Conflicted: A History Podcast
Untangling history’s greatest controversies. Every month, we take a hard look at the historical conflicts that raise difficult questions, stoke controversy, and send our moral compasses spinning.
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Ghosts in the Mountains: The Soviet-Afghan War – Part 1
When Soviet Russia invaded Afghanistan in December of 1979, few could have imagined what a seismic impact it would have on the mo…
Curse of the Koh-I-Noor Diamond
The infamous Koh-I-Noor diamond currently sits in the Tower of London among the crown jewels of the British monarchy, but its blo…
Kill Yamamoto: The Mission To Avenge Pearl Harbor - Part 1
In 1941, Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto was the most hated man in America. As the architect of Japan’s December 7th surprise attack on …
Prophet's Dilemma: The Sunni Shia Split Part 1
When the Prophet Muhammed died in 632 AD, it triggered a succession crisis amongst his followers. After the dust settled, two div…
The Kitchen Cartel: Pure Food & Drug Act 1906
Fake coffee. Rotten meat. Poison milk. This is the story of a few good men and their bitter fight to make America’s food supply s…
Pardon My French: The Marquis de Sade
The Marquis De Sade was a pariah in his time, a monster on the page, and a genius in death. But what crimes did the namesake of “…
McNamara's Boys: Lost Innocence in Vietnam
How the US government deliberately sent thousands of mentally-disabled men into combat during the Vietnam War. A bonus episode an…
Recent Episodes
The Stock Market Crash of 1929 – Part 1: To The Moon!
Jan. 14, 2022
One of the worst financial disasters in history unfolded on Wall Street in late October of 1929. Within a week, 30 billion dollars had disappeared into thin air, leaving the global economy in tatters and heralding the beginn…
Gore: The Brutal History of Bullfighting
Dec. 13, 2021
Some revere it as an art form, others revile it as a blood sport, but no matter where you stand, few traditions stir up strong emotions quite like the centuries-old ritual of bullfighting. Born in the villages of rural Spain…
Ghosts in the Mountains: The Mujahideen Civil War (Part 4)
Oct. 19, 2021
It’s 1992. The 40th Army is long gone and the Soviet Union has collapsed, but war still rages across Afghanistan. As the Afghan communist regime crumbles, Ahmed Shah Massoud and Gulbuddin Hekmatyar’s forces clash in Kabul. W…
Ghosts in the Mountains: The Soviet-Afghan War – Part 3
Sept. 20, 2021
As the CIA wages a covert proxy war against the Soviet 40th Army, the Mujahideen are showered with billions of dollars and cutting-edge weaponry. An old animosity between two prominent Mujahideen commanders – Ahmed Shah Mass…
Ghosts in the Mountains: The Soviet-Afghan War – Part 2
Aug. 23, 2021
The Soviet 40th Army invaded Afghanistan in the closing days of 1979. They would not leave for another nine years. Exhausted and frustrated by their inability to decisively crush the elusive freedom fighters in the mountains…
Ghosts in the Mountains: The Soviet-Afghan War – Part 1
July 27, 2021
When Soviet Russia invaded Afghanistan in December of 1979, few could have imagined what a seismic impact it would have on the modern world. In an attempt to prop up a wobbly client regime, the Soviets sparked a transnationa…
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