Conclusion of the Turkish National Struggle 1919-1922. Mustafa Kemal, later known as Ataturk, leads the Turkish Nationalists against the armies of Greece. The Battle of Sakarya River between the Turks and Greeks is a key battle of European history and shapes of the future of their respective countries. Picture: Inferno of Smyrna Music: The Charlston Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Turkish National Struggle 1919-1922 The Ottoman Empire emerges defeated from World War One. The Entente Allies impose harsh conditions in the armistice whereby the Ottomans lose most of their territory including parts of Anatolia. However, Mustafa Kemal, later known as Ataturk, raises an army to oppose the Allies Picture: Mustafa Kemal and Turkish soldiers Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As background to the Turkish National Struggle, this episode describes the events in the Caucasus Mountains in World War One, - conflict between Russia, the Ottoman Empire, the Germans, and nationalist groups of Georgians, Armenians and Azerbaijanis. Separately I talk about Greece's involvement in World War One. Picture: Kaiser Wilhelm of Germany and Enver Pasha, Minister of War for the Ottoman Empire Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Ottoman Empire in World War One - the fights for the Suez Canal, Gaza, Jerusalem and Arabia between the British and Turks Picture: General Allenby enters Jerusalem Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 1920 the Polish and Soviet Russian armies clashed in a series of battles across a wide area of eastern Europe including Ukraine and Lithuania. The Soviets advanced deep into Poland and reached the gates of Warsaw, with the aims of capturing the city and., more widely, exporting their revolution across Europe. Picture: Polish soldiers in the Battle of Warsaw 1920 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Polish Army make a pre-emptive strike against Soviet Russia. They invade the eastern borderlands, and take large amounts of territory, especially in Ukraine, but they fail to break the Russian army. Meanwhile, the Ukrainians attempt to form an administration in Kyiv Picture: Vladimir Lenin rallying his people to the war Intro Music: The Charlston Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

While Western Europe's borders were settled post World War One, fighting still raged elsewhere on the continent. The most significant was the Polish Soviet War, which raised issues such as the clash of ideologies, the Soviets’ attempt to export their revolution, the future of Europe itself. It was a conflict that spanned a large area, from Lithuania and Ukraine in the east to Warsaw in the west. Picture: Josef Pilsudksi with soldiers Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Bolsheviks face numerous opponents across Russia, and struggle to gain control of all lands of the old Tsarist Empire. The White anti-Bolsheviks make a plan to move on Moscow www.historyeurope.net www.patreon.com/historyeurope Picture: By Hoodinski - Own work, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=16761719 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Civil War rages across Russia from the north in Murmansk, across the Trans-Siberian Railway to the Far East, as well as in Ukraine and the Caucasus. However, the anti-Bolshevik fail to cooperate effectively Picture: Tsar Nicholas II with this family 1913 (murdered by the Bolsheviks in July 1918) Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The new Bolshevik regime quickly gains control of most of former Russia Empire, but meets stiff resistance in the periphery including Finland, the Caucasus and Ukraine. They sign a peace treaty with Germany at Brest-Litovsk and withdraw from the First World War Picture: Volunteer Army Infantry Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

- Introduction to the new series on the Interwar Years - A recap of Russia's involvement in the First World War - The February 1917 Revolution and Provisional Government - Lenin's Bolsheviks seize power in the October Revolution www.historyeurope.net https://www.patreon.com/c/historyeurope Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Battle of Lake Peipus or 'The Battle on the Ice' was fought on 5th April 1242 between a coalition of western crusaders led by the Teutonic Knights against an army from Novgorod, Russia, led by Alexander Nevsky. The conflict was made famous by a Soviet film of 1938 directed by Sergei Eisenstein. This is the fifth and final part of a set of episodes on the Medieval Baltic and the Northern Crusades Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Alexander Nevksy appointed Prince of Novgorod, a Russian city with its own unique culture and proud history. Lead up to Battle of Lake Peipus 1242 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Livonia in the 12th century was threatened by invasion from all sides; Danes, Swedes, Germans, Poles and Russians. Key events in the episode; 1201 - Founding of Riga (capital of modern day Latvia) by Bishop Albert 1219 - Capture of Tallinn (capital of modern day Estonia) by Denmark in the legendary battle of Lyndaniss 1236 - Defeat of a military order, the Sword Brothers, by a band of Lithuanians at the Battle of Saule Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Teutonic Order was set up in the Holy Land as a German equivalent of other military orders. The first campaigns in Europe were in response to invitations from the King of Hungary and then a Duke of Poland. And so began their conquest of Prussia Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.