A month ago, my YouTube algorithm brought up a video called “Japan in 1960 was insane” and I knew I had to check it out. While it covers two topics I find endlessly fascinating (Japan and the Cold War), I knew next to nothing about the subject. I was also skeptical about whether this was going to be an informative take or just some dude talking in front of a camera. When watching it, I was so surprised by how well it was researched and edited I had to check out the channel’s other videos right afterwards.
Thus began a 6-hour binge of Spectacles, a channel dedicated to historical situations where democracy was challenged and analysis of the backgrounds and aftermaths of those situations. While far from perfect (his fondness for Francis Fukuyama is a little grating), he does the sort of work that I appreciated Damien Walter bringing to his Science Fiction podcast: doing the research and putting the thought into explaining why and how they get to their conclusions.
I've posted the entries I found most interesting below to give a sense of how these videos are – I recommend subscribing to the channel if you find them fascinating too:
“Japan in 1960 was insane”
Focused on the 1960 revision of the U.S.-Japan Security Treaty, the protests of said treaty, and the assassination of Inejirō Asanuma – all of which impacted Japan in a radical way.
“This is Italy’s JFK mystery”
Focused on the kidnapping and murder of Italian PM Aldo Moro in 1978.
“How a Slave Humiliated Napoleon… Twice”
A brief overview of the Haitian Revolution and how France reacted to it.
“This is Sweden’s JFK Mystery”
Focused on the assassination of Swedish PM Olof Palme in 1986.
“How a Weird Cult Broke China’s Government” & “This is China’s Most Wanted Cult Leader”
This is a 2-parter about how Falun Gong came about and the exact nature of their relationship with the Chinese government.
“Why Germany Loved War…for Centuries”
Despite the screen capture they used, this video is less about the Nazis and more about how the Prussians instilled the machinery of bureaucracy on how Germans developed their worldview.
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