History That Doesn't Suck
History That Doesn't Suck is a bi-weekly podcast that delivers a legit, seriously researched, hard-hitting survey of American history through entertaining stories. Hosted by Prof. Greg Jackson, the show aims to make history engaging and accessible. Listeners can follow the podcast on Facebook and Instagram for updates, and premium members get ad-free episodes and bonus content.
Episodes
208: The Pacific War, 1942–43: Guadalcanal, the Aleutians, and Operation Vengeance
“Guadalcanal is not the name of an island. It is the name of the graveyard of the Japanese army.”This is the story of America's first major offensive in the Pacific since Midway.Amid hard fighting among the frozen peaks of Attu at the tail end of Alaska's Aleutian Islands, the Americans are gaining ground. But the cost is steep. Carrying out banzai charges, Japanese soldiers are prepared to fight
Introducing: Government That Doesn't Suck! with Professors Greg Jackson and Lindsey Cormack
Episode 1: We The Founders (The Constitution) | Introducing Government That Doesn’t SuckFollow GTDS on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you listen.What if the Constitution isn't a dusty relic, but a living document built to be argued over, amended, and improved by every generation? In this debut episode, hosts Greg Jackson (creator of History That Doesn't Suck) and Professor Lindsay Co
The Declaration of Independence at 250
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen United States of America, as read by Professor Greg Jackson and fellow citizens: Lindsey Cormack co-host of Government That Doesn’t Suck, Ben Sawyer and Bob Crawford of The Road to Now, Colleen Shogan of In Pursuit, Lindsay Graham host of History Daily. Watch Prof. Jackson's PBS special here: The Unlikely Union: A Storytelling Symphony of America or visit
America250 Episode 8 Rerelease: Declaring Independence, the Rise of Alexander Hamilton, & the Fall of New York
In celebration of America’s 250th, we’d like to officially invite you to enjoy this special episode telling the tale of that audacious, terrifying, and formative step taken by the Second Continental Congress to declare Independence in the summer of 1776. Fought over bitterly on July 1st, voted on affirmatively on the 2nd, with the exact wording finalized on the 4th—I mean, how could we not resurfa
Bonus: Prof. Greg Jackson interview on The Road to Now with Dr. Ben Sawyer
Professor Greg Jackson is interviewed by Professor Ben Sawyer on The Road to Now podcast to discuss Jackson’s new book, Been There, Done That: What Our History Shows What We Can Overcome. As we approach the 250th anniversary of the United States, the conversation centers on the resilience of the American experiment. Rather than viewing the current political climate with despondency, Jackson argues
207: Japanese Internment: Removal, Relocation, & Reckoning
"What I vividly recall is after getting to Tanforan and walking into this horse stable, and Mom… putting down her suitcase and just crying.”This is the story of Japanese American incarceration.In February 1942, shortly after the United States enters the war, FDR signs Executive Order 9066, beginning the forced removal of Japanese Americans from their West Coast homes and lives. Some 120,000 civili
206: American Propaganda: Cap’s Debut, Frank Capra’s War Docs, and Casablanca
“Will young, freewheeling American boys take the iron discipline of wartime? … In my judgment the answer is Yes! ... if the answers they get are worth fighting and dying for.”
This is the story of propaganda on the home front.
The word “propaganda” has some messy connotations, but it’s fundamentally about pushing a narrative, which can be good or evil. Leaders on all sides of the war thought abou
205: Total War on the Home Front: Victory Gardens, Volunteering, and the Double V
“I suggest that while we keep defense and victory in the forefront, that we don't lose sight of our fight for true democracy at home.”
This is the story of life on the American home front.
While millions of brave men and women are sacrificing life and limb “over there,” those left behind are making sacrifices of their own—heeding the call to grow gardens in their backyards or on community lots, c
Bonus: “Messy Tales,” an Excerpt from the Prof’s book, Been There, Done That
Been There, Done That: How Our History Shows What We Can Overcome, Prof. Jackson’s new book publishing June 16th, takes us on a chronological journey—from the very start of the republic in 1789, through the end of the nineteenth century—while telling stories not heard in the podcast, tales that engage such topics as political violence, fake news, and contested elections.
Pre-order a copy HERE or
204: The Holocaust: Anne Frank, the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, & Auschwitz
“Everybody’s dead. Don’t ask me about anybody. Everybody’s dead.”
