15-Minute History
Walking in the footsteps of history, fifteen minutes at a time. Join us for a 15-minute episode covering a person, place, or event in history, and stay for an extended discussion. New episodes starting Monday, October 4, 2021, and bonus episodes throughout the break.
info_outline
What If? | The 1619 Project
09/13/2021
What If? | The 1619 Project
In August 2019, The New York Times commemorated the four hundred-year anniversary of the first black Africans arriving in the New World by launching a long-form journalism project called the 1619 Project. Developed by Nikole Hannah-Jones, the project was designed to shift the focus of American history away from the American Revolution and hone in on the experiences of black Americans both before and after the Civil War. The 1619 Project immediately attracted both praise and criticism from historians and pundits alike and became another partisan football in the ongoing culture war that rages in the United States. There isn't time to address the many controversies that arose from the project in this episode, though I expect Joe will ask me about several in our discussion. Instead, for this final "what if" bonus episode, I want to look at how American history might be changed if what the 1619 Project's authors believe was factually true—what our country might have done differently if, as Nikole Hannah-Jones and others believe, the United States of America was actually founded to protect slavery and promote white supremacy. What if, as the authors of the 1619 Project suggest, the United States was founded on oppression and slavery? Join us for our final episode in the "What if?" series as we explore this question. Season Five of 15-Minute History will begin on Monday, October 4.
/episode/index/show/15minutehistory/id/20450183
info_outline
What If? | A Discussion on The 1619 Project
09/13/2021
What If? | A Discussion on The 1619 Project
Join us as we discuss the final episode in our "What if?" series, "The 1619 Project".
/episode/index/show/15minutehistory/id/20450132
info_outline
What if? | Pizzaro & the Potato
08/30/2021
What if? | Pizzaro & the Potato
From 1531-1532, Pizzaro and his group conquered and destroyed the Inca Civilization. Climbing the Andes Mountains, they probably never questioned the ability of the Inca Empire to feed itself in the absence of cattle and wheat. That was, by most estimations, the farthest thing from the mind of the conqueror. Amongst the riches they stole and the mining they conducted, a resource emerged that McNeill believes would have altered history had it not been discovered and transplanted throughout the world. That discovery was the potato. What if Pizzaro hadn't brought the potato to Europe? Join us as we continue asking "What if", discuss what might have happened if the conquistador had left the potato behind in the ruins of his conquest, and how such a decision would have changed the world we know today.
/episode/index/show/15minutehistory/id/20302151
info_outline
What if? | A Discussion on Pizzaro & the Potato
08/30/2021
What if? | A Discussion on Pizzaro & the Potato
Join us as we discuss, "What if" | Pizzaro and the Potato.
/episode/index/show/15minutehistory/id/20302124
info_outline
What If? | The Immolation of Hernán Cortés
08/09/2021
What If? | The Immolation of Hernán Cortés
"Cortés and his men leapt across the breach in the causeway to pursue the fleeing Aztecs, only to see them turn and attack. Drawn into the trap, Cortés and sixty-eight other Spaniards were captured and dragged off, leaving scores of others dead on the road. Ten captives were killed immediately, and…the remaining fifty-eight were taken to the towering Great Temple, which could plainly be seen from the Spaniards' camp, made to dance before the statue of the Aztec god of war, Huitzilopochtli, and then, on by one, they were sacrificed…Cortés escaped this fate only through the intervention of Cristóbal de Olea, who sprang to his defense, killed the four Aztecs who were dragging him off, and freed his leader at the cost of his own life. The very conquest of Mexico hung on this single act." — Ross Hassig, "The Immolation of Hernán Cortés What if Cortés had died on the causeway or at any other point in his dangerous career? Join us as we continue asking "What if", speak to what might have happened if the conquistador had met his end at the hands of those he sought to conquer, and how our world might be different today.
/episode/index/show/15minutehistory/id/20072951
info_outline
What If? | A Discussion on The Immolation of Hernán Cortés
08/09/2021
What If? | A Discussion on The Immolation of Hernán Cortés
Join us as we discuss What If? | The Immolation of Hernán Cortés.
/episode/index/show/15minutehistory/id/20072975
info_outline
What If? | Victory at Harbin
07/26/2021
What If? | Victory at Harbin
General Marshall had arrived early in 1946 with orders from Harry Truman to build a coalition government that included both Communists and Nationalists in China. Mao Tse Tung eagerly accepted Marshall’s intervention, continuing his public relations campaign to depict the Chinese Communist Party as kinder and gentler than its Stalinist counterpart in Moscow. But Chiang, who had chafed at having to accept help from the Americans during the war with Japan, rejected Marshall’s interference and refused to compromise with Mao. Frustrated by the Nationalists’ intransigence, General Marshall delivered an ultimatum in June 1946: agree to a ceasefire in Manchuria and open negotiations with Mao, or the United States would cut off all military aid to Chiang’s forces in the field. The proud Nationalist leader accepted these terms at first, and when talks broke down he tried to resume the advance. But it was too late. America kept its word and ended military aid to Chiang’s government, and Mao had used the brief respite to rearm his men with Soviet weapons. Within two years, Chiang Kai-Shek’s forces had been driven off the mainland onto the island of Formosa, where they formed the Republic of China, while Mao Tse Tung ruled the victorious People’s Republic of China from Beijing. What if Chiang had ignored Marshall’s ultimatum entirely, taken the Harbin stronghold, and then negotiated directly with Mao from a position of strength? Join us as we continue asking "What if", examine the effects of what might of happened, and wonder what our world might be like today.
/episode/index/show/15minutehistory/id/19926029
info_outline
What If? | A Discussion on the Victory at Harbin
07/26/2021
What If? | A Discussion on the Victory at Harbin
Join us as we discuss What If? | Victory at Harbin.
/episode/index/show/15minutehistory/id/19926080
info_outline
What If? | A Lasting Peace at Tilsit
07/12/2021
What If? | A Lasting Peace at Tilsit
The raft floated in the midst of the River Niemen. On it were two beautiful pavilions, one for the Emperor of the French and the other for the Czar and Autocrat of All the Russias. In the French tent, Napoleon Bonaparte argued with his foreign minister, Charles-Maurice de Talleyrand, over how harsh the peace terms with the defeated Russians should be. Talleyrand, a servant of every revolutionary government since 1789, was a snake in silk stockings, but he knew foreign policy better than anyone else in the emperor’s entourage. He begged the emperor to treat Russia gently and put an end to fifteen years of war. But Napoleon, flush with the victory at Friedland earlier that year, was determined to humiliate Alexander I, and Talleyrand, ever the obedient servant in public, fell silent. What if Napoleon had heeded Talleyrand’s advice in 1807 and treated the Russians with more respect? What would our world look like today if history had taken a different course? In this series of bonus episodes on “15-Minute History,” Joe and I will be sharing some of our favorite “What If?” scenarios from this series with you. Building on the theme of Season Four, learning from history, we hope to provide some lessons on how individuals shape the destinies of large groups and entire nations.
/episode/index/show/15minutehistory/id/19775723
info_outline
What If? | A Discussion on a Lasting Peace at Tilsit
07/12/2021
What If? | A Discussion on a Lasting Peace at Tilsit
Join us as we discuss, What if? | The Lasting Peace at Tilst.
/episode/index/show/15minutehistory/id/19775762
info_outline
What We Left Behind | A Discussion on Season Four
04/26/2021
What We Left Behind | A Discussion on Season Four
Join us as we discuss Season Four of the 15-Minute History Podcast, ask each other questions we neglected throughout the season, and talk about Season Five and the bonus episodes you can expect during the break.
/episode/index/show/15minutehistory/id/18858212
info_outline
The Nuremberg Trials | "Say I Slew Them Not"
04/19/2021
The Nuremberg Trials | "Say I Slew Them Not"
Twenty-one men sat in the dock awaiting their fate. Once the leaders of Europe's mightiest nation who had strutted proudly across the world stage arrogantly proclaiming the supremacy of the Aryan race, their faces remained defiant as their empire lay in ruins outside. Some showed open contempt for the victors who now sat in judgment over them. Others sat quietly, their faces frozen and their eyes fixed forward. Some even looked surprised at having been charged with crimes against humanity, since they were "just following orders." Their leader, now dead, had commanded them to murder millions, and as good Germans, they had done just that. Now, with the world's most terrible war at an end, they would face justice. Join us as we teach you about the Nuremberg Trials, the monsters who faced justice, and the radicalism that corrupted an entire nation.
/episode/index/show/15minutehistory/id/18768839
info_outline
The Nuremburg Trials | A Discussion on "Say I Slew Them Not"
04/19/2021
The Nuremburg Trials | A Discussion on "Say I Slew Them Not"
Join us as we discuss the Nuremberg Trials, the monsters who faced justice, and the radicalism that corrupted an entire nation.
/episode/index/show/15minutehistory/id/18768767
info_outline
Pointe du Hoc | Scaling the Impossible
04/12/2021
Pointe du Hoc | Scaling the Impossible
The last landing was unique. It was a 100-foot cliff facing the English Channel, situated between Utah and Omaha beach. At the top of the cliff were 155mm guns with a range of 3.5 miles that could fire on both Utah and Omaha beaches and cause maximum casualties. The challenges facing these men were obvious, with the sheer rock face and no cover, and they would be easy targets for the Germans. In addition, the choppy sea and possible equipment and mechanical failures added to the dangers of combat. All factors, from combat conditions to topographical obstacles, made the objective almost impossible. The Germans believed that whatever the invasion would be, it couldn’t include Pointe Du Hoc. Join us as we teach you about the impossible landing at Pointe du Hoc, its role in Operation Overlord, and the story of the heroic Rangers who scaled and took the hill under direct enemy fire.
/episode/index/show/15minutehistory/id/18683750
info_outline
Pointe du Hoc | A Discussion on Scaling the Impossible
04/12/2021
Pointe du Hoc | A Discussion on Scaling the Impossible
Join us as we discuss the impossible landing at Pointe du Hoc, its role in Operation Overlord, and the story of the heroic Rangers who scaled and took the hill under direct enemy fire.
/episode/index/show/15minutehistory/id/18683660
info_outline
Winston Churchill, Part 2 | Fulfilling his Destiny
03/29/2021
Winston Churchill, Part 2 | Fulfilling his Destiny
In Great Britain calls for negotiations with Hitler were on the rise, with some leaders in the House of Commons outright promoting it. Churchill wouldn’t hear of it. “I have thought carefully in these last days whether it was part of my duty to consider entering into negotiations with That Man,” he said in an informal meeting with his Cabinet. “I am convinced that every man of you would rise up and tear me down from my place if I were for one moment to contemplate parley or surrender. If this long island story of ours is to end at last, let it end only when each of us lies choking in his own blood upon the ground.” Churchill would reiterate such sentiments in one of the most famous speeches in his career, given to the House of Commons after the evacuation of Dunkirk on June 6th. “Even though huge tracts of Europe and many old and famous states have fallen or may fall into the grip of the Gestapo and all the odious apparatus of Nazi rule, we shall not flag or fail. We shall go on to the end, we shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air. We shall defend our Island, whatever the cost may be. We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets. We shall never surrender.” Join us for part two of the life of Winston Churchill, from his taking of the Premiership to the leading of the English people through one of the darkest periods in history.
/episode/index/show/15minutehistory/id/18504860
info_outline
Winston Churchill, Part 2 | A Discussion on Fulfilling his Destiny
03/29/2021
Winston Churchill, Part 2 | A Discussion on Fulfilling his Destiny
Join us as we discuss part two of the life of Winston Churchill, from his taking of the Premiership to the leading of the English people through one of the darkest periods in history.
/episode/index/show/15minutehistory/id/18504827
info_outline
Winston Churchill, Part 1 | Preparing for Destiny
03/22/2021
Winston Churchill, Part 1 | Preparing for Destiny
As stated by Andrew Roberts in his book, Churchill: Walking with Destiny, "Before the new MP had even taken his seat, he had fought in four wars, published five books, written 215 newspaper and magazine articles, participated in the greatest cavalry charge in a half a century and made a spectacular escape from prison. ‘At twenty-five, he had fought in more continents than any soldier in his tour save Napoleon,’ a contemporary profile of him was to proclaim, ‘and seen as many campaigns as any living general.’” Join us for part one of two episodes on the life of Winston Churchill, from his childhood to becoming the Prime Minister of Great Britain.
/episode/index/show/15minutehistory/id/18413435
info_outline
Winston Churchill, Part 1 | A Discussion on Preparing for Destiny
03/22/2021
Winston Churchill, Part 1 | A Discussion on Preparing for Destiny
Join us for part one of two discussions on the life of Winston Churchill, from his childhood to becoming the Prime Minister of Great Britain.
/episode/index/show/15minutehistory/id/18413399
info_outline
"The Arms of Krupp" | The Dangers of Corporatism
03/15/2021
"The Arms of Krupp" | The Dangers of Corporatism
In 1814, as the empire of Napoleon Bonaparte crumbled from the onslaught of the Sixth Coalition powers, the people of Paris felt the ground shudder as cannon shells burst outside the city walls. A year later, the returned emperor's defeat at Waterloo had brought the Germans back to their beloved "City of Lights." In 1870, Paris was besieged by the armies of Kaiser Wilhelm I, and twice during the First World War, it seemed as though the jewel of France might fall into the hands of the great enemy across the Rhine. Each time, the guns of the Prussian armies made their way to the front from the great ironworks of Essen owned by the Krupps, the most powerful family in the German-speaking world after the royal House of Hohenzollern. The Krupp dynasty wielded its power not through the might of armies but the output of its industry. Joined at the hip with the rulers in Berlin, the arms of Krupp built the modern German state and empowered it to liberate a continent from French hegemony and then plunge the world into not one but two world wars. Join us as we teach you about the destructive history of the Krupp family, their empire, and the dangers of corporatism.
/episode/index/show/15minutehistory/id/18323585
info_outline
"The Arms of Krupp" | A Discussion on the Dangers of Corporatism
03/15/2021
"The Arms of Krupp" | A Discussion on the Dangers of Corporatism
Join us as we teach you about the destructive history of the Krupp family, their empire, and the dangers of corporatism.
/episode/index/show/15minutehistory/id/18323555
info_outline
The American Civil War, Part 2 | War is Hell
03/08/2021
The American Civil War, Part 2 | War is Hell
Around him lay the carnage of battle, men killed or nursing wounds. Smoke filled the air and burned the colonel's lungs. His depleted regiment had already repelled three attacks by rebels charging up the hill and was nearing the end of their strength. And yet the grey-coats kept coming. His superior's orders rang in his ears, "You must hold the line." Looking around, he thought to himself, "What more can we do?" Then it came to him, an order not often given in these days of modern war. Standing tall, he gave instructions to his battalion and company commanders, and then shouted a single word to those men still standing—"Bayonets!" Join us as we teach you about the end of the American Civil War, the failings of Reconstruction, and the long-term effects of this conflict on our nation's history.
/episode/index/show/15minutehistory/id/18223127
info_outline
The American Civil War, Part 2 | A Discussion on War is Hell
03/08/2021
The American Civil War, Part 2 | A Discussion on War is Hell
Join us as we discuss the end of the American Civil War, the failings of Reconstruction, and the long-term effects of this conflict on our nation's history.
