Best Eugene Palmer Podcasts (2025)

1
182: A Prologue to World War II: US Army Interwar Preparation 49:50

5d ago49:50

49:50

This is the story of interwar preparation–not that the United States realized it was preparing for World War II, new technologies, innovation, and a constant pushing of the limits in the 1930s did indeed help Uncle Sam prepare for the fight to come. To get us into an interwar mindset of praying for peace while preparing for war, Professor Jackson t…

1
The Fall of France 1940 59:21

17d ago59:21

59:21

At the start of World War II, France was still a world power. The U.S. and many other nations were relying on the French, along with their ally Britian, to stop Hitler. But in just 6 weeks in May and June 1940, the Germans conquered France, Belgium, and The Netherlands; and drove the British off of continental Europe. The incredibly swift German vi…

1
181: American Aviation: The Growth of the Industry Through the Eyes of Amelia Earhart, Charles Lindbergh, and Howard Hughes 1:08:22

19d ago1:08:22

1:08:22

“If he is lost it will be the most universally regretted single loss we ever had. But that kid ain’t going to fail.” This is the story of the high-fliers in early twentieth-century American aviation. Wright brothers Orville and Wilbur stunned the nation and the world with their pioneering flight in 1903, and since then, aviation has spread its wing…

1
Michigan Rapid-Fire 16:21

21d ago16:21

16:21

FAST TIME is back for a FAST recap of the Michigan weekend. A quick break down of the Cup and Truck series at Michigan. Amazon continues to shine. Ram is back! And, we’re off to Mexico City for the first time in the NASCAR cup series. All that and then some on episode 6 of FAST TIME!By Eugene Palmer

1
The Music City 45:08

27d ago45:08

45:08

Fast Time is back for episode #5! Eugene Palmer has your Nashville weekend highlights. He gives his take on the Carson Hocevar drama. Amazon broadcast doesn’t disappoint again. Is Jim France in the wrong for wanting Spire to field a car? For the first time there’s BREAKING NEWS on Fast Time. And of course, a look ahead to Michigan!…

1
180: “A Race to the Sky”: The Rise of New York City’s Chrysler, Manhattan Company, and Empire State Buildings 1:05:19

1M ago1:05:19

1:05:19

“If this is to be a skyscraper… why not make it scrape the sky.” This is the story of the race for the tallest building in New York City—in the world. Erstwhile partners-turned-bitter rivals, architects William Van Alen and Craig Severance are both looking to build the tallest skyscraper in New York City. William is working with automobile titan Wa…

1
Chastain makes history 49:39

1M ago49:39

49:39

Eugene Palmer is back from Cycleland Speedway in Chico, CA! He recaps the entire Charlotte weekend and digs into the all star race a bit. Amazon prime has a great first showing! Penske Racing makes some moves, Kyle Busch back to RCR in 2026, Kaulig makes an announcement, and should we look into more short tracks like North Wilkesboro? A look ahead …

1
179: Bridging the Bay: San Francisco’s Golden Gate and Bay Bridges (Infrastructure pt. 2) 1:08:26

2M ago1:08:26

1:08:26

“Everybody says it can’t be done.” This is the story of San Francisco’s two great bridges. The bustling cities of Oakland and San Francisco are separated by less than ten miles of water, but for early twentieth-century Bay Area residents, it may as well be thirty—that’s the distance traveling around the Bay. Meanwhile, the mile of water across the …

1
Kansas, you did me dirty 53:54

2M ago53:54

53:54

Fast Time episode 3 is here! Eugene Palmer goes over the Kansas weekend. Did Kansas live up to the hype? Homestead is officially back as the 2026 championship race. 2311 lawsuit. Have we lost the mile and a half next gen touch? A look ahead to the all star race and more!

