Episoder
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Hey all, I hope youâre doing well.
I have for all of you the audio adaptation of the essay I wrote last year in response to my seeing the magisterial Oppenheimer, and given its newly Oscar-anointed status, I figured now would be the best time to get this out as a bonus as you all patiently await the return of the Muslim Nazis series (itâs still coming, worry not!).
In this, we cover, mostly from my own memory (but supported by sources), the various reasons the United States might have dropped the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. To say this is a complicated question is an understatement. To say there is a consensus, even almost 80 years later, is impossible. So weâre going to get into the weeds with this question while also showing the love Christopher Nolanâs magnum opus deserves.
And as always, History Impossible has been made possible by the following generous supporters on Patreon, Substack, and PayPal. Please consider donating today to help keep me free and this show alive:
David Adamcik
Rajan Athul
Babeonbobby
Dave Baxter
Michael Beach
Benjamin
Elias Borota
Johannes Breitsameter
Charles C
Cliffydeuce
CR
daddygorgon
Paul DeCoster
Neil Dickens
Nathan Diehl
Bob Downing
Dramicas
Rob Duval
Gavin Edwards
Pierre Ghazarian
Jayson Griesmeyer
Nathan Grote
Benjamin Hamilton
Peter Hauck
Carey Hurst
Joe6245
Thomas Justesen
Mike Kalnins
Bryn Kaufman
Leah Kodner
Benjamin Lee
Constance Loucks
Maddy
Mounty of Madness
Jose Martinez
Mike Mayleben
Judy McCoid
Jim Miller
Kyle Mohney
Kostas Moros
Ryan Mortenson
Cameron Needham
Skip Pacheco
David Page
Molly Pan
Jeff Parrent
Jean Peters
John Pisano
Sr. Powell
Brian Pritzl
AnaR737
PJ Rader
Gleb Radutsky
Aleksandr Rakitin
Reptilycus
Phillip Rice
Chris Rowe
Jon Andre Saether
Alison Salo
Jake Scalia
Emily Schmidt
Julian Schmidt
Andrew Seeber
Joshua Simpson
Cameron Smith
Thomas Squeo
Brian Steggeman
Pier-Luc St-Pierre
Athal Krishna Sundarrajan
Jared Cole Temple
ChrisTX
Robert VS
Jonny Wilkie
Ricky Worthey
Michael Wroblewski
F. You -
Hey everyone. The following is an ad-free bonus audio essay that follows up on the recent conversation I had with the History Underground's J.D. Huitt, where I make some corrections and then provide some deeper context to my thinking about how we might fix the Holocaust Knowledge Gap via education. I will let the episode speak for itself, but I want to thank all of you for your constant support of the show and your patience as I work on the longer episodes.
History Impossible has been made possible by the following generous supporters on Patreon, Substack, and PayPal. Please consider donating today to help keep me free and this show alive:
David Adamcik
Rajan Athul
Babeonbobby
Michael Beach
Benjamin
Elias Borota
Johannes Breitsameter
Charles C
Cliffydeuce
CR
daddygorgon
Paul DeCoster
Neil Dickens
Nathan Diehl
Bob Downing
Dramicas
Rob Duval
Gavin Edwards
Pierre Ghazarian
Jayson Griesmeyer
Nathan Grote
Benjamin Hamilton
Peter Hauck
Carey Hurst
Joe6245
Thomas Justesen
Mike Kalnins
Bryn Kaufman
Leah Kodner
Benjamin Lee
Constance Loucks
Maddy
Mounty of Madness
Jose Martinez
Mike Mayleben
Judy McCoid
Jim Miller
Kyle Mohney
Kostas Moros
Ryan Mortenson
Skip Pacheco
David Page
Molly Pan
Jeff Parrent
Jean Peters
Sr. Powell
Brian Pritzl
AnaR737
PJ Rader
Gleb Radutsky
Aleksandr Rakitin
Reptilycus
Phillip Rice
Chris Rowe
Jon Andre Saether
Alison Salo
Jake Scalia
Emily Schmidt
Julian Schmidt
Andrew Seeber
Joshua Simpson
Cameron Smith
Thomas Squeo
Brian Steggeman
Pier-Luc St-Pierre
Athal Krishna Sundarrajan
Jared Cole Temple
ChrisTX
Robert VS
Jonny Wilkie
Ricky Worthey
Michael Wroblewski
F. You
Greg Zink -
Manglende episoder?
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In this newest special installment of History Impossible, weâre joined by long-time friend of the podcast and friend of mine, J.D. Huitt, the man behind the incredible History Underground channel over on YouTube, probably one of the best historical travel and educational content creators in the game (who has more than earned his 600,000 subscribers).
Both J.D. and I were DMing on Twitter/X recently, sharing our discomfort with the seeming spike weâve been seeing of not just ignorance about the Holocaustâwhat we thought was one of the best known event of the 20th centuryâbut also the skepticism and even downright denial of it as itâs been traditionally known. This coincided with the Economist-reported YouGov poll released in late 2023 that showed a shocking 20 percent of young Americans believing the Holocaust was a myth, with more vastly underestimating the numbers. As it happens, this is a subject J.D. and I had discussed before in one of our conversations a number of years ago, and J.D. warned the audience that this was the natural consequence of poor education on this subject. Much as itâs crude to say, we felt it was necessary to take a rueful victory lap on our concerns being confirmed.
We discuss why this phenomenon has occurred in a bit more depth, while also offering some broader solutions to how one teaches such a horrifying event in a way that might stick with people, without it simply going in one ear and out the other. Itâs hard to say whether we succeed, so weâll let you be the judge of that.
