Episodes

Ray Harris Jr of The History of WWII Podcast is joined by Richard Lim to discuss Franklin D. Roosevelt. Now that the Japanese have struck at Pearl Harbor, FDR must lead the U.S. to victory. But what kind of man and politician...

When he was shot by assassin Charles Guiteau, President James Garfield was robbed of his place in history. He would forever be relegated to obscurity. In this episode, we interview Todd Arrington on his book on the 20th presi...

An enduring theme of Abraham Lincoln's life was his genius for striking a balance between opposing forces. Lacking formal schooling but with an unquenchable thirst for self-improvement, Lincoln had a talent for wrestling and ...

John F. Kennedy often gets high marks for his leadership during the Cuban Missile Crisis, but he agonized over what to do in Southeast Asia. This episode covers the origins of America's disastrous intervention in Vietnam—and ...

John F. Kennedy's early years were formative for his knowledge of international relations, and provided him the ability to steer the nation through perilous events in the Cold War during his presidency. In this episode, we in...

In October of 1962, John F. Kennedy and Nikita Khrushchev went to the brink of nuclear armageddon. In this episode, we cover how they managed the most dangerous moment in human history, the Cuban Missile Crisis. JOIN PREMIUM ...

Now that the 2020 election is over, attention is focusing on the new president's cabinet. We take the president’s cabinet for granted but it’s creation wasn’t a foregone conclusion. In this episode, we interview Professor Lin...

Jackie Kennedy was widowed at the age of 34, forever traumatized by her husband’s assassination. In this episode, we interview Paul Brandus on how Jackie sought to build a new life without JFK in his new book, Jackie: Her Tra...

John F. Kennedy entered office amid great expectations and high ambitions. But his idealism would soon crash into the realities of the Cold War. This episode examines the complex situations JFK encountered in the Third World....

Vladimir Putin remains one of the world’s most enigmatic leaders, but Professor Brian Taylor has spent years studying what makes the Russian president tick. In this episode, Dr. Taylor discusses his book, The Code of Putinism...

They called him Honest Abe, but according to author Elizabeth Mitchell, Abraham Lincoln wasn't always honest. In fact, few presidents have more effectively manipulated the media. In this episode, Ms. Mitchell discusses her ne...

GOP senators are moving to confirm Amy Coney Barrett to replace the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. In light of their 2016 refusal to give Merrick Garland a hearing, is this historically sound or hypocrisy? Historian David ...

In 1796, George Washington decided to retire after decades of public service, but he was worried for his nation’s future. This episode explores his Farewell Address, which he hoped would guide Americans beyond his own lifetim...

President Trump’s COVID diagnosis raises questions about what happens when the president is incapacitated. Jane Hampton Cook and our host Richard Lim discuss what history has to say about presidential illnesses. JANE HAMPTON ...

In the middle of a heated presidential election, historian Jarrett Stepman explains what lessons history has to offer about the electoral college, running mate selections, and televised debates. Jarrett Stepman is the cohost ...

100 years after the 19th amendment, Jane Hampton Cook’s book Resilience on Parade recounts the long struggle to secure women the right to vote nationwide. In this episode, Jane discusses the key figures and moments in the wom...

The grandson of the 34th president, Merrill Eisenhower Atwater continues his family’s tradition of public service as CEO of People to People International. In this episode, Merrill discusses his grandfather’s towering legacy....

Some remember Dwight D. Eisenhower’s presidency as a time of peace and prosperity, but in reality, it was an era of constant global crises. This episode explores how Eisenhower skillfully navigated the perils of the Cold War....

Few men entered the presidency as prepared as Dwight D. Eisenhower, but the Cold War required exquisite statesmanship. This episode explores Eisenhower’s plans to contain communism and prevent nuclear holocaust. JOIN PREMIUM ...

Our host Richard and Joey Brown discuss the smallpox pandemic during the American Revolution and the Spanish Flu and the lessons those events have to offer for the present COVID-19 pandemic. JOIN PREMIUM Listen ad-free for on...

Harry S. Truman, a former haberdasher from Missouri, presided over the final victory in World War II, but a new conflict emerged: the Cold War. This episode explores how he responded to the unprecedented challenge of containi...

Richard and Michael answer questions from listeners including the origin story of the podcast and what goes into making an episode. They also announce a Kickstarter Project to fund a podcast studio. JOIN PREMIUM Listen ad-fre...

In 1945, Harry S. Truman made one of the most fateful decisions any president has ever had to make: to use the atomic bomb as a weapon of war. This episode examines the unique circumstances and earthshaking consequences of th...

Nigel Hamilton is the author of an epic-three part biography on Franklin D. Roosevelt. In this episode, Hamilton discusses his new book, War and Peace: FDR's Final Odyssey: D-Day to Yalta, 1943–1945. JOIN PREMIUM Listen ad-fr...