History Shorts

Dive into the past with award-winning historian Peter Zablocki in this captivating daily podcast! Uncover hidden stories you never knew existed. And don't miss Friday Conversations where Peter teams up with top experts for riveting, in-depth discussions that bring history to life.

Grover Cleveland's Secret Surgery 09/06/2025

Grover Cleveland's Secret Surgery In 1893, amid a severe economic depression, President Grover Cleveland secretly underwent surgery aboard a yacht to remove a cancerous tumor from his mouth, a procedure kept hidden from the public to avoid further destabilizing confidence in the U.S. economy. This unprecedented secrecy, involving a team of physicians and an anesthetized Cleveland under the cover of night, remains one of the most remarkable examples of presidential discretion in American history. DON’T FORGET TO SUBSCRIBE AND LEAVE A RATING OR A REVIEW! THANK YOU IN ADVANCE! SUPPORT THE SHOW: ADVERTISE: LEARN MORE: SPONSORED BY: /episode/index/show/2c68e044-1b71-48bf-a5c5-2792f5a14f4c/id/37950720

Conversations: Revisiting the Last Year of the American Civil War, w/ Scott Ellsworth 09/05/2025

Conversations: Revisiting the Last Year of the American Civil War, w/ Scott Ellsworth In this captivating episode, we sit down with historian Scott Ellsworth to discuss his latest book, Midnight on the Potomac: The Last Year of the Civil War, the Lincoln Assassination, and the Rebirth of America. Ellsworth offers a fresh perspective on the Civil War’s final year, revealing new insights into John Wilkes Booth’s collaboration with the Confederate Secret Service, the pivotal roles of marginalized figures, and the profound political and social transformations that shaped America’s rebirth. BUY ELLSWORTH'S BOOKS DON’T FORGET TO SUBSCRIBE AND LEAVE A RATING OR A REVIEW! THANK YOU IN ADVANCE! SUPPORT THE SHOW: ADVERTISE: LEARN MORE: SPONSORED BY THE COLLECTOR: THIS WEEK'S THE COLLECTOR.COM'S ARTICLE SELECTION: /episode/index/show/2c68e044-1b71-48bf-a5c5-2792f5a14f4c/id/37621410

Ghiberti vs. Brunelleschi 09/04/2025

Ghiberti vs. Brunelleschi The Florentine Renaissance saw two of its greatest minds, Lorenzo Ghiberti and Filippo Brunelleschi, locked in a fierce competition: Ghiberti ultimately won the commission for the elaborate bronze doors of the Baptistery with his exquisite relief work, while Brunelleschi went on to revolutionize architecture by engineering the massive, self-supporting dome of the Florence Cathedral. Their rivalry not only highlighted their extraordinary talents but also set a benchmark for artistic and engineering innovation that defined the era. DON’T FORGET TO SUBSCRIBE AND LEAVE A RATING OR A REVIEW! THANK YOU IN ADVANCE! SUPPORT THE SHOW: ADVERTISE: LEARN MORE: SPONSORED BY: /episode/index/show/2c68e044-1b71-48bf-a5c5-2792f5a14f4c/id/37950695

Mystery of Evita's Corpse 09/03/2025

Mystery of Evita's Corpse ADVERTISE: LEARN MORE: SPONSORED BY: /episode/index/show/2c68e044-1b71-48bf-a5c5-2792f5a14f4c/id/37950635

History of Concubines 09/02/2025

History of Concubines Throughout history, concubines, women who lived with men without the legal status of wives, played complex roles in societies from Imperial China to the Ottoman Empire, often wielding influence behind the scenes while navigating rigid social hierarchies. Their lives reflected a mix of power, vulnerability, and political intrigue, shaping dynastic successions, court politics, and cultural norms in ways both subtle and profound. DON’T FORGET TO SUBSCRIBE AND LEAVE A RATING OR A REVIEW! THANK YOU IN ADVANCE! SUPPORT THE SHOW: ADVERTISE: LEARN MORE: SPONSORED BY: /episode/index/show/2c68e044-1b71-48bf-a5c5-2792f5a14f4c/id/37950590

