History on Fire

Discover the dramatic clash between the Spanish and Mexica empires, where cultural awe meets brutal betrayal. Delve into Moctezuma's struggle with impending doom as he navigates treachery and hope. Experience the chaotic descent of Tenochtitlan, witnessing blood-soaked confrontations and desperate attempts to resist invaders. Uncover the psychological toll on leaders, and the harrowing consequences of power shifts, culminating in the heart-wrenching chaos of a city under siege. It’s a gripping tale of glory, treachery, and bloodshed.

Dive into the fierce clash of 16th-century warriors as the Spaniards meet the Mexica empire. Discover the first battle featuring horses in Mexico and the terrifying armored dogs trained to hunt humans. Explore the significant role of Malintzin, a woman who shifted from slavery to power, and uncover the motivations behind Moctezuma's choices. Experience Cortés' theatrical political maneuvers and the brutal realities of war. Amidst cultural conflicts and sacrifices, the saga unfolds, leaving a stark mark on history.

Explore the clash between Spaniards and Aztecs in brutal detail, shedding light on gory sacrifices and atrocities. Dive into the Mexica civilization and the Spanish conquest of Mexico, contrasting the militaristic aspects and religions of both cultures. Learn about eerie omens and prophecies leading up to the clash, and follow the different paths taken by captured individuals during the conquest.

In this engaging conversation, Dan Carlin, a renowned history podcaster, dives into the intricate layers of historical narratives. He emphasizes the importance of nuanced thinking and understanding different perspectives, especially concerning figures like Hitler and Genghis Khan. Carlin humorously proposes a 'Gladiators for Peace' concept while examining the balance of war and peaceful narratives. He also delves into the capabilities of ancient societies, challenging conventional beliefs with insights on Göbekli Tepe, and reflects on the profound connection between human experience and history.

“It made my heart bad. After that, I killed my enemies with the hatchet.” Lakota leader Gall, upon finding out his family had been killed “If we’ve got to die, let’s die here like men.” Lieutenant Luther Hare “We were terribly alone on that dangerous hilltop. We were a million miles from nowhere. And death was all around us.” Charles Windolph“Only Earth and the Heavens last long, Uncle. If we four can stop the soldiers from taking our camp, our lives will matter little.” Bobtail Horse“Hokahey, brother! This life will not last forever” White Bull addressing Crazy Horse“I am a Fox. I am supposed to die.If there is anything difficult,If there is anything dangerous,It is mine to do.” Kit Fox warrior society songTo the Lakota people, the Black Hills of South Dakota were—and still are—‘the heart of everything that is.’ To the United States, they were a goldmine, and Manifest Destiny’s next target. It was for the Black Hills that the Lakota went to war against the United States for the last time.In this episode:-Reno’s attack-Moving Robe Woman gets her revenge-Bloody Knife and his nieces-The Throwing-Them-Off-Their-Horses game-Equine sexual passion can’t be restrained by humans and their battles-Benteen’s choices-The long night-A handful of Cheyenne warriors and the meaning of bravery-White Bull, Crazy Horse and the ‘suicide boys”-The one who (almost) got away-Cheyenne women helping Custer to improve his hearing-Custer’s smile-Setting up Custer-Defiant smile and raised middle finger Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“…And together through ages of the world we have fought the long defeat.” J.R.R. Tolkien“I shall have glory by this losing day.” William Shakespeare“Oyate kin ninpi kta ca lecamu yelo” (“I do this so that the people may live.”) Lakota song“My mind was occupied mostly by such thoughts as are regularly uppermost in the minds of young men. I was eighteen years old, and I liked girls.” Wooden LegTo the Lakota people, the Black Hills of South Dakota were—and still are—‘the heart of everything that is.’ To the United States, they were a goldmine, and Manifest Destiny’s next target. It was for the Black Hills that the Lakota went to war against the United States for the last time.In this episode:-When he is not attacking camps full of women and children, Custer is a sensitive guy who cries at the theater-How Grant, Sheridan, and Co. engineered their own version of the Gulf of Tonkin incident-Frodo, the destiny of Middle Earth and Sitting Bull-Custer decides to challenge Grant over corruption-Lost in presidential dreams, Custer probably never realized he was being set up-An American army that wasn’t really American-A soldier’s scalp in an abandoned village-The Battle Where the Girl Saved Her Brother-Cross-dressing Crow warriors-Custer: “Why are you doing all this?”Half Yellow Face: “Because you and I are going home today—by a trail that is strange to both of us.”    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“The Black Hills is my land and I love it.And whoever interferes will hear this gun.” Lakota song“Came to the Hills in 1833… got our gold in 1834. Got all the gold we could carry. Our ponys got by Indians. I have lost my gun and nothing to eat and Indians hunting me.” Ezra KindTo the Lakota people, the Black Hills of South Dakota were—and still are—‘the heart of everything that is.’ To the United States, they were a goldmine, and Manifest Destiny’s next target. It was for the Black Hills that the Lakota went to war against the United States for the last time.In this episode:-We become acquainted with one of this story’s key characters: George Armstrong Custer-“In years long numbered with the past when I was verging upon manhood, my every thought was ambitious—not to be wealthy, not to be learned, but to be great.” Custer-Custer’s key role at the Battle of Gettysburg-Reckless and proud-AWOL-Washita-‘Garry Owen’ was Custer’s version of Apocalypse Now-The genesis of the hatred between Benteen and Custer-Raping POWs-Lack of money makes President Grant a peaceful man-The Mafia of the railroads-The Yellowstone expedition and the economic collapse of 1873-The Thieves’ Road, and Charley Reynolds’ ride   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