History Impossible has been made possible by the following generous supporters on Patreon, Substack, and PayPal. Please consider donating today to help keep me free and this show alive:
David Adamcik
Rajan Athul
Babeonbobby
Michael Beach
Benjamin
Elias Borota
Johannes Breitsameter
Charles C
Cliffydeuce
CR
daddygorgon
Paul DeCoster
Neil Dickens
Nathan Diehl
Bob Downing
Dramicas
Rob Duval
Gavin Edwards
Pierre Ghazarian
Jayson Griesmeyer
Nathan Grote
Benjamin Hamilton
Peter Hauck
Carey Hurst
Joe6245
Thomas Justesen
Mike Kalnins
Bryn Kaufman
Leah Kodner
Benjamin Lee
Constance Loucks
Maddy
Mounty of Madness
Jose Martinez
Mike Mayleben
Judy McCoid
Jim Miller
Kyle Mohney
Kostas Moros
Ryan Mortenson
Skip Pacheco
David Page
Molly Pan
Jeff Parrent
Jean Peters
Sr. Powell
Brian Pritzl
AnaR737
PJ Rader
Gleb Radutsky
Aleksandr Rakitin
Reptilycus
Phillip Rice
Chris Rowe
Jon Andre Saether
Alison Salo
Jake Scalia
Emily Schmidt
Julian Schmidt
Andrew Seeber
Joshua Simpson
Cameron Smith
Thomas Squeo
Brian Steggeman
Pier-Luc St-Pierre
Athal Krishna Sundarrajan
Jared Cole Temple
ChrisTX
Robert VS
Jonny Wilkie
Ricky Worthey
Michael Wroblewski
F. You
Greg Zink -
âI scarcely ever passed a week under such depression of spirits. [âŠ] It is terrible to see the extent to which all classes go in their determination to win. Conscience offers no restraint; nothing is so common as the resort to perjury unless it is violence. In short, I do not know who to believe: if we win, our methods are subject to impeachment for possible fraud; if the enemy wins, it is the same thing exactly. Doubt, suspicion, irritation go with the consequence, whatever it may be.â
âLew Wallace, retired Civil War general, 1876
Many people will call out elections in our lifetimes as being particularly divisive, whether itâs the 2000 election or the 2020 election. Those were indeed divisive, but very few elections have approached the divisiveness and the chaos unleashed in the United States Presidential Election of 1876, fought between the Democrat Samuel Tilden and the Republican Rutherford B. Hayes, in which the ultimate decision on who would be president was decided by one electoral vote.
In this special five year anniversary episode of History Impossible in which we revisit this event only briefly touched upon in the inaugural episode of this entire show, weâre joined by Richard Lim of the This American President podcast, who helps shed some light into the details of this contentious election and this absolutely wild period of American history. With the election of 2024 looming large and with everyoneâs imaginations running wild with how things will turn out, Richard and I thought it might be prudent to not just provide a historical reality check on just how wild things can get, but how Americans were able to extract themselves from such insanity while living through it.
Happy five years and hereâs to five more with History Impossible.
For more detailed look at the Election of 1876, check out Richardâs episode on that election here.
History Impossible has been made possible by the following generous supporters on Patreon, Substack, and PayPal. Please consider donating today to help keep me free and this show alive:
David Adamcik
Michael Beach
Benjamin
Elias Borota
Johannes Breitsameter
Charles C
Cliffydeuce
CR
daddygorgon
Paul DeCoster
Nathan Diehl
Bob Downing
Rob Duval
Gavin Edwards
Pierre Ghazarian
Jayson Griesmeyer
Nathan Grote
Benjamin Hamilton
Peter Hauck
Carey Hurst
Thomas Justesen
Mike Kalnins
Bryn Kaufman
Leah Kodner
Benjamin Lee
Maddy
Mounty of Madness
Jose Martinez
Mike Mayleben
Judy McCoid
Jim Miller
Kyle Mohney
Kostas Moros
Ryan Mortenson
Skip Pacheco
David Page
Molly Pan
Jeff Parrent
Jean Peters
Brian Pritzl
AnaR737
PJ Rader
Gleb Radutsky
Aleksandr Rakitin
Phillip Rice
Chris Rowe
Jon Andre Saether
Alison Salo
Jake Scalia
Emily Schmidt
Julian Schmidt
Andrew Seeber
Joshua Simpson
Cameron Smith
Thomas Squeo
Brian Steggeman
Pier-Luc St-Pierre
Athal Krishna Sundarrajan
Jared Cole Temple
ChrisTX
Robert VS
Jonny Wilkie
Ricky Worthey
Michael Wroblewski
F. You -
Sometimes, the best way to understand everything a people have gone through is to understand a dream.
This is how many nations frame themselves and their own origins. No matter the context, there is always truth in the idea that before there was a nation, there was a dream. And that dream, however morally sullied by the ugliness of reality, consequences, and choices, can never and should never be discounted, even with the nations who have had their dreams frustrated for so long. In fact, the truth of that dream can be seen in those realities, consequences, and choices that we may not understand or accept on a moral level many years later. This can be seen in plenty of nations, both old and young, and that everyone recognizes, from the United States to Israel. But there are few nations whose history better represents this dynamic than the young nation (but very old culture) of Bosnia.
In this conclusion to the Balkan Inferno trilogy that will lead us by the hand back into the good graces of the so-called âMuslim Nazis,â we look at that long history of that central, symbolic part of the old Yugoslavian Region we today call Bosnia-Herzegovina (or Bosnia, for short). Weâll look at many of the strange and mysterious aspects of this placeâs history, including its own schismatic Bosnian Church, and the various attempts at self-determination peppering the timeline. This timeline is often dominated by collapsed empiresâRoman, Ottoman, Austro-Hungarian, Germanâand failed kingdomsâSerbian and Croatianâbut always present is the story of Bosnia.
This nation and its people has always had others trying to define them for their own ends, but there has always been a force within that has wanted to define itself. This has indeed led to some truly disturbing decisionsânamely alliancesâbut these decisions could always be tracked back to the dream that forges all nations. That is what we explore here today.
