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Hey everyone. No preamble here. Just a nice bonus as a thank you for your continued support. As the title suggests, this is an audio adaptation of an essay I wrote about the 25th anniversary of 9/11 and how it led me to reflect on my generation, that is millennials, seems to believe about itself regarding trauma, adversity, and the future. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/history-impossible--5634566/support.

We often hear about how the Second World War was more morally nuanced and complex than we have been led to believe. This is, to a certain extent, very true. The Axis powers meted out a level of genocidal destruction and suffering upon tens of millions of people across the world, decimating generations in places as far flung as Poland and the Philippines, and Croatia and China. To call their actions existential by their very nature is to arguably undersell the threat they posed. The Allies realized these were the stakes and were eventually faced with a very real question: what would it take to stop such a threat? It required what many have come to believe was the unthinkable: meeting destruction with destruction. And in meeting the Axis violence with more violence did indeed bring the war to its ultimate end. But was it the right thing to do? This episode of History Impossible aims to address that question, one that has vexed generations of historians and commentators, and inflamed debates that last until this very day. The immense fury with which Allied air forces pummeled German cities, particularly Dresden and Hamburg, has been well-covered, including on this very program. But perhaps the most shocking devastation came on the night of March 9-10, 1945, when the United States Army Air Force conducted a daring raid over Tokyo, resulting in a death toll that dwarfed even that created by the atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki several months later. The fires of war became more literal than they had ever been, and it had all been part of a deliberate campaign to crush the spirit of the Japanese. The bombers, and eventually the United States, accomplished their mission to bring the Empire of Japan to its knees. The suffering of the millions under Hirohito’s boot would be brought to an end. But at what cost? Many will go into this story with an answer to that question in the affirmative or negative at the ready. I thought I did. I came out the other side less certain, and I hope all of you who listen do as well. Because uncertainty should is something with which we should all be more comfortable, especially when it comes to the subject of war, even when we make defensible decisions. .... History Impossible has been made possible by the following generous supporters on Patreon, Substack, and PayPal. Please consider donating today if you want to show some love for what I do and make and what to help keep the show and all my written content going: David Adamcik Monica Almirall David Alsbach Gregg Anderson approso1999 Rajan Athul Robert Babeon Michael Beach Benjamin Greg Bosai Johannes Breitsameter Carol ABC Carol Chappelle Charles C Chomo the Clown Curtis Christiansen Jason Coleman Clayton Connell Click Cliffydeuce CR Craig Crawford B.Cyr daddygorgon Lynda Davis Paul DeCoster Regina Dick-Endrizzi Neil Dickens Nathan Diehl Bob Downing Dramicas Eastone Gavin Edwards Snow Farmer Howie Feltersnatch Matt Gassner Pierre Ghazarian Josh Goedert Elena Gomel Sam Graham Jayson Griesmeyer Nathan Grote Benjamin Hamilton Peter Hauck Jack Henneman Eric Hodges Mike Jarulic Joe6245 Lionel Joseph Thomas Justesen Mike Kalnins Bryn Kaufman Leah Kodner Constance Loucks Maddy Mounty of Madness Jose Martinez Mike Mayleben S.M. McAvoy Judy McCoid Mike Kyle Mohney Kostas Moros Ryan Mortenson John Muller Cameron Needham Sean P Skip Pacheco David Page Molly Pan Philip Pomerantz Sr. Powell Brian Pritzl AnaR737 PJ Rader Gleb Radutsky Aleksandr Rakitin Reptilycus Matthew M. Rice Phillip Rice Cheryl Robertson Terry Rosen Run Tough Mindset Andrew S Dan S Jon Andre Saether Jake Scalia Emily Schmidt Julian Schmidt Scryptar Andrew Seeber Shiran Joshua Simpson Cameron Smith Jerry Spangler timetosuccedd1995 Thomas Squeo Athal Krishna Sundarrajan Jared Cole Temple Ann Tout Mike US Ward Van Roy Pierre Vorupuni Robert VS Nate Wade weaverap Jonny Wilkie Christian Wilson Janora Winsor M. Yao Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/history-impossible--5634566/support.

