Conversations: How We Almost Lost the Revolutionary War, w/ Rick Atkinson
Release Date: 06/06/2025
TODAY IN CONTEXT: History of D-Day Celebrations
History Shorts
June 6, 1944—D-Day—marked the beginning of the end of World War II. But the way America remembers that day has changed dramatically over the decades. In this episode, we trace the powerful evolution of D-Day commemorations in the U.S., from the quiet mourning of the 1940s to the sweeping presidential tributes of the modern era. You’ll hear how war fatigue, Hollywood films, Cold War politics, and generational storytelling shaped the nation’s shifting memory of this pivotal moment. From Reagan’s famous speech at Pointe du Hoc to virtual memorials in the digital age, we explore how...
info_outline
Conversations: How We Almost Lost the Revolutionary War, w/ Rick Atkinson
History Shorts
In this riveting episode of History Shorts, host Peter Zablocki welcomes one of America's most celebrated historians, Rick Atkinson, to discuss the second installment of his Revolutionary War trilogy: The Fate of Day. Together, they explore the pivotal years of 1777 to 1780, a period that saw both near-collapse and unexpected momentum for the American cause. Atkinson shares insights into the decisive Battles of Saratoga, the harrowing winter at Valley Forge, and the shifting loyalties in a war that was as much a civil war as it was a war for independence. Highlights & Takeaways: How...
info_outline
Reagan's Joke that Bombed
History Shorts
In this gripping episode of History Shorts, we unravel the story behind one of the most dangerous jokes in modern political history, President Ronald Reagan’s infamous quip during a 1984 radio mic check: “My fellow Americans, I’m pleased to tell you today that I’ve signed legislation that will outlaw Russia forever. We begin bombing in five minutes.” It was meant to be a joke. But in the middle of the Cold War, with tensions between the U.S. and the Soviet Union running dangerously high, the fallout was anything but funny. From international panic to Soviet military alerts, this...
info_outline
Playboy Bunnies and Operation Babylift
History Shorts
In the chaotic final days of the Vietnam War, as Saigon teetered on collapse, the U.S. launched Operation Babylift, a dramatic and deeply emotional effort to evacuate thousands of Vietnamese orphans to adoptive homes abroad. But behind the imagery of crying infants and overloaded aircraft lies a complex, ethically fraught story. And somehow, Playboy Bunnies and Hugh Hefner’s luxury jet were right in the middle of it. In this episode of History Shorts, we unravel one of the war’s strangest and most controversial chapters, where humanitarian impulse, Cold War urgency, celebrity culture,...
info_outline
The "Other" Great Depressions
History Shorts
The 1929 stock market crash is burned into America’s memory, but it wasn’t the first economic catastrophe that rocked the United States! In this episode of History Shorts, we uncover the forgotten depressions and recessions that rocked the United States before and after the Great Depression. From the Panic of 1837 to the Long Depression of the 1870s, we explore how each economic collapse shaped public trust, national policy, and the role of government. What caused these downturns? How did Americans respond—and what lessons did we learn (or ignore)? Why did only the 1930s crisis embed...
info_outline
Hamilton Jr. Battles Burr in Court
History Shorts
Long after the fatal duel at Weehawken, the names Hamilton and Burr would meet again, this time, not on a dueling ground, but in a courtroom. In this episode of History Shorts, we unravel the astonishing legal battle between Alexander Hamilton Jr., son of the slain Founding Father, and Aaron Burr, the man who killed him. At the heart of the story is Eliza Jumel, a woman of ambition and wealth who married Burr late in life, and quickly came to regret it. When Burr’s financial schemes came to light, she hired Hamilton Jr. as her divorce attorney, setting the stage for a surreal and...
info_outline
Schism: Catholic vs. Orthodox Christianity
History Shorts
The Great Divide That Still Shapes Christianity Today In 1054, Christianity officially split in two. But what really caused the Great Schism - and why does it still matter? In this episode, we unpack the deep political, theological, and cultural rifts that separated the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches forever. - Why did Rome and Constantinople drift apart for centuries? - What role did excommunications, language, and papal power play? - Could this ancient fracture ever be healed? “It wasn’t one event - it was a thousand cracks that finally gave way.” DON’T FORGET TO...
info_outline
Unsolved: Did Hitler Kill His Niece?
History Shorts
The Mystery of Geli Raubal - and the Woman Who Knew Too Much In 1931, Adolf Hitler’s young niece, Geli Raubal, was found dead in his Munich apartment. Officially ruled a suicide, her death has remained one of the darkest and most disturbing mysteries in Hitler’s early rise. - What was Geli’s relationship with her uncle, really? - Why did the Nazi Party go into full cover-up mode? - And what secrets might she have taken to the grave. “Before Eva Braun, there was Geli—and the story is far more sinister.” SUPPORT THE SHOW: LEARN MORE: READ THE NEWSLETTER: ...
info_outline
TODAY IN CONTEXT: The Grandson of a President Born in 1700s Just Died
History Shorts
In this episode of TODAY IN CONTEXT, we explore the astonishing life of Harrison Ruffin Tyler, born in 1928, and the grandson of President John Tyler, who served from 1841 to 1845. How is that possible? What did Harrison’s life look like, and how did he spend nearly a century carrying the legacy of a man born in the 18th century? From industrial entrepreneurship to Civil War site restoration, from Pocahontas lineage to a quiet death in 2025, Harrison Ruffin Tyler lived a life that quietly spanned American eras. Tune in for a powerful look at the man who linked us, by blood, to the founding...
info_outline
Conversations: A Forgotten Charge that Helped Win D-Day with James Donovan
History Shorts
D-Day stories often focus on Omaha Beach or paratroopers behind enemy lines. But few know the harrowing story of the La Fiere Bridge charge, a nearly suicidal mission carried out by the 82nd Airborne days after June 6. Historian and bestselling author James Donovan joins History Shorts to discuss his new book, Nothing But Courage, a gripping account of bravery, leadership, and sacrifice during one of WWII’s most overlooked turning points. In this episode, we explore: Why this mission has remained in the shadows of D-Day history The story of Charlie DeGlopper’s heroic stand and Medal of...
info_outlineIn this riveting episode of History Shorts, host Peter Zablocki welcomes one of America's most celebrated historians, Rick Atkinson, to discuss the second installment of his Revolutionary War trilogy: The Fate of Day. Together, they explore the pivotal years of 1777 to 1780, a period that saw both near-collapse and unexpected momentum for the American cause. Atkinson shares insights into the decisive Battles of Saratoga, the harrowing winter at Valley Forge, and the shifting loyalties in a war that was as much a civil war as it was a war for independence.
Highlights & Takeaways:
-
How Atkinson transitioned from journalism to narrative military history
-
Why the Battle of Saratoga marked a global turning point in the war
-
The underestimated fragility of Washington’s army at Valley Forge
-
The deeply divided American public and the loyalist dilemma
-
Surprising archival discoveries in Windsor Castle and Ann Arbor
-
Atkinson’s literary influences and writing discipline
SUBSCRIBE, LEAVE A REVIEW, OR A RATING!
LEARN MORE: www.historyshortspodcast.com
SUPPORT THE SHOW: https://www.patreon.com/c/HistoryShortsPodcast
MORE ABOUT RICK: https://rickatkinson.com/aboutrick/
EPISODE SPONSOR: https://www.thecollector.com/
This Week's Top Picks from The Collector: