Why Wars Happened History Podcast

What does it mean to be a Catholic Archduke in the modern world? Archduke Edward Habsburg — Ambassador to the Vatican and direct descendant of Europe’s most legendary dynasty — joins Why Wars Happened to share the traditions, values, and faith that carried the Habsburgs through centuries of war and crisis. From Catholic family life to royal resilience against the Nazis, this is a rare inside look...

Austria-Hungary went to war already collapsing. Historian Geoffrey Wawro reveals how disaster on the Eastern Front, broken alliances, and internal chaos doomed the Habsburg Empire in WWI. ⏱ Timestamps 00:00 Introduction to Why Wars Happened 00:37 Meet Dr. Geoffrey Wawro 01:37 The Eastern vs. Western Fronts: Key Differences 03:24 How Railways Shaped WWI Strategy 06:54 Nationalism and the Austro-Hun...

The Somme was more than a battle — it was slaughter. Historians Dan Hill and Spencer Jones expose the truth about trench life, gas attacks, artillery barrages, and why WWI became the war of endurance. ⏱ Timestamps 00:00 Introduction to Why Wars Happen Podcast 00:45 Meet the Guests: Dan Hill and Dr. Spencer Jones 01:50 Creating Battlefield Tours and Videos 03:37 Deep Dive: The Battle of the Somme 0...

When power was stripped from the Assembly, open defiance shook the colony—and the king’s response changed everything. Colonial Virginia plunged into crisis when Governor Howard tried to strip the Assembly of its authority. From controlling court appeals to handpicking record keepers, his crackdown sparked outrage and drove the Assembly into open rebellion. In desperation, the Assembly secretly ple...

Bayonets. Muskets. No mercy. Historian Alexander Burns uncovers why 18th-century battles were pure hell for soldiers — brutal close combat, shifting tactics, and the psychological toll of nonstop fear. ⏱ Timestamps 00:00 – Welcome to Why Wars Happened 00:37 – Meet Dr. Alexander S. Burns 01:18 – The art of writing history 02:43 – Mapping historical battles 04:50 – The War of the Polish Succession 1...

After Bacon’s Rebellion, betrayal, secret letters, and royal crackdowns left the colony on the edge of collapse. Governors fell, the Assembly was silenced, and King James II himself stepped in. Was this the moment the seeds of revolution were truly planted? This is a story of betrayal, rebellion, and royal control that pushed the colony closer to revolution. 🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episo...

They dropped miles off target — straight into Nazi territory. Historian Stephen Rabe tells the story of the “lost paratroopers” of D-Day and the villagers of Graignes who risked everything to protect them from SS reprisals. ⏱ Timestamps 00:00 – Welcome to Why Wars Happened 00:46 – Meet Stephen G. Rabe 02:02 – The lost paratroopers of Normandy 02:45 – Chaotic D-Day landings 06:43 – Villagers encoun...

Step into the turmoil of 17th-century Virginia, where a colony on the brink of collapse fell into the hands of Lord Culpeper—a governor more interested in luxury than leadership. As tobacco prices crashed and the Navigation Acts strangled trade, anger spread across the colony until it exploded into the infamous tobacco riots. Instead of calming tensions, Culpeper’s weak leadership, harsh crackdown...

What happens when you mix the American Revolution with awkward modern time travelers? Sarah Peters (showrunner of Making History) joins Why Wars Happened to reveal the hilarious chaos of writing one of TV’s strangest takes on history. ⏱ Timestamps 00:00 Meet Sarah Peters 00:48 Inside Making History 02:17 Behind the Scenes Secrets 03:24 Time Travel Meets Comedy 05:10 Character Chemistry 07:16 Produ...

Colonial Virginia unraveled under the rule of Lord Culpeper—a governor who showed up two years late, out of touch, and already corrupt. In this episode of America Before the Revolution, uncover the chaos of Culpeper’s misrule: shady money schemes, cheating soldiers, and weak leadership that pushed the Virginia Assembly to fight for independence. His incompetence only fueled tension until Culpeper...

Colonial Virginia spiraled into chaos after Governor Berkeley’s death. Plans for stability collapsed, and the colony was thrown into turmoil under a carousel of short-lived governors. Governor Jeffreys clashed bitterly with the Assembly before his sudden death left his widow thrown into debtors’ prison by vengeful lawmakers. Henry Chicheley briefly took the reins, but peace was nowhere in sight. A...

Step inside the hidden battle for power in colonial Virginia. This week’s episode picks up with Governor Berkeley openly defying the king’s orders to return to England. Instead, he manipulates royal pardons and tightens his grip on the rebels who dared to rise against him. But when illness forces him aside, Herbert Jeffreys takes over as temporary governor—only to face fierce resistance from the A...

