Peter is joined by Philip Taubman and William Taubman, two esteemed brothers whose combined expertise in journalism, history, and biography has produced some of the most insightful works on Cold War-era figures and events. Philip is a longtime New York Times national security correspondent, while William earned the Pulitzer Prize for his masterful biography Khrushchev: The Man and His Era. In their latest collaborative effort, McNamara at War: A New History, they draw on newly discovered diaries and untapped sources to paint a revelatory portrait of Robert S. McNamara—from his efficiency-driven rise at Ford and the Pentagon to the moral reckonings of the Vietnam War and his later years.

SUPPORT THE SHOW: https://www.patreon.com/c/HistoryShortsPodcast

ADVERTISE: https://www.historyshortspodcast.com/advertise

LEARN MORE: https://www.historyshortspodcast.com/

EPISODE SPONSORED BY THE COLLECTOR: www.thecollector.com

YOU DECIDE SERIES: The Crusades, nearly two centuries of intermittent military campaigns, are among the most famous and contested events of medieval history. However, they raise a fundamental question that still divides historians today: Were the Crusades a noble struggle for the defense of Christendom and the Holy Land, or were they a form of colonial aggression masquerading as a religious duty?

DON'T FORGET TO SUBSCRIBE AND LEAVE A RATING OR A REVIEW! THANK YOU IN ADVANCE!

SUPPORT THE SHOW: https://www.patreon.com/c/HistoryShortsPodcast

ADVERTISE: https://www.historyshortspodcast.com/advertise

LEARN MORE: https://www.historyshortspodcast.com/

SPONSORED BY: https://www.podcastrepublic.net/get-it-now

Galen of Pergamon, a Roman physician born in 129 CE, revolutionized medicine by combining rigorous empirical observation with classical Greek medical theory, particularly the humoral system. He gained practical experience treating gladiators in Pergamon and later served as a personal physician to Emperor Marcus Aurelius, producing a vast body of writings on anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, and medical ethics. His work dominated Western and Islamic medicine for over a millennium, shaping diagnostic methods, treatment practices, and the philosophical integration of medicine with moral and intellectual life.

DON'T FORGET TO SUBSCRIBE AND LEAVE A RATING OR A REVIEW! THANK YOU IN ADVANCE!

SUPPORT THE SHOW: https://www.patreon.com/c/HistoryShortsPodcast

ADVERTISE: https://www.historyshortspodcast.com/advertise

LEARN MORE: https://www.historyshortspodcast.com/

SPONSORED BY: https://www.podcastrepublic.net/get-it-now

Peter is joined by New York Times Bestselling author, William Dalrymple to discuss his latest book, The Golden Road. We discuss India's often forgotten position as the heart of ancient Eurasia.

DON'T FORGET TO SUBSCRIBE AND LEAVE A RATING OR A REVIEW! THANK YOU IN ADVANCE!

MORE ABOUT WILLIAM: https://williamdalrymple.com/

SUPPORT THE SHOW: https://www.patreon.com/c/HistoryShortsPodcast

ADVERTISE: https://www.historyshortspodcast.com/advertise

LEARN MORE: https://www.historyshortspodcast.com/

EPISODE SPONSORED BY THE COLLECTOR: www.thecollector.com

Abraham Lincoln's "Lost Speech," delivered at the Illinois Republican Convention in Bloomington on May 29, 1856, was a fiery and passionate address against the expansion of slavery and in support of the newly forming Republican Party. So electrifying was Lincoln's rhetoric that reporters covering the event became so absorbed they forgot to take notes, leaving no verbatim record of the speech. Despite its disappearance, the speech's impact was widely felt, bolstering Lincoln's reputation as a powerful orator and solidifying his place as a leading voice in the anti-slavery movement.

DON'T FORGET TO SUBSCRIBE AND LEAVE A RATING OR A REVIEW! THANK YOU IN ADVANCE!