Operation Unthinkable 09/01/2025

Operation Unthinkable Operation Unthinkable was a top-secret 1945 British plan, drafted by Winston Churchill, to potentially launch a surprise attack against the Soviet Union after World War II, aiming to push the Red Army back and force more favorable postwar terms in Europe. Though it never advanced beyond the planning stage, the operation revealed deep Western anxieties about Soviet intentions and the fragile alliance that had defeated Nazi Germany. DON’T FORGET TO SUBSCRIBE AND LEAVE A RATING OR A REVIEW! THANK YOU IN ADVANCE! SUPPORT THE SHOW: ADVERTISE: LEARN MORE: SPONSORED BY: /episode/index/show/2c68e044-1b71-48bf-a5c5-2792f5a14f4c/id/37950560

The Lioness Program 08/31/2025

The Lioness Program In this episode, we explore the Lioness Program - an elite initiative where female soldiers patrolled Iraq and Afghanistan to engage with local women and communities in ways male soldiers could not. Hear their stories of courage, cultural challenges, and the critical role they played in modern military operations. DON’T FORGET TO SUBSCRIBE AND LEAVE A RATING OR A REVIEW! THANK YOU IN ADVANCE! SUPPORT THE SHOW: ADVERTISE: LEARN MORE: SPONSORED BY: /episode/index/show/2c68e044-1b71-48bf-a5c5-2792f5a14f4c/id/37881675

Truman Resurrects Hoover 08/30/2025

Truman Resurrects Hoover In this episode, we explore the unexpected friendship between Harry Truman and Herbert Hoover, detailing how Truman turned to the politically fallen Hoover to tackle postwar challenges, highlighting a story of collaboration, mutual respect, and the pragmatic side of leadership. DON’T FORGET TO SUBSCRIBE AND LEAVE A RATING OR A REVIEW! THANK YOU IN ADVANCE! SUPPORT THE SHOW: ADVERTISE: LEARN MORE: SPONSORED BY: /episode/index/show/2c68e044-1b71-48bf-a5c5-2792f5a14f4c/id/37881645

Conversations: Triumph, Tragedy & the Shaping of the American West, w/ Paul A. Hutton 08/29/2025

Conversations: Triumph, Tragedy & the Shaping of the American West, w/ Paul A. Hutton What really shaped the American West? In this gripping episode, we sit down with award-winning historian and author Paul Andrew Hutton to explore his powerful new book, The Undiscovered Country: Triumph, Tragedy, and the Shaping of the American West. A sweeping, deeply human retelling of western expansion, Hutton challenges the myths we’ve inherited and dives into the brutal realities behind Manifest Destiny. From the clash of empires to the broken promises of reconstruction and the resilience of Native resistance, Hutton's latest work weaves together biography, politics, and frontier drama into a spellbinding new narrative. Join us as we discuss: Why the idea of the West is still so central to America’s identity The lesser-known stories of Native resistance, survival, and agency How figures like Kit Carson, John Fremont, and Ulysses S. Grant shaped—and were shaped by—the frontier The moral contradictions of “progress” and the cost of American expansion DON’T FORGET TO SUBSCRIBE AND LEAVE A RATING OR A REVIEW! THANK YOU IN ADVANCE! SPONSORED BY THE PODCAST REPUBLIC: LEARN MORE AT: SUPPORT THE SHOW: ADVERTISE: SUPPORT THE SHOW: LEARN MORE: /episode/index/show/2c68e044-1b71-48bf-a5c5-2792f5a14f4c/id/37525135

The Gaspee Affair of 1772 08/28/2025

The Gaspee Affair of 1772 In this episode, we explore the Gaspee Affair of 1772, a bold act of colonial resistance when Rhode Island patriots attacked and burned the British customs ship Gaspee. Uncover the tension, daring, and political repercussions that helped ignite the flames of the American Revolution. DON’T FORGET TO SUBSCRIBE AND LEAVE A RATING OR A REVIEW! THANK YOU IN ADVANCE! SUPPORT THE SHOW: ADVERTISE: LEARN MORE: SPONSORED BY: /episode/index/show/2c68e044-1b71-48bf-a5c5-2792f5a14f4c/id/37881620

