Encore Episode on the 160th Anniversary of the Battle of Second Manassas
On the eve of the 160th anniversary of the Battle of Second Manassas, which was fought from August 28-30, 1862, Mark presents an encore episode, The Battle of Second Manassas. In August 1862, after the Confederate victory in the Battle of Second Manassas, or the Second Battle of Bull Run as it was referred to in the North,...
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Indianapolis: The True Story of the Worst Sea Disaster in U.S. Naval History
Actor Robert Shaw’s speech that he delivered in the movie Jaws in his legendary performance as shark-hunter Quint may be the first time that generations who didn’t grow up during WWII learned about the sinking of the USS Indianapolis and the horrific days that followed. As Quint says in his spell-binding scene with Richard Dreyfuss:...
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The Civil War in July of 1863
Mark takes a quick look at two major Civil War events the took place in early July: the battles of Gettysburg and Vicksburg. He also discusses some of the characters who played key roles: Confederate General Henry Heth, the man who initiated the battle of Gettysburg and Union General Edward Sickles, one of the most...
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The Environmental Impact of the Civil War
It’s been four months since Russia invaded Ukraine and reports show the environmental impact is already devastating. Mark looks back to the American Civil War to give listeners an idea of what we already know about how war affects the environment. Considering that a battle was a major man-made disaster, someone had to take care...
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Civil War: What Potent Blood Has Modest May
Mark takes a look at some significant events that took place in May from the American Civil War era. He considers these events in light of Ralph Waldo Emerson’s famous (yet unrelated) quote, “What potent blood hath modest May,” which Mark will show is an applicable description when considering the outcome of some such events...
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American Civil War: April Events
Events that occurred in April during the American Civil War lend credence to T.S. Eliot’s moniker of April as the “Cruelest Month.” The start of hostilities at Fort Sumter in 1861 initiated the war that defined America and President Lincoln’s assassination in 1865 both occurred in April. The Battle of Shiloh and the Fall of...
Women in History Month
To kick off Women’s History month, Mark takes a look at some of history’s notable women. Starting with Medieval times and jumping to the American Revolution, War of 1812, Civil War and World War II, he features a range of heroines from Joan of Arc, who at age 17 led a French army in the...
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January: There’s a Lot of Historical Heat!
Often we think that historically, not much has happened in the middle of winter. However, that’s far from the truth. From Charlemagne to Henry VIII, Secession in the Civil War to the Soviets battling the Finns in the snow during WWII, there has been a lot of historical heat generated in January over the centuries....
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Learning About the Essential Qualities of Leadership – Part II
What essential leadership lessons can you learn from history’s greatest military commanders? Prof. Harry Laver returns to continue the discussion on the qualities of Leadership and his book edited with Jeffrey J. Matthews, The Art of Command: Military Leadership from George Washington to Colin Powell. Buy The Art of Command: Military Leadership from George Washington...
Kick Off the New Year Learning About the Essential Qualities of Leadership
What essential leadership lessons can you learn from history’s greatest military commanders? Mark welcomes Professor Harry Laver, author of The Art of Command: Military Leadership from George Washington to Colin Powell, to answer this question. Laver and his editor Jeffrey J. Matthews assembled a list of contributors from military, academic, and professional circles, which allows...
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Christmas in Wartime – Part II
In Part II of the Christmas in Wartime podcast, Mark reviews some of the happenings that American and Allied soldiers experienced during WWII. There are a few items from the home front and some from where the fighting occurred, as well as a few segments from POWs. First, a mention that I forgot to include...
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Christmas in Wartime – Part I
War brings few joyous moments. Over the years, Christmas time has provided a few glimmers of warmth. From a surprise victory for George Washington, to mules masquerading as reindeer in the Civil War, to a flare-lit soccer game between Brits and Germans in WWI, Mark shares some wartime Christmas memories.
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