Why Wars Happened History Podcast

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

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

Step into the dramatic rise and brutal fall of King Charles I, the only English monarch ever executed by his own people.

👉 In this episode of Why Wars Happened, uncover how one man’s reign spiraled into rebellion, civil war, and a shocking public beheading:

🧒 Charles’s early life & path to the throne

🕵️ The Duke of Buckingham’s dangerous influence

💍 A royal marriage that fueled religious conflict

⚔️ Failed wars & political backlash that tore England apart

🔥 The Scottish rebellion & bitter English Civil War

⚖️ The king’s trial, execution & legacy that changed monarchy forever

If you’re fascinated by British history, royal power struggles, or the drama of the English Civil War, this story has it all — betrayal, faith, and the fall of a king.

⏱ Timestamps

00:00 – Introduction to Charles I

01:27 – Early Life & Rise to Power

01:57 – The Duke of Buckingham’s Influence

03:31 – Marriage & Religious Conflicts

05:41 – Military Failures & Backlash

19:15 – The English Civil War & Execution

20:30 – Charles I’s Legacy

21:51 – Final Reflections

#CharlesI #EnglishCivilWar #BritishHistory #RoyalHistory #WhyWarsHappened

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

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

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

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

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

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

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