Key Battles of American History

In August, 1964, three North Vietnamese gunboats attacked an American destroyer. This incident was followed by a perceived (but imaginary) second attack. These attacks, although one was not real, led to the US Congress passing the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, which authorized the president to take “all necessary measures to repel armed attack against the forces of the United States and to prev...

In early 1963, the Viet Cong decisively defeated an attacking ARVN force at the Battle of Ap Bac, proving that the guerrillas were a force to be reckoned with. During that same year, much of South Vietnam fell under Viet Cong control, while most of the rest of the country descended into chaos. South Vietnamese cities saw an increasing number of protests, many of which were brutally put down by the...

In 1959, the government of North Vietnam, now under the direction of Communist Party Chairman Le Duan, decided to initiate a war with the South Vietnamese government led by Ngo Dinh Diem. To help fight Diem’s regime, the North Vietnamese facilitated the formation of a National Liberation Front (later dubbed the Viet Cong by the South Vietnamese government). The NLF/VC began a campaign of ter...

After the Second World War, France decided to reassert control over French Indochina. This policy met strong resistance from both Communist and right-wing political and military organizations in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. Resistance grew, leading to the First Indochina War (1946-1954). This conflict ended with the Geneva Agreements, in which the French agreed to depart, the country would be temp...

In this episode, Sean McIver returns to join James and to help kick off a new series on the Vietnam War. Sean and James give an overview of Vietnamese history from its beginning down through the period of French domination, the Japanese conquest during WW2, and the fight for control of Vietnam after WW2. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Sean and James complete their discussion of the top 10 Allied fighters of World War II. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, James and frequent guest Sean McIver count down the ten best Allied fighter planes of World War II. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In any war, being taken prisoner is a traumatic experience, and the Korean War was no exception. In this episode, James discusses the experiences of Korean War POWs on both sides. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, James gives a summary of the crucial role played by the U.S. and allied navies, including transport, supply, naval air operations, special forces operations, and naval support of ground operations. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, James presents an overview of the air war over Korea, including the transition from propeller-driven planes to jets, the strategic bombing campaign, the experience of individual pilots, and the key role of helicopters. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Sean, Steve, and James  continue their discussion of the real events and background of the Battle of Gettysburg as portrayed through the 1993 film Gettysburg . One last massive infantry charge just might be the answer to break the gridlock of this battle! Your lovable hosts also discuss the aftermath of Gettysburg and its place in the Civil War. See omnystudio.com/listener fo...

This week, Sean, Steve and James continue their discussion of the real events and background of the Battle of Gettysburg as portrayed through the 1993 film Gettysburg . The forces of North and South have deployed on and near the high ground of Culp’s Hill, Cemetery Hill, Cemetery Ridge, and Little Round Top. Attacks have commenced but the outcome still is in doubt. Armies of tens of thousand...

This week, Sean, Steve, and James continue our discussion of the real events and background of the Battle of Gettysburg as portrayed through the 1993 film Gettysburg. The discussion today focuses on the events of the first full day of battle, July 1, 1863. We look at some of the big players and the early strategies the two sides used to try and get the upper hand. See omnystudio.com/listener for p...

In this special episode, first aired on Steve Guerra’s Beyond the Big Screen Podcast in 2019, James, Steve, and Sean McIver begin a four-part discussion of the 1993 classic Civil War film Gettysburg. In this first episode we will fill in some of the background of the battle, the film, and the book on which the film is based. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, James interviews historian and Lafayette aficionado Kat Smith about America’s favorite fighting Frenchman, the Marquis de Lafayette. Kat is the Marketing And Public Relations Manager at Journey 7, 7ames 7ee Films. She also serves as the Senior Advisor for Social Media & Communications at Virginia American Revolution 250 Commemoration - VA250 and the Social Media Manager...

This week, James sits down with Howard Dorre, host of the Plodding Through the Presidents Podcast, to discuss the devastating military failure of young George Washington and the qualities that later made him so successful as a general and president. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Evan and James wrap up the military and political narrative of the Korean War by discussing the human and material costs of the war, the war’s most important short-term and long-term ramifications, and the postwar lives and careers of the war’s top military and political leaders. Washington’s Incompetence with Howard Dorre: This week, James sits down with Howard...

In this episode, Sean and James discuss the 1959 film Pork Chop Hill , which stars Gregory Peck, Woody Strode, Rip Torn, George Peppard, and many other future stars of the big and small screens. Based upon the 1956 book by U.S. military historian Brigadier General S. L. A. Marshall, Pork Chop Hill depicts the fierce First Battle of Pork Chop Hill between the U.S. Army's 7th Infantry Division and C...

In this episode, Evan and James discuss the final few months of the Korean War, including the battles for The Hook and Pork Chop Hill, the renewed peace talks, the signing of the Armistice Agreement in July 1953, and the immediate aftermath of the war. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, Sean and James discuss the 2004 South Korean film, Tae Guk Gi (The Brotherhood of War), which tells the story of two brothers who are forcibly drafted into the South Korean army at the outbreak of the Korean War. The film follows the brothers all the way to the end of the war and reveals the horror of the war in its fullness. Tae Guk Gi became one of the biggest successes in the h...

In July 1951, Communist and UN representatives began conducting peace talks. But the talks went nowhere, and the Communists broke them off on August 22. Meanwhile, throughout late 1951 and 1952, both sides worked to strengthen their defensive lines. The war changed from a war of movement to a mostly static, World War I style conflict. Still, the UN launched several relatively minor offensives duri...

Based on the 1953 James Michener novel of the same name, the 1954 film The Bridges at Toko-Ri tells the story of Lt. Harry Brubaker, a fighter-bomber pilot on the aircraft carrier USS Savo Island . A WW2 veteran and Naval Reserve pilot, Brubaker was drafted back into service from civilian life. This makes him quite resentful and cynical about the war. Now he has a dangerous mission to perform, and...

In April 1951, the Chinese army in Korea launched a fifth major offensive against the UN forces deployed along the Kansas and Utah lines. The fiercest attack was against the western part of the line, defended by the 29th Commonwealth Brigade, who were positioned around the Imjin River. Despite repeated Chinese attacks, the 29th held firm, and the Chinese had to call off the attack. Meanwhile, furt...

In the fall of 1864, General William Tecumseh Sherman led his army through Atlanta, Georgia, burning most of the city along the way. From Atlanta, they marched across the state to its most important city at the time: Savannah. In this episode, James interviews Bennett Parten, Assistant Professor of History at Georgia Southern University, about his recently released book  Somewhere T...

In this episode, Sean and James discuss the 2022 film Devotion , which tells the story of Ensign Jesse Brown, the first Black US Navy fighter pilot, including his struggle against racism within the Navy and his role in key air missions during the Korean War. This film, which features stunning cinematography, includes both touching and tragic moments and is a can’t miss Korean war film. See o...