This is the story of the Final Solution.
From Anne Frank’s annex to countless ghettos, Jews who have thus far avoided the concentration camps are increasingly being funneled there. Jewish leaders like Chaim Rumkowski face impossible dilemmas—who should be sent to the camps? On the other hand, some Warsaw Ghetto inhabitants choos
203: The Holocaust: Killing Squads, Ghettos, & Gas Chambers
“The procedure is a pretty barbaric one and not to be described here more definitively. Not much will remain of the Jews.” —Joseph Goebbels
This is the story of how the Holocaust becomes industrialized.
In January 1942, Nazi leaders discuss what will become the “Final Solution”: their plan to murder millions. As more and more Jews are stripped of everything and forced into ghettos, and terrified
202: Holocaust Prologue with US Holocaust Memorial Museum Director, Sara J. Bloomfield
After turning our attention back to Europe in the last few episodes, it’s time to finally examine the Holocaust. Back in episode 185, we covered a broad history of antisemitism in Europe and the violent results of the first few years of Hitler’s reign in Germany, going all the way to the nationwide November pogrom (also known as Kristallnacht). But before we go any further, we present this intervi
201: A Soft Underbelly: The Allied Invasion of Sicily & the Fall of Il Duce
"My dear Duce, it’s no longer any good… At this moment you are the most hated man in Italy.”
This is the story of Operations Underworld, Mincemeat, and Husky.
On the heels of the decisive Allied victory in Africa, leaders decide to take the fight north. But Hitler and Mussolini surely know they’ll be aiming for Sicily next, right? Actually, pre-Husky Allied intelligence victories have the German
200: The North African Campaign: Desert Rats, the Desert Fox, & Operation Torch
“This is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is perhaps the end of the beginning.”
This is the story of the Allied campaign in North Africa.
Long under the colonial thumb of the belligerent European nations—namely, France, Italy, and Britain—North Africa becomes the sandy stage for months of ugly tank battles featuring characters like the Desert Rats (Britain’s 7th Armou
199: Building the Anglo-American Alliance: The US Enters the European Theater
“When do we get a whack at those Germans?”
This is the story of America’s entry into the European Theater. After Pearl Harbor, American foot soldiers and generals alike are eager to get in on the action in Europe, but first, they have to cross the embattled Atlantic—easier said than done with German U-boats on the prowl, sinking both military and merchant vessels in what they call an “American tur
198: The Pacific Tide Turns at Coral Sea & Midway
“It was almost unbelievable, but I was seeing it. Almost simultaneously, three [Japanese] carriers were wiped out. I knew what it meant. By golly, we did it!”
This is the story of a battle that changed how wars are fought at sea—and of the thin margin between disaster and destiny. In the spring of 1942, Japanese forces surge across the Pacific, confident their next move will finish what Pearl Har
197: The Doolittle Raid & the Bataan Death March (Spring 1942)
“We had been promised relief but none was coming, and all of us in Bataan shared a sense of betrayal.”
This is the story of the United State’s earliest—and most disastrous—days of war in the Pacific.
Almost immediately following Pearl Harbor, America and the Axis powers exchange rapid-fire war declarations. While embattled Britain breathes a sign of relief to have the US officially in the war, th
196: An Epilogue to Pearl Harbor with Steve Twomey
With the December 1941 surprise attack on the US naval base Pearl Harbor in Hawaii, our story has officially come to the United States’ entry into the Second World War. Professor Jackson told that story in episode 194, and in 193 we covered the long buildup to the war with Japan; yet, the attack on Pearl Harbor is one of those moments of history where the depths of inquiry and knowledge to be gain
195: Holiday Special IX: Chanukah in Warsaw & Christmas in Washington, D.C.
“This year very few Hanukkah candles were lit.” / “This is a strange Christmas Eve.”
This is the story of 1941’s wartime holiday season.
It’s difficult to conjure up a more miserable picture than the Warsaw Ghetto, but Jewish residents are doing their best to stay close to their faith in spite of the dismal circumstances. In a sermon that draws parallels between this hungry, fearful group and the
194: Pearl Harbor: December 7, 1941
“Man your battle stations! This is no sh*t!”
