Reflecting History

The first year of World War I set the tone for the rest of the war. Violence, brutality, and chaos ruled the day as huge armies clashed in what many see as the first truly modern war. But could things have turned out differently? Should the Germans have won the war in 1914? What role did poor leadership play in the disaster that was to come? Why did the war become a self-perpetuating tragedy? This episode will look at questions like this and some of the other human themes that become apparent when you look at the first year of World War I.  Support the podcast: https://www.patreon.com/reflectinghistory Reflecting History on Twitter: @reflectinghist If you like the podcast and have 30 seconds to spare, consider leaving a review on iTunes/Apple Podcasts...It helps! Try my audio course: Why do 'good' people support evil leaders? What allure does Fascism hold that enables it to garner popular support? And what lessons can history teach us about today?   My audio course 'A Beginners Guide to Understanding & Re

It is amazing how misinformed the general public is regarding the origins of World War I. Even historians debate the causes of the Great War. Who or what is to blame for one of the greatest tragedies in history? Like most things that are complicated and nuanced, it turns out there is a mix of factors that led Europe down a path of terrible destruction.  Support the podcast: https://www.patreon.com/reflectinghistory Reflecting History on Twitter: @reflectinghist If you like the podcast and have 30 seconds to spare, consider leaving a review on iTunes/Apple Podcasts...It helps! Try my audio course: Why do 'good' people support evil leaders? What allure does Fascism hold that enables it to garner popular support? And what lessons can history teach us about today?   My audio course 'A Beginners Guide to Understanding & Resisting Fascism: Nazi Germany and the Battle for the Human Heart' explores these massive questions through the lens of Nazi Germany and the ordinary people who lived, loved, collaborated and

"Terror can be endured so long as a man simply ducks; but it kills, if a man thinks about it." Published by Erich Maria Remarque in 1929, "All Quiet on the Western Front" is one of the most important war novels of all time. This episode is a discussion of the novel and some of the themes it portrays, such as war, dehumanization, and the lost generation.  Link to Paul Bloom's alternative take on Dehumanization as discussed around 17:40 mark: https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2017/11/27/the-root-of-all-cruelty Support the podcast: https://www.patreon.com/reflectinghistory Reflecting History on Twitter: @reflectinghist If you like the podcast and have 30 seconds to spare, consider leaving a review on iTunes/Apple Podcasts...It helps! Try my audio course: Why do 'good' people support evil leaders? What allure does Fascism hold that enables it to garner popular support? And what lessons can history teach us about today?   My audio course 'A Beginners Guide to Understanding & Resisting Fascism: Nazi Germany an

The Great War has it's share of amazing stories, but the Christmas Truce of 1914 stands out as one of the greatest. In a spontaneous outburst of humanity, soldiers on the Western Front put down their weapons and met the enemy in no-man's-land to exchange drinks and cigars, sing carols, and take a break from killing each other. But what did it all mean? Was this an example of moral goodness shining through in the darkest moments of World War I, or simply something much more practical? Much of the material and first hand accounts from this episode come from Peter Hart's book "Fire and Movement." Support the podcast: https://www.patreon.com/reflectinghistory Reflecting History on Twitter: @reflectinghist If you like the podcast and have 30 seconds to spare, consider leaving a review on iTunes...It helps! Try my audio course: Why do 'good' people support evil leaders? What allure does Fascism hold that enables it to garner popular support? And what lessons can history teach us about today?   My audio course 'A Be

Fighting against historic odds, 53 slaves aboard "La Amistad" decided to take fate in their own hands. In an epic struggle of violence, politics, and public opinion, the Amistad Africans overcame incredible adversity to do the one thing they wanted more than anything else-go home. This is Part II and the conclusion of a two-part series on the Amistad Slave Rebellion. It deals with the rebellion itself, the Amistad Africans battle through the American justice system and the Supreme Court, as well as their journey home. Support the podcast: https://www.patreon.com/reflectinghistory    Reflecting History on Twitter: @reflectinghist If you like the podcast and have 30 seconds to spare, consider leaving a review on iTunes...It helps! Try my audio course: Why do 'good' people support evil leaders? What allure does Fascism hold that enables it to garner popular support? And what lessons can history teach us about today?   My audio course 'A Beginners Guide to Understanding & Resisting Fascism: Nazi Germany and t

