The Sons Of History

Alan Wakim and Dustin Bass discuss the past five years and six seasons of the podcast as they say adieu. After 200 plus episodes, The Sons of History podcast has come to an end. A little thank you note: Today we release the final episode of our podcast. Six seasons. Five years. 200+ episodes. Bestselling authors. Award-winning historians. Guests from across America, France, the UK, and the Republi...

After World War I, Marshal Philippe Pétain was one of France's greatest military heroes. For decades he was held in the highest esteem, but then France fell to the Nazis in 1940 and Pétain instigated the signing of the armistice and began a collaboration with the Third Reich that has led many to wonder how he could do such a thing. Julian Jackson, preeminent historian and author of numerous wo...

1066 is one of the most famous years in history. It established the Norman duke, now known as William the Conqueror, as king of England. But it was hardly as simple as winning at the Battle of Hastings. Don Hollway, the author of “Battle for the Island Kingdom,” joins the podcast to discuss how the Vikings, Anglo-Saxons, Normans, and others fought for the English throne over the decades and centur...

Michael Livingston is on the case again. He joins the podcast to discuss how a 600 year tradition about the location of the Battle of Agincourt and many of its teachings about the battle could very well be wrong. Just as he did with the Battle of Crécy, Livingston makes a very convincing argument that tradition has again usurped historical fact. We discuss the Hundred Years' War, Henry V, Shak...

The Assyrian Empire is considered by many the first great empire. For several centuries this Mesopotamian people conquered and dominated the world of the Near East. Ancient and modern military scholar Mark Healy joins the podcast to discuss these ancient people, their kings, their methods for dominance, and how this empire suddenly came to an end. Mark Healy's first book Warriors of the Old Te...

Theodore Roosevelt and Henry Cabot Lodge were the political power players of the early 20th century. Their relationship proved politically beneficial to both men, but their friendship went far deeper than mere politics. We discuss with Laurence Jurdem how these two men helped shape America from the early 1900s onward. Laurence Jurdem is an adjunct professor of history at Fairfield University and F...

How did one Spartan defeat thousands of Athenians? It comes down to strategy, and, of course, having others to fight the war. When the Athenians landed on the shores of Sicily, they nearly convinced the Sicilians to acquiesce. But time was not one the Athenians' side. Dr. Paul Rahe joins the podcast to discuss Spartan strategy and how they used proxy wars to enable their ultimate victory over...

William Maz, author of The Bucharest Dossier and The Bucharest Legacy, talks post-Communism Romania, the reign of the oligarchs of Eastern Europe, and, of course, spies. In this episode, we dig into the ongoing struggle in Russia and Ukraine, and the evolution of secret police and intelligence communities. If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe. Also leave a rating a review, it helps people...

Nathanael Greene was arguably George Washington's most trusted general, and arguably the American Revolution's most consequential. Greene led the Southern War Department, and his decisions were pivotal in defeating the British. Salina Baker, author of the new book "The Line of Splendor: A Novel of Nathanael Greene and the American Revolution," joins the podcast to discuss the gre...

Is war no longer a tenable option? Dustin Bass and Alan Wakim discuss how nuclear power and biological advancements in warfare has created a deterrent to war, as well as how missed opportunities and the unwillingness to win wars has led to a culture of political and military indecision. The Sons of History also answer a request from a review on ancient history sources. For more suggestions on anci...

Medical student, polar explorer, author, movie star, Danish resistor during World War II. Peter Freuchen seemed to be everywhere doing everything. His fascinating life has been captured by Reid Mitenbuler, author of the Freuchen biography, “Wanderlust: An Eccentric Explorer, an Epic Journey, a Lost Age.” Reid’s initial encounter with the larger-than-life figure was a memorable moment in a very mem...

It’s not as easy as it sounds. Just because someone says something, doesn’t necessarily make it true. This goes for the average person, the journalist, the politician, and, yes, even historians. Dustin Bass and Alan Wakim discuss some of the topics that have come under attack in fraudulent ways, but more importantly, they discuss how to go about studying history, how to think about history and sou...