Codex Gigas - The Devil's Bible 08/27/2025

Codex Gigas - The Devil's Bible In this episode, we delve into the Codex Gigas, the medieval manuscript shrouded in legend and superstition. Discover its colossal size, the infamous Devil illustration, and the mysterious writings that have captivated scholars and mystics for centuries. DON’T FORGET TO SUBSCRIBE AND LEAVE A RATING OR A REVIEW! THANK YOU IN ADVANCE! SUPPORT THE SHOW: ADVERTISE: LEARN MORE: SPONSORED BY: /episode/index/show/2c68e044-1b71-48bf-a5c5-2792f5a14f4c/id/37881605

German Revolution of 1918 08/26/2025

German Revolution of 1918 In this episode, we explore Germany’s 1918-1919 Revolution, a turbulent period when Communist revolutionaries sought to seize power amid the collapse of the Kaiserreich. Discover the clashes, political intrigue, and social upheaval that shaped the Weimar Republic and left a lasting mark on German history. DON’T FORGET TO SUBSCRIBE AND LEAVE A RATING OR A REVIEW! THANK YOU IN ADVANCE! SUPPORT THE SHOW: ADVERTISE: LEARN MORE: SPONSORED BY: /episode/index/show/2c68e044-1b71-48bf-a5c5-2792f5a14f4c/id/37881590

Socrates the Warrior 08/25/2025

Socrates the Warrior In this episode, we uncover Socrates’ military career, examining how his time as a hoplite in the Peloponnesian War influenced his philosophy, honed his courage, and shaped the ethical convictions that would define his legacy. Explore the battlefield wisdom of history’s greatest thinker. DON’T FORGET TO SUBSCRIBE AND LEAVE A RATING OR A REVIEW! THANK YOU IN ADVANCE! SUPPORT THE SHOW: ADVERTISE: LEARN MORE: SPONSORED BY: /episode/index/show/2c68e044-1b71-48bf-a5c5-2792f5a14f4c/id/37881560

Native American Scouts of the Civil War 08/24/2025

Native American Scouts of the Civil War During the Civil War, thousands of Native Americans served as scouts, guides, and soldiers, navigating the complex loyalties of tribes split between the Union and Confederacy. Many fought to protect homelands, secure promises of sovereignty, or gain advantage over rivals, while others were drawn in by broken treaties or political pressure. DON’T FORGET TO SUBSCRIBE AND LEAVE A RATING OR A REVIEW! THANK YOU IN ADVANCE! SUPPORT THE SHOW: ADVERTISE: LEARN MORE: EPISODE SPONSOR: /episode/index/show/2c68e044-1b71-48bf-a5c5-2792f5a14f4c/id/37778620

Justinian's Quest to Unify the Roman Empire 08/23/2025

Justinian's Quest to Unify the Roman Empire In the sixth century, Emperor Justinian I of the Eastern Roman Empire sought to restore the Roman world, with Rome itself as his ultimate prize. Beginning in 533 CE with the swift reconquest of the Vandal Kingdom in North Africa, Justinian unleashed his brilliant general Belisarius on the Ostrogoth-controlled Italian Peninsula. After taking Sicily and Naples, Belisarius entered an undefended Rome in 536, only to face a massive year-long Gothic siege that he repelled through ingenuity and discipline. The wider Gothic War dragged on for years, culminating in Belisarius’s capture of Ravenna in 540 and the brief illusion of total victory. DON’T FORGET TO SUBSCRIBE AND LEAVE A RATING OR A REVIEW! THANK YOU IN ADVANCE! SUPPORT THE SHOW: ADVERTISE: LEARN MORE: EPIOSODE SPONSOR: /episode/index/show/2c68e044-1b71-48bf-a5c5-2792f5a14f4c/id/37778560

