Mark Jones @mark18681918.bsky.social · 1hFrom the perspective of an outsider looking in, I'm really struck by how the USMC (much like the Royal Marines in the UK) identified their future vision & purpose, took the hard decisions, and now are well on the way to delivering on this vision. The British Army could learn from this approach. 140
Mark Jones @mark18681918.bsky.social · 09/10/2026static.klipy.comTom and Jerry: Tom Takes a BowALT: Tom and Jerry: Tom Takes a Bow 000
Reposted by Mark JonesAndrew @andrew617.bsky.social · 09/10/2026A bandwagon I'm happy to jump on - 9 history books (I could've been 20). I could happily wax lyrical about them all but 2 is a perfect example of how to mix eyewitness testimony with history, 5 is the best recent American book on the subject, 7 is best single vol on the subject IMHO #HistBookChat 4132
Mark Jones @mark18681918.bsky.social · 09/10/2026It was a very popular book so I'm not surprised there are a few different variants out in the wild. Biography isn't really my favoured genre, so I found it a bit hit or miss, although some sections are incredibly dark 010
Mark Jones @mark18681918.bsky.social · 09/10/2026The first 'proper' history book I read- still treasure my (very sun damaged) copy 010
Mark Jones @mark18681918.bsky.social · 09/10/2026It's the one that won't be going to the charity shop! 100
Mark Jones @mark18681918.bsky.social · 09/10/2026Inspired by @lwestwoodauthor.bsky.social here are the nine (non-fiction) books I won't forget. Some have been hugely influential in my research, others have stuck with me for one reason or another. One continues to haunt me to this day. All highly recommended. #HistBookChat #Skystorians 2111
Mark Jones @mark18681918.bsky.social · 09/10/2026A very quick #HistBookChat post this week. Lots of travel this week so a good opportunity to clear the backlog. One book was excellent, another so-so, the third fell a bit flat for me. 2100
Reposted by Mark JonesLaurence Westwood @lwestwoodauthor.bsky.social · 09/10/2026#histbookchat No new book this week but decided to pick 9 histories/biographies that left me thinking 'wow!' when I got to the end! Second choice photo not great but it is Faust's Metropolis, Alexandra Richie's astonishing history of Berlin pubbed in 1999, 1000+ pages of brilliant writing! 1141
Reposted by Mark JonesDavid Burbach 🇺🇸 @dburbach.bsky.social · 07/10/2026Wow is this something that comes up for scholars of conflict and of military technology. There are sadly quite a few on the antiwar left, including some profs who vote on hiring and tenure, who think if only academics stopped studying war and weapons, war and weapons would stop happening 2337
Mark Jones @mark18681918.bsky.social · 07/10/2026Agreed - I've yet to come across any conflict scholar who even vaguely considers war to be a 'good' thing. 060
Reposted by Mark JonesNick Kodama 🌳👻 @nickkodama.bsky.social · 07/10/2026Despite my research area, I would like to remind everyone that: 2234
Reposted by Mark JonesWesley Morgan @wesleymorgan.bsky.social · 06/10/2026You can really see the different phases of the war play out in this radar imagery. These first two show the damage from the most intense bombing, before ground forces entered Gaza, when the IDF was announcing the destruction of “power targets” and sometimes dropping more than 1,000 bombs in a day. 110135
Reposted by Mark JonesDónal Hassett @donalh.bsky.social · 06/10/2026My 3 big frustrations with Anglophone coverage of France. 1. No acknowledgement of how much of private media is under control of far-right billioniares. 2. No acknowledgement how exceptionally violent French police are in Western Europe. 3. No acknowledgement that 'centrism' has been very repressive 22811
Reposted by Mark JonesNicholas Grossman @nicholasgrossman.bsky.social · 06/10/2026The US fled from a UK base in fear of an Iranian drone attack. UK found a specific plot against this base, but there’s nothing uniquely vulnerable about it. The US has many similar bases in various locations. Going to run away from all of them? Rely on intel sniffing out every plot in advance?nytimes.comPotential Iranian Drone Attack Led to Exit of U.S. Aircraft From British Air BaseAccording to U.S. and British officials, 12 B-1 Air Force bombers from R.A.F. Fairford air base were withdrawn because of the risk of a drone attack ordered by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps... 79120
