Matthew Parker

Matthew Parker, author of Hell’s Gorge: The Battle To Build The Panama Canal, joins the conversation to unravel the shocking corruption surrounding the French Panama Canal project. He discusses how George Eiffel was entangled in this scandal and the devastating impact of Yellow Fever on workers. Parker also introduces the charismatic Philippe-Jean Bunau-Varilla, who brilliantly swayed the US government to support the canal. The episode compellingly links French idealism with American pragmatism amidst a backdrop of ambition and tragedy.

In this episode, Matthew Parker, author of *Hell's Gorge: The Battle To Build The Panama Canal*, explores the wild ambitions behind the Panama Canal's construction in the 1880s. He shares how the Gold Rush transformed Panama into a transit hub for adventurers. The eccentric Ferdinand de Lesseps even flew a hot air balloon over Paris to rally support for the canal. Parker also touches on the human tragedy and fierce challenges faced by laborers, painting a vivid picture of the madness and missteps of this grand engineering endeavor.

Matthew Parker, an author and expert on the Panama Canal, dives into the dramatic tale of American intervention in Panama's independence. He reveals how the U.S. orchestrated the revolution and signed controversial treaties without Panamanian representation. The conversation explores the significant engineering challenges, like battling yellow fever, and highlights the racial disparities in worker treatment. Parker also discusses the canal's impact on American imperialism and the shifting dynamics of U.S.-Panama relations as World War I approached.