Horrible People That Did Good Things

In this episode, we look at the strange, "good" deeds of two horrible men. We explore whether writing poetry implies a soul, and if being a good teacher counts for anything when you are a dictator. Stalin: Responsible for millions of deaths... and the author of romantic poetry? Mussolini: The father of Fascism... and a talented violinist who fixed the school system? Disclaimer:  Hig...

It sounds like fake news, but it’s history. In this episode, we challenge everything you think you know about three of the world's most feared rulers. We dig into the uncomfortable truth that some of history's biggest villains implemented policies that modern democracies would envy. The Warlord of Tolerance:  How  Genghis Khan , the man who slaughtered millions, established one of the fi...

We often think of dictators as one-dimensional monsters, but history tells a stranger story. In this episode, we explore the shocking artistic and intellectual pursuits of four of the world's most ruthless leaders. Kim Jong Il's Musical Hit:  How the North Korean leader composed operas that became surprisingly popular in China and even wrote a book titled  The Art of Opera . Mao Zedong's...

History is rarely black and white. In this debut episode, we explore the uncomfortable and bizarre "good deeds" performed by four of history's most notorious figures. We dig into the archives to uncover: • Adolf Hitler’s Health Kick: How the man responsible for the Holocaust also launched a pioneering public campaign to ban smoking completely.   • Saddam Hussein’s Soft Side: Beyond the g...