Western Civ
A fast-paced history of the Western world from ancient times to the present. It explores how the West's rise to global dominance was never inevitable. The narrative begins in the ancient Near East and moves through Greece and Rome, the fall of the Western Roman Empire, and the Dark Ages. It then follows European and American history as the Western world became a dominant global power.
Episodes
The Flight Nurses' War
Today I sit down with author and historian Leah Garrett and discuss her latest book: The Flight Nurses' War: The American Women Who Saved Thousands of Lives at Iwo Jima and Okinawa.The Pacific Theater was the setting for some of World War II’s bloodiest battles, and yet much of its history remains untold. As the war in Europe was winding down, fierce Japanese resistance and mounting casualties slo
Convergence
Today I sit down with former Cook County Prosecutor Gregg Owen to discuss their book, Convergence. This story seems impossible. But every word is true.Convergence is the account of a vicious double homicide in 1970s Chicago and a trial that almost didn't happen.This is a different kind of true crime book.It isn't a mystery, because the killer was arrested right away. It's not a police story, altho
Episode 560: The Longest Sunday
It is not hyperbole to say that the Japanese decision to bomb Pearl Harbor changed western history. Today we will cover the attack, why Japan did it, and look at the momentous decision Hitler made in the days that followed. Western Civ 2.0 Free Trial
Charlemagne's Dream
Today I sit down with medieval historian, James Palmer, and discuss his latest book: Charlemagne's Dream: The Rise and Fall of the Carolingian Empire. Today, the Carolingians are best known as the dynasty of Charlemagne. In a few remarkable decades spanning the late eighth and early ninth centuries, Charlemagne united much of modern-day Europe through conquest and diplomacy, establishing the conti
Flirting With Evil
Today I sit down with renowned historian of the Catholic Church, Ambrogio Caiani to discuss his most recent work: Flirting with Evil: The Catholic Church in the Age of Total War and Globalization. The history of the Catholic Church in the twentieth century is one of spies, scandals and badpolitical choices. It's a shadowy, ornate world of cover-ups and hidden motives. In this book,Ambrogio Caiani
Episode 559: The Battle of Britain
In the summer of 1940, with continental Europe under Nazi occupation, Great Britain stood alone against the seemingly unstoppable German war machine. This episode chronicles the Battle of Britain, a high-stakes aerial campaign where the heavily outnumbered pilots of the Royal Air Force clashed with the Luftwaffe in the skies over the English Channel. We dive into the tactical decisions, the revolu
Episode 558: NOT Like Last Time
The Phony Way ends abruptly in May 1940. It does not take long for the world to learn that this world war was NOT going to be like the previous one. Western Civ 2.0
Episode 557: The First, Second World War
The Second World War does not begin everywhere on September 1, 1939. In fact, in Asia, it's already been raging for two years. Today, we explore that story and see how the machine toward Pearl Harbor is already in motion.Western Civ 2.0
Episode 556: The Twenty Years' Armistice
There is an argument that there are not two world wars. Just one with a twenty-year pause. Today I explore that idea as we break down the beginning of World War Two in Europe and evaluate what is the same compared to the Great War and what has REALLY changed. Western Civ 2.0 Free Trial
Blood Dawn: World War II and the Making of Modern Asia
Today I sit down with historian Hans van de Ven and discuss his latest book: Blood Dawn: World War II and the Making of Modern Asia.Drawing on deep archival research across continents, historian Hans van de Ven tells the dramatic story of how Asia’s people mobilized to defeat both Japanese aggression and European imperialism, forging modern Asia in the process.By the early twentieth century, from
Episode 555: Muddling Through
For the last two weeks, we have been focused on Europe and Asia, but now we come back to the United States. While Hitler has assumed power in Germany and while Japan expands into Manchuria, most Americans are still just trying to deal with the Great Depression. In this episode, we follow FDR as he navigates America through its worst economic crisis and toward a second world war. Western Civ 2.0
Western Civ 2.0: The "Antonines"
