Western Rome Fell Due to Germanic Immigration, Mass Inflation, and a Bloated Bureaucracy

Robert E. Lee has become a target of activists in the last decade, with statues of him being taken down across the United States, and eponymous schools and streets being renamed. But for over a century after the Civil War, he was considered a brilliant general, courageous leader, and, in the words of Winston Churchill, “one of the noblest Americans who ever lived.” Today, however, he is vilified and the virtues of hard work and leadership he inspired are largely forgotten. To explore his legacy, and reasons for the drastic change is today’s guest, H.W. Crocker, author of “Robert E. Lee on Leadership.” From successfully reviving a debt-ridden plantation, to teaching and working his way to a prestigious university, Lee became an inspiration to the men under his charge. His personal standards of excellence and his unflinching character created a formidable force on the battlefield. We discuss the challenges of a disadvantaged upbringing; Lee’s education at West Point and years as an army engineer; the role Lee played during the Mexican War, in which he showed courage and level-headedness in the face of combat; Lee as a businessman and owner of a farm in Arlington; and Stonewall Jackson under Lee’s commandSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

10 Loka 202348min

Who are people from the past whose lives are so cinematic that they deserve their own movie, but haven't received the right silver screen treatment, such as, say, Abraham Lincoln from Steven Spielberg or Napoleon Bonaparte from Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure. Hosts from different shows on the Parthenon Podcast Network are here to discuss this question, including Steve Guerra (History of the Papacy), Richard Lim (This American President), yours truly, and Mark Vinet (History of North America).See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

5 Loka 202351min

Charlie Chaplin was the most famous movie star in the world, especially at his height in the 1920s, when the silent film star won the hearts of audience around the globe. But in the aftermath of World War II, Charlie Chaplin was criticized for being politically socialist and internationalist in outlook. He had never become a US citizen, something that would be held against him as xenophobia set in when the Red Scare took hold. As soon as he left the U.S. to promote a new picture, FBI director J. Edgar Hoover persuaded the State Department to revoke Chaplin's visa (a move of doubtful legality).Politics aside, Chaplin had another problem: his l interest in young women. He had been married four times, had had numerous affairs, and was publicly involved in at least three paternity suits. His inappropriate sexual proclivity became another reason for those who opposed his ideas to condemn him. Today’s guest is Scott Eyman, author of “Charlie Chaplin vs. America.” We discuss historically pivotal moment of Hollywood’s rise and a prescient narrative with modern implications: that of cancel culture, artistic freedom, censorship, and the all-important question of whether we should be separating art from the artist.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

3 Loka 202344min

There’s a good argument to be made that the entire trajectory of the Cold War was set off by ten fateful months of American and global history, between the first Soviet atom bomb test in the late summer of 1949 and the outbreak of the Korean War in June 1950. The following events then all occurred in rapid succession: the dawning of the Taiwan question, the rise of Senator Joe McCarthy, the birth of NATO, the hydrogen bomb, and the origins of the European Union. To look at these fateful months is today’s guest, Nick Bunker, author of “In the Shadow of Fear.” At the time, Sir Winston Churchill described the United States as “this gigantic capitalist organization, with its vast and superabundant productive power – millions of people animated by the profit motive.” The dollar reigned supreme, and Harry S. Truman and his Democratic allies in Congress hoped to use the country’s economic might to build on Franklin D. Roosevelt’s achievements with a bold new program of liberal reforms. However, in the autumn of 1949 and the first half of 1950, Truman and his party were overtaken by the unforeseen. While Mao Zedong’s army swept through China, in America the age of FDR gave way to the beginnings of a new conservatism. An aggressive Republican Party, desperate for power, seized on rifts among its opponents, and Truman’s programs went down to defeat. As he launched his first anti-communist campaign, the young Joe McCarthy ambushed Truman with a style of politics that polarized the country. Leaders and citizens were compelled to improvise as events spun out of control.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

28 Syys 202340min

Created during the World War II, the SAS was a small band of men brought together in the North African desert. They were the toughest and brightest of their cohort, the most resilient, most capable in close combat and most careful in surveillance. Winning approval for this radical new form of warfare was no small feat, but eventually it was achieved. The SAS was born, their mission to take on small-scale but often devastating raids and risks behind enemy lines. Today’s guest is Joshua Levine, author of “SAS: The Authorized Illustrated History of the SAS.” We discuss what it was like to fight and train in the SAS during the World War II by exploring individual stories and personal testimonies of the wartime experience.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

26 Syys 202351min

In this special compilation episode, Josh Cohen of Eyewitness History shares his favorite interview moments and stories from people who witnessed some of history’s most extraordinary events.First up, revisit his conversation with Frank DeAngelis, former principal of Columbine High School, recounting the harrowing events of the 1999 massacre.Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3Ow8UF0 / Spotify: https://sptfy.com/OWMr Next, dive into the world of podcasting with the podfather himself, Adam Curry. Discover the fascinating tale of his MTV days and presenting an award to Michael Jackson.Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3Df7jgn / Spotify: https://sptfy.com/OWMt CIA Agent Valerie Plame takes the spotlight in the next segment, shedding light on the notorious 'Plame Affair' of 2003.Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/48gSyYx / Spotify: https://sptfy.com/OWMw Sports enthusiasts, get ready! HBO Boxing legend Jim Lampley shares his experiences covering the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid, including the unforgettable 'Miracle on Ice.'Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3YeyxNZ / Spotify: https://sptfy.com/OWMx Jonestown cult survivor and writer Eugene Smith takes a solemn turn as he revisits his journey through tragedy and survival.Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/451VIgu / Spotify: https://sptfy.com/OWMz Rock music lovers, stay tuned for insights from Ken Caillat, the record producer behind Fleetwood Mac's iconic albums, including the Emmy-winning 'Rumors.'Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3rhuyEb / Spotify: https://sptfy.com/OWMB Hear from DEA Agents Steve Murphy and Javier Peña, the real-life heroes who took down Pablo Escobar, inspiring the hit Netflix series 'Narcos.'Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3r5Cf0h / Spotify: https://sptfy.com/OWMD Podcasting sensation Jordan Harbinger shares his adventures and observations in North Korea.Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3JXYmfe / Spotify: https://sptfy.com/OWMF And finally, wrap up with a legendary performance – an interview with Queen's keyboardist, Spike Edney, discussing their iconic set at Live Aid in 1985.Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3Roxxp6 / Spotify: https://sptfy.com/OWMHSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

22 Syys 202344min

At the height of the Civil War in November 1864, nine Union prisoners-of-war escaped from a Confederate Prison known as Camp Sorghum in Columbia, South Carolina. They scrambled north on foot in rags that had once been uniforms of blue. Traveling in brutal winter conditions more than 300 miles with search parties and bloodhounds hot on their trail. On the difficult journey they relied on the help of enslaved men and women, as well as Southerners who sympathized with the North, before finally reaching Union lines on New Years Day 1865.After arriving in Knoxville, Tennessee, and checking in with Union authorities, one of the men had a wonderful idea. The nine officers and their three mountain guides found a local photographer, hoping to commemorate what they had accomplished by posing together for a photograph. The instant, frozen in time, showed twelve ragged men with determination strong on their faces. It was a Civil War selfie. A moment that Captured Freedom.Steve Procko, a documentarian, received a copy of the more than 150-year-old photograph from a descendant of one of the mountain guides. Upon identifying and researching the men in the photograph, he realized their remarkable story had never been told. Procko is today’s guest, and he’s here to tell the story. He’s also the author of “Captured Freedom: The Epic True Civil War Story of Union POW Officers Escaping From a South Prison.”See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

21 Syys 202353min

Teddy Roosevelt faced many challenges at the end of his life. Racked by rheumatism, a ticking embolism, pathogens in his blood, a bad leg from an accident, and a bullet in his chest from an assassination attempt. But none of that stopped Roosevelt from attempting to reassemble the Rough Riders for a final charge against the Germans in World War One, pushing them into a likely suicide mission of a cavalry attack against 50 caliber machine guns. Suffering from grief and guilt, marginalized by world events, the great glow that had been his life was now but a dimming lantern. But TR’s final years were productive ones as well: he churned out several “instant” books that promoted U.S. entry into the Great War, and he was making plans for another run at the Presidency in 1920 at the time of his death. Indeed, his political influence was so great that his opposition to the policies of Woodrow Wilson helped the Republican Party take back the Congress in 1918. To look at Roosevelt’s final years is today’s guest Bill Hazelgrove, author of “The Last Charge of the Rough Rider.” It was Roosevelt’s quest for the “vigorous life” that, ironically, may have led to his early demise at the age of sixty. "The Old Lion is dead,” TR’s son Archie cabled his brother on January 6, 1919, and so, too, ended a historic era in American life and politics.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

19 Syys 202339min