Approximately 100 thousand flights take off and land each and every day. A months long journey on a boat is condensed to just a few hours with the help of aircraft, and the birth of planes introduced an entirely new form of warfare.
Orville and Wilbur Wright, the Wright brothers, are household names. But how did they create the first successful heavier than air flying machine?
In this episode, Don speaks to Tom Crouch, Curator Emeritus at the National Air and Space Museum. They delve into the lives and personalities of these two men, and the long process that took them into the air above Kitty Hawk.
Produced by Sophie Gee. Edited by Siobhan Dale. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.
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The Wright Brothers

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. &nbsp; 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.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; 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. &nbsp; New episodes every Monday and Thursday. &nbsp; Brought to you by History Hit, the award-winning podcast network and world’s best history channel on demand, featuring shows like Dan Snow’s History Hit, Not Just The Tudors and Betwixt the Sheets.
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History

Society & Culture

They say that honesty is the best policy, but was this the case for Grover Cleveland? He may be the only president to have served two non-consecutive terms (as of 13 June 2023), but Cleveland was deeply unpopular by the end of his last term.
From protecting the interests of the American people and upholding the constitution, to a secret lifesaving operation - what defines the 22nd and 24th President?
In this episode we find out with two guests. The first is President Cleveland's grandson, George, who introduces us to Grover from inside the family. The second is Professor Mark Summers, author of 'A Good Man is Hard to Take: Grover Cleveland – Man of Destiny'.
Produced by Freddy Chick and Sophie Gee. Edited by Aidan Lonergan. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.
Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for $1 per month for 3 months with code AMERICANHISTORY sign up at https://historyhit.com/subscription/ 
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President Grover Cleveland: Honest to a Fault?

How did the United States go from a country defined by its lawlessness in the 1920s and early 1930s, to one where many political standpoints rest on a War on Crime? What roles did FDR, J. Edgar Hoover and Attorney General Homer S. Cummings play in this?
In this episode of American History Hit, Don delves into the transformation of the Federal government during Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal. He is joined by Anthony Gregory, historian of the American State and author of 'New Deal Law and Order: How the War on Crime Built the Modern Liberal State'.
Produced and edited by Sophie Gee. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.
Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for $1 per month for 3 months with code AMERICANHISTORY sign up at https://historyhit.com/subscription/ 
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The War on Crime: The 1930s and the New Deal

On June 6, 1944, the Allied forces combined their land, air and sea forces into the largest amphibious invasion in history - D-Day.
Under Supreme Commander General Dwight D Eisenhower, this attack turned the tide on the second world war, pushing enemy forces out of France and towards surrender in Berlin.
73,000 Americans landed on the beaches of Normandy that day, and to hear about their roles, Don is speaking to Martin Morgan - tour guide, historian and author of 'The Americans on D-Day: A Photographic History of the Normandy Invasion.'
Produced by Sophie Gee. Edited by Max Carrey and Sophie Gee. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.
Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for $1 per month for 3 months with code AMERICANHISTORY sign up at https://historyhit.com/subscription/ 
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America at D-Day

The history of the United States' relationship with communism is one littered with fear and persecution. So where did the American Communist Party come from? How powerful has it been in the last century? And where is it now?
In this episode of American History Hit, Don is joined by Dr. Vernon Pederson, Professor at the American University of Sharjah and President of the Historians of American Communism.
Produced and edited by Sophie Gee. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.
Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for $1 per month for 3 months with code AMERICANHISTORY sign up at https://historyhit.com/subscription/ 
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Communism in America

Where did baseball come from? Why is every stadium unique? And how do you make it to the Hall of Fame? 
For half the year, baseball remains a national pastime in the USA. It is also a game of many myths, and plenty of legends. In this episode, Don speaks to one of them - Joe Posnanski is a two time Emmy Award winner and has been named National Sportswriter of the Year by five different organizations. 
From Gaylord Perry's moonshot, to the teenage girl who pitched for Babe Ruth, to the crossing of barriers of race and gender in major league baseball, Joe takes us through some of the key moments in baseball history.
Joe's book on this subject is 'Why We Love Baseball: A History in 50 Moments': https://linktr.ee/WhyWeLoveBaseballUK.
Produced and edited by Sophie Gee. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.
Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Get a subscription for $1 per month for 3 months with code AMERICANHISTORY sign up at https://historyhit.com/subscription/ 
You can take part in our listener survey here.

The Wright Brothers

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