History Impossible has been made possible by the following generous supporters on Patreon, Substack, and PayPal. Please consider donating today to help keep me free and this show alive:
David Adamcik
Michael Beach
Benjamin
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Mind Chatterings
Cliffydeuce
CR
daddygorgon
Paul DeCoster
Nathan Diehl
Bob Downing
Rob Duval
Gavin Edwards
Pierre Ghazarian
Jayson Griesmeyer
Nathan Grote
Benjamin Hamilton
Peter Hauck
Carey Hurst
Thomas Justesen
Mike Kalnins
Bryn Kaufman
Leah Kodner
Benjamin Lee
Maddy
Mounty of Madness
Jose Martinez
Mike Mayleben
Judy McCoid
Jim Miller
Kyle Mohney
Monica
Kostas Moros
Ryan Mortenson
Ben Mullen
Allen Pace
Skip Pacheco
David Page
Molly Pan
Jeff Parrent
Jean Peters
Brian Pritzl
AnaR737
PJ Rader
Gleb Radutsky
Aleksandr Rakitin
Phillip Rice
Chris Rowe
Jon Andre Saether
Alison Salo
Jake Scalia
Emily Schmidt
Julian Schmidt
Andrew Seeber
Joshua Simpson
Cameron Smith
Thomas Squeo
Brian Steggeman
Pier-Luc St-Pierre
Athal Krishna Sundarrajan
Jared Cole Temple
ChrisTX
Robert VS
Jonny Wilkie
Ricky Worthey
Michael Wroblewski
F. You -
Hey everybody. Now that Iâve finished up the notes and script for the conclusion of the âBalkan Infernoâ trilogy (which will lead us right back into the thick of the âMuslim Nazisâ series), Iâm hard at work putting all of that together. In the meantime, please enjoy (as much as one can enjoy such a subjectâI really do say that a lot, donât I?) this bonus episode that slightly tweaks and expands my recent Substack post, âPogroms and Students.â
This episode covers relatively current events regarding the escalation of anti-Semitic incidentsâespecially in the United States, where in New York they have risen by 200 percentâon the heels of Hamasâ declaration of war on Israel and the ongoing war being waged against them by the IDF, but it also gets into the history of the role students played in some of the most infamous pogroms in Jewish history, particularly in Russia around the time of the First Russian Revolution. It also revisits the discussion of mass violence we did in the last part of âBalkan Inferno," which unfortunately, feels even more relevant than ever (so please consider giving that 5 hour 18 minute beast a listen if you havenât already and have a strong constitution).
History Impossible has been made possible by the following generous supporters on Patreon, Substack, and PayPal. Please consider donating today to help keep me free and this show alive:
David Adamcik
Michael Beach
Benjamin
Elias Borota
Johannes Breitsameter
Charles C
Mind Chatterings
CJ
Cliffydeuce
CR
daddygorgon
Paul DeCoster
Nathan Diehl
Bob Downing
Rob Duval
Gavin Edwards
Pierre Ghazarian
Jayson Griesmeyer
Nathan Grote
Benjamin Hamilton
Peter Hauck
Carey Hurst
Thomas Justesen
Mike Kalnins
Bryn Kaufman
Leah Kodner
Benjamin Lee
Maddy
Mounty of Madness
Jose Martinez
Mike Mayleben
Judy McCoid
Jim Miller
Kyle Mohney
Monica
Kostas Moros
Ryan Mortenson
Ben Mullen
Allen Pace
Skip Pacheco
David Page
Molly Pan
Jeff Parrent
Jean Peters
Brian Pritzl
AnaR737
PJ Rader
Gleb Radutsky
Aleksandr Rakitin
Phillip Rice
Chris Rowe
Jon Andre Saether
Alison Salo
Jake Scalia
Emily Schmidt
Julian Schmidt
Andrew Seeber
Cameron Smith
Thomas Squeo
Brian Steggeman
Pier-Luc St-Pierre
Athal Krishna Sundarrajan
Jared Cole Temple
ChrisTX
Robert VS
Jonny Wilkie
Ricky Worthey
Michael Wroblewski
F. You -
The recent Substack post and episode of History Impossible about the significant three root historical causes of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict has largely been well-received. What I didnât expect is that one of the main sources I used for that episode would be willing to speak with me in greater depth about the massively underrated Arab Revolt of 1936-1939. In this episode, weâre joined by the scholar, political analyst, and writer Oren Kessler, whose 2023 book Palestine 1936: The Great Revolt and the Roots of the Middle East Conflict should be included as required reading for anyone interested or invested in what has been topping the news since October 7th, 2023.
Oren, like myself, is a believer in the notion that the Littlefinger of Palestine, the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem Hajj Amin al-Husseini, is a figure of massively underrated importance. In this episode, we discuss the Arab Revolt through the eyes of the Mufti and examine just why he and his decisions and his legacy matter in the 21st century, despite him becoming largely forgotten except for his infamous photo op with the Fuhrer of Nazi Germany himself, Adolf Hitler. Oren makes the case that this is giving al-Husseini the short shrift with regards to his impact and we discuss why this should be both self-evident and required for understanding why things have gotten so bad between Israel and Gaza.
Thank you and enjoy!
History Impossible has been made possible by the following generous supporters on Patreon, Substack, and PayPal. Please consider donating today to help keep me free and this show alive:
David Adamcik
Michael Beach
Benjamin
Elias Borota
Johannes Breitsameter
Charles C
Mind Chatterings
CJ
Cliffydeuce
CR
daddygorgon
Paul DeCoster
Nathan Diehl
Bob Downing
Rob Duval
Gavin Edwards
Pierre Ghazarian
Jayson Griesmeyer
Nathan Grote
Benjamin Hamilton
Peter Hauck
Carey Hurst
Joseph Hurst
Thomas Justesen
Mike Kalnins
Bryn Kaufman
Leah Kodner
Benjamin Lee
Maddy
Mounty of Madness
Jose Martinez
Mike Mayleben
Judy McCoid
Kyle Mohney
Monica
Kostas Moros
Ryan Mortenson
Ben Mullen
Allen Pace
Skip Pacheco
David Page
Molly Pan
Jeff Parrent
Jean Peters
Brian Pritzl
AnaR737
PJ Rader
Gleb Radutsky
Aleksandr Rakitin
Phillip Rice
Chris Rowe
Jon Andre Saether
Alison Salo
Jake Scalia
Emily Schmidt
Julian Schmidt
Andrew Seeber
Cameron Smith
Thomas Squeo
Brian Steggeman
Pier-Luc St-Pierre
Athal Krishna Sundarrajan
Jared Cole Temple
ChrisTX
Robert VS
Jonny Wilkie
Ricky Worthey
F. You -
When you talk about history for a living, the contemporary world often has opportunities to make your knowledge more relevant. What knowledge actually possessed here about Israel and Palestine is likely more limited than some, I'd like to think that there is still some I can share to help clarify the conversation a little, at least when it comes to the notion of truly root causes to this ongoing conflict whose 2023 flare-up is the worst it's been in a long time, if not ever.
