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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

38:14

Confederacy: Myth of the Lost Cause

American History Hit ·

2025/03/24

How do you justify a war you lost, and that destroyed countless homes, businesses, towns and families? This was a question facing the southern states after the Civil War.Their answer? The myth of the Lost Cause.In this final episode of our series on the Confederacy, Don catches up with Ty Seidule to find out where this myth came from, and what it really is.Ty is a Brigadier General (Ret.) of the US Army, Professor Emeritus of history at West Point and author of 'Robert E. Lee and Me: A Southerner’s

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40:35

What If JFK Wasn't Shot?

American History Hit ·

2025/03/20

The biggest counterfactual that hangs on the assassination of JFK is this: Would JFK have launched a ground war in the jungles of Vietnam? Don Wildman and his guest Fredrik Logevall explore what might have happened if JFK didn't die.Fredrik Logevall is a Pulitzer Prize winning historian at Harvard who is working on a definitive three-part biography of JFK. The first volume is out now, JFK: Coming of Age in the American Century, 1917-1956.Produced by Freddy Chick. Edited by Aidan Lonergan. Senior

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31:57

The Confederacy: Could They Have Won?

American History Hit ·

2025/03/17

Did the Confederates predict that secession would lead to war? How ready were they to fight? And what was their military strategy?Cecily Zander is back on the podcast for this third part of our series on the Confederacy. Listen to find out who was in charge, and whether there was ever a point when they might have won.Cecily is the author of the upcoming 'Abraham Lincoln and the American West', and 'The Army Under Fire: Antimilitarism in the Civil War Era'.Produced and edited by Sophie Gee. Senior

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48:15

President Eisenhower: War on Soviets & Segregation

American History Hit ·

2025/03/13

Dwight D. Eisenhower is a fixture in the lists of America's favourite Presidents. How did Eisenhower change America? How did the Cold War and Civil Rights become intertwined in this period? What doomsday did Eisenhower foresee for America at the end of his time in office?Don's guest today is Christopher Nichols, professor of history at The Ohio State University. Chris is working on a book about Eisenhower and the 1952 election.Produced by Freddy Chick. Edited by Aidan Lonergan. Senior Producer was

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40:52

The Confederacy: Life In The South

American History Hit ·

2025/03/10

The Civil War consumed the Confederacy for its entire existence, draining it of supplies, food and people. In this second episode of our confederacy series, Don is joined once again by Aaron Sheehan-Dean.They explore what everyday life was like for the people of the 11 southern states of the US, and what the Confederate government had in mind for peacetime.Produced by Sophie Gee. Edited by Aidan Lonergan. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original

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43:41

The Illuminati in the US

American History Hit ·

2025/03/06

What do Thomas Jefferson and Beyonce have in common? They have both been thought to be members of the Illuminati.But what really is this not-so-secret society? And why was it once called the society of the bee? Don chats to author Michael Taylor about the real Illuminati, separating it from modern day conspiracy theories and assessing its impact on the United States.Michael is the author of Impossible Monsters: Dinosaurs, Darwin, and the War between Science and Religion, and is working on a full

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57:44

The Confederacy: Who Was Jefferson Davis?

American History Hit ·

2025/03/03

Only one person has ever held the title of President of the Confederate States of America. In this episode, we're going to find out more about him and the power structure of the Civil War rebel states.How did the confederate constitution differ from that of the United States of America? How was Davis selected? And what happened to him after the war ended?Don is joined by Aaron Sheehan-Dean, Professor at Louisiana State University and editor of a number of books on this subject.Produced by Sophie

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47:49

President Harry Truman: From Farm to Oval Office and...

American History Hit ·

2025/02/27

The end of the Second World War. The start of the Cold War. The dropping of the Atomic Bomb and the growth of the Civil Rights movement. When FDR passed, the 33rd President of the United States was truly thrown into the deep end.In this episode of American History Hit, host Don Wildman discusses Truman's presidency with Mark Adams, Director of the Harry S. Truman Library and Museum.Produced by Freddy Chick. Edited by Sophie Gee. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.Sign up to History Hit for hundreds

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32:09

Jamestown: Decline & Fall?

American History Hit ·

2025/02/24

In 1699, Virginia’s government and capital moved from Jamestown to Middle Plantation, renaming it Williamsburg.But why did they abandon Jamestown? In this final episode of our series, Don and Willie Balderson of Jamestowne Rediscovery uncover the colony’s last great struggles - from the loss of its charter, to fire and to rebellion.Produced by Sophie Gee. Edited by Aidan Lonergan. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new

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56:23

Jamestown: Surviving The Fort

American History Hit ·

2025/02/20

What was it like to live in the fort at Jamestown? Who was in charge? What provisions were there? And why is this considered to be the birthplace of enslavement in the United States?Don is joined by Jamestowne Rediscovery's Willie Balderson to dive into the years following the establishment of the British settlement. Join them to hear more about the lives of those who made the journey to the unknown in the 17th Century.Produced by Sophie Gee. Edited by Aidan Lonergan. Senior Producer was Charlotte

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40:28

Did Vikings Reach the US?

