Reckoning with Jason Herbert

Jason Herbert
  • 4.7 (67)
  • History
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Reckoning with Jason Herbert is a long-form conversation podcast about history, the outdoors, and the stories that shape who we are. Each episode features historians, writers, scientists, and thinkers in wide-ranging conversations about wild places, forgotten pasts, cultural memory, and the forces—human and natural—that continue to shape our lives. This isn’t a news cycle show or a debate podcast. It’s a space for reflection, curiosity, and serious conversation—meant to be listened to slowly. If you’re interested in history beyond textbooks, the outdoors beyond recreation, and stories that linger long after they’re told, this show is for you.

  1. 11h ago

    Episode 208: Patton with James Ellman

    How much of what we know about General George S. Patton comes from George C. Scott? Author James Ellman joins historian Jason Herbert to revisit the classic 1970 film Patton and challenge the legend of one of World War II’s most celebrated commanders. Drawing on his book Patton Reconsidered and the general’s own diaries, Ellman makes a provocative case for reassessing “Old Blood and Guts.” From North Africa and Sicily to the Battle of the Bulge, we examine Patton’s battlefield achievements, his relationships with Dwight Eisenhower and Omar Bradley, and the powerful connections that helped protect his career. Did the Germans really fear Patton? Did the 101st Airborne need rescuing at Bastogne? And what does Hollywood’s portrait leave out about his assaults on soldiers, racism, antisemitism, and response to the killing of prisoners of war? Along the way, we discuss the disastrous Hammelburg raid, combat fatigue and military leadership, and the overlooked American commanders Ellman believes deserve more credit. It’s a candid conversation about World War II, war movies, and how America chooses—and keeps—its heroes.

    Episode 208: Patton with James Ellman

  2. 6d ago

    Episode 207: Onondaga: The Central Fire of the Iroquois with Michael Oberg

    “We’re still here.” Historian Michael Oberg joins Jason Herbert to explore the history of the Onondaga Nation, keepers of the central fire of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, also known as the Iroquois Six Nations. Drawing on his book The Central Fire of the Iroquois, Oberg traces a community’s enduring commitment to its homeland, sovereignty, and traditions despite centuries of invasion, dispossession, and efforts to erase its identity. We discuss the Peacemaker and Hiawatha, the Great Law of Peace, and how ceremony, diplomacy, and listening have sustained the Onondaga people. What changes when we place Onondaga alongside Boston and Philadelphia at the center of early American history? How did New York acquire Indigenous lands—and why does Oberg challenge the claim that the Haudenosaunee were conquered during the American Revolution? And what does the Two Row Wampum teach us about sharing space without surrendering independence? The conversation also connects boarding schools and removal policies to the struggle to restore Onondaga Lake and Creek. Along the way, we consider historians’ responsibilities to living communities and why Indigenous sovereignty and environmental restoration matter to everyone who shares these lands. Follow Reckoning with Jason Herbert for more conversations about Indigenous history, American history, and the stories that shape our world.

    Episode 207: Onondaga: The Central Fire of the Iroquois with Michael Oberg

  3. Oct 20

    Episode 206: Historians At The Movies: Battleship with Colin Colbourn and Trent Hone

    Can you really drift a battleship? Which American admiral would you trust to fight an alien invasion—and which one would get us all killed? Naval historian Trent Hone and military historian Colin Colbourn join Jason Herbert to put Battleship (2012) through a very unserious inspection with some serious U.S. Navy history. Using the film’s alien showdown as our starting point, we explore the USS Missouri, Iowa-class battleships, and how naval warfare actually works. Could a crew of veterans bring a museum ship back into combat? How do you aim those enormous guns? And why did battleships give way to aircraft carriers and guided-missile destroyers? We also trace the rise of American sea power, from the Navy’s early struggles to Alfred Thayer Mahan, Theodore Roosevelt’s Great White Fleet, and the Pacific War. Along the way, we discuss Japan’s naval strategy, nighttime combat around Guadalcanal, and the leadership and adaptation that can decide a battle. Plus: Rihanna’s firepower, Liam Neeson’s burrito diplomacy, Hollywood’s relationship with military recruiting, and why the veteran sailors’ return hits harder than anyone expected. Come for the battleship drift. Stay for the history—and the admiral draft that might determine humanity’s survival. Follow Reckoning with Jason Herbert for more conversations about history, movies, and the stories that bring them together.

