SNAFUBAR

College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Cal Poly Humboldt

SNAFUBAR is a show about strategic and moral military errors and mishaps, and the myths that both lead to and then justify them. The histories they look at will make clear the degree to which the U.S. is a warful nation, contrary to the myth of a peaceful nation regularly compelled, against its will, to go to war. Through every episode, the show uncovers how we romanticize and fetishize the military while not always providing the support it needs to carry out its intended (or stated) goals, or to meet veterans’ needs when they return from combat.

  1. Jun 1

    Atomic Veterans: Delay, Deny, until they Die

    Welcome back to SNAFUBAR, the show about American military history and our country's national myths. Today’s episode is from our “Canary in the Coalmine series,” only today we won’t be talking about birds, but about the Atomic Era in the United States. We’ll be focusing on the Nevada Test Site and the servicemen that worked at this facility. World War II was over, but the Cold War was just getting started, and in turn, the arms race.  Between 1946 to 1962, the United States conducted hundreds of  nuclear detonation tests. Four hundred thousand servicemen served and worked at these facilities, sometimes at ground zero of the testing sites, with limited protective equipment. At the time, nuclear testing was projected as an endeavor necessary for keeping democracy and liberty alive across the free world. Servicemen who participated in nuclear testing during this atomic age were an instrumental part of this. However, after their service, veterans exposed to harmful levels of radiation faced many obstacles securing health benefits from the VA, an issue that persists today among the military community for a variety of different health related issues.  SNAFUBAR is hosted by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sara Hart⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠,  Chair of the Applied Humanties department at Cal Poly Humboldt, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jeff Crane ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠who is an Environmental Historian and Dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Cal Poly Humboldt. Research and writing for the show is done by Liam Salcuni, lecturer with the history department at Cal Poly Humboldt, and Roman Sotomayor.  SNAFUBAR is produced by Abigail Smithson and brought to you by the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Cal Poly Humboldt. Works Cited:  ACHRE Report: Chapter 10: Human Research at the Bomb Tests Andrew Bacevich, Ballpark Liturgy: America’s New Civic Religion: Cheap Grace at Fenway Atomic Veterans Were Silenced for 50 Years. Now, They're Talking. Clyde Haberman, Veterans of Atomic Test Blasts: No Warning, and Late Amends, 2016 Edward Abbey Desert Solitaire  Jesus Hits Like the Atom Bomb Department of Defense: Atomic Veterans Commemorative Service Medal. History of the Nevada Test Site and Nuclear Testing Background Hidden History: America’s Atomic Veterans Jesus Hits Like An Atom Bomb  National Association of Atomic Veterans: Newsletter National Association of Atomic Veterans, Minnesota’s Atomic Veterans Day, 2021 Nuclear Tourism: When Atomic Tests Were a Tourist Attraction in Las Vegas, 1950s - Rare Historical Photos New York State Department of Health, Radiation and Health Operation Buster Jangle, 1951 Operation Plumbbob, 1957 Operation UPSHOT-KNOTHOLE, 1953 Pamela Engle, America Came To A Standstill During The O.J. Verdict — Here's Everything That Stopped, 2014. Shot Hood Nuclear Test, Plumbbob series, 1957 Smedley Butler, War is a Racket, 1935 Tales from the Atomic Age - Pigs in Uniform | Museum of Radiation and Radioactivity These Atomic Bomb Tests Used U.S. Troops as Guinea Pigs The Atomic Soldiers: U.S. Veterans, Used as Guinea Pigs, Break the Silence - The Atlantic"The Clan of One-Breasted Women" by Terry Tempest Williams, 1991

    59 min

  2. Apr 13

    The CIA Backed Overthrow of Mossadegh 

    In 1953 the CIA conducted a covert operation to overthrow Muhammad Mossadegh, the democratically elected leader of Iran. This was the CIA’s very first mission dedicated to regime change and done in collaboration with British intelligence in order to install a government that was sympathetic to western business interests.   The consequences of this action were severe and lasting, casting a long shadow. Join us as we unpack the details that led up to the overthrow, the people who played a role in this operation, and the suffering and death that followed.  SNAFUBAR is hosted by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sara Hart⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Chair of the Department of Applied Humanities at Cal Poly Humboldt, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jeff Crane ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠who is an Environmental Historian and Dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Cal Poly Humboldt.  Research and writing for the show is done by Liam Salcuni and Roman Sotomayor  SNAFUBAR is produced by Abigail Smithson and brought to you by the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Cal Poly Humboldt.  Works Cited: Foreign Relations of the United States, 1952-1954, Iran, 1951-1954 Harry S. Truman Presidential Library, Central Intelligence Agency (Declassified 1999): Analysis of Iranian Political Situation, 1951 Harry S. Truman Presidential Library: The Creation of the CIA Office of the Historian: National Security Document 68 Office of the Historian: National Security Act of 1947 Office of the Director of National Intelligence: National Security Act of 1947   Steven Kinzer, All the Shah’s Men, 2003 Teaching American History: The Long Telegram The Mossadegh Project: Biography  The Mossadegh Project: Mossadegh and Truman Winston Churchill, “The Sinews of Peace Speech, 1947, International Churchill Society

