Key Battles of American History

Beginning in 1758, the British war effort would be run by the brilliant and aggressive Member of Parliament William Pitt. Pitt opened up the government’s purse to properly fund the war effort and sent a cadre of new, younger, and more aggressive generals to try and turn the tide in North America. They kicked off the 1758 campaigning season with bold assaults on the key French positions of Louisbourg and Fort Carillon. Would these efforts succeed? Join Jacob and James as they tell you.

In this episode, Jacob and James conclude their discussion of the 1992 film The Last of the Mohicans, concluding the review (as always!) by rating the film on a scale of 0 to 5.

In this episode Jacob and James discuss the epic 1992 film The Last of the Mohicans, which provides a fictionalized account of the 1757 French siege of Fort William Henry.

After the French defeat of British forces led by George Washington in 1754 and Edward Braddock in 1755, things did not improve for the British. In 1756 and 1757, French forces captured the British forts Bull, Ontario, Oswego, and WIlliam Henry, while the French navy blocked a British attempt to capture Louisbourg. Meanwhile, in London, the King searched for a leader who could turn the tide in North America. Join Jacob and James as they tell how Britain was driven to the brink of collapse in the New World. 

After the French refused the young George Washington’s request that they leave the Ohio Country, Washington took a greater force and tried again. It did not go well. The next year, the British sent a still larger force under General Edward Braddock to expel the French by force. Did Braddock succeed? Listen, and Jacob and James will let you know!

By 1754, Great Britain and France had been fighting each other off and on for centuries. In the early seventeenth century, both empires began establishing colonies in North America, and both empires’ presence in the region grew over the next 150 years. As the British colonies looked to expand west and the French pushed south and east, conflict became inevitable. Join Jacob and James as they explore the roots of the French and Indian War.

In this episode, James and new cohost Jacob Herr kick off a new series on the French and Indian War. You’ll want to catch every action-packed episode of this narrative of a little-known but crucial war for control of the region that later became the United States of America.

In this episode, Sean and James conclude their discussion of the epic 2023 biopic Oppenheimer.

In this episode, James and Sean discuss the first half of the epic 2023 biopic Oppenheimer. 

In February 1945, Major Rosenthal's plane is shot down over Berlin; he parachutes into no man's land and is rescued by the Red Army. The Germans evacuate Stalag Luft III, forcing the prisoners to march in freezing conditions; they are taken via train to Nuremberg before being interned at Stalag XIII. Cleven and two other officers escape, and Cleven makes it to Allied lines. Egan and the other prisoners are taken to Stalag VII and are liberated soon after. In Poznań, Major Rosenthal enters Żabikowo prison camp (which replaced Fort VII) where he sees the bodies of prisoners, as well as signs of the earlier Jewish inmates. Majors Cleven, Egan, Rosenthal and Crosby reunite at Thorpe Abbotts; they participate in Operations Manna and Chowhound to supply food to the Dutch population stricken by Hongerwinter. After the German surrender, the 100th departs for home. The series ends with a montage explaining the future lives of its central characters.  Join Sean and James as they discuss this epic and heart-warming episode.