This is a preview of what you can expect if you subscribe to the Patreon feed. Every once and a while I like to provide one of these. In this episode, I cover the long reign of Antoninus Pius, one of the "good" emperors who ruled the Roman Empire at its height. There are really two ways to read Antoninus: the careful manager or the fool who ignored problems that would come home to roost under Marc
Episode 554: To The East
I've wanted to move to Asia for a long time. And we're finally getting there. Today we discuss the development of Japan and China in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Western Civ 2.0
Episode 553: The Gathering Storm
The Depression did not only impact the United States. It hit Europe as well because the world economy had become too interconnected for this to be a one-country issue anymore. And Europe responded to the crisis much differently than America. America turned to FDR. Germany turned to Hitler. And I am guessing you know the rest...Western Civ 2.0
Episode 552: The First Hundred Days
Before FDR the idea of a "First Hundred Days" was not a thing. But Roosevelt was so incredibly active during that period that ever since American Presidents have been judged by his standard. Today I cover Roosevelt's First Hundred Days, what legislation he passed, what worked, and what didn't. Western Civ 2.0
Episode 551: The Descent
At first, the Wall Street Crash of 1929 is seen as a Wall Street issue. But it does not take long before the Great Depression grips the nation. Plus, in the high plains, the earth itself begins to come apart.Western Civ 2.0 Free Trial
Episode 550: The Crash
The Great Wall Street Crash did not cause the Great Depression. But it sure didn't help either...Western Civ 2.0
Is Plea Bargaining Just?
In a fun little twist, today I sit down with Attorney Edward Cohn and we argue (and sometimes agree) about the justness of plea bargaining, the state of the Fifth and Fourth Amendments, and the overall state of our justice system. Attorney Cohn is a 23-year litigation attorney, currently practicing as a criminal defense attorney and legal commentator. He’s one of fewer than 10% of attorneys nation
Episode 549: The Roaring Twenties
Jazz. Radio. Talkies. Cars. All of it. The Roaring Twenties are when the world starts to look modern. Oh, and did I mention fascism, corruption, and the KKK? Well, there's that too. Western Civ 2.0
Illusions of Trust
This one is new.I'm trying my hand at fiction interviews and, I have to say, I enjoyed it.Here I am sitting down with Jeffrey Stephens and we are talking about his newest book: Illusions of Trust. It's a lovely legal thriller with twists and turns and simply wonderful character development. I hope you enjoy the interview.You can buy the book HERE.
Episode 548: Wilson's Failure
Woodrow Wilson came home from Paris thinking the hard part was behind him. Little did he realize Republican opposition and his own intransigence would doom his League of Nations and nearly cost him his life. Western Civ 2.0
Episode 547: Armageddon
Today we step back and catch up with events we passed in the Great War as the Russian Revolution unfolded. We follow the war to its brutal conclusion. Then we pick up the Russian Civil War and take that to its equally brutal end with a sprinkling of influenza for good measure.Western Civ 2.0
Episode 546: Red October
The Bolsheviks did not need to take over Russia. It was never a foregone conclusion. But after October 1917, it became increasingly inevitable.Western Civ 2.0
Episode 545: April Theses to July Days
The Russian Revolution's final result was never a foregone conclusion. Lenin made several crucial mistakes early on that might have resulted in his demise. We see that today. Free Trial Western Civ 2.0
Episode 544: Lenin
It is that time. The Russian Revolution would be a lot different without Vladimir Lenin (Lenin is not his real name by the way...) But Lenin strikes a deal with the Germans who hope that he can steer Russia out of the Great War and he hits Petrograd like a lightning bolt. Western Civ 2.0
Episode 543: The Roots of Revolution
The Russian Revolution did not come out of nowhere. It was not merely the result of World War One. Its legacy is long. Today, we go all the way back to the abolition of serfdom and hit the main events that lead to that critical month: March 1917.Western Civ Podcast 2.0
Episode 542: Meat Grinder
1916 is one of the most depressing years in human history and today we're covering it. This is the year that makes World War One the horror it is. This is the year of Verdun, of the Somme, and of countless deaths on other fronts.It is also the year everyone starts wondering: will it all be worth it?Support Western Civ
Episode 541: Stalemate
The western front grinds to a slow halt, despite the best efforts of the generals on both sides who appear to be overly committed to killing their own men in pointless offensives... Across the pond, America tries to stay neutral while watching the unfolding Mexican Revolution to the south. Western Civ 2.0
Episode 540: Tannenberg
The Eastern Front in World War One is often overlooked. But, even beyond the Battle of Tannenberg, the Eastern Front is critical not only in understanding the outcome of the war but the 20th century as a whole.Western Civ 2.0
Children of Abraham: The 1,400-Year History of Jewish–Muslim Relations
In this bonus, author interview, I sit down with Marc Baer and discuss his latest book: Children of Abraham: The 1,400-Year History of Jewish–Muslim Relations. Today, the dominant narrative of the relationship between Jewish and Muslim peoples assumes a long history of violent hostility. In Children of Abraham, historian Marc David Baer lays this myth to rest, showing how Jews and Muslims lived to
Western Civ 2.0: Trajan (Part Four)
This is a bonus look at what I do on our other feed: Western Civ 2.0. The feed covers similar topics compared to this one but in much greater detail. The number one way you can continue to support the show and enjoy bonus content is to sign up for this feed. For only $2 per month, you get ad-free versions of this feed plus all my bonus content. You can try a free trial on HERE.
Episode 539: The Miracle at the Marne
Germany nearly won World War One in the first six weeks, just as it planned. Nearly.But it turns out that timetables are a heck of a lot easier to work out on paper than in real life....Western Civ 2.0
Episode 538: The Spark
Somehow, the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo on June 28, 1914, throws the entire world into war. Of course, it was not an accident. The alliance systems, the militarism, the nationalism, all of it conspires to doom Europe to its own destruction. But it all starts with two bullets fired by a nineteen-year-old assassin.Support The Show
Episode 537: Sleepwalkers
World War One did not happen accidentally. There were a multitude of factors that led up to the Great War. Today we cover them. Western Civ 2.0
Episode 536: American Imperialism
The period from 1877 to 1912 saw America transform from an agrarian, second-tier power, to one of the more dominant nations in the world. This is that story. SUPPORT THE SHOW
When Companies Run The Courts
Today I sit down with Brendan Ballou and discuss a book EVERYONE should read: When The Companies Run The Courts. America has a hidden justice system. There, decisions are made in secret, and “judges” are paid for by the companies and abusers who are being sued. Victims usually lose. But when they do, they cannot appeal, and they cannot turn to real courts for help.They are trapped in this system,
Athens and Sparta: The Rivalry That Shaped Ancient Greece
Today I am proud to welcome back renowned historian, Adrian Goldsworthy, to discuss his latest book: Athens and Sparta: The Rivalry That Shaped Ancient Greece. No period has more profoundly influenced the Western world than classical Greece, and at its center stood two cities: Athens and Sparta. Side by side, they beat the Persians, the only superpower of that age. Yet later, they spread conflict
Episode 535: I won't be Reconstructed...
The era we call Reconstruction is one of the most hopeful, and ultimately, heartbreaking of American history. The passage of the Reconstruction Amendments provided legal rights to thousands of people. But the bargain of 1877 and the corruption of the Gilded Age ultimately prove too much weight for the promise of equality to bear. Western Civ 2.0
Episode 534: European Supernova
In the second half of the 19th Century, Europe goes nuclear and expands across the globe. The "Scramble for Africa" and press for colonies drove the European states to compete with one another in ways that will have disasterous consequences. Western Civ 2.0
Europe: A New History
In this bonus, author interview, I sit down with historian Roderick Beaton and discuss his latest book, Europe: A New History. What do we talk about when we talk about Europe? Is it defined by geography? Or is it politics, or shared culture? In Europe, award-winning historian Roderick Beaton tells the story of Europe as never before—as the history of an idea, and a collective identity. Since its d
Episode 533: Blood and Iron
In the span of a decade, Bismarck does the unthinkable. He unites Germany, changing the history of western civilization forever. Western Civ 2.0
Episode 532: Italy
Over a period of thirty years, Italy goes from a fragmentation of independent, kind of, states and kingdoms and into a unified, kind of, nation.Western Civ 2.0 Free Trial
Episode 531: Canons to the Right of Them!