SUPPORT THE SHOW: https://www.patreon.com/c/HistoryShortsPodcast

ADVERTISE: https://www.historyshortspodcast.com/advertise

LEARN MORE: https://www.historyshortspodcast.com/

SPONSORED BY: https://www.podcastrepublic.net/get-it-now

The Assyrian Empire, emerging in the early 25th century BCE in Mesopotamia, became one of the ancient world's most powerful and militaristic civilizations, known for its advanced bureaucracy, iron weaponry, and disciplined army. At its height between the 9th and 7th centuries BCE, the empire controlled vast territories spanning modern-day Iraq, Syria, Turkey, and Egypt, employing brutal military campaigns, siege warfare, and efficient administrative systems to maintain dominance. Its legacy includes significant contributions to art, architecture, and cuneiform record-keeping, though the empire ultimately fell to a coalition of Babylonians and Medes in 612 BCE.

DON'T FORGET TO SUBSCRIBE AND LEAVE A RATING OR A REVIEW! THANK YOU IN ADVANCE!

SUPPORT THE SHOW: https://www.patreon.com/c/HistoryShortsPodcast

ADVERTISE: https://www.historyshortspodcast.com/advertise

LEARN MORE: https://www.historyshortspodcast.com/

SPONSORED BY: https://www.podcastrepublic.net/get-it-now

Levi's jeans were created in 1873 by German immigrant Levi Strauss and tailor Jacob Davis, who patented the first pair of riveted denim pants designed for durable workwear for miners during the California Gold Rush. Originally intended as sturdy labor pants, Levi's quickly became a symbol of rugged American style and practicality, spreading beyond workwear to mainstream fashion in the 20th century. Over time, Levi's evolved into a global brand, representing both classic Americana and cultural trends, from 1950s rebellious youth to modern streetwear.

DON'T FORGET TO SUBSCRIBE AND LEAVE A RATING OR A REVIEW! THANK YOU IN ADVANCE!

SUPPORT THE SHOW: https://www.patreon.com/c/HistoryShortsPodcast

ADVERTISE: https://www.historyshortspodcast.com/advertise

LEARN MORE: https://www.historyshortspodcast.com/

SPONSORED BY: https://www.podcastrepublic.net/get-it-now

Peter speaks with internationally bestselling author, Roger Moorhouse about his latest book, Wolfpack: Inside Hitler's U-Boat War. We look at the Battle of the Atlantic from the point of view of the German submariners.

DON'T FORGET TO SUBSCRIBE AND LEAVE A RATING OR A REVIEW! THANK YOU IN ADVANCE!

MORE ABOUT ROGER: https://www.rogermoorhouse.com/

SUPPORT THE SHOW: https://www.patreon.com/c/HistoryShortsPodcast

ADVERTISE: https://www.historyshortspodcast.com/advertise

LEARN MORE: https://www.historyshortspodcast.com/

EPISODE SPONSORED BY THE COLLECTOR: www.thecollector.com

YOU DECIDE SERIES: Was the Civil War caused by the abstract principle of states' rights, the idea that each state should govern itself without federal interference? Or was it caused by the institution of slavery, the morally fraught and economically central system of forced labor in the South? Secession declarations from Southern states and President Abraham Lincoln's inaugural addresses provide starkly contrasting perspectives. Today, on this episode of History Shorts' new series, YOU DECIDE, we explore both sides of this enduring debate and examine the evidence so you yourself can weigh which factor was the primary cause of America's deadliest war.

DON'T FORGET TO SUBSCRIBE AND LEAVE A RATING OR A REVIEW! THANK YOU IN ADVANCE!

SUPPORT THE SHOW: https://www.patreon.com/c/HistoryShortsPodcast

ADVERTISE: https://www.historyshortspodcast.com/advertise

LEARN MORE: https://www.historyshortspodcast.com/

SPONSORED BY: https://www.podcastrepublic.net/get-it-now

Beneath the serene landscapes of America's national parks lies a hidden history of law enforcement and intelligence. The National Park Service's Intelligence and Special Branch (ISB) operated covertly from the 1930s through the Cold War, tracking poachers, intercepting criminal networks, and safeguarding strategic resources from domestic and foreign threats. This episode explores the clandestine missions, daring operations, and enduring legacy of the ISB, revealing the intersection of conservation and national security.

DON'T FORGET TO SUBSCRIBE AND LEAVE A RATING OR A REVIEW! THANK YOU IN ADVANCE!

SUPPORT THE SHOW: https://www.patreon.com/c/HistoryShortsPodcast

ADVERTISE: https://www.historyshortspodcast.com/advertise

LEARN MORE: https://www.historyshortspodcast.com/

SPONSORED BY: https://www.podcastrepublic.net/get-it-now