Why Wars Happened History Podcast

INTERVIEW: Hollywood’s Secret CIA & Moon Landing Project

The CIA and the Space Race — retold by Hollywood legends.In this episode of Why Wars Happened, Jeremy Fox, Sir Howard Stringer, and Jeff Bewkes reveal how they’re reinventing history through immersive audio dramas. From Central Intelligence (Kim Cattrall) to Buzz (John Lithgow), discover the hidden espionage, moon landing drama, and storytelling secrets behind their work.⏱ Timestamps00:00 – Welcome to Why Wars Happened00:26 – Meet the guests01:09 – Why media leaders entered podcasting03:35 – Central Intelligence with Kim Cattrall05:36 – Why historical audio dramas matter11:53 – Behind the scenes of Central Intelligence13:22 – Buzz: Buzz Aldrin’s story with John Lithgow19:32 – Challenges in today’s entertainment industry21:51 – Mission of Thoroughbred Studios31:21 – Final thoughts#CIA #SpaceRace #BuzzAldrin #HollywoodSecrets #AudioDrama #KimCattrall #JohnLithgow #WhyWarsHappened

INTERVIEW: Germany’s Deadly Secret Blueprint

Germany didn’t just “unify” — it was engineered through secret deals, ruthless power grabs, and reckless ambition that exploded into global war.In this episode of Why Wars Happened, historian Katja Hoyer reveals how Bismarck’s strategy and Wilhelm II’s rise lit the fuse for World War I. Once you hear it, you’ll never look at Europe the same way again.Timestamps:00:00 Intro00:58 Europe After Napoleon01:48 The German Question03:14 How the Great Powers Reacted04:36 Prussia Steps Up06:35 Life in a New Germany12:52 Bismarck’s Strategy15:43 Why His Legacy Still Divides21:19 Wilhelm II Takes the Throne25:44 Tensions Before the Great War28:52 Social Friction and Culture Shifts30:25 Final Thoughts#GermanyHistory #Bismarck #WWI #WhyWarsHappened #HiddenHistory

INTERVIEW: The Soldier the U.S. Tried to Forget

The U.S. Marines had a soldier who fought with Chinese communists before WWII — and then created America’s first Special Forces.In this episode of Why Wars Happened, Stephen Platt uncovers the forgotten story of Evans Carlson, the man who defied military tradition, clashed with generals, and built the Marine Raiders. His ideas shaped modern warfare, but the military wanted him erased.Timestamps:00:00 – Intro00:49 – Meet historian Stephen Platt01:27 – Who was Evans Carlson?03:00 – Early life & influences04:58 – Fighting with Chinese communists13:21 – Founding the Marine Raiders14:55 – Why his tactics caused friction21:22 – What happened after the war28:24 – Final thoughts & book info#WWII #MarineRaiders #SpecialForces #MilitarySecrets #WhyWarsHappened

INTERVIEW: How War Created the English Language

The words you speak exist because of war. From Vikings raiding villages to Normans conquering England, battles rewrote the English language forever.In this episode of Why Wars Happened, Dr. Colin Gorrie uncovers how Rome, the Vikings, and the Normans all left fingerprints on every sentence you speak today. Once you hear it, you’ll never look at English the same way again.Timestamps:00:00 – Welcome to Why Wars Happened00:49 – Meet Dr. Colin Gorrie01:22 – How war shapes language03:25 – The Norman Conquest & French rule07:11 – Vikings, the Danelaw & Norse words22:52 – Borrowed words from conflict & trade26:31 – 1066 & the Norman takeover28:47 – Fall of Old English, rise of Middle English31:36 – The Great Vowel Shift35:58 – Latin’s lingering influence40:21 – War, trade & crossroads of language51:00 – Wrapping up#HistoryOfEnglish #Vikings #NormanConquest #LanguageSecrets #WhyWarsHappened

INTERVIEW: The Empire That Couldn’t Stop Fighting

For 300 years, Germany couldn’t escape war. Border fights, rival powers, endless battles — conflict shaped its destiny.Oxford historian Peter Wilson joins Why Wars Happened to explain why German-speaking Europe was trapped in war after war, from the Holy Roman Empire to Prussia’s rise and Bismarck’s empire.Timestamps:00:00 – Introduction00:50 – Guest: Peter Wilson01:29 – Germany’s fragmented beginnings05:36 – The rise and influence of Prussia14:21 – Military traditions and their legacy19:41 – The Holy Roman Empire and Austria28:11 – Bismarck and unification30:30 – Closing thoughts#GermanyHistory #Prussia #HolyRomanEmpire #MilitaryHistory #WhyWarsHappened