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.
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Location:
United States
Genres:
History Podcasts
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
Episodes
The Top Axis WW2 Fighters
12/3/2025
In this episode, Sean and James rank the top World War II fighter planes used by the Axis powers.
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Duración:00:47:13
World War II Chaplains
11/26/2025
In this episode, suggested by Early’s Raiders member Mark Porter, James discusses American military chaplains in the Second World War and the many important roles that they fulfilled.
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Duración:00:21:45
The American Revolution and the Fate of the World with Richard Bell
11/19/2025
In this episode, James interviews historian Richard Bell about his book The American Revolution and the Fate of the World. Bell argues that the American Revolution was much more than a fight between Great Britain and 13 of its North American colonies. Instead, Bell asserts, the Revolution was part of a worldwide struggle, influencing the histories of many nations.
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Duración:00:54:49
The Rise of the Kwantung Army with Quin Cho
11/15/2025
Ten Years before Japan attacked the United States at Pearl Harbor, a powerful and increasingly autonomous military force had already pushed Japan down the path to war. That force was the Kwantung Army. In this episode, James interviews author Quin Cho about his new book The Rise of the Kwantung Army: Japan's Empire in Manchuria to 1932. In this excellent work, Cho provides in-depth insights into the motivations, strategies, and often rogue actions of the force that propelled Japan down its disastrous path toward Pearl Harbor.
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Duración:01:04:31
The Philippines Under American Domination
11/12/2025
In this topical episode, written by Sean McIver and commissioned by Early's Raiders Major Alisha-Smith Arthur, James tells the story of the American presence in the Philippines from 1898 to the granting of Philippine independence in 1946.
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Duración:00:36:07
VW20: Epilogue to the Vietnam War
11/5/2025
In this episode, the last of the Vietnam War series, Sean and James discuss the postwar lives and careers of top American and Vietnamese leaders.
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Duración:00:59:05
Born on the Fourth of July
11/1/2025
In this episode, Sean and James discuss the 1989 film Born on the Fourth of July, directed by Oliver Stone and based on the autobiography of Vietnam War veteran Ron Kovic. Tom Cruise stars as Kovic, a patriotic young man who enlists in the U.S. Marine Corps, only to be paralyzed in combat and deeply disillusioned by the war and its aftermath. The film follows Kovic’s journey from idealistic soldier to anti-war activist, chronicling his physical and emotional struggles, his alienation upon returning home, and his eventual transformation into a vocal critic of U.S. foreign policy.
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Duración:00:49:17
VW19: The Legacy of the Vietnam War
10/29/2025
In this episode, Sean and James reflect on the long-term consequences of the war for the Vietnamese people, the United States, and the world.
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Duración:00:53:52
90 with Bruce Wasser
10/22/2025
In this episode, James interviews author Bruce Jay Wasser about his book 90: A Conscientious Objector’s Journey of Quiet Resistance. In this book, Wasser tells the story of his struggle to gain Conscientious Objector status during the Vietnam War.
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Duración:00:53:00
The Trial of the Chicago Seven
10/18/2025
In this episode, Sean and James discuss the 2020 film The Trial of the Chicago Seven, a historical legal drama written and directed by Aaron Sorkin. Based on true events, the film dramatizes the trial of seven anti–Vietnam War activists charged with conspiracy and inciting riots during the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago.
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Duración:01:11:28
VW18: The Antiwar Movement
10/15/2025
In this episode, Sean and James discuss the complex and multifaceted anti-Vietnam War movement in the United States and around the world.
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Duración:00:39:20
The Hanoi Hilton
10/11/2025
In this episode, Sean and James discuss the 1987 film The Hanoi Hilton, which portrays the harrowing experiences of American prisoners of war held in North Vietnam’s infamous Hoa Lo Prison—nicknamed the "Hanoi Hilton"—during the 1960s and 1970s.
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Duración:00:46:32
VW17: Casualties, POWs and MIAs
10/8/2025
In this episode, Sean and James discuss the horrific human costs of the Vietnam War, including the nature and number of casualties on each side, the specific number of people that each side had killed and wounded, and the experience of those who were captured and made prisoners of war.
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Duración:00:40:53
VW16: The Vietnamese Combat Soldier
10/1/2025
In this episode, a companion to the previous one, Sean and James discuss the experience of Vietnamese front-line combat troops in the Vietnam War, including members of the North Vietnamese Army, the Viet Cong, and the Army of the Republic of Vietnam.
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Duración:00:47:01
Good Morning Vietnam
9/27/2025
In this episode, Sean and James discuss the 1987 film Good Morning Vietnam, a war-comedy film starring Robin Williams as Airman First Class Adrian Cronauer, a charismatic and irreverent DJ assigned to the Armed Forces Radio Service in Saigon during the Vietnam War. Set in 1965, the film follows Cronauer as he energizes the troops with his unfiltered humor, rock music, and offbeat broadcasts—much to the dismay of his rigid superiors. Loosely based on a true story, the film was a critical and commercial success, earning Williams a Golden Globe and an Oscar nomination for Best Actor.
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Duración:00:53:06
VW15: The American Combat Soldier
9/24/2025
In this episode, Sean and James discuss the experience of American front-line combat troops in the Vietnam War, focusing on their background, training, equipment, combat roles, and coping mechanisms.
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Duración:01:03:09
BAT-21
9/20/2025
In this episode, Sean and James discuss the 1988 film BAT-21, which is based on the true story of U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Iceal “Ham” Hambleton, portrayed by Gene Hackman. After his aircraft is shot down behind enemy lines, Hambleton—an expert in electronic warfare with top-secret knowledge—must evade capture by North Vietnamese forces. The film centers on the intense rescue effort led by Capt. Bartholomew “Birddog” Clark, a reconnaissance pilot who maintains radio contact with Hambleton. The story highlights the dangers, sacrifices, and personal courage involved in the mission, culminating in a daring rescue under heavy enemy fire.
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Duración:00:34:11
VW14: The Air War
9/17/2025
In this episode, Sean and James discuss the air war over Vietnam and Laos from 1964-1973, including an overview of the major US aircraft used in the war, the major bombing campaigns over North Vietnam, Close Air Support over South Vietnam, Search and Rescue missions, and the key role of helicopters.
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Duración:01:08:27
VW13: The Naval War in Vietnam
9/10/2025
In this episode, Sean and James discuss the crucial but often overlooked role that the U.S. and Allied navies and the U.S. Coast Guard played in the Vietnam War. Your lovable hosts show how naval power shaped strategy, logistics, and combat operations throughout the conflict.
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Duración:00:46:09
Return to the War with Fred Apgar
9/3/2025
In this episode, James interviews Fred Apgar, who served as a pilot during the Vietnam War and participated in several missions over Laos. Fred discusses his book Return to the War, in which he narrates his war service and his decision to return to Laos decades later.
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Duración:00:56:50