict? Public views remain polarised, as does the status of Bomber Harris’ reputation. Eighty years later, area bombing would still seem to be in the toolkit of the high and mighty to sort out territorial disputes.
Out of curiosity… Robin Gibb of the 70s pop-rock band the Bee Gees campaigned for the building of a memorial to the 55,573 lost Bomber Command aircrew. Robin’s father, Hugh Gibb, had been a flight engineer in Bomber Command during World War II. Like many others, Gibb felt that the bravery of the Bomber Command aircrew had been overlooked amidst the post-war ethical debate. Sadly, Robin Gibb died in May 2012, one month before the unveiling of the new RAF Bomber Command Memorial. The memorial stands proud today in Green Park, London.
Dates with History
Tuesday…
Victor Verster Prison, in the Western Cape of South Africa, was at the centre of world media attention 35 years ago this Tuesday, 11 February 1990. Nelson Mandela walked free from the prison holding hands with his wife Winnie. The South African authorities had imprisoned Mandela for 27 years for his role opposing apartheid. Apartheid was the policy of racial segregation and discrimination that prevailed in South Africa throughout the second half of the 20th century. Within four years, apartheid would be banished and Nelson Mandela would be South Africa’s first black president.
Nelson Mandela shows President Bill Clinton his former prison cell at Robben Island, 1998. Mandela was captive there between 1964-1982 for 18 of the 27 years he was imprisoned.
“I think, therefore I am” is a quote that most of us would recognise, if not understand. The thinker behind that statement was French philosopher René Descartes, often regarded as the “Father of Modern Philosophy”. Descartes died 375 years ago this Tuesday, 11 February 1650.
Thursday…
King Richard II of England was deposed of his crown in 1399 after 22 years of ineffective rule. He was succeeded by his cousin and rival, Henry Bolingbroke, who became Henry IV. Bolingbroke had intended to spare his cousin’s life. However, a botched attempt to restore the former monarch to the throne changed that intention. Richard mysteriously died while imprisoned in Pontefract Castle in West Yorkshire 625 years ago this Thursday, 11 February 1400. The political instability of the period would indirectly lay the foundations for the soon-to-be War of the Roses.
Richard II resigns the crown of England to Henry Bolingbroke in 1399. Portrait from the Walker Art Gallery by John Gilbert 1876.
The English novelist and playwright P.G. Wodehouse died 50 years ago this Thursday, 14 February 1975. Wodehouse was known for his light and witty novels. Perhaps the best-loved of these were his Jeeves and Wooster stories.
She looked as if she had been poured into her clothes and had forgotten to say ‘when'. P.G. WODEHOUSE, Hot Water
By the Way
If you think chess is a bit dull and lacking controversy, then you haven’t heard about the 1984-85 World Chess Championship between the two Soviets, Anatoly Karpov and Gary Kasparov. In 1984, to win the World Championship, a player needed to win six games. Karpov and Kasparov were squaring off for the first time. Karpov won the first four games. The next 17 games were drawn. Karpov then won game 27 to go 5-0 up. The next 14 games were drawn. On game 32, Kasparov achieved his first win. Fourteen more draws followed, then Kasparov won games 47 and 48. Kasparov was down 5-3 but gaining the upper hand. Karpov was physically and mentally fading.
Gary Kasparov (left) and Anatoly Karpov exchange a frosty greeting during the 1985 World Chess Championship.
Game 48 was played 40 years ago yesterday, 8 February 1985. Seven days later and before game 49, the match was terminated. Florencio Campomanes, President of the International Chess Federation (FIDE), claimed that the committee were concerned about the health of the players. However, both players were keen to continue. The world’s press concluded that the Soviet authorities had pressured Campomanes to abort the series, though some doubt remains. Karpov was an avowed Communist, allegedly helping the KGB to ‘deter’ rivals over the years, while Kasparov had shown signs of dissent against the regime. The match between Karpov and Kasparov was replayed the following year under new rules, a 24-game maximum competition. Kasparov was crowned the youngest ever chess world champion at the age of 22. The 1984-85 World Championship was the most controversial match in chess history. Karpov never beat Kasparov in a World Championship match.
Question of the Week
The Peanuts comic strip is recognised in at least 75 countries around the world. It has appeared in nearly 3,000 publications since the first strip was published in 1950. The comic strip features Charlie Brown, Snoopy the dog, Lucy, Linus and a few other characters.
Snoopy and Charlie Brown on a mural somewhere in Mexico.
The storylines are underpinned by ethical questions of love, resilience, hope and dealing with failure in a way that appeal to children and adults on varying levels. The last original Peanuts was published 25 years ago this Thursday, 13 February 2000. Who was the creator of Peanuts? For a bonus point, what breed of dog was Snoopy?