This is the story of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
It’s 7:55 on Sunday morning, December 7, 1941. 183 Japanese aircraft descend on the United States Naval Base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. Sailors awaken to a nightmare as “Battleship Row” becomes a graveyard, hundreds of US planes are destroyed without ever leaving the ground, and the cries of thous
193: The Empire of the Rising Sun: Military Imperialism in Japan (1853–1941)
“To be perfectly frank, the ways you and I look at the Chinese are fundamentally different. You seem to think of them as human, but I see them as pigs.”
This is the origin story of the Empire of the Rising Sun.
After an uninvited visit from one Commodore Matthew Perry and his four black ships, Japan opens its doors to the wider world, ending seven centuries of isolation. Picking up the best and t
192: A Conversation with Ken Burns and Sarah Botstein: The American Revolution and WWII
Professor Greg Jackson sits down with legendary documentary filmmaker Ken Burns and his co-producer Sarah Botstein to discuss their newest film series, The American Revolution plus a conversation about their 2007 WWII series, The War.
Ken and Sarah’s latest endeavor about the American War for Independence has been in production for nearly a decade, and the release comes on the cusp of America’s 2
Bonus: Eleanor Roosevelt "Over Our Coffee Cups"
Today Professor Jackson tells the story of Eleanor Roosevelt’s “Over Our Coffee Cups” weekly radio show. Starting in the fall of 1941, the First Lady took to the airwaves with this cafe-style program to provide information and comfort as the nation began mobilizing for war.
This short story is an example of the extras you can get as an HTDS premium member. HTDS will always be widely available, su
191: Halloween Special V: “The War of the Worlds” on the Radio
“No more defenses. Our army is wiped out—artillery, air force, everything wiped out.”
This is the story of the invasion of New Jersey.
“The War of the Worlds” is a 1938 radio adaptation of an 1897 science fiction novel by H.G. Wells that details an alien invasion of Earth, a seminal work that popularized the term “Martian” and the theme of “first contact” in sci-fi. 23-year-old Orson Welles and hi
190: Epilogue to US Pre-WWII Isolationism to Interventionism with Lynne Olson
Professor Jackson takes a step back to review themes from episodes 187 through 189 (War in Europe and America’s Response), specifically the slow turn from isolationism to aid via Lend-Lease, and eventually to preparing for war.
Prof. Jackson’s guests are Professor Lindsey Cormack, an associate professor of political science at Stevens Institute of Technology, and historian Lynne Olson, author of
189: World War II in Europe & the American Response (1941): Production & Preparation
"At long last, Mr. President.”—Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill
This is the story of the second year of WWII and the United States’ response.
As the war enters its second full year, things are looking dire for Britain: Germany has forced France into submission, the Blitz is in full swing, and the cash-strapped nation is running out of money to pay for US aid. Lend-Lease, or H.R. 1776, is the
The Unlikely Union: "A house divided against itself cannot stand."
Professor Greg Jackson shares a personal message about our politically divided times and announces more tour dates for his live show: The Unlikely Union.
This show is not recorded for the podcast. Go to HTDSpodcast.com/live-shows for more information and dates.
Prof. Jackson’s national tour has already been to half of the 50 states, so-called red and blue states, big cities and small towns. Wha
188: World War II in Europe & The American Response (1939–40): Isolationism vs. Arsenal of Democracy
“I have said not once but many times that I have seen war and that I hate war. … I hope the United States will keep out of this war. I believe that it will.”
This is the story of the first year of WWII in the European theater and the United States’ response.
Since the days of President George Washington, the United States has largely held to George Washington’s and Thomas Jefferson’s counsel to
187: From the Rhineland to Poland (1935–1939): Annexation, Appeasement, & the Start of World War II
“A great war can hardly be avoided any longer.”
This is the story of Nazi Germany’s aggressive territorial expansion and the start of WWII.
The Treaty of Versailles has long been a thorn in Adolf Hitler’s side. Its troublesome limits on troops and technology pose challenges for a man bent on taking lebensraum and building a Grossdeuschland by any means necessary. So he starts quietly building pl
186: From Czardom to Stalinism: Building the USSR & the Ascent of Joseph Stalin
“Comrade Stalin, now that he is general secretary, has concentrated immense power in his hands, and I am not sure whether he will always be capable of exercising this power with sufficient caution.”
