Explore every episode of the podcast History That Doesn't Suck
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| 206: American Propaganda: Cap’s Debut, Frank Capra’s War Docs, and Casablanca | 22 May 2026 | 01:03:02 | |
“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 about how to spur the populace to join in the war effort, and in America, it fell to entertainers and artists to really rally the nation to war. They utilized every form imaginable: films, comics, cartoons, posters, anything. Movie and comedy stars put on road shows for soldiers. Animation studios enlisted beloved cartoon figures like Donald Duck and Bugs Bunny to sell war bonds, and even invented the hilariously inept Private Snafu to teach soldiers what NOT to do. Captain America, on the other hand, was born ready to punch Hitler’s lights out. We’ll also cover that unassailable masterpiece, Casablanca, as well as some propaganda aimed at US soldiers from the other side: the siren known as “Tokyo Rose.” ____ Connect with us on HTDSpodcast.com and
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| Introducing Family Lore | 18 May 2026 | 00:41:01 | |
Family Lore is a weekly narrative podcast that celebrates and investigates ancestral mystique. Each episode begins with a guest sharing a fascinating family legend, followed by a historical deep-dive to uncover the truth and meaning behind the tale. | |||
| 198: The Pacific Tide Turns at Coral Sea & Midway | 02 Feb 2026 | 00:59:08 | |
“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 Harbor began. But beneath the surface, American codebreakers are listening, watching, and waiting. Fresh from the hard-fought Battle of the Coral Sea, the U.S. Navy limps forward with damaged carriers, exhausted pilots, and an untested commander named Chester Nimitz. Across the ocean, Admiral Yamamoto Isoroku sets an intricate trap meant to lure America’s carriers into annihilation near a tiny atoll called Midway. What follows is not a clash of battleships, but a duel fought primarily in the air—where minutes matter, mistakes are fatal, and pilots will dive straight into fire with no idea if they’re already too late. By the morning of June 4, 1942, both sides believe victory is within reach. Only one is right. ____ Connect with us on HTDSpodcast.com and
HTDS is part of Audacy media network. Interested in advertising on the History That Doesn't Suck? Contact Audacyinc.com. | |||
| 112: A Square Deal (pt. 1): Corp. Regulation—a coal strike, a trust, & Teddy’s Frenemy J.P. Morgan | 23 May 2022 | 00:58:47 | |
“If we have done anything wrong, send your man to my man and they can fix it up.” This is the first story of President Theodore Roosevelt’s Square Deal: “corporate regulation.” J. Pierpont Morgan hates economic volatility. He’s determined to eliminate that plaguing element from some of his railroad lines by making the competing Union Pacific a friend. He’ll do so by creating a stockholding company called “Northern Securities.” But is this an illegal trust? Or just good business? Teddy and his Attorney General are determined to make the courts figure it out. At the same time, a massive coal strike in Pennsylvania threatens to plunge the nation into a deadly fuel shortage this winter. Protests and riots are sure to come if this isn’t resolved. In an ironic twist, Teddy finds there’s only one man who can help him solve the situation … the very man his administration is taking to court, J.P. Morgan. Can these two powerful New Yorkers push past the lawsuit to solve a national crisis? We shall see. ____ Connect with us on HTDSpodcast.com and
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| 111: The Assassination of Will McKinley & The Strenuous Life of Theodore Roosevelt | 09 May 2022 | 00:52:44 | |
“I wish to preach, not the doctrine of ignoble ease, but the doctrine of the strenuous life.” This is the story of (another) presidential assassination and the life of the man it brings to the White House: Theodore Roosevelt. Though a sickly and asthmatic child, “Teedie,” as his family calls the child, works hard to build his physical strength. To take on the bullies who pick on him. Teddy grows up to become a rowing, boxing, and mountaineering athlete with an equally inquisitive mind. Assemblyman. Cowboy. Police Commissioner. Assistant Secretary of the Navy. Vice President! Not to mention devastating losses, deep loves, and war. TR’s life is a full one–a “strenuous” one. But nothing in his 42 years could prepare him for what an assassin’s bullet brings in September 1901. ____ Connect with us on HTDSpodcast.com and
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| 110: Epilogue to the Age of Imperialism | 25 Apr 2022 | 00:43:10 | |
Greg, Zach, and Kelsi sit down for a chat about America’s surprisingly compact burst of turn-of-the-century overseas expansion (Age of Imperialism). They talk through an overarching overview of the era; highlight some of the things that, while in previous episodes, might have been less obvious (coaling stations, anyone?); and wax eloquent on historical research while sharing a small behind-the-scenes comedy of errors that went down amid the research for an episode. Hope you enjoy it. ____ Connect with us on HTDSpodcast.com and
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| 109: The Election of 1900 & the Rise of Anti-Imperialism | 11 Apr 2022 | 01:01:34 | |
“Only dead men can tell the truth in this world. It can be published after I am dead.” This is the story of imperialism and presidential politics: the election of 1900. US President William McKinley is looking for reelection. The economy is strong, the nation is powerful, and it's expanding overseas. For many Americans, that all sounds and looks rather good. But for others, this overseas imperial expansion is a betrayal of American values. With famous names like Mark Twain and Andrew Carnegie behind a new Anti-Imperialist League, the Democrats seize on this energy as they nominate William Jennings Bryan to take (again) on Will McKinley in the contest for the White House. But can the charismatic, silver-tongued Silverite–WJB–compete with the Republican’s own dynamic, energetic candidate? No, no, not William McKinley, but his new VP running mate: the veteran Rough Rider and Governor of New York Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt. ____ Connect with us on HTDSpodcast.com and
