

Explaining History
Nick Shepley
How do we make sense of the modern world? We find the answers in the history of the 20th Century.For over a decade, The Explaining History Podcast has been the guide for curious minds. Host Nick Shepley and expert guests break down the world wars, the Cold War, and the rise and fall of ideologies into concise, 25-minute episodes.This isn't a dry lecture. It's a critical, narrative-driven conversation that connects the past to your present.Perfect for students, history buffs, and anyone who wants to understand how we got here. Hit subscribe and start exploring.Join us at Explaining History for daily modern history articles and news. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Jun 14, 2013 • 18min
Terrorism, Anarchism and Russia's Intelligentsia
By the late 19th Century Russia was a rapid increase in acts of terrorism against the state, the assassination of government ministers, bombings of state buildings and attempts (eventually successful) on the lives of the Tsars. The terrorists were well educated members of Russia's middle classes, waging their own war against the state on behalf of Russia's peasants. Why? This Explaining History podcast attempts to address this question. Explaining History helps you understand the 20th Century through critical conversations and expert interviews. We connect the past to the present. If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and share.▸ Support the Show & Get Exclusive ContentBecome a Patron: patreon.com/explaininghistory▸ Join the Community & Continue the ConversationFacebook Group: facebook.com/groups/ExplainingHistoryPodcastSubstack: theexplaininghistorypodcast.substack.com▸ Read Articles & Go DeeperWebsite: explaininghistory.org Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jun 9, 2013 • 17min
The German Revolution 1918
How did Germany's defeat in World War One lead to a revolution that swept away the Kaiser and result in the rise of a liberal socialist government? What compromises and deals did the new administration make to prevent the spread of communism and how did that affect the development of the republic?Answers to all this and more are here in this Explaining History Podcast. Explaining History helps you understand the 20th Century through critical conversations and expert interviews. We connect the past to the present. If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and share.▸ Support the Show & Get Exclusive ContentBecome a Patron: patreon.com/explaininghistory▸ Join the Community & Continue the ConversationFacebook Group: facebook.com/groups/ExplainingHistoryPodcastSubstack: theexplaininghistorypodcast.substack.com▸ Read Articles & Go DeeperWebsite: explaininghistory.org Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 18, 2013 • 18min
Theodor Herzl
Theodor Herzl is credited with being the father of Zionism and the intellectual force behind the founding of the state of Israel, even though he died nearly half a century earlier. How did Herzl's ideas emerge and evolve in the mid to late 19th Century and how was he influenced by the growing climate of intolerance across Europe in the last quarter of the century? Explaining History helps you understand the 20th Century through critical conversations and expert interviews. We connect the past to the present. If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and share.▸ Support the Show & Get Exclusive ContentBecome a Patron: patreon.com/explaininghistory▸ Join the Community & Continue the ConversationFacebook Group: facebook.com/groups/ExplainingHistoryPodcastSubstack: theexplaininghistorypodcast.substack.com▸ Read Articles & Go DeeperWebsite: explaininghistory.org Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 7, 2013 • 13min
Germans and the Holocaust
What did ordinary German people know or think about the genocide of the Jewish people? This podcast encourages students of Nazi Germany to move away from simplistic views of German Moralities. Explaining History helps you understand the 20th Century through critical conversations and expert interviews. We connect the past to the present. If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and share.▸ Support the Show & Get Exclusive ContentBecome a Patron: patreon.com/explaininghistory▸ Join the Community & Continue the ConversationFacebook Group: facebook.com/groups/ExplainingHistoryPodcastSubstack: theexplaininghistorypodcast.substack.com▸ Read Articles & Go DeeperWebsite: explaininghistory.org Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

May 7, 2013 • 15min
De-Nazification
