American History Hit

<p>Just how murderous were Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow? Where did those famous photos come from? And how did the press lead to the pair's demise?</p><br><p>Don chats to Jeff Guinn, best-selling author and historian, to find out about this notorious outlaw couple. They explore the impact of the Great Depression, the prison system and dreams of fame on Bonnie and Clyde's rise and fall.</p><br><p>Jeff is an investigative reporter and author of several books including 'Waco: David Koresh, the Branch Davidians, and a Legacy of Rage'. His book on this subject is ‘Go Down Together: The True Untold Story of Bonnie And Clyde’.</p><br><p>Produced by Sophie Gee. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long. Bonnie's poem read by Breeana Gamueda.</p><br><p>Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for $1 per month for 3 months with code AMERICANHISTORY sign up at <a href="https://historyhit.com/subscription/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>https://historyhit.com/subscription/</u></a> </p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>here</u></a>.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>When it comes to US foreign policy in the early 20th Century, isolationism tends to come to mind. What, then, was Woodrow Wilson's impact on the end of WW1?</p><br><p>Don is joined by Charlie Laderman to find out more about the peace negotiations, the Treaty of Versailles and the League of Nations, and how these things were understood in the US.</p><br><p>Charlie is Senior Lecturer in International History at King's College London. He is the author of 'Sharing the Burden: The Armenian Question, Humanitarian Intervention and Anglo-American Visions of Global Order'.</p><br><p>Produced by Freddy Chick and Sophie Gee. Edited by Max Carrey. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.</p><br><p>Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for $1 per month for 3 months with code AMERICANHISTORY sign up at <a href="https://historyhit.com/subscription/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>https://historyhit.com/subscription/</u></a> </p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>here</u></a>.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>Jesse James. Perhaps the most notorious American outlaw?</p><br><p>He’s become legendary figure of the Wild West, compared to an American ‘Robin Hood.’ But with a legacy so pervasive, the myths about Jesse James can get often get confused for the truth…</p><br><p>Did you know he played significant part in engineering his own reputation as a ‘Confederate hero’, comparing himself in newspapers to Napoleon and Alexander the Great? Or, that he married his first cousin while recovering from a gun wound?</p><br><p>Don finds out about the real Jesse James with his guest, award-winning biographer, T.J. Stiles on today’s episode.</p><br><p>You can see more about T.J’s work here: https://www.tjstiles.net/</p><br><p>Produced by Sophie Gee. Edited by Max Carrey. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.</p><br><p>Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for $1 per month for 3 months with code AMERICANHISTORY sign up at <a href="https://historyhit.com/subscription/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>https://historyhit.com/subscription/</u></a> </p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>here</u></a>.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>Very few people know what it is like to be in the infamous US detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, but our 3 guests for this episode have all had first hand experience.</p><br><p>For one of them, it was as a detainee. Mansoor Adayfi was held, interrogated and tortured at Guantanamo for over 14 years. For Pardiss Kebriaei, it was as an attorney. Pardiss is a Senior Staff Attorney at the Center for Constitutional Rights, and has worked with Guantanamo detainees since 2007. Finally, for Karen Greenberg, it was as an historian. Karen is Director of the Center on National Security at Fordham Law, and author of a number of books, including 'The Least Worst Place: Guantanamo's First 100 Days'.</p><br><p>So how did Guantanamo Bay become the locus of a detention centre? How did nearly 800 people come to be detained there? And how has it changed over time? Don finds out.</p><br><p>Mansoor's books include 'Don't Forget Us Here' and the audiobook 'Letters from Guantanamo', available on audible.</p><br><p>Produced by Sophie Gee. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long. Artwork by Kyle Hoekstra.</p><br><p>Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for $1 per month for 3 months with code AMERICANHISTORY sign up at <a href="https://historyhit.com/subscription/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>https://historyhit.com/subscription/</u></a> </p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>here</u></a>.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>When was the first bank robbery? What does it take to be successful in organized crime? Is it possible to be non-violent? And how might you avoid getting caught? The story of Ma Mandelbaum, the mother of New York's criminal underworld, has the answer to these questions and more.</p><br><p>Don is joined by Margalit Fox, former senior writer at the New York Times, to discuss the fascinating rise and fall of Frederica Mandelbaum, a 19th-century immigrant in New York who became one of the earliest and most successful figures in organized crime.</p><br><p>Margalit's books is entitled 'The Talented Mrs. Mandelbaum: The Rise and Fall of an American Organized-Crime Boss'.</p><br><p>Produced by Sophie Gee. Edited by Tomos Delargy. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.</p><br><p>Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for $1 per month for 3 months with code AMERICANHISTORY sign up at <a href="https://historyhit.com/subscription/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>https://historyhit.com/subscription/</u></a> </p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>here</u></a>.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>How did Egypt and Israel come to an agreement at Camp David in 1979? How did the USSR come to allow the operation of NATO troops in East Germany? Ambassador Stuart Eizenstat has played a leading role in the United States' diplomatic negotiations whilst serving in six Presidential administrations.</p><br><p>In a troubled world, which needs diplomacy more than ever, Stuart joins Don to explore the internal workings of agreements that have shaped the world in which we live.</p><br><p>Produced and edited by Sophie Gee. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.</p><br><p>Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for $1 per month for 3 months with code AMERICANHISTORY sign up at <a href="https://historyhit.com/subscription/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>https://historyhit.com/subscription/</u></a> </p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>here</u></a>.