American History Hit

In 1933, The Pittsburgh Courier published an editorial entitled 'Hitler Learns from America'. So how and why was fascism on the rise in the United States from the Great Depression to the Second World War? In this episode, Don speaks with Rachel Maddow, host of 'The Rachel Maddow Show' on MSNBC. Together, they explore the influence of propaganda, key figures of American Fascism, and the Great...

With the US election happening, we wanted to take a look back at the presidents from the past what we know about their sex lives. Which president was well-endowed and supposedly presented it to staff in the Oval Office? Which president had an affair on his honeymoon? And which had an affair with his wife's secretary? And no, they're not all JFK. Joining Kate on Betwixt the Sheets to help us find o...

Invisible ink, delayed flights and political meddling - elections are a symbol of democracy, so how can they become the opposite? Don is joined for this episode by Brian Klaas, co-author of 'How to Rig an Election' to find out. What makes a free and fair election? What techniques have authoritarians used to have themselves elected? And how widespread has this been throughout history? Brian is a po...

The unclaimed dead of New York City's streets and rivers were brought to the New York Morgue in the second half of the nineteenth century. This history is full of dark, sad stories and buried secrets. Maddy Pelling and Anthony Delaney are joined by Cat Byers who is a writer and historian based in Paris currently finishing a PhD on the barely-studied New York Morgue. Enjoy unlimited access to award...

What causes a person to lose the Presidential election? Henry Clay ran for the Presidency 3 times, and for nomination by his party 5 times, but never made it to the Oval Office as the Commander in Chief. So who was he? And why could he just not get the votes? Find out in this episode, as Don is joined by Eric Brooks, Curator at Ashland: The Henry Clay Estate. Produced by Sophie Gee. Edited by Aida...

If somebody asked you to go on a dangerous mission, no other details, would you volunteer? Well, in 1942, that's exactly what 120 crewmen of the US Army Air Force did. In this episode, find out how it went and who Jimmy Doolittle was. From an impossible take off, through the first attack on mainland Japan in a millennium, to capture by Japanese forces. Don is joined once again by Michel Paradis, l...

4,322 days. That's how long Franklin Delano Roosevelt was in office. Whilst no other US president has served more than two terms, FDR was elected four times! Was this because of his charisma, his opposition, the challenges of the Great Depression and the Second World War, or a combination of all of the above, Don is joined by Jonathan Darman. Jonathan is a journalist and author of 'Becoming FDR: T...

On July 21, 1861, Confederate and Union forces met for the first time in full-scale battle at Bull Run Creek, near Manassas, Virginia. By the end of the day nearly 900 men were dead, and it was clear that this war would not be over in 90 days. Don is joined by President of the American Battlefield Trust, David N. Duncan, to find out more about how this battle came to pass, how the Confederate army...

We have a constitutional right to vote in the United States ... don't we? Find out in this first episode of American History Hit's series, Elections Explained. Having correctly predicted every election since 1984 (except - arguably - 2000), Allan Lichtman joins Don to explore the development of the American right to vote,. When did we move from public to private voting? And where did the electoral...

What does it take to be the first person named as 'Public Enemy No.1' by the US Bureau of Investigation? In this episode, we're going to find out. Don is joined by Elliott Gorn to find out about the rise and fall of John Dillinger, the man who took this title in 1934. Elliott Gorn is the Joseph Gagliano Professor of American Urban History at Loyola University, Chicago. His books include 'Let the P...

Did Columbus really think the Earth was flat? Where did he come from? Where did he get to? To untangle the myths of Columbus and his complicated legacy, Don spoke to Elise Bartosik-Velez. Elise teaches at Dickinson college about Latin American history and literature, focusing in particular on the Colonial Period through Independence. She is the author of 'The Legacy of Christopher Columbus in the...

Just how murderous were Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow? Where did those famous photos come from? And how did the press lead to the pair's demise? Don chats to Jeff Guinn, best-selling author and historian, to find out about this notorious outlaw couple. They explore the impact of the Great Depression, the prison system and dreams of fame on Bonnie and Clyde's rise and fall. Jeff is an investigativ...

