Why Wars Happened Podcast: Introducing An Interview Series

 The best podcasts get better, while the mediocre ones fade away. A new history podcast, Why Wars Happened is 22 episodes into its first season about the American Revolution. The show is comprehensive, and the proof is that host Emily Ross begins her historical treatise about 200 years before the American Revolution.

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."

 Ross's narrative is concise and riveting. Her episodes average about 12 minutes, demonstrating that long, drawn-out podcasts are an extravagance not a necessity.

Referencing my first comments about "The best podcasts getting better," Ross has begun interspersing her narrative historical episodes with interviews.

Ross says, "I've just introduced our companion history channel - Why Wars Happened - Interview Series." The first interview was on November 5 and was with historian Jim Ambuske, an expert in the American Revolution, Scottish history, and the British Atlantic world. In the episode, host and guest dive into lesser-known perspectives of the Revolutionary era, focusing on Scottish loyalism and the role of emigration.

The second interview was released November 12 with  Tim Downie, known for his roles in Outlander, Drunk History UK, and as the voice of Gale in Baldur’s Gate 3. In the episode, Tim Downie shares fascinating behind-the-scenes stories from his acting career, including playing historical and dramatic roles, and discusses his love for history and folklore. host and guest dive into favorite historical periods, and why he finds folklore so captivating. 

Note that both interviews were 44 and 26 minutes, respectively. Another example of how a captivating interview does not have to be two hours. 

  Why Wars Happened is one of the best new podcasts of the year. Adding The Interview Series that host Emily Ross developed makes the podcast even better.

History will never be the same.