Key Battles of American History
War has played a key role in the history of the United States from the nation’s founding right down to the present. Wars made the U. S. independent, kept it together, increased its size, and established it as a global superpower. Understanding America’s wars is essential for understanding American history. In the Key Battles of American History, host James Early discusses American history through the lens of the most important battles of America’s wars. James is an Adjunct Professor of History at San Jacinto College in Pasadena, TX. He has published one book and two scholarly articles. He is also the cohost (with Scott Rank) of the Presidential Fight Club, Key Battles of the Civil War, Key Battles of the Revolutionary War, and Key Battles of World War I podcasts. Take back your personal data with Incogni! Use code battles at the link below and get 60% off annual plans: https://incogni.com/battles
Episodes
Ten Years before Japan attacked the United States at Pearl Harbor, a powerful and increasingly autonomous military force had already pushed Japan down the path to war. That force was the Kwantung Army. In this episode, James interviews author Quin Cho about his new book The Rise of the Kwantung Army: Japan's Empire in Manchuria to 1932. In this excellent work, Cho provides in-depth insights into the motivations, strategies, an...
In this topical episode, written by Sean McIver and commissioned by Early's Raiders Major Alisha-Smith Arthur, James tells the story of the American presence in the Philippines from 1898 to the granting of Philippine independence in 1946.
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In this episode, the last of the Vietnam War series, Sean and James discuss the postwar lives and careers of top American and Vietnamese leaders.
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In this episode, Sean and James discuss the 1989 film Born on the Fourth of July, directed by Oliver Stone and based on the autobiography of Vietnam War veteran Ron Kovic. Tom Cruise stars as Kovic, a patriotic young man who enlists in the U.S. Marine Corps, only to be paralyzed in combat and deeply disillusioned by the war and its aftermath. The film follows Kovic’s journey from idealistic soldier to anti-war activist, chron...
In this episode, Sean and James reflect on the long-term consequences of the war for the Vietnamese people, the United States, and the world.
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In this episode, James interviews author Bruce Jay Wasser about his book 90: A Conscientious Objector’s Journey of Quiet Resistance. In this book, Wasser tells the story of his struggle to gain Conscientious Objector status during the Vietnam War.
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In this episode, Sean and James discuss the 2020 film The Trial of the Chicago Seven, a historical legal drama written and directed by Aaron Sorkin. Based on true events, the film dramatizes the trial of seven anti–Vietnam War activists charged with conspiracy and inciting riots during the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago.
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In this episode, Sean and James discuss the complex and multifaceted anti-Vietnam War movement in the United States and around the world.
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In this episode, Sean and James discuss the 1987 film The Hanoi Hilton, which portrays the harrowing experiences of American prisoners of war held in North Vietnam’s infamous Hoa Lo Prison—nicknamed the "Hanoi Hilton"—during the 1960s and 1970s.
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In this episode, Sean and James discuss the horrific human costs of the Vietnam War, including the nature and number of casualties on each side, the specific number of people that each side had killed and wounded, and the experience of those who were captured and made prisoners of war.
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In this episode, a companion to the previous one, Sean and James discuss the experience of Vietnamese front-line combat troops in the Vietnam War, including members of the North Vietnamese Army, the Viet Cong, and the Army of the Republic of Vietnam.
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In this episode, Sean and James discuss the 1987 film Good Morning Vietnam, a war-comedy film starring Robin Williams as Airman First Class Adrian Cronauer, a charismatic and irreverent DJ assigned to the Armed Forces Radio Service in Saigon during the Vietnam War. Set in 1965, the film follows Cronauer as he energizes the troops with his unfiltered humor, rock music, and offbeat broadcasts—much to the dismay of his rigid sup...
In this episode, Sean and James discuss the experience of American front-line combat troops in the Vietnam War, focusing on their background, training, equipment, combat roles, and coping mechanisms.
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In this episode, Sean and James discuss the 1988 film BAT-21, which is based on the true story of U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Iceal “Ham” Hambleton, portrayed by Gene Hackman. After his aircraft is shot down behind enemy lines, Hambleton—an expert in electronic warfare with top-secret knowledge—must evade capture by North Vietnamese forces. The film centers on the intense rescue effort led by Capt. Bartholomew &...
In this episode, Sean and James discuss the air war over Vietnam and Laos from 1964-1973, including an overview of the major US aircraft used in the war, the major bombing campaigns over North Vietnam, Close Air Support over South Vietnam, Search and Rescue missions, and the key role of helicopters.
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In this episode, Sean and James discuss the crucial but often overlooked role that the U.S. and Allied navies and the U.S. Coast Guard played in the Vietnam War. Your lovable hosts show how naval power shaped strategy, logistics, and combat operations throughout the conflict.
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In this episode, James interviews Fred Apgar, who served as a pilot during the Vietnam War and participated in several missions over Laos. Fred discusses his book Return to the War, in which he narrates his war service and his decision to return to Laos decades later.
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This week, Sean and James review the classic 1978 film The Deer Hunter, a powerful war drama that explores the impact of the Vietnam War on a group of working-class friends from a small steel town in Pennsylvania. The story follows three friends—Michael, Nick, and Steven—who are sent to fight in Vietnam, where they endure horrific experiences, including being captured and forced to play Russian roulette by their captors...
In the 1972 presidential election, Richard Nixon defeated antiwar Democrat George McGovern in a landslide, aided by the announcement of a tentative peace deal. However, South Vietnamese President Thieu rejected the agreement, fearing it would lead to Communist domination. Talks broke down, prompting Nixon to launch the intense “Christmas Bombings” (Operation Linebacker II) in December 1972. The bombings pressured North ...
In this episode Sean and James review the classic 1979 film Apocalypse Now, a surreal and haunting war film directed by Francis Ford Coppola, inspired by Joseph Conrad’s novella Heart of Darkness. Set during the Vietnam War, the story follows U.S. Army Captain Benjamin Willard, who is sent on a secret mission to travel up the Nung River into Cambodia and assassinate Colonel Walter Kurtz, a once-respected officer who has gone ...
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