hardcore history podcast

the Hardcore History podcast is a work of art. dan carlin uses lots of sources, muses on profound questions that are illustrated, puts you into the story, and organizes the podcasts to have a great flow. there's a series on the german ost front (hitler vs stalin, a massive, lesser told, and crazy aspect of ww2), a series on the mongols (an army that just traveled around killing everything, and did so unimpeded for decades, killing tens of millions), there's one on the use of nuclear bombs in ww2 that actually covers alot of the strategic and philosophical ground involved, lots of crazy topics, lots of lesser known topics, and told in a way you're not likely to get from a teacher or a book, as dan carlin is a fan of history, not a teacher or historian.

the latest one, Prophets of Doom, is an audioBOOK podcast, 4 and a half hours, on a town led by crazy and charlatan false prophets that came under siege for years from a prince bishop. 4 and a half hours might seem long but this is probably the greatest story i've ever heard, it has everything, and it keeps getting crazier. you can download for free right now, the last 15 episodes or so are free on the site.

what other great podcasts are out there?

came in expecting gabber, breakbeat, and possibly happy, leaving disappointed

bookmarked, cheers

definitely a great podcast. the atomic bomb one in particular was excellent, there are a few weaker ones, but not in the sense that they aren't worth listening to, so I won't name them.

a good way to learn interesting facts while doing computer dootie!

I just heard the Prophets of Doom episode today.. The best he has done since the Ghosts of the Ostfront episodes.

Also... the Branch Davidians are mentioned in this episode.

bocbocbocbocbocbocboc

Other than the Ghosts of the Ostfront episodes, i recommend checking out the episode he did on Adolf Hitler. In that episode he goes into Hitler's past and explain why he turned out to be the psychopath that he became. It was really fascinating.

These sound awesome, will check out.

Really sounds like an alternative to typical television programming on the History and Discovery channel, which I used to watch as a kid, but now are basically re-hashed subject matter at best, and at worst speculative shit (Nazi alien time travelers!? ermahgerd!) or reality tv bullshit like this:

  On 5/31/2013 at 4:52 PM, very honest said:

the Hardcore History podcast is a work of art. dan carlin uses lots of sources, muses on profound questions that are illustrated, puts you into the story, and organizes the podcasts to have a great flow. there's a series on the german ost front (hitler vs stalin, a massive, lesser told, and crazy aspect of ww2), a series on the mongols (an army that just traveled around killing everything, and did so unimpeded for decades, killing tens of millions), there's one on the use of nuclear bombs in ww2 that actually covers alot of the strategic and philosophical ground involved, lots of crazy topics, lots of lesser known topics, and told in a way you're not likely to get from a teacher or a book, as dan carlin is a fan of history, not a teacher or historian.

I think if more Americans were really aware of the impact the Soviets had on defeating Germany they'd re-evaluate the wartime effort and post-war role of the U.S. a lot differently. The Western Europe and Pacific campaigns were bad enough, but nothing compares to the brutal and devastating scope of the Eastern front.

Interested in the A-bomb one: I took a history class on US foreign policy in the 20th century and we had a guest lecturer talk about the decision to drop the atomic bombs, a debate that evolved more and more as more evidence came out and as American attitudes changed during the cold war. There's a common misconception that Japan wouldn't have surrendered for years if we invaded but that's come into doubt and the other factor that emerged was the US wanted to stave off the USSR from invading Japan from the north and creating a situation similar to that of Germany. Most American documentaries just talk about how it ended the war faster, usually with a token interview clip of an American veteran saying something like "it was payback for Pearl Harbor." I can understand a Pacific Campaign veteran having that attitude because of their perspective but it's always struck me as irresponsible to reinforce such a factually offensive comparison.

  On 5/31/2013 at 6:24 PM, tht tne said:

came in expecting gabber, breakbeat, and possibly happy, leaving disappointed

beyond that I also expected this maybe:

What is the episode about use of nuclear bombs in WWII called?

Most have missed that one.

  On 5/31/2013 at 9:04 PM, joshuatx said:

These sound awesome, will check out.

 

Really sounds like an alternative to typical television programming on the History and Discovery channel, which I used to watch as a kid, but now are basically re-hashed subject matter at best, and at worst speculative shit (Nazi alien time travelers!? ermahgerd!) or reality tv bullshit like this:

 

 

  On 5/31/2013 at 4:52 PM, very honest said:

the Hardcore History podcast is a work of art. dan carlin uses lots of sources, muses on profound questions that are illustrated, puts you into the story, and organizes the podcasts to have a great flow. there's a series on the german ost front (hitler vs stalin, a massive, lesser told, and crazy aspect of ww2), a series on the mongols (an army that just traveled around killing everything, and did so unimpeded for decades, killing tens of millions), there's one on the use of nuclear bombs in ww2 that actually covers alot of the strategic and philosophical ground involved, lots of crazy topics, lots of lesser known topics, and told in a way you're not likely to get from a teacher or a book, as dan carlin is a fan of history, not a teacher or historian.

