Enjoy These Videos:
Conversations With History: UC Berkeley‘s history interview program
Spain In Our Hearts: Americans in the Spanish Civil War, 1936-1939: Adam Hochschild talks about his book, in which he provides a history of the Spanish Civil War.
Postwar – A History of Europe Since 1945: Tony Judt traces European history after World War I, describing economic, political, and social changes in several countries. In his talk, the author explained that Europe lived in the “shadow of World War II” and did not recover from the economic costs until well into the late 1980s.
Harvest of Shame – 1960 CBS Documentary on the lives of poor farm workers
The Fight in the Fields – Cesar Chavez and the Farmworkers Movement
The Invisible Bridge: The Fall of Nixon and the Rise of Reagan – Rick Perlstein plus Q&A
Nixonland Nixonland – Rick Perlstein
Before the Storm: Barry Goldwater – Rick Perlstein
Waiting ‘Till The Midnight Hour – A History of Black Power in America: Peniel E. Joseph traces the history of the men and women of the movement–many of them famous or infamous, others forgotten. In a series of character-driven chapters, we witness the rise of Black Power groups such as the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and the Black Panthers,
American Radical – The Life and Times of IF Stone: In his book Mr. Guttenplan recounts the life of journalist I.F. Stone. Utilizing several sources, including documents recently made available through the Freedom of Information Act
In the Shadow of FDR: William Leuchtenburg talked about his book In the Shadow of FDR: From Harry Truman to Barack Obama
Congress in the Truman Era: focused on the challenges that he faced in having his policy initiatives legislated, specifically the backlash by Congress against the similar policies of President Roosevelt
Truman and Domestic Policy: focused on President Truman’s expansion of social programs and the relationship between the presidency and Congress in legislating President Truman’s agenda
At War With The Experts: Former President Harry Truman talked about his decision to recognize the state of Israel
The Origins of the CIA: Mr. Gaddis discussed the origin and development of the CIA under President Hary S Truman. Earlier this year, the CIA Center for the Study of Intelligence held a series of discussions about the beginning of the Intelligency Agency.
Louis Johnson and the Arming of America: David Roll talked about the book he co-wrote with Keith D. McFarland, Louis Johnson and the Arming of America: The Roosevelt and Truman Years
Berlin Airlift: Daring Young Men, Richard Reeves, presents a history of the Berlin Airlift (May 1948-June 1949), focusing on the exploits of American airmen called back into service by President Truman three years after their duty in World War II
The Fall of McCarthy: Robert Shogan talks about his book No Sense of Decency: The Army-McCarthy Hearings – A Demagogue Falls and Television Takes Charge of American Politics. In his book he recounts the thirty-six days of televised coverage of the McCarthy hearings
Einstein on Race and Racism: Fred Jerome and Rodger Taylor talk about their book Einstein on Race and Racism. In the book they bring together a compilation of documents, interviews, and narrative that show the scientist’s efforts toward ending racism
The Einstein File: Fred Jerome talked about his book The Einstein File: J. Edgar Hoover’s Secret War Against the World’s Most Famous Scientist. In this book he details the activities of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in spying on Albert Einstein and his associates
1960 LBJ vs. JFK Vs. Nixon: David Pietrusza talks about 1960: LBJ vs. JFK vs. Nixon: The Epic Campaign That Forged Three Presidencies
Kennedy and Kruschchev: Mr. Beschloss provided a history of the relations between President John F. Kennedy and Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev and its impact on the Cold War
Bay of Pigs Invasion: President Kennedy spoke to the Society of Newspaper Editors about events in Cuba, which later became known as the Bay of Pigs Invasion
Cuban Missile Crisis: In honor of the 40th anniversary of the Cuban Missile Crisis, archival materials, including audiotapes from White House meetings and television footage from the time… More>>
JFK in Berlin: Newsreel footage was shown of President Kennedy visiting West Berlin and speaking to a crowd. The wall between East and West Berlin had been erected
JFK on Religion and Politics: Senator John F. Kennedy addressed a special meeting of the Greater Houston Ministerial Association at the Rice Hotel in Houston, Texas. He spoke about the separation of church and state, the issue of having a Catholic as president, and the role that his religion had played up to that point in the 1960
With God on Our Side: Mikey Weinstein and his Military Religious Freedom Foundation
Adam Curtis: Century of the Self. Power of Nightmares, etc…