This is the story of Joseph Stalin’s path to becoming the dictator of the USSR.
Ioseb (Joseph) Jughashvili, or little “Soso,” is a good student. A choir boy, in fact. But that changes as the Orthodox
185: The Early Holocaust: From the “Jewish Question” to Kristallnacht
“Being a Jew is not a crime, I am not a dog.”
This is the story of the start of the Holocaust.
Serving as the scapegoat for everything from a disappearing child to the Black Plague, European Jews are used to “anti-Jewry.” But as the nation state rises in the modern world, it brings the so-called “Jewish Question” to the fore: can one be a faithful Jew and modern citizen? As modern antisemitism ri
The Unlikely Union: New Tour Dates
Professor Greg Jackson is touring the country with a live version of the podcast telling the story of The Unlikely Union of American states. Starting Sep 19, 2025 through July 4, 2026, you can hear the Professor history-tell in person, with video and live musicians.
It’s not recorded for the podcast so get your tickets now at HTDSpodcast.com/live-shows
In 100 minutes Professor Jackson will take
184: The Rise of Adolf Hitler: From Failure to Führer of Nazi Germany or the Third Reich
“There will be no more mercy now; anyone who stands in our way will be butchered.”
This is the story of Adolf Hitler and the collapse of the Weimar Republic.
A dropout. A failed applicant to Vienna’s prestigious Academy of Fine Arts. A decorated but low-ranking soldier who attempts to overthrow the state and is convicted of treason. But only a decade or so later, he’s the nation’s leader. Not j
183: The Origin of Fascism: “Il Duce” Benito Mussolini & the Rise of Fascist Italy
“Italy, Gentlemen, wants peace, wants quiet, wants work, wants calm; we will give it with love, if that be possible, or with strength, if that be necessary.”
This is the story of Italy’s Benito Mussolini’s creation of fascism and rise to power in interwar Italy.
Benito starts life the way his father intended—as a socialist—and the often moving, young schoolteacher quickly emerges as a leading voic
182: A Prologue to World War II: US Army Interwar Preparation
This is the story of interwar preparation–not that the United States realized it was preparing for World War II, new technologies, innovation, and a constant pushing of the limits in the 1930s did indeed help Uncle Sam prepare for the fight to come.
To get us into an interwar mindset of praying for peace while preparing for war, Professor Jackson tells us the tale of the B-17 bomber and is then jo
181: American Aviation: The Growth of the Industry Through the Eyes of Amelia Earhart, Charles Lindbergh, and Howard Hughes
“If he is lost it will be the most universally regretted single loss we ever had. But that kid ain’t going to fail.”
This is the story of the high-fliers in early twentieth-century American aviation.
Wright brothers Orville and Wilbur stunned the nation and the world with their pioneering flight in 1903, and since then, aviation has spread its wings, so to speak. The Wright Brothers and other inn
180: “A Race to the Sky”: The Rise of New York City’s Chrysler, Manhattan Company, and Empire State Buildings
“If this is to be a skyscraper… why not make it scrape the sky.”
This is the story of the race for the tallest building in New York City—in the world.
Erstwhile partners-turned-bitter rivals, architects William Van Alen and Craig Severance are both looking to build the tallest skyscraper in New York City. William is working with automobile titan Walter Chrysler to build his Chrysler Building;
179: Bridging the Bay: San Francisco’s Golden Gate and Bay Bridges (Infrastructure pt. 2)
“Everybody says it can’t be done.”
This is the story of San Francisco’s two great bridges.
The bustling cities of Oakland and San Francisco are separated by less than ten miles of water, but for early twentieth-century Bay Area residents, it may as well be thirty—that’s the distance traveling around the Bay. Meanwhile, the mile of water across the Golden Gate Strait makes communities directly n
178: “A Damn Big Dam”: Taming the Colorado River with the Hoover (or Boulder) Dam (Infrastructure pt. 1)
“I felt no distress whatever…I was perspiring freely and was as limber and helpless as a wet rag. It was an exhilarating experience.... It was then and there that I first conceived the idea of the reclamation of the desert.”
This is the story of the Hoover Dam.