When it comes to US foreign policy in the early 20th Century, isolationism tends to come to mind. What, then, was Woodrow Wilson's impact on the end of WW1? Don is joined by Charlie Laderman to find out more about the peace negotiations, the Treaty of Versailles and the League of Nations, and how these things were understood in the US. Charlie is Senior Lecturer in International History at King's...

Jesse James. Perhaps the most notorious American outlaw? He’s become legendary figure of the Wild West, compared to an American ‘Robin Hood.’ But with a legacy so pervasive, the myths about Jesse James can get often get confused for the truth… Did you know he played significant part in engineering his own reputation as a ‘Confederate hero’, comparing himself in newspapers to Napoleon and Alexander...

Very few people know what it is like to be in the infamous US detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, but our 3 guests for this episode have all had first hand experience. For one of them, it was as a detainee. Mansoor Adayfi was held, interrogated and tortured at Guantanamo for over 14 years. For Pardiss Kebriaei, it was as an attorney. Pardiss is a Senior Staff Attorney at the Center for Constitut...

When was the first bank robbery? What does it take to be successful in organized crime? Is it possible to be non-violent? And how might you avoid getting caught? The story of Ma Mandelbaum, the mother of New York's criminal underworld, has the answer to these questions and more. Don is joined by Margalit Fox, former senior writer at the New York Times, to discuss the fascinating rise and fall of F...

How did Egypt and Israel come to an agreement at Camp David in 1979? How did the USSR come to allow the operation of NATO troops in East Germany? Ambassador Stuart Eizenstat has played a leading role in the United States' diplomatic negotiations whilst serving in six Presidential administrations. In a troubled world, which needs diplomacy more than ever, Stuart joins Don to explore the internal wo...

Who was Joe McCarthy? How did this Republican Senator come to lead a nationwide campaign against communism? And how did he bring about his own downfall? For this episode, Don is joined by the authors of ‘Witch Hunt: The Cold War, Joe McCarthy, and the Red Scare’, Dr. Andrea Balis and Elizabeth Levy. Listen in to find out why McCarthyism happened when it did, and why it was a bad idea to make an en...

When the US turned to Japan looking for workers in the late 19th Century, they probably never foresaw that one day soon they would imprison those who arrived, their successors, and their families, en masse in camps around America. To hear about the Japanese American experience through history, Don is speaking to Kristen Hayashi. Kristen is Director of Collections Management & Access and Curator at...

The 20th Century is up and running and the next President in our series, Woodrow Wilson, is in for a challenge. Reconstruction is over, Europe is on the precipice of war, and women are campaigning for suffrage. So how does this two term presidency play out? From granting women the right to vote to segregating the Federal Government, how progressive was the 27th President? Where did Wilson stand on...

In 1621 the Virginia Company of London put out a call for young, handsome and honestly educated women to become wives for the planters in its new colony in Jamestown. Hopeful husbands were supposed to pay for their English brides in best leaf tobacco. But who were the women who made the Atlantic crossing? And what became of them when they arrived in America?  In this episode of our sister His...

Which President was best with their money? Which was worst? And are Presidents responsible for paying for their food, staff and parties during their time in office? To find out all this and more, Don speaks to tax attorney and wealth manager Megan Gorman. Megan's book is 'All the Presidents' Money: How the Men Who Governed America Governed Their Money'. Produced by Sophie Gee. Edited by Max Carrey...

In June 1944, the joint forces of the Allies began the liberation of continental Europe on D-Day. But was there tension within the ranks? Don speaks to Michel Paradis to find out how Eisenhower's leadership helped win the war. How did he deal with the strained relationship between the fading colonial powers of Britain and France, and the rising superpowers, the US and the USSR? How did he police t...

Sandwiched between Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson is our 26th President of the United States, William Howard Taft. Did he have the confidence, belief and vision necessary to become a president? And why was he criticised for spending too much time on the golf course? Don is joined by Adam Burns, Head of Politics at Brighton College and author of 'William Howard Taft and the Philippines: A Bl...

Why did an aristocratic French man fight for American freedom? How influential was Lafayette? And what did he do on his return visit to the United States 200 years ago this year? Don is joined by Chuck Schwam, Executive Director of the American Friends of Lafayette. You can find more about Chuck’s work with Lafayette 200 here:  https://lafayette200.org/ Produced by Sophie Gee. Edited by Aidan...