American History Hit ·

2025/02/17

What is a Viking? Did they really make it to the United States? And if so, how far did they get?Don speaks to Martyn Whittock about the norse landings in North America. From the Icelandic sagas to the archaeological evidence that supports them, listen as we separate the truth from the myths.Martyn is an author, educational consultant and former teacher. His book on this subject is American Vikings.Produced and edited by Sophie Gee. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.Sign up to History Hit for

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42:40

Frederick Douglass: Civil War to Statesman

American History Hit ·

2025/02/13

How did Frederick Douglass, born into enslavement, rise to become one of the most influential orators, writers, and publishers of his time. By the end of his life in 1895, he was world-renowned and owned an estate overlooking the Washington, D.C. skyline.In the first episode on Frederick Douglass, we explored his escape from enslavement and the beginnings of his career. Now, we pick up with him as the Civil War brews, at the time of John Brown's Raid on Harper's Ferry. Don is joined once again by

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1:07:16

Jamestown: The British and The Powhatan

American History Hit ·

2025/02/10

From suspicion, to siege, to collaboration, to all out war - in this episode we uncover the complex reality of the Jamestown colonists' relationship with the Indigenous peoples of the East Coast. What were their first impressions of one another? How did the Powhatan view their dynamic with the British settlers? And how crucial were figures like John Smith, Pocahontas, and John Rolfe to this story?Don is joined once again by Mark Summers, Educational Director of Youth and Public Programmes for

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51:32

Frederick Douglass: Enslavement & Escape

American History Hit ·

2025/02/06

Born enslaved in 1818, by the time of the Civil War Frederick Douglass was famous around the United States and Europe for his work in the abolition movement. So how did this famous orator learn his trade, having never been to school? How did he escape enslavement? And how did his ideals change as war was brewing?Sidney Morrison introduces us to Frederick Douglass in this first of two episodes. Sidney is the author of 'Frederick Douglass: A Novel'.Produced by Sophie Gee. Edited by Aidan Lonergan

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30:26

Jamestown: The Journey To America

American History Hit ·

2025/02/03

In May 1607, over 100 English settlers arrived at Chesapeake Bay on the East Coast of North America. Traveling 50 miles inland along the James River, they established what would become the first permanent English settlement: Jamestown. But what motivated their journey? Why was Chesapeake Bay their chosen destination? And how much do we know about their voyage.For this first of four episodes, Don is joined by Mark Summers, Educational Director of Youth and Public Programmes for Jamestowne

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40:01

What Does 'Caucasian' Mean?

American History Hit ·

2025/01/27

In the 19th Century, a war on the boundary between Europe and Asia had an unexpected effect. It caused the American public to re-examine one of the terms with which they described race: Caucasian.Don Wildman is joined for this episode by the award-winning art historian Sarah Lewis. They explore how the term Caucasian came to be associated with whiteness, and how photography was fundamental to unpicking this myth.Sarah is the John L. Loeb Associate Professor of the Humanities and Associate Professor

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38:10

Romans in America

American History Hit ·

2025/01/20

Why was there once a fashion for styling your hair like Brutus, the most famous of Julius Caesar's assassins? Why are there so many neoclassical buildings in the United States? And how was the Ancient Roman Empire once used as a justification for the system of enslavement?Find out in this episode, as Don is joined by Caroline Winterer, William Robertson Coe Professor of History and American Studies at Stanford University. Caroline is the author of five books, most recently 'How the New World Became

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49:07

Who Was Sitting Bull?

American History Hit ·

2025/01/13

Sitting Bull, Jumping Badger, Slow - what do we know about the man who went by each of these names? How did he earn them and what was his role in the changing United States of the late 19th century?Don is joined by none other than Sitting Bull's great-grandson, Ernie Lapointe, to hear stories passed down in his family about this Native American icon of resistance.Ernie is a Vietnam veteran and author of 'Sitting Bull: His Life and Legacy'.Produced by Sophie Gee. Edited by Aidan Lonergan. Senior

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35:00

The First 12 Days of the Civil War

American History Hit ·

2025/01/06

In April 1861, as Union forces retreated north, having lost the first battle of the Civil War, attention turned to the Confederacy's likely next target - Washington DC.Entirely unprepared, the American capital was to be undefended for the next 12 days. To explore the fears, preparations and movements of these days, Don is joined by Tony Sibler, author of 'Twelve Days: How the Union Nearly Lost Washington DC in the First Days of the Civil War'.Produced by Sophie Gee. Edited by Aidan Lonergan. Senior

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42:06

President Herbert Hoover: Did He Cause the Great...

American History Hit ·

2025/01/02

President Herbert Hoover is synonymous with failure. As the Great Depression hit, shanty town across America were nicknamed 'Hoovervilles' in honour of the man held responsible for their birth. But there's more to him than this. Today Don restores depth and nuance to Hoover's tragic story with his wonderful guest Eric Rauchway, author of "Winter War: Hoover, Roosevelt, and the First Clash Over the New Deal".Edited by Aidan Lonergan. Produced by Freddy Chick. Senior Producer is Charlotte Long.Sign up

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253 results

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