Professor Buzzkill History Podcast

Dr. Vernon Burton tells us about his experiences as an expert witness in civil rights and voting legal cases. It's a fascinating look into how the work of historians can appear in all sorts of places, and can do some direct good for the rights of the people! Episode 485.

Hitler's Hanging Judge, Roland Freisler, was truly one of the worst pieces of sh*t in a regime that wasn't lacking in those. Professor Philip Nash enlightens us about one of the most reprehensible Nazis who hasn't received the shame and opprobrium that he deserves. Freisler made the fascist German legal system even more vicious and murderous than it already was. Episode 484.

Dr. Paul Miller-Melamed tells us the story of the assassination of Archduke Franz in 1914. And he enlightens us on the crucial context of the events that led to World War I. Long-term causes, medium-term causes, and immediate causes. Fascinating! Episode 483.

Halloween is a demonic holiday chock full of sin, and endangered by razor blades in trick-or-treat candy, right? Wrong. Nothing about the origins of Halloween can be called demonic, satanic, or anti-Christian. And the adulterated candy thing is an urban legend. Get the full story from the Buzzkill Institute. Episode 482

This myth will not die! Halloween 1938. A radio play based on H.G. Wells' novel, The War of the Worlds, supposedly panicked America. The Martians were invading! People went hysterical and ran for their lives! Or did they? Listen to Professors Jefferson Pooley and Michael Socolow explain what really happened. Flashback Friday!

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Walter Pincus exposes the darkest secret in American nuclear history―sixty-seven nuclear tests in the Marshall Islands that wiped out a people and their land. This is an overlooked aspect of the Cold War, and one of the most shameful acts in history. Episode 481.

Professor Claude Clegg's new book, The Black President, is the first interpretative, comprehensive history of Barack Obama's presidency in its entirety. He explains some of the major themes in the book in his first appearance on our show. This is contemporary history at its finest! Episode 480.

Buzzkill Genius Dr. Philip Nash brings us a fabulous (and very relevant) show on the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962. There's so much more to those events than the standard "eye-ball-to-eye-ball" story would lead us to believe. Among many other things, we learn why the Cold War was so cold. You'll understand so much more after listening. Episode 479.

Dr. Philip Nash tells us about the under-appreciated and little-understood battle for Tunisia during the North African campaign in World War II. Operation Torch was vital to the eventual Allied victory, but the reasons and explanations are complicated. These "peripheral" operations need more attention in history! Episode 478.

Warrant Officer Hugh Thompson stopped the My Lai Massacre from continuing and saved hundreds of civilian lives. A true hero of the Vietnam War, Thompson was someone whose humanitarian actions have been noted, but not celebrated enough. Professor Philip Nash tells us why Hugh deserves a Man Crush Monday and so much more! Episode 477.