A wild, precarious, and dangerous river, the Colorado tears across the American southwest’s otherwise arid and largely uninhabitable des
America 250: The Boston Campaign 1775-76: A Leadership Discussion with Gen. William Rapp
This is a conversation to kick off the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution. Retired U.S. Army Major General and history buff, Bill Rapp, drops some knowledge on how the colonies weren't exactly gung-ho for a full-blown revolution before April 1775. Turns out, they were mostly ticked off and feeling rebellious in response to intolerable British policies. But a tense situation and an itchy
177: An Epilogue to the New Deal and CCC Deep Dive with Neil Maher
A discussion of the recent HTDS narrative episodes on FDR and the New Deal. Think of it as a book club for additional insights into these latest chapters of the HTDS chronological story of America.Professor Greg Jackson is joined by Professor Lindsey Cormack to discuss the government's response to the Great Depression and the legacy of the New Deal. They explore the causes of the Depression, the g
176: FDR v. “The Nine Old Men” (The New Deal pt. 3): Court Packing and Closing the New Deal
“No matter how great and good a man may be, executive aggrandizement is not safe for democracy.”This is the story of Franklin’s second term and his battle with the Supreme Court. It’s no secret that SCOTUS hasn’t really been ruling in the New Deal’s favor. But with such an overwhelming victory at the polls, Franklin feels confident that he can circumvent that by upping the number of judges from ni
175: The Dirty Thirties (The New Deal pt. 2): Dust, Doubts, and the “Second” New Deal
“I saw and approached the hungry and desperate mother, as if drawn by a magnet.”This is the story of FDR’s first term after facing down the initial emergency. 100 days down, about 1,300 more to go—for this term at least. After the whirlwind of new bills and “alphabet agencies” (AAA, CCC, etc.), the nation is adjusting to and examining FDR’s New Deal. As they do, the NIRA is upsetting both ends of
174: The First “First Hundred Days:” FDR Kicks Off the New Deal
“[We] had forgotten to be Republicans or Democrats. We were just a bunch of men trying to save the banking system.”This is the story of FDR’s first 100 days in office. In early 1933, banks foreclose on thousands upon thousands of homes and farms every month. The banks have little choice–they too are failing! Meanwhile, unemployment is hovering near 25%. It’s a catastrophe. Capitalism itself and th
173: From Hyde Park to the White House: The Early Life and Election of Franklin Delano Roosevelt
“First of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself-–nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.”This is the story of Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s journey to the White House.Even as a young boy, Franklin admires his fifth cousin Theodore Roosevelt and wants to follow in his footsteps. He seems t
172: Breadlines, Bank Failures, & the Bonus Army: Hoover & the Early Great Depression
"Too much praise cannot be given to the President for the prompt and resolute and skillful way in which he has set about reassuring the country after the financial collapse.” This is the story of Herbert Hoover’s facing the early years of the Great Depression.Just after the stock market crash of 1929, people aren’t expecting the worst. Most, including the experts, believe that this little downturn
171: Christmas Special VIII: Festivities in the Jazz Age
“There is a million dollars here for the asking!”This is the story of Christmas in the 1920s. Yeah, the whole decade—why not? One hundred years ago, people were just beginning (or reviving) traditions that are entrenched in our holiday celebrations today. Charitable giving at Christmas is ever present, and the winter of 1920 features the Great Humanitarian Herbert Hoover’s efforts to feed children
170: The Crash of 1929 & Meeting President Herbert Hoover
“A wise man never sells out at the first sign of trouble. That’s for the pikers.”This is the story of the 1929 Wall Street Crash. On October 24, or “Black Thursday,” stock prices plunge unexpectedly. Early the next week, whatever was left of the bottom falls out on “Black Tuesday.” The New York Stock Exchange has crashed. The Roaring 20s are over.But what exactly is a stock market? How does the Am
169: An Epilogue to the 1920s: Youth culture, The Great Gatsby, and more with Professor Sarah Churchwell
Our last few episodes have reveled in stories of the popularization of movies, music and sports during the Roaring 1920s. In this epilogue episode, Professor Jackson steps out of storytelling mode and into classroom mode (that doesn’t suck). To help us better understand the lasting cultural impact of this period, he’s invited Dr. Sarah Churchwell who has written extensively about 1920s American cu
