Category: Folklore
ep 110: Eisenhower’s Warning
In his farewell address to the nation on January 17, 1961, President Dwight D. Eisenhower delivered a prophetic warning that has since become one of American history's most cited and influential speeches. This speech, often referred to as the "Eisenhower Farewell Address," addressed a range of critical issues facing the United States, but its most…
ep 109: Arminius
Arminius, also known as Hermann the German, was a Germanic warrior and chieftain who played a crucial role in the early first century AD in the region that is now modern-day Germany. He is best known for his leadership of the Germanic tribes against the Roman legions during the Battle of the Teutoburg Forest, a…
ep 108: The Seven Days
The American Civil War was a pivotal moment in history, with the Confederacy battling the Union for its very existence. In the summer of 1862, during the Seven Days Battle, General Robert E. Lee and his Confederate forces came tantalizingly close to turning the tide of the war in their favor. Indeed, the Confederates almost…
ep 107: Augustus Caesar
Augustus Caesar, also known as Octavian, was a pivotal figure in ancient Rome. His reign as the first emperor of Rome was a transformative period in history. His political reforms, cultural patronage, and long-lasting peace left an indelible mark on the Roman Empire, shaping Western civilization for centuries. Augustus Caesar was born on September 23,…
ep 106: Marcus Agrippa
Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa was born in 63 BC in a small town near Rome. He came from a humble background, but his talents and determination propelled him to great heights. Agrippa was known for his military expertise, exceptional organizational skills, and unwavering loyalty to Augustus. These qualities made him an indispensable companion to the future…
105. Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar, born Gaius Julius Caesar, was a prominent Roman statesman, military general, and dictator who played a pivotal role in transforming the Roman Republic into the Roman Empire. Born on July 12, 100 BC, in Rome, Caesar rose to power during a time of political turmoil and instability, leaving an indelible mark on Roman…
ep 104: Real War Movies
Since WWII ended, thousands of movies have explored every conceivable aspect of the conflict. But how often do these films get the story right, let alone the "feel" of the period and the "look" of the uniforms, weapons, cars, landscape, strategy, and tactics? That's the question we're asking in this episode as we present the…
ep 103: Pompey
Pompey, also known as Gnaeus Pompeius Magnus, was a Roman general and politician who lived during the late Roman Republic. He was born in 106 BC in Picenum, a region in central Italy, and he died in 48 BC in Egypt. Pompey's military career began at an early age. He served in the Roman army…
ep 102: Gaius Marius
Gaius Marius was a prominent Roman general and statesman who played a pivotal role in transforming the Roman Republic into an empire. He was born in Cereatae into a plebeian family, which meant that he was not of noble birth. However, Marius rose to prominence through his military prowess and political savvy, ultimately becoming one…
ep 101: Scipio Africanus
Scipio Africanus was one of the most outstanding military leaders in ancient history. Born in 236 BC in Rome, Scipio came from a noble family of the Roman Republic. He was the son of Publius Scipio, a distinguished general who had fought in the First Punic War against Carthage. Scipio's early years were marked by…
ep 100: The Real Steve Austin
If you grew up in the 70s, you probably know Colonel Steve Austin. He was an astronaut and test pilot who became the world's first bionic man after a horrific plane crash. Steve Austin was fictional, but that plane crash was real...and so was the pilot--his name was Bruce Peterson. Bruce Peterson was a renowned…
ep 99: Hannibal
Hannibal Barca (247-183/182 BC) was a Carthaginian general and statesman who is widely regarded as one of the greatest military strategists and tacticians in history. He is most famous for leading an army across the Alps into Italy during the Second Punic War (218-201 BC), where he won a series of spectacular victories against the…
ep 98. Alexander the Great
As a young boy, Alexander of Macedonia was tutored by the famous philosopher Aristotle, who spurred his interest in a range of subjects, including philosophy, politics, and science. Alexander showed great intelligence and a thirst for knowledge, serving him well in his later conquests. When his father was assassinated in 336 BC, Alexander became king…
ep 97: The Belknap Bump
The Belknap and Kennedy collision was a tragic incident that occurred on December 22, 1975, during a training exercise in the Mediterranean Sea. The USS John F. Kennedy (CV-67), an aircraft carrier, collided with the USS Belknap (DLG-26), a guided missile cruiser, causing significant damage to both ships and resulting in the deaths of seven…
ep 96: Sun Tzu
Sun Tzu was a legendary military strategist who lived during the Spring and Autumn period of Chinese history. He was a native of the state of Wu, and his teachings on warfare, strategy, and leadership would go on to influence military leaders for centuries to come. As a young man, Sun Tzu was already known…
ep 95. Leonidas of Sparta
Leonidas of Sparta was a legendary figure in ancient Greek history, known for his bravery and leadership during one of the most famous battles in history, the Battle of Thermopylae. He was born into the Agiad dynasty, one of the two ruling dynasties of the Spartan city-state. He was the son of Anaxandridas II and…
ep 94: The Tomb of the Known Soldier
Lt Michael J. Blassie was a United States Air Force pilot who was shot down and killed during the Vietnam War. His remains were initially listed as "unidentified." They were interred in the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery by President Ronald Regan in 1984 as part of a group of remains…
ep 93: Christmas in Wartime
Christmas has always been an important holiday in the U.S., but it took on a special meaning during World War II (1941-45) because so many families had loved ones serving in the armed forces that they could not return home for Christmas. Although the Second World War did not have holidays, Americans at home and…
ep 92. Foxbat Fraud
The spy satellite photos created real panic in the Pentagon! An enormous Soviet airplane–probably an interceptor–with engine intakes the size of small cars. The wings were huge, which suggested it had maneuverability far beyond anything America’s McDonnell-Douglas F-4 Phantom II could achieve. The Pentagon was looking at the prototypes of what would become the Mikoyan-Gurevich…
ep 90. “I Was A Soldier,” Revisited
Revisiting the fateful day that changed the course of Sergeant Major Charles Morris’ life. On June 29, 1966, while on a search-and-destroy mission in Xuan Loc, South Vietnam, he came within 20 feet of a Viet Cong machine gunner and was shot in the chest. He returned fire and took out the machine gun nest…
ep 89: Werewolves of Aachen
As the Allies pushed through Germany in the Autumn of 1944, the Nazi's hatched a plan to position elite guerrilla forces behind enemy lines. They were known as "Werewolves" and the very name struck fear in in the hearts of many Allied soldiers. In the Autumn of 1944, as the allies pushed through Germany, the…
87. Winning Battles, Losing Wars
Among the basic distinctions in warfare is the difference between tactics and strategy. Tactics deal with the form of individual engagement, while strategy deals with its use. So, tactics are the operational techniques military units employ to win battles. Strategy addresses the broader political objectives for which a war is fought and the ends, ways,…
ep 84: Angel’s Glow
The US Civil War was America’s bloodiest and most costly conflict. Although the battlefields were covered with death, the field hospitals were perhaps the most frightening places. From the echoing screams of men undergoing amputations to the inexperienced doctors and lack of medical knowledge, many believed it was better to die on the field than…
ep 80: The Red Knight of Germany
We all know The Red Baron as Snoopy's unseen arch-enemy who shot his Sopwith Camel doghouse out of the sky untold times in the Peanuts cartoons. But the actual man was much more than the caricature painted by Charles Schultz! Although Baron Manfred von Richthofen was only involved in World War I's air war for…
ep 78: My Road to Mandalay with David Townsend
Major Donald Townsend experienced some of the most extraordinary events in British history. In My Road to Mandalay, author David Townsend recounts his father's adventures fighting with the "Forgotten Army" in the China-Burma-India theater during World War II. David expertly choreographs this story through a collection of more than 500 letters his father wrote to…
