Hard Fried History

Latest Episodes:

Ep 105: Osama bin Laden p1 - Shifting Sands Oct 06, 2021

Show notes

What do you really know about Osama bin Laden? This week we look at the first 35 years of America's, if not the world's, most infamous terrorist, covering the circumstances of his birth and childhood, his service in the Soviet-Afghan war and how his radical beliefs were shaped by the events and people around him. Also covered is the US' initial reaction to the emergence of bin Laden on their intelligence radars, the negotiation of Afghanistan's national identity after the Soviet withdrawal and the beginnings of the First Persian Gulf War. Part two coming within the next couple days!

Ep 104: Saudi Royal Family p3 - Oil on Troubled Waters Sep 28, 2021

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If both your old friends and your new friends are inviting you to sit with them in your grade-school's cafeteria, which group would you sit with? This week we conclude our series on the Saudi Royal Family, covering events such as the First Persian Gulf war, the most-recent frictions caused by Saudi Arabia's attempts to modernize and the global standing of Saudi Arabia today. (Sorry for the delay, been a busy week. Hope you enjoy and stay tuned!)

Ep 103: Saudi Royal Family p2 - Petrodollars Pay My Bills Sep 16, 2021

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You ever shut off the world's supply of oil and weren't assassinated by the CIA? Few could. This week we venture further into the history of Saudi Arabia, covering its opening toward the West, initial phase of modernization and how it navigated the precarious politics of the Middle East during the Cold War.

Ep 102: The Saudi Royal Family p1 - Origins of Saudi Nationalism Sep 09, 2021

Show notes

What's the difference between an Emirate and a Nation State? Emirates don't get a seat at the UN. This week we begin our analysis of the rise of Ibn Saud and the Saudi Royal Family, covering topics such as European attempts to colonize the region, Saudi Arabia's place in both World Wars and the early attempts to modernize the largest country in the Middle East.

Ep 101: Exxon is American AF Sep 02, 2021

Show notes

You drinking my milkshake bro? This week, we examine the origins and modern history of Exxon Mobile, just your regular ol' multinational corporate Leviathan. So grab a seat, pull out your re-useable straw and slurp down some of this knowledge bro, plenty to go around.

Ep 100 (Yeet): The Soviet Occupation of Afghanistan, 1979 - 1989 Aug 25, 2021

Show notes

Have you checked in with the enemy of your enemy? For our 100th episode special, Henry and Josh peak into the history of Afghanistan, covering the first of its approximately four decades of civil war and turmoil. Included within our analysis is the events that prompted the occupation, the nature and gradual escalation of the US support of rebel factions within Afghanistan and hints as to why Afghanistan is known to some as "the graveyard of empires."

Thank you all who have stuck with us thus far! We hope you all have enjoyed learning with us and are looking forward to more from us. If you have any suggestions or feedback feel free to share it with us online. Thank you and stay safe!

Ep 99: Marquis de Lafayette - Herald of the Revolution Aug 19, 2021

Show notes

If revolution comes, which side will you take? This week, we merely graze the surface of the life of a man who became absolutely immersed in revolution, turbulence and upheaval, first during the rebellion of the American colonies and then in France.

Ep 98: Canadian Divisions During WW2 (w/ Special Guest Graham Kay!) Aug 12, 2021

Show notes

What exactly was Canada's role during World War Two? This week, Josh, Henry and Canada's own Graham Kay explore the question by tracing the itinerary of five Canadian battalions throughout Europe and how they contributed to the defeat of the Axis. Be sure to follow Graham Kay on IG and Twitter and check him out on his upcoming nationwide tour!

Ep 97: FDR p3 - American Caesar Aug 05, 2021

Show notes

What do you want your legacy to be? In finale of HFH's trilogy on this giant in American history, Henry and Josh talk about how FDR combatted American isolationism through the use of clever legal loopholes, the crucial months up to the attack on Pearl Harbor and both the military and geopolitical battles fought during WW2, as well as a brief examination of the triumphs and shortcomings of the man himself.

Ep 96: History Wormhole - Court Packing Jul 29, 2021

Show notes

Listen man lemme tell you, it's all about packin bowls, packin heat, packin out crowds and packin courts. FDR knew it and now you do too. For real though, THIS WEEK we are discussing Franklin Delano Roosevelt's attempt to add SIX seats to the US Supreme Court in early 1937, a brief overview of how the number of Supreme Court seats has expanded and contracted throughout America's history and what the hell greenbacks are.

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