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| 108: G.O. 100, “The Water Cure,” & The Law of War in the Early-20th Century with Professor Ryan Vogel | 28 Mar 2022 | 00:55:20 | |
The ugliest aspects of the Philippine-American War raised questions of legitimate warfare. Specifically, they required the US to think through a military code of conduct from the Civil War: General Order 100, or the “Lieber Code.” But what is the Lieber Code? How did it seek to rein in the worst of war atrocities, and where did it fail to do so in the Philippines? While we’re at it … what even was the status of the “Law of War” at the turn of the century, and how did it compare to the warfare of yesteryear, or help lay the groundwork for the development of the Law of War in the twentieth century? Greg sits down with his UVU colleague–former Department of Defense Senior Policy Advisor-turned-UVU Professor and Director of the Center for National Security Studies Ryan Vogel (yeah, big titles, and basically the real-life “Jack Ryan”) to tackle these questions. ____ Connect with us on HTDSpodcast.com and
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| 107: The Philippine-American War | 14 Mar 2022 | 00:54:14 | |
“Co … wards! Assassins!” This is the story of the Philippine-American War. Having bested the Spanish in war, the United States now lays claim to holding sovereignty over the Philippines. President William McKinley asserts that the US is enacting “benevolent assimilation” on the islands. William Taft says the US is going to help its “little brown brothers.” But nationalist Emilio Aguinaldo rejects these claims. He says the Philippines should be independent; that US rule is no better than Spanish rule. War follows. Murder among the nationalists … the birth of the “water cure” … the rise of new figures who will dominate US politics for years to come … welcome to the Philippine-American War. ____ Connect with us on HTDSpodcast.com and
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| 106: The US Annexation of the Hawaiian Kingdom | 28 Feb 2022 | 00:47:51 | |
“You have my love, and with sorrow I dismiss you.” This is the story of the Hawaiian Kingdom’s end. Queen Liliuokalani hates the Constitution of 1887–or “Bayonet” Constitution, as it’s known, since her predecessor and brother King Kalakaua signed it under duress. Under this constitution, wealth rather than citizenship determines who votes. This means a lot of wealthy sugar-planting foreigners of American and European origin control the legislature while few native Hawaiians are enfranchised. Liliu is determined to change this. But can she beat back these sugar planters? Or will they dethrone her? The battlelines are drawn … ____ Connect with us on HTDSpodcast.com and
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| 105: “A Splendid Little War:” The Spanish-American War and Theodore Roosevelt’s Rough Riders | 14 Feb 2022 | 00:46:48 | |
“Sergeant, the Spanish bullet isn’t made that will kill me.” This is the story of the Spanish-American War. George Dewey’s squadron is in Manila Bay. Henry Glass is bombarding Guam’s Apra Harbor. Theodore Roosevelt’s Rough Riders are charging up Kettle Hill in Cuba’s San Juan Heights. One American victory follows another as the US fights against the Spanish for the sake of Cuba. Or is it for the sake of Cuba? As the US and Spain work out a peace treaty in Paris, we’ll see one empire fall and another one rise … ____ Connect with us on HTDSpodcast.com and
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| 104: The Road to the Spanish-American War | 31 Jan 2022 | 00:46:46 | |
“Remember the Maine, to hell with Spain!” This is the story of the road to war for American Empire. Ruled by Spain, Cuba has nonetheless been at odds with the Crown for decades. The Caribbean isle has rebelled and warred against the colonial power more than once in the second half of the nineteenth century. The US has watched with great interest as some of its leaders and citizens have cheered for Cuban liberty, while others have thought more about annexation. The US is ascendant; the Spanish Empire is in its death throes. The US sees the Western Hemisphere as its turf; Spain is doing all it can not to lose the last remnants of its previously worldwide power. Those tensions hit a breaking point in February 1898, in Cuba’s Havana Harbor … ____ Connect with us on HTDSpodcast.com and
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| 103: A Gilded Age Christmas: Joseph Pulitzer’s Christmas Tree Fund | 20 Dec 2021 | 00:19:45 | |
“Santa can’t fool [me], since the holes in [my] stockings are too big for anything to be put in.” This is the story of Gilded Age giving. Of 30,000 destitute children having a better Christmas because of one man who used his newspaper to connect those who were without to those who had and wanted to give. This is the story of Gilded Age New York’s real-life Santa Clause: Joseph Pulitzer. ____ Connect with us on HTDSpodcast.com and
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| 197: The Doolittle Raid & the Bataan Death March (Spring 1942) | 19 Jan 2026 | 01:00:02 | |
“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, the Japanese Empire’s sun is rising on the Pacific fast—and at great cost to the Philippines. As the Commonwealth’s islands fall one by one, General Douglas MacArthur is forced to beat a hasty retreat. He evacuates to Australia and pledges to return; but what of the American and Filipino forces cornered on a small peninsula on Luzon? Well, they’re not called the “Battling Bastards of Bataan” for nothing. But there’s only so much they can do without outside support. Many thousands of POWs will be murdered or massacred in the post-surrender Bataan Death March of April 1942. Amid these defeats and the ensuing crisis of morale, Washington concludes a successful counterattack on the Japanese home islands just might be the psychological win that America needs. Lieutenant Colonel James “Jimmy” Doolittle will lead an air attack… on Tokyo itself. ____ Go to squarespace.com/HTDS for a free trial and use the offer code HTDS to save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain from our advertising partner Squarespace. Connect with us on HTDSpodcast.com and
HTDS is part of Audacy media network.
