American History Hit

History Hit
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  • HISTORY
  • UPDATED SEMIWEEKLY
American History Hit
HISTORY HIT

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Join Don Wildman twice a week for your hit of American history, as he explores the past to help us understand the United States of today.   We’ll hear how codebreakers uncovered secret Japanese plans for the Battle of Midway, visit Chief Powhatan as he prepares for war with the British, see Walt Disney accuse his former colleagues of being communists, and uncover the dark history that lies beneath Central Park.     From pre-colonial America to independence, slavery to civil rights, the gold rush to the space race, join Don as he speaks to leading experts to delve into America’s past.   New episodes every Monday and Thursday.   Brought to you by History Hit, the award-winning podcast network and world’s best history channel on demand, featuring shows like Dan Snow’s History Hit, Not Just The Tudors and Betwixt the Sheets. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.  

  1. 20 HR. AGO • SUBSCRIBERS ONLY

    Outlaws vs the FBI: J. Edgar Hoover's G-Men

    What makes the ideal gangster hunter? In the 1930s, outlaws like John Dillinger, Baby Face Nelson and Bonnie & Clyde were the scourge on the justice system of the United States. To bring them in, the lawmakers needed to try something new. And that something new was the FBI. Don is joined by John Oller for this episode to find out how the FBI's powers were expanded over the years, the problems that they faced, and the influence of J. Edgar Hoover on the process. John is a journalist and author, his book on this subject is 'Gangster Hunters: How Hoover's G-Men Vanquished America's Deadliest Public Enemies'. Produced by Sophie Gee. Edited by Matthew Peaty. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long. All music from Epidemic Sounds/All3 Media American History Hit is a History Hit podcast.

    26 min

  2. 2 DAYS AGO

    Was the Civil War Won by Chance?

    How did a couple's holiday save Kyoto from certain ruin? How did a landslide contribute to the Revolutionary War? Basically, how have chance encounters and decisions influenced the history of the United States? Don is joined for this episode by Brian Klaas, author of 'Fluke: Chance, Chaos, and Why Everything We Do Matters'. Brian is a political scientist, a contributing writer at The Atlantic, and an associate professor in global politics at University College London. Produced by Sophie Gee. Edited by Nick Thomson. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.   You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds/All3 Media

    35 min

  3. 6 DAYS AGO

    President Calvin Coolidge: The Roaring 20s' Quiet Leader

    Sworn in after the death of President Harding by the light of a kerosene lamp, the 30th President of the United States led the country through 6 years of the prosperous roaring 1920s. Coolidge polled more than 54% of the popular vote in 1924, so what was so good about 'silent Cal'? To find out, Don is joined by Amity Shlaes, author of 'Coolidge' and 'The Forgotten Man: A New History of the Great Depression'. Produced by Sophie Gee. Edited by Aidan Lonergan. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey at https://uk.surveymonkey.com/r/6FFT7MK. All music from Epidemic Sounds/All3 Media. American History Hit is a History Hit podcast.

    49 min

  4. DEC 9

    Waco: A Cult, the FBI and a Fiery Ending

    76 people died on 19th April 1993 when the compound of a religious sect, the Branch Davidians, went up in flames. It had been under siege by government agencies for 51 days, but no one knows what started the fire. Don is joined by Jeff Guinn, investigative reporter and author of ‘Waco: David Koresh, the Branch Dividians, and a Legacy of Rage’ to find out why the United States’ Government was interested in this religious compound outside Waco, Texas, and how the situation escalated to this point. Produced and edited by Sophie Gee. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.   You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds/All3 Media American History Hit is a History Hit podcast.