1
Texas is Texas 56:40

2M ago56:40

56:40

Fast Time is back for episode 2. Host Eugene Palmer goes in depth on all 3 days from the Texas Motor Speedway weekend. The infield grass causing wrecks gets talked about, along with the buzz surrounding a reconfiguration of the Texas racetrack. A bad day for JGR? Trackhouse season long struggles, Netflix Full Speed coming out this week AND MORE.…

1
178: “A Damn Big Dam”: Taming the Colorado River with the Hoover (or Boulder) Dam (Infrastructure pt. 1) 1:10:54

2M ago1:10:54

1:10:54

“I felt no distress whatever…I was perspiring freely and was as limber and helpless as a wet rag. It was an exhilarating experience.... It was then and there that I first conceived the idea of the reclamation of the desert.” This is the story of the Hoover Dam. A wild, precarious, and dangerous river, the Colorado tears across the American southwes…

1
The Titanic – Myths vs. Facts 1:09:24

2M ago1:09:24

1:09:24

Just about everybody knows the story. A supposedly unsinkable ship hit an iceberg and sank, proving the folly of humans. But there are many facts which are not widely known as well as prevalent myths which need to be debunked. Learn what really happened, what caused the disaster, and who were the heroes and who were the villains.…

1
Talladega snooze fest 36:11

2M ago36:11

36:11

Episode 1 of the new podcast Fast Time is here. Host Eugene Palmer breaks down the Cup and Xfinity races. He goes over the All Star race news and the championship race heading back to Miami. SVG on the hot seat? Also, he talks Rodney Childers and Spire Motorsports break up, Rockingham sell out, and goes in depth about the cup series on track produc…

1
America 250: The Boston Campaign 1775-76: A Leadership Discussion with Gen. William Rapp 1:03:28

2M ago1:03:28

1:03:28

This is a conversation to kick off the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution. Retired U.S. Army Major General and history buff, Bill Rapp, drops some knowledge on how the colonies weren't exactly gung-ho for a full-blown revolution before April 1775. Turns out, they were mostly ticked off and feeling rebellious in response to intolerable Bri…

1
177: An Epilogue to the New Deal and CCC Deep Dive with Neil Maher 54:46

3M ago54:46

54:46

A discussion of the recent HTDS narrative episodes on FDR and the New Deal. Think of it as a book club for additional insights into these latest chapters of the HTDS chronological story of America. Professor Greg Jackson is joined by Professor Lindsey Cormack to discuss the government's response to the Great Depression and the legacy of the New Dea…

1
The Civil Rights Movement in the United States 1:08:03

3M ago1:08:03

1:08:03

After the Civil War, it took a century of protests, boycotts, demonstrations, and legal challenges to end the Jim Crow system of segregation and legal discrimination. Learn about the brave men, women, and children that risked their personal safety, and sometimes their lives, in the quest for Black Americans to achieve equal rights.…

1
176: FDR v. “The Nine Old Men” (The New Deal pt. 3): Court Packing and Closing the New Deal 1:11:18

3M ago1:11:18

1:11:18

“No matter how great and good a man may be, executive aggrandizement is not safe for democracy.” This is the story of Franklin’s second term and his battle with the Supreme Court. It’s no secret that SCOTUS hasn’t really been ruling in the New Deal’s favor. But with such an overwhelming victory at the polls, Franklin feels confident that he can cir…

1
175: The Dirty Thirties (The New Deal pt. 2): Dust, Doubts, and the “Second” New Deal 1:11:28

4M ago1:11:28

1:11:28

“I saw and approached the hungry and desperate mother, as if drawn by a magnet.” This is the story of FDR’s first term after facing down the initial emergency. 100 days down, about 1,300 more to go—for this term at least. After the whirlwind of new bills and “alphabet agencies” (AAA, CCC, etc.), the nation is adjusting to and examining FDR’s New De…

1
The Louisiana Purchase 1:05:29

4M ago1:05:29

1:05:29

Thomas Jefferson bought the Louisiana Territory from France in 1803 and doubled the size of the United States. This set America on its expansion, known as Manifest Destiny, from the Atlantic to the Pacific. This episode explores the history of colonization of North America, how the U.S. expanded, why Napoleon sold Louisiana, the Lewis and Clark exp…

1
174: The First “First Hundred Days:” FDR Kicks Off the New Deal 1:07:05

4M ago1:07:05

1:07:05

“[We] had forgotten to be Republicans or Democrats. We were just a bunch of men trying to save the banking system.” This is the story of FDR’s first 100 days in office. In early 1933, banks foreclose on thousands upon thousands of homes and farms every month. The banks have little choice–they too are failing! Meanwhile, unemployment is hovering nea…