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| 102: Epilogue to the Gilded Age | 22 Nov 2021 | 00:57:22 | |
Greg sits down with Zach and Kelsi for a chat. They make a rather … LIVE(ly) announcement … then proceed to talk about electricity, tycoons, and the New South. But the conversation can’t end without Greg and Zach nerding out (as Kelsi, perhaps rightly, rolls her eyes) about their mutually favorite author: Edgar Allan Poe. ____ Connect with us on HTDSpodcast.com and
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| 101: The New South, Jim Crow (Plessy v. Ferguson), & the Death of Frederick Douglass | 08 Nov 2021 | 01:02:30 | |
“Know ye not that there is a prince and a great man fallen this day in Israel?” This is the story of the Gilded Age below the Mason-Dixon Line. In the years since the Civil War, the cotton industry has been reshaped. The South has more international competition and is opening more of its own cotton mills. It’s a significant and deeper step into a post-slavery, industrial economy. This “New South” post-slavery economy has also turned to a new farming model: sharecropping. But amid forced labor contracts, shady dealings, and a massacre in Thibodaux, Louisiana, some are left wondering: how different is the former from the latter? Meanwhile, Southern “redeemer” Democrats are pushing new state laws that specify “equal but separate” accommodations based on race. Black Americans, however, call it a clear targeting and violation of their civil rights guaranteed by the US Constitution’s 14th Amendment. When Louisiana passes its “Jim Crow” Separate Car act, a mixed-race Creole from New Orleans named Homer Plessy will fight it through the courts. His challenge will go all the way to the US Supreme Court. But as the South industrializes and Jim Crow spreads, we also say a painful goodbye to an old friend. It’s time to lay Frederick Douglass to rest. Sleep well, Old Man Eloquent. You’ve more than earned your eternal slumber. ____ Connect with us on HTDSpodcast.com and
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| 100: Halloween Special! Edgar Allan Poe: The Tell-tale Heart, The Cask of Amontillado, & The Raven | 25 Oct 2021 | 00:50:30 | |
‘How, then, am I mad? Hearken! and observe how healthily—how calmly I can tell you the whole story.” This is the story of a man driven to madness by a pale blue eye; the story of a man who’s vowed revenge; of a young scholar heartbroken by death. This is also the story of the man who brought us these three tales–one of the most grim and ghastly Gothic authors in American history–Edgar Allan Poe. This episode is best enjoyed alone. In the dark. With headphones. Happy Halloween! ____ Connect with us on HTDSpodcast.com and
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| 99: The Gilded Age’s Singer Sewing Machines & Dangerous Bananas w/ Dr. Ben Sawyer of The Road To Now | 11 Oct 2021 | 00:53:28 | |
Did Singer Sewing Machines take over the world? And are bananas as dangerous as they appear in cartoons? The answer to both of these questions are a resounding “yes!” in the Gilded Age. Listen in as the Prof. discusses these and other Gilded Age topics with his esteemed colleague and fellow podcaster: Dr. Ben Sawyer of Middle Tennessee State University and The Road to Now Podcast (check them out here: https://www.theroadtonow.com/)! ____ Connect with us on HTDSpodcast.com and
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| 98: Silver & Gold: From Grover Cleveland to William Jennings Bryan & William McKinley | 27 Sep 2021 | 00:56:31 | |
“You shall not crucify mankind upon a cross of gold.” This is the story of the Gilded Age’s later presidencies. Grover “the Good” Cleveland is known as a man of integrity and honesty. Those characteristics alone are enough to get him to the White House. But as Benjamin Harrison interrupts his terms, the frustration of farmers and factory workers is boiling over into more labor strikes. Soon, working-class Americans are rallying around one issue in particular: the minting of silver. The issue is ripping the Democratic party apart. Should they continue to support the gold standard, as Democratic president Grover Cleveland does? Or should they support the working-class “Silverites,” as a young Congressman from Nebraska named William Jennings Bryan hopes to do? This question will be settled as the Dems pick a nominee to square off against the Republicans’ 1896 presidential candidate: William McKinley. ____ Connect with us on HTDSpodcast.com and
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| 97: The Gilded Age’s Robber Barons: John D. Rockefeller & Andrew Carnegie | 13 Sep 2021 | 01:04:42 | |
“Someday, some-time, when I am a man, I want to be worth a hundred thousand dollars!” This is the story of two of the United States’ most wealthy industrialists. John D. Rockefeller is the son of a con artist; he teaches young John never to trust and leaves the boy wondering if food will or won’t be on the table. John will rise from his world of uncertainty to dominate the emerging oil scene. The son of a Scottish weaver, Andrew Carnegie comes from absolutely nothing. But Pennsylvania Railroad exec Tom Scott sees promise in the lad. Tom’s mentoring will help Andy emerge as the king of the steel industry. Both men overcome the impossible. But are they inspiring Titans of industry? Or monopolistic robber barons? The beneficiaries of their philanthropy see the former, while workers might see the latter—particularly those at a steel mill in Homestead, Pennsylvania. ____ Connect with us on HTDSpodcast.com and
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| 96: The War of the Currents: (Thomas Alva Edison v. Nikola Tesla & George Westinghouse) | 30 Aug 2021 | 00:58:47 | |
“Tesla, you don’t understand our American humor.” This is the story of opinionated inventors with very different views on electric lighting; a story of invention, genius, conniving, and even electrocutions. This is the War of the Currents. Thomas Alva Edison believes in direct current. He’s convinced it’s safer. Freshly arrived from Europe, Nikola Tesla thinks alternating current has the potential to unleash indoor domestic lighting on a whole new level and can be made just as safe. The men differ, and when Nikola teams up with George Westinghouse, Alva finds his position as king of the Electric Hill threatened. But as Nikola and George will soon see: the Wizard of Menlo Park won’t take this threat lying down ... ____ Connect with us on HTDSpodcast.com and