Mark Jones @mark18681918.bsky.social · 06/10/2026Pathetic isn't it? A billionaires vanity project and the predictable faux-culture war fallout when he doubt get his own way. 030
Reposted by Mark JonesWaitman Wade Beorn, PhD, FRHistS @waitmanwbeorn.com · 06/10/2026Oh no! Is it because they got rid of the Jagdpanther and medal room? This may be news to Lara, but, good museums are ALWAYS in the process of renovating, changing, and updating their exhibits. spectator.com/article/can-...spectator.comThe Imperial War Museum has lost its wayThe Imperial War Museum (IWM) will be spending £1 million on a major rebrand to highlight modern conflicts. 14988
Mark Jones @mark18681918.bsky.social · 06/10/2026Couldn't agree with you more - a billionaires vanity project (and subsequent temper tantrum). The NAM have made a mistake in inviting him into the fold. 020
Reposted by Mark JonesMike Walker @newnarrative.bsky.social · 06/10/2026U.S. Sends Reaper Drones from Fighting Terrorists in Africa to Colombia and Ecuador to Hunt Cartels www.nytimes.com/2026/10/06/w...nytimes.comU.S. Sends Reaper Drones to Colombia and Ecuador to Hunt CartelsMQ-9 Reaper drones — known for high-profile deadly strikes — have been shifted from Africa to Colombia and Ecuador, U.S. officials said. 065
Reposted by Mark JonesSeeadler @seeadler.bsky.social · 06/10/2026It would be a lot easier to believe this – as opposed to "we've run out of bombs for them to drop" – if the US had similarly removed the U2s at Fairford, which are presumably equally vulnerable to attack. But they haven't. 121
Reposted by Mark JonesBryn Hammond @brynleyh.bsky.social · 06/10/2026That thing where people copy and paste from ElonWorld and then moan about it here. What. Did. You. Expect? The guy is a shit. He invaded a world to make it shit and it’s shit. Really shit. Don’t give those who choose to stay there oxygen. 081
Reposted by Mark JonesLisa Carey @msleedy.bsky.social · 04/10/2026Genuinely concerned about what's happening to the space-time continuum in this toilet. 1183586791
Reposted by Mark JonesHupple’s Cat @hupplescat.bsky.social · 03/10/2026When NFL teams wear throwback uniforms for games, the coaching staff should have to wear suits and fedoras on the sidelines. 461284104
Mark Jones @mark18681918.bsky.social · 02/10/2026Happy #HistBookChat Friday!. Quick one from me this week - very much enjoyed it, an interesting perspective of Cold War submarine (non-) warfare from a Soviet Perspective. Highly recommended. #Skystorians #NavalHistory #ColdWar 0101
Mark Jones @mark18681918.bsky.social · 01/10/2026I can't see it have much of a legal difference, other than picking a fight with a state is much trickier than a private individual. 100
Mark Jones @mark18681918.bsky.social · 01/10/2026Will do my best, although there are plenty of massive egos in the field of history 😅 110
Mark Jones @mark18681918.bsky.social · 01/10/2026Interesting - I do have a copy of Lambert's book so I'm intrigued to see how it unfolds! Cheers! 110
Mark Jones @mark18681918.bsky.social · 01/10/2026On a seperate note, I just searched 'Franklin Expedition' on this app (intrigued to see the duscourse) and some of the skeets...static.klipy.comIts A Bit Odd StrangeALT: Its A Bit Odd Strange 130
Mark Jones @mark18681918.bsky.social · 01/10/2026Having just purchased some books on the Franklin Expedition, I'm intrigued to hear which ones you would class as academic (even loosely)? 121
Reposted by Mark JonesMatthew Ford @warmatters.bsky.social · 30/09/2026Latest publication: Hammers & Nails: Military Innovation as a Strategic Dead End In this article I argue that innovation has become an end-in-itself, supplanting the much harder challenge of defining a meaningful, justifiable and achievable strategy. www.militarystrategymagazine.com/article/hamm...militarystrategymagazine.comHammers and Nails: Military Innovation as a Strategic Dead End - Military Strategy MagazineThis article argues that contemporary Western military innovation has become a strategic dead end. Tracing the evolution of military innovation from the Revolution in Military Affairs through counteri... 37130
Mark Jones @mark18681918.bsky.social · 30/09/2026"Look, I was just visiting the promenade to count caravans with my associate. I have absolutely nothing to do with Transit Vans in rural Gloucestershire" 020
Mark Jones @mark18681918.bsky.social · 30/09/2026static.klipy.comColonel Tavington's Disapproval in The PatriotALT: Colonel Tavington's Disapproval in The Patriot 042