Conversations: The Marine "Bastard" Battalion, w/ Gregg Zoroya 08/22/2025

Conversations: The Marine "Bastard" Battalion, w/ Gregg Zoroya In this powerful episode, we’re joined by award-winning journalist and author Gregg Zoroya to discuss his gripping new book, Unremitting: The Marine "Bastard" Battalion and the Savage Battle That Marked the True Start of America’s War in Iraq. This is the untold story of 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines, known as the “Magnificent Bastards,” and the brutal, underrecognized battle they fought in Ramadi in April 2004. While Fallujah would come to dominate headlines, it was in Ramadi—just days earlier—that the insurgency launched its full fury. DON’T FORGET TO SUBSCRIBE AND LEAVE A RATING OR A REVIEW! THANK YOU IN ADVANCE! SPONSORED BY THE COLLECTOR: LEARN MORE AT: SUPPORT THE SHOW: ADVERTISE: SUPPORT THE SHOW: LEARN MORE: THIS WEEK'S THE COLLECTOR ARTICLE SELECTION /episode/index/show/2c68e044-1b71-48bf-a5c5-2792f5a14f4c/id/37417410

Stealing the Superfortress 08/21/2025

Stealing the Superfortress When three gleaming American B-29 Superfortresses made emergency landings in Soviet-held territory in 1944, it set in motion one of the most audacious acts of Cold War-era technological theft the world had ever seen. The Boeing B-29, the giant four-engine heavy bomber that carried the destructive promise of American airpower, was unlike anything the Soviets had in their arsenal. Stalin, paranoid as ever and obsessed with catching up to American military technology, immediately saw an opportunity that could not be wasted, and ordered his aviation industry to seize the aircraft, dissect them meticulously, and produce exact copies, down to the rivets. DON’T FORGET TO SUBSCRIBE AND LEAVE A RATING OR A REVIEW! THANK YOU IN ADVANCE! SUPPORT THE SHOW: ADVERTISE: LEARN MORE: EPISODE SPONSOR: /episode/index/show/2c68e044-1b71-48bf-a5c5-2792f5a14f4c/id/37778495

Adding 'God' to the Pledge of Allegiance 08/20/2025

Adding 'God' to the Pledge of Allegiance The phrase “under God” was not part of the original Pledge of Allegiance written by Francis Bellamy in 1892, but was added in 1954 amid Cold War tensions as a symbolic stand against “godless communism.” Spurred initially by the Knights of Columbus and later galvanized by a sermon heard by President Dwight D. Eisenhower, Congress quickly passed and Eisenhower signed the amendment on Flag Day, framing it as a reaffirmation of America’s spiritual unity. DON’T FORGET TO SUBSCRIBE AND LEAVE A RATING OR A REVIEW! THANK YOU IN ADVANCE! SUPPORT THE SHOW: ADVERTISE: LEARN MORE: EPISODE SPONSOR: /episode/index/show/2c68e044-1b71-48bf-a5c5-2792f5a14f4c/id/37778675

History of the G-Men 08/19/2025

History of the G-Men The story of the G-Men begins in an era when America had no permanent federal detective force, relying instead on private agencies like the Pinkertons. Reformers pushed for an in-house corps, and in 1908 Attorney General Charles Bonaparte quietly created the Bureau of Investigation. Initially small and unarmed, its agents pursued cases like antitrust violations and land fraud, but World War I and the Red Scare expanded its reach. Scandals in the early 1920s brought in a young J. Edgar Hoover, who professionalized and modernized the Bureau. The rest, as they say, is history DON’T FORGET TO SUBSCRIBE AND LEAVE A RATING OR A REVIEW! THANK YOU IN ADVANCE! SUPPORT THE SHOW: ADVERTISE: LEARN MORE: EPISODE SPONSOR: /episode/index/show/2c68e044-1b71-48bf-a5c5-2792f5a14f4c/id/37778720

