American History is not my forté, and by that I mean, for better or worse, it doesn't enthrall me as much as European history manages to consistently do. At WDF I am constantly asked by my lovely American listeners whether I will ever cover the Civil War, and my answer to that will likely always be no, so I apologise for that if you're looking for an Irishman's take on the conflict. Several other history podcasters give a better account of that war than I'll ever be able to, and I am too aware of the potential to offend folks to really give it a try.
That said, I did dip my toe in some American tales before I turned my attentions more completely to Europe. As we began our journey through the lexicon of Zack's confused brain, listeners were treated to several fascinating, if disjointed gems. When it came time to remaster these guys for the 5th birthday special, I approached each conflict with fresh eyes, and tried my best to place each in the context of the era that it occurred. I did my best with the formula which I was then adhering to, which is why I give only an hour on the most important revolution in world history (fight me if you disagree) and some other podcasters can create a whole podcast out of it. Whatever brought you here, I hope you enjoy the little foray I made into American history, and that you'll track these episodes down in the feed as well if it's more convenient. Thanksss!
Listed here are the following wars:
1) American Revolution
2) War of 1812
3) Mexican American War
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The American Revolution
When? Technically from 1774 to 1783, but the seeds had been set long before then.
Where? The east coast of North America, in the Thirteen Colonies.
Who? Britain fought its rebellious Thirteen Colonies subjects, who identified as Americans.
Released? This remastered set was released as part of the 5th birthday celebrations of WDF in June 2017.
Episode 1: Just as I did 5 years ago, here I jump into the era of the American Revolution with aplomb, whatever that means! The circumstances which led to said revolt are fascinating to me, so I do my level best to unpack them. Hopefully in the process bringing you a narrative that isn't the same as all the others.
Episode 2: We return with a look at the international aspects of the war - how and why did so many foreign powers become involved in the struggle, and what options did Britain have when it came to waging war against its former colonists? Find out as we wrap up our coverage of the war - thanksss again for joining me!
The War of 1812
When? The war of 1812 was fought from 1812-1815.
Where? Along the east coast of North America and parts of the Atlantic.
Who? Round two of the Revolution, as the British battled the burgeoning United States of America.
Released? this remastered set was released in line with the 5th birthday of the podcast in June 2017.
Episode 1: How did Britain and the US come to fight each other in 1812, and what can the war tell us about Anglo-American relations up to that point? The trade disputes and impressment controversies were heady, but surely calmer heads would prevail? Hint, they do not!
Episode 2: Our coverage concludes with a striking image - Washington in flames and British soldiers across the lands, the war unpopular and Napoleon on the back foot. It was, it's true, the most incredible side show of the Napoleonic Wars, so I hope you've enjoyed this trip back down memory lane to examine it once more.
The Mexican American War
When? This war was waged from 1846-48.
Where? Across the border between the US and Mexico, and along the west coast of modern-day California.
Who? The US and the Republic of Texas fought against the crumbling Mexican regime next door, with disastrous results for the latter.
Released? This set was released as per the 5th birthday of the podcast in June 2017.
Episode 1: What led two continental giants to face off? Was there any possibility that they might avoid conflict, or where those pesky Texans always going to spoil everything? Find out here, as we revisit a fascinating era of American relations, and a profoundly important one for the identities of both states.
Episode 2: As our coverage concludes, we begin to understand just how depressing a loss it was for the Mexicans, and how dangerous the victory became for the Americans. Nobody could deny that the campaign had been a success for Washington, but some found it difficult to reconcile the triumph with American values and identity. Such problems were to spiral out of control in the years to come, but our coverage ends here!
