Matthew Johnson

Historian of Modern Britain; Associate Professor, Durham University; exhausted parent. Researching MPs in the armed forces and soldiers in British politics

[Matthew Johnson @BoredomThenFear]

New article out today (open access) with @JBritishStudies! Looking at masculinity, patriotism, and the electoral and parliamentary politics of Liberal ex-servicemen after the Great War

https://t.co/aETSUpuZk8

[Home Front Studies @HomeFrontSt]

#homefront article of the week: At #UK #ArmisticeDay events in the 1920s, you might have seen a uniformed veteran-turned-politician. @BoredomThenFear shows how such performances symbolized the militarized shadow of #WWI & its long-term political impacts. https://t.co/hcreGdk4PS

[Matthew Johnson @BoredomThenFear]

Recycling the hits. Younger son remembered his brother getting a Spidey cake last year, so asked me to make him a Miles Morales one for his birthday

[Matthew Johnson @BoredomThenFear]

Made a Spider-Man cake this year

[James Koranyi @jtkoranyi]

We are looking @durham_history for a Career Development Fellow in Modern European History for 24 months. Deadline 7th August 2024. Please do circulate!
https://t.co/iMvukYqYzp

[Matthew Johnson @BoredomThenFear]

Son asked me to make him a Star Wars cake this year. #Grogu

[Matthew Johnson @BoredomThenFear]

Made a Spider-Man cake this year

[Matthew Johnson @BoredomThenFear]

@redhistorian @TheOrwellPrize @po_qu Huge congratulations, Rob! Very richly deserved!

[Matthew Johnson @BoredomThenFear]

I wrote a chapter on the electoral politics of soldiers and ex-servicemen after the two world wars in this book, edited by @d_thackeray and @RichardToye

[Matthew Johnson @BoredomThenFear]

The military service records of candidates was a big issue in the general elections of 1918 and 1945, and in the years that followed. One prominent politician to experience something like 'Swift boating' was Sir John Simon... 🧵

[Rory Stewart @RoryStewartUK]

I passionately agree with @campbellclaret here. Many people in public service cannot talk about the details of their service and operations for very good reasons. And shouldn’t be asked to in election campaigns. This is unpleasantly reminiscent of the Swift boat attacks on Kerry. Let’s not make this part of UK campaigns.

[Matthew Johnson @BoredomThenFear]

A military service record alone was not enough to save Simon’s reputation, and his by-election bid at Spen Valley was unsuccessful.

[Matthew Johnson @BoredomThenFear]

@LilyChadwick13 @durham_uni @durham_history @LauraGowing Congratulations!

[Matthew Johnson @BoredomThenFear]

Hamilton emphasized the ‘moral’ superiority of volunteer soldiers over conscripts, arguing that compulsory service could not raise an army capable of undertaking the arduous tours of duty overseas that were necessary for the maintenance and defence of Britain’s colonial empire.

[Matthew Johnson @BoredomThenFear]

Before 1914, the National Service League (a pro-conscription pressure group) appealed directly for support from socialists, arguing that the the introduction of National Service would represent 'the application of a socialist ideal to the problem of national defence' 🧵

[Richard Johnson @richardmarcj]

From a communitarian socialist position, I find the apoplectic reaction to national service pretty baffling.

Criticisms seem largely premised on liberal individualist notions that deny that we as citizens might have duties & responsibilities to our society bigger than ourselves.

[Matthew Johnson @BoredomThenFear]

Then, as now, some senior soldiers were less enthusiastic. Ian Hamilton, the Adjutant-General, thought that ‘it would be a splendid thing for the bad street corner boy to be forcibly enlisted in the Army … but I doubt whether it would be a good thing for the Army’.