Reposted by Mark JonesWesley Morgan @wesleymorgan.bsky.social · 30/09/2026And here is a thread linking to articles that describe how, within the IDF, to-the-foundations earthmover demolitions became the norm in Gaza. It wasn’t because of orders from IDF high command, really—it was a highly successful bottom-up revolution by the extremist reservists who had the earthmovers 27321
Reposted by Mark JonesSociety for Army Historical Research @societyarmy.bsky.social · 29/09/2026Call for Papers - SAHR Virtual Conference, "The British Army Since 1945" Paper and panel proposals sought for an online conference taking place 20-21 February 2027 - full details in link. Please share widely. www.sahr.org.uk/docs/sahr-call-for-papers-the-british-army-since-1945-sahrs1143.pdf 075
Reposted by Mark Jones𝟙𝟜𝟙𝟠𝕔𝕙𝕣𝕚𝕤 @fourteeneighteen.co.uk · 29/09/2026Advice, please! My new book is a battalion history. The history itself, by the time I have added maps and index, is ~400 pages. Part 2 consists of biographies of every officer and will be ~200 pages. So ... produce as one heavy volume or two smaller, easier to handle volumes? Thoughts? #ww1 #book 494
Mark Jones @mark18681918.bsky.social · 28/09/2026Obviously still to be confirmed...but perhaps everyone can chill the fuck out for a bit. 011
Mark Jones @mark18681918.bsky.social · 28/09/2026Three, perhaps they weren't actually committing an offence as defined by the Terrorism Act and, therefore, there is no reason to hold them on suspicion of terrorism offences? They're still under investigation, but in all likelihood for a different set of offences. 010
Mark Jones @mark18681918.bsky.social · 28/09/2026Excited to see all the new counter-terrorism experts that have sprung out of the earth in the last 24hrs...static.klipy.comAlexandria Ocasio-Cortez: Not The ExpertALT: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: Not The Expert 041
Reposted by Mark JonesChristine Ferguson @cferguson.bsky.social · 28/09/2026Solidarity to @ucuedinburgh.bsky.social as they fight what have clearly been proven to be unnecessary and disproportionate cuts within an institution that remains the wealthiest university in Scotland. Victory to the strikers! www.ucuedinburgh.org.uk/blog/five-we...ucuedinburgh.org.ukStaff at the University of Edinburgh start five-week strike — UCU EdinburghMembers of the University and College Union (UCU) at the University of Edinburgh today (Monday) start five-weeks of strikes in a dispute over £140million cuts and compulsory redundancies. The strike f... 02712
Reposted by Mark JonesDr. Claudia Hillebrand @ckhillebrand.bsky.social · 28/09/2026Seoul accuses Ukraine of violating secrecy pact on North Korean soldiersgiftarticle.ft.comSeoul accuses Ukraine of violating secrecy pact on North Korean soldiersSouth Korea demands apology after Volodymyr Zelenskyy discloses prisoner transfer 011
Reposted by Mark JonesDJ (he, him)🏳️🌈 @dmrh0720.bsky.social · 26/09/2026SPECIAL REPORT - Your Neighbour Canada Has Changed And You're Not Going to Like What is Happening Underestimating Canadians - Trumps Fatal Mistake americanpulse.substack.com/p/special-re...americanpulse.substack.comSPECIAL REPORT - Your Neighbour Canada Has Changed And You're Not Going to Like What is Happening Underestimating Canadians - Trumps Fatal Mistake50% tariffs, a collapsed trade deal, and a Canadian economy posting record highs anyway. Here's news you're not going to like, but you need to know it 29028
Reposted by Mark JonesThomas Leahy @thomasdmleahy.bsky.social · 27/09/2026On #bbcradiowales this morning talking about #Garvaghyroad #orangeorder #drumcree 8.15am 041
Mark Jones @mark18681918.bsky.social · 25/09/2026I'm still staggered they could accrue 97 million files, let alone 'mislay' then. 110
Mark Jones @mark18681918.bsky.social · 25/09/202697,000,000??? www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...bbc.co.ukDiscovery of 97 million files related to SAS inquiry 'regrettable', MoD saysIt comes after the inquiry's chair called the disclosure - three years into the investigation - "troubling". 020
Mark Jones @mark18681918.bsky.social · 25/09/2026There's a weird part of me that wants to watch it, not least for the hilarious selection of ex-politicians taking part (Harriet Harman aside). 000
Mark Jones @mark18681918.bsky.social · 25/09/2026I do agree that sharing and talking about history shouldn't just be for the 'professionals', but I would argue most professionally trained historians can recognise when they're talking beyond their area of expertise. 010