Aug 27, 2026 · 42 min · 20 segments
'Keep calm and carry on' has long been held up as the defining spirit of wartime Britain. But was the nation really as united, stoic and unquestioning as popular memory suggests? In this episode…
Stephen CaseyGuestIsabel KingHost[gentle music] "Keep Calm and Carry On" has long been held up as the defining spirit of wartime Britain.
But was the nation during the Second World War really as united, stoic, and unquestioning as popular memory suggests? In this episode of the History Extra podcast, Stephen Casey takes Isabel King through the often surprising reality of Britain's wartime morale, from challenging official narratives to relying on Nazi broadcasts.
Now, when most people think of the Second World War in Britain, they may conjure up ideas of the so-called Blitz Spirit, or the keep calm and carry on nature of British identity.
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