In this newest episode of History Impossible we’re joined a second time by Richard Lim, host of the This American President podcast, who last appeared on this program a couple years ago to discuss the insane, contentious election of 1876. He is also the author of a new book, Refusing a Crown: How George Washington Changed the World, which releases on October 13, 2026, and covers the most significant aspect of America’s first president: his restraint from seizing power that almost certainly would have remained his. In this episode, Richard and I spoke about his new book, about Washington’s enduring character, the best and most important of the Founders, the role of deism, the constitutional foundations of the American experiment, and why figures like Washington prove that this experiment endures for a reason, even as it has faced many trials and challenges until this very day (among other topics). The polarization that plagues United States politics in the 21st century is, after all, nothing new, and Washington was among those who recognized this potential, and yet created an example that is easily forgotten. Richard aims to—and I believe succeeds—remind us that there was more to Washington than his supposed inability to tell lies about cherry trees and crossing a river during the Revolution, revealing that he was far more than some “presidential messiah.” ... History Impossible has been made possible by the following generous supporters on Patreon, Substack, and PayPal. Please consider donating today if you want to show some love for what I do and make and what to help keep the show and all my written content going: David Adamcik Monica Almirall David Alsbach Gregg Anderson approso1999 Rajan Athul Robert Babeon Michael Beach Benjamin Greg Bosai Johannes Breitsameter Carol ABC Carol Chappelle Charles C Chomo the Clown Curtis Christiansen Jason Coleman Clayton Connell Click Cliffydeuce CR Craig Crawford B.Cyr daddygorgon Lynda Davis Paul DeCoster Regina Dick-Endrizzi Neil Dickens Nathan Diehl Bob Downing Dramicas Eastone Gavin Edwards Snow Farmer Howie Feltersnatch Matt Gassner Pierre Ghazarian Josh Goedert Elena Gomel Sam Graham Jayson Griesmeyer Nathan Grote Benjamin Hamilton Peter Hauck Jack Henneman Eric Hodges Mike Jarulic Joe6245 Lionel Joseph Thomas Justesen Mike Kalnins Bryn Kaufman Leah Kodner Constance Loucks Maddy Mounty of Madness Jose Martinez Mike Mayleben S.M. McAvoy Judy McCoid Mike Kyle Mohney Kostas Moros Ryan Mortenson John Muller Cameron Needham Sean P Skip Pacheco David Page Molly Pan Philip Pomerantz Sr. Powell Brian Pritzl AnaR737 PJ Rader Gleb Radutsky Aleksandr Rakitin Reptilycus Matthew M. Rice Phillip Rice Cheryl Robertson Terry Rosen Run Tough Mindset Andrew S Dan S Jon Andre Saether Jake Scalia Emily Schmidt Julian Schmidt Scryptar Andrew Seeber Shiran Joshua Simpson Cameron Smith Jerry Spangler timetosuccedd1995 Thomas Squeo Athal Krishna Sundarrajan Jared Cole Temple Ann Tout Mike US Ward Van Roy Pierre Vorupuni Robert VS Nate Wade weaverap Jonny Wilkie Christian Wilson Janora Winsor M. Yao Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/history-impossible--5634566/support.

“Because remember: Russia is a religious experience.” Those are the oft-repeated and well-said words by the host of The Eastern Border podcast, my good friend Kristaps Andrejsons. They are well-said because there are very few alternatives for explaining Russian actions, rhetoric, and political culture over the past near half-decade in its World War I-style conflict with Ukraine. The Russian religious experience, made emblematic by Kristaps’ and my favorite shared punching bag Aleksandr Dugin, is a phenomenon best understood as a more formalized and colossal version of what ISIS was ten years ago, and it helps explain why Kristaps believes the spiral of the Russian state as we currently know it is beginning in 2026. In this episode, we discuss the potential for collapse and its consequences (including the potential proliferation of nuclear weapons), as well as the barriers of understanding between the West and East, the state of media coverage and perils of sponsorship, the use (and potentially misguided fear) of AI, and Kristaps’ new book that he is releasing serially on his Substack and Patreon. As is always the case with Kristaps, it was a wide-ranging, enlightening, and fun conversation, and I think it sheds a light on the history being made in his part of the world, as well as the motivations that lay behind it. Russia’s dark autumn (another Kristaps coinage) is almost here and having Kristaps as our Gonzo guide for that coming darkness is a blessing more of us should appreciate. As mentioned in the episode, if you would like to donate to the Car4Ukraine Eastern Border Summer Campaign, please go here and make your donation. ... History Impossible has been made possible by the following generous supporters on Patreon, Substack, and PayPal. Please consider donating today if you want to show some love for what I do and make and what to help keep the show and all my written content going: David Adamcik Monica Almirall David Alsbach Gregg Anderson approso1999 Rajan Athul Robert Babeon Michael Beach Benjamin Greg Bosai Johannes Breitsameter Carol ABC Carol Chappelle Charles C Chomo the Clown Curtis Christiansen Jason Coleman Clayton Connell Click Cliffydeuce CR Craig Crawford B.Cyr daddygorgon Danny Lynda Davis Paul DeCoster Regina Dick-Endrizzi Neil Dickens Nathan Diehl Bob Downing Dramicas Eastone Gavin Edwards Snow Farmer Howie Feltersnatch Matt Gassner Pierre Ghazarian Josh Goedert Elena Gomel Sam Graham Jayson Griesmeyer Nathan Grote Benjamin Hamilton Peter Hauck Jack Henneman Eric Hodges Mike Jarulic Joe6245 Lionel Joseph Thomas Justesen Mike Kalnins Bryn Kaufman Leah Kodner Constance Loucks Maddy Mounty of Madness Jose Martinez Mike Mayleben S.M. McAvoy Judy McCoid Mike Kyle Mohney Kostas Moros Ryan Mortenson John Muller Cameron Needham Sean P Skip Pacheco David Page Molly Pan Philip Pomerantz Sr. Powell Brian Pritzl AnaR737 PJ Rader Gleb Radutsky Aleksandr Rakitin Reptilycus Matthew M. Rice Phillip Rice Cheryl Robertson Terry Rosen Run Tough Mindset Andrew S Dan S Jon Andre Saether Jake Scalia Emily Schmidt Julian Schmidt Scryptar Andrew Seeber Shiran Joshua Simpson Cameron Smith Jerry Spangler timetosuccedd1995 Thomas Squeo Athal Krishna Sundarrajan Jared Cole Temple Ann Tout Mike US Ward Van Roy Pierre Vorupuni Robert VS Nate Wade weaverap Jonny Wilkie Christian Wilson Janora Winsor F. You Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/history-impossible--5634566/support.

