Why Wars Happened History Podcast: What Led To The Battles?

 History as a genre has always been a critical piece of the podcasting content infrastructure. Witness Dan Carlin's Hardcore History podcast, which began in 2005 with a 16-minute episode comparing Alexander the Great to Hitler. 

Superb History podcasts like Slow Burn, This Day in Esoteric Political History and Revisionist History continue the cycle of excellence.

 For TV fans, The History Channel continues to be a refuge for history enthusiasts, although the channel also broadcasts shows such as American Pickers, Pawn Stars and Ancient Aliens -- not exactly in the History genre wheelhouse.

Podcasting has again proven its history bona fides with a new podcast, Why Wars Happened.  Here is the marketing pitch for the show: "Are you one of those people that's more interested in the politics and events leading up to history's wars rather than the wars themselves? Then this is the show for you."

The host is Emily Ross, and each season, the show will focus on a different historical war. Every Wednesday, Ross releases a new episode, continuing the story of the people and events that led to the conflict.

Host Emily Ross forewarns listeners right away that, "This isn't your normal history podcast. Forget, endless lists of dates, and names, and places. Here, we tell history like a story, making Why Wars Happened perfect for both history buffs and newcomers to history."

Ross adds: "So, grab a drink, hold onto your butts, and tune in weekly to learn more about the causes of history's, wars."

Season one focuses on the American Revolution, which is out now. 

Since there are no battles to discuss, what material and events does the podcast cover? Ross begins the podcast in episode one with a bird's eye view of England in the late 1500s and early 1600s. The title of the episode tells us all: Just how much of a hellhole was 1600s England?

 Ross tells us: "With forests shrinking and demands rising, England faced severe resource shortages. As wars with France and Spain drained the treasury, the population doubled, leading to job scarcity and soaring food prices. Crime rates skyrocketed, and harsh social welfare laws emerged. Desperation pushed England to the New World, ultimately founding Jamestown in 1607."

Ross is, of course, setting us up for the familiar parts of the American Revolution -- Paul Revere, Thomas Paine, George Washington, and the minutemen. Ross answers the question: Why did it come to that?

The first few episodes explain the English exploration of the New World? 

While the content is captivating, it's the host, Emily Ross, who is the runaway train of narrative excellence. Seriously, the woman could make announcing train departures at Penn Station in Manhattan interesting.

More important, Emily Ross is an independent podcaster. She's putting herself out there because of her love of history and podcasting. That's adorable and commendable.

Ross says: "I've been absolutely obsessed with history and how wars happened for probably well over a decade at least. I spend hours talking to my husband about why wars happened. I endlessly read about them and am just fascinated by them. Furthermore, I want to teach people about history in a way that gets the concepts across, rather than overloading with names and dates and irrelevant information."

Since Ross is Stephen Hawking-level smart, she started an entertainment company, Great Hall Entertainment to finance the history reality series she created.

When you listen to this podcast, your ears will alert you that Emily Ross isn't simply reading about history, she's attempting to insert you into that time and space.

Unlike some academics who take themselves and their subject too seriously, Ross is always on the lookout for delicious irony, wicked hypocrisy, and that innate sense of the ridiculous.

Ross confesses: "I'll just say that I was still determined to teach history. With every fiber of my being, it's just a thing inside me that I have to do, if that makes sense."

As a reviewer, how fortunate am I? Last week, I just reviewed one of the best new podcasts of the year -- Conspiracy, She Wrote. This week, I get to review another of the best new podcasts of the year -- Why Wars Happened. 

Your ears will never forgive you if you don't listen to this podcast.

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This review is part of an ongoing series of reviews, recommendations, and essays about Indie podcasters -- their craft, their challenges, and the critical role they play in podcasting. These entrepreneurs display skills as disparate as hosting, sound production, graphic design, scriptwriting, interviewing, marketing genius, and financial watchdog. They are the heart and soul of podcasting.

 

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