1
173: From Hyde Park to the White House: The Early Life and Election of Franklin Delano Roosevelt 1:11:24

5M ago1:11:24

1:11:24

“First of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself-–nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat into advance.” This is the story of Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s journey to the White House. Even as a young boy, Franklin admires his fifth cousin Theodore Roosev…

1
Caesar Augustus 1:06:16

5M ago1:06:16

1:06:16

Augustus is the most significant nonreligious figure in history. He is probably the greatest political genius of all time. He created the Roman Empire which lasted for centuries and formed so much of the world we live in today, including our calendar, our system of time, our alphabet, the spread of Christianity, and a large percentage of modern lan…

1
Unconditional Surrender was the Correct Policy in World War II 1:04:07

6M ago1:04:07

1:04:07

The Western Allies' demand that the Axis Powers unconditionally surrender was essential to keep the Soviets and the Chinese in the war while enduring incredible losses, to keep up the morale of the western allies, and to achieve the elimination of the Nazi regime and reforming Japanese society.By Mark Palmer

1
172: Breadlines, Bank Failures, & the Bonus Army: Hoover & the Early Great Depression 1:06:40

7M ago1:06:40

1:06:40

"Too much praise cannot be given to the President for the prompt and resolute and skillful way in which he has set about reassuring the country after the financial collapse.” This is the story of Herbert Hoover’s facing the early years of the Great Depression. Just after the stock market crash of 1929, people aren’t expecting the worst. Most, inclu…

1
171: Christmas Special VIII: Festivities in the Jazz Age 34:10

7M ago34:10

34:10

“There is a million dollars here for the asking!” This is the story of Christmas in the 1920s. Yeah, the whole decade—why not? One hundred years ago, people were just beginning (or reviving) traditions that are entrenched in our holiday celebrations today. Charitable giving at Christmas is ever present, and the winter of 1920 features the Great Hum…

1
170: The Crash of 1929 & Meeting President Herbert Hoover 1:06:14

8M ago1:06:14

1:06:14

“A wise man never sells out at the first sign of trouble. That’s for the pikers.” This is the story of the 1929 Wall Street Crash. On October 24, or “Black Thursday,” stock prices plunge unexpectedly. Early the next week, whatever was left of the bottom falls out on “Black Tuesday.” The New York Stock Exchange has crashed. The Roaring 20s are over.…

1
Bonnie and Clyde 1:00:10

8M ago1:00:10

1:00:10

Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow were Depression Era outlaws who are just known by their first names. They have been romanticized as young lovers who stood by each other and lived life on their own terms. But in reality, Clyde was a thief and a murderer and Bonnie was his willing accomplice. For just over two years they went on a crime spree in the e…

1
169: An Epilogue to the 1920s: Youth culture, The Great Gatsby, and more with Professor Sarah Churchwell 44:36

8M ago44:36

44:36

Our last few episodes have reveled in stories of the popularization of movies, music and sports during the Roaring 1920s. In this epilogue episode, Professor Jackson steps out of storytelling mode and into classroom mode (that doesn’t suck). To help us better understand the lasting cultural impact of this period, he’s invited Dr. Sarah Churchwell w…

1
168: Halloween Special IV: Nosferatu and Silent Horror 40:17

9M ago40:17

40:17

“His Lordship from Transylvania would like to purchase a nice house in our small town . . . it will take a bit of effort . . . a bit of sweat and perhaps . . . a bit of blood . . .” This is the story of the Great Death in Wisborg in 1838. Nosferatu is a 1922 classic horror film, one of the first ever made. It sort of recalls Bram Stoker’s Dracula—e…

1
167: The Golden Age of Sports: Horse Racing, Boxing, Basketball, Football, & Jim Thorpe 59:43

9M ago59:43

59:43

“We have a basket and a ball, and it seems to me that would be a good name for it.” This is the story of America’s varied athletic endeavors (besides baseball). Though each sport could provide enough material for an entire episode, it would probably run us into overtime, and the 1920s are drawing to a close. As Black Thursday approaches, it’s time …

1
166: A Conversation on Negro Leagues Baseball History with Bob Kendrick 52:58

9M ago52:58

52:58

As a follow up to episode 165 America’s Favorite Pastime: Baseball, we’re proud to share an interview with Bob Kendrick, the President of the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum in Kansas City, MO. Founded in 1990, the NLBM is the world’s only museum dedicated to preserving and celebrating the rich history of African-American baseball and its profound im…

