Why Wars Happened History Podcast
Hey guys, welcome back to the Why Wars Happened History Podcast, where you learn about the causes of wars and things like, why did it happen? Was it inevitable? Who was involved? Sometimes I go back hundreds of years just so we can understand what happened in our narrative episodes covering the long course of a war and the background of the war. And if you want to talk more about war, we also have authors, historians, war generals, royalty, actors, filmmakers, a whole bunch of people come on as guests and we talk about everything about before, during, and after war. So let's go! The Why Wars Happened History Podcast covers The American Revolution, World War I, World War II, Medieval Wars in England, The Habsburg Empire, The War in Iraq, Scottish wars, The War of the Roses, The Cuban Missile Crisis, The Cold War, The Thirty Years War, The Hundred Years War, The American Civil War, and many others.
Episodes
What happens when entertainment giants team up to create immersive historical audio dramas? In this episode of Why Wars Happened, we sit down with Jeremy Fox, Sir Howard Stringer, and Jeff Bewkes to uncover the making of two groundbreaking series.
👉 Inside this episode:
🕵️ Central Intelligence (UK’s #1 audio drama starring Kim Cattrall) → The hidden world of CIA espionage & covert ops
🚀 Buzz (upcoming with John Lithgow) → Buzz ...
Germany didn’t just appear on the map — it was forged through power struggles, secret deals, and dangerous ambitions that set the stage for global conflict.
In this episode of Why Wars Happened, we sit down with historian and author Katja Hoyer (Blood and Iron) to uncover how a scattered patchwork of states turned into a mighty empire. From Bismarck’s ruthless moves to Wilhelm II’s reckless rise, this is the hidden story of how Germ...
Step into the dramatic and tragic history of Charles I, the King of England who became the nation’s first monarch to be executed. This in-depth historical documentary explores the rise and fall of Charles I, his turbulent reign, and the political and personal decisions that sealed his fate.
📜 Discover:
- The early life of Charles I and his path to the throne
- The powerful yet controversial influence of George Villiers, Duke of Bucki...
In this episode of Why Wars Happened, award-winning historian Stephen Platt uncovers the forgotten story of Evans Carlson — the bold, unconventional Marine officer who helped create the legendary Marine Raiders, the foundation of today’s U.S. Special Forces.
👉 What you’ll discover:
🇨🇳 How Carlson fought alongside Chinese communist guerrillas before WWII
⚔️ The creation of the Marine Raiders and their daring tactics in the Pacific
🏛...
What do Roman legions, Viking raiders, and Norman knights have in common? They didn’t just fight battles — they changed the words we speak every day.
In this episode of Why Wars Happened, linguist Dr. Colin Gorrie reveals how centuries of conquest shaped modern English:
🏛️ Rome’s legacy → Latin roots in law, politics & culture
🛡️ Viking invasions → everyday words like sky, egg, they
👑 Norman Conquest (1066) → French words of pow...
Why did wars shape Germany’s history for centuries? 🤔 In this episode of Why Wars Happened, Oxford historian Peter Wilson (author of Iron and Blood) reveals how conflict, shifting borders, and political ambition transformed German-speaking Europe—from the Holy Roman Empire to Prussia’s rise and the unification of Germany. 🇩🇪⚔️
Discover how:
Prussia became a European powerhouse 💥
Military traditions & national myths shaped Germ...
This week on Why Wars Happened, we uncover the secrets behind the rise of the Ottoman Empire with historian Si Sheppard—Associate Professor of Political Science at Long Island University and author of Crescent Dawn.
👉 Discover how the Ottomans shaped the modern world in ways most people overlook:
⚔️ Surprising military campaigns & alliances
🌍 The first true “global war”?
💰 How economics fueled empire-building
🌦️ Why weather coul...
Welcome back to Why Wars Happened, the podcast where we dig into what really sparked history’s biggest conflicts. In this episode, Emily chats with military historian Michael Jones about one of the most famous battles in English history—the Battle of Bosworth, 1485. It’s the clash that brought down Richard III, ended the Wars of the Roses, and kicked off the Tudor dynasty. Michael, author of Bosworth 1485: The Battle That Transform...
Get ready for a fascinating episode of Why Wars Happened as we dive into the gritty, complex world of ancient Greek warfare with Dutch historian Roel Konijnendijk. Roel’s not only a top expert on classical Greek military history—he’s also a longtime moderator on Reddit’s r/AskHistorians. We’ll bust some myths about Spartan soldiers, dig into the tactics the Greeks actually used on the battlefield, and explore the political drama be...
