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Key Battles of American History
James Early
War has played a key role in the history of the United States from the nation’s founding right down to the present. Wars made the U. S. independent, kept it together, increased its size, and established it as a global superpower. Understanding America’s wars is essential for understanding American history. In the Key Battles of American History, host James Early discusses American history through the lens of the most important battles of America’s wars. James is an Adjunct Professor of History at San Jacinto College in Pasadena, TX. He has published one book and two scholarly articles. He is also the cohost (with Scott Rank) of the Presidential Fight Club, Key Battles of the Civil War, Key Battles of the Revolutionary War, and Key Battles of World War I podcasts.
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The Great Escape
November 11, 2023 - 58 min
Join James and Sean as they discuss the 1963 classic The Great Escape, the thrilling story of the largest mass breakout from a POW camp ever in World War 2. Steve McQueen leads a truly all star cast with his iconic performance.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Allied Prisoners of War in Germany
November 8, 2023 - 52 min
Over 300,000 western Allied servicemen were captured and imprisoned by Nazi Germany during World War 2. Join Sean and James as they tell about the experiences of British, American, French, and other western Allied prisoners of war, including capture, camp life, work programs, escape, and liberation.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Tuskegee Airmen
November 4, 2023 - 45 min
In this episode, Sean and James discuss The Tuskegee Airmen, a 1995 HBO television movie based on the exploits of the first African-American combat pilots in the United States Army Air Corps who fought in World War II.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
African-Americans in World War 2
November 1, 2023 - 52 min
In this episode, James interviews Dartmouth College professor and best-selling author Matthew F. Delmont about his excellent book Half American: The Epic Story of African-Americans Fighting World War II at Home and Abroad. In the interview, Professor Delmont gives an excellent overview of the experience of Black Americans during the Second World War.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Judgment at Nuremberg
October 28, 2023 - 56 min
One of the greatest films of all time, 1961’s Judgment at Nuremberg is a gripping courtroom drama about a small town American judge called to preside over the trial of German judges accused of crimes against humanity. Join Sean and James as they review this classic with one of the greatest ensemble casts ever.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Holocaust
October 25, 2023 - 45 min
During the Second World War, the Germans murdered 6 million Jews and about 5 million other so-called “undesirables” in what became known as the Holocaust. In this episode, Sean and James discuss this difficult but crucial topic.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
The Train
October 21, 2023 - 48 min
The Train narrates the gripping story of a German officer’s attempt to ship great masterpieces of art out of France by train ahead of the Allied advance and the efforts of the Resistance to prevent this from happening. Join James and Sean as they review John Frankenheimer’s taut 1960s war thriller, starring Burt Lancaster and Paul Schoefield.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Resistance Movements
October 18, 2023 - 46 min
In every nation that the Germans occupied, resistance movements emerged. In this episode, Sean and James discuss anti-German guerilla movements, focusing primarily on the resistance efforts in four nations: Norway, France, Yugoslavia, and the Soviet Union.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
To Hell and Back
October 14, 2023 - 35 min
America’s most decorated soldier of World War 2 was Texan Audie Murphy. When the time came for Hollywood to adapt his memoir into a film, there was no better star for the film than Murphy himself, who had become a matineé idol. Join Sean and James as they look at this surprisingly hard hitting and realistic 1955 film.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
American Soldiers, Sailors, and Airmen
October 11, 2023 - 67 min
Following another long-time KBAH tradition, Sean and James discuss the life and experience of the common soldier, sailor and air crewmen in the European Theater of Operations in World War II. For the sake of time, the discussion is limited to American servicemen.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