    54 min

  5. DEC 5

    Pearl Harbor: The Man Who Spied For Japan

    On 7th December, 1941, the Japanese Imperial Navy struck the United States. In an action which killed 2,403 Americans and destroyed 21 US warships and 188 aircraft, they also brought the US into the Second World War. But it may not have been possible without the input of a British spy who had, for a time, lived in Hollywood, mingling with stars of the screen. So who was Frederick Rutland? What information did he give the Japanese Navy intelligence that might have helped them launch the attack on Pearl Harbor? And why did he give it to them? Ronald Drabkin, author of 'Beverly Hills Spy: The Double-Agent War Hero Who Helped Japan Attack Pearl Harbor', joins Don for this episode. Together, they discuss Rutland's life and impact, and just how the intelligence services failed to catch him for so long. Produced by Sophie Gee. Edited by Aidan Lonergan. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey at https://uk.surveymonkey.com/r/6FFT7MK. All music from Epidemic Sounds/All3 Media. American History Hit is a History Hit podcast.

    40 min

  6. DEC 2

    UFOs in the US

    Alien spacecraft, phenomena from another dimension, ghosts, demons of satan, a trick of light - whatever you might believe UFOs to be, they have a long history. Don is joined by Greg Eghgian for this episode. Professor of History and Bioethics at Penn State University, Greg is the author of 'After the Flying Saucers Came: A Global History of the UFO Phenomenon'. Together with Don, he explores the origins of the 'flying saucer', the end of the stigma against researching UFOs, and much more. Produced by Sophie Gee. Edited by Aidan Lonergan. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.   You can take part in our listener survey here. All music from Epidemic Sounds/All3 Media American History Hit is a History Hit podcast.

    31 min

  7. NOV 28

    The Mayflower: What Was Life Like At Sea?

    A cargo hold, just 5 feet tall and divided up with canvas - this is what served as the living quarters for the 102 passengers of the Mayflower on their 66 day crossing to North America. Don is joined by guest Anna Scott, a researcher from the University of Lincoln, to find out what this journey was really like. From the failures of the Speedwell to the tensions between passengers on arrival in the wrong place, how has this group of colonists become so intrinsic to the American story? Produced and edited by Sophie Gee. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey at https://uk.surveymonkey.com/r/6FFT7MK. All music from Epidemic Sounds/All3 Media. American History Hit is a History Hit podcast.

    38 min

  8. NOV 25

    The Mayflower: Why Did the Pilgrims Leave Europe?

    More than 30 million people can trace their ancestry to the 102 passengers and 30 crew aboard the Mayflower when it landed in Plymouth Bay, Massachusetts in the harsh winter of 1620. On board were men, women and children from different walks of life across England and the city of Leiden in Holland. But why did the Pilgrims leave their old lives behind in the first place, chancing it all to cross the treacherous Atlantic and settle a strange alien land? In today's episode Don is joined by Dr Anna Scott, heritage consultant and public historian at the University of Lincoln in the UK, to learn more about this 400-year-old tale of religious persecution, financial opportunity and a Puritanical fight for freedom that helped sow the seeds of a fledgling nation. Produced by Sophie Gee. Edited by Aidan Lonergan. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe. You can take part in our listener survey at https://uk.surveymonkey.com/r/6FFT7MK. All music from Epidemic Sounds/All3 Media. American History Hit is a History Hit podcast.

    42 min
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HISTORY HIT

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4.3
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Join Don Wildman twice a week for your hit of American history, as he explores the past to help us understand the United States of today.   We’ll hear how codebreakers uncovered secret Japanese plans for the Battle of Midway, visit Chief Powhatan as he prepares for war with the British, see Walt Disney accuse his former colleagues of being communists, and uncover the dark history that lies beneath Central Park.     From pre-colonial America to independence, slavery to civil rights, the gold rush to the space race, join Don as he speaks to leading experts to delve into America’s past.   New episodes every Monday and Thursday.   Brought to you by History Hit, the award-winning podcast network and world’s best history channel on demand, featuring shows like Dan Snow’s History Hit, Not Just The Tudors and Betwixt the Sheets. Sign up to History Hit for hundreds of hours of original documentaries, with a new release every week and ad-free podcasts. Sign up at https://www.historyhit.com/subscribe.  

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