 

I think if more Americans were really aware of the impact the Soviets had on defeating Germany they'd re-evaluate the wartime effort and post-war role of the U.S. a lot differently. The Western Europe and Pacific campaigns were bad enough, but nothing compares to the brutal and devastating scope of the Eastern front.

 

Interested in the A-bomb one: I took a history class on US foreign policy in the 20th century and we had a guest lecturer talk about the decision to drop the atomic bombs, a debate that evolved more and more as more evidence came out and as American attitudes changed during the cold war. There's a common misconception that Japan wouldn't have surrendered for years if we invaded but that's come into doubt and the other factor that emerged was the US wanted to stave off the USSR from invading Japan from the north and creating a situation similar to that of Germany. Most American documentaries just talk about how it ended the war faster, usually with a token interview clip of an American veteran saying something like "it was payback for Pearl Harbor." I can understand a Pacific Campaign veteran having that attitude because of their perspective but it's always struck me as irresponsible to reinforce such a factually offensive comparison.

just for some background; the refusal to acknowledge the complexity around the decision to drop the atomic bomb can be blamed squarely on federal and state middle and high-school level curriculum. I don't know what the hell type of indoctrination my students undergo, but I have shown them the Truman administration correspondence and Kennan telegrams over the decision to drop the atomic bombs, and they still look at me like I'm a Marxist hellbent on destroying are freedom. I actually had one student claim that the documents were falsified by Soviet spies (WTF?)

If people at a college level cannot understand that the atomic bombs were dropped for other reasons than "payback" or "saving the free world" by showing them the actual documentation, then there isn't much else that can be done.

  On 5/31/2013 at 9:19 PM, Ceerial said:

What is the episode about use of nuclear bombs in WWII called?

 

Most have missed that one.

Logical Insanity, it's a BLITZ episode. It's still free on the site.

One of my favorite podcast, Prophets of Doom is probably his best episode yet.

Dan Carlin did a reddit question thing ... http://www.reddit.com/r/history/comments/1fard6/dan_carlin_here_from_the_hardcore_history_podcast/

I love his answer about teaching history .. (i wish he was my teacher, maybe i would be in a better place right now)

He is one of those guys who is doing it for the right reasons, honesty is the one of most importent thing when it comes to art and entertainment.

"I have been thinking about this a lot lately, as my oldest child is starting to learn about history in school. You know..there's a 30 or so year gap between when I was in school (primary school I mean) and her grade. I REALLY assumed that the teaching of history would have improved in that time. I was shocked and disappointed to see so much of the same rote learning of names and dates that was always so heavily criticized as boring and mind-numbing. (and she goes to a good school!).

To me, the best way to get the students interested (assuming that you have such freedom with the curricula) is to do what we do in the podcasts: find the stories that are just amazing and the people who go through dramatic and wild ordeals and pepper your lessons with THAT. Do your best to make kids understand that none of this was per-ordained, and that the participants were often taking huge risks with no foreknowledge of how things would turn out. Maybe play with some alternative history too...that's always fun and gets kids minds thinking about the many paths events can take (as opposed to them assuming there's just the way it actually went down)."

  On 6/1/2013 at 4:03 AM, Deer said:

Dan Carlin did a reddit question thing ... http://www.reddit.com/r/history/comments/1fard6/dan_carlin_here_from_the_hardcore_history_podcast/

 

I love his answer about teaching history .. (i wish he was my teacher, maybe i would be in a better place right now)

 

 

"I have been thinking about this a lot lately, as my oldest child is starting to learn about history in school. You know..there's a 30 or so year gap between when I was in school (primary school I mean) and her grade. I REALLY assumed that the teaching of history would have improved in that time. I was shocked and disappointed to see so much of the same rote learning of names and dates that was always so heavily criticized as boring and mind-numbing. (and she goes to a good school!).

To me, the best way to get the students interested (assuming that you have such freedom with the curricula) is to do what we do in the podcasts: find the stories that are just amazing and the people who go through dramatic and wild ordeals and pepper your lessons with THAT. Do your best to make kids understand that none of this was per-ordained, and that the participants were often taking huge risks with no foreknowledge of how things would turn out. Maybe play with some alternative history too...that's always fun and gets kids minds thinking about the many paths events can take (as opposed to them assuming there's just the way it actually went down)."

this is all based on the assumption that anyone is listening. and a lot of that is predicated on being forced into a system where you are obligated to listen to lectures. its a losing game in terms of numbers, but if you're a decent teacher you'll get a handful of students every semester that felt it was worth it.

Listening to Prophets of Doom. This is awesome.

  On 6/1/2013 at 3:53 AM, very honest said:

 

  On 5/31/2013 at 9:19 PM, Ceerial said:

What is the episode about use of nuclear bombs in WWII called?

