

The History of the Twentieth Century
Mark Painter
A chronicle of the history of the twentieth century, including art, music, popular culture, science, religion, and, of course, politics and war.
Episodes
Mentioned books

May 22, 2022 • 42min
282 One Hundred Days
Franklin Roosevelt's administration began with a bang.

4 snips
May 15, 2022 • 45min
281 Fear Itself
In the four-month period between Roosevelt's election and his inauguration, the American economy went from bad to worse.

4 snips
May 8, 2022 • 56min
280 A New Deal
New York Governor Franklin Roosevelt was the wide favorite for the 1932 Democratic Presidential nomination, while Herbert Hoover's popularity, like the US economy, was declining every month.

May 1, 2022 • 47min
279 Persistent Experimentation
Franklin Delano Roosevelt, scion of two old and wealthy New York families, former Assistant Secretary of the Navy and candidate for Vice President of the United States, had a bright future ahead of him. Then he came down with polio.

Apr 17, 2022 • 45min
278 Chain Reaction
Rutherford's hypothetical neutron was proved to exist in 1932. Atomic physics in the 1930s was regularly producing dramatic--and disturbing--new results.

Apr 10, 2022 • 44min
277 The Empire Christmas Pudding
The British economy hadn't fully bounced back from the war when the Depression hit, eventually forcing Britain off the gold standard once again.

Apr 3, 2022 • 43min
276 The Salt March
The Indian National Congress had declared independence, but waited for Gandhi to propose a strategy for resisting British rule. Gandhi came up with a characteristically unusual suggestion.

9 snips
Mar 27, 2022 • 47min
275 Stalin Is the Lenin of Today
The podcast dives into Stalin's rise to power, presenting him as Lenin's chosen successor. It discusses the ambitious first five-year plan, balancing industrial progress with rural famine. Cultural shifts in Soviet society, including educational advances and the arts, are also highlighted. The visit of George Bernard Shaw reveals the sharp contrast between Stalin's praise and the reality of oppression. Additionally, the Stachanov Movement and the detrimental effects of Lysenkoism on agriculture illustrate the era's complexities, culminating in the atmosphere of fear during the Great Purge.

Mar 13, 2022 • 49min
274 Start Talking and Stop Moving
Strangely, although motion pictures and sound recording were invented around the same time, it took thirty years before the technology to link them came together. Sound changed motion pictures, not always for the better.

4 snips
Mar 6, 2022 • 41min
273 The Anatomy of Fascism
The podcast delves into the nature of fascism, highlighting how leadership often shapes governance more than ideology itself. It explores the rise of fascism in 1930s Europe, particularly the role of domestic support in Austria. The discussion emphasizes the impact of state over individual rights and the integration of organizations within fascist structures. It also examines the self-destructive tendencies of these regimes, particularly with Hitler's final decisions. Finally, the podcast compares Nazi Germany and Stalin's Soviet Union, shedding light on their similarities and differences.