The Search for 'Little Albert' 08/18/2025

The Search for 'Little Albert' In 1919–1920, Johns Hopkins psychologist John B. Watson conducted the now-infamous “Little Albert” experiment to show that fear could be conditioned in humans, pairing a loud noise with a white rat until the infant subject, nicknamed Albert, reacted with distress to the rat and other furry objects. While the study became a classic example in psychology textbooks, it was deeply flawed: it involved only one child, lacked proper controls, and offered no deconditioning to reverse the fear. More importantly, Albert’s identity remained a mystery for decades - or, not. DON’T FORGET TO SUBSCRIBE AND LEAVE A RATING OR A REVIEW! THANK YOU IN ADVANCE! SUPPORT THE SHOW: ADVERTISE: LEARN MORE: EPISODE SPONSOR: /episode/index/show/2c68e044-1b71-48bf-a5c5-2792f5a14f4c/id/37778760

Conversations: The Warsaw Ghetto & the Holocaust, w/ Katarzyna Person 08/17/2025

Conversations: The Warsaw Ghetto & the Holocaust, w/ Katarzyna Person In this powerful and deeply human episode of History Shorts, historian Dr. Katarzyna Person, Director of the upcoming Warsaw Ghetto Museum and author of The Hour of Revenge, joins the show to explore some of the most haunting, silenced, and complex chapters of Holocaust history. From her lifelong work on the Ringelblum Archive, a secret collection of documents buried beneath the ruins of the Warsaw Ghetto, to her research on Jewish honor courts, revenge, and survival in the post-war years, Dr. Person unpacks what it means to write history from inside moral catastrophe. Together, we discuss memory, justice, trauma, motherhood, and the role of historians in confronting historical truths many have long avoided. DON’T FORGET TO SUBSCRIBE AND LEAVE A RATING OR A REVIEW! THANK YOU IN ADVANCE! LEARN MORE AT: SUPPORT THE SHOW: ADVERTISE: SUPPORT THE SHOW: LEARN MORE: EPISODE SPONSOR: THIS WEEK'S THE COLLECTOR.COM'S ARTICLE SELECTION: /episode/index/show/2c68e044-1b71-48bf-a5c5-2792f5a14f4c/id/37294790

Andrew Jackson Arms His Slaves 08/16/2025

Andrew Jackson Arms His Slaves In 1811, Andrew Jackson, traveling with enslaved men along the Natchez Trace, confronted a challenge to his authority when a Native agent demanded proof of ownership for his slaves. In a dramatic response, Jackson armed his enslaved people and used them as a display of control to overpower the agent, emphasizing his belief in absolute power, while highlighting the complex and violent dynamics of slavery in the frontier South. DON’T FORGET TO SUBSCRIBE AND LEAVE A RATING OR A REVIEW! THANK YOU IN ADVANCE! SPONSORED BY THE PODCAST REPUBLIC: LEARN MORE AT: SUPPORT THE SHOW: ADVERTISE: SUPPORT THE SHOW: LEARN MORE: /episode/index/show/2c68e044-1b71-48bf-a5c5-2792f5a14f4c/id/37562990

Conversations: Why the Scopes Trial Still Matters Today, w/ Brenda Wineapple 08/15/2025

Conversations: Why the Scopes Trial Still Matters Today, w/ Brenda Wineapple In this episode, we sit down with Brenda Wineapple, acclaimed historian and author of The Impeachers and Ecstatic Nation, to discuss her latest work: Keeping the Faith: God, Democracy, and the Trial That Riveted a Nation. At the center of this riveting new book is the Scopes “Monkey” Trial of 1925, where a Dayton, Tennessee courtroom became the stage for a dramatic clash between science and religion, modernism and fundamentalism, and democracy and mob rule. Wineapple brings to life the drama, the contradictions, and the enduring stakes of the trial that pitted Clarence Darrow against William Jennings Bryan, turning what was supposed to be a test case into a national spectacle. But she also peels back the mythology to show how much more was at play: race, power, populism, and the meaning of American identity. We explore what the trial tells us not just about the 1920s, but about our own age of cultural division and constitutional conflict. Is the fight over what we teach in schools ever really about education? And what does it mean to “keep the faith” in a pluralistic democracy? DON’T FORGET TO SUBSCRIBE AND LEAVE A RATING OR A REVIEW! THANK YOU IN ADVANCE! SPONSORED BY THE PODCAST REPUBLIC: LEARN MORE AT: SUPPORT THE SHOW: ADVERTISE: SUPPORT THE SHOW: LEARN MORE: /episode/index/show/2c68e044-1b71-48bf-a5c5-2792f5a14f4c/id/37417080