Historians estimate that 12.5 million African slaves were transported across the Atlantic Ocean from the 1500's into the early 1800's. Millions would die due to the horrible and dehumanizing conditions of the Middle Passage. But in July of 1839, slaves aboard "La Amistad" slave ship overthrew their captors and changed history forever. This is Part I in a multi-part series on the Amistad Slave Rebellion. It deals primarily with the origins of the Amistad slaves and their journey into slavery and across the Middle Passage. Future episodes will look at the revolt itself and the slaves' struggle to regain freedom in the courtroom.   Support the podcast: https://www.patreon.com/reflectinghistory  Reflecting History on Twitter: @reflectinghist If you like the podcast and have 30 seconds to spare, consider leaving a review on iTunes...It helps! Try my audio course: Why do 'good' people support evil leaders? What allure does Fascism hold that enables it to garner popular support? And what lessons can history teach us

What will be the main source of world conflict in the future? According to political scientist Samuel Huntington, the globe will be engulfed in a struggle of cultural identity called the Clash of Civilizations. What role does belief, identity, and the dangerous "us vs. them" mentality play in world events? Read Huntington's Clash of Civilizations for yourself here. Support the podcast: https://www.patreon.com/reflectinghistory Reflecting History on Twitter: @reflectinghist If you like the podcast and have 30 seconds to spare, consider leaving a review on iTunes...It helps! Try my audio course: Why do 'good' people support evil leaders? What allure does Fascism hold that enables it to garner popular support? And what lessons can history teach us about today?   My audio course 'A Beginners Guide to Understanding & Resisting Fascism: Nazi Germany and the Battle for the Human Heart' explores these massive questions through the lens of Nazi Germany and the ordinary people who lived, loved, collaborated and eve

A train is barreling out of control towards five people. You have the opportunity to divert the track and send the train towards only one person instead. Do you do it? Surprisingly, the answer to this question can tell us a lot about history and how we interpret the past.  Support the podcast: https://www.patreon.com/reflectinghistory Reflecting History on Twitter: @reflectinghist If you like the podcast and have 30 seconds to spare, consider leaving a review on iTunes...It helps! Try my audio course: Why do 'good' people support evil leaders? What allure does Fascism hold that enables it to garner popular support? And what lessons can history teach us about today?   My audio course 'A Beginners Guide to Understanding & Resisting Fascism: Nazi Germany and the Battle for the Human Heart' explores these massive questions through the lens of Nazi Germany and the ordinary people who lived, loved, collaborated and even resisted during those times.   Through exploring the past, I hope to unlock lessons that all

How do you turn a democracy into a dictatorship while maintaining a thin veneer of legitimacy? Hitler and the Nazi party pulled out all the stops to turn the Weimar Republic into a totalitarian machine. The Reichstag Fire in early 1933 gave the Nazis all the justification they needed to incinerate the human values of compassion and decency.  This is the final part in a four part series on the Rise of Nazi Germany. You might want to listen to the other episodes to get more context. Or maybe not. This episode deals with the implications of the Reichstag Fire and Hitler's methodical process of bending Germany to his will.  Support the podcast: https://www.patreon.com/reflectinghistory Reflecting History on Twitter: @reflectinghist If you like the podcast and have 30 seconds to spare, consider leaving a review on Apple Podcasts...It helps! Try my audio course: Why do 'good' people support evil leaders? What allure does Fascism hold that enables it to garner popular support? And what lessons can history teach us a

After Hitler's first attempt at violent revolution fails miserably, he is back to the drawing board. Sadly, the Weimar Republic gave him chance after chance to take control until he finally succeeded. Propaganda, the Great Depression, and a healthy dose of violence and intimidation are some of the factors that lead Hitler to become the most powerful man in Germany by the beginning of 1933.  This is Part III in a multi-part series on the rise of the Nazis. It deals with Hitler and the Nazis rebuilding after the failed Beer Hall Putsch and finally taking power in 1933. Future episodes in the series will focus on Hitler solidifying control and turning the Third Reich into a disastrous totalitarian menace.  Support the podcast: https://www.patreon.com/reflectinghistory Reflecting History on Twitter If you like the podcast and have 30 seconds to spare, consider leaving a review on iTunes...It helps! Try my audio course: Why do 'good' people support evil leaders? What allure does Fascism hold that enables it to gar

