The Long History Short Podcast

In this episode of the Long History Short Podcast, I sat down with economist and historian Carmen Reinhart to discuss America's debt burden, our rising interest rates, and the potential for an economic crisis triggered by an AI bubble. Dr. Reinhart wrote a terrific book called "This Time is Different" where she detailed the history of financial crises, paying special attention to the Great Depress...

On this episode of The Long History Short Podcast, I sat down with Dr. Bernard Haykel of Princeton University to discuss Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Iran, Iraq, and how the Iran War is in danger of spiraling into a broader regional conflict. We also discuss the threats to the global economy as the Houthi rebels attack the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, threatening a major shipping route through the Red Sea-- espe...

In this episode of the Long History Short Podcast, I sat down with General Lawrence Nicholson of the United States Marine Corps. General Nicholson and I discuss his time in some of the toughest combat zones in Iraq and Afghanistan. He served in Fallujah, Ramadi, and then Helmand Province in Afghanistan-- three of the deadliest theatres in those two wars. We also talked about some of the mistakes t...

On this episode of the Long History Short Podcast, I interviewed Dr. Roger Petersen about Iraq, now that U.S. forces are poised to leave for the final time on September 30, 2026. He and I discuss the state of Iraq today, with its fractious but democratic politics. We also discuss the origins of the Iraq War, the post-Saddam insurgency, the impact of the US troop surge under General Petraeus, and s...

On this episode of The Long History Short Podcast, I sat down with J. Kael Weston, former state department official and author of "The Mirror Test: America at War in Iraq and Afghanistan." On September 30th, the last US soldiers will withdraw from Iraq after more than 23 years since the war's beginning. Kael and I discuss his time in Fallujah, his efforts to win over Iraqi civilians, some of the t...

On this episode of the Long History Short Podcast, I sit down with Dr. Carter Malkasian, former advisor to US military commanders in Afghanistan and author of "The American War in Afghanistan: A History." We discuss the fallout of 9/11, the way that Al-Qaeda's attacks changed the thinking within the Bush administration, the practical difficulties US forces faced in Afghanistan, the withdrawal, and...

On this episode of The Long History Short Podcast, I sat down with Dr. Gabriel Said Reynolds of the University of Notre Dame. We are fast approaching the 25th anniversary of the September 11th attacks, and Dr. Reynolds and I discussed Bin Laden's interpretation of Islam, his role in al-Qaeda, the transformation of jihadist energies away from al-Qaeda and towards ISIS, the role of history in the Mu...

On this episode of The Long History Short Podcast, I sat down with Rod Dreher, author of "The Benedict Option" and "Live Not By Lies," along with several other books and a popular Substack. He and I discussed American/European politics and culture. Rod's made the provocative claim that present day societal dysfunction resembles that of the Weimar Republic-- that period of German history that prece...

On this episode of the Long History Short Podcast, join me for a conversation with Katja Hoyer, author of "Weimar: Life on the Edge of Catastrophe." In our chat, Katja and I discuss the collapse of Wilhelmine Germany, the history of the Weimar Republic, what Weimar can teach us about contemporary politics, the Republic's downfall, and the rise of Hitler. She and I link German history to current de...

On this episode of the Long History Short Podcast, I talk with Dr. David Betz, Professor of War Studies at the University of London, King's College. Professor Betz has made the provocative claim that due to polarization, mass migration, elite fecklessness, two-tiered justice, politicians' contempt for regular people, and other issues, civil war will break out in Great Britain and other European co...

On this episode of the Long History Short Podcast, I sit down with Dr. Mara Hunter to discuss the history of the Sea of Azov, Russia's ambitions for the sea, how Azov affects global markets and trade infrastructure, and the future of the Ukraine War. For some more on the Ukraine War and the Sea of Azov, check out this article: https://lieber.westpoint.edu/carving-up-ukraine-what-about-the-azov-sea...