Step inside the hidden battle for power in colonial Virginia. This week’s episode picks up with Governor Berkeley openly defying the king’s orders to return to England. Instead, he manipulates royal pardons and tightens his grip on the rebels who dared to rise against him. But when illness forces him aside, Herbert Jeffreys takes over as temporary governor—only to face fierce resistance from the A...

They were Britain’s secret weapon — but history forgot them. Historian Shannon Monaghan joins Why Wars Happened to reveal the covert world of the SOE: spies, saboteurs, and the “quiet company of dangerous men” who fought behind enemy lines in WWII. ⏱ Timestamps 00:00 Introduction to the Podcast and Guest 00:32 The Story Behind the Book Title 01:47 Discovering the SOE 04:59 Peter Kemp: The Real-Lif...

Step inside the dark aftermath of Bacon’s Rebellion—a moment when Virginia teetered on the edge of collapse. With Bacon dead, his successor failed to control the rebels, leaving the movement in chaos. Governor Berkeley seized the moment with brutal tactics: executions, property seizures, and laws meant to silence dissent forever. But his cruelty alarmed the crown. England had only just emerged fro...

Before the Cold War missiles, there was a Nazi engineer who changed everything. Jon Cryer joins Why Wars Happened to talk about Robert Lusser, the man behind Germany’s V1 flying bomb, and how one family uncovered their dark Nazi past in The Man Who Calculated Death. ⏱ Timestamps 00:00 – Welcome & guest intro 00:51 – Origin of The Man Who Calculated Death 01:58 – Suzanne Rico’s family revelatio...

Step inside the brutal aftermath of Bacon’s Rebellion—a colony on fire, a rebellion in ruins, and a governor consumed by vengeance. After Nathaniel Bacon’s sudden death, his rebels collapsed under weak leadership. Farms were looted, houses burned, and chaos spread across Virginia. Governor Berkeley seized the moment to unleash a campaign of terror: rebel leaders hunted down, mass executions staged...

In this gripping episode of America Before the Revolution, step inside the chaos of Bacon’s Rebellion. Outnumbered but determined, Nathaniel Bacon shocked the colony with bold tactics—including the capture of elite supporters’ wives as hostages—to force victory. The rebels seized Jamestown, only to torch it to the ground when the fight escalated. But just as momentum grew, Bacon’s sudden death tur...

In this immersive episode of America Before the Revolution, step into the chaos of Nathaniel Bacon’s Rebellion. After a fragile reconciliation with Governor Berkeley, suspicion boiled over into open defiance. Bacon rallied an army in Henrico, marched on Jamestown, and forced the governor to grant his demands at gunpoint. But the rebellion didn’t stop there. With bold tactics, Bacon’s men coerced w...

The world is closer to the brink than you think. Historian Chris Newton joins Why Wars Happened to reveal the repeating patterns from past wars — and why today’s tensions could spiral into World War III. ⏱ Timestamps 00:00 Meet Dr. Chris Newton 01:47 His Path into War Studies 04:18 Could World War III Happen? 08:31 Modern Parallels to Past Wars 09:16 How Polarization Fuels Conflict 20:53 History’s...

In this immersive episode of America Before the Revolution, step into the dramatic story of Nathaniel Bacon’s rebellion—a clash of power, corruption, and defiance that nearly tore the colony apart. Bacon marched on Jamestown with armed followers, demanding answers from Governor Berkeley. High taxes, election fraud, and unchecked corruption fueled his fury. But when Bacon pushed for permission to f...

Religion could have torn the Revolution apart — but it didn’t. Historian Kate Carté reveals how the Great Awakening, Protestant ideas, Deism, anti-Catholic fears, and Enlightenment thought all collided, yet ultimately helped create America’s revolutionary unity through religious freedom. ⏱ Timestamps 00:00 – Meet Professor Kate Carté 00:40 – Religion & the Revolution 01:47 – The Great Awakenin...

Governor Berkeley refused to defend against native attacks—or even allow others to protect themselves. Into this chaos stepped Nathaniel Bacon, a fiery young leader who rallied desperate colonists to take matters into their own hands. What followed was a storm of betrayals, shifting alliances, and mob justice: Bacon clashing with native tribes and the governor’s loyalists, the Assembly turning on...

He’s Governor Tryon in Outlander and Gale in Baldur’s Gate 3 — but Tim Downie’s real passion is history and folklore. Tim joins Why Wars Happened to share behind-the-scenes stories from acting, his love of folklore, and why history always finds its way into his work. ⏱ Timestamps 00:00 Introduction to Tim Downie 00:14 Drunk History UK and Various Roles 01:38 Outlander and Governor Tryon 04:19 Hist...

Attacks from the Susquehannock tribe left colonists desperate for protection—but Governor Berkeley refused to act, offering strange half-measures that fueled outrage instead of relief. Fear turned to fury, and whispers of rebellion began to spread. Into this chaos stepped Nathaniel Bacon, a young planter who promised action when the governor would not. His rise from frustrated citizen to rebel lea...