The co-creator of Batman has admitted that there would be no caped crusader had it not been for the inspiration of masked-avenger Zorro. In turn, the character of Zorro could not have existed without the inspiration of real California outlaws. In 1848 the Mexican-American War came to a close and a year later gold was discovered in the newly American territor ... Show More
Feb 2025
Episode #222- What's True About Al Capone? (Part I)
The life of the gangster Al Capone could be understood as a violent expression of the American Dream. A poor kid from Brooklyn, born to immigrant parents, used his wits, fists, and a certain ruthless determination to build an empire. The underworld figure has been the fodder for ... Show More
1h 24m
Oct 2021
Tenochtitlan: A Retelling of The Conquest
In a sense, 1521 is Mexico's 1619. A foundational moment that has for a long time been shaped by just one perspective, a European one. The story of how Hernán Cortés and his small army of conquistadors conquered the mighty Aztec Empire, in the heart of what's now modern Mexico Ci ... Show More
52m 56s
Apr 2023
Cinco de Mayo and the Rise of Modern Mexico (2022)
Does history have a border? That is the question at the heart of Cinco de Mayo, May 5th, a holiday that symbolizes Mexico's fight for autonomy, even as it's come to be associated with sales and cervezas and margaritas in the U.S. Cinco de Mayo is part of a much deeper story of tw ... Show More
50m 30s
Oct 2023
The Mexican Dirty War: A War to the Death w/ Alexander Aviña & Benjamin T. Smith
In this episode of Guerrilla History, we bring on Benjamin T. Smith and his coauthor, returning fan favorite Alexander Aviña, to talk about an article that they just cowrote about the (ongoing) Mexican Dirty War for NACLA titled A War to the Death! This short article condenses t ... Show More
1h 20m
Jun 2021
The Walker Affair | The Gray-Eyed Man of Destiny | 1
In the mid-1800s, the United States was a young nation awash with mercenaries, adventurers, and entrepreneurs looking to take advantage of the country’s ever-expanding boundaries. Into this chaotic atmosphere stepped a young lawyer and newspaper editor from Tennessee named Willia ... Show More
41m 15s