And Finally…
In The Breezer a few weeks ago, I talked about the Eurovision Song Contest, the quintessentially European singing competition that has been running since 1956. In that newsletter, I described the spectacle like this:
In short, it is an annual gathering of mad people dressed in outlandish costumes, a cultural car crash. The looney-tunes on offer bear little resemblance to national musical identities. Chemically induced performances are as memorable in the moment as they are forgettable straight after.
The interval slot each year is a relief from the chaos, rarely spectacular but a relief nonetheless. However, in 1994, that changed. It was the 39th Eurovision Song Contest in Dublin. I was visiting my parents. The television was on with volume half-down while we talked. When the soothing and mystical choral tones of a group called Anúna filtered through, Mum turned up the volume. The singing gave way to a lady in black who was to perform some traditional Irish stepdancing.
Anúna performs at Riverdance, 1995.
Irish stepdancing is like tap dancing but the upper body is stiff and the arms held firm against the body. It looks like the dancers are wrapped in cling film. Unexpectedly, the lady broke out into a free-flowing movement, with swinging arms and ballet-styled leg movements - an altogether different vibe. After this brief introduction, the drums beat a rhythm and a male dancer came flying out from stage right. His black trousers flashed across the screen with billowing shiny green top and blonde mane hanging on behind. His toe-tapping was both frantic and mesmeric as he covered every square inch of the stage. His arms definitely weren’t restricted by cling film. He was one dancer on a massive stage, but the audience was transfixed, as we were. Soon, the lady in black rejoined the flying tapper on stage, and they flirt-danced together for a while. But then it happened. Twenty-four fellow Irish dancers joined in, hell bent on Irish stepdancing the traditional way. They lined up seamlessly and tapped out a rhythm with their feet as if their lives depended on it.
Three minutes later, as the 26 troupers stomped their last, the Dublin audience unanimously rose to their feet, roared approval and applauded with far more enthusiasm than a Eurovision Song Contest had ever witnessed - or deserved. The dance routine by Jean Butler, Michael Flatley and company was intended as a one-off performance. However, Dublin and 300 million worldwide viewers thought differently. The genie was out of the bottle. Thirty years ago today, 9 February 1995, the first full-length music and dance extravaganza Riverdance launched at the Point Theatre in Dublin. In theatrical terms, it would become a global phenomenon.
Jean Butler and Michael Flatley perform the first ever Riverdance, Dubin, 1994. CLICK IMAGE TO WATCH.
The high-energy show has clocked up over 11,000 performances to more than 25,000,000 people to date, and is still going strong. I’ve seen two of those performances and will be adding a third in November. Check out that original Riverdance performance - I guarantee you a lump in the throat.
Spread the word...
If you've enjoyed this newsletter, please help me spread the word by forwarding it to a friend.
If you have received this newsletter from a friend and would like to receive your own weekly copy of The Breezer, then feel free to sign up here.
Thank you for joining me. Have a great week!
Steve
HOST & CHIEF STORY HUNTER
P:S: Incidentally, I am always keen to receive your feedback to help me continuously improve this newsletter and the podcast. Just hit reply to this email and...... let it rip! I respond to every email that I receive.
Question of the week… Answer
The creator of the Peanuts comic strip was Charles Schulz. Snoopy was a Beagle. Schulz created and drew every one of the 17,897 Peanuts comic strips in the 50 years from first publication until his death in 2000. The comic strip ran continuously for 50 years. When Schulz took his only vacation during this time, repeats were published for the first and last time.
Charles Schulz working on Charlie Brown, 1956.
Today, Peanuts is as popular as ever, with original themes and new stories intertwined across a range of media. Schulz died 25 years ago this Wednesday, 12 February 2000, the day before the last original publication of Peanuts.
TrustedHousesitters have kindly offered The Breezer subscribers 15% off all new memberships with code TRUSTED15(runs until March 31).
Sir Arthur “Bomber” Harris, c1942-45: Royal Air Force official photographer, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. Nelson Mandela shows President Bill Clinton his former prison cell at Robben Island, 1998: White House Television crew, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. Richard II resigns the crown of England to Henry Bolingbroke in 1399. John Gilbert, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. Gary Kasparov (left) and Anatoly Karpov exchange a frosty greeting during the 1985 World Chess Championship: Copyright 2007, S.M.S.I., Inc. - Owen Williams, The Kasparov Agency, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Snoopy and Charlie Brown on a mural somewhere in Mexico. Aurelio de Sandoval, CC BY-SA 2.5 MX, via Wikimedia Commons. Charles Schulz working on Charlie Brown, 1956: Roger Higgins, World Telegram staff photographer, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons. Anúna performs at Riverdance, 1995: Michael McGlynn, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
The Breezer newsletter is published on the Batting the Breeze website with a two-week delay. Check out previous editions here.
Your weekly Breezer - the joyride for a curious mind.
From the folks at the Batting the Breeze podcast... The Breezer is our weekly newsletter where curiosity knows no bounds! Spend a few minutes discovering historical snippets and fascinating facts related to the forthcoming week, with a dash of "lots more". Thanks, Steve