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| 95: "Several Thousand Things that Won't Work:" Thomas Alva Edison and His Electric Light | 16 Aug 2021 | 00:57:59 | |
“I have got so much to do and life is so short, I am going to hustle.” This is the story of trial and error, of determination, and science merging with business. Electric lights have been around since the early 1800s. Unfortunately, they’ve also been impractical. The energy it takes to operate an arc light makes it little more than a novelty. Likewise, newer lights called “incandescents” burn out far too quickly to be of value. But what if someone could make incandescents last hundreds of hours? What if someone could figure out how to power them safely and economically … on such a scale that an entire neighborhood could be electrified–like a major section of Lower Manhattan? It sounds like a pipedream, but one inventor with incredible business savvy thinks he can do it. All he’ll need is a large team willing to make every error in the book until they can figure out how to do it right. This is the story of Thomas Alva Edison and his electric light. ____ Connect with us on HTDSpodcast.com and
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| 94: Epilogue to Gilded Age Part I (or Gilded Age interlude w/ Significant HTDS Updates) | 02 Aug 2021 | 01:00:31 | |
An epilogue. Or interlude? Well, we aren’t done with the Gilded Age, but we have too much behind-the-scenes HTDS evolution to discuss! So here we are. Zach is moving up from intern to writer status. Longtime HTDS team member Kelsi gets behind the mic for the first time. Meanwhile, Greg discusses doing a second edition of older episodes. But of course, we won’t ignore the Gilded Age. We’ll still have some good old-fashioned chit-chat about recent episodes. ____ Connect with us on HTDSpodcast.com and
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| 93: La Liberté éclairant le monde: Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi’s Statue of Liberty | 19 Jul 2021 | 01:08:07 | |
“Vive l’entente fraternelle des deux républiques !” This is the story of the Statue of Liberty. In 1865, Frédéric-Auguste Bartholdi (or “Auguste,” as his friends call him), claims to have attended a dinner at which his French colleagues and friends feted the United States’ victory over the Confederacy and slavery. With hope for a restoration of republican government and greater liberty at home, these Frenchmen living under the rule of Napoleon III spoke of the United States and France’s shared sense of liberty. There was even a suggestion that the nations should jointly build a monument to American independence. Years later, Auguste will undertake such a project. But is he really inspired by this dinner and the idea of liberty? Or is he just an ambitious sculptor looking for any excuse to build a colossus statue? And can he really raise funds in both countries, manage a massive workforce, handle the death of colleagues, and overcome the engineering challenges? Whatever his motives, Auguste’s life will ultimately be defined by his unlikely journey to create a monument unlike any the world has ever seen. ____ Connect with us on HTDSpodcast.com and
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| 196: An Epilogue to Pearl Harbor with Steve Twomey | 05 Jan 2026 | 00:55:50 | |
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 gained is almost endless. There is still more to learn. To that end, Prof. Greg Jackson welcomes Professor Lindsey Cormack, an associate professor of political science at Stevens Institute of Technology, and Steve Twomey, Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist and author of Countdown to Pearl Harbor: The Twelve Days to the Attack. Also, Prof. Jackson officially announces his new book, Been There Done That: How Our History Shows What We Can Overcome. In the book, Prof. Jackson proves that while today’s political climate may be dark, these aren’t as unprecedented times as we may think. Now available for pre-order. Or get a complimentary signed advance copy during the ultimate book launch party May 18–22, 2026 aboard a Celebrity Cruise to Key West and The Bahamas with Prof. Jackson and other fellow history travelers! Connect with us on HTDSpodcast.com and
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| 92: The Brooklyn Bridge, or the Story of the Roebling Family | 21 Jun 2021 | 01:04:41 | |
“John Roebling has not the leisure to wait upon any man.” This is the story of a bridge and a family. John Roebling is weary of the oppressive, bureaucratic Prussian government. He’s heard from his professor–Georg Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel–that the United States is a land of opportunity. Those factors combined lead the driven über productive German to immigrate, where he introduces wire rope to his new adopted homeland and takes bridge building to another level. But can he span the great East River–in reality, a saltwater tidal strait full of hazards–that divides the separate and distinct cities of Brooklyn and New York? He has an idea. But as he moves forward, this bridge will quickly become a deadly and life-altering family affair. ____ Connect with us on HTDSpodcast.com and
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| 91: The Gilded Age, Industrialization, and Assassination of President James Garfield | 07 Jun 2021 | 00:54:26 | |
“What is the chief end of man? A: To get rich.” This is the story of the Gilded Age and its first three presidents: Rutherford B. Hayes, James A. Garfield, and Chester A. Arthur. Mark Twain calls this era a “Gilded Age”–that is, a time of great greed covered with a thin veneer hiding the nation’s decadence. Is it? We’ll assess and define this oft-forgotten time. In doing so, we’ll meet three oft-forgotten presidents. Rutherford (or Rutherfraud?) Hayes, who receives the presidency through a Reconstruction-ending compromise, is fighting for reform in the civil service. His successor James Garfield doesn’t want to be president but holds great promise. Sadly, an assassin will end his life before this last log-cabin president can even put his agenda into play. Can his compromised, spoils-system-created VP Chester “Chet” Arthur rise to the occasion? Strikes, assassination, reform, unlikely presidents: welcome to the Gilded Age. ____ Connect with us on HTDSpodcast.com and