    Episode 206: Historians At The Movies: Battleship with Colin Colbourn and Trent Hone

  4. Jun 19

    Episode 205: Freedom's Ghosts: Ben Vereen & Amethyst Davis on The Grey House and the Meaning of Juneteenth

    Episode Description As America prepares to commemorate Juneteenth, Jason Herbert sits down with legendary actor Ben Vereen and breakout star Amethyst Davis for a powerful conversation about The Grey House—the Civil War-era drama that explores freedom, resistance, and the unfinished legacy of slavery. Drawing on their experiences bringing the series to life, Vereen and Davis reflect on portraying Black Americans during Reconstruction, the importance of telling stories that many would rather forget, and why history remains a battleground today. The conversation moves beyond filmmaking to explore Black liberation, historical memory, women's leadership during the Underground Railroad, and the resilience that carried generations through slavery and beyond. Vereen shares why America still needs "another slave story," while Davis discusses portraying an educated, formerly enslaved Black heroine whose intelligence and courage challenge long-held stereotypes. Together, they reflect on filming in Romania, working with director Roland Joffé, the emotional weight of key scenes, and why Juneteenth should become a day for families to gather and honor their ancestors. This is more than a conversation about television—it's a discussion about why history matters, why these stories must continue to be told, and how remembering the past offers hope for the future.

    Episode 205: Freedom's Ghosts: Ben Vereen & Amethyst Davis on The Grey House and the Meaning of Juneteenth

  5. Jun 9

    Episode 204: Water, Power, and the Future of the American West: Deep Time on Mono Lake with Robert Marks

    What can a salty desert lake in Eastern California teach us about climate change, Indigenous history, migration, and the future of the American West? On this episode of Reckoning with Jason Herbert, historian Bob Marks joins Jason to discuss his new book, Deep Time in the Mono Lake Basin, and the remarkable 10,000-year environmental history of Mono Lake Basin. From the ancient world of the Northern Paiute and migrating Wilson’s phalaropes to the rise of Los Angeles water politics and the ecological battles that inspired comparisons to Chinatown, this conversation explores how humans transformed one of North America’s most unique ecosystems. Along the way, Jason and Bob discuss deep time, environmental history, Western water wars, Indigenous knowledge, climate resilience, the Great Basin, Mono Lake’s famous alkali flies, and why saline lakes may hold clues to our environmental future. If you enjoy environmental history, the American West, climate history, Indigenous history, or conversations in the spirit of Dan Flores and Donald Worster, this episode is for you.

    Episode 204: Water, Power, and the Future of the American West: Deep Time on Mono Lake with Robert Marks

  6. Jun 4

    Episode 203: Pressure with Colin Colbourn and Todd Arrington

    D-Day is one of the most studied military operations in history. But what if the fate of the Allied invasion hinged not on generals, tanks, or landing craft—but on a weather forecast? In this episode of Reckoning with Jason Herbert, Jason is joined by historians Todd Arrington and Dr. Colin Colbourn to discuss the new film Pressure, starring Brendan Fraser as General Dwight D. Eisenhower and Andrew Scott as meteorologist James Stagg. Together they explore the extraordinary decisions made in the days before June 6, 1944, when uncertain forecasts, competing personalities, and the weight of history converged on a single choice: whether to launch Operation Overlord. The conversation examines Eisenhower's leadership under immense strain, the often-overlooked role of meteorology in World War II, the disastrous rehearsal known as Exercise Tiger, and the complex relationships among Allied commanders such as Bernard Montgomery. Along the way, the panel weighs in on the film's historical accuracy, its performances, and why Pressure succeeds by telling a familiar story from an entirely unexpected angle.  If you've ever wondered how close D-Day came to being postponed—or how something as unpredictable as the weather helped shape the course of the twentieth century—this is an episode you won't want to miss. Topics discussed:  The true story behind the film Pressure Dwight Eisenhower and the burden of command  James Stagg and the weather forecast that changed history  Exercise Tiger and the hidden costs of preparing for D-Day  Bernard Montgomery, Allied politics, and coalition warfare  The role of weather in World War II operations  Historical accuracy versus cinematic storytelling  Brendan Fraser, Andrew Scott, and Damian Lewis on screen

