Key Battles of American History

Salem Radio

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. Take back your personal data with Incogni! Use code battles at the link below and get 60% off annual plans: https://incogni.com/battles

Location:

United States

Genres:

History Podcasts

Networks:

Salem Radio

Parthenon

Description:

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. Take back your personal data with Incogni! Use code battles at the link below and get 60% off annual plans: https://incogni.com/battles

Language:

English

Website:

https://www.spreaker.com/show/key-battles-of-american-history

Episodes

GW20: The 1918 Middle Eastern Campaigns

4/22/2026

In this episode, Sean and James examine the dramatic final campaigns of World War I in the Caucasus, the Balkans, and Italy before turning to the decisive 1918 Allied offensive in the Middle East. They focus on General Edmund Allenby’s brilliantly executed victory at the Battle of Megiddo, where British, Indian, Australian, and Arab forces shattered the Ottoman armies. The discussion explores the use of deception, airpower, and fast-moving cavalry that turned Megiddo into one of the war’s most complete operational victories. Finally, the hosts show how the fall of Damascus, the collapse of Ottoman resistance, and the Armistice of Mudros reshaped the political landscape of the modern Middle East. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Duration:00:35:59

Journey’s End

4/18/2026

In this episode, Sean and James review the 2017 film Journey’s End, a claustrophobic World War I drama set in a British dugout on the Western Front in 1918. There a small group of officers await an expected German offensive. As the days drag on, mounting tension, exhaustion, and trauma—especially in the shell-shocked Captain Stanhope—expose the psychological toll of prolonged trench warfare. The film emphasizes endurance and comradeship in the face of near-certain catastrophe. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Duration:00:37:28

GW19: The German Spring Offenses of 1918

4/15/2026

This episode examines Germany’s final bid for victory in 1918: the massive Spring Offensives that aimed to break the Allied line before American manpower could tip the balance. Sean and James trace the dramatic sequence of operations—from the initial breakthrough of Operation Michael to the far-reaching assaults on the Lys, the Aisne, and finally the Marne—showing how early German successes dissolved into exhaustion, logistical collapse, and strategic overreach. The discussion highlights the emergence of unified Allied command under Ferdinand Foch, the accelerating impact of American forces, and the shifting operational dynamics that transformed the Western Front back into a war of movement. By the end of the episode, listeners will understand why Germany’s last gamble failed and how these offensives set the stage for the decisive Allied Hundred Days. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Duration:00:46:48

GW18: The Battle of Cambrai

4/8/2026

In this episode, Sean and James discuss the final events of 1917 in Europe. They begin with the Eastern Front’s collapse before the Bolshevik Revolution, then turn to the Western Front to discuss the bold British offensive at Cambrai—the first large-scale test of tanks as a weapon of war. Your lovable hosts dive into Cambrai’s dramatic breakthroughs, German counterattacks, and the lessons both sides drew from this landmark battle that foreshadowed the mechanized warfare to come. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Duration:00:34:11

Sergeant York (ENCORE)

4/4/2026

James and Sean discuss the classic 1941 film Sergeant York, which tells the fascinating story of Alvin York, one of the most decorated American soldiers of the First World War. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Duration:00:58:46

GW17: America Enters the War

4/1/2026

In this episode, Sean and James trace America’s complex journey from neutrality to full-fledged participation in World War I. They explore Woodrow Wilson’s background and early reluctance to enter the conflict, the diplomatic and military crises that shifted American public opinion, and the nation’s rapid mobilization once war was declared. The hosts also examine how propaganda, industrial expansion, and the buildup of the American Expeditionary Force reshaped both the home front and the battlefield. Finally, they outline the major engagements involving U.S. troops and assess the decisive impact American entry had on the war’s outcome. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Duration:00:50:03

Beneath Hill 60 (ENCORE)

3/28/2026

James and Sean discuss the 2010 Australian film Beneath Hill 60, which tells the fascinating story of an Australian tunneling company trying to undermine the German position at the Ypres Salient in the Western Front. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Duration:01:26:20

GW16: The Third Ypres Campaign

3/25/2026

In this episode, Sean and James examine the brutal 1917 campaign at Third Ypres, better known as Passchendaele, which was one of the most infamous battles of World War I. They trace the strategic aims behind Haig’s offensive, the early success at Messines, and the grinding advance that followed as rain, mud, and relentless German defenses turned Flanders into a nightmare landscape. The hosts explore key moments from the campaign, including the devastating failures of August, the British Army’s methodical September attacks, and the final Canadian push that captured the ridge. They conclude with the immense human cost, the controversy surrounding Haig’s leadership, and the battle’s lasting place in the memory of both British and German soldiers. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Duration:00:31:16

GW15: The Russian Revolutions of 1917

3/18/2026

This episode explores the twin revolutions that upended Russia in 1917 and reshaped the course of World War I. Sean and James trace the collapse of the Romanov dynasty, the rise and failures of the Provisional Government, and the growing power of the soviets amid military disaster and social unrest. They then examine how Lenin and the Bolsheviks overthrew the government in November and imposed a harsh new dictatorship backed by the CHEKA. The episode concludes with Russia’s exit from the war at Brest-Litovsk, a decision that carried enormous consequences for both the conflict and the future of Europe. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Duration:00:44:36

War Horse (ENCORE)

3/14/2026

James and Sean discuss the 2011 film War Horse, in which a young Englishman struggles to be reunited with his beloved horse, who has been sent to the Western Front and has experienced several trying experiences there. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Duration:01:04:25