Welcome to another episode of Long History Short, where I discuss the state of Russian politics, Russian history, Putin's origins, Elections in Russia, US misunderstandings of Putin, and what it all means for the Ukraine War. My guest today is Professor Timothy Frye, professor of Post-Soviet Politics at Columbia University.

The Ukraine War's Latest. Firings at the head of the Ukrainian military, drone strikes in Crimea that have caused power outages, water shortages, and economic devastation. Ukrainian strikes against Iranian ships, threatening to blend these two conflicts together. Putin, Trump, and Zelensky sitting down to discuss a possible resolution to the conflict, with prospects looking bleak. Who are the peop...

In today's episode I sat down with Dr. Andrew Lambert, Professor of Naval History at the University of London, King's College. We discussed Ukraine's ongoing campaign against Crimea, the history of the Crimean conflict, including myths about the Light Brigade and the war's end, and the lessons that it has for us today, especially as Russia's economy begins to falter. Dr. Lambert's book on the Crim...

Join historian Nathan Schultz and I as we discuss the little-known history of the Regulator Movement: a protest movement against corrupt British officials in Colonial North Carolina that rhymes with, but doesn't sync nicely, with the American Revolution. Plus at the end you get to hear a little about colonial era cuisine too. Here's the link to the colonial recipe that Nathan mentioned. Just be ca...

Happy Fourth of July! On this semiquincentennial anniversary of our nation's founding, I sat down with Dr. Theodore Madrid of Hillsdale College. He and I discussed the disagreements that our founders have with each other, the compromises that they made, the ways those arguments spilled into our conversation, and what it all means for us today. For more from Dr. Madrid check out this article: 'Cice...

What did the Founders think about foreign policy? How did their ideas trickle into the Constitution? How did World War I and World War II change American foreign policy, and how did it shift again once the Cold War ended? What would the Founders think of the Iran War and contemporary foreign affairs? Tune into this discussion with Dr. David Hendrickson, author of the Great League of Peace and Powe...

Today on the Long History Short Podcast, join my discussion with Dr. James Gelvin of UCLA as we discuss the history of Lebanon from the Ottoman Empire to the present day, why Israel and Lebanon have such a tempestuous relationship, and what it all means for the Memorandum of Understanding, and President Trump's attempts to bring the Iran War to a close. For further reading, here's a deep-dive on L...

While President Trump tries to broker an end to the Iran war, a major stumbling block has been Israel's war in Lebanon. The paramilitary group Hezbollah has repeatedly traded blows with Israel, and Iran has insisted that a lasting peace settlement needs to bring that conflict to a close. But more is at stake than the future of the Iran War: population displacements and other spillovers from the co...

On this episode, since the NBA finals are upon us, we are doing something a little different-- talking to Rick Loayza of the Basketball History 101 Podcast. Tune in to hear about the history of the game, the growth of the NBA, and predictions about where the sport is headed.

Philosopher John Macias of St. Mary Seminary breaks down Just War Theory, and examines the Iran War, the American Revolution, and other conflicts in light of the theory.

The Cuban regime may be on the cusp of collapse. To understand the history of this troubled island-nation, and how we got to the current impasse, check out my conversation with Dr. Luis Martinez-Fernandez of the University of Central Florida, author of "Revolutionary Cuba: A History."

Tune in for my discussion with Dr. Thomas Zeiler of the University of Colorado, historian of US foreign policy.

Join for this discussion with Thomas Maidment, PhD candidate at Cambridge University. Follow me on Substack: https://substack.com/@longhistoryshort Here's a breakdown of election results: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/local-elections-2026-results-uk-map-b2973743.html For more from Thomas, check out this interview he did a few years back: https://doinghistoryinpublic.org/2025/05/12...

Had a great conversation with Oxford's Luke Blaxill about the upcoming UK elections. For more on the election, read here: https://www.itv.com/news/2026-05-01/are-the-may-elections-the-beginning-of-the-end-for-the-two-big-parties