The unstable conditions in Germany after World War I are ideal for a radical fringe party to come to power. Adolf Hitler builds his Nazi Party and unleashes them on the world. Violence, chaos, and polarization are the fuel that feed the Nazi fire.  This is Part II in a multi-part series on the rise of the Nazis. It deals with the background and beliefs of Adolf Hitler and Nazi ideology. It then chronicles Hitler's failed attempt to seize power in the famous Beer Hall Putsch. Future episodes in the series will focus more on the specific build up to the Nazis taking full control of Germany.  Support the podcast: https://www.patreon.com/reflectinghistory Reflecting History on Twitter If you like the podcast and have 30 seconds to spare, consider leaving a review on iTunes...It helps! Try my audio course: Why do 'good' people support evil leaders? What allure does Fascism hold that enables it to garner popular support? And what lessons can history teach us about today?   My audio course 'A Beginners Guide to Unde

More so than maybe any other historical topic, students of history have been fascinated by the brutality and moral depravity of the Nazi totalitarian regime. This is the story of how they rose to power. In a perfect storm of political, economic, and social upheaval, a democratic society slowly steers itself into deadly waters. This is Part I in a multi-part series on the rise of the Nazis. It deals with much of the background circumstances that were going on in Germany before the 1930's. Much of this background is crucial to understanding how the Nazis were able to take power. Future episodes in the series will focus more on Adolf Hitler, Nazi ideology, and some of the specific build up to the Nazis taking full control of Germany.  Support the podcast: https://www.patreon.com/reflectinghistory Reflecting History on Twitter: @reflectinghist If you like the podcast and have 30 seconds to spare, consider leaving a review on iTunes...It helps! Try my audio course: Why do 'good' people support evil leaders? What a

A young girl receives a strange vision that turns into a prophecy for an entire people. One year and 400,000 dead cattle later, more than 40,000 people would be dead as a result. The Xhosa Cattle Killing is one of the most tragic and bizarre stories in all of history, but it also has some interesting lessons for the study of history. Support the podcast: https://www.patreon.com/reflectinghistory  Reflecting History on Twitter If you like the podcast and have 30 seconds to spare, consider leaving a review on iTunes...It helps! Try my audio course: Why do 'good' people support evil leaders? What allure does Fascism hold that enables it to garner popular support? And what lessons can history teach us about today?   My audio course 'A Beginners Guide to Understanding & Resisting Fascism: Nazi Germany and the Battle for the Human Heart' explores these massive questions through the lens of Nazi Germany and the ordinary people who lived, loved, collaborated and even resisted during those times.   Through explori

In this episode I attempt to answer the question of whether or not we can make moral judgments about the past. All too often history gets boiled down to a simple good guy vs bad guy narrative in pop culture. I reflect on some of the dangers of that and discuss why moral relativism is not the answer to this conundrum. I am calling episodes like this Reflection Shows. They will attempt to discuss some of the bigger ideas and themes of history while also synthesizing some of the themes from previous episodes of the podcast. I'm experimenting with different types of episodes, so let me know what you think.  Support the podcast: https://www.patreon.com/reflectinghistory Reflecting History on Twitter If you like the podcast and have 30 seconds to spare, consider leaving a review on iTunes...It helps! Try my audio course: Why do 'good' people support evil leaders? What allure does Fascism hold that enables it to garner popular support? And what lessons can history teach us about today?   My audio course 'A Beginners

In what was maybe the most controversial and unethical psychological experiment of all time, psychologist Philip Zimbardo turned average university students looking for a summer job into either dehumanizing bullies or hapless victims. The only thing more ethically murky than the experiment itself is it's explanations of past history and it's implications for the future. This is the Stanford Prison Experiment. Read more about the Stanford Prison Experiment and check out videos here Update June 2018: In recent weeks, criticisms of the experiment have become public that cast doubt on the integrity and implications of the Stanford Prison Experiment. Perhaps I'll release an episode discussing this in the future once the dust settles, but for now decide for yourself by reading some of the criticism here: https://medium.com/s/trustissues/the-lifespan-of-a-lie-d869212b1f62 And read Philip Zimbardo's response here: http://www.prisonexp.org/response/ Support the podcast: https://www.patreon.com/reflectinghistory Reflec

