Ep381 – Britain, oil and Baku in 1918 – Nick Higham

About this episode

Nick Higham discusses Britain's campaign in the Caucasus during the First World War and its strategic implications.

In this episode, Nick Higham explores Britain’s extraordinary and often overlooked campaign in the Caucasus during the closing stages of the First World War. Drawing on his book Mavericks, he discusses the diverse group of soldiers, diplomats and intelligence officers sent to Baku to prevent Ottoman and Bolshevik control of critical oil resources. The interview highlights the strategic importance of oil, the chaotic political environment and the personalities involved in the mission. Nick also examines why this episode has been largely forgotten and what it reveals about the wider geopolitical stakes at the end of the war.

People in this episode

Host: Dr Tom Thorpe

Guest: Nick Higham

Topics covered

• Caucasus campaign
• First World War
• oil resources
• geopolitical stakes
• military history

Keywords

• Baku
• oil
• First World War
• Caucasus
• geopolitics
• military history
• Mavericks

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: Mavericks

Places: Britain, Baku, Ottoman, Bolshevik

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