168: Halloween Special IV: Nosferatu and Silent Horror
“His Lordship from Transylvania would like to purchase a nice house in our small town . . . it will take a bit of effort . . . a bit of sweat and perhaps . . . a bit of blood . . .”This is the story of the Great Death in Wisborg in 1838. Nosferatu is a 1922 classic horror film, one of the first ever made. It sort of recalls Bram Stoker’s Dracula—enough to build a copyright lawsuit—but, fortunately
167: The Golden Age of Sports: Horse Racing, Boxing, Basketball, Football, & Jim Thorpe
“We have a basket and a ball, and it seems to me that would be a good name for it.”This is the story of America’s varied athletic endeavors (besides baseball). Though each sport could provide enough material for an entire episode, it would probably run us into overtime, and the 1920s are drawing to a close. As Black Thursday approaches, it’s time for some last-minute fun and games. The 1920s is th
166: A Conversation on Negro Leagues Baseball History with Bob Kendrick
As a follow up to episode 165 America’s Favorite Pastime: Baseball, we’re proud to share an interview with Bob Kendrick, the President of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City, MO. Founded in 1990, the NLBM is the world’s only museum dedicated to preserving and celebrating the rich history of African-American baseball and its profound impact on the social advancement of America.It’s the
165: America’s Favorite Pastime: Baseball, the Negro Leagues, and the Great Bambino
"As I hit the ball, every muscle in my system, every sense I had, told me that I had never hit a better one . . . I didn't have to look. But I did. That ball . . . hit . . . exactly the spot I had pointed to."This is the story of the most American sport: baseball. Americans have been playing ball for a good long while now—even General Washington enjoyed an occasional game of catch—but baseball as
164: Harlem Renaissance: The Great Migration, Jazz, and the Flowering of Black Culture
“Harlem is the queen of the black belts, drawing Aframericans together in a vast humming hive . . . from the different states, from the islands of the Caribbean, and from Africa . . . It is the Negro capital of the world.” This is the story of the Harlem Renaissance. In the early twentieth century, many Black families and individuals down South are finding that the only way out is up—to the North.
163: The Show (Boat) Must Go On: Broadway and the American Musical
“Miller, Lyles, and I were standing near the exit door . . . Blake stuck out there in front, leading the orchestra—his bald head would get the brunt of the tomatoes and rotten eggs.”This is the story of American musical theater and the dawn of modern Broadway. Popular entertainment is evolving fast in the early twentieth century. Minstrel shows just aren’t drawing the same numbers anymore (for goo
162: The Birth of the Movies: From Silent Cinema to the Rise of Hollywood & the First “Talkie”
“Wait a minute, wait a minute, you ain’t heard nothing yet!”This is the story of the silver screen. In the late nineteenth century, technology is advancing rapidly. Eadweard Muybridge’s trip-wire camera work, made famous by a “motion study” of a galloping horse, is giving way to smoother and longer projections. Some see these short films simply as a curiosity, an “invention without a future” as ea
161: An Epilogue Toast to Prohibition’s End with Author Daniel Okrent
Cheers to Professor Jackson’s post Prohibition conversation with distinguished author Daniel Okrent! Dan is the the author of Last Call: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition, winner of the American Historical Association’s prize for the year’s best book of American History when it was published in 2011. Last Call was a go-to book in the HTDS bibliography for episodes 157-160 as we researched and selec
160: Al Capone & the End of Prohibition
“Only Capone kills like that.”This is the story of the rise and fall of Al Capone, and the last gasps of Prohibition. No other gangster compares to Scarface. He’s remained prominent in the American consciousness for 100 years due to his overt violence and lavish lifestyle, funded by *ahem* unsavory business practices. He brazenly orders murders like the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre, but he also do
159: Scofflaws, Moonshiners, Bootleggers, and Crime Lords
“Don’t ask me nothin’! You hear me? Don’t ask! And don’t bring anybody in here for me to identify. I won’t identify them even if I know they did it!”This is the story of the nation’s up-and-coming criminal underground. By 1920, with few exceptions, producing, buying, and selling alcohol is outlawed, but that doesn’t stop enterprising Americans. Many feel perfectly comfortable flouting the law and
158: Prohibition - So You Wanna Be a Rum Runner?
