Episode 20: Reagan vs. Kennedy
Age of Confusion
With the fate of the world hanging in the balance, the 1972 Presidential election comes down to an epic duel between two charismatic politicians.
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Episode 19: Come to Jesus
Age of Confusion
An explosive political showdown begins for the 1972 Republican Presidential nomination, as the sharks circle to finish off George Romney's wounded administration.
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Episode 18: The Atlanta Doctor
Age of Confusion
Lawrence McEnery, an Atlanta physician and activist in the John Birch Society, begins his meteoric political career after a chance meeting with Ronald Reagan in 1968.
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Episode 17: Summit
Age of Confusion
President Romney tries to come to terms with the Soviets in a high-stakes summit meeting with Shelepin. Are the Russians sincere, or is it another trick?
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Episode 16: War Scare
Age of Confusion
The Soviets make an all-out bid to take over West Berlin, pushing the world closer to the brink of nuclear war than it has ever been before.
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Bonus Episode: Mid-Season 2 Recap and Explainer
Age of Confusion
Here is a recap of Episodes 11-15 and some commentary on the real history that it's based on.
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Episode 15: China Bleeds Red
Age of Confusion
In 1966, Communist China undergoes a political and cultural upheaval as the aging Mao Zedong seeks to ensure his continued relevance, with disastrous results.
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Episode 14: The New Purges
Age of Confusion
Following the example of his mentor Stalin, new Soviet leader Alexander Shelepin ruthlessly purges the Russian government, military and Communist Party.
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Episode 13: Age of Aquarius
Age of Confusion
The worlds of music, pop culture and religion in America undergo profound changes in the transition from the hopeful 1960s to the cynical '70s.
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Episode 12: Blood in the Sand
Age of Confusion
The Middle East erupts in violence between Israel and the Arab states, setting up a tense confrontation between the Cold War superpowers.
info_outlineOutbreaks of racial violence in the summer of 1965 force a further evolution of the civil rights movement as the African-American liberation struggle reaches a crucial phase. President Kennedy, realizing that civil rights must be his legacy, increasingly begins to view the ongoing war in Vietnam as a distraction he can no longer afford--but ending the conflict proves more difficult than anyone anticipated. In the summer of 1966, Kennedy suffers a terrible personal tragedy that crystallizes his priorities for the remainder of his term in the White House.
Content Warning: this episode contains a brief discussion of racially-motivated violence.
Length: 27:23
Next Episode: May 23, 2021