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. This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/4747725/advertisement
Episodes
June 3, 2023 • 48 mins
World War II pilots were often pushed to the limit of human endurance, especially in the early years of the war. The classic 1948 film Twelve O’Clock High tells the story of a fictional air group based in the UK that conducted hundreds of daytime bombing raids over Germany. Even the tough, no-nonsense Group Commander (played by Gregory Peck) is not immune from the stress of combat. Join Sean and James as they discuss this fascin...
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May 31, 2023 • 49 mins
At the beginning of 1941, Italian forces had suffered a catastrophic defeat in North Africa at the hands of the British Army in Egypt. Il Duce’s fortunes were on the wane, but the arrival of a capable German commander and a small Panzer Korps would radically change the situation in North Africa. Join Sean and James as they tell about the epic battle between Field Marshal Erwin Rommel (the “Desert Fox”) and the British forces in Nor...
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May 27, 2023 • 39 mins
The epic Battle of Stalingrad was one of the most horrific and bloody battles of the Second World War. Several movies have tried to capture the horror of the war, but none does so better than the 1993 German-Russian production. Few, if any, movies in this series are more realistic and brutal than this one. In this episode, Sean and James break down the movie for you.
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This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are intere...
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May 24, 2023 • 46 mins
Before the German Army Group South could capture the oil fields of the Caucasus, it needed to secure the key city of Stalingrad. The fight for Stalingrad turned into one of the most brutal and nasty battles of the war. In this episode, Sean and James do their best to tell the story of Stalingrad, as well as to describe the Battle of Kursk, the largest tank battle in history.
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This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you ...
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May 20, 2023 • 20 mins
In this clip from the Eyewitness History Podcast, former Vietnam War veteran & "tunnel rat" Nick Sanza discusses his experience overseas, what it's like coming from a long lineage of military service, and what he learned from the tunnels in this interview from the Eyewitness History podcast.
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Continue listening to Eyewitness History:
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Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3LPfaXd
This show is part of th...
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May 17, 2023 • 49 mins
In June 1941, Hitler launched Operation Barbarossa, the largest invasion in world history. Three massive German armies targeted Leningrad, Moscow, and the Caucasus oil fields. One army put Leningrad under siege, another swept through Ukraine, and the third another reached the outskirts of Moscow. The USSR appeared doomed. But was it? Listen,and you will find out!
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This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are intere...
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May 13, 2023 • 43 mins
The US First Infantry Division is one of the US Army’s most storied units, due largely to the crucial role it played in World War II. The 1980 film The Big Red One, Starring Lee Marvin and Mark Hamill, follows one squad of soldiers from the invasion of North Africa to the end of the war. Join Sean and James as they discuss this exciting and realistic film.
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This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in a...
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May 10, 2023 • 56 mins
Prior to launching his massive attack on the Soviet Union, Hitler wanted to make sure his flanks were secure. He secured his “left flank” (Finland) and part of his “right flank” (the Balkans) through a combination of threats and diplomacy. However, Yugoslavia and Greece refused to knuckle under, and so Hitler invaded them. In this episode, Sean and James discuss the status of Finland and the Balkans in 1940 and 1941 and Hitler’s...
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May 3, 2023 • 40 mins
Italian dictator Benito Mussolini desired to create a “New Roman Empire.” In the 1920s, he strengthened Italy’s control over Libya, and in 1935, he ordered the invasion of Ethiopia, adding it to his empire the next year. Between 1939 and 1941, Italy conquered Albania and then tried to take over parts of France, Yugoslavia, and Greece. But did Mussolini bite off more than he could chew? Join Sean and James as they tell the story ...
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April 29, 2023 • 44 mins
Naval combat played a major role throughout the European Theater of the Second World War. Without constant supply convoys from the United States to Great Britain and the Soviet Union, the Allies could not have defeated Hitler. But those convoys had to be protected from attacks by German U-boats and other warships. In this episode, Sean and James narrate the early years of the naval war around Europe, including the epic story of t...
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April 26, 2023 • 42 mins
Naval combat played a major role throughout the European Theater of the Second World War. Without constant supply convoys from the United States to Great Britain and the Soviet Union, the Allies could not have defeated Hitler. But those convoys had to be protected from attacks by German U-boats and other warships. In this episode, Sean and James narrate the early years of the naval war around Europe, including the epic story of t...
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April 22, 2023 • 51 mins
In this episode, Sean and James discuss the 1969 movie Battle of Britain, which tells the gripping story of the fight for air supremacy over the United Kingdom.
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This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/4747725/advertisement
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April 19, 2023 • 61 mins
Having conquered most of Western Europe, Hitler was determined to invade the United Kingdom and bring it to its knees. But before the Germans could launch the invasion, they needed to crush the Royal Air Force. Accordingly, the Fuhrer ordered a bombing campaign on RAF bases throughout southern England, in a campaign that came to be known as the Battle of Britain. Join Sean and James as they narrate this pivotal battle of the early...
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April 15, 2023 • 52 mins
As German forces swept through the Low Countries and France, about half a million Allied soldiers became trapped near the port city of Dunkirk. Between May 26 and June 4, the overwhelming majority were evacuated to Britain by British military and civilian vessels. In this episode, Sean and James discuss the 2017 movie Dunkirk, which tells the amazing story of the “Miracle of Dunkirk.”
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This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network...
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April 12, 2023 • 47 mins
In May 1940, over three million German soldiers crossed Germany’s western border and quickly conquered the Netherlands, Belgium, and France. Germany implemented direct rule over part of France, while setting up the puppet regime of Vichy France to govern the rest. In the meantime, hundreds of British naval and civilian vessels evacuated over 300,000 trapped Allied soldiers to Britain, to fight another day. Britain was now the only...
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April 8, 2023 • 53 mins
The life of a German submarine crewman was filled with challenges, including cramped and dank quarters, poor food, and the constant threat of being spotted and attacked by Allied ships. 75% of German submarine crews eventually met their doom. The 1982 German film Das Boot takes you down under the water with one crew, providing a gripping account of the horrors of submarine warfare. Join Sean and James as they discuss this outstan...
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April 5, 2023 • 45 mins
In the fall of 1939, Germany and the Soviet Union signed the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, a peace treaty in which the two nations also agreed to divide Poland. Soon afterward, the German army invaded Poland, unveiling a new type of warfare that became known as “Blitzkrieg.” After the fall of Poland, Europe settled into an uneasy calm. Meanwhile, Soviet soldiers invaded Finland but met with fierce resistance. In this episode, Sean and J...
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April 1, 2023 • 66 mins
Upon becoming Prime Minister of the UK in 1940, Winston Churchill’s first and greatest challenge was how to deal with the growing threat posed by Nazi Germany. Many key British leaders urged Churchill to make a peace deal with Germany, but Churchill refused. In this episode, Sean and James discuss the 2017 film Darkest Hour, starring Gary Oldman as Churchill, in an Academy-award winning performance.
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This show is part of the Spreak...
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March 29, 2023 • 45 mins
In March 1938, Germany declared its annexation of Austria. Soon after, Hitler demanded that the Sudetenland, an area of Czechoslovakia with a heavy German population, also be added to the Reich. On 15 September, Hitler met with the leaders of Great Britain and France, signing the Munich Agreement, in which the western Allies formally recognized Hitler’s territorial expansion. Hitler declared the Sudetenland to be "the last territ...
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March 25, 2023 • 45 mins
In this episode, Sean and James discuss the 2002 BBC made-for-TV movie The Gathering Storm, which tells the story of Winston Churchill’s return to power after several years in the political “wilderness” and his efforts to warn Parliament and the British government about the threat posed by Adolph Hitler. Albert Finney stars as Churchill.
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This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this p...
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