(1984)
Album: Russians & Americans
Al Stewart / Peter White

[1980]
Album: "24 Carrots"

History and references behind Al Stewart's songs from www.alstewart.com

Murmansk

Murmansk is located on the Kola Gulf in the Barents Sea in Russia. It is 25 miles north of Leningrad (St. Petersburg),and about 35 miles from the open sea. It is the largest city in the world north of the Arctic Circle, and is the principal base for the Russian deep sea fishing fleet and the home of the Arctic Fisheries and Oceanography Research Institutes.
The port of Murmansk is ice free, and is kept open all winter by warm currents flowing up from the Gulf Stream. It was founded in 19115 as a port ot receive Allied supplies for the Russian armies during WWI. It was held by Allied ilnterventionists from 1918 to 1920 following the Bolshevik Revolution.
In WWII the post resisted a German drive, and was again used as a port for Allied convoys bring supplies to Russian troops.

Ellis... (continuer)

[1980]
Album: "24 Carrots"

A song about Nazi war criminals hiding in South America.

[1995]
Album: "Between the Wars"

History and references behind Al Stewart's songs from www.alstewart.com

League of Nations

The League of Nations was an international organization formed after World War I to promote cooperation, peace and security. The basis for the League is found in the Treaty of Versailles,which provided for such an international assembly. The United States, which failed to ratify the Treaty of Versailles, never became a member.
Based in Geneva, the League was useful in settling minor disputes, but it was unable to stop acts of aggression by major powers, such as Japan's invasion of Manchuria (1931), Italy's conquest of Ethiopia (1936), etc. It collapsed early in World War II, and was dissolved in 1946.
The League established a pattern, however, that was later emulated in the development of the United Nations.

Churchill's Hiccup

Legend has it that Winston Churchill... (continuer)

[1996]
Album: "Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time"

A song about Soviet Union leaders.

History and references behind Al Stewart's songs.

Joseph Vissarionovich Stalin (1879 - 1953)

Stalin was born Iosif Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili in Gori, Georgia, Transcaucasia. He attended the parish school in Gori, and entered the seminary of Tiflis in 1894. There he demonstrated himself to be an able student and ambitious leader. In 1898 he joined a Georgian socialist organization and came under the influence of Marxism. In 1899, just prior to graduation, he was expelled from the seminary because of his "disloyal" views.
He was arrested in 1902 and remained in prison until 1903. While in prison he was elected a member of the Social Democratic committee. He was deported to Siberia, escaped, and returned to Tiflis in 1904 shortly after the Social Democratic Party had split into bolsheviks and mensheviks.... (continuer)

[1988]
Album: "Last Days of the Century"

A song about a World War I pilot.
(Marcia)

[1984]
Album: "Russians and Americans"

[1993]
Album: "Famous Last Words"

History and references behind Al Stewart's songs from www.alstewart.com

Jean Jaurès (1859 - 1914)

Jean-Joseph-Marie-Auguste Jaures was one of the leaders of the French Socialist movement during its formative years. He was born in Castres, France on September 3, 1859 and attended the Ecole Normale Superieure in Paris, earning the title agrege de philosophie. Upon graduation he worked as a teacher at the lycee of Albi (1881-83) and as a lecturer at the University of Toulouse (1883-85).
He was elected to the Chamber of Deputies in 1885 with no political affiliation. After his defeat in 1889, he returned to the university. In 1891 he presented two theses for his doctorate. He was returned to the chamber during the by-election of 1893. Although he was defeated again in 1898, he served again after being elected in 1902, 1906, 1910 and 1914.
By his election... (continuer)

[1973]
Album: "Past, Present, Future"

History and references behind Al Stewart's songs from www.alstewart.com

"They crossed over the border the hour before dawn ..."

The Nazi-Soviet pact was signed on August 23, 1939. In the pact an anti-communist Germany came to terms with the USSR to open an opportunity for the invasion of Poland. The Soviets, who could not negotiate an agreement with the British and/or French decided to protect themselves by dealing with the Nazis directly. The pact, signed in Moscow by Joachim von Ribbentrop and Vyacheslav Molotov, included nonaggression and trade agreements.
World War II began within weeks with the German invasion of Poland. The pact was broken when the Germans invaded the USSR in June, 1941.

"Most of our planes were destroyed on the ground where they lay ..."

On June 22, 1941 the German's launched their attack on Russia. The Russians admitted... (continuer)

[1973]
Album: "Past, Present, Future"

History and references behind Al Stewart's songs from www.alstewart.com

In early June, 1934 Ernst Roehm (chief of staff of Germany's Sturmabteilung) had a confrontation with Hitler which reportedly lasted for nearly 5 hours. Hitler had been under the impression that forces within the S.A. were preparing a Bolshevist action he felt would bring only trouble for Germany. Hitler stated that Roehm left him with assurances that he would do everything possible to put things right. Hitler later felt that Roehm's real intentions were to begin preparations to eliminate him personally.
A day or two later Hitler told the SA to go on leave for the entire month of July. During this time they were not to wear uniforms or engage in parades or exercises.
On June 7 Roehm announced he was going on sick leave. Before leaving, however, he issued a warning. "If the enemies... (continuer)

[1995]
Album: "Between the Wars"

History & References behind Al Stewart Songs from www.alstewart.com

The Spanish Civil War

The roots of the Spanish Civil War were many and deep, but the simplistic view would be that the elected Republican government was trying to improve the working conditions of the have-nots while trying to contain their more radical elements. The haves including the Church, Landowners and Military opposed them.
On July 18, 1936, General Francisco Franco and others declared a Nationalist revolt against the government. Unlike the American Civil War, and more like the English Civil War, the Republicans and the Nationalist were struggling for the control of Spain. The Republicans were supported by Western Liberals and the Soviet Union. The Nationalists were supported by Nazi Germany and the Italians.
The main battle in the war was the fight for Madrid. The Nationalist... (continuer)