In this special dispatch of History Impossible--which is being treated as a proper episode--we're going to revisit some old stomping grounds of this show, namely the Israeli-Palestinian region of the world during the 1890s-1930s. There are some familiar events and faces, and some information has been adapted from previous episodes, but this is largely all new ground to cover with new sources added into the mix. This will not solve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by a long shot, and it will not please everyone, but it will hopefully add some historical clarity into the mix for folks who find themselves increasingly invested in the ongoing events in the Middle East.
Love to you all who support this show:
David Adamcik
Michael Beach
Benjamin
Elias Borota
Johannes Breitsameter
Charles C
CJ
Cliffydeuce
CR
daddygorgon
Paul DeCoster
Nathan Diehl
Bob Downing
Rob Duval
Gavin Edwards
Pierre Ghazarian
Jayson Griesmeyer
Nathan Grote
Benjamin Hamilton
Peter Hauck
Carey Hurst
Joseph Hurst
Thomas Justesen
Mike Kalnins
Bryn Kaufman
Benjamin Lee
Maddy
Mounty of Madness
Jose Martinez
Mike Mayleben
Judy McCoid
Kyle Mohney
Monica
Kostas Moros
Ryan Mortenson
Ben Mullen
Allen Pace
Skip Pacheco
David Page
Molly Pan
Jeff Parrent
Jean Peters
Brian Pritzl
PJ Rader
Gleb Radutsky
Aleksandr Rakitin
Phillip Rice
Chris Rowe
Jon Andre Saether
Alison Salo
Jake Scalia
Emily Schmidt
Julian Schmidt
Andrew Seeber
Cameron Smith
Thomas Squeo
Brian Steggeman
Pier-Luc St-Pierre
Athal Krishna Sundarrajan
Jared Cole Temple
ChrisTX
Robert VS
Jonny Wilkie
Ricky Worthey
F. You
Please consider supporting History Impossible over on Patreon or Substack if you like what I do here and want to support my work. -
This is a bonus episode (a bit bigger than one might expect) that adapts and, more importantly expands, an essay I wrote for my friend and editor Jamie on his American Dreaming Substack. I seriously need to thank him for letting me write something soâŠI dunno, controversial? Combative? Anyway, whatever, so THAT under his publicationâs name).
This does use a very contemporary and contentious issue as its launchpad, and while some might see this as impolitic or even inappropriate, my history-addled brain only allowed me to see, hear, and read what I see, hear, and read and interpret it thusly. Pretentious way of saying, yes, I know Iâm being edgy, and I know Iâm being provocative, but I do implore all of my listeners to hear me out. This is not only history, but itâs, in my mind, an important aspect of history both in the United States and the âWestâ more broadly.
So yes, weâre talking about the biggest problems with the mere idea of affirmative action and what Iâand by extension Hannah Arendtâbelieves is the real issue at heart when aristocrats and monarchs (literal and figurative) grant privilege as a means to improve their own lots, while, of course, always under the guise of improving everyoneâs lot. Is History Impossible too cynical? Itâs been suggested. But thereâs a polemic in here that needed to be made, otherwise Iâd go a little crazy without making my self-important analysis known.
Love to you all who support this show:
David Adamcik
Michael Beach
Benjamin
Elias Borota
Johannes Breitsameter
Charles C
CJ
Cliffydeuce
CR
daddygorgon
Paul DeCoster
Nathan Diehl
Bob Downing
Rob Duval
Gavin Edwards
Pierre Ghazarian
Jayson Griesmeyer
Nathan Grote
Benjamin Hamilton
Peter Hauck
Carey Hurst
Joseph Hurst
Thomas Justesen
Mike Kalnins
Bryn Kaufman
Benjamin Lee
Maddy
Mounty of Madness
Jose Martinez
Mike Mayleben
Judy McCoid
Kyle Mohney
Monica
Kostas Moros
Ryan Mortenson
Ben Mullen
Skip Pacheco
David Page
Molly Pan
Jeff Parrent
Jean Peters
Brian Pritzl
PJ Rader
Gleb Radutsky
Aleksandr Rakitin
Chris Rowe
Jon Andre Saether
Alison Salo
Jake Scalia
Emily Schmidt
Julian Schmidt
Andrew Seeber
Cameron Smith
Thomas Squeo
Brian Steggeman
Pier-Luc St-Pierre
Athal Krishna
Sundarrajan
Jared Cole Temple
ChrisTX
Robert VS
Jonny Wilkie
Ricky Worthey
F. You -
Hey all. This is an adaptation/audio version of an essay I recently wrote for my friend and editor Jamie Paulâs American Dreaming Substack, in which I examine the uniqueness of the Holocaust as both a genocide and historical event. If you like what you hear and want to hear me delve more into this subject, Iâll try to delve further into it in a future special episode like this one. But in the meantime, please enjoy. And thank you very much for all of your patience as I try and juggle all the projects I have on tap at once.
