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PODCAST

American History Hit

Join Don Wildman twice a week for your hit of American history, as he explores the past to help us understand the United States of today.We’ll hear how codebreakers uncovered secret Japanese plans for the Battle of Midway, visit Chief Powhatan as he prepares for war with the British, see Walt Disney accuse his former colleagues of being communists, and uncover the dark history that lies beneath Central Park.From pre-colonial America to independence, slavery to civil rights, the gold rush to the

history

All Episodes

40:04

Lincoln & God: Scepticism to Spiritualism

American History Hit ·

2023/05/29

He's the best president that the United States has ever had ... at least according to one 2021 C-span study.But how did Lincoln's religious views affect his life and leadership? In this episode, Don is joined by Joshua Zeitz, author of 'Lincoln's God: How Faith Transformed a President and a Nation'.We hear about Lincoln's journey from scepticism to spiritualism, and the growth of connections between politics and the church in the United States.Produced by Sophie Gee. Edited by Siobhan Dale. Senior

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33:25

The Birth of the American Flag

American History Hit ·

2023/05/25

13 equal horizontal stripes in red and white, with a navy blue square in the top left bearing 50 small white five pointed stars. It's recognisable the world over as the flag of the United States of America.But how did this become the American flag? When did it develop its own 'cult'? And does Betsy Ross have anything at all to do with this story?Don is joined by Marc Leepson, author of Flag: An American Biography.For more History Hit content, follow our newslettershere.If you’d like to learn even

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35:06

America Prepares for War: FDR & WW2

American History Hit ·

2023/05/22

Was the USA already a superpower when it joined the Second World War? How did it turn from an isolationist nation to a force ready for action?Today Don is joined by Craig Nelson to find out how President Franklin D. Roosevelt manoeuvred the country from the isolationism of the interwar years to supplying an arsenal and, eventually, manpower to its European allies.Craig's new book is 'V Is For Victory: Franklin Roosevelt's American Revolution and the Triumph of World War 2'.For more History Hit

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40:48

Serial Killer Family on the Frontier

American History Hit ·

2023/05/18

Between 1871 and 1872, Labette County, Kansas became a source of mystery. Several people have gone missing on their journey west and a few bodies have been found. Is this the work of highway robbers? Or could it be the peculiar family who live beside the Great Osage Trail?Don is joined for this episode for Susan Jonasus, author of 'Hell's Half-Acre : The Untold Story of the Benders, America's First Serial Killer Family'.Email us at ahh@historyhit.com if you have any areas of history that you would

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41:28

LBJ's Legacy

American History Hit ·

2023/05/15

The Vietnam War or the Great Society? Which event looms larger in the history of the United States?The 36th President of the United States, Lyndon Baines Johnson, is often weighed up in these terms - the balance between domestic and foreign policy. But what is his legacy? Could he be called the first President of our modern era?In this episode, Don is joined by Mark Lawrence, Director of the LBJ Presidential Library and Museum in Austin, Texas.Produced and mixed by Sophie Gee. Senior Producer:

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19:11

The Rise of Buffalo Bill

American History Hit ·

2023/05/11

He was the most famous man in the world at the turn of the 20th century, bringing the American frontier to the rest of the United States, the United Kingdom and Continental Europe. But who was Buffalo Bill?In this episode, recorded at the Buffalo Bill Museum and Grave in Golden, Colorado, Don is joined by Steve Friesen to find out about the rise of America’s first celebrity.From boy scout to breadwinning buffalo hunter, how did William Cody become a showman and an iconic household name?Produced by

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42:15

Roanoke: The Lost English Colony

American History Hit ·

2023/05/08

When it was founded in 1585, Roanoke was intended to be the first permanent English outpost in America. So how did it become the 'lost colony'?In this episode, Don is joined by Professor Mark Horton, archaeologist from the Royal Agricultural University in the UK. Together they delve into the mystery.Why did John White take three years to return to the colony? What clues were left by the one hundred people missing from the island? And why did those who found the island abandoned not follow these

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38:21

The King & FDR: The Birth of the Special Relationship

American History Hit ·

2023/05/04

In 1939, on the invitation of Franklin D. Roosevelt, King George VI became the first reigning British monarch to set foot on American soil.So what triggered this monumental moment in the transatlantic relationship? How has it trickled down to today's special relationship? And how was King George assisted in his diplomacy by his wife, Elizabeth?In this coronation special, Don is joined by author Sally Bedell Smith to find out more.For more from Sally, you can find her substack here:

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20:17

Battle of Amiens

American History Hit ·

2023/05/01

In August 1918, the battle of Amiens brought the German army's 'black day' and the beginning of the end of the First World War.But what happened at Amiens? How were US troops involved in this battle? And how is the battle remembered today?In this episode, Don is joined by Dan Snow to talk about the American troops and their parts in the offensives at Hamel and Amiens.Produced by Sophie Gee and James Hickmann. Editing and sound design by Siobhan Dale. Senior Producer: Charlotte Long.For more History

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42:35

Cahokia: The Medieval Mississippian City

American History Hit ·

2023/04/27

Nearly a thousand years ago, America's first city appeared in the Mississippi flood plain. Don finds out about a day in the life of Cahokia, what its vast mounds were used for, and why it is so poorly remembered nowadays.Our guest is Timothy Pauketat, archaeologist and author of several major books about Cahokia. His latest book is calledGods of Thunder: How Climate Change, Travel, and Spirituality Reshaped Precolonial America.Editing and sound design by Stuart Beckwith. Produced by Freddy Chick