The RMS Titanic Prophecy 08/14/2025

The RMS Titanic Prophecy In 1898, American author Morgan Robertson penned a novella titled Futility: Or the Wreck of the Titan. The plot centered around an enormous, luxurious ocean liner named the Titan that strikes an iceberg in the North Atlantic and sinks, killing hundreds of passengers due to an inadequate number of lifeboats. When the Titanic met its tragic end in April 1912, striking an iceberg, sinking in eerily similar conditions, and killing over 1,500 passengers, many readers and historians alike were stunned by the similarities. DON’T FORGET TO SUBSCRIBE AND LEAVE A RATING OR A REVIEW! THANK YOU IN ADVANCE! SPONSORED BY THE PODCAST REPUBLIC: LEARN MORE AT: SUPPORT THE SHOW: ADVERTISE: SUPPORT THE SHOW: LEARN MORE: /episode/index/show/2c68e044-1b71-48bf-a5c5-2792f5a14f4c/id/37562980

The Failed Lincoln Assassinations 08/13/2025

The Failed Lincoln Assassinations Apart from the bullet that claimed his life in April of 1865, at least two other times during his life, Lincoln found himself the target of gunfire. Though these earlier incidents did not result in death or even injury, they foreshadowed the dangers he would face as a president presiding over a divided and combustible nation. These lesser-known episodes of near assassination paint a fuller picture of a man who, long before martyrdom, walked with death on his heels. DON’T FORGET TO SUBSCRIBE AND LEAVE A RATING OR A REVIEW! THANK YOU IN ADVANCE! SPONSORED BY THE PODCAST REPUBLIC: LEARN MORE AT: SUPPORT THE SHOW: ADVERTISE: SUPPORT THE SHOW: LEARN MORE: /episode/index/show/2c68e044-1b71-48bf-a5c5-2792f5a14f4c/id/37524115

Sex, STDs, and the Lewis & Clark Expedition 08/12/2025

Sex, STDs, and the Lewis & Clark Expedition The epic journey of Meriwether Lewis and William Clark across the uncharted American West has long been celebrated as one of the most remarkable feats of exploration in U.S. history. But beneath the heroic narrative of adventure and scientific discovery lies a more uncomfortable, yet historically vital reality: venereal disease—particularly syphilis—was a constant and deeply disruptive problem for the men of the expedition. It was a hidden affliction that not only shaped individual fates but also reflected the broader medical, social, and sexual dynamics of early 19th-century America. DON’T FORGET TO SUBSCRIBE AND LEAVE A RATING OR A REVIEW! THANK YOU IN ADVANCE! SPONSORED BY THE PODCAST REPUBLIC: LEARN MORE AT: SUPPORT THE SHOW: ADVERTISE: SUPPORT THE SHOW: LEARN MORE: /episode/index/show/2c68e044-1b71-48bf-a5c5-2792f5a14f4c/id/37523815