It is said that desperate times call for desperate measures. The ultimate historical example of this might just be the Great Leap Forward. As the horrors of collectivization ramped up, how were the people of China impacted? This is the final part in a multi-part series on the Great Leap Forward in China from 1958-1962. It focuses on the tragedies average people went through and the terrifying lengths they had to go to in order to survive.   Check out the Visual Guide Support the podcast: https://www.patreon.com/reflectinghistory Reflecting History on Twitter If you like the podcast and have 30 seconds to spare, consider leaving a review on iTunes...It helps! Try my audio course: Why do 'good' people support evil leaders? What allure does Fascism hold that enables it to garner popular support? And what lessons can history teach us about today?   My audio course 'A Beginners Guide to Understanding & Resisting Fascism: Nazi Germany and the Battle for the Human Heart' explores these massive questions through

Whether digging irrigation ditches or working backyard furnaces, the people of China were forced to smolder their lives away in the all-consuming destruction that was the Great Leap Forward.  This is Part II in a multi-part series on the Great Leap Forward in China from 1958-1962. It focuses on the horrors of collectivization and the inefficiencies of Mao Zedong's schemes.  Check out the Episode 15 Visual Guide Support the podcast: https://www.patreon.com/reflectinghistory Reflecting History on Twitter If you like the podcast and have 30 seconds to spare, consider leaving a review on iTunes...It helps!  Try my audio course: Why do 'good' people support evil leaders? What allure does Fascism hold that enables it to garner popular support? And what lessons can history teach us about today?   My audio course 'A Beginners Guide to Understanding & Resisting Fascism: Nazi Germany and the Battle for the Human Heart' explores these massive questions through the lens of Nazi Germany and the ordinary people who liv

Most people look to the Soviet Union when discussing the dangers of communism and totalitarianism. But from 1958-1962 Mao Zedong and the Communist Party of China initiated a system of incompetence, violence, and terror on a scale never before seen. The Great Leap Forward destroyed the lives of tens of millions.  This is Part I in a multi-part series on the Great Leap Forward in China. It provides a general overview as well as some rationale for why it happened. More of the logistical details and impact on local populations will be discussed in future episodes.  Support the podcast: https://www.patreon.com/reflectinghistory Reflecting History on Twitter: @reflectinghist If you like the podcast and have 30 seconds to spare, consider leaving a review on iTunes...It helps! Try my audio course: Why do 'good' people support evil leaders? What allure does Fascism hold that enables it to garner popular support? And what lessons can history teach us about today?   My audio course 'A Beginners Guide to Understanding &a

The Holocaust has been analyzed often from the victim's perspective (including by me, check out Episode 3: Night), but less often from the perspective of the perpetrators. How did a group of middle-aged men deemed unfit for real combat become some of the worst killers in history? The answers may surprise you. Support the podcast: https://www.patreon.com/reflectinghistory Reflecting History on Twitter: @reflectinghist If you like the podcast and have 30 seconds to spare, consider leaving a review on iTunes...It helps! Try my audio course: Why do 'good' people support evil leaders? What allure does Fascism hold that enables it to garner popular support? And what lessons can history teach us about today?   My audio course 'A Beginners Guide to Understanding & Resisting Fascism: Nazi Germany and the Battle for the Human Heart' explores these massive questions through the lens of Nazi Germany and the ordinary people who lived, loved, collaborated and even resisted during those times.   Through exploring the pa

The Social War may be won for Rome, but that doesn't mean it's over. Gaius Marius and Lucius Sulla take the stage in a winner take all battle for Rome. As the heads roll and the bodies pile up, nobody seems to be registering the destructive damage all this chaos is doing to the Republic.  This is the final episode in a three part series on the Social War and its impact on the fall of the Roman Republic. My intention is to make each episode stand alone, so that each episode has its own feel and story while also contributing to the overall narrative. Hope you enjoy! Support the podcast: https://www.patreon.com/reflectinghistory Reflecting History on Twitter: @reflectinghist If you like the podcast and have 30 seconds to spare, consider leaving a review on iTunes...It helps! Try my audio course: Why do 'good' people support evil leaders? What allure does Fascism hold that enables it to garner popular support? And what lessons can history teach us about today?   My audio course 'A Beginners Guide to Understanding