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| 90: Epilogue to the Wild West | 10 May 2021 | 01:15:27 | |
This is the end of the West! Meet two new researchers, Ryan Griffith and Zach Weaver, as they join Greg to discuss the latest inner workings of HTDS, the Transcontinental Railroad, Buffalo Bill, and industrialization. As they wrap up, Greg then discusses the Golden Spike Ceremony with National Park Service Lead Ranger Lucas Hugie. They do so on-site, just a stone's throw from where the Transcontinental Railroad was completed. ____ Connect with us on HTDSpodcast.com and
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| 89: Closing the Wild West: (Wounded Knee, Buffalo Bill & the 1893 Colombian Expo) | 26 Apr 2021 | 01:00:55 | |
“I wish to impress upon your minds that what you are about to witness is not a performance in the common sense of the term.” This is the story of the Wild West’s end and the close of the frontier. The West is settled. The buffalo are gone. The US government is seeking to assimilate Native Americans. In this environment, a religious movement promising a restoration of traditional indigenous life, called the Ghost Dance, is spreading across the continent. Fearful of it, the government sends the military to arrest Lakota Ghost Dancers. It ends in tragedy near Wounded Knee Creek. For Native Americans, this is the end of the frontier. Meanwhile, William Cody, a.k.a., “Buffalo Bill,” is keeping the Old West alive through an incredible performance: Buffalo Bill’s Wild West. He’s obsessed with authenticity, only hiring actual cowboys, vaqueros, Native Americans, gunslingers, and others. For Bill, progress is the story of the frontier. Professor Frederick Jackson Turner says the frontier is over and the nation has progressed. Frederick Douglass has a different view. We’ll take in all these different perspectives as the sun sets on the Old West. ____ Connect with us on HTDSpodcast.com and
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| 88: “The Last Frontier:” The Purchase of Alaska and the Klondike Gold Rush | 12 Apr 2021 | 00:53:22 | |
“This is my last opportunity to make a big haul. Alaska is the last West.” This is the story of the US purchase of Alaska and the famous Klondike Gold Rush. Russia needs funds and sees its territory of Russian-America as a liability. That has US Secretary of State William Henry Seward seeing opportunities, such as fisheries and access to Asian markets. It’s an ideal match of interests for two major powers—provided William Henry can convince the Senate to approve the treaty to purchase a region twice the size of Texas. Decades later, three men find gold in one of the Klondike River’s tributaries. Although in Canada, most of the 100,000 prospectors (called “stampeders” or “klondikers”) who’ll flock here do so via Alaska. There’s wealth to be had if they can survive the journey … and avoid getting robbed blind in Skagway by Jefferson “Soapy” Smith. ____ Connect with us on HTDSpodcast.com and
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| 87: Gunslingers & Outlaws (pt 2): Pearl Hart, Tombstone, Jesse James, B. Cassidy & The Sundance Kid | 29 Mar 2021 | 01:01:10 | |
“The fight’s commenced. Go to fighting or get away!” This is the story of more gunslinging and heists. Pearl Hart needs to see her mother; is a stagecoach robbery the answer? The Earps Brothers and Doc Holiday are on the opposite of a political and economic feud with the “Cow Boys” in the mining town of Tombstone, Arizona Territory; are they disarming the “Cow Boys” in accordance with a city ordinance? Or is there more to it? Jesse James is a Civil War bushwhacker; but is it still “bushwacking” if he keeps robbing and killing after the war? Or is he a bandit? Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid are fleeing to South America; but do they die in a shootout? Or will Butch prove he’s still alive by visiting his family in Utah years later? Somewhere between the legends and myths is the truth. Too bad some of it will forever remain elusive. Welcome to the Wild West. ____ Connect with us on HTDSpodcast.com and
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| 86: Gunslingers & Outlaws (pt 1): The Second Industrial Revolution, Sam Bass & Billy the Kid | 15 Mar 2021 | 00:55:50 | |
“I am going to hell anyhow.” This is the story of the rise of Western outlaws and gunslingers. From transportation of goods and people, to mining and even the cattle industry, a Second Industrial Revolution has overtaken the United States. Economic and political disruption are everywhere … but the law isn’t. And that’s the perfect cocktail for a golden age of outlaws. Sam Bass is robbing the Union Pacific. Henry—sorry, he doesn’t go by his legal name these days—Billy or “Kid,” is throwing down in a power struggle in the New Mexico Territory’s Lincoln County. Neither man will be long for this world. ____ Connect with us on HTDSpodcast.com and
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| 85: Transcontinental Railroad (pt 3): The Central Pacific, Chinese Workers, & The Golden Spike | 01 Mar 2021 | 01:04:57 | |
“Did they not build the Chinese Wall, the biggest piece of masonry in the world?” The Central Pacific Railroad is struggling to find long-term construction workers. Many of them quickly leave the CP’s employ to pursue gold and silver in the mines of California or Nevada. But Big Four Associate Charlie Crocker has an idea: why not try hiring Chinese immigrants? The idea is semi-controversial in the eyes of many Americans, but the CP goes for it, and likes the results. Soon, the Chinese make up 90% of the CP’s construction workers, risking their lives as they dangle over cliffs, drill, and blast tunnels through the solid granite of the Sierra Nevada Mountains.