 

Most have missed that one.

 

Logical Insanity, it's a BLITZ episode. It's still free on the site.

 

Oh yeah.. I did hear that one. Also a great episode.

I wish he would do more WWI/WWII specific episodes, those are my favorites.

Listening to episode 48 about the events in Munster I gotta say, during the first 14 minutes of the podcast I learnt more from the wikipedias. He talks a bit about everything and nothing at the same time, and he goes on and on and on.... No wonder he needs 4 hours to make a point.

Are all his podcasts like that? Or does he have more concise ones as well?

Not a fan, but still open to the idea. The OP made it sound way more interesting.

Well, that episode takes some time before it gets going.

But maybe you should try the blitz edition, they are only around 1-2 hours long.

The ghosts of the ostfront one is massive. Truly astounding stuff.

  On 6/2/2013 at 5:41 PM, goDel said:

Listening to episode 48 about the events in Munster I gotta say, during the first 14 minutes of the podcast I learnt more from the wikipedias. He talks a bit about everything and nothing at the same time, and he goes on and on and on.... No wonder he needs 4 hours to make a point.

 

Are all his podcasts like that? Or does he have more concise ones as well?

 

Not a fan, but still open to the idea. The OP made it sound way more interesting.

some history can be explained better with proper context. maybe you do fine with wiki articles, but I have found from experience that a lot of people that sorta repeat what they read on the page lack substantial background information....i think he (the Hardcore History podcaster) does a great job of "filling in the holes" so to speak. its not for everyone though.

  On 6/3/2013 at 12:39 PM, chim said:

The ghosts of the ostfront one is massive. Truly astounding stuff.

that and the ones on the mongol invasions are my favorite.

I am absolutely awestruck by these podcasts. He does an excellent job at conveying the unreal scale of some of these battles. Gonna check the mongol one out!

  On 5/31/2013 at 9:04 PM, joshuatx said:

These sound awesome, will check out.

 

Really sounds like an alternative to typical television programming on the History and Discovery channel, which I used to watch as a kid, but now are basically re-hashed subject matter at best, and at worst speculative shit (Nazi alien time travelers!? ermahgerd!) or reality tv bullshit like this:

 

 

  On 5/31/2013 at 4:52 PM, very honest said:

the Hardcore History podcast is a work of art. dan carlin uses lots of sources, muses on profound questions that are illustrated, puts you into the story, and organizes the podcasts to have a great flow. there's a series on the german ost front (hitler vs stalin, a massive, lesser told, and crazy aspect of ww2), a series on the mongols (an army that just traveled around killing everything, and did so unimpeded for decades, killing tens of millions), there's one on the use of nuclear bombs in ww2 that actually covers alot of the strategic and philosophical ground involved, lots of crazy topics, lots of lesser known topics, and told in a way you're not likely to get from a teacher or a book, as dan carlin is a fan of history, not a teacher or historian.

 

I think if more Americans were really aware of the impact the Soviets had on defeating Germany they'd re-evaluate the wartime effort and post-war role of the U.S. a lot differently. The Western Europe and Pacific campaigns were bad enough, but nothing compares to the brutal and devastating scope of the Eastern front.

 

Interested in the A-bomb one: I took a history class on US foreign policy in the 20th century and we had a guest lecturer talk about the decision to drop the atomic bombs, a debate that evolved more and more as more evidence came out and as American attitudes changed during the cold war. There's a common misconception that Japan wouldn't have surrendered for years if we invaded but that's come into doubt and the other factor that emerged was the US wanted to stave off the USSR from invading Japan from the north and creating a situation similar to that of Germany. Most American documentaries just talk about how it ended the war faster, usually with a token interview clip of an American veteran saying something like "it was payback for Pearl Harbor." I can understand a Pacific Campaign veteran having that attitude because of their perspective but it's always struck me as irresponsible to reinforce such a factually offensive comparison.

he handles the subject brilliantly, first offering the disclaimer that he considers the atomic bombings to be war crimes, then describing how firebombings of equivalent or worse destruction/killing were happening all the time in ww2, then showing how massive collateral damage became accepted as "the rules of the game," by tracing the mentality and ideas to their origins, and going through the history of military air power development. he points out various ways to alleviate the problem of bombing that have been proposed over the last hundred years.

^Listening to that one now, about an hour through it - I'm assuming he'll touch on Curtis LeMay again, that man was a fascinating figure in US military history, and fits the "logical insanity" term perfectly.

well there are 5 episodes of the world war series up for free now. probably by the end of the year they will start to be premium episodes, so grab them now if you're interested, and get caught up for the last episode which should be up soon

Dan just did a 6 hour episode on nuclear war. I guess specifically the Cuban missile crisis but I'm an hour in and he's been all over the place covering the "context".