Antizionism, as it has become, has been having a bit of a moment for going on three years. It is a tough nut to crack, given its various claims of varying legitimacy and, as we have covered more than once on History Impossible, its increasing tendency to veer into outright antisemitism, especially by those looking for a supposedly intellectual and moral veneer for their racial and geopolitical fixations. Part of the reason for this confusion is the complex intellectual history of the position, which, after 1948, became more complicated than the relatively straightforward debate over Jewish statehood before, during, and after the Holocaust. To help make sense of this complicated intellectual history, I was thrilled to be joined by Kile Jones of The Inverted World Substack, which, along with his work for the Times of Israel, has helped map out this historical trajectory and challenge many of the preconceived notions held by many who take their anti-Israel positions for granted. We discussed this trajectory, as well as a number of other subjects, including the time Kile met with Noam Chomsky, his transition from card-carrying Marxist to an old-fashioned liberal, and many other things. It was a great conversation, hopefully the first of many, and I hope you all enjoy the journey we go on together. ... History Impossible has been made possible by the following generous supporters on Patreon, Substack, and PayPal. Please consider donating today if you want to show some love for what I do and make and what to help keep the show and all my written content going: David Adamcik Monica Almirall David Alsbach Gregg Anderson approso1999 Rajan Athul Robert Babeon Michael Beach Benjamin Greg Bosai Johannes Breitsameter Carol ABC Carol Chappelle Charles C Chomo the Clown Curtis Christiansen Jason Coleman Clayton Connell Click Cliffydeuce CR Craig Crawford B.Cyr daddygorgon Danny Lynda Davis Paul DeCoster Regina Dick-Endrizzi Neil Dickens Nathan Diehl Bob Downing Dramicas Martin E. Eastone Gavin Edwards Snow Farmer Howie Feltersnatch Matt Gassner Pierre Ghazarian Josh Goedert Elena Gomel Sam Graham Jayson Griesmeyer Nathan Grote Benjamin Hamilton Peter Hauck Jack Henneman Eric Hodges Mike Jarulic Joe6245 Lionel Joseph Thomas Justesen Mike Kalnins Bryn Kaufman Leah Kodner Constance Loucks Maddy Mounty of Madness Jose Martinez Mike Mayleben S.M. McAvoy Judy McCoid Mike Kyle Mohney Kostas Moros Ryan Mortenson John Muller Cameron Needham Sean P Skip Pacheco David Page Molly Pan Philip Pomerantz Sr. Powell Brian Pritzl AnaR737 PJ Rader Gleb Radutsky Aleksandr Rakitin Reptilycus Matthew M. Rice Phillip Rice Cheryl Robertson Terry Rosen Run Tough Mindset Andrew S Dan S Jon Andre Saether Jake Scalia Emily Schmidt Julian Schmidt Scryptar Andrew Seeber Shiran Joshua Simpson Cameron Smith Jerry Spangler timetosuccedd1995 Thomas Squeo Athal Krishna Sundarrajan Jared Cole Temple Ann Tout Mike US Ward Van Roy Pierre Vorupuni Robert VS Nate Wade weaverap Jonny Wilkie Christian Wilson Janora Winsor F. You Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/history-impossible--5634566/support.

After a bit of a hiatus, History Impossible is back with another special episode, this time looking at the phenomenon of outsourcing responsibility for bigotry and injustice at home to foreign powers. Whether it is the current blame for rising antisemitism in the United States being attributed to Israel’s actions in its ongoing wars with various Islamic states, or, as we’ll see, the tolerance and even approval of interning American citizens for the actions of warmongering empires during the Second World War, the picture is the same: no one taking responsibility for their feelings and beliefs that would otherwise be considered socially unacceptable. This is a bit of a heavy one, and part polemic-part history, but it was just something I needed to get off my chest, so thank you again for all of your support and patience. ... History Impossible has been made possible by the following generous supporters on Patreon, Substack, and PayPal. Please consider donating today if you want to show some love for what I do and make and what to help keep the show and all my written content going: David Adamcik Monica Almirall David Alsbach Gregg Anderson approso1999 Rajan Athul Robert Babeon Michael Beach Benjamin Greg Bosai Johannes Breitsameter Carol ABC Carol Chappelle Charles C Chomo the Clown Curtis Christiansen Jason Coleman Clayton Connell Click Cliffydeuce CR Craig Crawford B.Cyr daddygorgon Danny Lynda Davis Paul DeCoster Regina Dick-Endrizzi Neil Dickens Nathan Diehl Bob Downing Dramicas Martin E. Eastone Gavin Edwards Snow Farmer Howie Feltersnatch Matt Gassner Pierre Ghazarian Josh Goedert Elena Gomel Sam Graham Jayson Griesmeyer Nathan Grote Benjamin Hamilton Peter Hauck Jack Henneman Eric Hodges Mike Jarulic Joe6245 Lionel Joseph Thomas Justesen Mike Kalnins Bryn Kaufman Leah Kodner Constance Loucks Maddy Mounty of Madness Jose Martinez Mike Mayleben S.M. McAvoy Judy McCoid Mike Kyle Mohney Kostas Moros Ryan Mortenson John Muller Cameron Needham Sean P Skip Pacheco David Page Molly Pan Philip Pomerantz Sr. Powell Brian Pritzl AnaR737 PJ Rader Gleb Radutsky Aleksandr Rakitin Reptilycus Matthew M. Rice Phillip Rice Cheryl Robertson Terry Rosen Run Tough Mindset Andrew S Dan S Jon Andre Saether Jake Scalia Emily Schmidt Julian Schmidt Scryptar Andrew Seeber Shiran Joshua Simpson Cameron Smith Jerry Spangler timetosuccedd1995 Thomas Squeo Athal Krishna Sundarrajan Jared Cole Temple Ann Tout Mike US Ward Van Roy Pierre Vorupuni Robert VS Nate Wade weaverap Jonny Wilkie Christian Wilson Janora Winsor F. You Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/history-impossible--5634566/support.

