The History Guy

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Counterfactuals: Italy and WWI Nov 03, 2026

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Welcome to the History Guy Podcast: Counterfactuals. What is a counterfactual? At it’s most basic, it is a ‘what if’. It’s a way of understanding history as it is by discussing what it could have been.
On today’s episode, we talk about one of the lesser-known but possibly pivotal moments of the First World War: When Italy finally decided to enter on the side of the Entente. When, how, and on which side Italy entered the war was far from certain in 1914–what might have happened if Italy chose differently?

Counterfactuals: The Harrison Horror Oct 20, 2026

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What is a counterfactual? In it's most basic sense, it is a "what if".
Today we discuss the ghoulish tale of John Scott Harrison, the only man to be both the son and the father of US Presidents. Less than 24 hours after his burial, John Scott’s body was stolen by esurrectionists. The consequences of the body snatching would cause significant changes for American medical history and more.

Counterfactuals: The Great Sparrow Campaign Oct 06, 2026

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On today’s episode, we consider one of history’s greatest mistakes: The 4 pests campaign of the Great Leap Forward of Communist China, and specifically at the killing of billions of sparrows, which contributed to a one of the largest and most devastating famines in human history.
What is a counterfactual? At it’s most basic, it is a ‘what if’. It’s a way of understanding history as it is by discussing what it could have been.

Counterfactuals: Stainless Steel Sep 22, 2026

Show notes

Welcome to the History Guy Podcast: Counterfactuals. What is a counterfactual? At it’s most basic, it is a ‘what if’. It’s a way of understanding history as it is by discussing what it could have been.
Today we talk about an incredible material that has come to be ubiquitous in all of our lives: stainless steel. It might not actually be rust-proof, but a world without it would be substantially rustier.

Counterfactuals: The Great Library Sep 08, 2026

Show notes

Welcome to the History Guy Podcast: Counterfactuals. What is a counterfactual? At it’s most basic, it is a ‘what if’. It’s a way of understanding history as it is by discussing what it could have been.
On today’s episode, we talk about one of the most famous what ifs in human history: What if the Library of Alexandria hadn’t been lost? The famous story is that the library was burned, but the actual history is more anticlimactic. Huge numbers of scrolls were nonetheless lost to history. What might the world be like if they weren’t?

Counterfactuals: The Russian Civil War and the Polar Bears Aug 25, 2026

Show notes

Welcome to the History Guy Podcast: Counterfactuals. What is a counterfactual? At it’s most basic, it is a ‘what if’. It’s a way of understanding history as it is by discussing what it could have been.
On today’s episode, we talk about a little remembered campaign by the Allies to intervene in the Russian Civil War, at the tail-end and even after the end of WWI.

Counterfactuals: Smith v. Allwright and Civil Rights Aug 12, 2026

Show notes

Welcome to the History Guy Podcast: Counterfactuals. What is a counterfactual? At it’s most basic, it is a ‘what if’. It’s a way of understanding history as it is by discussing what it could have been.
Today we talk about a 1944 supreme court decision that fundamentally altered the American electorate and set the stage for civil rights victories that culminated in the Civil Rights Act: Smith v. Allwright.

Counterfactuals: The 1844 Princeton Explosion Jul 28, 2026

Show notes

Welcome to the History Guy Podcast: Counterfactuals. What is a counterfactual? At it’s most basic, it is a ‘what if’. It’s a way of understanding history as it is by discussing what it could have been.
On today’s episode we talk about the deadliest accident to ever strike a presidential cabinet: the explosion of the cannon on board the USS Princeton in February, 1844. The explosion killed both the Secretary of State and the Secretary of the Navy, and fundamentally changed the trajectory of the era.

Counterfactuals: 1527 Sack of Rome Jul 14, 2026

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On today’s episode, we talk about an event often thought to have ended the “High Renaissance” period: the sack of Rome by a mutinous contingent of German and Spanish mercenaries in May, 1527. Often forgotten, it had a profound impact on history.

Counterfactuals: Rabies Jun 30, 2026

Show notes

Welcome to the History Guy Podcast: Counterfactuals. What is a counterfactual? At it’s most basic, it is a ‘what if’. It’s a way of understanding history as it is by discussing what it could have been.
Today, we talk about one of the deadliest diseases in human history, and one we often don’t think about at all today: Rabies. How has it changed the world, and what might be different without it?

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