“You’re Bill McCoy.” “Never heard of him.”This is the story of a crazy decade-plus when America outlawed booze…but the liquor kept flowing. The Prohibition era marks a partial return to the Golden Age of Piracy, with bootleggers frequenting old haunts in the Caribbean, including Nassau, capital of The Bahamas. These sailors are also buying, selling, and drinking copious amounts of—you guessed it—r
157: Temperance, Prohibition, and the Path to the 18th Amendment
Episode Description:“Farewell, you good-for-nothing, God-forsaken, iniquitous, bleary-eyed, bloated-faced old imp of perdition, farewell!”This is the story of the path to prohibition.Early America drinks a lot – I mean, A LOT. Alcohol doesn’t give you dysentery, it’s used as a medicine, and in the first decades of the Republic, whiskey is cheaper than coffee or tea. But some are starting to think
156: The Presidency of “Silent” Cal Coolidge
“I believe I can swing it.”This is the story of the Coolidge Administration.Calvin Coolidge isn’t the most talkative guy–he’s painfully shy, to be frank–but “Silent Cal” does care deeply about public service. Over the years, the thrifty, hard-working New Englander moves up the ranks, from municipal offices to state offices, until, as Massachusetts Governor, he’s asked to join Warren G. Harding’s r
155: The Life & Times of Warren G. Harding & The Teapot Dome Scandal
“If you knew of a great scandal in our administration, would you for the good of the country and the party expose it publicly or would you bury it?” This is the story of a brilliant man’s presidency and the greatest presidential scandal to precede Watergate. This is the story of Warren G. Harding and the Teapot Dome Scandal.Growing up in Ohio, Warren–or little “Winnie,” as his mom calls him–shows
154: An Epilogue Discussion with Ben Sawyer
The Prof. sits down with fellow Prof. Ben Sawyer of the Road to Now Podcast and Middle Tennessee State University to chat through the last volume episodes. Russia, the Red Scare, the second Klan, and more, while Ben gets Greg to share behind-the-scenes details on the writing process. Enjoy!____Connect with us on HTDSpodcast.com and
go deep into episode bibliographies and book recommendations
join
153: West Virginia’s Mine Wars: From Trouble in Matewan to the Battle of Blair Mountain
“I want to say make no settlement until they sign up that every bloody murderer of a guard has got to go.”This is the story of the largest uprising in the United States since the Civil War.As unions spread across the Progressive-Era United States, West Virginia mine owners manage to keep them out. They have some good reasons (tough margins) and some less savory ones … like their preference for an
152: The Second Ku Klux Klan: Racism, Anti-Semitism, & Anti-Catholicism in the 1920s
“Every official except one elected yesterday at the first municipal election of this borough had been endorsed by the Ku Klux Klan.”This is the story of the Second Ku Klux Klan.It’s been nearly half a century since the Third Enforcement Act killed off the Klan in 1871. But amid Jim Crow segregation in 1915, the lynching of a Jewish Georgian Leo Frank, coupled with a new film, The Birth of a Nation
151: The First Red Scare - Bombings, The Palmer Raids, Eugene Debs, and J. Edgar Hoover
“Palmer, do not let this country see red.”This is the story of America’s First Red Scare. On June 2, 1919, Attorney General Mitchell Palmer is just going to bed when the first floor of his home is blown apart. It was a bomb, and part of a larger plot to attack several national leaders. It’s the work of anarchists.Shaken to the core, Mitch is determined to use his position as AG to rid the nation o
150: The Great War’s Aftermath: Coming Home, The Spanish Flu, & The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
“I keep wondering if the Unknown Soldier is one of my men.”This is the story of the United States coping with and facing the aftermath of World War I.The American Expeditionary Force in France is breaking up but that means a lot of different things as doughboys occupy Germany, go fight in Russia, convalesce, or just head home. If only going home was so easy–for many, it’s a hard transition back to
149: WWI Epilogue
The Episode to end all … World War I episodes. Professor Jackson sits down with Kelsi Dynes to talk through all the things that didn’t make it into the final Great War episodes and go big picture on the Meuse-Argonne, Armistice, and Treaty of Versailles.Connect with us on HTDSpodcast.com and
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148: Tales of Christmas from World War I (A Truce, Plum Pudding, and Love)
“The circumstances under which we are spending this particular Christmas are unusual.”This is the story of the Christmases of World War I.Germans and British troops, singing carols together. French and German troops, kicking, playing sports and exchanging treats. It may not last, but for a brief moment–for Christmas of 1914–these opposing armies refuse the orders of their superiors as they tempora
147: Peacemaking in Paris: The Treaty of Versailles
“A Peace which cannot be defended in the name of justice before the whole world would continually call forth fresh resistance”This is the story of peacemaking in 1919–a fraught peacemaking.With the Armistice signed, some 30 nations (led by the major Allied Powers) are gathering in Paris, France, to deliberate on the terms they’ll give to Germany. But the conference is beset with conflicting views.