I recently wrote a piece exploring the concept of American identity, primarily through the prism of the immigrant experience, and it got me thinking more about the complexities of American identity, so I wanted to chat with someone who I know has discussed these matters at length. This resulted in a great conversation with the awesome David Josef Volodzko of the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE) and The Radicalist Substack, where we tackled all sorts of angles, including ethnic enclaves, assimilation, patriotism, the collision of values, and the nuances of free speech and freedom of association, all in the context of understanding American identity and the importance of what David calls the constellation of our values. There were some moments of (very mild) disagreement, but I felt like I learned a lot and it helped me defend my own position while considering alternatives that had not previously. Because it is America’s 250th Anniversary Month, I felt like this would serve as an excellent addendum to my Fourth of July reflections, and wanted to share it with all of you amazing subscribers and supporters, completely free. Please check out and support David’s work, and, if you can, support what FIRE does. And please stay tuned very soon for a new episode of History Impossible! Also I will be in Philadelphia at FIRE’s Student Network Conference July 17-19, so if you’re in the area, drop me line here; I may be able to venture out for a meet up. Thanks again, as always, for listening. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/history-impossible--5634566/support.

Hey again everybody. I know I just dropped a big essay on all of you adapted from my final research paper in grad school, and many of you might still be working through it, but I wanted to give everyone another little bonus for all of your patience waiting for the proper big historical episodes of History Impossible. It’s been a while since I’ve done an episode based purely on historiographical analysis, but the paper/essay I wrote a couple of years ago that covers the trajectory of Holocaust scholarship in the late 20th and early 21st centuries seemed thematically appropriate with what I’ve been doing lately. I will spare you the TL;DR on this one since it’s not a very long episode, but I think it’s important to map this out so no one is mistaken in thinking that Holocaust scholarship is purely one-dimensional, moralistic, and remaining static since 1945. It’s a constantly-changing field, with historians still trying to puzzle out certain aspects of one of modern history’s most unthinkable crimes. It only scratches the surface of the literature that exists out there, but it broadly reflects the thematic shifts that have occurred over the last thirty five years of study. We seem to be entering a new phase of that scholarship, so consider this a (hopefully) handy primer. ... History Impossible has been made possible by the following generous supporters on Patreon, Substack, and PayPal. Please consider donating today if you want to show some love for what I do and make and what to help keep the show and all my written content going: David Adamcik Monica Almirall David Alsbach Gregg Anderson approso1999 Rajan Athul Robert Babeon Michael Beach Benjamin Greg Bosai Johannes Breitsameter Carol ABC Carol Chappelle Charles C Chomo the Clown Curtis Christiansen Jason Coleman Clayton Connell Click Cliffydeuce CR Craig Crawford B.Cyr daddygorgon Danny Lynda Davis Paul DeCoster Regina Dick-Endrizzi Neil Dickens Nathan Diehl Bob Downing Dramicas Martin E. Eastone Gavin Edwards Snow Farmer Howie Feltersnatch Matt Gassner Pierre Ghazarian Josh Goedert Sam Graham Jayson Griesmeyer Nathan Grote Baronness Gunnora Matt Gassner Benjamin Hamilton Peter Hauck Jack Henneman Eric Hodges Mike Jarulic Joe6245 Tomás Jonsson Lionel Joseph Thomas Justesen Mike Kalnins Robbie Kaplan Bryn Kaufman Leah Kodner Constance Loucks Maddy Mounty of Madness Jose Martinez Mike Mayleben S.M. McAvoy Judy McCoid Mike Kyle Mohney Kostas Moros Ryan Mortenson John Muller Cameron Needham Sean P Skip Pacheco David Page Molly Pan Philip Pomerantz Sr. Powell Brian Pritzl AnaR737 PJ Rader Gleb Radutsky Aleksandr Rakitin Reptilycus Matthew M. Rice Phillip Rice Cheryl Robertson Terry Rosen Andrew S. Dan S. Jon Andre Saether Jake Scalia Emily Schmidt Julian Schmidt Scryptar Andrew Seeber Shiran Joshua Simpson Cameron Smith Jerry Spangler timetosuccedd1995 Thomas Squeo Athal Krishna Sundarrajan Jared Cole Temple Ann Tout Mike US Ward Van Roy Pierre Vorupuni Robert VS Nate Wade weaverap Jonny Wilkie Christian Wilson Janora Winsor F. You Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/history-impossible--5634566/support.

