Western Civ

It is that time. The Russian Revolution would be a lot different without Vladimir Lenin (Lenin is not his real name by the way...) But Lenin strikes a deal with the Germans who hope that he can steer Russia out of the Great War and he hits Petrograd like a lightning bolt.  Western Civ 2.0 

The Russian Revolution did not come out of nowhere. It was not merely the result of World War One. Its legacy is long. Today, we go all the way back to the abolition of serfdom and hit the main events that lead to that critical month: March 1917. Western Civ Podcast 2.0

1916 is one of the most depressing years in human history and today we're covering it. This is the year that makes World War One the horror it is. This is the year of Verdun, of the Somme, and of countless deaths on other fronts. It is also the year everyone starts wondering: will it all be worth it? Support Western Civ

The western front grinds to a slow halt, despite the best efforts of the generals on both sides who appear to be overly committed to killing their own men in pointless offensives... Across the pond, America tries to stay neutral while watching the unfolding Mexican Revolution to the south.  Western Civ 2.0 

The Eastern Front in World War One is often overlooked. But, even beyond the Battle of Tannenberg, the Eastern Front is critical not only in understanding the outcome of the war but the 20th century as a whole. Western Civ 2.0 

In this bonus, author interview, I sit down with Marc Baer and discuss his latest book: Children of Abraham: The 1,400-Year History of Jewish–Muslim Relations.  Today, the dominant narrative of the relationship between Jewish and Muslim peoples assumes a long history of violent hostility. In Children of Abraham , historian Marc David Baer lays this myth to rest, showing how Jews and Muslims lived...

This is a bonus look at what I do on our other feed: Western Civ 2.0. The feed covers similar topics compared to this one but in much greater detail. The number one way you can continue to support the show and enjoy bonus content is to sign up for this feed. For only $2 per month, you get ad-free versions of this feed plus all my bonus content.  You can try a free trial on HERE . 

Germany nearly won World War One in the first six weeks, just as it planned. Nearly. But it turns out that timetables are a heck of a lot easier to work out on paper than in real life.... Western Civ 2.0

Somehow, the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in Sarajevo on June 28, 1914, throws the entire world into war. Of course, it was not an accident. The alliance systems, the militarism, the nationalism, all of it conspires to doom Europe to its own destruction. But it all starts with two bullets fired by a nineteen-year-old assassin. Support The Show

World War One did not happen accidentally. There were a multitude of factors that led up to the Great War. Today we cover them.  Western Civ 2.0 

The period from 1877 to 1912 saw America transform from an agrarian, second-tier power, to one of the more dominant nations in the world. This is that story.  SUPPORT THE SHOW

Today I sit down with Brendan Ballou and discuss a book EVERYONE should read: When The Companies Run The Courts .  America has a hidden justice system. There, decisions are made in secret, and “judges” are paid for by the companies and abusers who are being sued. Victims usually lose. But when they do, they cannot appeal, and they cannot turn to real courts for help. They are trapped in this syste...

Today I am proud to welcome back renowned historian, Adrian Goldsworthy, to discuss his latest book: Athens and Sparta: The Rivalry That Shaped Ancient Greece.  No period has more profoundly influenced the Western world than classical Greece, and at its center stood two cities: Athens and Sparta. Side by side, they beat the Persians, the only superpower of that age. Yet later, they spread conflict...

The era we call Reconstruction is one of the most hopeful, and ultimately, heartbreaking of American history. The passage of the Reconstruction Amendments provided legal rights to thousands of people. But the bargain of 1877 and the corruption of the Gilded Age ultimately prove too much weight for the promise of equality to bear.  Western Civ 2.0

In the second half of the 19th Century, Europe goes nuclear and expands across the globe. The "Scramble for Africa" and press for colonies drove the European states to compete with one another in ways that will have disasterous consequences.  Western Civ 2.0  

In this bonus, author interview, I sit down with historian Roderick Beaton and discuss his latest book, E urope: A New History .  What do we talk about when we talk about Europe? Is it defined by geography? Or is it politics, or shared culture? In Europe, award-winning historian Roderick Beaton tells the story of Europe as never before—as the history of an idea, and a collective identity.   Since...

In the span of a decade, Bismarck does the unthinkable. He unites Germany, changing the history of western civilization forever.  Western Civ 2.0

Over a period of thirty years, Italy goes from a fragmentation of independent, kind of, states and kingdoms and into a unified, kind of, nation. Western Civ 2.0 Free Trial

The Crimean War really does sound the advance warning of the death knell for the Concert of Europe. If only anyone knew that... Western Civ 2.0

Here I quickly cover Russian history from Peter the Great, through Catherine the Great, and then down to the beginning of the Crimean War.  Western Civ 2.0

After Gettysburg and Vicksburg, the Confederacy slowly fades. Despite Lee's efforts, Grant grinds his army down through murderous battles such as the Wilderness and Cold Harbor. Ultimately, the resouces of the Union are simply too much. But even as America ultimately wins its civil war, its greatest president falls to an assassin's bullet.  Western Civ 2.0  

In three days in Pennsylvania in 1863, the American Civil War turns forever.  Western Civ 2.0 

The Battle of Antietam drives President Lincoln to issue the Emancipation Proclamation. But Robert Lee wins two dramatic victories in this aftermath at the battles of Fredericksburg and Chancellorsville.  Western Civ 2.0

Two ironclads face off to change the shape of naval warfare while Robert E. Lee emerges from the Seven Days Battles as the lead Confederate commander. Western Civ 2.0 Free Trial

The Battle of Shiloh starts as an apparent Confederate victory, but the loss of General Johnston and the resulting chaos dooms the South. Meanwhile, in New Orleans, the Anaconda Plan takes hold. Western Civ. 2.0 Free Trial