History Impossible has been made possible by the following generous supporters on Patreon, Substack, and PayPal. Please consider donating today to help keep me free and this show alive:
David Adamcik
Michael Beach
Benjamin
Elias Borota
Johannes Breitsameter
Charles C
CJ
Cliffydeuce
CR
daddygorgon
Paul DeCoster
Nathan Diehl
Bob Downing
Rob Duval
Gavin Edwards
Pierre Ghazarian
Jayson Griesmeyer
Nathan Grote
Benjamin Hamilton
Peter Hauck
Carey Hurst
Joseph Hurst
Thomas Justesen
Mike Kalnins
Bryn Kaufman
Benjamin Lee
Maddy
Mounty of Madness
Jose Martinez
Mike Mayleben
Judy McCoid
Kyle Mohney
Monica
Kostas Moros
Ryan Mortenson
Ben Mullen
Skip Pacheco
David Page
Molly Pan
Jeff Parrent
Jean Peters
Brian Pritzl
PJ Rader
Gleb Radutsky
Aleksandr Rakitin
Chris Rowe
Jon Andre Saether
Alison Salo
Jake Scalia
Emily Schmidt
Julian Schmidt
Andrew Seeber
Cameron Smith
Thomas Squeo
Brian Steggeman
Pier-Luc St-Pierre
Athal Krishna
Sundarrajan
Jared Cole Temple
ChrisTX
Robert VS
Jonny Wilkie
Ricky Worthey
F. You -
CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains persistent graphic genocide violence and cruelty, especially in its first 75 minutes. Listener discretion is advised.
In this part of the ongoing Balkan prelude to our return to the "Muslim Nazis" series, we are about to descend into the depths of hell. This was by design by the murderous Ustashe regime that took power after the invasion and dismemberment of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia by the Fuhrer of the Third Reich, Adolf Hitler. What happened next was a nightmare beyond the the imagining of most modern, comfortable nations in the 21st century. But it all happened.
Serbs, Jews, Roma, and others were singled out not just for extermination, but extermination in the most brutal methods imaginable, thanks both to the savage hatreds festering under the surface of the former Kingdom's political culture, but also because the perpetrators actually saw their cruelty as the point; as their mission. It was less about politics, or religion, or anything really, than it was about simplistic notions of identity-based vengeance that never really made much sense to begin with.
In the wake of this slaughter, however, more chaos was to follow. Almost immediately after the Nazi-fascist invasion, resistance began to crop up, both from Serb nationalist royalists and the multi-ethnic, multi-religious communist Partisans, as well as from other, less-armed but no-less-motivated groups we will be examining in later episodes. The three-to-five-sided civil war that exploded across the region not only swallowed up thousands of lives and muddied the waters of loyalty and nationhood and identity, but it placed the Nazis in the greatest quagmire the world had yet seen, where even members of their own military apparatus--no strangers to the deliberate mass destruction of civilians--were horrified by what they saw their supposed allies do to their hated countrymen. If anyone thought self-reflection was in order, however, they were naĂŻve.
The story of the Yugoslavian territory during World War II--one of pain and unresolved trauma--is one that will likely not be matched in European history in terms of sheer brutality and hatred, at least not for a very long time. But it's a story that must be examined, even if only as part of a much larger one.
Also: Make sure to check out my friend and comrade SaĆĄa PapriÄ's awesome work here and here.
History Impossible has been made possible by the following generous supporters on Patreon, Substack, and PayPal. Please consider donating today to help keep me free and this show alive:
David Adamcik
Michael Beach
Benjamin
Elias Borota
Johannes Breitsameter
Charles C
CJ
Cliffydeuce
CR
daddygorgon
Paul DeCoster
Nathan Diehl
Bob Downing
Rob Duval
Gavin Edwards
eli123ky
Pierre Ghazarian
Jayson Griesmeyer
Nathan Grote
Benjamin Hamilton
Peter Hauck
Carey Hurst
Joseph Hurst
Thomas Justesen
Mike Kalnins
Bryn Kaufman
Benjamin Lee
Maddy
Mounty of Madness
Jose Martinez
Mike Mayleben
Judy McCoid
Kyle Mohney
Monica
Kostas Moros
Ryan Mortenson
Ben Mullen
Skip Pacheco
David Page
Molly Pan
Jeff Parrent
Jean Peters
Brian Pritzl
PJ Rader
Gleb Radutsky
Aleksandr Rakitin
Chris Rowe
Jon Andre Saether
Alison Salo
Jake Scalia
Emily Schmidt
Julian Schmidt
Andrew Seeber
Cameron Smith
Thomas Squeo
Brian Steggeman
Pier-Luc St-Pierre
Athal Krishna
Sundarrajan
Jared Cole Temple
ChrisTX
Robert VS
Jonny Wilkie
Ricky Worthey
F. You -
â[B]y strange contrast, which in fact isn't so strange, and could perhaps be easily explained by careful analysis, it can also be said that there are a few countries with such firm belief, elevated strength of character, so much tenderness and loving passion, such depth of feeling, of loyalty and unshakable devotion, or with such a thirst for justice. But in secret depths underneath all this hide burning hatreds, entire hurricanes of tethered and compressed hatreds maturing and awaiting their hour.ââIvo AndriÄ
âI had come to Yugoslavia because I knew that the past has made the present, and I wanted to see how the process works. Let me start now. It is plain that it means an amount of human pain, arranged in an unbroken continuity appalling to any person cradled in the security of the English or American past. Were I to go down into the marketplace, armed with the powers of witchcraft, and take a peasant by the shoulders and whisper to him, 'In your lifetime, have you known peace?' wait for his answer, shake his shoulders and transform him into his father, and ask him the same question, and transform him in his turn to his father, I would never hear the word 'Yes,' if I carried my questioning of the dead back for a thousand years, I would always hear, 'No. There was fear, there were our enemies without, our rulers within, there was prison, there was torture, there was violent death.'ââRebecca West, Black Lamb and Grey Falcon
Long before there was a Third Reich, long before there was an Adolf Hitler or Benito Mussolini, long before there were any world wars, long before there was a Hajj Amin al-Husseini or Palestinian nationalist movement, long before a state of Israel was a twinkle in Theodor Herzlâs eyeâthere were the South Slavs of the Balkan peninsula, languishing under the weight of teetering empires entering their period of decline. Sensing weakness and frustrated with not being able to determine their own destiny, a nationalist spirit awakened in the hearts of thousands, and, in some cases, a sort of freedom was carved out for the regionâs many peoples, something through violent revolution, others through diplomacy and politics. And then, one day, the empires were gone. And a new kingdom had to rise from the ashes. This is when the real problems began.
In this prelude to the return of History Impossible's long-running Muslim Nazis series, weâre going to look at the conception, the birth, and rapid death of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia. There are peasant rebellions, countless wars and assassinations, democratic malaise and poorly addressed ethnic tensions, extreme violence breaking out within the halls of state, seizures of power, radical terrorism, and the invasion and dismemberment by a far more powerful foreign adversaryâand weâre not even talking about the United States in the near future!
This story, as stated in the very first episode of the original series, has taken two years to return, thanks to the historically complex mosaic this part of the world has turned it into. But return we have, and weâve just begun; this is why we are going to be spending a number of episodes focusing on the history of the Balkans. Don't worry, it will all fit together soon; the Kingdom of Yugoslavia not only sets the stage for so many of the characters weâve come to know and love (to hate, hopefully), but it gives us an unprecedented snapshot of how a young democracy dies and, crucially and nightmarishly, what happens afterward.
Welcome to the real graveyard of empires.
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F. You -
Hello ladies and gentlemen, brothers and sisters, comrades and friends! I'm here with another miniature episode for your listening pleasure, adapted from a recent essay I wrote over on the History Impossible Substack, which you can go check out if you're interested. I'm in the home stretch of recording the next big History Impossible episode, so I figured I'd give all of you a nice thanks for supporting the show this long.
In the case of this one, we're looking at some potential predictions for how the future of AI could shake out, assuming that it ends up having the level of influence as its possible historical analogue and the one I've chosen--the mass translations of the Bible in the 15th and 16th centuries. This is more of a fun tidbit--an addendum for Pandemic: A Plague Coda--for all of you patiently waiting for the next episode proper of History Impossible, which will serve as the grand return not just to WWII, not just to broad and dark historical topics that you won't believe, but to the series that started this entire crazy journey known as History Impossible.
Thank you to all of you fine listeners, and especially to you fine supporters over on Patreon and Substack. -
Dogs have been manâs best friend for millennia, so it stands to reason that manâs best friend will follow man into the depths of hell, that is, war. This wasnât simply to rip and tear the throats of manâs enemies (though that certainly would play a part) or to serve as cannon fodder. Oftentimes, the dogs utilized in warâwar dogsâwould outshine their human counterparts in acts of heroism. This has been going on for thousands of years, but it became apparent just how valuable dogs were during the Great War of 1914-1918.
Among the most famous of all war dogs serving in the First World War was the Paris street orphan dog Rags, who was discovered by Private Jimmy Donovan during leave. After he brought Rags into the fold, the little mutt became the mascot of the First Division, soon learning how to retrieve messages, spot broken signal wires, literally save lives, and even saluting his fellow (human) soldiers. Rags became the most photographed dog in the world and lived until 1936, longer than most dogs even of his size. He was frequently honored by his former human comrades and even met figures like General Jack Pershing. He also was responsible for dog shows creating a new category of âHero Dogâ to allow for mutts to be entered. The only downside was he needed to be given his first and only bath.
In this installment of the Infinitesimal Impossibilities series of History Impossible, weâll be looking at the life of Rags and where he fit into the grander events of the First World War. His epic adventures took him all over Europe and the United States where he met hundreds among the adoring public. For all who own dogs (and even those who donât), his story will make you laugh, cry, and appreciate just how much we should value our furry friends. In the end, Rags was a war hero, an adventurer, a mangy mutt, a lovable nuisance, and in his own way a smart ass. But above all else he was a good boy.
History Impossible has been made possible by the following generous supporters on Patreon, Substack, and PayPal. Please consider donating today to help keep me free and this show alive:
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F. You
Gregory Zink -
In this newest episode of History Impossible, I was joined by my friend, comrade, and frequent collaborator CJ Killmer, host of the Dangerous History Podcast, primarily to dive deep into the question of one of America's most underrated villains, President Woodrow Wilson, particularly on his track record and beliefs regarding one of the dooziest of topics: race. And to put it bluntly, Wilson, as outlined by CJ in his recent 5+ hour episode concerning this subject that's part of his larger Woodrow Wilson series, did not have a good track record when it came to race in America, particularly when it truly needed a rational and decent leader (which Wilson most certainly was not; on many things, but on this issue in particular).
We focus on a number of focal points from CJ's original episode (which I highly recommend you all listen to), particularly on Wilson's brand of progressive racism (while of course comparing and contrasting with modern day's own version of it), but we also pay our respects to a lesser-known figure of African American history, William Monroe Trotter, whose standing up to Wilson and not allowing himself to be gaslit is one of the most impressive and heroic political stories I've ever heard.
We also close out by diving deep into our own personal reservations about progressivism as a philosophy, largely (though of course not entirely) eschewing the left-right divide to really get at the core of what makes progressivism so puerile, at least in the context of American identity. This helped make this conversation, in my opinion, the most fun and interesting one CJ and I have had thus far (and that's no small feat), and listeners will finally hear me essentially admit my own political orientation, such as it is (and hopefully it'll give you a good chuckle).
History Impossible has been made possible by the following generous supporters on Patreon, Substack, and PayPal. Please consider donating today to help keep me free and this show alive:
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seli123ky
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Al Hall
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Peter Hauck
Carey Hurst
Joseph Hurst
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Benjamin Lee
Maddy
Mounty of Madness
Jose Martinez
Douglas Martoccia
Mike Mayleben
Judy McCoid
Monica
Kostas Moros
Ryan Mortenson
Ben Mullen
Skip Pacheco
Molly Pan
Jeff Parrent
Jean Peters
Brian Pritzl
PJ Rader
Gleb Radutsky
Aleksandr Rakitin
Jon Andre Saether
Alison Salo
Jake Scalia
Emily Schmidt
Julian Schmidt
Andrew Seeber
Cameron Smith
Thomas Squeo
Brian Steggeman
Pier-Luc St-Pierre
Athal Krishna
Sundarrajan
Philipp Surkov
Shane Taylor
Jared Cole Temple
ChrisTX
Robert VS
Steve Uhler
Jonny Wilkie
Ricky Worthey
F. You
Gregory Zink -
While there is plenty to say about how a pandemic affects us while weâre in the middle of it, there is just as much, if not more, to say about how a pandemic affects us when it ends.
