After turning our attention back to Europe in the last few episodes, it’s time to finally examine the Holocaust. Back in episode 185, we covered a broad history of antisemitism in Europe and the violent results of the first few years of Hitler’s reign in Germany, going all the way to the nationwide November pogrom (also known as Kristallnacht). But before we ... Show More
Apr 13
203: The Holocaust: Killing Squads, Ghettos, & Gas Chambers
“The procedure is a pretty barbaric one and not to be described here more definitively. Not much will remain of the Jews.” —Joseph Goebbels This is the story of how the Holocaust becomes industrialized. In January 1942, Nazi leaders discuss what will become the “Final Solution”: ... Show More
1h 8m
Mar 16
201: A Soft Underbelly: The Allied Invasion of Sicily & the Fall of Il Duce
"My dear Duce, it’s no longer any good… At this moment you are the most hated man in Italy.” This is the story of Operations Underworld, Mincemeat, and Husky. On the heels of the decisive Allied victory in Africa, leaders decide to take the fight north. But Hitler and Mussolini s ... Show More
58m 53s
Mar 2
200: The North African Campaign: Desert Rats, the Desert Fox, & Operation Torch
“This is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is perhaps the end of the beginning.” This is the story of the Allied campaign in North Africa. Long under the colonial thumb of the belligerent European nations—namely, France, Italy, and Britain—North Africa ... Show More
1h 5m
Jan 2025
President FDR & the New Deal
<p>In 1932, amidst the Great Depression, Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected the 32nd President of the United States. He was more than a leader; he was a beacon of hope, steering the nation through its darkest days... and the newly-elected president had a plan.</p><br><p>In this ep ... Show More
39m 53s
Aug 2024
What Just Happened on Wall Street?
<p>Every major U.S. stock market plunged on Monday, wiping out billions of dollars in value.</p><p>Jeanna Smialek, who covers the U.S. economy for The Times, discusses what was behind the dizzying sell-off — and what it can tell us about whether America is headed for a recession. ... Show More
23m 32s
Jan 2025
The Hidden History of Eurodollars, Part 1: Cold War Origins
At more than $10 trillion outstanding, the eurodollar market is one of the biggest forms of shadow banking activity out there. It's also one of the most interesting markets in existence, allowing non-US banks to hold and lend offshore dollars that effectively sit outside of the F ... Show More
33m 52s
Dec 2016
125. Sebastian Mallaby on Alan Greenspan and the Dotcom Bubble
As most of you know, I’m busy writing a book that this podcast is partially source material for, and at the moment, I’m deep in the weeds on chapters about the Dotcom bubble—how it happened, why it happened, that sort of thing. By necessity, I’ve been going into a lot of economic ... Show More
36m 36s
Feb 2021
Episode 91, 'How to Save the World from Financialisation' with Grace Blakeley (Part II - A Green Future, Further Analysis and Discussion)
<p class="">'History has ended, and capitalism is the last man standing. The innovations and freedoms enjoyed by the Global North have shown that the free market is the only viable economic system; it is almost impossible to imagine a coherent alternative.'</p> <p class="">This w ... Show More
26m 59s