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25:18

How Horses Conquered America (Twice)

American History Hit ·

2023/04/24

Horses have been a bulwark of American culture and society for centuries. Think of cowboys in the Mid-West or Native Americans riding bareback on the Great Plains. But new, ground-breaking archeological evidence has emerged to suggest horses were present in the Americas more than 10,000 years ago, shattering our previous assumptions that they were first brought to North America by the Spanish.In today’s episode of American History Hit, Don speaks to Dr William Taylor about these new findings,

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22:44

Becoming Benjamin Franklin

American History Hit ·

2023/04/20

Benjamin Franklin is considered by many to be one of the first to live the American Dream. He came from humble beginnings, Franklin was raised in Boston, the last of 17 children. Márcia Balisciano tells Don how he went from a printer’s apprentice to Founding Father of the United States, via stints in London.Produced by Benjie Guy. Mixed by Stuart Beckwith. Senior Producer: Charlotte Long.For more History Hit content, subscribe to our newslettershere.If you’d like to learn even more, we have hundreds

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40:01

America's Top Secrets: Manhattan Project to Drone...

American History Hit ·

2023/04/17

Much of American history has been redacted. Since the World War 2, the number of secrets the US government has kept has grown exponentially. There are some things they think are too dangerous for the public to know. Matthew Connelly, author of the Declassification Engine, takes Don through America's top secrets of the 20th century.Produced by Benjie Guy. Mixed by Stuary Beckwith. Senior Producer: Charlotte Long.For more History Hit content, subscribe to our newsletters here.If you'd like to learn

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51:59

The Moon Landing

American History Hit ·

2023/04/13

July 20th, 1969. Neil Armstrong descends from Lunar Module Eagle to the Moon's surface.A momentous moment in American, and human history. For more than a decade, pioneers in the US and Soviet Union had competed in the exploration of space, the final frontier. Jay Gallentine tells Don how new technology was developed to go where no one had gone before. How America won the Space Race.Produced by Freddy Chick and Benjie Guy. Mixed by Stuart Beckwith. Senior Producer: Charlotte Long.For more History Hit

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32:10

The Road to Civil Rights

American History Hit ·

2023/04/10

Under segregation, African Americans' lives were severely limited. Restricted entry to public places, private businesses and public transport, cars provided liberty they were otherwise denied and protection from danger and discrimination. Gretchen Sorin, author of Driving While Black, tells Don that with the help of travel guides such as the Green Book, listing businesses that would accept African American customers - the car enabled African Americans to enjoy the freedom of the open road.Produced

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27:50

Hudson River: America's First Art Movement

American History Hit ·

2023/04/06

English-born artist Thomas Cole emigrated to the United States in 1818. Six years later he began what is now known as the Hudson River School, which became the first art movement of the United States.. Betsy Jacks, director of the Thomas Cole National Historic Site, tells Don how these artists captured the country's awe-inspiring natural beauty, at a time when the US was rapidly industrialising. Framing an image of America that would illustrate the spirit of the continent and the nation that sought

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32:43

Espionage & Enslavement in the Revolution

American History Hit ·

2023/04/03

Claire Bellerjeau tells Don the the story of Liss, an enslaved Black woman in 18th century New York, and her involvement with one of George Washington's spies. Her story sheds light on the experiences of people of colour in New York from the colonial period, during the revolution and into the early republic.Produced by Benjie Guy. Mixed by Aisha Deva & Tom Delargy. Senior Producer: Charlotte Long.For more History Hit content, subscribe to our newsletters here.If you'd like to learn even more, we

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27:51

French Spies in the American Revolution

American History Hit ·

2023/03/30

The story of the American Revolution is one of the best known in American history. But it could have been very different. Outgunned and outmanned against the might of the British Empire, America’s revolutionaries found themselves backed into a corner from the start. Their solution was to turn to Europe’s other superpower - France - for military aid. But the French were wary.Were it not for the actions of a renegade French spy and a secretive committee held in Philadelphia’s Carpenters Hall in 1775,

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38:00

The White House Chief of Staff

American History Hit ·

2023/03/27

While the President of the United States is often seen as the most powerful person in the world, the vastness of the Federal government is too much for just one person to oversee. The president needs someone to control events, run the White House, respond to challenges and handle emergencies. That person is the Chief of Staff. Chris Whipple, author of The Gatekeepers: How the White House Chiefs of Staff Define Every Presidency, tells Don how the Chiefs of Staff have impacted the 8 most recent

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40:39

A History of America in 5 Foods

American History Hit ·

2023/03/23

You are what you eat - and so is America. Various foods have played their part in the country’s history. Anna Zeide, author of US History in 15 Foods, takes us through 5 of them - Corn, Peanuts, Graham Bread, Spam and The Big Mac.Produced by Freddie Chick. Mixed by Stuart Beckwith. Senior Producer: Charlotte Long.For more History Hit content, subscribe to our newslettershere.If you’d like to learn even more, we have hundreds of history documentaries, ad-free podcasts, and audiobooks at History Hit

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