Since Christopher Nolan’s recent film “Oppenheimer,” the conversation has arisen anew on the man who gave America the atomic bomb. Dustin Bass and Alan Wakim discuss who he was, the legacy he left behind, the need for America to build the nuclear weapon first, and the debate of nuclear usage. At the time of the film’s release, Alan wrote an article for The Epoch Times about creating the bomb entit...

James A. Garfield is most often remembered for being assassinated only a short time after his inauguration. His death was a tragedy, but his life was a triumph. C. W. Goodyear, historian and author of the new biography "President Garfield: From Radical to Unifier," joins the podcast to discuss this incredible statesman who overcame everything that stood in his way - except the assassin&#...

When the war between Russian and Ukraine started in February of 2022 it was the continuation of an ongoing conflict. Ukraine desires independence and Russia wants to draw the nation back into the Russo fold. Dustin Bass and Alan Wakim discuss the Russo-Ukrainian history, the problem with NATO, Putin's reasons for invading, and Zelensky's leadership. If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe a...

As the rights of Americans continue to ebb and flow with each Supreme Court session, as well as local, state and federal edicts, the question arises: What would The Sons of Liberty do? Dustin and Alan break down what this freedom fighting group did and is it something Americans replicate. They also discuss the states' power of non-compliance, as well as that of the everyday citizen. A roadmap...

It is considered the single greatest defeat of an American Army by Indians, but it isn't nearly as well known as many other battles of the Indian Wars. The Battle of the Wabash, also known as St. Clair's Defeat, is not merely an important battle for the sake of American history, but also for the sake of military history and strategy. As cascade of failures ultimately led the destruction of...

A military victory in the Mexican-American War and the discovery of gold in California led to the great land and gold rushes that renowned historian Elliott West calls the Great Coincidence. Learn about the westward expansion, the violence that erupted, the opportunities it offered, the wealth it created, and how the new lands leveraged America's power in the world. A memorable conversation fu...

The Texas Rangers are celebrating their bicentennial this year. You may be thinking how that is possible since Texas wasn't even declared a republic until 1836 and didn't become the 28th state until 1845. Dr. Jody Edward Ginn, author, historian, and the Director of Development for the Texas Rangers Hall of Fame & Museum, talks all things Texas Rangers - the highs, the lows, and the mis...

Patrick Weil joins the podcast to discuss Woodrow Wilson's sanity during the process of trying to ratify the Treaty of Versailles in 1919. His book, The Madman in the White House , addresses the psychobiography of Wilson written by Ambassador William Bullitt and Dr. Sigmund Freud and how they came to their conclusion - based on the testimony of many others who were close Wilson at the time - a...

George F. Kennan was one of the most influential and important American diplomats of the 20th century. His 1946 Long Telegram and 1947 Mr. X article in Foreign Affairs initiated America's Containment Policy against the Soviet Union during the entirety of the Cold War. Frank Costigliola, author of the new biography on Kennan and a foreign policy expert, joins the show to discuss Kennan's in...

The most efficient to creating a monopoly is to secure government assistance that blocks competition from entering a specific economic arena. This can lead to a lack of economic opportunity and growth individually and corporately, but what happens when private industry and the government coordinate against the people's liberty - the liberties enshrined in the Constitution? Big Tech, Mass Media...

Des Ekin has uncovered an American who deserves to be discussed among the many heroes (and anti-heroes) of early America. Ekin, the author of the new book "The Lionkeeper of Algiers," joins the podcast to discuss the battles with the Barbary Pirates during the late 18th and early 19th centuries in America and the subject of his book, James Cathcart - a young sailor who has all the making...

The Federalists promised that the federal government would only go so far in its authority. Over time, the government housed in Washington D.C. has continued to grow and expand, swallowing up more and more power from the 50 states and its citizens. The Sons of History discuss how several amendments have contributed to these power grabs, what States should do in response, and how Americans should c...

The great battles of Ancient Greece and Persia are interesting no matter what century you live in. Stephen Kershaw is a leading scholar on the subject of Ancient Greece and is a classics professor at Oxford University. We discuss the three battles of Marathon, Thermopylae and Salamis and how those outcomes altered the course of history. Steve Kershaw is editor of The Penguin Dictionary of Classica...