"Ladies and gentlemen, I don't know whether you fully understand that I have just been shot, but it takes more than that to kill a Bull Moose.” Theodore RooseveltHe was the first American to receive a brown belt in Judo. He won the largest percentage of the vote ever by a third-party candidate.He once took a bullet to the chest shot at point blank range, and rather than going to the hospital went to deliver a 90 minute speech. He survived tragedies that would break lesser men.He spent his life fighting against the inner demons trying to destroy him. He was a perfect embodiment of what Nietzsche probably had in mind when he wrote, “You must still have chaos in yourself to be able to give birth to a dancing star." He was a warmonger with a diplomatic tact. He was a hunter and an environmentalist. He was a nerd and an athlete. He flirted with white supremacist ideas and yet was very progressive about race by the standards of his day. He was a big proponent of personal responsibility and supported quasi-Socialist policies.Love him or hate him, he was larger than life.He was Theodore Roosevelt.In this episode:-“I am really sorry for Taft… I am sure he means well, but he means well feebly.”-The end of a friendship-“To destroy this invisible government, to dissolve the unholy alliance between corrupt business and corrupt politics is the first task of the statesmanship of the day.”-“My hat is in the ring. The fight is on and I’m stripped to the buff.”-“The Republican Party must stand for the rights of humanity, or else it must stand for special privilege.”-TR’s relationship with Socialism-A bullet in the chest-Challenging the two party system-The trip in the Amazon: “I had to go. It was my last chance to be a boy”-“I need not grumble about fate; I had my day, and it was a good day.”  -Heartbreak in WW I-Roosevelt and the limits of binary thinking-“It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“The poorest way to face life is to face it with a sneer,” he said. “A cynical habit of thought and speech, a readiness to criticize work which the critic himself never tries to perform, an intellectual aloofness which will not accept contact with life's realities—all these are marks, not ... of superiority but of weakness.”Theodore RooseveltHe was the first American to receive a brown belt in Judo. He won the largest percentage of the vote ever by a third-party candidate.He once took a bullet to the chest shot at point blank range, and rather than going to the hospital went to deliver a 90 minute speech. He survived tragedies that would break lesser men.He spent his life fighting against the inner demons trying to destroy him. He was a perfect embodiment of what Nietzsche probably had in mind when he wrote, “You must still have chaos in yourself to be able to give birth to a dancing star." He was a warmonger with a diplomatic tact. He was a hunter and an environmentalist. He was a nerd and an athlete. He flirted with white supremacist ideas and yet was very progressive about race by the standards of his day. He was a big proponent of personal responsibility and supported quasi-Socialist policies.Love him or hate him, he was larger than life.He was Theodore Roosevelt.In this episode:-The Youngest American President: Juvenile and Proud-Roosevelt and Racism-“Unless we keep the barbarian virtues, gaining the civilized ones will be of little avail.”-Losing sight in one eye while sparring, and Judo days-Going to battle with JP Morgan. The 1902 Coal Strike. At war with Congress over environmental preservation-When the President camped outdoors in the Yosemite snow with John Muir-“…a small bunch of shrill eunuchs…”-Why American Football may not exist had it not been for Roosevelt-“We bought the son of a bitch, and then he didn’t stay bought”-Jumping naked in the frozen waters of the Potomac River-The Media Queen: Alice Roosevelt; “a young wild animal that had been put into good clothes”-The Nobel Peace Prize-War in the Philippines; The Panama Canal; The Brownsville Incident-William Howard Taft and his S&M marriage-Eating an elephant’s heart Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

“You must still have chaos in yourself to be able to give birth to a dancing star” Friedrich Nietzsche“History as well as life itself is complicated—neither life nor history is an enterprise for those who seek simplicity and consistency.”Jared DiamondHe was the first American to receive a brown belt in Judo. He won the largest percentage of the vote ever by a third-party candidate.He once took a bullet to the chest shot at point blank range, and rather than going to the hospital went to deliver a 90 minute speech. He survived tragedies that would break lesser men.He spent his life fighting against the inner demons trying to destroy him. He was a perfect embodiment of what Nietzsche probably had in mind when he wrote, “You must still have chaos in yourself to be able to give birth to a dancing star." He was a warmonger with a diplomatic tact. He was a hunter and an environmentalist. He was a nerd and an athlete. He flirted with white supremacist ideas and yet was very progressive about race by the standards of his day. He was a big proponent of personal responsibility and supported quasi-Socialist policies.Love him or hate him, he was larger than life.He was Theodore Roosevelt.In this episode:-A sickly child discovers the joys of the strenuous life-Defeating fear by facing fear-Having the woman you love die in your arms; into the Dakota wilderness-“A six year old child on steroids”-"Black care rarely sits behind a rider whose pace is fast enough"-“Theodore had to hold on to his optimism very tight, otherwise he couldn’t get through the shadows, the darknesses, surrounding him”-Marriage # 2-Why telling Roosevelt “It will break you. You will yield. You are but human;” is a bad idea-The Rough Riders-Going to war against his own party-How Thomas Platt’s plan to eliminate Roosevelt gave him the presidency Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices