I am yet again recommending that everyone watch the imperfect, but still brilliant, 2004 "CSA: The Confederate States of America" mockumentary. It's not just a "what if" for #ACW nerds, it is much more brilliant than that. And it is all on youtube! #History #althistory #movies

We talk a lot about the #Suwalkigap but must less about the Morecambe Gap - a narrow 11 mile stretch that is the only thing stopping #Yorkshire from being a trans-island superpower with control over Northumberland, Cumbria, and Scotland, which would inevitably fall under its sway. #Strategy

Come & see a crack team of #Napoleonic historians (and me!) talking about #Waterloo! #History #authorlife

Another #stateopening of #Parliament where I spent most of the day shouting abuse at the TV #journalists telling the audience "oh that's very historical with meaning" without actually saying anything to contextualise the ceremonies & their meanings. Agony! #history #screaming

For no reason at all I'm reading this alt #history novel where an authoritarian (you may have heard of) willing to weaponise all aspects of #federal power becomes #President. Truly, an unimaginable romp.

On 20 June 2026 - come & join me & a crack team of excellent #Waterloo historians to talk about... WATERLOO! We're at Apsley House, the Iron Duke's own home, and we want all #Napoleonic #History fans to come!

Lost my nerve with #Microsoft trying to get into #outlook yesterday and confronted by a wall of "use copilot". No thanks, I can still click a button. #AI #Abominableintelligence #butlerianjihad

Perhaps the ultimate #wargaming #rpg example of "If it has stats, we can kill it" in 1982's Fantasy Wargaming ... why not take on the Christian God? And a Leo, really? #Theology #Leo #History

Had a lovely morning giving @patersonjoseph.bsky.social my Black History tour of #Parliament; largely focused on the remarkable #Georgian era - a personal favourite! #History #authorlife

I feel seen!

#Heraldry nerd note, the "Trump" coat of arms, seen at #Trump Org-linked places, is that of Joseph Davies (1876-1958, #WW2 US diplomat and #Stalin fan!) who built Mar-a-Lago. Funnily, the motto "Integritas" ("Integrity") has been defaced with "Trump". Time to re-watch "Mission to Moscow" #History

Love a good timeline to help me visualise things, & this one has helped me properly realise that in January 1945 in #WW2 #Burma, every #African unit of the British Army in Burma, except for 3 #Nigeria Brigade, was in action. #History @historybowsh.bsky.social @badsocialism.bsky.social

Working on #ww2 #Burma has made me on jungle-y I've went & made a whole Epic scale #40k #Catachan army on the side. Very proud of my infantry in textbook patrol movement formations. Next up, Tarantula platforms as bunkers. #wargaming

Now that #PhD is in the bag, back to the grind! If you're a #history #military history, #blackhistory or #napoleonic group/podcast & you need an hour filled by an INCREDIBLE tale of War, Heroism, & Self-Emancipation. CALL ME IN! I'll travel far & I'm cheap. Send a message & get me on your schedule!

More fun with #maps for #Burma. This time showing the 81st West #African Division's 1st campaign in the Kaladan Valley; this is animated to go along with my presentation. #history @historybowsh.bsky.social @almurray.bsky.social

Working on my next book & having fun with #maps for a presentation on the subject. This sums up 11th East #Africa division fighting in #Burma 1944 @historybowsh.bsky.social @badsocialism.bsky.social #history #ww2 @almurray.bsky.social

Me: right Matt, first post since you became Dr Matt #PhD #authorlife better make it a doozy that shows you're meant to be part of the intellectual #history #elite. Anyway, here's the most tragic image I've ever seen on Amazon.

Yesterday at 1600 my @penandswordbooks.bsky.social work "Black Redcoats" passed the line to become a #PhD by prior publication, & I became a Dr. I couldn't have done this without myriad support from so many people, inc my benefactor Karole & supervisor Alison. Very proud. #History #Blackhistory

#today in 1941 the USSR & Empire of Japan sign a Neutrality Agreement. This I think is one of the most underappreciated #WW2 #history moments with massive ramifications for how the war played out. @historybowsh.bsky.social @almurray.bsky.social

For no reason at all, just remembered that time the #Joker was #Iran #UN representative. #Comics #Batman #History

If you're going to hang out with a #sailor, might as well make it #Nelson of the Big Bad Royal Navy* #History #RoyalNavy *official title now, cheers Colonials.

One for you @badsocialism.bsky.social if you've never seen it before: www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xDK...

