American History Hit

By: History Hit
  • Summary

  • 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.

    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.

    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.

    New episodes every Monday and Thursday.

    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.

    History Hit
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Episodes
  • Guantanamo Bay Detention Center: A History From The Inside
    Sep 23 2024

    Very few people know what it is like to be in the infamous US detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, but our 3 guests for this episode have all had first hand experience.


    For one of them, it was as a detainee. Mansoor Adayfi was held, interrogated and tortured at Guantanamo for over 14 years. For Pardiss Kebriaei, it was as an attorney. Pardiss is a Senior Staff Attorney at the Center for Constitutional Rights, and has worked with Guantanamo detainees since 2007. Finally, for Karen Greenberg, it was as an historian. Karen is Director of the Center on National Security at Fordham Law, and author of a number of books, including 'The Least Worst Place: Guantanamo's First 100 Days'.


    So how did Guantanamo Bay become the locus of a detention centre? How did nearly 800 people come to be detained there? And how has it changed over time? Don finds out.


    Mansoor's books include 'Don't Forget Us Here' and the audiobook 'Letters from Guantanamo', available on audible.


    Produced 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.

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    1 hr and 2 mins
  • Outlaws: New York's Criminal Mastermind
    Sep 19 2024

    When was the first bank robbery? What does it take to be successful in organized crime? Is it possible to be non-violent? And how might you avoid getting caught? The story of Ma Mandelbaum, the mother of New York's criminal underworld, has the answer to these questions and more.


    Don is joined by Margalit Fox, former senior writer at the New York Times, to discuss the fascinating rise and fall of Frederica Mandelbaum, a 19th-century immigrant in New York who became one of the earliest and most successful figures in organized crime.


    Margalit's books is entitled 'The Talented Mrs. Mandelbaum: The Rise and Fall of an American Organized-Crime Boss'.


    Produced by Sophie Gee. Edited by Tomos Delargy. 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.

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    35 mins
  • How The World Sees The US: The Art of Diplomacy
    Sep 16 2024

    How did Egypt and Israel come to an agreement at Camp David in 1979? How did the USSR come to allow the operation of NATO troops in East Germany? Ambassador Stuart Eizenstat has played a leading role in the United States' diplomatic negotiations whilst serving in six Presidential administrations.


    In a troubled world, which needs diplomacy more than ever, Stuart joins Don to explore the internal workings of agreements that have shaped the world in which we live.


    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.

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    37 mins

What listeners say about American History Hit

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Brilliant podcast

Like most Brits I thought that the United States had a limited history, but how wrong i was, even with the subjects I knew about Don and his crew provided me new and more detailed information. A must for all fans of American history.

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Excellent

Don Wildman's enthusiastic thoughtful engagement with his subject and his relaxed agreeable voice make this my favourite historical podcast.

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