Dominic Sandbrook

So one of the people who feels cheated is...

is one of the worst men in history, Gabriele D'Annunzio.

And he has, all through the war, he's been reveling in the war.

I mean, he was nicknamed the poet of slaughter, and he loved that nickname.

And when the war ends, because they don't get the Istrian port of Rijeka, or Fiume, as the Italians called it, he seizes it himself with a paramilitary group, and he names himself the Duce.

And that, of course, is an inspiration for another man we've mentioned, the man who really does tap the bitterness after Italy's war, a man who had fought on the Asonzo, who rose to become a corporal, who was badly wounded but survived to tell the tale, and that man was Benito Mussolini.

Ciao, arrivederci.

Hi everybody.

We are back with another absolutely colossal update about the Rest is History Festival.

It is indeed.

And at the core of the festival are these talks, and we've got some more talks to add to the lineup.

So I will be talking to the brilliant Tudor historian Tracy Borman about the secrets of the six wives of Henry VIII.

I'll be talking to friend of the show and Irish national treasure Paul Rouse about whether there is an alternative universe involved

in which islands could have remained part of the United Kingdom.

We'll be talking to Katja Hoyer about Weimar, Germany, and in particular, the town of Weimar through history.

And Professor Adam Smith will be telling the story of America through three presidents.

And on top of all that, I'll be doing a special event with Ian Hislop about the history of satire.

Absolutely incredible scenes.

And of course, on both days, Tom and I will be on stage doing a show together as well.

So on the first day, we'll be answering all our club members' questions.