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>Who was Joe McCarthy? How did this Republican Senator come to lead a nationwide campaign against communism? And how did he bring about his own downfall?</p><br><p>For this episode, Don is joined by the authors of ‘Witch Hunt: The Cold War, Joe McCarthy, and the Red Scare’, Dr. Andrea Balis and Elizabeth Levy. Listen in to find out why McCarthyism happened when it did, and why it was a bad idea to make an enemy of the US Army.</p><br><p>Produced by Sophie Gee. Edited by Aidan Lonergan. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.</p><br><p>Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for $1 per month for 3 months with code AMERICANHISTORY sign up at <a href="https://historyhit.com/subscription/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>https://historyhit.com/subscription/</u></a> </p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>here</u></a>.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>When the US turned to Japan looking for workers in the late 19th Century, they probably never foresaw that one day soon they would imprison those who arrived, their successors, and their families, en masse in camps around America.</p><br><p>To hear about the Japanese American experience through history, Don is speaking to Kristen Hayashi. Kristen is Director of Collections Management & Access and Curator at the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles.</p><br><p>Together, Kristen and Don explore the initial migration from Japan, the work offered, and the treatment of these first generations of Japanese Americans in life and under the law. They also discuss the contradictions of the Second World War - when some 120,000 people were forcibly moved to internment camps whilst, in Europe, an all Japanese American unit became the most decorated unit of its size in US history.</p><br><p>Produced by Sophie Gee. Edited by Aidan Lonergan. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.</p><br><p>Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for $1 per month for 3 months with code AMERICANHISTORY sign up at <a href="https://historyhit.com/subscription/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>https://historyhit.com/subscription/</u></a> </p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>here</u></a>.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>The 20th Century is up and running and the next President in our series, Woodrow Wilson, is in for a challenge. Reconstruction is over, Europe is on the precipice of war, and women are campaigning for suffrage. So how does this two term presidency play out?</p><br><p>From granting women the right to vote to segregating the Federal Government, how progressive was the 27th President? Where did Wilson stand on American isolationism during the First World War? And where did the League of Nations come from?</p><br><p>Don is joined by Dr Michael Kazin for this episode. Michael is a professor of History at Georgetown and author of several acclaimed books including 'What It Took to Win: A History of the Democratic Party' and 'War Against War: The American Fight for Peace, 1914-1918'.</p><br><p>Produced by Freddy Chick and Sophie Gee. Edited by Aidan Lonergan. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.</p><br><p>Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for $1 per month for 3 months with code AMERICANHISTORY sign up at <a href="https://historyhit.com/subscription/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>https://historyhit.com/subscription/</u></a> </p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>here</u></a>.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>In 1621 the Virginia Company of London put out a call for young, handsome and honestly educated women to become wives for the planters in its new colony in Jamestown. Hopeful husbands were supposed to pay for their English brides in best leaf tobacco. But who were the women who made the Atlantic crossing? And what became of them when they arrived in America? </p><br><p>In this episode of our sister History Hit podcast, <em>Not Just the Tudors</em>, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb meets author Jennifer Potter to find out more about the lives of these extraordinary women.</p><br><p>***Warning: This podcast includes references to slaughter and hostage taking.</p><br><p>This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.</p><br><p>Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for $1 per month for 3 months with code AMERICANHISTORY sign up at <a href="https://historyhit.com/subscription/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>https://historyhit.com/subscription/</u></a> </p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>here</u></a>.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>Which President was best with their money? Which was worst? And are Presidents responsible for paying for their food, staff and parties during their time in office?</p><br><p>To find out all this and more, Don speaks to tax attorney and wealth manager Megan Gorman. Megan's book is 'All the Presidents' Money: How the Men Who Governed America Governed Their Money'.</p><br><p>Produced by Sophie Gee. Edited by Max Carrey. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.</p><br><p>Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for $1 per month for 3 months with code AMERICANHISTORY sign up at <a href="https://historyhit.com/subscription/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>https://historyhit.com/subscription/</u></a> </p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>here</u></a>.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>In June 1944, the joint forces of the Allies began the liberation of continental Europe on D-Day. But was there tension within the ranks?</p><br><p>Don speaks to Michel Paradis to find out how Eisenhower's leadership helped win the war. How did he deal with the strained relationship between the fading colonial powers of Britain and France, and the rising superpowers, the US and the USSR? How did he police the behaviour of the American troops in Europe? And why did a summit meeting almost end in a fist fight?</p><br><p>Michel is a leading human rights lawyer, historian, and national security law scholar. His book on this topic is 'The Light of Battle: Eisenhower, D-Day, and the Birth of the American Superpower'.</p><br><p>Produced by Sophie Gee. Edited by Max Carrey. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.</p><br><p>Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for $1 per month for 3 months with code AMERICANHISTORY sign up at <a href="https://historyhit.com/subscription/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>https://historyhit.com/subscription/</u></a> </p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>here</u></a>.