1
Immigration, Citizenship, and Eugenics in the U.S. 1:05:37

9M ago1:05:37

1:05:37

For years all immigrants were allowed into the U.S., but some could not become citizens. Later, certain nationalities were limited or completely banned from entering the U.S. This episode outlines those changes through the 1980s and discusses the pseudoscience of eugenics and how it was used to justify such bigotry and even involuntary sterilizatio…

1
165: America’s Favorite Pastime: Baseball, the Negro Leagues, and the Great Bambino 1:02:35

9M ago1:02:35

1:02:35

"As I hit the ball, every muscle in my system, every sense I had, told me that I had never hit a better one . . . I didn't have to look. But I did. That ball . . . hit . . . exactly the spot I had pointed to." This is the story of the most American sport: baseball. Americans have been playing ball for a good long while now—even General Washington e…

1
164: Harlem Renaissance: The Great Migration, Jazz, and the Flowering of Black Culture 1:04:33

10M ago1:04:33

1:04:33

“Harlem is the queen of the black belts, drawing Aframericans together in a vast humming hive . . . from the different states, from the islands of the Caribbean, and from Africa . . . It is the Negro capital of the world.” This is the story of the Harlem Renaissance. In the early twentieth century, many Black families and individuals down South are…

1
163: The Show (Boat) Must Go On: Broadway and the American Musical 1:01:46

10M ago1:01:46

1:01:46

“Miller, Lyles, and I were standing near the exit door . . . Blake stuck out there in front, leading the orchestra—his bald head would get the brunt of the tomatoes and rotten eggs.” This is the story of American musical theater and the dawn of modern Broadway. Popular entertainment is evolving fast in the early twentieth century. Minstrel shows ju…

1
162: The Birth of the Movies: From Silent Cinema to the Rise of Hollywood & the First “Talkie” 1:04:06

11M ago1:04:06

1:04:06

“Wait a minute, wait a minute, you ain’t heard nothing yet!” This is the story of the silver screen. In the late nineteenth century, technology is advancing rapidly. Eadweard Muybridge’s trip-wire camera work, made famous by a “motion study” of a galloping horse, is giving way to smoother and longer projections. Some see these short films simply as…

1
The Scramble For Africa 1:01:22

11M ago1:01:22

1:01:22

Within 30 years in the late 1800s and early 1900s, Europe went from controlling 20% of Africa to 90%. It was called "the Scramble for Africa". Find out why Europeans colonized the Americas easily through unintentional germ warfare, but Africa was "the White Man's Grave". Discover how Europe finally conquered Africa; the horrors of the Congo; and th…

1
161: An Epilogue Toast to Prohibition’s End with Author Daniel Okrent 39:11

11M ago39:11

39:11

Cheers to Professor Jackson’s post Prohibition conversation with distinguished author Daniel Okrent! Dan is the the author of Last Call: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition, winner of the American Historical Association’s prize for the year’s best book of American History when it was published in 2011. Last Call was a go-to book in the HTDS bibliograp…

1
160: Al Capone & the End of Prohibition 1:05:35

12M ago1:05:35

1:05:35

“Only Capone kills like that.” This is the story of the rise and fall of Al Capone, and the last gasps of Prohibition. No other gangster compares to Scarface. He’s remained prominent in the American consciousness for 100 years due to his overt violence and lavish lifestyle, funded by *ahem* unsavory business practices. He brazenly orders murders li…

1
Adolf Hitler was the most consequential (and horrible) person of the last 500 years 1:09:03

12M ago1:09:03

1:09:03

Adolf Hitler's insane and evil policies changed the world more than anybody since Christopher Columbus. This episode details the horrors of World War II; explains how Hitler is to blame for the war; illustrates how Hitler made WWII even worse than other wars; and analyzes the effects of WWII for the remainder of the 20th Century and today.…

