Why Wars Happened History Podcast | Podcast on RSS.com

Why Wars Happened History Podcast

Why Wars Happened History Podcast

by Emily Ross

Courses History

Season 1

INTERVIEW: Hollywood’s Secret CIA & Moon Landing Project

The CIA and the Space Race — retold by Hollywood legends. In this episode of Why Wars Happened, Jeremy Fox, Sir Howard Stringer, and Jeff Bewkes reveal how they’re reinventing history through immersive audio dramas. From Central Intelligence (Kim Cattrall) to Buzz (John Lithgow), discover the hidden espionage, moon landing drama, and storytelling secrets behind their work. ⏱ Timestamps 00:00 – Welcome to Why Wars Happened 00:26 – Meet the guests 01:09 – Why media leaders entered podcasting 03:35 – Central Intelligence with Kim Cattrall 05:36 – Why historical audio dramas matter 11:53 – Behind the scenes of Central Intelligence 13:22 – Buzz: Buzz Aldrin’s story with John Lithgow 19:32 – Challenges in today’s entertainment industry 21:51 – Mission of Thoroughbred Studios 31:21 – Final thoughts #CIA #SpaceRace #BuzzAldrin #HollywoodSecrets #AudioDrama #KimCattrall #JohnLithgow #WhyWarsHappened

INTERVIEW: Germany’s Deadly Secret Blueprint

Germany didn’t just “unify” — it was engineered through secret deals, ruthless power grabs, and reckless ambition that exploded into global war. In this episode of Why Wars Happened, historian Katja Hoyer reveals how Bismarck’s strategy and Wilhelm II’s rise lit the fuse for World War I. Once you hear it, you’ll never look at Europe the same way again. Timestamps: 00:00 Intro 00:58 Europe After Napoleon 01:48 The German Question 03:14 How the Great Powers Reacted 04:36 Prussia Steps Up 06:35 Life in a New Germany 12:52 Bismarck’s Strategy 15:43 Why His Legacy Still Divides 21:19 Wilhelm II Takes the Throne 25:44 Tensions Before the Great War 28:52 Social Friction and Culture Shifts 30:25 Final Thoughts #GermanyHistory #Bismarck #WWI #WhyWarsHappened #HiddenHistory

INTERVIEW: The Soldier the U.S. Tried to Forget

The U.S. Marines had a soldier who fought with Chinese communists before WWII — and then created America’s first Special Forces. In this episode of Why Wars Happened, Stephen Platt uncovers the forgotten story of Evans Carlson, the man who defied military tradition, clashed with generals, and built the Marine Raiders. His ideas shaped modern warfare, but the military wanted him erased. Timestamps: 00:00 – Intro 00:49 – Meet historian Stephen Platt 01:27 – Who was Evans Carlson? 03:00 – Early life & influences 04:58 – Fighting with Chinese communists 13:21 – Founding the Marine Raiders 14:55 – Why his tactics caused friction 21:22 – What happened after the war 28:24 – Final thoughts & book info #WWII #MarineRaiders #SpecialForces #MilitarySecrets #WhyWarsHappened

INTERVIEW: How War Created the English Language

The words you speak exist because of war. From Vikings raiding villages to Normans conquering England, battles rewrote the English language forever. In this episode of Why Wars Happened, Dr. Colin Gorrie uncovers how Rome, the Vikings, and the Normans all left fingerprints on every sentence you speak today. Once you hear it, you’ll never look at English the same way again. Timestamps: 00:00 – Welcome to Why Wars Happened 00:49 – Meet Dr. Colin Gorrie 01:22 – How war shapes language 03:25 – The Norman Conquest & French rule 07:11 – Vikings, the Danelaw & Norse words 22:52 – Borrowed words from conflict & trade 26:31 – 1066 & the Norman takeover 28:47 – Fall of Old English, rise of Middle English 31:36 – The Great Vowel Shift 35:58 – Latin’s lingering influence 40:21 – War, trade & crossroads of language 51:00 – Wrapping up #HistoryOfEnglish #Vikings #NormanConquest #LanguageSecrets #WhyWarsHappened

INTERVIEW: The Empire That Couldn’t Stop Fighting

For 300 years, Germany couldn’t escape war. Border fights, rival powers, endless battles — conflict shaped its destiny. Oxford historian Peter Wilson joins Why Wars Happened to explain why German-speaking Europe was trapped in war after war, from the Holy Roman Empire to Prussia’s rise and Bismarck’s empire. Timestamps: 00:00 – Introduction 00:50 – Guest: Peter Wilson 01:29 – Germany’s fragmented beginnings 05:36 – The rise and influence of Prussia 14:21 – Military traditions and their legacy 19:41 – The Holy Roman Empire and Austria 28:11 – Bismarck and unification 30:30 – Closing thoughts #GermanyHistory #Prussia #HolyRomanEmpire #MilitaryHistory #WhyWarsHappened