    Episode 203: Pressure with Colin Colbourn and Todd Arrington

  7. Jun 1

    Episode 202: World War II in Alaska: Alaska Native Resilience, Relocation, and Resistance with Holly Guise

    World War II reached far beyond the beaches of Normandy and the islands of the Pacific. It also came to Alaska, where Indigenous communities found themselves on the front lines of invasion, military occupation, and forced relocation. In this episode of Reckoning with Jason Herbert, historian Holly Miowak Guise discusses her groundbreaking book Alaska Native Resilience: Voices from World War II. Drawing on more than 90 oral history interviews with Alaska Native elders, Guise reveals how Alaska Native communities experienced the Aleutian Campaign, wartime relocation camps, segregation, military service, and the ongoing realities of colonialism in America's far north. Together, we explore the Japanese invasion of the Aleutian Islands, the forced evacuation of Indigenous communities, Alaska Native military service, the power of oral history, and the ways Native peoples resisted, adapted, and rebuilt their communities in the aftermath of war. This conversation challenges familiar narratives of the "Good War" and offers a powerful reminder that some of the most important stories of World War II remain largely unknown.

    Episode 202: World War II in Alaska: Alaska Native Resilience, Relocation, and Resistance with Holly Guise

  8. May 27

    Episode 201: The Theater of War: James Verini on Mariupol, Putin, and Ukraine’s Fight for Survival

    What happened at the Mariupol Drama Theater — and what does it reveal about the larger war between Russia and Ukraine? In this episode of Reckoning with Jason Herbert, historian Jason Herbert sits down with acclaimed journalist and author James Verini to discuss his powerful new book, The Theater, an intimate account of the bombing of the Mariupol Drama Theater during Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Together, they explore the siege of Mariupol, the human cost of modern warfare, and the terrifying role propaganda plays in shaping reality during conflict. The conversation moves beyond headlines into the deeper history of Russian imperialism, the contested identity of the Donbas, the rise of Ukrainian nationalism, and why Vladimir Putin’s war may ultimately have forged a stronger Ukrainian nation than ever before. Jason and James also discuss: Why the bombing of the theater became a defining atrocity of the warRussian propaganda and the global information warThe historical roots of the conflict going back to the Crimean WarVolodymyr Zelensky’s transformation during the invasionNATO, the United States, and the future of global democracyWhether Putin can survive politically if Russia loses the warWhy Ukraine’s fight resonates far beyond Eastern EuropePart war reporting, part historical reckoning, and part meditation on democracy itself, this episode examines one of the most consequential conflicts of the twenty-first century — and the people trapped inside it.

    Episode 201: The Theater of War: James Verini on Mariupol, Putin, and Ukraine’s Fight for Survival
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4.7
out of 5
67 Ratings

About

Reckoning with Jason Herbert is a long-form conversation podcast about history, the outdoors, and the stories that shape who we are. Each episode features historians, writers, scientists, and thinkers in wide-ranging conversations about wild places, forgotten pasts, cultural memory, and the forces—human and natural—that continue to shape our lives. This isn’t a news cycle show or a debate podcast. It’s a space for reflection, curiosity, and serious conversation—meant to be listened to slowly. If you’re interested in history beyond textbooks, the outdoors beyond recreation, and stories that linger long after they’re told, this show is for you.

Information

  • Creator
    Jason Herbert
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    251
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Reckoning with Jason Herbert
  • Show Website
    Reckoning with Jason Herbert

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