June 23, 2024
The Sources of Russian Aggression
On this week’s episode of History Reconsidered, Sumantra Maitra and Jarrett Stepman talk about the history of NATO and the sources of Russian aggression both historically and today. They cover Maitra’s new book called, fittingly enough, “The Sources of Russian Aggression: Is Russia a Realist Power?” You can pick up the book on Amazon here. Maitra explains what the original purpose of NATO was and how it has evolved since the end of the Cold War. What began as a 12-member alliance to contain the Soviet Union has grown to a 32-member coalition with more abstract goals like democracy promotion and human rights. Is the expanded NATO really stronger?
Earlier Episodes
June 2024
On this week’s episode of History Reconsidered, Sumantra Maitra and Jarrett Stepman talk about the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the end of World War II.
Were the bombings necessary or could the war with Japan have been resolved in a better way? Maitra and Stepman talk about the realities of an invasion of the Japanese homeland and what the would have meant for both the Allies and the Japanese people. They also talk about the differences between how World War II ended compared to many modern wars.
The episode ends with a brief exploration of the question: “Who really won World War II?”
On this week’s episode of History Reconsidered, Sumantra Maitra and Jarrett Stepman talk about the history of NATO and the sources of Russian aggression both historically and today. They cover Maitra’s new book called, fittingly enough, “The Sources of Russian Aggression: Is Russia a Realist Power?” You can pick up the book on Amazon here. Maitra explains what the original purpose of NATO was and how it has evolved since the end of the Cold War. What began as a 12-member alliance to contain the Soviet Union has grown to a 32-member coalition with more abstract goals like democracy promotion and human rights. Is the expanded NATO really stronger?
May 2024
On this week’s episode of History Reconsidered, Sumantra Maitra and Jarrett Stepman talk about the middle stages of World War II when the Axis powers were ascendent and victory for Great Britain seemed bleak. They discuss whether Germany’s cross channel invasion of the British Isles could have succeeded.
Sumantra Maitra and Jarrett Stepman talk about the U.S. entry into World War II after the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor. With the U.S. entry into the war, the conflict became global. The Allies would have significant manpower and materiel advantages that could not be matched by the Axis. Yet, wars are not won by materiel alone.
April 2024
Sumantra Maitra and Jarrett Stepman talk about the collapse of the Weimar Republic and the rise of Nazi Germany. Was Weimar doomed from the beginning? They explain how and why Weimar disintegrated.
Sumantra Maitra and Jarrett Stepman talk about the United States and Great Britain on the eve of World War II. They explain the “America First” movement in the United States and why most Americans were adamantly opposed to war. Many Americans believed that involvement in the conflict would change the country forever, and it did.
Sumantra Maitra and Jarrett Stepman talk about the initial stages of World War II, including the fall of Poland, Finland and France, and explain the hopeless position Poland was put in and the reasons for France’s quick disintegration. Maitra and Stepman also talk about how Germany’s quick victories over Poland, the low countries, and France and the Soviet Union’s difficulties in Finland led to Hitler’s decision to launch Operation Barbarossa.
March 2024
Maitra and Stepman talk about the legacy of World War I, the worldview of Woodrow Wilson, and much more.
Maitra and Jarrett Stepman talk about the rise of Imperial Japan before World War II. They explain how an isolated, highly traditional Asian society rapidly modernized in the 19th century and rivaled the great powers of the West.
Maitra and tepman talk about Fascist Italy between the wars. Stepman and Maitra explain what “fascism” really was and how it relates to socialism and other ideologies. They discuss Italy’s attitude at the end of World War I and how Italian dictator Benito Mussolini gave the Italian people the notion of a return to Roman imperial greatness.
February 2024
Sumantra Maitra and Jarrett Stepman discuss the mutiny of 1857 in India that became one of the greatest crises the British Empire ever faced.
Earlier Episodes
Maitra and Jarrett Stepman talk about the conduct and strategy of the Civil War, for both the Union and the Confederacy. They then talk about the effects of the Civil War, the casualties and the psychological impact on the nation. Most estimates put the death total at 620,000, but some more recent analyses put the number much higher.
Maitra and Stepman explain, looking at the war through the lens of slavery versus anti-slavery or racism versus antiracism fails to capture the complex nature of a drawn-out conflict that nearly ended the American republic.
JANUARY 2024
Sumantra Maitra and Jarrett Stepman discuss the Spanish Civil War, an important but largely misunderstood conflict that served as a precursor to both World War II and the Cold War.
Sumantra Maitra and Jarrett Stepman discuss the attempt by National Park Service to remove a William Penn Statue in front of his historic home in Philadelphia. Penn was the founder of the Pennsylvania colony. The move was rejected after it ignited a social media firestorm and political pushback. Is this a model for future efforts to stop the widespread iconoclasm in the West?
Sumantra Maitra and Jarrett Stepman discuss the French Revolution in the first episode of a three part series on the rise and fall of Napoleon Bonaparte.
On this week’s episode of History Reconsidered, Sumantra Maitra and Jarrett Stepman discuss the Barbary Wars. Following the Spanish Reconquista, North African Muslim states turned to piracy to enrich themselves. For four centuries they relied on a system of piracy, slavery, and exacting tribute from European powers.
December 2023
Maitra and Stepman talk about Napoleon’s legacy as well as some alternative history. Could Napoleon really have gone to America to become a scientist?
Maitra and Stepman talk about how events spun out of control in the early 20th century, leading to the greatest wars in human history, the collapse of empires, and a total reshaping of the world’s political map.
Sumantra Maitra and Jarrett Stepman discuss the legacy of historian and statesman Henry Kissinger. Be sure to read Maitra’s piece on Kissinger in The American Conservative, “‘Historian, More Than a Statesman.”
november 2023
Sumantra Maitra and Jarrett Stepman discuss “Great Man Theory” in the second episode of a three part series on the rise and fall of Napoleon Bonaparte.
Sumantra Maitra and Jarrett Stepman discuss why they think about the Roman Empire and why you probably do too even if you don’t know it.
Sumantra Maitra and Jarrett Stepman discuss the French Revolution in the first episode of a three part series on the rise and fall of Napoleon Bonaparte.
Sumantra Maitra and Jarrett Stepman discuss why they launched this podcast and explain why history is too important to be left to modern academia.