The Crimean War really does sound the advance warning of the death knell for the Concert of Europe. If only anyone knew that...Western Civ 2.0
Episode 530: Russia Awakens
Here I quickly cover Russian history from Peter the Great, through Catherine the Great, and then down to the beginning of the Crimean War. Western Civ 2.0
Episode 529: We Hold These Truths
After Gettysburg and Vicksburg, the Confederacy slowly fades. Despite Lee's efforts, Grant grinds his army down through murderous battles such as the Wilderness and Cold Harbor. Ultimately, the resouces of the Union are simply too much. But even as America ultimately wins its civil war, its greatest president falls to an assassin's bullet. Western Civ 2.0
Episode 528: Gettysburg
In three days in Pennsylvania in 1863, the American Civil War turns forever. Western Civ 2.0
Episode 527: The War Goes North
The Battle of Antietam drives President Lincoln to issue the Emancipation Proclamation. But Robert Lee wins two dramatic victories in this aftermath at the battles of Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville. Western Civ 2.0
Episode 526: The Seven Days Battles
Two ironclads face off to change the shape of naval warfare while Robert E. Lee emerges from the Seven Days Battles as the lead Confederate commander.Western Civ 2.0 Free Trial
Episode 525: Shiloh
The Battle of Shiloh starts as an apparent Confederate victory, but the loss of General Johnston and the resulting chaos dooms the South. Meanwhile, in New Orleans, the Anaconda Plan takes hold.Western Civ. 2.0 Free Trial
Episode 524: Bull Run
When the American Civil War begins, everyone expects a picnic. The Battle of Bull Run erases those false expectations.Western Civ 2.0 Free Trial
Episode 523: A House Divided
From Nat Turner's Rebellion to the Compromise of 1850, Americans did everything they could to avoid the Civil War.... and failed. Western Civ Podcast 2.0 Free Trial
Episode 522: The Sun Never Sets
In the 19th Century, Europeans carved up the globe with devastating consequences.Western Civ 2.0 Free Trial
Chosen Land: How Christianity Made America and Americans Remade Christianity
In the United States today, there is no faith more dominant than Christianity. In Chosen Land, historian Matthew Avery Sutton chronicles Christians’ five-hundred-year endeavor to turn North America into their version of the kingdom of God, revealing the fruitful and dynamic entanglement between the history of America and the history of American Christianity.In the centuries after Christianity firs
Episode 521: The Irish Potato Famine
When the potato crop failed in 1845 in Ireland, no one at the time knew just how momentous it was. By the close of 1847, Ireland's population, through death and emigration, had fallen by nearly three million souls. It still has not recovered. Western Civ 2.0 Free Trial
Episode 520: The Revolutions of 1848
From Paris to Vienna, 1848 rocked Europe. While the revolutions themselves failed, they set the stage for dramatic changes to come. Western Civ 2.0 Free Trial
Episode 519: Do You Hear The People Sing?
