Episodes

When John Wolfram joined the US Navy in 1967, he did not know he would become the first person to see the Apollo 11 astronauts after the moon landing. John shares about his experiences of the Apollo 11 naval recovery and in V...

George Washington is known as the “Indispensable Man” of the American Revolution. That was never truer than in 1783, when a mysterious conspiracy in Newburgh, NY almost destroyed the young republic. The episode examines Washi...

Scott Rank discusses his podcast "Presidential Fight Club", which seeks to answer the question "If all of the presidents fought each other one-on-one, who would win?" SCOTT RANK www.historyonthenet.com/scott-rank www.historyo...

General Michael V. Hayden was on the front lines during President Bush’s War on Terror. In this episode, the former NSA and CIA director discusses the dilemmas presidents face in defending America from attack. JOIN PREMIUM Li...

William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt succeeded in building an American empire, but they found themselves in an unexpected war against the Philippines. This episode explores the horrors of America’s most forgotten war. JOIN...

The unlikely pair of William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt transformed their nation from an isolationist republic to a global empire. This episode examines how they remade the United States and what it means for Americans t...

When James K. Polk left the presidency, he was exhausted with just months to live—but he left his nation a continental giant. This episode explores the obstacles he overcame so that America could become one of the great natio...

Politicians are known for breaking promises, but not James K. Polk. He entered the presidency promising to fulfill his nation’s “Manifest Destiny” and he succeeded beyond anyone’s imagination. This episode explores how he pul...

It took America a little bit of luck and the collective genius of Jefferson, Madison, and Monroe to secure the Louisiana Purchase from France. This episode explores how these three American giants pulled off the bargain of th...

No woman has ever served as president, but it isn’t for lack of trying. This episode examines the women who sought to shatter the ultimate glass ceiling in American politics and seeks to answer the question, why didn’t any of...

As a White House photographer for six presidents, Bob Knudsen had a front row seat for some of the most important events in modern history. In this episode, his son (also Bob Knudsen) shares anecdotes about the private side o...

Franklin D. Roosevelt spent his last years as president winning one world war while trying to prevent another. But one man stood in the way: Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin. This episode explores FDR’s efforts to secure lasting...

In 1944, Americans elected Franklin D. Roosevelt to an unprecedented fourth term as president, but few knew that he was a dying man. This episode explores decisions made that critical year that would alter the fates of millio...

In 1989, Peggy Grande got the opportunity of a lifetime when she became the executive assistant to former President Ronald Reagan. In this episode, Mrs. Grande discusses her experience with one of America’s most consequential...

Before Bush v Gore and Trump v Biden, there was Hayes v Tilden, the nastiest presidential race in American history. This episode explores in 1876 election—a time when fraud, corruption, and the threat of violence overturned t...

Fate put Andrew Johnson in the White House during a critical time in American history—a unique opportunity that he completely squandered. This episode examines America’s obscure 17th president and how his failures continue to...

He might look like an old man on the one-dollar bill, but George Washington was once a bona fide action hero. This episode explores our first president’s legendary exploits during the French and Indian War and the American Re...

This American President delves into the lives and legacies of U.S. presidents through long form stories and interviews. It will challenge the way you look at American history. JOIN PREMIUM Listen ad-free for only $5/month at ...