/episode/index/show/15minutehistory/id/18223097
info_outline
The American Civil War, Part 1 | War is Glory
03/01/2021
The American Civil War, Part 1 | War is Glory
The streets of Washington buzzed with the news. Now seven states had seceded from the Union, and the country stood on the brink. The White House saw streams of officials entering and leaving as the president summoned the Cabinet and members of Congress to find a solution to the country's plight. Most believed that his inaction the previous December had led to this moment, while others pointed to the results of the election as the breaking point. Regardless of who was to blame, something had to be done. Federal troops in Fort Sumter were in a precarious position and calling for aid. A ship had been dispatched to resupply them but could not land its cargo because of fire from rebel batteries. As he sat in his office on the second floor of the White House, the President of the United States knew that he could not reunite the country. His term would end at noon the following day. His successor, whose election had precipitated the great crisis of the Union, would now have to solve it. Join us in the first of a two-part episode where we teach you about the American Civil War and its effect on our history. Access this transcript at www.15minutehistorypodcast.org and please leave us a review wherever you listen to this podcast.
/episode/index/show/15minutehistory/id/18134006
info_outline
The American Civil War, Part 1 | A Discussion on War is Glory
03/01/2021
The American Civil War, Part 1 | A Discussion on War is Glory
Join us as we discuss the beginnings of the American Civil War, the vile and evil institution of slavery, and the beginning of the bloody process by which it was finally brought to an end.
/episode/index/show/15minutehistory/id/18168353
info_outline
Thomas Crapper | A Brief History of Plumbing
02/22/2021
Thomas Crapper | A Brief History of Plumbing
The concept of moving water from one place to the other has been on the minds of humans since their creation. Conversely, the desire to move soiled water away automatically has – at times – been considered equally important. The means by which this could be done has evolved as civilizations have come and gone. In all of them, a basic pattern emerged in plumbing conception and construction: the path, the pipe, and the seal. Join us as we teach you a brief history of plumbing, its evolution through the ages, and the influence of Thomas Crapper on plumbing technology and sanitation practices. Access this transcript at www.15minutehistorypodcast.org and please leave us a review wherever you listen to this podcast.
/episode/index/show/15minutehistory/id/18033722
info_outline
Thomas Crapper | A Discussion on the Brief History of Plumbing
02/22/2021
Thomas Crapper | A Discussion on the Brief History of Plumbing
Join us as we discuss the history of plumbing, the influence of Thomas Crapper, and the legacy of the pipe, the path, and the seal.
/episode/index/show/15minutehistory/id/18033539
info_outline
Romanticism | From Enlightenment to Emotion
02/15/2021
Romanticism | From Enlightenment to Emotion
It is very common throughout history to see periods of great innovation and artistic expression follow times of great turmoil and death. The Napoleonic Wars (1803-1815) were some of the worst years in the history of Europe, and in their wake, many artists, writers, philosophers, and common people took stock of what they had just endured. Join us as we teach you about the age of Romanticism and its effect on culture, art, and the sciences. Access this transcript at www.15minutehistorypodcast.org and please leave us a review wherever you listen to this podcast.
/episode/index/show/15minutehistory/id/17948744
info_outline
Romanticism | A Discussion on Enlightenment to Emotion
02/15/2021
Romanticism | A Discussion on Enlightenment to Emotion
Join us as we discuss the age of Romanticism and its effect on culture, art, and the sciences.
/episode/index/show/15minutehistory/id/17948780
info_outline
The Rise and Fall of Napoleon Bonaparte | "The Enlightenment on Horseback"
12/21/2020
The Rise and Fall of Napoleon Bonaparte | "The Enlightenment on Horseback"
"At the turn of the 18th century, the greatest nations in Europe, separated by only 21 miles of water, offered two distinct ideologies that would shape the new century. In England, there was democratic, constitutional monarchy; in France, the cataclysm of revolution had dragged the absolute King from the throne and replaced him with the Mob. Out of the maelstrom emerged a military leader, Napoleon Bonaparte, commander of the revolutionary army, who went on to conquer Italy and Egypt before returning to Paris to proclaim himself Emperor. As Napoleon gained power in France, the world stood on the brink of total war. For out of the furnace of the Napoleonic Wars, the modern world was born." — Robert Harvey, The War of Wars, 2006 — Join us as we teach you about the rise and fall of Napoleon Bonaparte, his effect on France and Europe, and the enduring legacy of his reign and influence. Access this transcript at and please leave us a review wherever you listen to this podcast. It really does help!
/episode/index/show/15minutehistory/id/17272358