How did Germany deal with the legacy of the Holocaust and Nazism? How did West and East German governments address the memory of crimes committed during the war? Explaining History helps you understand the 20th Century through critical conversations and expert interviews. We connect the past to the present. If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and share.▸ Support the Show & Get Exclusive ContentBecome a Patron: patreon.com/explaininghistory▸ Join the Community & Continue the ConversationFacebook Group: facebook.com/groups/ExplainingHistoryPodcastSubstack: theexplaininghistorypodcast.substack.com▸ Read Articles & Go DeeperWebsite: explaininghistory.org Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Apr 16, 2013 • 18min
The Battle Of The Atlantic
Both Britain and Germany had tried to starve each other into submission on the high seas in the First World War. The British were slow to adopt new tactics in the Second World War against the renewed threat of U-Boats, but by 1944, the British and Americans had devastated the German U-Boat fleet. How had these changes come about? Explaining History helps you understand the 20th Century through critical conversations and expert interviews. We connect the past to the present. If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and share.▸ Support the Show & Get Exclusive ContentBecome a Patron: patreon.com/explaininghistory▸ Join the Community & Continue the ConversationFacebook Group: facebook.com/groups/ExplainingHistoryPodcastSubstack: theexplaininghistorypodcast.substack.com▸ Read Articles & Go DeeperWebsite: explaininghistory.org Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Feb 19, 2013 • 13min
Lend Lease
Why did Roosevelt agree to help arm Britain and France before America joined the war? How did his Arsenals of Democracy Speech affect the nation?What effect did Lend Lease have on America's future enemies? Explaining History helps you understand the 20th Century through critical conversations and expert interviews. We connect the past to the present. If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and share.▸ Support the Show & Get Exclusive ContentBecome a Patron: patreon.com/explaininghistory▸ Join the Community & Continue the ConversationFacebook Group: facebook.com/groups/ExplainingHistoryPodcastSubstack: theexplaininghistorypodcast.substack.com▸ Read Articles & Go DeeperWebsite: explaininghistory.org Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Feb 16, 2013 • 22min
The Marshall Plan
Why did the USA offer billions of dollars in aid to Europe in 1948? How did the USSR react to this?This podcast explores the dangers to liberal democracy and the fragile peace in 1948 and George Marshall's plan to rescue Europe and keep America from fighting the next war. Explaining History helps you understand the 20th Century through critical conversations and expert interviews. We connect the past to the present. If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and share.▸ Support the Show & Get Exclusive ContentBecome a Patron: patreon.com/explaininghistory▸ Join the Community & Continue the ConversationFacebook Group: facebook.com/groups/ExplainingHistoryPodcastSubstack: theexplaininghistorypodcast.substack.com▸ Read Articles & Go DeeperWebsite: explaininghistory.org Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Feb 9, 2013 • 20min
The Truman Doctrine
When President Harry Truman announced a huge military aid package to Greece in 1947 it signalled a sea-change in America's stance in the growing Cold War, and showed a willingness to commit fully to the fight. This podcast explores the wider context of that decision, and challenges students to consider: What does this all really show us? Explaining History helps you understand the 20th Century through critical conversations and expert interviews. We connect the past to the present. If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and share.▸ Support the Show & Get Exclusive ContentBecome a Patron: patreon.com/explaininghistory▸ Join the Community & Continue the ConversationFacebook Group: facebook.com/groups/ExplainingHistoryPodcastSubstack: theexplaininghistorypodcast.substack.com▸ Read Articles & Go DeeperWebsite: explaininghistory.org Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Jan 10, 2013 • 15min
Stalin and Trotsky
Why did Trotsky, the hero of the Red Army and the most likely candidate to succeed Lenin, fail to become leader of the USSR after his death?How did Stalin use his position to build a powerbase of mass support? Explaining History helps you understand the 20th Century through critical conversations and expert interviews. We connect the past to the present. If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and share.▸ Support the Show & Get Exclusive ContentBecome a Patron: patreon.com/explaininghistory▸ Join the Community & Continue the ConversationFacebook Group: facebook.com/groups/ExplainingHistoryPodcastSubstack: theexplaininghistorypodcast.substack.com▸ Read Articles & Go DeeperWebsite: explaininghistory.org Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.