Today for the #Nigeria Presidential visit to the #UK I am enjoying listening to a great collection of Nigerian march songs of the Royal West African Frontier Force. These recordings were made in 1945, and capture men of 7 Bttn 3 Nigeria Brigade - CHINDITS! #history #burma

Great Day at @nationalarmymuseum.bsky.social with @societyarmy.bsky.social for talks on the American War of Independence (250 years of a lucky escape!) with great speakers & subjects! #History #AWI #America250

Reading a 1905 book about #Nigeria today & genuinely loving this reminder that even in the 20th century large parts of #Africa were unknown to colonial forces. #History

A recruiting poster from #WW2 in Northern Rhodesia & Nyasaland (as #Zambia & #Malawi where then known) in the Chewa/Nyanja language - it has the classic question of recruitment posters: "This man is a soldier. King George wants more soldiers. Are you brave men? If so, join the army!" #History

Big shout out to #Hornblower for this excellent depiction of the uprising enslaved people of #haiti - full of French Revolutionary fervour in full "Black Jacobins" style. #history #drama #television

By far the weirdest thing I get a lot of now is requests to "take part" in #book club discussions about my book - usually at last minute - & they always reveal themselves as #scams with stuff like this. This particular one uses has also stolen the identity of an actual club in #chicago #authorlife

Another enjoyable #history evening talking to North Crawley's Historical Society about my "Black Redcoats" - a fun evening with food & wine afterwards. #authorlife #writing #books

Now that's a hell of a hard #WW2 pic, showing a #Nigeria soldier of the West #African Brigade that was part of #Burma Chindit operations! #history #blackhistory @historybowsh.bsky.social @badsocialism.bsky.social

Got a bit of time today? Why not watch a great piece of #USA #BlackHistoryMonth work that's also #militaryhistory, specifically #Vietnam. www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxSi...

Finally, a #manga just for me! About the shenanigans and coup attempts around & against the #Japanese Emperor as it becomes clear they need to surrender in #ww2 - an excellent bit of #History well-presented.

It’s time! @blackredcoats.bsky.social’s Black Redcoats and the Harbour Special from Tintagel Brewery. I’ve dipped into the book before but this is the full cover to cover. From the start it’s pretty epic and uplifting. #readingndrinking #histbookchat

My "Black Redcoats" is at the College of the Muscogee Nation, the Muscogee descend from the Creek who the Royal Marines & former enslaved I wrote of fought alongside against the US. The corn is from the Great Tecumseh's Tippecanoe ( @tom4141tom.bsky.social ), & Alabama the homeland of Creek #History

Sometimes you just need to remember that you only need a mad minute. #history #guns #war #british #smle

How's #book sales of my "Black Redcoats" doing you ask? Well I've booked (ho ho!) yet another speaking event for SEPTEMBER 2026(!) another free lunch & chance to sell books while doing what I love, talking #history! #bookme #authorlife

Hola #Burma #WW2 historians & enthusiasts @badsocialism.bsky.social @historybowsh.bsky.social I'm putting together some stuff on the #Africa contribution to Burma & this is my "Order of Battle" using modern flags. Does it make accord with what you know? #History

Spent a very happy Sunday talking to the @armybenevolentfund.bsky.social Berkshire branch about my "Black Redcoats". A great audience of proud #veterans it was a pleasure to bring this amazing tale of #British and #blackhistory to. #authorlife

While stupid things are said about (recent) military #history, the 179th Anniversary of #Isandlwana & #RorkesDrift (#Zulu) took place yesterday & brave people fighting for their Kings and Countries were honoured. Big love to the Diehards Living History Group for this photo.

Going up on flagpole tonight. Let's see if the #raisethecolours crowd are #patriots or collaborators. Britain forever, and everyone who is lucky enough to be #British, of all creeds & colours, you are my people. Fuck foreign despots. #457 #History #NATO

I've been SO ANGRY all day due to various utterances by idiots that, to make myself feel better, I've been indulging in reading the words of Royal Marine officer Edward Nicolls, who wanted to destroy the United States by having British forces arm enslaved people and native Americans. #History

Reading these reports about an alleged new #Canada defence plan in case of #USA invasion, and it seems to come down to "We're the Taliban now". Or the Tal-ay-ban, if you will. #politics #currentevents

In Kitwe, #Zambia, part of the Zambian Defence Force barracks is Mawlaik Banquet Hall, a public-usable venue for things like weddings and graduations. It is named after the village Mawlaik in #Burma #Myanmar where Zambia (& Malawi) soldiers fought hard in #WW2. @historybowsh.bsky.social

Anyone else ever wonder what this guy from Rage Against the Machine's "Sleep now in the fire" music video is up to now? #History #music #ratm #metal #politics

Time to aggressively divide the #Napoleonic #Sharpe loving #History world with the strongest weapon in the world: the power of equine friendship. @zwhitehistory.bsky.social @lureynol.bsky.social #reading #books

Shout out to the ship's crest of HMS Tiptoe, yet another amazing #royalnavy crest. #history #ww2

Relaxing this evening with an incredible piece of #ww2 propaganda with so far too many mad elements to easily list! #history #ussr #film

Good night, but especially good night to HMS Witch's amazing ship crest. #history #royalnavy #ship #naval

Oh aye, let's just go and aggravate the Americans when I don't even have an anti-Delta Force insurance plan. #History

Come and listen to be *very uncomplimentary* about the United States at just the moment I may have to consider helicopter-proofing my garden! #History #Politics #Currentevents