Rome 1960 – The Olympics that Changed the World: David Maraniss talked about his book Rome 1960: The Olympics That Changed the World, published by Simon and Schuster. In the book he looks at the convergence of sports, race, and the Cold War
Four Books That Shaped the Cold War: John Fleming talked about his book The Anti-Communist Manifestos: Four Books That Shaped the Cold War (W.W. Norton & Co.; August 17, 2009). In his book he talks about four books that influenced the way people viewed the Cold War
Origins of the Cold War: The panel examines the history of U.S.-Soviet relations including diplomacy at Yalta and Potsdam, the creation of atomic weapons, the Cuban Missile Crisis
Containment Examined: Professor Hitchcock lectured about the U.S. foreign policy strategy of containment between 1946-1950. After World War II, President Harry Truman initiated policies to prevent the spread of communism in Europe and Asia. This strategy of “containment” would result in decades of Cold War tension
The Coldest Winter: Panelists talked about the life and work of the late David Halberstam, focusing on his final book, The Coldest Winter: America and the Korean War, published that day by Hyperion. This history of the Korean War focuses on the battles of November 1950 in the snow-covered mountains of North Korea
The Sixties Revisited: Panelists talked about the 1960s and how the decade is remembered and taught. After their presentations the panelists answered questions from members of the audience
Afterwords with Tom Hayden: Tom Hayden talks about his book, Writings for a Democratic Society: The Tom Hayden Reader, published by City Lights Publishers. The book collects Mr. Hayden’s pieces on various social and political issues that he has engaged in since the early 1960s.
In the Ruins of Empire: Ronald Spector talked about his book In the Ruins of Empire: The Japanese Surrender and the Battle for Postwar Asia. He documents the Allied occupation of the Pacific theater following the end of World War II
The Rise and Fall of Communism: Archie Brown talked about his book The Rise and Fall of Communism (Ecco; June 9, 2009). In his book the emeritus politics professor at Oxford University presents a history of communism. Mr. Brown explores its early origins, the theories and publications of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels,
Shock Doctrine: Naomi Klein talks about her book The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism
Safe For Democracy: John Prados talked about his book, Safe for Democracy: The Secret Wars of the CIA, published by Ivan R. Dee. He talked about the CIA’s covert operations since WWII and assessed whether those operations have helped the U.S. government reach its foreign policy goals
Hawk and Dove: Nicholas Thompson talked about his book The Hawk and the Dove: Paul Nitze, George Kennan, and the History of the Cold War . In his book he details the contentious work relationship between defense and foreign policy advisers Paul Nitze and George Kennan
CBS News – April 4, 1968: watch the CBS evening news broadcast from the day MLK was assassinated
House of Cards: n his book Mr. Cohan details the rise and fall of Bear Stearns and focuses on the choices executives made that ultimately led to the government-forced merger
Yalta – The Price of Peace: S.M. Plokhy, history professor at Harvard University, refutes the contention made by many of Roosevelt’s critics that the president ceded too much to Stalin at Yalta and that his actions laid the groundwork for the Cold War.
FZ on Crossfire:
Frank Zappa vs Robert Novak on free speech.
VIETNAM:
David Farber: History of the Vietnam antiwar movement.
Ho Chi Minh – A Life: William Duiker He described the life and career of the Vietnamese revolutionary leader, including his peasant background, education, military service, rise to power and political philosophy
Lessons In Disaster: Gordon Goldstein on his book Lessons in Disaster: McGeorge Bundy and the Path to War in Vietnam
The Lost Battalion of Tet: Charles Krohn talked about the events of 1968 with respect to the Vietnam War, including the Tet Offensive & political climate. He also talked about how the Vietnam War has impacted current U.S. policy
Perfect Spy: Larry Berman talked about his book Perfect Spy: The Incredible Double Life of Pham Xuan An, ‘Time’ Magazine Reporter and Vietnamese Communist Agent,
Impact of the Vietnam War on the Homefront: symposium on the American Experience in Southeast Asia. The following discussion focuses on the impact of the Vietnam War on the home front in the United States.
Giap- Victor in Vietnam: Peter MacDonald, an officer in the British Army for over thirty years, talked about his book Giap: The Victor in Vietnam. The book is a biography of General Giap, the commander of the Vietnamese army
Matterhorn: Karl Marlantes – Vietnam War veteran (Marines), Yale University graduate, and Rhodes Scholar at Oxford – talked about his novel about the Vietnam War.
