When Americans Became ‘Splendid Liberators’
Angry Planet20 Helmi

When Americans Became ‘Splendid Liberators’

America spent most of the 19th century at war with itself. It conquered its western expanse then collapsed into civil war. Once the North beat the South, partisan politics consumed the country for a generation. A string of assassinations, progressive firebrands, and civil service reforms burned people out on domestic politics and a bored and febrile nation began to search for meaning beyond its borders. It noticed the Spanish Empire was awfully close.


In Splendid Liberators, award winning journalist Joe Jackson chronicles the beginning of the American myth of the “good war.” He’s on the show today to talk to us about Teddy Roosevelt, Mark Twain, and a general who lay in state at the Alamo.


  • Recurring patterns in American history
  • Roscoe Conkling jumpscare
  • Remnants of the Spanish-American War in South Carolina
  • What did liberty mean in the 19th century?
  • Clara Barton, Leonard Wood and the dual American personality
  • The first modern concentration camps
  • The Battleship of Maine
  • When Congress used to fight, physically
  • Drones won’t win a war
  • The US in the Philippines
  • ‘The water cure’
  • American historians facing reality in the Philippines
  • Teddy, finally
  • Laying in state at the Alamo


Buy Splendid Liberators


A Defense of General Funston

Support this show http://supporter.acast.com/warcollege.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jaksot(498)

India and Pakistan: Nuclear Neighbors on the Brink

India and Pakistan: Nuclear Neighbors on the Brink

Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.comRecorded 5/7/25India and Pakistan have been unhappy neighbors since 1947 and Britain’s decolonization of the subcontinent. They’ve f...

10 Touko 202559min

Donald Trump Wants to Divide Up the World With His ‘Friends’

Donald Trump Wants to Divide Up the World With His ‘Friends’

Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.comGreat power competition has gotten old for President Donald Trump—never one for a fair fight. He’s looking for a little great power ...

2 Touko 202556min

Why An Empire Eats

Why An Empire Eats

Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.comConquest is back baby! Eastern Europe, Taiwan, Greenland, Canada? It’s all on the table—and maybe up for grabs. Here to help us sort...

25 Huhti 202559min

Erdogan’s Path to Pure Authoritarianism

Erdogan’s Path to Pure Authoritarianism

Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.comTurkey’s president has grabbed a bit more power for himself with the recent arrest of the mayor of Istanbul. The mayor was thought t...

15 Huhti 20251h 1min

Immigration Policy As Defense Policy

Immigration Policy As Defense Policy

Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.comSpecial for our international listeners, did you know you can now buy a pathway to U.S. citizenship for the low, low price of $5 mil...

11 Huhti 202558min

Life Inside Wagner Before and After Prigozhin

Life Inside Wagner Before and After Prigozhin

Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.comFor mercenaries, death is a business. It’s all about finding the right market. Wagner and other Russian mercenary groups have found ...

4 Huhti 20251h 1min

The Cult of Rationalism in Silicon Valley

The Cult of Rationalism in Silicon Valley

A lot of the people designing America’s technology and close to the center of American power believe some deeply weird shit. We already talked to journalist Gil Duran about the Nerd Reich, the rise of...

25 Maalis 20251h 1min

How Israel Is Using Microsoft AI to Pick Targets in Gaza

How Israel Is Using Microsoft AI to Pick Targets in Gaza

Listen to this episode commercial free at https://angryplanetpod.comThe Israeli military is using AI products from Microsoft to conduct its war in Gaza. Off the shelf AI products powered by the tech c...

10 Maalis 202529min

Suosittua kategoriassa Politiikka ja uutiset

uutiscast
aikalisa
ootsa-kuullut-tasta-2
politiikan-puskaradio
rss-ootsa-kuullut-tasta
tervo-halme
rss-pinnalla
rss-podme-livebox
otetaan-yhdet
rss-asiastudio
aihe
et-sa-noin-voi-sanoo-esittaa
the-ulkopolitist
radio-antro
rss-vaalirankkurit-podcast
rss-ulkopoditiikkaa
rss-mina-ukkola
rss-girls-finish-f1rst
linda-maria
rss-raha-talous-ja-politiikka