Hey everyone, it’s good to be back with all of you. I’ve just finished a lengthy writing session for grad school—my final semester of classes!—as well as some family issues that needed my immediate attention during most of March. But I’m back with a new special, historiography-focused episode of History Impossible. It was actually not one I was planning to do, but after my lengthy and productive conversation with the host of the Crackpot History podcast, and after the incredibly positive reception I received from that interview, I decided it was probably a good idea to get deep into the historiographic weeds with the recent tumult that continues regarding Darryl Cooper’s Martyr Made podcast and its own attempt at revising World War II and Third Reich history. When it comes down to it, trying to be a revisionist about World War II is probably like trying to be a revisionist about something like Star Wars. You can certainly try and do it, and you might even be good at it, but you’re always going to encounter people who know more (or at least truly believe they know more) than you ever will. That honestly has always interested me less when it comes to Darryl’s work on this subject; I have always been much more interested in specifically where he gets his information since, frankly, that is what he has always been the most cagey about. While his admission of using David Irving is well-enough known, there is much more to this story of where the premise of “Enemy: The Germans’ War” actually seems to be coming from (at least, as of its current releases). Because I cannot leave well enough alone, this is an exploration through the archives of where such ideas as those we’ve been hearing about from Darryl Cooper and many of those in his historiographic wheelhouse have their origin. ... History Impossible has been made possible by the following generous supporters on Patreon, Substack, and PayPal. Please consider donating today if you want to show some love for what I do and make and what to help keep the show and all my written content going: David Adamcik Monica Almirall David Alsbach Gregg Anderson approso1999 Rajan Athul Robert Babeon Michael Beach Benjamin Greg Bosai Johannes Breitsameter Carol ABC Carol Chappelle Charles C Chomo the Clown Curtis Christiansen Jason Coleman Clayton Connell Click Cliffydeuce CR Craig Crawford B.Cyr daddygorgon Danny Lynda Davis Paul DeCoster Regina Dick-Endrizzi Neil Dickens Nathan Diehl Bob Downing Dramicas Martin E. Eastone Gavin Edwards Snow Farmer Howie Feltersnatch Matt Gassner Pierre Ghazarian Josh Goedert Sam Graham Jayson Griesmeyer Nathan Grote Benjamin Hamilton Peter Hauck Jack Henneman Eric Hodges Mike Jarulic Joe6245 Lionel Joseph Thomas Justesen Mike Kalnins Bryn Kaufman Leah Kodner Constance Loucks Maddy Mounty of Madness Jose Martinez Mike Mayleben S.M. McAvoy Judy McCoid Mike Kyle Mohney Kostas Moros Ryan Mortenson John Muller Cameron Needham Sean P Skip Pacheco David Page Molly Pan Philip Pomerantz Sr. Powell Brian Pritzl AnaR737 PJ Rader Gleb Radutsky Aleksandr Rakitin Reptilycus Matthew M. Rice Phillip Rice Cheryl Robertson Terry Rosen Dan S Jon Andre Saether Jake Scalia Emily Schmidt Julian Schmidt Scryptar Andrew Seeber Shiran Joshua Simpson Cameron Smith Jerry Spangler timetosuccedd1995 Thomas Squeo Athal Krishna Sundarrajan Jared Cole Temple Ann Tout Mike US Ward Van Roy Pierre Vorupuni Robert VS Nate Wade weaverap Jonny Wilkie Christian Wilson Janora Winsor F. You Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/history-impossible--5634566/support.

In this newest installment of History Impossible, we’re privileged to be joined by the host of the Crackpot History Podcast, which began life just over a year ago by doing a detailed, long-running critique of the Martyr Made Podcast’s inaugural series, “Fear and Loathing in the New Jerusalem.” As many of you know, I have frequently recommended that series, and to some extent I still do, but now with many more reservations and qualifications that have been clarified thanks to the work of Crackpot History’s psuedonymous host. The conversation does indeed focus on the shortcomings of “Fear and Loathing” in terms of its research and some of the questionable claims made in that series, but it widens to include Crackpot History’s next project, which is a critique of Scott Horton’s book Provoked. In addition to that, we discuss the importance of accurate and effective sourcing, including the perils of over-sourcing and selective sourcing, both of which seem to be problems in the history creation space. We also discussed the potential motivation behind such practices and ultimately, the potential for peer review in historical podcasting and content creation. It was a very productive conversation, so I hope you enjoy this interview with the host of the Crackpot History Podcast. ... History Impossible has been made possible by the following generous supporters on Patreon, Substack, and PayPal. Please consider donating today if you want to show some love for what I do and make and what to help keep the show and all my written content going: David Adamcik David Alsbach Gregg Anderson approso1999 Rajan Athul Robert Babeon Michael Beach Benjamin Greg Bosai Johannes Breitsameter Carol ABC Charles C Chomo the Clown Curtis Christiansen Jason Coleman Clayton Connell Click Cliffydeuce CR B.Cyr daddygorgon Danny Lynda Davis Paul DeCoster Regina Dick-Endrizzi Neil Dickens Nathan Diehl Bob Downing Dramicas J Dub Martin E. Eastone Gavin Edwards Howie Feltersnatch Pierre Ghazarian Josh Goedert Sam Graham Jayson Griesmeyer Nathan Grote Benjamin Hamilton Peter Hauck Jack Henneman Eric Hodges Mike Jarulic Joe6245 Lionel Joseph Thomas Justesen Mike Kalnins Bryn Kaufman Leah Kodner Benjamin Lee Constance Loucks Maddy Mounty of Madness Jose Martinez Mike Mayleben S.M. McAvoy Judy McCoid Mike Kyle Mohney Kostas Moros Ryan Mortenson Cameron Needham Shiran Skip Pacheco David Page Molly Pan Sr. Powell Brian Pritzl AnaR737 PJ Rader Gleb Radutsky Aleksandr Rakitin Reptilycus Matthew M. Rice Phillip Rice Terry Rosen Dan S Jon Andre Saether Jake Scalia Emily Schmidt Julian Schmidt Andrew Seeber Joshua Simpson Cameron Smith Jerry Spangler timetosuccedd1995 Thomas Squeo Athal Krishna Sundarrajan Jared Cole Temple Ward Van Roy Pierre Vorupuni Robert VS weaverap Jonny Wilkie Christian Wilson Janora Winsor F. You Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/history-impossible--5634566/support.