Both the Central and Union Pacific railroads are bearing down on Utah Territory. Politicking, corporate espionage, labor strikes, struggles of pride and honor and more will all come to bear. Despite these challenges, the transcontinental railroad will be completed. The CP’s Governor Leland Stanford will drive it (or tap it) together with a golden spike no less. We’ll witness the ceremony at Promontory Summit as it happens (two-days late thanks to the UP’s Dr. Thomas Durant) on May 10, 1869. ____ Connect with us on HTDSpodcast.com and
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| 84: Transcontinental Railroad (pt 2): Dr. Thomas Durant, The Union Pacific & “Hell on Wheels” | 15 Feb 2021 | 00:57:02 | |
“How dare you try to hog all the continent?” This is the story of the Union Pacific Railroad. The US Government has legislated that a private company be organized with government oversight to build a railroad from Nebraska to Nevada. It will meet the Central Pacific and form a transcontinental rail across the whole United States. Unfortunately, few are interested in investing in this risky endeavor in the midst of the Civil War. But one man isn’t afraid to do so. Of course, his lack of fear is equaled by a lack of scruples. He’ll wheel, deal, cut corners, extend rail, manipulate stock prices, and more in his goal to make a windfall of cash from the “Pacific Road.” This is Dr. Thomas Durant. Meanwhile, life is rough on the rails. Irish immigrants, war vets (blue and gray alike) and more, work hard while living in a world far removed from the law. Out here, might makes right and arguments are won by the fastest draw as men frequent the saloons, dance halls, and brothels following the railroad on the very tracks they just laid. These portable towns are often called the “wickedest cities in America.” Welcome to “Hell On Wheels.” ____ Connect with us on HTDSpodcast.com and
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| 83: Transcontinental Railroad (pt 1): Industrialization, Ted Judah & The Rise of the Central Pacific | 01 Feb 2021 | 00:52:42 | |
“Every great enterprise has been ridiculed in the outset.” This is the story of the rise of the railroad. Travel on land is slow. Arduous. Inhibited by rough terrain like mountains, rivers, and bogs. That reality makes Americans view the continent’s interior as an inaccessible “Great Desert,” only to be visited by daring pioneers passing through en route to Oregon Country or California. But technology is changing. “Iron horses” are starting to run at rapid speeds across rails. And as these rails stretch across the east, some dreamers, thought crazy, are suggesting this rail could traverse the entire continent. Could the US Government support such a ludicrous idea? It seems impossible, but might such a rail help keep the massive, continent-wide nation together as Civil War breaks out? Theodore “Crazy” Judah thinks so, and teaming up with four influential, business-savvy Californians, he means to find out. This is the rise of the Central Pacific Railroad. ____ Connect with us on HTDSpodcast.com and
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| 195: Holiday Special IX: Chanukah in Warsaw & Christmas in Washington, D.C. | 22 Dec 2025 | 00:34:25 | |
“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 Maccabees of old, Rabbi Kalonymus Kalman Shapira will bring a little light to these dark times. Meanwhile, Christmas in the U.S. comes just as the country is shifting into gear for war with Japan and Germany. President Roosevelt projects confidence and hope at the annual White House Christmas tree lighting, and he’s even brought along a special guest… (a much better orator than Santa). Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah, and happy holidays to all. ____ Connect with us on HTDSpodcast.com and
HTDS is part of Audacy media network. | |||
| 82: Best Mini Episodes and Cold Opens of 2020 | 18 Jan 2021 | 00:43:35 | |
“Gentlemen, what is the cause of this violence?” This is the story of HTDS's 2020. Most people wouldn’t call last year a good one. Doesn’t mean we didn’t have some fun mini-episodes and cold opens here on HTDS. Join Greg for a look at some favorites from both of those camps. ____ Connect with us on HTDSpodcast.com and
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| 81: Epilogue to Volume 6: Reconstruction and The Indian Wars | 04 Jan 2021 | 00:57:51 | |
“The older I get the more I’m convinced that it’s the purpose of politicians and journalists to say the world is very simple, whereas it’s the purpose of historians to say, ‘No! It’s very complicated.” — David Cannadine (British historian at Princeton) It’s epilogue time. Join Greg and Cielle as they talk in broad strokes about one of the darkest periods of American history: Reconstruction and the (post-Civil War) Indian Wars. In the process, we’ll revisit a few fascinating figures who seem to reject fitting into simple boxes, like Confederate-turned-Radical-Republican James “Old Pete” Longstreet and Union-war-hero-turned-Indian fighter, Phil Sheridan. Finally, we’ll say goodbye to another HTDS friend. First, it was Josh. Now, it’s Cielle. Thanks a lot, 2020. ____ Connect with us on HTDSpodcast.com and
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| 80: “Yes, Virginia, There is a Santa Claus:” A History | 21 Dec 2020 | 00:18:58 | |
“Church bristled and pooh-poohed at the subject when I suggested that he write a reply to Virginia O’Hanlon.” This is the story of America’s most famous editorial. Virginia O’Hanlon is an inquisitive eight-year-old. She’s debated with her friends and studied out the matter, but she still can’t decide: is there a Santa Claus? At her father’s suggestion, she writes to New York’s great arbiter of truth: The Sun. Her letter is handed to an editorial writer by the name of Francis “Frank” Pharcellus Church. But Frank doesn’t want to answer the letter. Emotionally scarred by what he witnessed reporting on during the Civil War, Frank is a cynic. Further, as a man without a wife, children, or faith, a religious or faith-filled holiday focused on children really isn’t his thing. What exactly can he say to this little girl? The result is the most famous editorial in the history of American newspapers. ____ Connect with us on HTDSpodcast.com and