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>Sandwiched between Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson is our 26th President of the United States, William Howard Taft. Did he have the confidence, belief and vision necessary to become a president? And why was he criticised for spending too much time on the golf course?</p><br><p>Don is joined by Adam Burns, Head of Politics at Brighton College and author of 'William Howard Taft and the Philippines: A Blueprint for Empire'.</p><br><p>Produced by Sophie Gee. Edited by Max Carrey. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.</p><br><p>Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Sign <a href="https://www.historyhit.com/subscription/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>here</u></a> for up to 50% for 3 months using code AMERICANHISTORY</p><br><p><u>You can take part in our listener survey</u><a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u> here</u></a><u>.</u></p><br><p>American History Hit is a History Hit podcast.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>Why did an aristocratic French man fight for American freedom? How influential was Lafayette? And what did he do on his return visit to the United States 200 years ago this year?Don is joined by Chuck Schwam, Executive Director of the American Friends of Lafayette. You can find more about Chuck’s work with Lafayette 200 here: <a href="https://lafayette200.org/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://lafayette200.org/</a></p><br><p>Produced by Sophie Gee. Edited by Aidan Lonergan. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.</p><br><p>Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Sign up for 50% for 3 months using code AMERICANHISTORY at <a href="https://www.historyhit.com/subscription/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>https://www.historyhit.com/subscription/</u></a></p><br><p><u>You can take part in our listener survey</u><a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u> here</u></a><u>.</u></p><br><p>American History Hit is a History Hit podcast</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>Cleopatra, Catherine the Great, Boudicca, Margaret Thatcher, Angela Merkel: what do these women have in common? They were all leaders of their nations, and they may - pending the choices of the electorate later this year - be joined in their ranks by an American.</p><br><p>But what might Kamala Harris face if she wins the election? What is she already facing? Are there patterns in the way they are discussed? From Eve to Hillary Clinton, Don is joined by author Eleanor Herman to discuss the history of responses to women in leadership roles.</p><br><p>Eleanor's book on this subject is 'Off With Her Head: Three Thousand Years of Demonizing Women in Power'.</p><br><p>Produced by Sophie Gee. Edited by Aidan Lonergan. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.</p><br><p>Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Sign <a href="https://www.historyhit.com/subscription/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>here</u></a> for up to 50% for 3 months using code AMERICANHISTORY</p><br><p><u>You can take part in our listener survey</u><a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u> here</u></a><u>.</u></p><br><p>American History Hit is a History Hit podcast.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>Host Don Wildman has a message for listeners old and new, marking 200 episodes of American History Hit.</p><br><p>American History Hit first started publishing in 2022, and since then we've covered the first Americans, Revolution, Civil War, the World Wars and beyond. Here's to the next 200 episodes, where we will continue to look to the past to understand the United States of today.</p><br><p><br></p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>What kind of a nickname is Bull Moose? How progressive was Theodore Roosevelt's presidency? And how does his legacy live on?</p><br><p>Don is joined once again by Michael Patrick Cullinane, historian of American politics, an award-winning author, and the Lowman Walton Chair of Theodore Roosevelt Studies at Dickinson State University.</p><br><p>Michael's books on Roosevelt are 'Remembering Theodore Roosevelt' and 'Theodore Roosevelt's Ghost'.</p><br><p>Produced by Freddy Chick and Sophie Gee. Edited by Aidan Lonergan. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.</p><br><p>Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Sign <a href="https://www.historyhit.com/subscription/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>here</u></a> for up to 50% for 3 months using code AMERICANHISTORY</p><br><p><u>You can take part in our listener survey</u><a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u> here</u></a><u>.</u></p><br><p>American History Hit is a History Hit podcast.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>"Speak softly and carry a big stick."</p><br><p>The youngest President ever, Lieutenant Colonel of the Rough Rider Regiment, uncle to Eleanor Roosevelt, fifth cousin to FDR, and a keen huntsman; Theodore Roosevelt is consistently remembered as one of the United States' top 5 Presidents.</p><br><p>But how did he reach the White House? In this first of two episodes on Theodore Roosevelt, we are looking at his rise from sickly child to tough President.</p><br><p>Don is joined by Michael Patrick Cullinane, historian of American politics, an award-winning author, and the Lowman Walton Chair of Theodore Roosevelt Studies at Dickinson State University.</p><br><p>Michael's books on Roosevelt are 'Remembering Theodore Roosevelt' and 'Theodore Roosevelt's Ghost', his podcast is 'The Gilded Age and Progressive Era': https://shows.acast.com/gildedageandprogressiveera</p><br><p>Produced by Sophie Gee. Edited by Aidan Lonergan. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.</p><br><p>Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Sign <a href="https://www.historyhit.com/subscription/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>here</u></a> for up to 50% for 3 months using code AMERICANHISTORY</p><br><p><u>You can take part in our listener survey</u><a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u> here</u></a><u>.</u></p><br><p>American History Hit is a History Hit podcast.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>How do our politicians use the media? Throughout the 2024 election we have seen a boom in the use of social media and cable news, so how far back does this go?</p><br><p>To find out, Don speaks first to crisis public relations expert and TikTok star, Molly McPherson, to hear about this year's election campaign. Then, he chats to author Claire Bond Potter, whose book is titled 'Political Junkies: From Talk Radio to Twitter, How Alternative Media Hooked Us On Politics and Broke Our Democracy' and whose substack carries the same name. Claire takes us through the history of political news, from pamphlets and papers to radio, TV and social media.</p><br><p>Produced by Sophie Gee. Edited by Aidan Lonergan. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.</p><br><p>Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Sign <a href="https://www.historyhit.com/subscription/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>here</u></a> for up to 50% for 3 months using code AMERICANHISTORY</p><br><p><u>You can take part in our listener survey</u><a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u> here</u></a><u>.</u></p><br><p>American History Hit is a History Hit podcast.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>When the First World War ended at 11am on 11 November, 1918, how did army command relay the ceasefire to their troops? In fact, before radios and computer systems, in the early years of the telephone, how were messages passed along trenches at all?</p><br><p>In this episode, Don is joined once again by Elizabeth Cobbs, award-winning historian and novelist. Elizabeth's book on this subject is 'The Hello Girls: America's First Women Soldiers'.</p><br><p>Produced and edited by Sophie Gee. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.</p><br><p>Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Sign <a href="https://www.historyhit.com/subscription/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>here</u></a> for up to 50% for 3 months using code AMERICANHISTORY</p><br><p><u>You can take part in our listener survey</u><a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u> here</u></a><u>.</u></p><br><p>American History Hit is a History Hit podcast.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>On 6th September, 1901, President William McKinley attended a public reception at the Pan American Exposition, a 6-month-long World’s Fair, in Buffalo, New York. He was at the height of his power, having been re-elected at the beginning of the year. But one of the people who stood in line to meet him was an anarchist, determined to carry out the first US presidential assassination of the 20th century. </p><p> </p><p>Produced by Benjie Guy. Edited by Joseph Knight. Mixed by Aidan Lonergan. Senior Producer: Charlotte Long. </p><br><p>Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Sign <a href="https://www.historyhit.com/subscription/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a> for up to 50% for 3 months using code AMERICANHISTORY</p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey<a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> here</a>.</p><br><p>American History Hit is a History Hit podcast.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>Why does the Secret Service protect the President of the United States? And what can we learn from McKinley's life and presidency, not just his assassination?</p><br><p>Don speaks with Kim Kenney, Executive Director at the McKinley Presidential Library & Museum. Together, they take us through McKinley's background, election and term in office, as well as looking at his lasting impact on America.</p><br><p>Produced by Freddy Chick and Sophie Gee. Edited by Peter Dennis. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.</p><br><p>Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Sign <a href="https://www.historyhit.com/subscription/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>here</u></a> for up to 50% for 3 months using code AMERICANHISTORY.</p><br><p><u>You can take part in our listener survey</u><a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u> here</u></a><u>.</u></p><br><p>American History Hit is a History Hit podcast.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>President Joe Biden will address the nation from the Oval Office on Wednesday night, after announcing he was ending his reelection bid a few days ago. Dropping out so close to the election is historically unprecedented, but Biden is not to first president to make this decision. In 1968, Lyndon B. Johnson sat in the same office to announce the same news.</p><br><p>But what makes Biden's situation so rare? Has a sitting president ever been under pressure to drop out over concerns about their age and mental clarity? Who were the other presidents who chose to serve only one term? And is there any truth to the so-called 'second term curse'?</p><br><p>For this special bonus episode, Don is joined by Professor of History, Kevin M. Kruse, from Princeton.</p><br><p>You can find out more about Kevin's newsletter, Campaign Trails, <a href="kevinmkruse.substack.com" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here.</a></p><br><p>Producer: Sophie Gee. Produced and mixed by Charlotte Long.</p><br><p>Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Sign <a href="https://www.historyhit.com/subscription/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a> for up to 50% for 3 months using code AMERICANHISTORY</p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey<a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> here</a>.</p><br><p>American History Hit is a History Hit podcast.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>How did a party in the White House end in mayhem? When did the West Wing become a hive of government? And how has the private life of the President been shielded from the public, despite them living and working in the same building?</p><br><p>To explore the stories that lurk beneath the white washed surface of the President's residence, Don speaks to Corey Mead. Corey is an associate professor of English at Baruch College, City University of New York. He is also the author of three books including 'The Hidden History of the White House: Power Struggles, Scandals, and Defining Moments'.</p><br><p>Produced by Sophie Gee. Edited by Aidan Lonergan. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.</p><br><p>Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Sign <a href="https://www.historyhit.com/subscription/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a> for up to 50% for 3 months using code AMERICANHISTORY</p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey<a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> here</a>.</p><br><p>American History Hit is a History Hit podcast.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>Lincoln, FDR, Reagan, Clinton, Bush and now Trump. All have been targets of assassination attempts while in or running for office. Listen to this bonus episode from our sister podcast, Dan Snow's History Hit, where host Dan is joined by Professor of American History at Cambridge University Gary Gerstle to take a look at the assassination attempts that could have changed the course of American history and how.</p><br><p>Produced by Dan Snow, Mariana Des Forges and edited by Dougal Patmore.</p><br><p>Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Sign <a href="https://www.historyhit.com/subscription/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>here</u></a> for up to 50% for 3 months using code AMERICANHISTORY.</p><br><p><u>You can take part in our listener survey</u><a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u> here</u></a><u>.</u></p><br><p>American History Hit is a History Hit podcast.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p><em>This podcast contains adult language.</em></p><br><p>What was the ‘Indian Citizenship Act’ of 1924? Why was it necessary? How did it happen? And why did it happen in 1924?</p><br><p>Shannon O’Loughlin from the Association of American Indian Affairs joins Don to discuss the Act and its effect.</p><br><p>Produced by Sophie Gee. Edited by Aidan Lonergan. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.</p><br><p>Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Sign <a href="https://www.historyhit.com/subscription/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>here</u></a> for up to 50% for 3 months using code AMERICANHISTORY.</p><br><p><u>You can take part in our listener survey</u><a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u> here</u></a><u>.</u></p><br><p>American History Hit is a History Hit podcast.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>Right from independence, a question has hovered over the government of the United States. How much power should the President have? Not too much, lest they become a monarch. But not too little, they are elected to do a job and that job must be done.</p><br><p>In this episode of American History Hit, Don is joined once again by Professor of Political Science, Graham G Dodds. Graham is author of 'The Unitary Presidency' and, together, he and Don discuss the power of the President.</p><br><p>Can they commit a crime? How has the unitary executive been used in domestic, and foreign, spaces? And where was this theory born - with the Constitution, Hamilton, Reagan or Bush?</p><br><p>Produced by Sophie Gee. Edited by Aidan Lonergan. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.</p><br><p>Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Sign <a href="https://www.historyhit.com/subscription/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>here</u></a> for up to 50% for 3 months using code AMERICANHISTORY.</p><br><p><u>You can take part in our listener survey</u><a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u> here</u></a><u>.</u></p><br><p>American History Hit is a History Hit podcast.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>What caused the economic panic of 1893? In this episode we are delving into the event that made Grover Cleveland's second term so different from his first.</p><br><p>Don is joined once again by Professor Mark Zachary Taylor from Georgia Institute of Technology, author of 'Presidential Leadership in Feeble Times.' From the Sherman Silver Purchase Act, to labour strikes, to the evolution of the presidency's role in financial systems - this is the second term of the United States' only President to serve twice, non consecutively.</p><br><p>Produced by Freddy Chick and Sophie Gee. Edited by Aidan Lonergan. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.</p><br><p>Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Sign <a href="https://www.historyhit.com/subscription/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>here</u></a> for up to 50% for 3 months using code AMERICANHISTORY.</p><br><p><u>You can take part in our listener survey</u><a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u> here</u></a><u>.</u></p><br><p>American History Hit is a History Hit podcast.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>What do you know about Galveston, Texas? Perhaps you've heard about the disastrous hurricane of 1900, perhaps not. This was also likely the case for the thousands of European Jews who migrated to the United States via the city's port in the years preceding the First World War.</p><br><p>Don speaks to Rachel Cockerell, whose great-grandfather, David Jochelmann, was one of those persuading passengers to make the journey. Rachel's book is called 'Melting Point'.</p><br><p>Produced and edited by Sophie Gee. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.</p><br><p>Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Sign <a href="https://www.historyhit.com/subscription/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>here</u></a> for up to 50% for 3 months using code AMERICANHISTORY.</p><br><p><u>You can take part in our listener survey</u><a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u> here</u></a><u>.</u></p><br><p>American History Hit is a History Hit podcast.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>In the long unanswered question of whether the established elite truly support the concerns of ordinary people, a supposed hero arises: Populism.</p><br><p>But what is Populism? Where did it come from? And is this political approach from the late 19th century reflected anywhere in today's politics?</p><br><p>Don speaks to Steve Babson, author of seven books including ‘Forgotten Populists: When Farmers Turned Left to Save Democracy’.</p><br><p>Produced by Sophie Gee. Edited by Aidan Lonergan. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.</p><br><p>Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Sign <a href="https://www.historyhit.com/subscription/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>here</u></a> for up to 50% for 3 months using code AMERICANHISTORY.</p><br><p><u>You can take part in our listener survey</u><a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u> here</u></a><u>.</u></p><br><p>American History Hit is a History Hit podcast.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>What took the US from the Boston Tea Party to Lexington and Concord? Where was the turning point for the creation of the republic?</p><br><p>Mary Beth Norton joins Don in this episode to take us through the causes of the Revolutionary War, and why the year 1774 is so important in this history.</p><br><p>Edited by Aidan Lonergan. Produced by Sophie Gee. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.</p><br><p>Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Sign <a href="https://www.historyhit.com/subscription/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a> for up to 50% for 3 months using code AMERICANHISTORY</p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey<a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> here</a>.</p><br><p>American History Hit is a History Hit podcast.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>Why is the 23rd President of the United States, Benjamin Harrison, remembered as a 'Human Iceberg'? Why did it seem as though he was predestined for the Presidency? And what was it like to have a term sandwiched between the presidencies of Grover Cleveland?</p><br><p>Don speaks to humorist Alexandra Petri about Harrison's presidency and legacy. Alexandra is a Washington Post columnist and the author of 'US History: Important American Documents (I Made Up)'.</p><br><p>Produced by Freddy Chick. Edited by Sophie Gee. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.</p><br><p>Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for $1 per month for 3 months with code AMERICANHISTORY sign up at <a href="https://historyhit.com/subscription/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>https://historyhit.com/subscription/</u></a> </p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>here</u></a>.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>A 34-hour bombardment, one (accidental) death, and the start of the bloodiest war the United States has ever seen.</p><br><p>The Battle of Fort Sumter, in April 1861, is often obscured by the more famous battles in the four years of Civil War history, but it is one of the most significant among them.</p><br><p>To find out more, Don speaks to the incredible Allen C. Guelzo, Thomas W. Smith Distinguished Research Scholar and Director of the James Madison Program’s Initiative on Politics and Statesmanship at Princeton University.</p><br><p>Produced by Sophie Gee. Edited by Aidan Lonergan. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.</p><br><p>Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for $1 per month for 3 months with code AMERICANHISTORY sign up at <a href="https://historyhit.com/subscription/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>https://historyhit.com/subscription/</u></a> </p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>here</u></a>.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p><em>This episode was first released on November 14 2022.</em></p><br><p>The Whiskey Tax, imposed in 1791, was the first federal tax on a domestic product by a United States government. It was introduced by Alexander Hamilton to pay the interest on war bonds that had been issued to wealthy backers of the the American Revolution. But many Whiskey distillers in Western Pennsylvania refused to pay a tax that would only benefit a few rich bond holders. </p><br><p>Over the course of three years, there were attacks on federal and local tax collectors and the region became a law unto itself. A situation only suppressed, as William Hogeland tells Don, by President George Washington gathering together a militia of 12,000 men and marching to Western Pennsylvania .</p><br><p>Produced by Benjie Guy. Mixed by Thomas Ntinas. Senior Producer: Charlotte Long. </p><br><p>Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for $1 per month for 3 months with code AMERICANHISTORY sign up at <a href="https://historyhit.com/subscription/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>https://historyhit.com/subscription/</u></a> </p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>here</u></a>.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>In the US Constitution, the President of the United States is granted the right to pardon those convicted of federal crimes.</p><br><p>But how do they tend to use these pardons, and when have they been used in the cases of mass insurrection? From Mormons, to conscientious objectors, to the January 6th uprising, Don is joined by Graham Dodds to discuss this history.</p><br><p>Professor Graham Dodds teaches at Concordia University in Montreal. His book on this subject is 'Mass Pardons in America: Rebellion, Presidential Amnesty, and Reconciliation'.</p><br><p>Produced by Sophie Gee. Edited by Aidan Lonergan. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.</p><br><p>Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for $1 per month for 3 months with code AMERICANHISTORY sign up at <a href="https://historyhit.com/subscription/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>https://historyhit.com/subscription/</u></a> </p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>here</u></a>.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>They say that honesty is the best policy, but was this the case for Grover Cleveland? He may be the only president to have served two non-consecutive terms (as of 13 June 2023), but Cleveland was deeply unpopular by the end of his last term.</p><br><p>From protecting the interests of the American people and upholding the constitution, to a secret lifesaving operation - what defines the 22nd and 24th President?</p><br><p>In this episode we find out with two guests. The first is President Cleveland's <em>grandson</em>, George, who introduces us to Grover from inside the family. The second is Professor Mark Summers, author of 'A Good Man is Hard to Take: Grover Cleveland – Man of Destiny'.</p><br><p>Produced by Freddy Chick and Sophie Gee. Edited by Aidan Lonergan. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.</p><br><p>Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for $1 per month for 3 months with code AMERICANHISTORY sign up at <a href="https://historyhit.com/subscription/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>https://historyhit.com/subscription/</u></a> </p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>here</u></a>.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>How did the United States go from a country defined by its lawlessness in the 1920s and early 1930s, to one where many political standpoints rest on a War on Crime? What roles did FDR, J. Edgar Hoover and Attorney General Homer S. Cummings play in this?</p><br><p>In this episode of American History Hit, Don delves into the transformation of the Federal government during Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal. He is joined by Anthony Gregory, historian of the American State and author of 'New Deal Law and Order: How the War on Crime Built the Modern Liberal State'.</p><br><p>Produced and edited by Sophie Gee. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.</p><br><p>Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for $1 per month for 3 months with code AMERICANHISTORY sign up at <a href="https://historyhit.com/subscription/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>https://historyhit.com/subscription/</u></a> </p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>here</u></a>.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>On June 6, 1944, the Allied forces combined their land, air and sea forces into the largest amphibious invasion in history - D-Day.</p><br><p>Under Supreme Commander General Dwight D Eisenhower, this attack turned the tide on the second world war, pushing enemy forces out of France and towards surrender in Berlin.</p><br><p>73,000 Americans landed on the beaches of Normandy that day, and to hear about their roles, Don is speaking to Martin Morgan - tour guide, historian and author of 'The Americans on D-Day: A Photographic History of the Normandy Invasion.'</p><br><p>Produced by Sophie Gee. Edited by Max Carrey and Sophie Gee. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.</p><br><p>Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for $1 per month for 3 months with code AMERICANHISTORY sign up at <a href="https://historyhit.com/subscription/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>https://historyhit.com/subscription/</u></a> </p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>here</u></a>.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>The history of the United States' relationship with communism is one littered with fear and persecution. So where did the American Communist Party come from? How powerful has it been in the last century? And where is it now?</p><br><p>In this episode of American History Hit, Don is joined by Dr. Vernon Pederson, Professor at the American University of Sharjah and President of the Historians of American Communism.</p><br><p>Produced and edited by Sophie Gee. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.</p><br><p>Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for $1 per month for 3 months with code AMERICANHISTORY sign up at <a href="https://historyhit.com/subscription/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>https://historyhit.com/subscription/</u></a> </p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>here</u></a>.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>Where did baseball come from? Why is every stadium unique? And how do you make it to the Hall of Fame? </p><br><p>For half the year, baseball remains a national pastime in the USA. It is also a game of many myths, and plenty of legends. In this episode, Don speaks to one of them - Joe Posnanski is a two time Emmy Award winner and has been named National Sportswriter of the Year by five different organizations. </p><br><p>From Gaylord Perry's moonshot, to the teenage girl who pitched for Babe Ruth, to the crossing of barriers of race and gender in major league baseball, Joe takes us through some of the key moments in baseball history.</p><br><p>Joe's book on this subject is 'Why We Love Baseball: A History in 50 Moments': <a href="https://linktr.ee/WhyWeLoveBaseballUK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://linktr.ee/WhyWeLoveBaseballUK</a>.</p><br><p>Produced and edited by Sophie Gee. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.</p><br><p>Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for $1 per month for 3 months with code AMERICANHISTORY sign up at <a href="https://historyhit.com/subscription/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>https://historyhit.com/subscription/</u></a> </p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>here</u></a>.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p><strong>Please note, this episode contains discussion of suicide.</strong></p><br><p>On 1 April 1945, as the Second World War in Europe was reaching its end, one of the bloodiest battles in the whole conflict commenced on a small island south of mainland Japan. It was the Battle of Okinawa.</p><br><p>Saul David joined Dan Snow on our sister podcast, Dan Snow's History Hit, to provide a fascinating rundown of this truly horrific battle.</p><br><p>Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for $1 per month for 3 months with code AMERICANHISTORY sign up at <a href="https://historyhit.com/subscription/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>https://historyhit.com/subscription/</u></a> </p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>here</u></a>.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>Vice President to a narrow election winner, Chester Arthur was a very unlikely President. But on September 20th 1881 he took his seat as the 21st President of the United States at the dawn of the modern administrative state and presidency.</p><br><p>So what kind of President did he become? Was he progressive? What was his role in the creation of the Civil Service? And how did the Presidency impact him as a person?</p><br><p>Don is joined by Michael J. Gerhardt for this episode in our Presidential series. Michael is the Samuel Ashe Distinguished Professor of Constitutional Law at the University of North Carolina School of Law in Chapel Hill. He is the author of <em>The Forgotten Presidents: Their Untold Constitutional Legacy</em> and <em>FDR's Mentors: Navigating the Path to Greatness.</em></p><br><p>Produced by Sophie Gee and Freddy Chick. Edited by Aidan Lonergan. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.</p><br><p>Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for $1 per month for 3 months with code AMERICANHISTORY sign up at <a href="https://historyhit.com/subscription/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>https://historyhit.com/subscription/</u></a> </p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>here</u></a>.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>11 Tonys, a Grammy, a Pulitzer Prize and broken box office records - there's no denying the impact of Lin-Manuel Miranda's <em>Hamilton.</em></p><br><p>Throughout this series on the <em>real </em>Hamilton, we have been trying to uncover the man the musical is based on. But how much of the show and its production is truthful? And how much does this matter?</p><br><p>Renee Romano joins Don to look into this new American Myth. Renee is a writer, historian and professor, and one of the editors of 'Historians on Hamilton: How a Blockbuster Musical is Restaging America's Past'. She can be found <a href="https://www.reneeromano.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><br><p>Produced by Sophie Gee. Edited by Aidan Lonergan. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.</p><br><p>Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for $1 per month for 3 months with code AMERICANHISTORY sign up at <a href="https://historyhit.com/subscription/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>https://historyhit.com/subscription/</u></a> </p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>here</u></a>.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>Today we dive into the little-known true story of American castaways abandoned on the Falkland Islands during the War of 1812 ― a tale of treachery, shipwreck, isolation and a desperate struggle for survival.</p><br><p>In this fascinating episode, best-selling author Eric Jay Dolan joins Don to explore this wild encounter between an American sealing vessel, a shipwrecked British brig and a British warship in the desolate Falklands, all while the two nations remained at war. Fraught with misunderstandings and mistrust, this bizarre incident left three British sailors and two Americans adrift for eighteen months, and is the subject of Eric's new book <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Left-Dead-Shipwreck-Treachery-Survival-ebook/dp/B0CJGYQBS7" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>Left for Dead: Shipwreck, Treachery, and Survival at the Edge of the World</em></a>.</p><br><p>Produced by Sophie Gee. Edited by Aidan Lonergan. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.</p><br><p>Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for $1 per month for 3 months with code AMERICANHISTORY sign up at <a href="https://historyhit.com/subscription/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>https://historyhit.com/subscription/</u></a> </p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>here</u></a>.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>When Alexander Hamilton took a bullet to the abdomen on the morning of the 11th July 1804, he joined a long list of people who had fallen foul of this very strange practice. So where did duelling come from? And how did these two revolutionary American politicians find themselves with pistols in their hands?</p><br><p>Don is joined for this third episode of our Real Hamilton series by Mike Loades, British author and presenter of History Hit's new series of documentaries about the tradition of duelling, first with swords, then with pistols.</p><br><p>Find 'Duelling, with Mike Loades' on <a href="https://www.historyhit.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">History Hit TV</a>.</p><br><p>Produced and edited by Sophie Gee. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.</p><br><p>Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for $1 per month for 3 months with code AMERICANHISTORY sign up at <a href="https://historyhit.com/subscription/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>https://historyhit.com/subscription/</u></a> </p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>here</u></a>.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>This may have been the second shortest Presidency in the history of the United States, but the term of James Garfield is definitely not one to miss.</p><br><p>From his dark horse nomination to his assassination by Charles Guiteau, Don is speaking with bestselling author of ‘An Assassin in Utopia,' Susan Wels.</p><br><p>Produced by Sophie Gee. Edited by Aidan Lonergan. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.</p><br><p>Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for $1 per month for 3 months with code AMERICANHISTORY sign up at <a href="https://historyhit.com/subscription/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>https://historyhit.com/subscription/</u></a> </p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>here</u></a>.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>Founding Father, first Secretary of the Treasury and focus of one of the world's first political sex scandals - we couldn't do a series about Alexander Hamilton without touching on his personal life.</p><br><p>Don is joined by Elizabeth Cobbs in this episode to explore the private lives of the Hamiltons. Who was Elizabeth Schuyler? Did her sister have an affair with her husband? And was the Reynolds affair an elaborate plot or an unhappy coincidence?</p><br><p>Produced and edited by Sophie Gee. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.</p><br><p>Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for $1 per month for 3 months with code AMERICANHISTORY sign up at <a href="https://historyhit/subscription/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>https://historyhit/subscription/</u></a> </p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>here</u></a>.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>Theodore Roosevelt is arguably the most masculine president in American history. So how was he influenced by the women around him? And how was he impacted by the deaths of two of them on the same day?</p><br><p>In this episode, Edward O'Keefe introduces us to Theodore Roosevelt's mother, two sisters, and two wives: Mittie, Bamie, Conie, Alice and Edith.</p><br><p>Edward O'Keefe, Prime Time Emmy award and Peabody winner, CEO of the Theodore Roosevelt Presidential Library, is the author of 'The Loves of Theodore Roosevelt: The Women Who Created a President'.</p><br><p>Produced by Sophie Gee. Edited by Aidan Lonergan. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.</p><br><p>Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for $1 per month for 3 months with code AMERICANHISTORY sign up at <a href="https://historyhit/subscription/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>https://historyhit/subscription/</u></a> </p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>here</u></a>.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>Who really was Alexander Hamilton, and what do we actually know about his life?</p><br><p>A Founding Father, he fought in the Revolutionary War, founded the American financial system and was the first ever Secretary of the Treasury. But who really was Hamilton? How did his face come to be on our bank notes? Did he love his wife? And why would he go to duel even after his son had died in doing so?</p><br><p>In this first episode of our 4 part series on American History Hit, Don Wildman is talking to William Hogeland to find out. William is the author of 'The Hamilton Scheme: An Epic Tale of Money and Power in the American Founding' and his substack can be found here.</p><br><p>Produced by Sophie Gee. Edited by Aidan Lonergan. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.</p><br><p>Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for $1 per month for 3 months with code AMERICANHISTORY sign up at <a href="https://historyhit/subscription/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>https://historyhit/subscription/</u></a> </p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>here</u></a>.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>

<p>Emerging victorious from an electoral quagmire in 1876, Rutherford B. Hayes became the 19th President of the United States.</p><br><p>Professor Mark Zachary Taylor joins Don to explore the first great depression and how Hayes navigated the US towards recovery from it.</p><br><p>From strike and unrest to growth and stability, how did Hayes lay the groundwork for economic prosperity?</p><br><p>Produced by Freddy Chick. Edited by Sophie Gee. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.</p><br><p>Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for $1 per month for 3 months with code AMERICANHISTORY sign up at <a href="https://historyhit/subscription/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>https://historyhit/subscription/</u></a> </p><br><p>You can take part in our listener survey <a href="https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/6FFT7MK" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><u>here</u></a>.</p> <hr><p style='color:grey; font-size:0.75em;'> Hosted on Acast. See <a style='color:grey;' target='_blank' rel='noopener noreferrer' href='https://acast.com/privacy'>acast.com/privacy</a> for more information.</p>