INTERVIEW: The Empire That Nearly Ruled the World

The Ottomans nearly broke Europe — but their rise wasn’t just about armies. Weather, pirates, and shocking alliances decided history. Historian Si Sheppard joins Why Wars Happened to reveal the surprising reasons behind the Ottoman Empire’s explosive power — and why its wars looked nothing like what you learned in school. Timestamps: 00:00 – Welcome to Why Wars Happened 00:51 – Meet Si Sheppard 01:32 – How the Ottoman Empire shaped the modern world 04:43 – Was this the first global war? 07:03 – Key leaders on both sides 09:51 – The Protestant Reformation’s role 13:03 – Why Morocco mattered so much 16:03 – The Ottoman–French alliance explained 16:34 – Barbary pirates & imperial influence 17:14 – Eyewitness accounts from the frontlines 20:01 – Portugal vs. Ottoman expansion 21:29 – Lasting impact on Europe 21:49 – When weather changed everything 26:25 – Could the Ottomans have gone further? 29:41 – Wrapping up + book recommendation #OttomanEmpire #HiddenHistory #WhyWarsHappened #MilitarySecrets #WorldHistory

INTERVIEW: The Battle That Created the Tudors

A king killed in battle. Princes who vanished. A dynasty born in blood. Historian Michael Jones joins Why Wars Happened to uncover the shocking truths of Bosworth 1485 — the day Richard III fell and the Tudors rose. Shakespeare twisted the story, but what really happened that changed England forever? ⏱ Timestamps 00:00 Introduction to Why Wars Happened Podcast 00:53 Introducing Today's Guest: Michael Jones 01:35 The Battle of Bosworth: An Overview 03:03 Reevaluating the Battle's Location 05:47 Shakespeare's Influence and Historical Misunderstandings 18:21 The Princes in the Tower: A Medieval Mystery 20:54 The DNA Test Debate 21:23 Historical Discoveries and Their Impact 23:30 Richard III's Reputation 30:38 Hypothetical Scenarios and Propaganda 34:54 The Role of Mothers in Royal Politics 40:04 Debates and Future Works #Tudors #RichardIII #PrincesInTheTower #Bosworth #WhyWarsHappened

INTERVIEW: The Spartan Myth EXPOSED

Forget what Hollywood told you — Spartan warriors weren’t what you think. Historian Roel Konijnendijk (and longtime r/AskHistorians mod) joins Why Wars Happened to bust myths, expose ancient tactics, and reveal what Greek warfare really looked like — from militias to Persian deals that changed history. ⏱ Timestamps 00:00 Introduction to the Why Wars Happened Podcast 00:50 Meet Roel Konijnendijk: Expert on Classical Greek Warfare 01:30 Understanding Greek Warfare: Myths vs. Reality 01:57 The Citizen Militia: Greek Warfare Dynamics 04:20 The Role of Generals and the Community in Greek Warfare 14:46 Comparing Greek and Roman Military Systems 18:45 Sources and Evidence in Studying Ancient Warfare 27:48 The Mystery of Greek Fire and Ancient Innovations 31:28 Debates and Misconceptions in Greek Warfare 35:33 Greek Relations and Alliances 36:23 The Persian Empire's Influence 37:33 Greek States Seeking Persian Aid 38:34 Persian Wars and Greek Diplomacy 41:44 The King's Peace Treaty 42:41 Macedonian Rise and Greek Response 44:21 Greek History and Popular Culture 01:02:22 Spartan Military Myths 01:10:44 Conclusion and Final Thoughts #GreekWarfare #Spartans #AncientHistory #MilitaryMyths #WhyWarsHappened

INTERVIEW: The Forgotten Spy Who Fought Pearl Harbor

Pearl Harbor had a spy most people have never heard of. Leon Carroll Jr. joins Why Wars Happened to uncover the forgotten story of Douglas Wada, a Japanese-American intelligence officer whose work in Hawaii helped shape the earliest days of WWII. ⏱ Timestamps 00:00 – Welcome to Why Wars Happened 00:50 – Meet Leon Carroll Jr. 01:41 – Douglas Wada: The All-American Kid 03:05 – Rise of the Office of Naval Intelligence 04:37 – Writing Ghost of Honolulu with Mark Harmon 07:24 – Wada’s identity as a Japanese American 10:46 – Meeting Wada’s family 15:32 – Hawaii before Pearl Harbor 17:27 – Japanese espionage in Hawaii 19:28 – The first U.S. POW in WWII 22:03 – Wada’s secret work & interrogations 24:52 – Baseball and Japanese American culture 29:52 – Researching hidden history 33:26 – Remembering Doug Wada’s legacy 35:54 – What’s next for Leon Carroll Jr. #WWII #PearlHarbor #Espionage #DouglasWada #NCIS #WhyWarsHappened

INTERVIEW: The War That Wouldn’t End with UK Supreme Court Justice, Lord Jonathan Sumption

A war that raged for over a century — and decided the fate of Europe. Lord Jonathan Sumption, UK Supreme Court justice and historian, joins Why Wars Happened to expose the brutal politics, shocking trials, and bloody battles of the Hundred Years’ War. ⏱ Timestamps 00:00 Introduction to the Why Wars Happened History Podcast 00:50 Introducing Lord Jonathan Sumption 01:29 The Epic Journey of Writing About the 100 Years War 02:39 Challenges in Writing a Neutral History 04:29 Overview of the 100 Years War 10:54 Joan of Arc's Trial and Medieval Justice 14:31 Significant Battles and Figures 20:24 Impact on Civilians and the Aftermath 24:00 Debates and Unanswered Questions 29:21 Future Projects and Conclusion #HundredYearsWar #JoanOfArc #MedievalHistory #FranceVsEngland #WhyWarsHappened

1 of 8