1
159: Scofflaws, Moonshiners, Bootleggers, and Crime Lords 1:01:51

1y ago1:01:51

1:01:51

“Don’t ask me nothin’! You hear me? Don’t ask! And don’t bring anybody in here for me to identify. I won’t identify them even if I know they did it!” This is the story of the nation’s up-and-coming criminal underground. By 1920, with few exceptions, producing, buying, and selling alcohol is outlawed, but that doesn’t stop enterprising Americans. Ma…

1
Gettysburg — the Pivotal Battle of the American Civil War 1:12:21

1y ago1:12:21

1:12:21

It was the bloodiest battle ever in the Western Hemisphere. For 3 days in July 1863 Americans slaughtered each other on a terrible scale around a small town in Pennsylvania, where the honored dead "gave the last full measure of devotion". Find out why Robert E. Lee invaded the north, and why he failed so terribly; why the civil war dragged on for a…

1
158: Prohibition - So You Wanna Be a Rum Runner? 58:25

1y ago58:25

58:25

“You’re Bill McCoy.” “Never heard of him.” This is the story of a crazy decade-plus when America outlawed booze…but the liquor kept flowing. The Prohibition era marks a partial return to the Golden Age of Piracy, with bootleggers frequenting old haunts in the Caribbean, including Nassau, capital of The Bahamas. These sailors are also buying, sellin…

1
157: Temperance, Prohibition, and the Path to the 18th Amendment 1:02:31

1y ago1:02:31

1:02:31

Episode Description: “Farewell, you good-for-nothing, God-forsaken, iniquitous, bleary-eyed, bloated-faced old imp of perdition, farewell!” This is the story of the path to prohibition. Early America drinks a lot – I mean, A LOT. Alcohol doesn’t give you dysentery, it’s used as a medicine, and in the first decades of the Republic, whiskey is cheape…

1
156: The Presidency of “Silent” Cal Coolidge 1:03:03

1y ago1:03:03

1:03:03

“I believe I can swing it.” This is the story of the Coolidge Administration. Calvin Coolidge isn’t the most talkative guy–he’s painfully shy, to be frank–but “Silent Cal” does care deeply about public service. Over the years, the thrifty, hard-working New Englander moves up the ranks, from municipal offices to state offices, until, as Massachusett…

1
Galileo Galilei vs. the Church 54:48

1y ago54:48

54:48

Galileo is considered the father of modern science. His discoveries included the laws of pendulums which led to the development of the first accurate clocks. But tragically, he was tried by the Inquisition of Rome for heresy. The science deniers of the Church threatened to burn him at the stake unless he recanted his claims that he could prove that…

1
155: The Life & Times of Warren G. Harding & The Teapot Dome Scandal 1:09:11

1y ago1:09:11

1:09:11

“If you knew of a great scandal in our administration, would you for the good of the country and the party expose it publicly or would you bury it?” This is the story of a brilliant man’s presidency and the greatest presidential scandal to precede Watergate. This is the story of Warren G. Harding and the Teapot Dome Scandal. Growing up in Ohio, War…

1
154: An Epilogue Discussion with Ben Sawyer 1:03:35

1y ago1:03:35

1:03:35

The Prof. sits down with fellow Prof. Ben Sawyer of the Road to Now Podcast and Middle Tennessee State University to chat through the last volume episodes. Russia, the Red Scare, the second Klan, and more, while Ben gets Greg to share behind-the-scenes details on the writing process. Enjoy! ____ Connect with us on HTDSpodcast.com and go deep into e…

1
153: West Virginia’s Mine Wars: From Trouble in Matewan to the Battle of Blair Mountain 1:04:36

1y ago1:04:36

1:04:36

“I want to say make no settlement until they sign up that every bloody murderer of a guard has got to go.” This is the story of the largest uprising in the United States since the Civil War. As unions spread across the Progressive-Era United States, West Virginia mine owners manage to keep them out. They have some good reasons (tough margins) and s…

1
152: The Second Ku Klux Klan: Racism, Anti-Semitism, & Anti-Catholicism in the 1920s 1:04:49

1+ y ago1:04:49

1:04:49

“Every official except one elected yesterday at the first municipal election of this borough had been endorsed by the Ku Klux Klan.” This is the story of the Second Ku Klux Klan. It’s been nearly half a century since the Third Enforcement Act killed off the Klan in 1871. But amid Jim Crow segregation in 1915, the lynching of a Jewish Georgian Leo F…

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