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| 79: The Indian Wars (Part 3): Chief Joseph of the Nez Perce & Standing Bear’s Fight for Civil Rights | 07 Dec 2020 | 00:56:18 | |
“Does this court think an Indian is a competent witness?” This is the story of the start of Indigenous civil rights. Since the arrival of Lewis and Clark, the Nez Perce have lived peacefully beside US citizens. The Pacific Northwest Indigenous group is proud of the fact that not one of them has ever killed a white person. But things are changing. New settlers are flocking, and the US government wants the Nez Perce to cede more land. In 1863, the Upper Nez Perce sign a treaty that cedes Lower Nez Perce lands without their consent. Meanwhile, settlers who wrong the Nez Perce (even murdering some), aren’t being charged with crimes. Amid these crimes and forced removal, peace can’t hold. Nez Perce leaders like Chief Joseph soon find themselves fighting a war they don’t want. But can the US government forcibly remove indigenous people to reservations, and further force them to stay there? Or do they have civil rights? Ponca Chief Standing Bear is raising that very question by suing for a writ of habeas corpus in Omaha, Nebraska. The legal precedent-setting decision rests with Judge Elmer Dundy. ____ Connect with us on HTDSpodcast.com and
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| 78: The Indian Wars (Part 2): The Battle of the Little Bighorn (the Greasy Grass) | 23 Nov 2020 | 00:55:47 | |
“There’s a good fight coming over the hill. That’s where the big fight is going to be. We’ll not miss that one.” This is the story of the Battle of the Little Bighorn (or the Greasy Grass). In 1868, representatives of the US government meet leaders from a few indigenous nations at Fort Laramie to sign a treaty. The agreement creates the boundaries for a Great Sioux Reservation and “unceded” Sioux territory. But the treaty soon falters: With the discovery of gold in the Lakota’s sacred Black Hills, miners and settlers flock to the reservation’s mountain range. Meanwhile, thousands of Lakota, Cheyenne, and Arapaho “non-treaty Indians” refuse to move to the reservation. The US government responds by designating them as “hostile.” In 1876, three US armies move out to force the now thousands-strong non-treaty village to the reservation. Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer’s 7th Cavalry finds them first. Will he succeed in forcing them to the reservation? Or will Sitting Bull and Crazy Horse’s village defeat the cavalry and maintain its liberty? It will all come down to a battle on the hills just above the eastern bank of the Little Bighorn River. ____ Connect with us on HTDSpodcast.com and
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| 77: The Indian Wars (Part 1): The U.S.-Dakota War | 09 Nov 2020 | 01:02:07 | |
“To be hanged by the neck until he is dead.” This is the story of the US-Dakota War. The most eastern of the three major Sioux peoples, the Dakota are indigenous to Minnesota. They’ve lived beside trappers, fur traders, and the like, for quite a while (salut, les Canadiens-français). But now, more white settlers are showing up and setting up farms, and American officials are buying lands in exchange for long-term payments. But what happens when those payments are late? Shorted? Meanwhile, traditional hunting grounds are gone. Amid these tensions, four hungry Dakota men on a failed hunt kill two settler families. Other settlers only see a seemingly random act of murder; the Dakota see men pushed beyond their limits. A war ensues. The settlers win quickly but suffer hundreds of deaths in the process. Now questions arise: Are warriors guilty of murder? Are some guilty of massacring? Many Minnesotans say yes to both, and over 300 Dakota men are sentenced to death. Settlers are crying for blood as the final decision to approve or deny these sentences go all the way to the top. It’s your call, President Abraham Lincoln. ____ Connect with us on HTDSpodcast.com and
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| 76: Reconstruction (Part 4): The Battle of Liberty Place and the Mississippi Plan | 26 Oct 2020 | 01:01:35 | |
“Hang Kellogg! We’ll fight!” This is the story of the end of Reconstruction. Voter fraud and intimidation has made Louisiana’s 1872 Gubernatorial election a mess. So, when a Federal judge and Republican President Ulysses S. Grant uphold the Republican candidate, the stage is set for more partisan and racial violence in the Bayou State. The outcome is Reconstruction’s worst episode of violence and murder (the Colfax Massacre), and a full-on street battle in New Orleans between the paramilitary White League and the racially integrated state and municipal police (the Battle of Liberty Place). Meanwhile, Democrats have grown sick of what they see as Federal overreach imposing Republican policies to rule over them. Starting in Mississippi, they come up with a new plan to disenfranchise Republicans in order to reestablish “home rule.” But will the federal government allow this to happen? With Ulyss leaving the White House, the 1876 presidential election’s voter fraud and backroom dealings create a compromise that ensures Republicans retain the presidency, while Democrats regain control of the South. Reconstruction is over. Welcome to the era of Jim Crow. ____ Connect with us on HTDSpodcast.com and
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| 75: Reconstruction (Part 3): The Rise of the KKK and the First Black Men in Government | 12 Oct 2020 | 00:53:56 | |
