German Prisonerrs of War in Texas During World War II SPECIAL EDITION

This tour takes a look at prisoner of war camps in Texas during World War II, and specifically focuses on Camp Swift, a major camp around Bastrop Texas, and two of its subcamps, Camp Alvin and Camp Angleton, which are near the Gulf Coast in Brazoria County. Information for this podcasts was collected from the following resources:

Ida Blanchette, Babe on the Bayou: Alvin at Centennial, (Texian Press, 1979).

Georg Gaertner and Arnold Krammer, Hitler's Last Soldier in America, (Stein & Day Publishing, 1985).

Arnold Krammer, Nazi Prisoners of War in America, (Scarborough House, 1979).

As well as interviews with local residents by Ida Blanchette and later, Hollis Knode.

In this tour, we'll take a look at the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and the seriousness of the Supreme Court's recent rulings regarding it. The first ten minutes or so of the tour will briefly review the passage of the 14th and 15th amendments, and the Civil Rights Act of 1865, as well as the cases that began to undo the civil rights of African Americans after the Reconstruction period. The rest of the tour focuses on the Voting Rights Act of 1965, specifically sections 2 and 5, and its gutting in recent years. If you don't quite know what they did, this tour will catch you up.

Works Cited:

America: A Narrative History by Tyndall & Shi

American Stories: A History of the United States by H.W. Brands, T. H. Breen, R. Hal Williams, and Ariela J. Gross

https://www.oyez.org/

In this tour we’ll see the election of our first African-American President, Barak Obama. We’ll study the continued polarization as exemplified by Republican legislators who would refuse to work with the administration, as well as movements such as the Tea Party and the Occupy Wall Street movement. We’ll finally get a healthcare plan, and it is also here that we will see Putin’s first attempts to move into Ukraine.

First we’ll tour important cultural shifts in the 90s and early 2000s, then we’ll take a look at the election of 2000, 9/11, and the War on Terrorism.

Clinton's two terms in office were marked with impressive economic wins, as globalization changes the economic tableau, and dot coms and budget surpluses displayed a period of prolonged prosperity. At the same time, ups like welfare reform and helping to bring peace in the Balkans and downs like the inability to fix the healthcare system and the scandals that plagued the administration will make for a bumpy ride on this tour.

Though only one term, George H. W. Bush governed during a time when a lot was going on geopolitically, including the collapse of Soviet communism, crisis in the Middle East that led to war, and the successful ousting of Manuel Noriega in Panama. All of that, coupled with a War on Drugs at home and a questionable economy will make for a busy four years.

Take a tour of the Reagan years, and find out more about supply-side economics, lowering inflation, the deficit, the Iran-Contra Affair, and making America stand tall again.

Both Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter inherited a lot of problems when they stepped into the Oval Office, and while they had good intentions, things like the Energy Crisis, massive inflation, and a hostage crisis will take their toll. In most instances, these two presidents make the choice to do what is right over what will get them re-elected. Come join our tour of the seventies!

This week’s tour shows us the many different sides of President Richard Nixon. The moderate Republican, his environmental efforts, and his unfortunate paranoia that will lead to a number of scandals, including Watergate. Find out more about the Saturday Night Massacre, the public’s indignant response, and Nixon’s decision to resign.

The decade of the sixties was chaotic, and dreams of a Great Society were dashed as the country was awash in protests against the Vietnam War, and for Civil Rights for African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, Women, Homosexuals, and other underrepresented groups. Some Baby Boomers even pursued personal rebellion - turning on, tuning in, and dropping out with the counter culture. Buckle up - it’s a bumpy, wild tour!