Circuit Judges of the American West 08/11/2025

Circuit Judges of the American West The frontier was a land of promise and peril, wide, unsettled, and often lawless. In this space between civilization and wilderness, one figure became both symbol and servant of order: the circuit judge. Mounted on horseback and armed with little more than a Bible, a law book, and an unshakable belief in justice, these roving magistrates brought the authority of the courts to some of the most remote corners of early America. DON’T FORGET TO SUBSCRIBE AND LEAVE A RATING OR A REVIEW! THANK YOU IN ADVANCE! SPONSORED BY THE PODCAST REPUBLIC: LEARN MORE AT: SUPPORT THE SHOW: ADVERTISE: SUPPORT THE SHOW: LEARN MORE: /episode/index/show/2c68e044-1b71-48bf-a5c5-2792f5a14f4c/id/37521395

Conversations: Was Charles Sumner the most important Civil Rights Leader of the 19th Century, w/ Zaakir Tameez 08/10/2025

Conversations: Was Charles Sumner the most important Civil Rights Leader of the 19th Century, w/ Zaakir Tameez In this compelling episode of History Shorts, we’re joined by scholar and author Zaakir Tameez to discuss his new book, Charles Sumner: The Conscience of a Nation. Tameez sheds new light on the life and legacy of one of America’s most uncompromising abolitionists and moral voices during the 19th century, a man whose fierce opposition to slavery, eloquent speeches, and refusal to compromise would leave a permanent mark on American democracy. From the infamous caning on the Senate floor to his complex relationships with Lincoln and Reconstruction, Tameez repositions Sumner not just as a historical figure but as a moral force whose vision of equality still echoes today. DON’T FORGET TO SUBSCRIBE AND LEAVE A RATING OR A REVIEW! THANK YOU IN ADVANCE! ADVERTISE: SUPPORT THE SHOW: LEARN MORE: BUY ZAAKIR'S BOOK: EPISODE SPONSOR: THIS WEEK'S THE COLLECTOR.COM'S ARTICLE SELECTION: /episode/index/show/2c68e044-1b71-48bf-a5c5-2792f5a14f4c/id/37294870

Lincoln's Forgotten Vice President 08/09/2025

Lincoln's Forgotten Vice President In 1860, as the nation teetered on the brink of civil war, the Republican Party crafted a ticket designed to bridge the divides of a fractured Union. Abraham Lincoln, a self‑taught prairie lawyer from Illinois, needed balance, someone seasoned, staunchly anti‑slavery, and from the East. The choice was not the man that you likely remember that became the president after Lincoln’s assassination, that was the second term vice president. I am talking about Hannibal Hamlin, a former Jacksonian Democrat turned radical abolitionist from Maine. Though relatively unknown to the public, Hamlin brought moral clarity and political weight to the ticket. DON’T FORGET TO SUBSCRIBE AND LEAVE A RATING OR A REVIEW! THANK YOU IN ADVANCE! SPONSORED BY THE PODCAST REPUBLIC: LEARN MORE AT: SUPPORT THE SHOW: ADVERTISE: SUPPORT THE SHOW: LEARN MORE: /episode/index/show/2c68e044-1b71-48bf-a5c5-2792f5a14f4c/id/37510535

Conversations: The American women who flew in World War II, w/ Becky Aikman 08/08/2025

Conversations: The American women who flew in World War II, w/ Becky Aikman Before America officially entered World War II, a group of daring young American women made history, only to be forgotten by it. In this episode, author Becky Aikman joins History Shorts to discuss her groundbreaking new book, Spitfires: The American Women Pilots Who Flew for Britain in World War II. Aikman takes us behind the scenes of her five-year journey uncovering the thrilling, heartbreaking, and near-unbelievable stories of the 25 American women who joined Britain’s Air Transport Auxiliary, flying combat aircraft across war zones—before they were even allowed to do so in their own country. DON’T FORGET TO SUBSCRIBE AND LEAVE A RATING OR A REVIEW! THANK YOU IN ADVANCE! ADVERTISE: SUPPORT THE SHOW: LEARN MORE: BUY BECKY'S BOOK: EPISODE SPONSOR: THIS WEEK'S THE COLLECTOR.COM'S ARTICLE SELECTION: /episode/index/show/2c68e044-1b71-48bf-a5c5-2792f5a14f4c/id/37294760

History Shorts

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