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Dan Carlin's Hardcore History

Was Alexander the Great as bad a person as Hitler? What was the greatest army of all time? Which U.S. President was the worst? Hardcore History discusses the issues and questions history fans love.

Episodes

Podcast: Dan Carlin's Hardcore History: Show 64 - Supernova in the East III

Japan's rising sun goes supernova and engulfs a huge area of Asia and the Pacific. A war without mercy begins to develop infusing the whole conflict with a savage vibe.
posted by the man of twists and turns on Feb 5, 2020 at 12:07 AM - 0 comments

Podcast: Dan Carlin's Hardcore History: Show 63 - Supernova in the East II

Deep themes run through this show, with allegations of Japanese war crimes and atrocities in China at the start leading to eerily familiar, almost modern questions over how the world should respond. And then Dec 7, 1941 arrives...
posted by the man of twists and turns on Feb 8, 2019 at 11:20 AM - 2 comments

Podcast: Dan Carlin's Hardcore History: Show 62 - Supernova in the East I

The Asia-Pacific War of 1937-1945 has deep roots. It also involves a Japanese society that's been called one of the most distinctive on Earth. If there were a Japanese version of Captain America, this would be his origin story.
posted by the man of twists and turns on Aug 11, 2018 at 7:19 PM - 4 comments

Podcast: Dan Carlin's Hardcore History: Show 61 - (Blitz) Painfotainment

WARNING Very intense subject matter. Pain is at the root of most drama and entertainment. When does it get too real? This very disturbing and graphic show looks into some case studies and asks some deep questions.
posted by Tevin on Jan 29, 2018 at 5:58 AM - 9 comments

Podcast: Dan Carlin's Hardcore History: Show 60 - The Celtic Holocaust

Julius Caesar is our travel guide as he takes us through his murderous subjugation of the native Celtic tribal peoples of ancient Gaul. It sounds vaguely like other, recent European colonial conquests...until the natives nearly win.
posted by Tevin on Aug 11, 2017 at 6:13 AM - 8 comments

Podcast: Dan Carlin's Hardcore History: Show 59 - (Blitz) The Destroyer of Worlds

What happens if human beings can't handle the power of their own weaponry? This show  examines the dangerous early years of the Nuclear Age and humankind's efforts to avoid self-destruction at the hands of its own creation.
posted by the man of twists and turns on Feb 5, 2017 at 11:16 PM - 0 comments

Podcast: Dan Carlin's Hardcore History: Show 58 - Kings of Kings III

If this were a movie, the events and cameos would be too numerous and star-studded to mention. It includes Xerxes, Spartans, Immortals, Alexander the Great, scythed chariots, and several of the greatest battles in history.
posted by Tevin on Aug 8, 2016 at 7:00 AM - 0 comments

Podcast: Dan Carlin's Hardcore History: Show 57 - Kings of Kings II

From Biblical-era coup conspiracies to the horrific aftermath of ancient combat this second installment of the series on the Kings of Achaemenid Persia goes where only Dan can take it. For better or worse...
posted by Tevin on Mar 21, 2016 at 7:19 AM - 3 comments

Podcast: Dan Carlin's Hardcore History: Show 56 - Kings or Kings

Often relegated to the role of slavish cannon fodder for Sparta's spears, the Achaemenid Persian empire had a glorious heritage. Under a single king they created the greatest empire the world had ever seen. [more inside]
posted by Happy Dave on Oct 29, 2015 at 9:57 AM - 7 comments

Podcast: Dan Carlin's Hardcore History: Show 55 - Blueprint for Armageddon VI

The Americans are coming, but will the war be over by the time they get there? Germany throws everything into a last series of stupendous attacks in the West while hoping to avoid getting burned by a fire in the East they helped fan.
posted by the man of twists and turns on Aug 8, 2015 at 1:49 PM - 2 comments

Podcast: Dan Carlin's Hardcore History: Show 54 - Blueprint for Armageddon V

Politics, diplomacy, revolution and mutiny take center stage at the start of this episode, but mud, blood, shells and tragedy drown all by the end.
posted by the man of twists and turns on Mar 30, 2015 at 3:19 PM - 3 comments

Podcast: Dan Carlin's Hardcore History: Show 53 - Blueprint for Armageddon IV

Machine guns, barbed wire and millions upon millions of artillery shells create industrialized meat grinders at Verdun and the Somme. There's never been a human experience like it and it changes a generation.
posted by the man of twists and turns on Mar 23, 2015 at 8:45 AM - 1 comment

Podcast: Dan Carlin's Hardcore History: Show 52 - Blueprint for Armageddon III

The war of maneuver that was supposed to be over quickly instead turns into a lingering bloody stalemate. Trench warfare begins, and with it, all the murderous efforts on both sides to overcome the static defenses.
posted by the man of twists and turns on Mar 16, 2015 at 8:40 AM - 0 comments

Podcast: Dan Carlin's Hardcore History: Show 51 - Blueprint for Armageddon II

The Great Powers all come out swinging in the first round of the worst war the planet has ever seen. Millions of men in dozens of armies vie in the most deadly and complex opening moves of any conflict in world history.
posted by the man of twists and turns on Mar 9, 2015 at 8:16 AM - 0 comments

Podcast: Dan Carlin's Hardcore History: Show 50 - Blueprint for Armageddon I

The planet hadn't seen a major war between all the Great Powers since the downfall of Napoleon at Waterloo in 1815. But 99 years later the dam breaks and a Pandora's Box of violence engulfs the planet.
posted by the man of twists and turns on Mar 2, 2015 at 5:54 PM - 8 comments

Podcast: Dan Carlin's Hardcore History: Show 49 - The American Peril

Imperial temptations and humanitarian nightmares force the United States of the late 19th Century to confront the contradictions between its revolutionary self-image and its expanding national interests.
posted by the man of twists and turns on Feb 22, 2015 at 11:49 PM - 0 comments

Podcast: Dan Carlin's Hardcore History: Show 48 - Prophets of Doom

Murderous millennial preachers and prophets take over the German city of Munster after Martin Luther unleashes a Pandora's Box of religious anarchy with the Protestant Reformation. [more inside]
posted by the man of twists and turns on Feb 16, 2015 at 5:47 PM - 2 comments

Podcast: Dan Carlin's Hardcore History: Show 47 - Wrath of the Khans V

Succession issues weaken the Mongol Empire as the grandchildren of Genghis Khan fight over their imperial inheritance. This doesn't stop them from dealing out pain, suffering, and ironically good governance while doing so.
posted by the man of twists and turns on Feb 10, 2015 at 12:08 AM - 0 comments

Podcast: Dan Carlin's Hardcore History: Show 46 - Wrath of the Khans IV

The death of Genghis Khan, the founder of the Mongol Empire, should have slowed the momentum of Mongol conquests, but instead it accelerated it. This time though, all of Europe is on the Mongol hit list. [more inside]
posted by the man of twists and turns on Feb 2, 2015 at 8:20 AM - 0 comments

Podcast: Dan Carlin's Hardcore History: Show 45 - Wrath of the Khans III

The expansion of Genghis Khan's conquests continue, with locations as far apart as Europe and China feeling the bloody effects of Mongol warfare and retribution. Can anything halt the carnage?
posted by the man of twists and turns on Jan 26, 2015 at 11:05 AM - 0 comments

Podcast: Dan Carlin's Hardcore History: Show 44 - Wrath of the Khans II

The Mongol leader Genghis Khan displays an unmatched level of strategic genius while moving against both Northern China and the Eastern Islamic world. Both civilizations are left stunned and millions are slaughtered. [more inside]
posted by the man of twists and turns on Jan 19, 2015 at 6:47 PM - 1 comment

Podcast: Dan Carlin's Hardcore History: Show 43 - Wrath of the Khans I

In one of the most violent outbursts in history a little-known tribe of Eurasian nomads breaks upon the great societies of the Old World like a human tsunami. It may have ushered in the modern era, but at what cost? [more inside]
posted by the man of twists and turns on Jan 12, 2015 at 12:42 PM - 4 comments

Podcast: Dan Carlin's Hardcore History: Show 42 - (BLITZ) Logical Insanity

After many listener requests, Dan examines the issue of the morality of dropping the Atomic Bombs in the Second World War. As usual, he does so in his own unique, unexpected way. [more inside]
posted by the man of twists and turns on Jan 5, 2015 at 6:30 PM - 1 comment

Podcast: Dan Carlin's Hardcore History: Show 41 - Thor's Angels

What started as a standard podcast episode morphed into an audio book on what used to be called "The Dark Ages" in Europe. Dan gets into many areas he should probably avoid...Gods, Germans, bikers, Jesus... [more inside]
posted by the man of twists and turns on Dec 29, 2014 at 5:29 PM - 7 comments

Podcast: Dan Carlin's Hardcore History: Show 40 - (BLITZ) Radical Thoughts

Using the two 20th Century "Red Scare" eras as case studies, Dan looks at the fear that can be generated by potentially dangerous ideas and examines the way such powerful mass emotions can cloud human judgment. (2:37:38) [more inside]
posted by the man of twists and turns on Dec 22, 2014 at 8:00 AM - 12 comments