In this very special episode of History Impossible, we are joined by the esteemed journalist, political commentator, and fellow historical podcaster Eli Lake, host of the incredible Breaking History podcast and writer of many incredible articles over the past few decades. Eli’s own series runs the gamut of many historical topics, particularly with resonance and direct connections to the headlines of the day (hence the name of the show), and there have been a number of cross-overs of our shared interests, particularly when it comes to the history of the Holy Land in particular and Middle East in general. Most recently, Eli re-released his two-part series on the birth of modern Iran, which I very much enjoyed at the time of its original release, but even more so after the cataclysmic events in Iran began to kick off in early 2026. What particularly caught my eye was his investigation into the “Red-Green alliance” via the Iranian Revolution, which stood in harmony with the same alliance that formed vis-à-vis the Palestinian nationalist cause. As readers and listeners of History Impossible no doubt know, we have examined the contours of this alliance in the past, but have taken a much closer look at the “Green-Brown alliance” that we have seem form between the far right and Islamism in the past, and, it appears, now in the present. Therefore, Eli seemed like the best person to talk to about this development. We discussed it and much more, including stuff more in his wheelhouse (that is, contemporary politics, from his Burkean right-of-center perspective), as well the nature of conspiracy theories, and what the hell seems to have happened to Tucker Carlson. It was a great conversation, so please enjoy! ... History Impossible has been made possible by the following generous supporters on Patreon, Substack, and PayPal. Please consider donating today if you want to show some love for what I do and make and what to help keep the show and all my written content going: David Adamcik David Alsbach Gregg Anderson approso1999 Rajan Athul Robert Babeon Michael Beach Benjamin Greg Bosai Johannes Breitsameter Carol ABC Charles C Chomo the Clown Curtis Christiansen Jason Coleman Clayton Connell Click Cliffydeuce CR B.Cyr daddygorgon Danny Lynda Davis Paul DeCoster Regina Dick-Endrizzi Neil Dickens Nathan Diehl Bob Downing Dramicas J Dub Martin E. Eastone Gavin Edwards Howie Feltersnatch Pierre Ghazarian Josh Goedert Sam Graham Jayson Griesmeyer Nathan Grote Benjamin Hamilton Peter Hauck Jack Henneman Eric Hodges Mike Jarulic Joe6245 Lionel Joseph Thomas Justesen Mike Kalnins Bryn Kaufman Leah Kodner Benjamin Lee Constance Loucks Maddy Mounty of Madness Jose Martinez Mike Mayleben S.M. McAvoy Judy McCoid Mike Kyle Mohney Kostas Moros Ryan Mortenson Cameron Needham Shiran Skip Pacheco David Page Molly Pan Sr. Powell Brian Pritzl AnaR737 PJ Rader Gleb Radutsky Aleksandr Rakitin Reptilycus Matthew M. Rice Phillip Rice Terry Rosen Dan S Jon Andre Saether Jake Scalia Emily Schmidt Julian Schmidt Andrew Seeber Joshua Simpson Cameron Smith Jerry Spangler timetosuccedd1995 Thomas Squeo Athal Krishna Sundarrajan Jared Cole Temple Ward Van Roy Pierre Vorupuni Robert VS weaverap Jonny Wilkie Christian Wilson Janora Winsor F. You Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/history-impossible--5634566/support. This episode includes AI-generated content.

As covered in the most recent episode of History Impossible, the Nazis could be pretty keen on developing supposedly strange bedfellows, especially as the Second World War continued. This could be seen most pointedly in the SS’s attempted merging of Islamic aesthetics and religious practices with National Socialist values with the creation of the Handschar division in Bosnia. While that division did not last long and was plagued by problems from its very inception, the idea that such an ideological and theological merge could be accomplished did not end with the division. In fact, it was only the beginning. In this adaptation of a recent History Impossible essay, we contrast the well-known “Red-Green Alliance” that has been discussed here and elsewhere with the lesser-known, but no less significant and fascinating “Green-Brown Alliance,” that is, the ideological alliances made between individuals and groups on the Western far right and Islamist individuals and organizations around the world. Both new and familiar faces will make appearances in this story, which takes us from the postwar decades of the 20th century up until the present day, and attempts to address the fundamental question of just what makes Western, supposedly secular movements find common cause with theocratic despots and thugs. ... History Impossible has been made possible by the following generous supporters on Patreon, Substack, and PayPal. Please consider donating today if you want to show some love for what I do and make and what to help keep the show and all my written content going: David Adamcik David Alsbach Gregg Anderson approso1999 Rajan Athul Robert Babeon Michael Beach Benjamin Greg Bosai Johannes Breitsameter Carol ABC Charles C Chomo the Clown Curtis Christiansen Jason Coleman Clayton Connell Cliffydeuce CR B.Cyr daddygorgon Danny Lynda Davis Paul DeCoster Regina Dick-Endrizzi Neil Dickens Nathan Diehl Bob Downing Dramicas J Dub Martin E. Eastone Gavin Edwards Howie Feltersnatch Pierre Ghazarian Josh Goedert Sam Graham Jayson Griesmeyer Nathan Grote Benjamin Hamilton Peter Hauck Jack Henneman Eric Hodges Mike Jarulic Joe6245 Lionel Joseph Brian Joy Thomas Justesen Mike Kalnins Bryn Kaufman Leah Kodner Benjamin Lee Constance Loucks Maddy Mounty of Madness Jose Martinez Mike Mayleben Judy McCoid Mike Kyle Mohney Kostas Moros Ryan Mortenson Cameron Needham Shiran Skip Pacheco David Page Molly Pan Sr. Powell Brian Pritzl AnaR737 PJ Rader Gleb Radutsky Aleksandr Rakitin Reptilycus Matthew M. Rice Phillip Rice Terry Rosen Dan S Jon Andre Saether Jake Scalia Emily Schmidt Julian Schmidt Andrew Seeber Joshua Simpson Cameron Smith Jerry Spangler timetosuccedd1995 Thomas Squeo Athal Krishna Sundarrajan Jared Cole Temple Ward Van Roy Pierre Vorupuni Robert VS Jonny Wilkie Christian Wilson Janora Winsor F. You Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/history-impossible--5634566/support.

