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Join David Borys as he interviews renowned historian Tim Cook about how Canada and the United States forged one of history's most important wartime alliances during the Second World War. Together they explore shared sacrifice, military cooperation, and the partnership that helped reshape North America and the outcome of the global conflict. Guest: Tim Cook  Contact: Instagram: @canyonentertainment   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hostilehistory/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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On this episode of Hostile History, David Borys is joined by pop culture historian Robert Weiner as they look at how the Second World War birthed one of the world’s most famous superheroes. They explore how the war provided clear villains for Captain America and his sidekick Bucky in the form of the Axis powers, but in the aftermath of the war, Captain America suddenly found himself on rocky ground as the world changed. New villains emerged and old animosities were forgotten. Captain America had to change with it or perish.  Guest: Robert Weiner  Contact: Instagram: @canyonentertainment   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hostilehistory/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Hostile History, David Borys is joined by historian Cord Scott to explore how the world wars became a catalyst for the mass production of comic books. While the First World War saw their introduction as comic strips, the success of these ‘strips’ resulted in a comic book boom in the inter-war period. Superheroes like Batman and Superman were the result, making their debut in the late 1930s. When the Second World War broke out comic books were mobilized for the war effort. Even before the United States entered the war superheroes like Captain America were already gracing the pages of comic books both in the United States and all over the world.  Guest: Cord Scott  Contact: Instagram: @canyonentertainment   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hostilehistory/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of Hostile History, David Borys is joined by historian and drag queen Karla Marx as they dive deep into the reasons that the myth of the clean Wehrmacht became so powerful in the years after the war. The war became both a landscape for righteousness by those who fought against the Nazi’s but also a vehicle by which morality and ideology could be judged and justified. As a post-war Germany sought to rebuild itself and as a post-war United States sought to defend the values of democracy the way the war was remembered and discussed became crucial to both national and international objectives.  Guest: Karla Marx @karla.marx1917  Contact: Instagram: @canyonentertainment   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hostilehistory/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How much of the German army’s conduct during the Second World War can really be separated from Nazi Germany’s crimes? In this episode of Hostile History, David Borys is joined by historian Waitman Beorn to examine one of the most persistent myths surrounding the Second World War: the idea that the German armed forces were largely honourable and professional, while responsibility for Nazi atrocities rested almost exclusively with the SS. Why did the myth emerge after the war, and why did it prove so enduring? What did the Wehrmacht actually know, do, and tolerate? And what happens when we separate the image of the professional soldier from the reality of the war he was fighting? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Woman Who Went to War Show Notes: Hannah Snell was an 18th-century English woman who defied every expectation, disguising herself as a man to join the British military. She fought in brutal battles, survived multiple wounds while hiding her identity, and returned home to reveal one of history's most astonishing stories of courage, endurance, and reinvention. Contact: Instagram: @canyonentertainment   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hostilehistory/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

History remembers the generals, the kings, and the men who marched beneath national flags. But buried are other stories of support systems and networks that included spies, resistance fighters, smugglers, and revolutionaries. Women, who stepped into battle while the world tried to erase them from it. In this episode, we are joined by Margaret Hunt, emeritus from Uppsala University in Sweden, as we travel Europe between the 15th and 17th centuries to tear down misconceptions and uncover the forgotten story of Europe’s women at war. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode of Hostile History, David Borys is joined by Margaret Hunt, emeritus from Uppsala University in Sweden, to challenge some of the enduring myths surrounding women and warfare in early modern Europe. From camp followers and soldiers’ wives to conscripts, nurses, traders, women were deeply connected to European armies, it's a shame their roles has often been overlooked or misunderstood. Join David and Margaret as they travel across Europe and through two centuries of conflict to examine how women navigated the violence, upheaval, and opportunities created by war.

On this episode of Hostile History, David Borys is joined by broadcaster, comic writer, and lifelong Star Wars fan Fred Kennedy to explore how George Lucas's space opera evolved from a simple adventure story into one of the most influential cultural phenomena in modern history. Along the way, they discuss how the franchise has reflected our world and the generations of fans who have made it their own. Whether you're a Jedi Master, a scruffy-looking nerf herder, or someone who simply loves great stories, this is a deep dive into the saga that changed pop culture forever. May the Force be with you. Guest: Fred Kennedy (@fearless_fred) Contact: Instagram: @canyonentertainment   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hostilehistory/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When George Lucas created Star Wars, he imagined a space fantasy filled with laser swords, galactic empires, and battles between good and evil. But beneath the aliens and starships was something far more grounded and shaped by real-world war, political paranoia, insurgencies, and the machinery of modern conflict. In this episode, we investigate the surprisingly direct connection between Star Wars and modern warfare. From the jungles of Vietnam to the rise of authoritarian governments, from drone warfare to insurgent tactics, we explore how one of the most beloved franchises in history mirrors the way empires actually rise, fight, and collapse. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How closely did Hollywood capture the remarkable life of Baldwin IV, the leper king of Jerusalem? Separating fact from fiction, this exploration examines his leadership, military skill, political challenges, and the dramatic liberties taken by Kingdom of Heaven, revealing the complex and important historical figure behind the cinematic legend. Contact: Instagram: @canyonentertainment   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hostilehistory/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The Crusades are often remembered as a holy war between Christianity and Islam with images of armored knights marching east beneath blood-red crosses, driven by faith, glory, and the promise of salvation. In this episode I’m joined by historian Niall Christie, as we travel back to the Holy Land between the 11th and 13th centuries to try and to help me understand what exactly happened during this time because nearly a thousand years later, the echoes of the Crusades still shape politics, religion, and cultural memory across the world. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Christopher Nolan’s epic film The Odyssey  released in July 2026  made much ado about casting and approach to Homer’s epic. In this episode David chats with author and host of the podcast  Let’s Talk About Myths, Baby Liv Albert about one of the oldest surviving works of literature.  Contact: Instagram: @canyonentertainment   Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hostilehistory/ Liv Albert https://www.mythsbaby.com/books-by-liv-albert Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Democracy is often treated like humanity’s greatest political achievement. A system built on freedom, equality, and the voice of the people. But its origins were anything but peaceful. Democracy was born in chaos, shaped by violence, and war. In this episode, we travel back with historian Jennifer Roberts from the City College of New York and the City University of New York Graduate Center to ancient Athens, where the world’s first experiment with democracy emerged. Long before modern elections and constitutions, Athens was a city teetering between tyranny, aristocratic power, economic crisis, and constant warfare. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices