Podcast Episodes

187: From the Rhineland to Poland (1935–1939): Annexation, Appeasement, & the Start of World War II

“A great war can hardly be avoided any longer.”

This is the story of Nazi Germany’s aggressive territorial expansion and the start of WWII.  

The Treaty of Versailles has long been a thorn in Adolf H…

Published on 1 day, 1 hour ago

186: From Czardom to Stalinism: Building the USSR & the Ascent of Joseph Stalin

“Comrade Stalin, now that he is general secretary, has concentrated immense power in his hands, and I am not sure whether he will always be capable of exercising this power with sufficient caution.”

Published on 2 weeks, 1 day ago

185: The Early Holocaust: From the “Jewish Question” to Kristallnacht

“Being a Jew is not a crime, I am not a dog.”

This is the story of the start of the Holocaust. 

Serving as the scapegoat for everything from a disappearing child to the Black Plague, European Jews ar…

Published on 4 weeks, 1 day ago

The Unlikely Union: New Tour Dates

Professor Greg Jackson is touring the country with a live version of the podcast telling the story of The Unlikely Union of American states. Starting Sep 19, 2025 through July 4, 2026, you can hear t…

Published on 1 month ago

184: The Rise of Adolf Hitler: From Failure to Führer of Nazi Germany or the Third Reich

“There will be no more mercy now; anyone who stands in our way will be butchered.”

This is the story of Adolf Hitler and the collapse of the Weimar Republic. 

A dropout. A failed applicant to Vienn…

Published on 1 month, 1 week ago

183: The Origin of Fascism: “Il Duce” Benito Mussolini & the Rise of Fascist Italy

“Italy, Gentlemen, wants peace, wants quiet, wants work, wants calm; we will give it with love, if that be possible, or with strength, if that be necessary.”

This is the story of Italy’s Benito Musso…

Published on 1 month, 3 weeks ago

182: A Prologue to World War II: US Army Interwar Preparation

This is the story of interwar preparation–not that the United States realized it was preparing for World War II, new technologies, innovation, and a constant pushing of the limits in the 1930s did in…

Published on 2 months, 1 week ago

181: American Aviation: The Growth of the Industry Through the Eyes of Amelia Earhart, Charles Lindbergh, and Howard Hughes

“If he is lost it will be the most universally regretted single loss we ever had. But that kid ain’t going to fail.”

This is the story of the high-fliers in early twentieth-century American aviation.…

Published on 2 months, 3 weeks ago

180: “A Race to the Sky”: The Rise of New York City’s Chrysler, Manhattan Company, and Empire State Buildings

“If this is to be a skyscraper… why not make it scrape the sky.” 

This is the story of the race for the tallest building in New York City—in the world. 

Erstwhile partners-turned-bitter rivals, arc…

Published on 3 months, 1 week ago

179: Bridging the Bay: San Francisco’s Golden Gate and Bay Bridges (Infrastructure pt. 2)

“Everybody says it can’t be done.”

This is the story of San Francisco’s two great bridges. 

The bustling cities of Oakland and San Francisco are separated by less than ten miles of water, but for e…

Published on 3 months, 3 weeks ago