146: The Armistice of November 11, 1918
“The German delegation has come to receive the proposals of the Allied Powers looking to an armistice.”This is the story of guns falling silent across war-ravaged fronts–the story of the Great War’s armistice between Germany and the Allied Powers.Sailors are mutinying. Soldiers are breaking. A revolution–possibly a Bolshevist revolution–is knocking on the Second Reich’s door. German leaders are c
145: Halloween Special III: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow
“If I can but reach that bridge,” thought Ichabod, “I am safe.”This is the story of schoolmaster Ichabod Crane and his ride home after an evening spent trying to woo Katrina Van Tassel at a party hosted by her father at their idyllic farm in rural New York. It’s a terrifying ride–perhaps as deadly as Ichabod’s pursuer is headless. For this third HTDS Halloween special, we “rewind” to one of the ol
144: A Conversation with Ken Burns - Storytelling and the American Buffalo
Professor Greg Jackson sits down with legendary documentary filmmaker Ken Burns about his latest film The American Buffalo which has a two-part premiere in the US on PBS beginning Monday, Oct. 16, 2023. Some refer to Ken Burns as a historian, but he would be quick to tell you that he considers himself a storyteller.His latest documentary The American Buffalo is a sort of biography of the American
143: The Meuse-Argonne Offensive (pt.2) – Breaking the Kriemhilde Line
“All right, General. We’ll take it, or my name will head the list.”This is the story of Meuse-Argonne and the Americans’ continued struggles to take the Kriemhilde Line. Tennessean Alvin York hates war, yet he finds himself an unlikely hero when his youthful days of hunting turn him into a prisoner-taking sharpshooter as the US First Army presses forward against the Germans.But this isn’t a battle
142: The Meuse-Argonne Offensive (pt.1) – “The Lost Battalion”
“Our own artillery is dropping a barrage directly on us. For heaven’s sake, stop it.”This is the story of the Meuse-Argonne Offensive’s beginnings.“Tout le monde à la bataille.” So says Ferdinand Foch as the Allies hit the Germans from several pressure points at once. For the Americans, that means fighting between the thick woods of the Argonne Forest and the deep waters of the Meuse River. The re
141: Wartime Interlude
Time to review! Greg and Kelsi talk through the main takeaways of the American story in World War I to date, from causes to new inventions and social changes. We get a little behind the scenes on episodes, a few stories that didn’t make in, and set the stage for the last battle of the Great War.____Connect with us on HTDSpodcast.com and
go deep into episode bibliographies and book recommendations
140: WWI Aviators: From the Lafayette Escadrille to the Red Baron and More
“Something has happened to one of the boys.”This is the story of the Great War’s flyboys – particularly, Americans taking to the skies to fight for France.Long before the United States will enter the Great War, hundreds of American men head to Europe to fight for the French Republic. Some drive ambulances. Some fight in the French Foreign Legion. But come 1916, some begin to fly.In 1916, seven pil
139: From Yeomen (F) to “Hello Girls:” American Women in World War I
“Is there any regulation which specifies that a Navy yeoman be a man?” This is the story of the United States in the Great War and the role of women in that changing world.Women of the Progressive Era are all about change. They’re fighting for several reforms — including their own right to vote — and as the United States enters the Great War, they’re ready to embrace new responsibilities and oppor
138: The 15th New York/369th or The Harlem Hellfighters
“My men never retire. They go forward, or they die!”This is the story of the 15th New York, a.k.a, the 369th, or the Harlem Hellfighters.James “Big Jim” Europe is one of the most talented musicians in the world. His ragtime and early jazz sounds electrify New York City. That’s exactly why Colonel William “Big Bill” Hayward, who’s just been named commander of New York’s newly established Black regi
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