logo
episode-header-image
Sep 2024
37 m

Was Churchill a Villain? Or "Why we can'...

15-Minute History Podcast
About this episode

Joe and Jon discuss a recent online controversy within the historical community and debunk some claims made by a "popular historian" (featured on the Tucker Carlson Show) about Winston Churchill and the Second World War.

Up next
Today
Sketches in History | One Bomber Every 63 Minutes
Welcome back to Sketches in History! This segment, just for kids, shows that history isn't just a story, it's an adventure. Join Lottie Archer as she dives into her extraordinary notebook, where sketches from history come to life!In this episode, Lottie finds a small piece of met ... Show More
14m 55s
Apr 27
The Arsenal of Democracy | Home Front USA
It's tempting to view the Second World War primarily through the lens of combat, but students of American history must also look at the transformation that occurred on the home front, in the rhythms of daily life, and of the structure of the nation itself. This is the story of ho ... Show More
16m 37s
Apr 23
Audience Member Pop Quiz | The French at War
The French nation has a reputation for being willing to surrender in battle, but is that a fair assessment?This question came from an audience member, and we love getting these from you all. So leave a comment below if you have question you'd like Joe and Jon to answer! 
7m 3s
Recommended Episodes
Sep 2024
Winston Churchill & WW2 Revisionism
Sir Winston Churchill is almost unanimously regarded as a hero in Western society. In this country we voted him the Greatest Ever Briton; ahead of Shakespeare, Charles Darwin and Sir Isaac Newton. Churchill had significant flaws, including some caustic opinions and brutal decisio ... Show More
43m 56s
Jan 2025
Who moulded Winston Churchill?
Later this week marks 60 years since the death of Winston Churchill, on 24 January 1965. So we thought it would be interesting to bring back this episode with Professor David Reynolds from 2023. In it, he explores how Winston Churchill’s remarkable career saw him interact with ot ... Show More
51m 55s
Mar 2023
Churchill's Darkest Hour
Winston Churchill's ascension to Prime Minister in 1940 was a key turning point in world history, ultimately being one of the first steps to help the Allies secure victory in the Second World War. The legacies of Churchill’s decisions still shape our world today, but a lesser kno ... Show More
42m 22s
Oct 2023
Who moulded Winston Churchill?
Winston Churchill’s remarkable career saw him interact with many of the other great figures of the age, many of whom had a profound impact on Britain’s wartime leader. Speaking to Rob Attar, Professor David Reynolds examines Churchill’s relationships with the likes of Stalin, Mus ... Show More
51m 26s
Jul 2024
Has imperial history become too politicised?
Controversies surrounding the history of the British empire have become particularly intense in recent years, with academics, politicians and commentators all offering differing views about how we should understand the nation's imperial past. A new book, The Truth about Empire, d ... Show More
42m 13s
Jun 2025
Was Pearl Harbor an inside job?
On 7 December 1941, Japan attacked the US naval base at Pearl Harbor. It’s one of the most notorious surprise attacks in history, but how much of a surprise actually was it? Did President Franklin Roosevelt know that the attack was coming and even encourage it as a means of prope ... Show More
36m 22s
Nov 2024
Joseph McCarthy: life of the week
Joseph McCarthy's infamous crusade in the 1950s whipped up a frenzy of anti-communist sentiment across America – and wrecked the reputations of scores of people accused of harbouring sympathies for the Soviet Union. So what motived the Wisconsin senator, and why did McCarthyism p ... Show More
38m 39s
Nov 2024
Nelson: a life of heroism and scandal
Nelson is one of the most well-known historical figures from British history. His leadership of the British fleet to victory at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, and his death in the same battle, rendered him a national hero for generations. However, Nelson was also embroiled in a ... Show More
41m 29s
Apr 2025
Papal elections and tariff troubles: history behind the headlines
In the latest episode of our monthly podcast series, regular panellists Hannah Skoda and Rana Mitter are joined by Frank Trentmann to discuss the historical parallels behind recent developments in the global trade war – plus the tumultuous history of papal elections, and the surp ... Show More
45m 14s