Political, economic, and social currents sweep Europe, bringing massive change and setting the stage for the Revolutions of 1848.Western Civ 2.0 Free Trial
Episode 518: The Age of Jackson
The presidency of Andrew Jackson was instrumental in reshaping America politically, socially, and economically. Today we cover the Bank War, Nullification Crisis, and Indian Removal.Western Civ 2.0
Episode 517: Greek Independence and the Revolutions of 1830
The Congress of Vienna was supposed to freeze the map of Europe in time. It did not take long for it to thaw.Western Civ 2.0
Episode 516: The Industrial Revolution
Before we move on to more political history, I want to broadly discuss some of the changes sweeping Great Britain and then ultimately the rest of Europe driven by the Industrial Revolution. Today we focus in on "Cottonopolis" - otherwise known as Manchester.Western Civ 2.0
Episode 515: The Liberator
Simon Bolívar drives the Spanish out of South and Central America. His vision for what came afterwards, however, did not last.Western Civ Podcast 2.0 Free Trial
Episode 514: The Mexican War of Independence
The Cry of Dolores sparks the Mexican Independence Movement ending in victory over Spain in 1821. Western Civ 2.0 Free Trial
Episode 513: Slavery's Long Shadow
There is no issue that dominated American politics like chattel slavery between the American War of Independence and the American Civil War. Today we go back to Bacon's Rebellion to try and explain why and then work our way all the way through the administration of John Quincy Adams.Western Civ 2.0 Free Trial
Worlds of Islam: A Global History
Today I sit down with author and historian James McDougall and talk about his most recent book: Worlds of Islam: A Global History. From its birth in seventh-century Arabia, Islam has been a faith on the move. Over the span of a thousand years, armies, missionaries, and merchants carried it to the edges of Europe, the coasts of Southeast Asia, and the remote interior of China. By the nineteenth cen
Episode 512: The Congress of Vienna
The Congress of Vienna sought to put Europe back together after the Napoleonic Wars. It was not an easy task. But, by and large, the delegates were successful and peace prevailed for 99 years until the outbreak of World War One.Western Civ 2.0
Episode 511: The Hundred Days
Napoleon returns from exile for one last chance at empire. His defeat at Waterloo, however, seals his fate.Western Civ 2.0 Free Trial
Episode 510: The March to Moscow
Desperate to enforce his Continental System, Napoleon invades Russia. But Tsar Alexander will not fight and, instead, Napoleon finds himself cornered and finally beaten.Western Civ 2.0
Episode 509: The War of 1812
James Madison watches as Washington DC burns. But America emerges from the War of 1812 more united and confident than ever before.Western Civ 2.0 Free Trial
Episode 508: The Jefferson Administration
Thomas Jefferson's administration was full of contradictions and sweeping successes. Western Civ 2.0 Free Trial
Episode 507: France Ascendant
France, under Napoleon, reaches the apex of its power. But, within the empire, the Spanish Ulcer and Continental System begin to unravel everything he had built.Western Civ 2.0 Free Trial
Episode 506: Austerlitz
Napoleon reaches the height of his powers on the frozen fields of Moravia.Western Civ 2.0 Free Trial
Episode 505: Consul for Life
It does not take long for Napoleon to consolidate power. But reversals in the Caribbean require the First Consul to rethink his North American strategy resulting in the Louisiana Purchase.Western Civ 2.0 Free Trial
Episode 504: The Revolution of 1800
We catch up on the fledgling United States. George Washington becomes the first President of the United States (obviously...) and then the Election of 1800 secures the first peaceful transition of power in American history. Well, peaceful unless your name is Alexander Hamilton or Aaron Burr, that is...Western Civ Podcast 2.0 Free Trial
Episode 503: The End of the Revolution
Napoleon Bonaparte becomes First Consul in what will be, thankfully, our final coup of the French Revolution. Western Civ 2.0
A Brief History of Financial Bubbles
This one is a bit different and I admit that. But I like opportunities to speak with incredibly intelligent people so I took it. I sit down with Arman Verjee today and discuss a book he is finishing up: A Brief History of Financial Bubbles. The conversation is much more of a back and forth than an interview. But I think our discussion of the Dotcom Bubble and its application to the present AI circ
Episode 502: To Egypt
Napoleon and Talleyrand move the French armies to the east to pressure Britain and the Directory starts to run out of steam.Western Civ 2.0 Free Trial
Episode 501: Napoleon's Northern Italian Campaign
The French Revolution begins to end with the rise of Napoleon Bonaparte.Western Civ 2.0 Free Trial
Episode 500: A Whiff of Grapeshot
It is about time to introduce the man who will change it all: Napoleon Bonaparte.Western Civ 2.0 Free Trial
Episode 499: The Rise of Louverture
Toussaint Louverture changes the situation in Haiti from a rebellion to a full-on revolution.Support Western Civ
Episode 498: The Terror
Maximilien Robespierre leads France into the maw of violence and blood. His death ends this period of the French Revolution.Western Civ 2.0 Support
Episode 497: The Terror Begins
France sleepwalks into one of the vicious periods of the French Revolution as the countryside erupts in revolt.Western Civ Podcast 2.0 Support
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