After nearly five years, we have finally arrived at the point where we began this series about the so-called “Muslim Nazis.” We still have a little ways to go before we can call this story complete, but the image that inspired this half-decade deep dive into one of the darkest and strangest corners of the Second World War can finally be fully developed. It took a journey across two continents and multiple countries, and context that spans two of the most—if not the most—controversial historical developments of the twentieth century, that is, the nascent Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the birth, death, and civil war of the old Yugoslavian kingdom. Only such a bizarre creation as the 13th Waffen Mountain Division of the Third Reich’s SS could result from such a complex web of geopolitics, nefarious figures, and chaotic and unbelievably violent forces and events. And yet, there was always a human side to this story. The human side came not from the great figures of the story—the Grand Mufti’s or the Heinrich Himmler’s—but rather the men themselves and their own accounts of just what happened to bring them, the sons of Bosnia, into the arms of the Nazis, to say nothing of the ghastly crimes many of them committed. Their human qualities do not diminish the horror to which they contributed by a long shot, but they do help us understand the position they and so many like them were in. This is, in that sense, their story. But it is the story of so much more. There are never-before suggested revelations about the Handschar that can be pieced together from the information we cover here, including the likely final ambition the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, Hajj Amin al-Husseini had for the Division. This and more are covered in the greatest depth in this penultimate installment of History Impossible’s “Muslim Nazis” series. ... History Impossible has been made possible by the following generous supporters on Patreon, Substack, and PayPal. Please consider donating today if you want to show some love for what I do and make and what to help keep the show and all my written content going: David Adamcik David Alsbach Gregg Anderson approso1999 Rajan Athul Robert Babeon Michael Beach Benjamin Greg Bosai Johannes Breitsameter Carol ABC Charles C Chomo the Clown Curtis Christiansen Jason Coleman Clayton Connell Cliffydeuce CR B.Cyr daddygorgon Danny Lynda Davis Paul DeCoster Regina Dick-Endrizzi Neil Dickens Nathan Diehl Bob Downing Dramicas J Dub Martin E. Eastone Gavin Edwards Howie Feltersnatch Pierre Ghazarian Josh Goedert Sam Graham Jayson Griesmeyer Nathan Grote Benjamin Hamilton Peter Hauck Jack Henneman Eric Hodges Mike Jarulic Joe6245 Lionel Joseph Thomas Justesen Mike Kalnins Bryn Kaufman Leah Kodner Benjamin Lee Constance Loucks Maddy Mounty of Madness Jose Martinez Mike Mayleben Judy McCoid Kyle Mohney Kostas Moros Ryan Mortenson Cameron Needham Shiran Skip Pacheco David Page Molly Pan Sr. Powell Brian Pritzl AnaR737 PJ Rader Gleb Radutsky Aleksandr Rakitin Reptilycus Matthew M. Rice Phillip Rice Terry Rosen Dan S Jon Andre Saether Jake Scalia Emily Schmidt Julian Schmidt Andrew Seeber Joshua Simpson Cameron Smith Jerry Spangler timetosuccedd1995 Thomas Squeo Athal Krishna Sundarrajan Jared Cole Temple Ward Van Roy Pierre Vorupuni Robert VS Jonny Wilkie Christian Wilson Janora Winsor F. You Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/history-impossible--5634566/support.