GW14: The Southern Fronts, 1916-17

3/11/2026

In this episode, Sean and James turn south and east to explore the lesser-known fronts of World War I in 1916 and 1917. From the brutal mountain battles along the Isonzo River and the Italian disaster at Caporetto to Romania’s ill-fated entry into the war and the stagnant Allied front at Salonika, the hosts trace how the war’s southern theaters shaped the fate of nations. They also examine the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, the Arab Revolt, and the British capture of Aqaba, Gaza, Jerusalem, and other key Middle Eastern sites. Together, these campaigns reveal how the Great War’s reach extended far beyond the trenches of France—and how they set the stage for the world that followed. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Duration:00:34:52

Wings

3/7/2026

In this episode, Sean and James discuss the oldest film they have reviewed to date. Wings (1927) is a silent epic that follows two young American men from a small town who become fighter pilots in the First World War, tracing their rivalry, friendship, and romantic entanglements as they are transformed by combat. Renowned for its groundbreaking aerial photography and large-scale battle sequences, the film presents air warfare with unprecedented realism. Beneath the spectacle, Wings underscores the personal sacrifice and emotional devastation wrought by modern war. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Duration:00:52:50

GW13: The Air War

3/4/2026

In this episode, Sean and James take to the skies to explore the dramatic rise of air combat during World War I. We trace how fragile, open-cockpit reconnaissance planes evolved into deadly fighters and bombers. We also will see how the various combatants introduced aerial tactics, which gave rise to aces like the Red Baron. We will discuss the first large-scale strategic bombing campaigns. We explore the daring lives and short survival rates of early pilots, the terror of zeppelin raids, and the birth of aircraft carriers and naval aviation. By the war’s end, aviation had been transformed from a novelty into a central weapon of modern warfare. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Duration:00:53:18

The Trench

2/28/2026

In this episode, Sean and James review the 1999 film The Trench. The Trench follows a group of young British soldiers during the tense hours leading up to the first day of the Battle of the Somme in 1916, focusing on their fears, friendships, and fragile hopes as they wait in the trenches. Rather than depicting large-scale combat, the film emphasizes psychological strain, class divisions, and the emotional toll of anticipation. When the long-awaited order finally comes, the human cost of industrial warfare is made starkly clear. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Duration:00:41:52

GW12: The Battle of the Somme

2/25/2026

In this episode, Sean and James return to the Western Front to examine the Battle of the Somme—the bloodiest and most infamous clash of World War I. They explore the ambitious Allied plan, the disastrous first day that saw nearly 60,000 British casualties, and the grinding months of attrition that followed. Along the way, they discuss the debut of tanks, the shifting German command, and how the Somme became both a symbol of courage and futility. The hosts conclude by assessing whether the costly battle achieved anything beyond unimaginable loss. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Duration:00:38:47

GW11: The Brusilov Offensive

2/18/2026

This episode presents an overview of the Brusilov Offensive of 1916, Russia’s most successful campaign of World War I. General Alexei Brusilov’s innovative tactics—focused artillery barrages, surprise attacks, and small, specialized assault units—devastated the Austro-Hungarian forces and captured vast territory. But although the offensive caused over a million Central Powers casualties and prompted Romania to join the Allies, it also exhausted Russia’s manpower and supplies. Though hailed as a tactical masterpiece, it ultimately marked the high point of Russia’s war effort and foreshadowed the internal collapse that lay ahead. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Duration:00:20:56

GW10: The Naval War and the Battle of Jutland

2/11/2026

In this episode, Sean and James explore the crucial naval dimension of World War I, where technological innovation and global strategy collided on the high seas. Your lovable hosts examine the early clashes between the Royal Navy and the German High Seas Fleet, the tightening British blockade that slowly strangled Germany’s economy, and the escalating submarine campaign that threatened Britain’s survival. At the center of the story is the titanic Battle of Jutland, the only full-scale engagement between the great dreadnought fleets, where Britain suffered heavy losses but ultimately maintained control of the sea. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Duration:00:44:17

Regeneration

2/7/2026

In this episode, Sean and James discuss the 1997 film Regeneration, a powerful drama set in Craiglockhart War Hospital during World War I. We explore how the film portrays the psychological toll of combat through the stories of Siegfried Sassoon, Wilfred Owen, Billy Prior, and the conflicted psychiatrist W.H.R. Rivers. Our discussion examines the movie’s themes of trauma, duty, and the moral cost of sending healed men back to war. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Duration:00:45:47

GW9: Verdun

2/4/2026

In this episode Sean and James examine the Battle of Verdun, the first of 1916’s colossal offensives and one of the longest and bloodiest battles in world history. They discuss German commander Erich von Falkenhayn’s plan to “bleed France white” by attacking the fortress city of Verdun, and how General Philippe Pétain’s leadership and innovations kept the French from collapse. The hosts trace the battle’s brutal back-and-forth fighting, staggering casualties, and the ultimate failure of the German strategy. Finally, they explore Verdun’s lasting symbolic power as the embodiment of both the horrors and the endurance of the First World War. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Duration:00:37:05

Gallipoli (ENCORE)

1/31/2026

James and Sean discuss the 1981 Australian film Gallipoli, which tells the story of a group of Australian young men who are introduced to the horrors of war at the 1915 Battle of Gallipoli. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Duration:01:09:38