As of May of 2023, over three years have passed since the outbreak of COVID-19 and, according to the President of the United States Joe Biden, the emergency has ended. And yet, many people around the world, but in America in particular, continue to grapple with the realities of the pandemic that wreaked havoc on our way of life and struggle with finding ways to move on. Whether that means refusing to admit that the emergency is indeed over and overindulging in the safety measures made normal during those past three years, or overindulging in the reactions against the sociopolitical and institutional realities made manifest, or simply living their lives, the coda to our disorder is anything but clean.
As made clear in the first pandemic episode covered on History Impossible, the effects of a global apocalypse have a way of heightening and letting loose what historian Norman F. Cantor called the âideological anxietiesâ of their time and place. As is hopefully made clear in this sequel to that episode, the same can be said for how those apocalypses end. The so-called Spanish flu of 1918-1920 was by no means unique in how it helped create incentives some of the most significant changes of its time and place. In fact, almost 600 years earlier, another, far more devastating event had a very similar, and even more wide-reaching effect, especially when it was over: the Black Death. While it was certainly true that the plague was indeed a global pandemic, with the populations of the Arab and Chinese worlds being as deeply and profoundly affected by the disease as that of the European world, this is the story of how such a monumental disruption changed Europeâand thus modern historyâforever, in some of the most fundamental ways imaginable.
We must thus ask: what if such after-effects and changes werenât limited to one pandemic almost seven centuries ago, but perhaps any pandemic, given the correct historical circumstances existing? With those circumstances, what if a death toll in the tens if not hundreds of millions isnât even required to make such changes manifest? These are the questions weâll be exploring in this episode about what happens after the end of the world as we know it.
Infinite love and appreciation to Molly Pan for providing her immense musical talents to this episode. Make sure to stick around to the end to hear them.
History Impossible has been made possible by the following generous supporters on Patreon, Substack, and PayPal. Please consider donating today to help keep me free and this show alive:
David Adamcik
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daddygorgon
Richard Davey
Paul DeCoster
Nathan Diehl
Bob Downing
Rob Duval
Gavin Edward
seli123ky
Feegoa
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Kevin Gony
Nathan Grote
Al Hall
Benjamin Hamilton
Peter Hauck
Carey Hurst
Joseph Hurst
Thomas Justesen
Mike Kalnins
Bryn Kaufman
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Maddy
Mounty of Madness
Jose Martinez
Douglas Martoccia
Mike Mayleben
Judy McCoid
Monica
Kostas Moros
Ryan Mortenson
Ben Mullen
Skip Pacheco
Molly Pan
Jeff Parrent
Jean Peters
Brian Pritzl
PJ Rader
Gleb Radutsky
Aleksandr Rakitin
Edward Ray
Jon Andre Saether
Alison Salo
Jake Scalia
Emily Schmidt
Julian Schmidt
Cameron Smith
Thomas Squeo
Brian Steggeman
Pier-Luc St-Pierre
Athal Krishna
Sundarrajan
Philipp Surkov
Shane Taylor
Jared Cole Temple
ChrisTX
Robert VS
Steve Uhler
Jonny Wilkie
Ricky Worthey
F. You
Gregory Zink -
Hello everyone. This is an audio version of the essay I wrote for the History Impossible Substack (as well as here!) called "The Fiction(s) of History." In this special episode, I take a dive into the dueling narratives of historical progress (what my friend CJ Killmer of the Dangerous History Podcast calls the teleological approach to history; yes, he's much smarter than me) and historical cycles of the Strauss-Howe and Turchin-Nefedov variety. It's not all philosophy, despite the subject matter, and it does indeed touch upon some historical topics that I do intend to cover in more detail one day, as well as some that have been covered in other, superior work, like Darryl Cooper's MartyrMade.
The question of progress or cycles isn't left hanging open either, though by no means am I telling anyone to think a certain way; this is more an exploration of my own interpretations of how history, in essence, "works." It's my hope that this helps illustrate my approach and perspective when tackling subjects--especially controversial ones--on History Impossible. It may also serve as a launching pad for future explorations into more conceptual areas that fit neatly into the History Impossible niche. Overall, though, I hope to add a little insight into this space I occupy.
Thank you again to all who support and appreciate the show.
History Impossible has been made possible by the following generous supporters on Patreon, Substack, and PayPal. Please consider donating today to help keep me free and this show alive.
David Adamcik
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Nathan Diehl
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eli123ky
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Peter Hauck
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Mike Kalnins
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Benjamin Lee
Trevor Lindborg
Maddy
Mounty of Madness
Jose Martinez
Mike Mayleben
Judy McCoid
Monica
Kostas Moros
Ryan Mortenson
Ben Mullen
Skip Pacheco
Molly Pan
Jeff Parrent
Jean Peters
Brian Pritzl
PJ Rader
Gleb Radutsky
Aleksandr Rakitin
Edward Ray
Jon Andre Saether
Alison Salo
Jake Scalia
Emily Schmidt
Julian Schmidt
Cameron Smith
Thomas Squeo
Brian Steggeman
Pier-Luc St-Pierre
Athal Krishna Sundarrajan
Philipp Surkov
Jared Cole Temple
ChrisTX
Robert VS
Steve Uhler
Jonny Wilkie
Ricky Worthey
F. You
Gregory Zink -
In this newest History Impossible conversation, Iâm speaking with Greg Zink, the host of the Smoke Filled Rooms podcast, a new and up-and-coming show that gives us a deep dive into political true crime. Iâve been following Greg since he started his show in early 2022, beginning with a series on the Nuremberg Trials, and when he tackled a topic I had been considering doing myself ever since I threatened all of you with a return to Hollywoodâs scandalous historyânamely, the death (and life) of Marilyn MonroeâI invited him onto History Impossible to discuss both it and the recent divisive Andrew Dominik (director of the sublime The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford) pseudo-biopic of Marilyn Monroe, 2022âs Blonde.
In addition to discussing that film, we also examined how it took pretty decisive aim against Hollywood as it currently exists by highlighting the scum-baggery of Hollywood in the 1950s and 1960s (needless to say, controversial opinionsâmostly my ownâare voiced). We also examine how the film both succeeds and fails as a depiction of Marilyn Monroeâs complexity as a human being, and how, in showing the problematic relationship Monroe had with JFK, essentially manages to toe the line of actual slander/libel (though it doesnât stop us from raking the Kennedy family over the coals later on). Following that discussion we delve into the mysterious circumstances surrounding Monroeâs death that Greg so expertly explored in his own five-part series.
Needless to say, itâs a fun, controversial, and ultimately tragic ride (given the subject matter). But it was also a very enlightening and interesting conversation for me, given Gregâs attention to detail in such a notorious potential case. You may never look at Hollywood the same way again.
âŠ
History Impossible has been made possible by the following generous supporters on Patreon, Substack, and PayPal. Please consider donating today to help keep me free and this show alive.
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Bob Downing
Rob Duval
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eli123ky
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Al Hall
Benjamin Hamilton
Peter Hauck
Joseph Hurst
Thomas Justesen
Mike Kalnins
Bryn Kaufman
Benjamin Lee
Trevor Lindborg
Maddy
Mounty of Madness
Jose Martinez
Mike Mayleben
Judy McCoid
Monica
Kostas Moros
Ryan Mortenson
Ben Mullen
Skip Pacheco
Molly Pan
Jeff Parrent
Jean Peters
Brian Pritzl
PJ Rader
Gleb Radutsky
Aleksandr Rakitin
Edward Ray
Jon Andre Saether
Alison Salo
Jake Scalia
Emily Schmidt
Julian Schmidt
Cameron Smith
Thomas Squeo
Brian Steggeman
Pier-Luc St-Pierre
Athal Krishna Sundarrajan
Philipp Surkov
Jared Cole Temple
ChrisTX
Robert VS
Steve Uhler
Jonny Wilkie
Ricky Worthey
F. You
Gregory Zink -
Happy 2023, everybody. I hope everyone's 2022 was a good one. It's hard to believe we're really getting into this new decade often portrayed as "the future" in old-school sci-fi/cyberpunk stories, isn't it?
Anyway, I wanted to close out 2022/open up 2023 with something a little different; as you know I'm essentially turning my written Substack posts into audio versions for the supporters of History Impossible so you can all get some good exclusive content and this one is no exception. However, this essay I wrote about stakeholder capitalism and the economics of National Socialist Germany struck a different chord for me; uncharacteristically, it became more of a pure polemic that used history as a bedrock, rather than history that contains some elements of polemics. In the end, it turned into something more akin to (though by no means on the qualitative level of) Dan Carlin's beloved political show, Common Sense (something so many of us wish he would bring back but understand all too well why he probably won't).
Since this essay ultimately contained what could best be called a "call to action" toward the end, I wanted to put it out there for everyone to hear, especially since this is a new year and all. Everyone who supports the show still gets the ad-free version and my undying thanks for your generosity. All I ask of everyone else is that you spread the word about History Impossible and help keep this show going.
Many thanks and I sincerely hope you all have a blessed 2023.
...
History Impossible has been made possible by the following generous supporters on Patreon and PayPal. Please consider donating today to help keep me free and this show alive.
David Adamcik
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CJ
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eli123ky
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Nathan Grote
Al Hall
Benjamin Hamilton
Peter Hauck
Joseph Hurst
Thomas Justesen
Mike Kalnins
Bryn Kaufman
Benjamin Lee
Trevor Lindborg
Maddy
Mounty of Madness
Jose Martinez
Mike Mayleben
Judy McCoid
Monica
Kostas Moros
Ryan Mortenson
Ben Mullen
Skip Pacheco
Molly Pan
Jeff Parrent
Jean Peters
Brian Pritzl
PJ Rader
Gleb Radutsky
Aleksandr Rakitin
Edward Ray
Jon Andre Saether
Alison Salo
Jake Scalia
Emily Schmidt
Julian Schmidt
Cameron Smith
Thomas Squeo
Brian Steggeman
Pier-Luc St-Pierre
Philipp Surkov
Jared Cole Temple
ChrisTX
Steve UhlerJonny Wilkie
Ricky Worthey
F. You -
In this second part of our story about the birth of the Oxford English Dictionary, we cover the second half--perhaps the second hemisphere, to use a brain pun--of the main minds behind the creation of the multi-volume book. This is the story of William Chester Minor, an American polymath of sorts similar to James Murray, though of far greater education and class status.
Minor's time growing up in Ceylon (what is now Sri Lanka) is discussed, as is his military education and time serving in the U.S. Civil War, where it is quite possible that his mind finally became broken. We then discuss his move to London, and the ghastly crime he committed that landed him in the Broadmoor Criminal Lunatic Asylum. His correspondence with the dictionary editors, and his developing friendship with James Murray is discussed, as well as his nightly battles with his own demons that never left him.
But most of all, his massive contribution to the birth of the English lexicon is celebrated. It ultimately begs the question: if not for this mad American surgeon, would we still be languishing today, trying to develop a proper English dictionary?
âŠ
History Impossible has been made possible by the following generous supporters on Patreon and PayPal. Please consider donating today to help keep me free and this show alive.
David Adamcik
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Gavin Edwards
eli123ky
Kevin Gony
Nathan Grote
Al Hall
Benjamin Hamilton
Peter Hauck
Joseph Hurst
Thomas Justesen
Mike Kalnins
Bryn Kaufman
Benjamin Lee
Trevor Lindborg
Maddy
Mounty of Madness
Jose Martinez
Mike Mayleben
Judy McCoid
Monica
Kostas Moros
Ryan Mortenson
Ben Mullen
Skip Pacheco
Molly Pan
Jeff Parrent
Jean Peters
Brian Pritzl
PJ Rader
Gleb Radutsky
Aleksandr Rakitin
Edward Ray
Jon Andre Saether
Alison Salo
Jake Scalia
Emily Schmidt
Julian Schmidt
Cameron Smith
Thomas Squeo
Brian Steggeman
Pier-Luc St-Pierre
Philipp Surkov
Jared Cole Temple
ChrisTX
Steve Uhler
Ricky Worthey
F. You - Vis mere
