Key Battles of American History

History

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395 episodes

Paths of Glory (ENCORE)
24/1/2026 | 1h 1 mins.
James and Sean discuss the classic 1957 anti-war film Paths of Glory, starring Kirk Douglas. In this film, a French colonel tries to save three of his men who are sentenced to be executed for cowardice.
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GW7: The War Expands (1915)
21/1/2026 | 51 mins.
In this episode, Sean and James explore how World War I spread beyond the Western Front into a truly global conflict. They trace massive campaigns across Eastern Europe, where Germany and Austria-Hungary drove deep into Russian territory, and in the West, where repeated Allied offensives in Artois, Champagne, and Ypres failed to break the stalemate. The episode also covers the fall of Serbia, the opening of the Salonika Front, Italy’s entry into the war, and the British advance up the Tigris that led to the siege of Kut-al-Amara. By the end of 1915, millions were dead or displaced, and it had become clear that the war would be long, brutal, and worldwide in scale.
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1917 (ENCORE)
17/1/2026 | 1h 17 mins.
James and Sean discuss the award-winning 2019 film 1917, in which two British soldiers are sent on a dangerous mission to save another unit from disaster.
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GW6: Life in the Trenches
14/1/2026 | 48 mins.
In this episode, Sean and James dive deep into the gritty realities of trench warfare on the Western Front. They explore the evolution of trench design, the brutal conditions soldiers endured — from mud, vermin, and disease to constant shellfire and psychological trauma — and the routines that defined daily life. The episode also highlights the technological shifts that favored defense, the futility of traditional attacks, and the emergence of informal truces like the Christmas Truce of 1914.
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They Shall Not Grow Old (ENCORE)
10/1/2026 | 1h 15 mins.
James and Sean discuss the outstanding 2018 Peter Jackson documentary They Shall Not Grow Old, which combines interviews with British World War I veterans with colorized and slowed-down footage from the war.
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About Key Battles of American History

War has played a key role in the history of the United States from the nation’s founding right down to the present. Wars made the U. S. independent, kept it together, increased its size, and established it as a global superpower. Understanding America’s wars is essential for understanding American history. In the Key Battles of American History, host James Early discusses American history through the lens of the most important battles of America’s wars. James is an Adjunct Professor of History at San Jacinto College in Pasadena, TX. He has published one book and two scholarly articles. He is also the cohost (with Scott Rank) of the Presidential Fight Club, Key Battles of the Civil War, Key Battles of the Revolutionary War, and Key Battles of World War I podcasts. Take back your personal data with Incogni! Use code battles at the link below and get 60% off annual plans: https://incogni.com/battles

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