History is often forged upon the frontiers—both literally and figuratively. That includes the field of history, whose frontiers have become wildly expanded with the advent of podcasting and other forms of content creation. This has certainly created tension, but it has also created opportunities for narratives and voices that would never have otherwise been heard. One of those voices is that of the incredible Jack Henneman of The History of the Americans podcast, one of the best historical podcasts on the market. Jack approaches American history with a granular fixation and that has placed him in a very different position than my own grand narrative style that I have been aping from Dan Carlin for nearly seven years now, and this has given him unique insight into the history of the United States, which is why I wanted to discuss the momentous but also underrated event known as King Philip’s War. This war’s significance to colonial American development cannot be overstated and helped characterize America’s ongoing relationship with the frontier, as well as set the tone for future calamities, including my area of the interest: the Salem witchcraft crisis. Thanks to this significance, Jack and I were able to discuss the way such events are approached in history, as well as the state of the field itself; without spoiling too much, I will just say that both Jack and I believe that there is a bit too much concern over the frontiers of the field, which I believe has become something of a walled garden. That said, the importance of epistemic humility and transparency are paramount when forging these frontiers, and these and more are other topics we cover. So please enjoy this conversation with Jack Henneman of the History of the Americans podcast. ... History Impossible has been made possible by the following generous supporters on Patreon, Substack, and PayPal. Please consider donating today if you want to show some love for what I do and make and what to help keep the show and all my written content going: David Adamcik David Alsbach Gregg Anderson Rajan Athul Robert Babeon Michael Beach Benjamin Greg Bosai Johannes Breitsameter Carol ABC Charles C Chomo the Clown Curtis Christiansen Jason Coleman Clayton Connell Cliffydeuce CR B.Cyr daddygorgon Danny Lynda Davis Paul DeCoster Regina Dick-Endrizzi Neil Dickens Nathan Diehl Bob Downing Dramicas J Dub Martin E. Eastone Gavin Edwards Howie Feltersnatch Pierre Ghazarian Josh Goedert Sam Graham Jayson Griesmeyer Nathan Grote Benjamin Hamilton Peter Hauck Jack Henneman Eric Hodges Mike Jarulic Joe6245 Lionel Joseph Thomas Justesen Mike Kalnins Bryn Kaufman Leah Kodner Benjamin Lee Constance Loucks Maddy Mounty of Madness Jose Martinez Mike Mayleben Judy McCoid Kyle Mohney Kostas Moros Ryan Mortenson Cameron Needham Shiran Skip Pacheco David Page Molly Pan Sr. Powell Brian Pritzl AnaR737 PJ Rader Gleb Radutsky Aleksandr Rakitin Reptilycus Matthew M. Rice Phillip Rice Terry Rosen Dan S Jon Andre Saether Jake Scalia Emily Schmidt Julian Schmidt Andrew Seeber Joshua Simpson Cameron Smith Jerry Spangler timetosuccedd1995 Thomas Squeo Athal Krishna Sundarrajan Jared Cole Temple Ward Van Roy Pierre Vorupuni Robert VS Jonny Wilkie Christian Wilson Janora Winsor F. You Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/history-impossible--5634566/support.

It’s unlikely that I’ve undersold the significance of the Salem witchcraft crisis to the development of American history, particularly in the religious and institutional context. But what I always felt somewhat sad about leaving out was the true horror of the event itself, and really the confusing knot that it has created throughout the nearly 340 years that have passed since its conclusion. Why did such a thing happen? What bewitched the people of Salem? Was it mass hysteria? Was it social contagion? Was it ergot poisoning? Was it real witchcraft? These questions, remarkably, are still asked to this very day. That is why I enlisted the help of my friend and now second-time guest on History Impossible, Sebastian Major of Our Fake History to help me unravel this mystery for all of you fine people. Sebastian did a fantastic three-part series covering the witchcraft crisis—my favorite podcast to do so, in fact—a couple of years ago, so I figured there was no one better to get into the broad overview of this twisted and persistent legend of American history. We also looked at the psychological element of the Salem witchcraft crisis and how it carries a universal quality to this very day, with everything from the Satanic panic of the 1980s to the rapid devolution of metoo, to even the Epstein conspiracy theory industry, serving as interesting road markers to understanding the underlying mechanisms. And thanks to Sebastian’s Canadian status—don’t worry, I don’t hold it against him—we also had a little fun discussing bits of Canadian history and politics (something I am woefully uneducated in). So please enjoy this conversation looking at what possessed Salem in 1692-1693, and perhaps what created the blueprint for strained social relations in American history forever. ... History Impossible has been made possible by the following generous supporters on Patreon, Substack, and PayPal. Please consider donating today if you want to show some love for what I do and make and what to help keep the show and all my written content going: David Adamcik David Alsbach Gregg Anderson Rajan Athul Robert Babeon Michael Beach Benjamin Greg Bosai Johannes Breitsameter Carol ABC Charles C Chomo the Clown Curtis Christiansen Jason Coleman Clayton Connell Cliffydeuce CR B.Cyr daddygorgon Danny Lynda Davis Paul DeCoster Regina Dick-Endrizzi Neil Dickens Nathan Diehl Bob Downing Dramicas J Dub Martin E. Eastone Gavin Edwards Howie Feltersnatch Pierre Ghazarian Josh Goedert Sam Graham Jayson Griesmeyer Nathan Grote Benjamin Hamilton Peter Hauck Jack Henneman Eric Hodges Mike Jarulic Joe6245 Lionel Joseph Thomas Justesen Mike Kalnins Bryn Kaufman Leah Kodner Benjamin Lee Constance Loucks Maddy Mounty of Madness Jose Martinez Mike Mayleben Judy McCoid Kyle Mohney Kostas Moros Ryan Mortenson Cameron Needham Shiran Skip Pacheco David Page Molly Pan Sr. Powell Brian Pritzl AnaR737 PJ Rader Gleb Radutsky Aleksandr Rakitin Reptilycus Matthew M. Rice Phillip Rice Terry Rosen Dan S Jon Andre Saether Jake Scalia Emily Schmidt Julian Schmidt Andrew Seeber Joshua Simpson Cameron Smith Jerry Spangler timetosuccedd1995 Thomas Squeo Athal Krishna Sundarrajan Jared Cole Temple Ward Van Roy Pierre Vorupuni Robert VS Jonny Wilkie Christian Wilson Janora Winsor F. You Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/history-impossible--5634566/support.