History That Doesn't Suck

“To be perfectly frank, the ways you and I look at the Chinese are fundamentally different. You seem to think of them as human, but I see them as pigs.”

This is the origin story of the Empire of the Rising Sun. 

After an uninvited visit from one Commodore Matthew Perry and his four black ships, Japan opens its doors to the wider world, ending seven centuries of isolation. Picking up the best and the worst from the West, a new ruling class implements changes in everything from government structure to the military, and embraces the power of both industrialization and imperialism. A modernized Japan quickly expands, conquering Korea, and taking on bigger neighbors like China, and even Russia. And after the Great War, when the military decides to go deeper into China … all that’s needed is an “incident” to justify that. 

But as the empire grows and atrocities like the “Rape of Nanjing” shock the world, Japan’s alliances with European fascist powers cause the US to become wary of their former favored-nation-status trading partner. And when Uncle Sam halts the sale of industrially necessary supplies like oil, Japan’s leaders feel backed into a corner. What will a proud, military-led nation do when it is cornered?

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Professor Greg Jackson sits down with legendary documentary filmmaker Ken Burns and his co-producer Sarah Botstein to discuss their newest film series, The American Revolution plus a conversation about their 2007 WWII series, The War.



Ken and Sarah’s latest endeavor about the American War for Independence has been in production for nearly a decade, and the release comes on the cusp of America’s 250th anniversary. According to Ken, the American Revolution is “the most important historical event since the birth of Christ.” We’ll let you judge that claim for yourself as you listen to Dr. Jackson and our two guests discuss the war and its major players, their production process, maps, and much more. 



Ken and Sarah also discuss The War which they worked on together delving into “the greatest cataclysm in human history,” to quote Ken—World War II. If America was “born” after the Revolutionary War, it came of age during the Second World War. Don’t fret, we’ll get back to covering that war very soon. Next up: Japan. 



The American Revolution, a six-part, 12-hour documentary series, will premiere on Sunday, November 16 and air each night through Friday, November 21st. 

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Today Professor Jackson tells the story of Eleanor Roosevelt’s “Over Our Coffee Cups” weekly radio show. Starting in the fall of 1941, the First Lady took to the airwaves with this cafe-style program to provide information and comfort as the nation began mobilizing for war. 

This short story is an example of the extras you can get as an HTDS premium member. HTDS will always be widely available, supported by ads. However, our membership program offers ad-free episodes delivered early, plus extra stories just like this one. Click here to start a free seven day trial. Cancel anytime.

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“No more defenses. Our army is wiped out—artillery, air force, everything wiped out.”

This is the story of the invasion of New Jersey.

“The War of the Worlds” is a 1938 radio adaptation of an 1897 science fiction novel by H.G. Wells that details an alien invasion of Earth, a seminal work that popularized the term “Martian” and the theme of “first contact” in sci-fi. 23-year-old Orson Welles and his Mercury Theatre team were tasked with zhuzhing up the classic novel for their series of one-hour CBS radio plays, but unfortunately, the contemporary American setting, the shockingly realistic news bulletins, and the harrowing eyewitness accounts all added up to produce a panic among out-of-the-loop listeners. 

Invasion, fictional or otherwise, was at the fore of many minds as Germany broke treaties and demanded more land—the Allies ceded the Sudetenland just one month prior to the broadcast. The stories of a mass hysteria that gripped the nation have been exaggerated, but have no fear: we’ll take you through the radio play and the aftermath so you can decide whether or not you believe it.

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Professor Jackson takes a step back to review themes from episodes 187 through 189 (War in Europe and America’s Response), specifically the slow turn from isolationism to aid via Lend-Lease, and eventually to preparing for war. 

Prof. Jackson’s guests are Professor Lindsey Cormack, an associate professor of political science at Stevens Institute of Technology, and historian Lynne Olson, author of several books on WW2 including Citizens of London which chronicles the pivotal role played by three Americans who influenced the decisions of President Franklin Roosevelt and Prime Minister Winston Churchill—Edward R. Murrow, Averell Harriman, and John Gilbert Winant. Olson emphasizes how these individuals navigated the complexities of diplomacy and public opinion, often against a backdrop of American isolationism and British skepticism, ultimately building a strong relationship that was essential for the war effort. 

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