In this episode of Why Wars Happened, we talk with Leon Carroll Jr. — former Marine, longtime NCIS Special Agent, and technical advisor on CBS’s hit show NCIS — about the incredible true story behind Ghost of Honolulu, the book he co-wrote with Mark Harmon.
At its heart is Douglas Wada, a Japanese American intelligence officer whose secret work with the Office of Naval Intelligence helped shape the early days of WWII. From baseball ...
In this episode of Why Wars Happened, we’re thrilled to sit down with Lord Jonathan Sumption—former UK Supreme Court justice and renowned historian—for an unforgettable dive into the Hundred Years’ War. With over four decades spent researching and writing a five-volume history of the conflict, Sumption brings rare depth and clarity to a war that shaped the fate of England and France.
We’ll talk about the major players and battles, ...
In this episode of Why Wars Happened, historian Justine Firnhaber-Baker takes us deep into the world of Medieval France under the Capetian Dynasty. From Crusades and Gothic cathedrals to the power struggles that sparked the Hundred Years’ War, this is the story of how France became France.
👉 What you’ll discover:
🏰 How the Capetian kings built their power
⚔️ Crusades, royal rivalries & the rise of chivalry
⛪ The age of Gothic cat...
On this episode of Why Wars Happened, host Emily Ross sits down with British historian Tim Bouverie to talk about his latest book, Allies at War: How the Struggles Between the Allied Powers Shaped the War and the World. Their conversation unpacks the tense and often fragile relationships between the major Allied leaders—Stalin, FDR, and Churchill—as well as the cracks in lesser-known partnerships.
From the breakdown of the Anglo-Fre...
In this episode of Why Wars Happened, Emily sits down with retired 4-star General George Casey Jr., former Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army.
👉 From commanding during the Iraq War to transforming the military after 9/11, General Casey reveals:
⚔️ What it’s like to lead in war at the highest level
🕵️ Behind-the-scenes decisions from the Iraq War
📖 How the Army rewrote its playbook after 2008
🌍 Lessons on leadership in a VUCA world (vol...
In this episode of Why Wars Happened, bestselling author James Donovan shares the incredible story of the 82nd Airborne Division on D-Day, based on his book Nothing but Courage.
👉 What you’ll discover:
🌙 The chaotic night jump into Nazi-occupied Normandy
🌉 How paratroopers fought to seize bridges like La Fière
⚔️ High stakes, brutal fighting & extraordinary acts of courage
📝 Eisenhower’s contingency letter if D-Day failed
👨✈️ L...
In this episode of Why Wars Happened, we sit down with bestselling author Martin Dugard (Taking Midway, Killing series) to explore the Battle of Midway — the epic clash that turned the tide of World War II in the Pacific.
👉 What you’ll discover:
🔑 How code-breaking cracked Japan’s strategy
⚔️ The showdown between Admirals Chester Nimitz & Isoroku Yamamoto
🚢 Inside the carrier battles that reshaped naval warfare
🌍 Why Midway beca...
In this episode of Why Wars Happened, historian Michael Brown (University of St. Andrews) reveals the true story of the Scottish Wars of Independence (1214–1371). From epic battles to the birth of the Stewart dynasty, this is the history behind Braveheart — and so much more.
👉 What you’ll discover:
⚔️ The rise of William Wallace & Robert the Bruce
🏰 Brutal battles, shifting alliances & survival against England
🕊️ Scotland’s ...
What really happened inside the Bush administration as America went to war in Iraq? In this episode of Why Wars Happened, acclaimed New York Times journalist & author Robert Draper shares revelations from his book To Start a War: How the Bush Administration Took America into Iraq.
👉 You’ll uncover:
🧨 The truth about weapons of mass destruction & intelligence failures
🏛️ How 9/11 shaped the path to war in 2003
👤 Saddam Husse...
What was it like to plan and lead Operation Iraqi Freedom? In this episode of Why Wars Happened, retired U.S. Army Colonel Kevin Benson shares a rare insider’s perspective on one of the most important military campaigns of our time.
👉 Hear first-hand about:
🗺️ The planning & strategy behind the Iraq War
⚔️ How 9/11 reshaped U.S. military operations
📑 The meaning of “catastrophic success” in war
🚚 The massive logistical challenge...
In this episode of Why Wars Happened, we sit down with bestselling author Jeff Shaara to bring the Cuban Missile Crisis to life. From the Bay of Pigs to Operation Mongoose, Shaara explores how JFK and Khrushchev took the world to the edge of nuclear war.
👉 What you’ll learn:
🕵️ CIA failures at the Bay of Pigs
☢️ The missile standoff that nearly ended in nuclear war
👨💼 Leadership under pressure: Eisenhower vs. Kennedy
🇷🇺 The Sovie...
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