The Battle of Hue City: Lieutenant General Ron Christmas (Ret.) presents a first-hand account of the Battle of Hue City in 1968
Valley of Death: The Tragedy at Dien Bien Phu: Ted Morgan talked about his book Valley of Death: The Tragedy at Dien Bien Phu that Led America into the Vietnam War. The book is the story of a 1954 battle where the French were defeated by the Vietnamese resistance forces, ending French rule in Indochina
Angel of Dien Bien Phu: Genevieve de Galard recounts her time as a flight nurse for the French Air Force and the aid she provided for many who were wounded during the Battle of Dien Bien Phu
We Were Soldiers Once: Lieutenant General Harold Moore (Retired) and Joseph Galloway talked about their book We Are Soldiers Still: A Journey Back to the Battlefields of Vietnam
Why Vietnam Matters: Rufus Phillips writes about the U.S.’s involvement in Vietnam from 1954 to 1968 and argues that a different outcome was possible in the war.
In the Company of Marines: James Finnegan recalls his year as a combat surgeon in Vietnam (1967-1968). He headed up a team of doctors in Khe Sanh during the 1968 siege
Diplomacy and Force in Vietnam: The State Department Office of the Historian hosted a series of discussions on the American experience in Southeast Asia. The following panel debates the use of force and diplomacy during the Vietnam War.
Paris Peace Accords: Four decades later, declassified materials offer new perspectives on the Paris Peace Accords.
Melvin Laird In War, Peace: The panel talked about the life and career of Melvin Laird. After his election in 1968, President-Elect Nixon asked Wisconsin Congressman Melvin Laird to find him a secretary of defense. However, with the country at the peak of its involvement in Vietnam, no one wanted the job.
The Vietnam Chronicles- The Abrams Tapes 1968 – 1972. Lewis Sorley, author of the book, “Vietnam Chronicle: The Abrams Tapes, 1968-1972,” examined over 450 tapes made by General Creighton Abrams and his staff when he headed the U.S. Army’s Military Assistance Command in Vietnam.
A Better War: Lewis Sorley talks about his book, A Better War: The Unexamined Victories and the Final Tragedy of America’s Last Years in Vietnam and about its relevence to the current debate over military policy in Afghanistan
Vietnam and the Presidency: A two-day conference sponsored by all of the Presidential Libraries and the National Archives (Real Player Required)
Death of a Generation: Death of a Generation: How the Assassinations of Diem and JFK Prolonged the Vietnam War, published by Oxford University Press. According to Professor Jones, President Kennedy was planning a troop withdrawal from Vietnam
They Marched Into Sunlight: part 1
They Marched Into Sunlight: part 2
They Marched Into Sunlight: Book Reading (2002)
No Peace, No Honor: Larry Berman on the betrayal of the Paris Peace Accords
The 11 Days of Christmas: Mr. Michel discussed his book, The 11 Days of Christmas: America’s Last Vietnam Battle, about the “Christmas Bombing” of 1972.
The 9th Infantry Division in Vietnam: Major General Ira Hunt, (Ret.) recounts the U.S. Army 9th Infantry Division’s operations in the Mekong River Delta region of Vietnam for several months from 1968 to 1969
AFGHANISTAN:
The Future of Afhanistan: Milton Bearden talked about the future of Afghanistan. His article in the March/April 2009 issue of The National Interest, “Curse of the Khyber Pass,” looks at ways to avoid defeat in Afghanistan
History of Counterinsurgency: Afghanistan. The Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies hosted a discussion on counterinsurgency operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. This was part of a conference examining the history of counterinsurgency from Vietnam to present day warfare
Panel on War: Sebastian Junger is the author of War, recounting the fourteen months he spent embedded with a U.S. Army platoon in Afghanistan. Karl Marlantes is the author of Matterhorn: A Novel of the Vietnam War, based on his experiences about what it is like to be a young man at war
Q&A with John Burns: John F. Burns talked his life as a foreign and war correspondent, military efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan, politics of the United Kingdom, and the impact of planned cuts in Great Britain’s defense budget
Ahmed Rashid: Taliban / Descent into Chaos / On US Policy / With Steve Coll / Jihad / More Taliban /
Steve Coll: Ghost Wars / More Ghost Wars / Afghanistan Four Years Later / After Words /
Robert Fisk: Great War For Civilization / What to do About Iraq / After September, 11 /
IRAQ:
History of Counterinsurgency: Iraq. The Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies hosted a discussion on counterinsurgency operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. This was part of a conference examining the history of counterinsurgency from Vietnam to present day warfare
Parallel Narratives 