    59 min

  3. 08/09/2025

    Truman’s Faith, Niebuhr’s Doubt

    Welcome back to SNAFUBAR. In this week's episode, we’re going to focus our attention on President Harry Truman: we’re going to look a little bit at his pre-presidential life of military service, and then we’re going to turn to his presidency, highlighting the moral urgency that he brought to questions of global responsibility and interventionism. We’ll introduce the Truman Doctrine and then we’ll spend some time digging into his State of the Union addresses. We'll also look at the work of American Theologian Reinhold Niebuhr and how his philosophy provides alternative approaches and ways of thinking to Truman's own thoughts on America's role in the world. Today's episode is co-hosted by Sara and our writer/researcher Roman Sotomayor, an alum of Cal Poly Humboldt who has worked closely with Sara on different research projects and on engaging with the local veterans community here in Humboldt. SNAFUBAR is regularly hosted by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sara Hart⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, who teaches Religious Studies at Cal Poly Humboldt, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jeff Crane ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠who is an Environmental Historian and Dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Cal Poly Humboldt. Research and writing for the show is done by Liam Salcuni and Roman Sotomayor (who also hosted today's episode) SNAFUBAR is produced by Abigail Smithson and brought to you by the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Cal Poly Humboldt.  Works Cited: National Parks Service, Harry S Truman and the Influences of his Service in World War I Harry S. Truman Library & Museum, Biographical Sketch: Harry S. Truman, 33rd President of the United States National Security Archive, President Harry S. Truman, Handwritten Remarks for Gridiron Dinner, circa 15 December 1945[78] National Archives, Truman Doctrine (1947) Allierten Museum, “Cold War” - The (Pre)History of a Term Linen for Project Gutenberg, State of the Union Addresses of Harry S. Truman Harry S. Truman Library & Museum, President Truman’s Remarks, Syracuse, NY The American Presidency Project, Harry S. Truman Public Approval Daily News, Daily News from New York 217 Reinhold Niebuhr, The Irony of American History Reinhold Niebuhr, The Children of Light and the Children of Darkness

    59 min

  4. 07/26/2025

    American Civil Religion

    Welcome back to SNAFUBAR. This week, we’re exploring the concept of American civil religion. This episode, like our Military Lingo episode, offers some insight into the deeper frameworks we’re using to shape our podcast. overall and, this episode will offer a deeper insight into a concept that, as we argue, really shapes the way the United States engages in warfare. Not sure what we mean by American civil religion or do you have some questions about how it works and exists in our culture? This is the episode for you! Also, if you know or thing or two already, this is an informative conversation that will help put this topic into a larger context. Today's episode is co-hosted by Sara Hart and our writer/researcher Roman Sotomayor. Roman has sat in Sara's classes as she has taught about American civil religion and their dynamic reflects their time in the classroom together. SNAFUBAR is regularly hosted by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sara Hart⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, who teaches Religious Studies at Cal Poly Humboldt, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jeff Crane ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠who is an Environmental Historian and Dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Cal Poly Humboldt. Research and writing for the show is done by Liam Salcuni and Roman Sotomayor (who also hosted today's episode) SNAFUBAR is produced by Abigail Smithson and brought to you by the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Cal Poly Humboldt.  Works Cited: Haberski Jr. - God and War: American Civil Religion since 1945, 2012 Ebel - G.I. Messiahs: Soldiering, War, and American Civil Religion, 2015 Keeler - Sacred Soldier: The Dangers of Worshiping Warriors, 2024 Gorski - American Covenant: A History of Civil Religion from the Puritans to the Present, 2017 Bacevich - Paths of Dissent: Soldiers Speak Out Against America's Misguided Wars, 2022 Rousseau - The Social Contract, 1762 Bellah - Civil Religion in America, 1967 Prothero - The American Bible: How Our Words Unite, Divide, and Define a Nation, 2012 Hedges - I Don’t Believe in Atheists, 2021 De Tocqueville - Democracy in America, 1835 Something to Believe In by Bret Michaels