“Boys, let us get up a club or society of some description.” This is the story of Reconstruction peaking and its opponents organizing to fight back. With Radical Republicans at the helm of Reconstruction, the former Confederate states are forced to make new state constitutions that include black men in the process. The outcome is nothing short of revolutionary. Black men not only come away with the vote but the ability to run for office! Black Americans like PBS Pinchback, Robert Smalls, and Robert Elliott are soon filling the highest offices in the land—even Congress. But this change is far too radical for some ex-Confederates. When six Tennessean men form a social club, it quickly takes a paramilitary turn. Its former rebel members realize that the only way to restore the antebellum world they long for is through violence and murder ... and they aren’t above resorting to such measures. ____ Connect with us on HTDSpodcast.com and
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| 74: Reconstruction (Part 2): The Presidency of Ulysses S. Grant | 28 Sep 2020 | 00:56:05 | |
"The office has come to me unsought; I commence its duties untrammeled. I bring to it a conscious desire and determination to fill it to the best of my ability to the satisfaction of the people. " This is the story of scandal. Ulysses S. Grant has just been elected as the youngest US President to date. He has great hopes to usher in a new era of civil and political rights for African Americans and American Indians, as evidenced by the new 15th amendment. But can the honest Civil War hero do so when his Vice President and trusted former officers are busy making corrupt, illegal deals that inflate the value of gold, cost of railroads, and dodge taxes? Welcome to the Grant Administration. ____ Connect with us on HTDSpodcast.com and
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| 73: Reconstruction (Part 1): The Impeachment of Andrew Johnson | 14 Sep 2020 | 00:55:05 | |
“You are placed in a position where you have the power to save or destroy us; to bless or blast us--I mean our whole race.” This is the story of the first US Presidency to end in impeachment. This is the story of Andrew Johnson. The post-Civil War government of the United States faces difficult decisions. Should it be lenient to former Confederate states? Or should it take a hard hand? Should the Federal government play a role in reconstructing state governments (Reconstruction)? Or should it leave the states to their own devices? Slavery’s over, but does that mean black Americans are equal citizens with white Americans? Or can states enact laws, called “Black Codes,” that only apply to its black residents? Can states deny them the vote? These are the questions facing VP-turned-President Andrew Johnson, and he doesn’t seem to agree with Congress on much. Can Congress impeach and convict him for firing War Secretary Edwin Stanton? Or will the case fall apart? We’ll find out. ____ Connect with us on HTDSpodcast.com and
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| 194: Pearl Harbor: December 7, 1941 | 07 Dec 2025 | 00:59:23 | |
“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 thousands of dying, wounded, and terrified Americans rend the air. It is a day that will “live in infamy.” And it means war. ____ Connect with us on HTDSpodcast.com and
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| 72: The Assassination of Abraham Lincoln | 31 Aug 2020 | 01:01:29 | |
“Sic semper tyrannis!” This is the story of deception. Conspiracy. Assassination. The handsome, 26-year-old successful actor John Wilkes Booth has sympathized with the Confederacy since the war began. So when Abraham Lincoln wins reelection as President of the United States amid several crucial late-1864 victories, John becomes enraged. He decides to kidnap President Lincoln. But as John’s attempts at kidnapping fail, things go worse for the CSA. By April 1865, it’s over for the Confederacy. Then Lincoln says something in a speech that throws John completely over the edge: the gangly president suggests that the United States enact limited, black male suffrage. John’s ready to go far further than kidnapping. And so, on the night of April 14, the famous actor will take on the biggest, most consequential role of his life … at Washington City’s Ford Theatre. ____ Connect with us on HTDSpodcast.com and
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| 71: Revisiting the Hamilton/Burr Duel: An Affair of Honor | 17 Aug 2020 | 00:58:19 | |
"Adieu best of wives and best of women." We’re interrupting our usual chronological walk through US history today to bring you a remastered, new sound design take on Episode 22, “An Affair of Honor: Alexander Hamilton & Aaron Burr.” In these last few months, cellist Buffi Jacobs and violinist Austin Burket, both of whom usually perform with the Hamilton musical’s “Philip” Tour, contributed their talents to the new music you’ve been hearing since Airship took on our sound design. Given that connection, we thought it would be a fun homage to these new partnerships to let Airship redo the sound design on the most Hamilton of HTDS episodes. ____ Connect with us on HTDSpodcast.com and
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| 70: Epilogue: The Civil War Comes to a Close | 03 Aug 2020 | 01:19:46 | |
After nearly a full year of covering only four years of US history, we are done with the Civil War. It’s time for an epilogue! Greg and Cielle talk big picture and bring in some intriguing stories that just didn’t quite make the cut for regular episodes (including the Civil War origins of Coca-Cola, and the tale of Confederates who immigrate to Brazil, where slavery is still legal). Ready to decompress and gear up for Reconstruction? Here we go. ____ Connect with us on HTDSpodcast.com and
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