
Join Don Wildman twice a week for your hit of American history, as he explores the past to help us understand the United States of today.
We’ll hear how codebreakers uncovered secret Japanese plans for the Battle of Midway, visit Chief Powhatan as he prepares for war with the British, see Walt Disney accuse his former colleagues of being communists, and uncover the dark history that lies beneath Central Park.
From pre-colonial America to independence, slavery to civil rights, the gold rush to the space race, join Don as he speaks to leading experts to delve into America’s past.
New episodes every Monday and Thursday.
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How would the Allied forces have forced the surrender of Japan had they not dropped the bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki?
Operation Downfall was the planned invasion of Japan. It was expected to be a massive two part operation; bigger than D-Day and enormously costly.
To find out more about the proposed invasion, its projected outcomes and why it wasn’t implemented, Don spoke to D. M. Giangreco, an award winning author who served as an editor at Military Review, US Army Command and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, for 20 years. His book on this subject is ‘Hell to Pay: Operation Downfall and the Invasion of Japan, 1945-1947’.
Produced by Sophie Gee. Edited by Aidan Lonergan. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.
Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world renowned historians like Dan Snow, James Holland, Mary Beard and more.
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Serving from 1817 to 1825, James Monroe’s presidency was only the fifth presidency of the United States. Monroe’s time in power saw the development of republicanism and the Missouri Compromise of 1820 signalled the growing cracks between north and south.
But this was also the end of an era. Monroe was the final President of the United States to have been a Founding Father.
He was also the last of the three presidents to have died on July 4th. To find out why this was a strangely fitting end to Monroe’s life, Don spoke to Dr. Brook Poston, Associate Professor of History at Stephen F. Austin State University in Texas, author of ‘James Monroe: A Republican Champion’ and co-author of ‘Parallel Lives: Romans and the American Founders’.
Produced by Sophie Gee. Edited by Siobhan Dale. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.
Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world renowned historians like Dan Snow, James Holland, Mary Beard and more.
Get 50% off your first 3 months with code AMERICANHISTORY. Download the app on your smart TV or in the app store or sign up at historyhit.com/subscribe
You can take part in our listener survey here.
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