    59 min

  5. 07/11/2025

    Military Lingo

    Welcome to SNAFUBAR! Here in the SNAFUBAR, we explore American military history and America’s national myths, or stories or traditional narratives. We’ll talk about some mishaps, about errors, both strategic and moral. And we’ll focus, a lot of the time, on tension points, on those places where our beliefs and our behaviors don’t quite match up. We’ll look at the ways that our national culture romanticizes (even fetishizes) the military, while not always providing the support that service-members need to carry out their objectives, and not meeting veterans’ needs when they return from service, especially when that service involves combat. We are happy to have you along as we discuss a variety of different topics and historical periods.  This week, we are diving into the topic of military lingo, a way of speaking that is embedded in everyday life of former and current military personnel. It's also really popular among civilians too! It turns out, a lot of the phrases and metaphors we use everyday got their origins in the military. In this episode, there are plenty of topics and stories that will make you stop and think about the language we use to describe our lived experiences. What do these words and metaphors we live by reveal about how navigate and understand the world around us? Why do Americans use military lingo and language in everyday conversation? Of course, we will find time to laugh and reflect on our own experiences, highlighting some key historical and social developments that might be partially responsible for introducing military jargon into our everyday lives. We hope you enjoy this episode! SNAFUBAR is hosted by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sara Hart⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, who teaches Religious Studies at Cal Poly Humboldt, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jeff Crane ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠who is an Environmental Historian and Dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Cal Poly Humboldt. Research and writing for the show is done by Liam Salcuni, Lecturer with the History Department at Cal Poly Humboldt, and Roman Sotomayor. SNAFUBAR is produced by Abigail Smithson and brought to you by the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Cal Poly Humboldt. Works Cited:  Garard, Olivia. “Every Brief Ever.” War on the Rocks. October 27th, 2020. https://warontherocks.com/2020/10/every-brief-ever/. Greene, Joseph I. The Infantry Journal Reader. Doubleday, Doran, and Company, 1944. https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.78561/page/n5/mode/1up Lakoff, George., Johnson, Mark. Metaphors We Live By. University of Chicago Press, 1981.  Martill, Jr.  O. W., Mock, Alfred J., et al. Military Review: Professional Journal of the US army, (1974):https://cgsc.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/api/collection/p124201coll1/id/393/page/0/inline/p124201coll1_393_0. McGurk, Marshall, “When Understanding Goes M.I.A: Lost in Metaphors, Idioms, and Analogies,”  Harding Project Substack. March 26th, 2024. https://www.hardingproject.com/p/when-understanding-goes-mia-lost Murray, Thomas E. “The Language of Naval Fighter Pilots.” American Speech 61, no. 2 (1986): 121-129, https://www.jstor.org/stable/455158?seq=1.

    59 min

  6. 06/28/2025

    Afghanistan III: Wake Me Up When September Ends

    Welcome back to SNAFUBAR. For today's episode, we will finish our three part series on Afghanistan and its relationship to the United States. Specifically from the post Cold War era to today, including the terror and deep loss of 9/11, the subsequent War on Terror, the continuing dynamic between the two countries, no matter the president and the withdrawal of troops in 2021.  This series is also the first of our "Close Look" groupings where we delve deep into one subject matter over the course of multiple episodes. SNAFUBAR is hosted by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sara Hart⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, who teaches Religious Studies at Cal Poly Humboldt, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jeff Crane ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠who is an Environmental Historian and Dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Cal Poly Humboldt. ⁠Bacevich, The New American Militarism Becker, “A Nation Challenged; Renaming an Operation to Fit the Mood” Bergen, The Longest War, 2011.  Bin Laden, Declaration of Jihad Against Americans The Bulletin, Doomsday Clock Bush Jr., “Remarks by the President Upon Arrival” Bush Jr., “Address to a Joint Session of Congress and the American People” Bush Jr., “President Bush Speakers to United Nations” Bush Jr., “President Delivers State of the Union Address” Costs of War Project, “Human and Budgetary Costs to Date of the U.S. War in Afghanistan, 2001-2022” Finkel, The Good Soldiers  Finkel, Thank you For Your Service Johnson, Nemesis Johnson, Blowback: The Costs and Consequences of American Empire Johnson, The Sorrows of Empire  Miller, “Greetings America, My name is Osama bin Laden” Nissenbaum, “Who Won in Afghanistan? Private Contractors” Roy, “The algebra of infinite justice” Vine, Base Nation Vine, Lists of U.S. Military Bases Abroad, 1776-2021 Purkiss and Serle, “Obama’s Covert Drone War in Numbers: Ten Times More Strikes Than Bush” Zenko, “Obama’s Final Drone Strike Data” Friedersdorf, “Calling U.S. Drone Strikes ‘Surgical’ is Orwellian Propaganda” Scahill, “The Assassination Complex” Research and writing for the show is done by Liam Salcuni and Roman Sotomayor SNAFUBAR is produced by Abigail Smithson and brought to you by the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Cal Poly Humboldt.

    1h 6m

  7. 06/09/2025

    Afghanistan II: The Path to Jihad

    Welcome back to SNAFUBAR. This week's episode marks the second of three episodes focusing on Afghanistan from a historical and cultural perspective, both as a region and later, as a country. In today's episode, we'll look at Afghanistan from the Soviet invasion in 1979 and the later American invasion in 2001. This series is also the first of our "Close Look" groupings where we delve deep into one subject matter over the course of multiple episodes.  SNAFUBAR is hosted by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sara Hart⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, who teaches Religious Studies at Cal Poly Humboldt, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jeff Crane ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠who is an Environmental Historian and Dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Cal Poly Humboldt.  ⁠Bacevich, America’s War for the Greater Middle East⁠ ⁠Bergen, The Longest War, 2011. ⁠ ⁠Carter, “Energy and the National Goals - A Crisis of Confidence”⁠ ⁠Carter, “January 4th Address to the Nation”⁠ ⁠Coll, Ghost Wars⁠ ⁠Britannica, Executive Order 11905⁠ ⁠Bhutta, “Children of war: the real casualties of the Afghan conflict”⁠ ⁠History.com, “Domino Theory”⁠ ⁠Office of the Historian, “Foreign Relations of the United States, 1977-1980, Volume XII, Afghanistan”⁠ ⁠Reagan, “Proclamation 4908 - Afghanistan Day”⁠ ⁠Truman, “A Report of the National Security Council - NSC 68”⁠ ⁠U.S. Senate, “S. Res. 400 Establishing a New Seclect Committee: Church Committee”⁠ ⁠U.S. Dept of Justice, “The Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978”⁠ ⁠Young, “40 years ago, Church Committee investigated Americans spying on Americans”⁠ Research and writing for the show is done by Liam Salcuni and Roman Sotomayor  SNAFUBAR is produced by Abigail Smithson and brought to you by the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Cal Poly Humboldt.

    59 min

  8. 06/01/2025

    Afghanistan I: America's Great Game

    Welcome back to SNAFUBAR. This week's episode marks the start of a three part series focusing on Afghanistan from a historical and cultural perspective, both as a region and later, as a country. And of course, as is the theme of our podcast, we will be discussing in detail the history of war and the role of outside players, namely Britain, Russia and the United States. This series is also the first of our "Close Look" groupings where we delve deep into one subject matter over the course of multiple episodes. SNAFUBAR is hosted by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sara Hart⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, who teaches Religious Studies at Cal Poly Humboldt, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jeff Crane ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠who is an Environmental Historian and Dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Cal Poly Humboldt. Bacevich, America’s War for the Greater Middle East Bergen, The Longest War  Carter, “Energy and the National Goals - A Crisis of Confidence” Crosby, “The Real White Man’s Burden” Coll, Ghost Wars Deudney, “Sphere of Influence” Goodman and Coll, “Ghost Wars: How Reagan Armed the Mujahadeen in Afghanistan” Kipling, “The White Man’s Burden” Lakoff and Johnson, Metaphors We Live By NSA Archive, “Excerpt from Record of Conversation between Mikhail Gorbachev and James Baker, February 9, 1990” Research and writing for the show is done by Liam Salcuni and Roman Sotomayor SNAFUBAR is produced by Abigail Smithson and brought to you by the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Cal Poly Humboldt.

    59 min
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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
9 Ratings

About

SNAFUBAR is a show about strategic and moral military errors and mishaps, and the myths that both lead to and then justify them. The histories they look at will make clear the degree to which the U.S. is a warful nation, contrary to the myth of a peaceful nation regularly compelled, against its will, to go to war. Through every episode, the show uncovers how we romanticize and fetishize the military while not always providing the support it needs to carry out its intended (or stated) goals, or to meet veterans’ needs when they return from combat.

Information

  • Creator
    College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Cal Poly Humboldt
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    15
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Cal Poly Humboldt
  • Show Website
    SNAFUBAR